Grade 8

It was past midnight and Lena still couldn't sleep. Deciding a run on the hotels treadmill might be just what she needs to sleep she slipped out of bed. Throwing on her worn out tennis shoes and exchanging the two sizes too big pajama shirt for a sports bra and gym shorts she made her way to the gym. Opening the door she was surprised to see she wasn't the only one in need of a late night work out.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

Harry stopped mid swing his head turning sharply to look at Lena. He put a hand on the punching bag he had been hitting keeping it from moving.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He asked his eyes set into that familiar glare. "Why are you here?"

Lena kept her eyes on Harry's face although she really did want to let them wonder. Harry was shirtless, again, she could see the sweat rolling down his chest past the tattoos that littered his body. Honestly who wouldn't want to look at sweating shirtless Harry Styles, even Lena wasn't immune to his charm and good looks. She was surprised the first time she had seen him shirtless at just how many tattoos he had she was impressed to say the least.

"Couldn't sleep thought a run might help." She answered not bothered by Harry's attitude she had grown accustomed to it by now. "Should you be doing that without gloves?"

Harry gave her another glare before turning back to the punching bag. "Right I'll be over here then." Lena went to the treadmill ready to go for a long run.

That's how they spent the next couple of hours, Harry pounding away at the punching bag and Lena running, it was silent in the gym. The only sounds their labored breathing from their workouts. Lena let her eyes wonder to the brooding boy across the room from her, with every swing of his arm towards the punching bag she watched the muscles in his back and arms move. She wasn't sure if the strange feeling in her stomach was from running or from the thoughts running through her mind faster then she was running on the treadmill.

Lena was the first to leave her legs were aching from the length of her run and all she wanted was to lay on her bed. Harry was still relentlessly going at the punching bag his hits stronger then they had been when she first came in. She could see the blood that was starting to coat his knuckles.

"Harry I think it's time we went to bed." Lena said watching Harry intently. "You're busting up your knuckles pretty good."

"Go away Lena." Harry growled landing another solid punch to the bag.

"Harry come on." Lena put a hand on his arm hoping to pull him away from hurting himself more.

"Leave me alone Lena, I don't need your bloody help!" Harry turned fixing his hard stare on her.

"Fine." Lena put her hands up in surrender. "Goodnight."

Harry watched her walk away before he turned back to the punching bag. Only now he didn't have the same need to hit things anymore yelling at Lena had done more for him then the hours he had spent in the gym. With a final halfhearted hit to the bag he picked up his water bottle taking a long drink of the surprisingly cool liquid. Looking at his watch he let out a long sigh he had enough time to catch a few hours of sleep before he would have to get up. Using his shirt he cleaned up the bit of blood that had gotten on the punching bag. On his walk back to his room he inspects his knuckles they looked worse then they were, he'd had worse.

He didn't know how he was going to handle the next two days with Alexis around. If one day with her had him spending hours hoping to workout the pain he was feeling two more days sounded more like torture then anything else. He had a feeling he would be making more visits to the gym.



"How long is she going to be here?" Lena groaned over her cereal.

"Until we leave." Louis replied. "Unfortunately."

He was sick of having Alexis around too mostly because he knew what it was doing to Harry. He had never been close to Alexis so it wasn't too obvious that he disliked her.

Alexis and Zayn were giving the whole room a nice show. Harry at least was running around outside with Niall, neither Louis or Lena wanted to see that wonderful mess.

"You'd think they'd need to come up for air."

Louis had to cover his mouth as he laughed with a mouth full of juice. From across the room Paul gave them a worried look.

"I just hope they stop before Harry comes back." Liam added hiding his own smile.

Now because they all had impeccable luck it was only natural that Harry walked in only moments later Niall in tow. Luckily for him Alexis and Zayn had stopped sucking face when the sound of door opening reached them.

"Hey guys how was your run?" Alexis asked.

"Great!" Niall replied.

Harry not surprisingly didn't respond to Alexis. Lena watched him intently wanting to decode this mysterious boy. He was quietly standing by the door drinking from a bottle of water. His curly hair was pushed back by a bandana all Lena wanted to do was take the silly thing off his head. His gym clothes were hiding what Lena had seen the night before. She was starting to think he had another weird obsession, working out. He kept his gaze carefully away from the happy couple cuddled together. It was easy to see he was bother by them even of she hasn't known the back story she would have easily spotted it. Harry wasn't very good at hiding his emotions, unless the fans or press were around, anyone in the room could tell he wasn't doing alright.



Of course Harry found himself alone on a bus with the one person he didn't want to be alone with. He had gone to the bus to look for his phone he hadn't expected to be followed.

"Harry."

Harry closed his eyes for a second before turning to look at her. She was so beautiful standing in front of him, she wore one of Zayn's shirts something that should have made him mad but she was looking at him the way she used to before everything went to shit. He gave her a weak smile not having the energy for much more.

"Alexis nice to see you." He scratched the back of his neck.

"You haven't said a thing to me since I got here yesterday." Alexis said taking a step forward.

Harry didn't say anything. It was true he had been avoiding her.

"I miss you."

Harry licked his lips as his eyes watched her make her way toward him. If she got any closer he wouldn't be able to stop himself from doing what he wanted.

