The Struggle •Unedited•

Chapter 23

•Louis•

Sweating and running out of breath, I lunged forward and hammered the side of my trainer's head gear. His head flew back and his gloved fist came flying towards me, missing me by a couple inches, I leaned back.

"Hook, uppercut!" Harry heaved.

It was up to me to decide if it was a right or left combination. His right arm was focused on protecting his right side of his face while the other was placed in front to abdomen to protect from body shots. Looks like I found my target - the left side of his face.

Swinging forward, my glove impacted his face, one hit after another. Bingo.

My side was beginning to hurt, but I'm not giving up.

I gotta do this for Mason.

Just then, Harry came at me with a series of fast, powerful punches. My arms came together and quickly created a barrier as I crouched down behind them, blocking as much of the hits as possible.

"Block, Lou! C'mon!" Zayn motivates from the opposite side of the ring.

"Daddy!" An excited child's voice sounds from outside the ring.

As much as I want to pay attention to my son, I can't lose focus or I'll get the shit beaten out of me.

Mason gasps, "Whoa,"

A small smile cracks on my lips at his reaction to me and Harry sparring.

Multiple, louder and heavier footsteps are heard while I continue to prevent Harry's punches from hitting me.

The backs of my arms are staring to sting from the impact of the leather.

"Oh shit," Another voice mutters.

Niall.

"Wow,"

Elisabeth.

Zayn stomps on the ring floor, "Defend yourself!"

Rapidly shuffling back on my feet, I break my arm shield and lift my gloved fists. When Harry swings, he misses my body and this gives me the chance to attack.

I don't hold back. My gloves oscillate, left and right, one after another, hitting my trainers head and body. I don't know what it is, but something's caused me to hit harder.

•Elisabeth•

Oh wow.

Niall and I are standing behind Mason, observing his father. He's really been improving and it's unfolding in front of us.

Those arms, that have started to gain loads of muscle, are flying across and striking his trainer heavily.

My eyes move further across the ring and I could see Malik smiling wide and throwing his arms up, cheering silently for his best friend who happens to be executing this sparring session.

"Okay, stop!" Harry shouts as he stumbles backwards into he ropes due to Louis' punches.

His arms speed decreases and he straightens himself up. My other best friend is huffing and puffing as he fiddles his slender fingers with the strap of the head gear. Yanking it off, he tosses it out the ring and he looks up at Louis who had just tossed his head gear aside as well.

"What?" The young father asks, breathing loudly, "Why are you staring at me?"

Harry puffs his cheeks and a half, a tired laugh escapes him. "Great job,"

Louis smiles brightly and the rest of us in the room being to clap while Niall and Zayn whistle and hollar, as well.

"That was awesome, Louis!" I gape.