♕Harley Anderson♕

The drive back home is silent, neither of us saying anything.

On my part, It's because I'm exhausted from yesterday's events and from my anxiety attack last night and I am also somewhat pissed that Cameron saw me in a vulnerable state for the second time. But most importantly, we were both quiet because neither of us know what to say, think or feel about being so intimate last night.

And perhaps it would be easier to deal with it if I knew I didn't feel anything, anything at all. However, that isn't the case because I felt so unusually comforted and content when I was laying in his arms last night and I don't like that. I can't start relying on another person, only for them to leave me like the rest did. But besides that, I was also perplexed as to why I even had the guts to ask him for comfort in the first place.

Am I completely losing my mind?

When we pull up outside of my apartment building, Cameron and I both climb out before walking into the elevator together. We stand rather close, our shoulders brushing, and I distance myself so that I can think clearly and I purse my lips as I wait for the doors to open.

As soon as I open the door to my apartment, I am engulfed in a hug that crushes my bones.

"Oh my fucking soul! I was so worried about you." Audrey exclaims and I feel a sense of warmth envelope me because she cares. She pulls back from the embrace to give me a once over and I chuckle.

"We're both fine." I reassure her and she hugs me again.

"I'm so relieved." She breathes out and then she pulls back to glance at Cameron who greets Caleb.

"Are you alright man?" Caleb asks and Cameron nods.

"Yeah, I am. How about you?" He asks and I can hear the concern in his voice.

"Well I am but my car isn't- got a whole bunch of holes." Caleb grumbles and Audrey snickers beside me.

"Can I see how bad it is? I might know a guy who can help you for a decent charge." Cameron asks and Caleb nods, his shoulders slumping in relief.

"Sure. Please pass my keys Auds." He asks and she grabs them off of the kitchen counter before tossing them to him and pressing a kiss to his cheek. I glance at Cameron and when our eyes connect, my breath hitches. However, Caleb calls out to Cameron and he averts his gaze. Before anymore can be said, both boys are exiting the apartment. When the door is closed and it's just Audrey and I left in the room, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"What's the relieved sigh for?" Audrey asks me and I look back up at her.

"Finally being home." I lie because I felt more at home when I was with Cameron last night than when I'm here in this apartment. And it definitely shouldn't be that way.

"Mmh." Audrey hums. "How was your night at a motel with Cameron?" She asks suggestively, leaning against the kitchen counter to face me. I roll my eyes in response.

"It was fine." I say with a shrug.

"Fine? His shirt that you're wearing begs to tell a different story." She smirks and I let out an annoyed sigh as I walk into the kitchen to get an apple.

"I had nothing to sleep in." I explain and she scoffs.

"You think he would've complained about that?"

I gawk at her, my eyes widening, although I feel my cheeks burn slightly at her insinuation. "Oh my gosh Audrey. Could you please stop insinuating things?" I ask and she lets out a loud cackle at my reaction.

"I'm just teasing." She holds her hands up in defense before her eyes take on a naughty glint. "Unless something did happen..."

I smack my hand against my forehead. "Fucking hell." She lets out another loud hoot and I throw my apple core into the trash can before glaring at her. "I'm going to go sleep. Please don't bother me." I scorn, padding my way to my bathroom. I hear her laugh.

"I'll try not to, Sleeping Beauty."

****

I bop my head to the music and sing along to the words before I turn left. I'm about to get ready for the beat to drop when my car suddenly makes a rather odd noise of something hitting the engine inside and it begins to slow down. I pull over by the curb and turn the music down before climbing out. I open the hood of my car and look around in my engine to see what the hell made the noise. I then catch sight of my fan belt and I let out a frustrated sigh when I see that it's snapped.

"Shit." I mutter, climbing back in my car and reaching for my cellphone. I go into my contacts and kiss my teeth as my finger hovers over his name- what was up with me always going to him for help? I'm about to call someone else instead when I remind myself that he knows cars best and he'll be able to help me better. I press the call button and press my phone to my ear as it rings.