"Do you miss me?"

"Of course." His voice was raspy and he saw the flip switch in Alexis she never could resist him. "I think about you everyday."

She was right in front of him now her dark eyes searching his for the answer to her questions. "Harry-"

"Uh, sorry."

Alexis stepped back from Harry both their eyes darting to the now open door. Lena stood just inside it looking between the pair for a second.

"Zayn's looking for you." She said to Alexis before her eyes went back to Harry.

"Thank you." Alexis walked out of the room as fast as she could.

"Wow." Lena said coming into the room shutting the door behind her.

"Drop it." Harry instructed. "You don't know what was going on."

"No but I could cut the sexual tension with a knife." Lena shot. "Probably shouldn't go there Harry."

"Who asked you?"

"No one but I can see where that would go, and it isn't pretty." Lena shook her head. "It would be bad news if you did anything with her. Zayn would kill you."

"I'm not worried about him." Harry picked up his phone the object he had originally came into the bus for.

"You should be."

"Well I'm not so just leave it be." Harry meant that to be the end of their conversation.

"Why are you so hung up on her?" Lena asked, she had been waiting long enough to ask him. "I just don't get it."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're not fooling anyone." Lena rolled her eyes. "She broke your heart and used you, but you're still willing to put your heart and the band on the line for her."

"She didn't use me." Harry growled. "I'm sick of people saying that."

"Maybe because its true." Lena countered. "I saw what she's done to you, remember?"

"Will you just stop talking?"

"I know what it looks like when someone is hurting themselves." Harry's eyes flickered to her covered legs. "Maybe you aren't doing it intentionally but you are hurting yourself Harry."

"I was just in a bad place last night." Harry told her wincing slightly as he spoke. "I know I shouldn't have messed my knuckles up so bad."

"I'm glad your admitting what happened last night was bad." Lena gave him an approving nod. "But I know you're just saying it so I'll get off your case."

"Look Lena." Harry said running a hand over his face. "You don't know me so stop acting like you do. I'm doing just fine without your meddling in my business."

"I'm just trying to help."

"Well stop." Harry brushed past her done talking. "Just stay out of my life, think you can do that?"

"Yeah alright."

Lena watched him walk off the bus a mixture of annoyance and loss settling in. She never meant for this to happen.



Niall was on his fourth donut. Lena had been watching him go back to the food table to get another one for the last fifteen minutes. It was amazing to her to watch someone who was so small eat so much.

"Want one?" Niall held up his half eaten donut.

Lena let out a small laugh. "No I'm good."

Niall shrugged and took another bite of his donut. "Good, more for me."

"Would you help me with a song?"

Niall stopped his chewing eyes wide. He looked behind him expecting to find someone there. "Me?"

"Yes you!" Lena laughed.

"I would be honored!" Niall walked over to her popping the last bit of donut in his mouth. "Whatcha need help with?"

"I have the cords to this song but no words." Lena explained. She hopped up from her chair to grab Lucy. "I guess I just need some help finding the words. I have one line 'So make me fall in love even if I get hurt.'"

"Alright." Niall nodded his head. "Well play what you have."

Lena played her guitar for him eyes closed as she listened to the slow melody. Niall listened amazed by the sound even with out the words. When she was finished Lena waited patiently for Niall to say something.

"Play the chorus." Niall told her. "So make me fall in love even if I get hurt. I'd be the only fool in the world just make me fall in love." He sang along to her playing. His voice soft the sound blowing Lena away a large grin forming.

"I think we found the hook." Lena smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet there is still the rest of the song to write."

Half an hour later they had a completed song. Niall helped her wrote the lyrics and tweak the chords making it one of her best songs. She couldn't wait to show it to the fans.

"I'm going to play this tomorrow." Lena told Niall as she packed up Lucy. "I think the fans are going to love it."

"With out a doubt, Len." Niall picked up the last donut shoving most of it in his mouth. "If you ever wanna work together again let me know."

"Niall!"

Lena groaned she did not want to deal with Harry right now. She was on a high from writing and Harry was just going to bring her down.

"I need you to come with me." Harry told him looking desperate. "Paul won't let me explore the city without someone else going with me."

"That doesn't make sense." Niall scrunched up his nose.

"He doesn't want me wondering off." Harry roller his eyes. "Everyone else has turned me down."

"So I'm a last resort?" Niall frowned. "I don't feel like it today."

"Come on, Niall, we can do whatever you want!"

"I'll go with."

Niall's jaw dropped while Harry went from desperate to pissed in seconds flat. Lena was probably the most surprised at her words.

"I didn't ask you." He snarled.

"But you said everyone else said no." Lena pointed out. Now this was about pushing Harry's buttons more then wanting to explore the city. "I'm saying yes."

"Jesus Harry just go with her." Niall gave him push in her direction.

"Don't say a word to me." With that Harry turned stalking towards the door. "Come on!"

"I'll see you later." Lena mumbled to Niall. She hurried to catch up with her curly haired companion.

She had a feeling she was going to regret being nice to him. She just couldn't keep her mouth shut. Maybe it was because she was a nice person or because she hates seeing anyone look that desperate; or maybe it was because she was curious as to what made him look so desperate. There was so much more she wanted to know about him.