boxer ⋆ luke hemmings ✔️

32. Blue Hair & Broken Boxers.

The first punch was always the hardest.

Luke shook his head, shaking his fists in the process as he retracted his arm. His knuckles landed on the bag within seconds of him doing so, creating a sickening, satisfying sound of bone slamming against leather.

He took in a deep breath, jaw clenching. He didn't know how long he was going at it for. He just knew that he never wanted to stop.

Fighting always cleared his mind. It led to a blank canvas and a steady heartbeat, as steady as it could get after however many hours spent damaging his skin over the heavyweight.

Only now seemed to be different- because now, there was way too much in his mind to get rid of.

He punched it again, hissing in pain at the contact. Nothing seemed to be working, causing the perplexed boxer to broaden his shoulders and strengthen his force; a dangerous thing to do considering he wasn't in the right frame of mind. Nowhere near it, though he could give less of a fuck.

He was hurting himself in the best way that he knew how; through self destruction. He was breaking his skin and breaking his mind and breaking every little thing in between, just because he couldn't fill the gaps that clouded his head and twisted his knowledge.

Luke couldn't let it happen again. He just couldn't. But he couldn't let her go. He didn't know why, exactly, but leaving little Sophie Hood was something he just couldn't bring himself to do.

But he had to. He had said it before, and he would, with no hesitation, say it again; he was bad for her.

Another punch. Another hand threatening to break. Another thought of her, and how she giggled when she cuddled into him, and how her soft scent of perfume lingered in the air of his car after he dropped her off back at home. Another feeling of guilt once Calum came out of the house, confused out of his goddamn mind as to why they were together- to which Luke gave him the half-hearted excuse of, "I just took her out for lunch, mate. Chase was there,"

And upon hearing that his little sister's best friend had apparently accompanied them, Calum Hood bought it.

"Bye, Luke," Sophie had smiled. Once her brother's back was turned, she leant forward quickly, planting a soft kiss on the blond's lips before exiting his truck altogether.

She didn't know. It pained Luke to know that she was as naive as she was when they first met, and that she was as clueless as she was when he first ran into her in the arena. It hurt him because nobody but Ashley had any idea what twisted world Sophie would be introduced to once Luke finally decided to fully let her into his life, what obstacles her sweet self would have to face just to be with someone like him.

He was still so skeptical. He hadn't been one-hundred percent convinced to begin with, but now, he was even more reluctant— falling for Sophie had consequences.

"We need to talk." Ashley. He could hear her voice, decipher it from a mile away just by the assertive tone it carried.

She was coming towards him, ditching her beanie on the floor to reveal a head of unruly, silver hair, "Why haven't you been answering my calls?"

"Been busy."

"Beating yourself up?" he swung at the bag again, ignoring her statement, "Hey,"

Nothing. She couldn't even get him to look in her direction, "Look, ignore me all you want. Give me the silent treatment, go ahead. But you need to understand that-"