"Harley?" He greets on the fourth ring.

"Hey Cameron." I greet and I hear shuffling on the other line. "Are you busy?" I ask and he stops doing whatever he was occupied with.

"No, why? What's wrong?"

"My fan belt snapped and I need to get home. Could you maybe come help me out?"

"Where are you?" He asks and I check.

"Fourth Avenue."

"I'll be right there." He responds.

"Thank you Cameron." I say and he doesn't hesitate to respond.

"There's no need to thank me, Harley." He responds gently and I smile to myself before bidding my goodbyes and ending the call. It will take him at least twenty minutes to get here which leaves me with enough time to ponder over my thoughts.

I lean my head back before reaching over for my notebook and pulling it out of my bag. I open it up onto a new page and take the cap off of my pen to start writing a new poem that has being on my mind for a while. However, a lot of other thoughts seem to distract me and one of them is the question as to what happened with the track? Did Cameron find out who called the police or not? I remind myself to ask him that when he arrives.

As I scribble words down onto the page, I cannot help but write down what Cameron told me his tattoo meant.

Every flower must grow through dirt.

What true words...

It makes me want to meet this friend Cameron always talks about- the one who said this and had a big enough impact to make Cameron get a tattoo because of it. And the friend who taught him how to bake delicious waffles. He never mentions their name or anything about them which makes me curious- where is this friend?

Is it, maybe, more than a friend?

That thought immediately pushes a scowl onto my face as I feel something like envy swarm my stomach. However, I scold myself before it can manifest anymore. I cannot be jealous over another girl. For goodness sake, I don't even feel that way about Cameron! He's just a friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

The sound of a door slamming interrupts my thoughts and I look in my review mirror to see Cameron climbing out of his car. I close my notebook and climb out of my my own car, smiling at him when we meet face to face.

"Are you okay?" He asks immediately, his eyes scanning the length of my body. I frown to myself.

"I'm fine."

He nods, something like relief softening his features, before he rounds my Ford Fiesta to the hood before gazing inside and fiddling with my fan belt.

"Yep, fan belt snapped." He mumbles.

"How much is it to get fixed?" I ask although my attention seems to flake away as I watch him look at my car calculatingly. I would be lying if I said he didn't make me drool as he stands in a black shirt that showcases his flexing arms while the sun beats down on him and the wind blows his hair back.

If anything- he looks so incredibly attractive that when he glances at me to catch me staring, I can't help but blush and look away.

"Did you hear what I said?" He asks, the amusement clear in his voice from catching my staring.

I shake my head sheepishly, squinting at him. "No."

"It'll cost about a grand if you want one of decent quality."

I let out a sigh before kissing my lips. That's my whole months pay and my mom doesn't have the money to repair this for me. Shit.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Cameron asks, standing up straighter and turning to face me. I immediately shake my head.

"Nothing. I'm just pissed because of the inconvenience." I say half truthfully. He narrows his eyes at me.

"It's the price isn't it?" He asks, ignoring my answer.

I sigh again. "I don't have that kind of money right now." I grumble and I feel him watch me from the side which makes me grow uneasy.

"Let me cover it."

"What? No. Definitely not." I immediately respond, shaking my head vigorously. He lets out an aggravated sigh.

"Why not?"

"You've done enough for me and now you want to pay to fix my car? No ways Cameron."

"What have I done to help you?" He asks incredulously and I roll my eyes, turning my body to face him.

"You're teaching me how to race."

"That's not something you're in debt to me for."

"You've driven me home when I was drunk."

"And you stitched me up when I was shot." He counters back, taking a step closer. I do the same.

"And you calmed me down after I had a nightmare."

That seems to silence us both as we stare at each other and remember the way we held each other that night. The thought makes me grow antsy and I look away, my cheeks burning up again. I can feel his breath fan against my cheek and his scent of lemongrass and leather wafts up my nose.

"Please let me do this." He asks and I look up to see him watching me. Is it a bad thing that all he wants to do is help me? I would do the same if our roles were reversed...

