I stare at my bruised reflection in the mirror. My right eye has puffed a bit and my lip is busted but I won. Those people who criticized me when I walked into that gym must see me in a different light now, they know who I am now.
I'm not the coward they thought I was. I'm stronger than that.
But ever since I won that fight, I can only think about going up against Carter, the heavy weight champ for two years at the World Boxing Tournament. They changed the date for the fight so that gives me enough time to continue my practice.
"Harry, someone's here to see you." Mum says from the other side of the bathroom door.
"I'll be out in a minute." I say before I pull my black t-shirt on and rinse my face. I exit the bathroom and am shocked to hear my mother laughing in the kitchen. Louder than I have ever heard her laugh before and then I hear another laugh I recognize.
"Faye." I say as I stand in the kitchens doorway.
"Oh Harry, she's lovely." Mum smiles and I nod.
"She is." I say and she looks at me intently. I smile lightly and she looks away, brushing a strand of her dark hair behind her ear as she flushes, her cheeks tinting a light pink.
"It was nice meeting you, Faye." Mum smiles at her. "I'll be at the market." She kisses my cheek and leaves us alone. After the door shuts, it's quiet.
"Um." Faye starts. "I didn't get to see you after the fight last night."
"Yeah, Rick took me home." I say. "But I was looking for you." I say too quickly. She breathes a laugh and nods before she stands and pulls an end slope from her bag, setting it on the table.
"You did great, by the way."
"Were you shocked?" I ask, stepping closer.
She gulps. "Yes."
"Why?" I ask next, close enough now to smell her sweet scent as her breathing picks up and she's staring at my lips.
"You weren't hitting him." She looks up at my eyes now. I've never been this close to her but now that I am, I can actually see the color of her eyes; golden brown irises.
"I was anticipating him." I say softly. "It's what I do. Would you like some tea?" I ask, not really wanting her to leave. I pull away and turn to the driver. She doesn't answer me for a second but then shakes her head softly. "I can't. I have some business back at the office and a meeting with your publicist."
"My publicist?"
She smiles lightly. "Yes. He manages your publicity. Makes sure your image isn't scattered." She frowns at her own wording and I breathe a laugh before I set the kettle.
"No one expected you to win, Harry." I turn back around to face her, a delicate smile on her lips. "You shocked everyone."
~••~
An address.
A piece of paper slips out of the envelope of money. I pick it up and it's an address with a message on the back.
'Your father wants you to meet him at this address. Good luck.
~ Faye'
My father.
"Harry?" I shove the slip of paper in my back pocket as my mother steps into the kitchen. "Is everything alright?" She asks. I contemplate on whether or not I should tell her about the note but I decide not to. At least not yet. If I were to see him, I'd like to see him before she does.
"Yeah. Everything's great." I smile at her. She smiles back and pulls me into a hug.
"I'm so proud of you, love." She whispers into my ear.
"Thanks, mum." I kiss her cheek. "I have to go. I'll be back later tonight, alright?" I say as I pull away.
"Harry." She warns. She always warns me before I head out, knowing I may get into trouble.
"I promise, mum." I smile at her and she laughs before I shut the flat door behind me.
~••~
"I don't know if I'm actually ready for this." I say, my leg trembling as I watch the huge gate to the mansion of which my father lives in open.
"If you aren't, we can leave." Faye says to me as she too watches the gate. I smile at her. I don't know what it is about her that I like so much, maybe her demeanor or her audacity. She's quite the girl.
"Do you want to leave?" She asks, turning to face me again. I look back at the gate and sigh. This may be my only chance to actually meet the man. I have to take this chance now while I still have time. While he still has time. All those years that I'd wonder who my father was, all those times I spent hating the man who left us with problems we had to fight through on our own.
"No." I say. "I have to do this."
"Okay." She says as we pull up to the gate.
~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~
Sorry it's short but I promise there will be a lot more in the next few chapters.
Vote and/or comment.
I'd love to hear what you all think so far!
:)
