The Struggle •Unedited•

Chapter 25

(A/N)
There's music! Feel free to play it while you read :) one of my favorite songs, actually! Enjoy!

•Elisabeth•

So there's 2 weeks left for Louis to train and the days were coming to an end quick. I've been working out with Louis for a bit after work on weekdays to keep him motivated, but I can only take so much physical exercise.

He's getting stronger and it's noticeable. When he first started, he couldn't move the huge punching bag hanging from the ceiling, but now, when he attacks it with combinations, the thing flys all over the place.

Harry puts him through serious, hardcore workouts. There's never a moment where we walk in and he's isn't screaming from how much pain he's experiencing and how hard he's pushing himself to not give up. It's amazing.

Niall motivates him as much as he can, along with Malik and Harry. Yes, there's times where we have doubt and think he won't be able to do it, but he somehow ends up showing us that he's not ready to give up the fight just yet.

Where half way through week five and I just arrived at the gym, back from getting ice cream with Mason.

I get him out of the passenger seat and in no time, we're climbing up the stairs, up to the boxing gym. Mason's hand is holding mine while another one of his is grasping a cone.

Once we step foot on the second floor, my eyes are met with Louis' blue ones as he lays on the floor, doing crunches while alternating leg lifts and Harry slamming on his core with force. His teeth are clenched and it's extremely noticeable that he's aching, but he doesn't stop.

The young father spots his son and he smiles weakly. It doesn't take long for that smile to be wiped away and into a look of agony. His eyes screw shut, nothing but the sound of Louis' grunts and Harry's hands impacting his abs is heard.

He looks back up at me and I give him a swift nod of encouragement. It does something for him and surprisingly, he moves faster.

Mason's watching his father in awe, probably wondering what he's doing and why his trainer seems to be hitting him.

"Hey," I speak up and he looks up at me, turning away his attention from his father, "Go play with Liam, m'kay?"

He looks around looking for my best friend. When he spots him sitting by himself, on his phone, he smiles.

"Okay!" He obeys excitedly and his feet patter in his direction, leaving me alone.

It surprises me that Niall isn't here and he hasn't been here for the past couple of days. He said something was going on with the company and he has to secure something. No one really knows what he's talking about.

I walk on over to the trio and stand next to Malik, eyeing the new made boxer. His trainer is muttering words at him rapidly and he doesn't stop moving.

"Hey," I greet in a whisper.

Malik looks up from Louis and turns his head to look at me. "Hey, Elisabeth,"

"How's he doing?"

"He's doing quite well, actually. With this, we're building his core so he should be able to take more blows to the body,"

"Great. Where's Niall?"

"Got caught up at work,"

Of course.

Our conversation is cut short when the trainer and the trainee get up off the floor. Not noticing how extremely close I was, when Louis straightens himself up, my face is directly in his.