"I'll pay you back."

"No." He responds.

"Yes."

"Only half."

"Three quarters." I chime.

"Half." He demands and I narrow my eyes at him.

"Fine."

"You're as stubborn as a mule. You know that?" He asks in frustration and I shrug.

"So I've being told."

He rolls his eyes. "I'll get someone to come tow the car. Where were you heading so I can drop you off?"

"I was just heading to my mom." I say. He closes the hood of my car and wipes his hands on his jeans.

"How far is it?"

"Another thirty minutes or so." I respond and he juts his chin out in the direction of his car.

"Climb in." He instructs and I follow him to his Mustang before climbing in.

"Address?" He asks. I recite it to him and he nods before pulling off of the curb and hitting the road. I don't say anything but find my eyes straying to his torso.

"How's your bullet wound?" I ask and he briefly glances at me.

"It's healing."

I nod at him, feeling my hands itch to touch it and see if he's bulshitting me. However, before I can even focus on my absurd temptation, I recognise which road he's taking to get to my house and my heart immediately drops as I sit up straighter.

"W-why are we taking this road? We could have taken Thicken Street." I stutter out to Cameron and he shrugs.

"I usually take this way."

I gulp as we approach my own personal hell and I can't pull my eyes away from the grey double story house that almost smiles sardonically at me. I am reminded of my last time here; the cops pulling up and my mom coming to get me before placing me in the car and whispering: "It's going to be okay. It's over now" before I saw my father walk out of the house with his hands cuffed behind his back and a scowl on his face as they pushed him into the back of the SUV. I remember wishing that Caleb was there with me; to hold me and tell me it was going to be okay. But he wasn't and that made it all the more worse. I remember driving away from the house, my nightmares becoming smaller and smaller the further we drove. I vowed I would never take this road again and I haven't. Until now, that is.

I look straight ahead and try steady my breathing as my memory is refreshed about my previous hell hole. Why did Cameron have to take this road? Why?

"Harley?" A voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I snap my head to Cameron, swallowing thickly.

"Y-yeah?" I ask unsurely, not sure why he called me.

"Are you okay?" He asks, his voice laced with concern and I nod, pushing my thoughts aside as I tie my hair back.

"Yeah, I'm good."

He glances at me uneasily and I take note of his doubt. I know he doesn't believe me but does it really matter to me? It's not like I'm lying- I am fine. I'm just a little shaken up from seeing the setting of my nightmares once again after all this time. It's not like I wanted to see it.

"You know, I might've not known you for a very long time but I know when you're bulshitting me."

My eyes narrow at him as I feel my walls slowly build up around me. "The feeling is mutual Dawson."

He scowls at my mention of his surname.

However, he is unable to respond with a snarky remark when the ring of my phone interrupts us. I fish it out of my bag before checking the caller ID and pressing it to my ear.

"Hello honey." She greets on the other line.

"Hey mom." I respond.

"Is everything okay? You were supposed to have been here a while ago."

I rub my eyes. "Yeah I'm fine. I just had an issue with my car and it didn't want to go so I got stuck."

"Are you sure you're fine?" My mom asks in worry and I nod to myself before realizing she can't see me.

"Yes. I'm on my way now. Actually just down the road."

"How are you getting here?" She asks in confusion.

"A friend of mine is giving me a lift."

"How sweet!" She gushes. "Invite your friend in for lunch please, honey."

My eyes widen and I immediately start shaking my head vigorously in protest.

"I'm pretty sure they'd prefer to go home." I glance at Cameron to see him watching the road intently.

"You better invite your friend over." She says sternly, "It's the least you can do after they've helped you."

"But, mom, it's-"

"Bye Harley." She chimes.

"Wait-" I start, only to hear the line end and I pull my hand back to stare at the device in my hand. I scowl at it before slipping it back into my bag. I silently lean back in my seat and chew on my lip in thought, pondering over whether I should ask Cameron or not.

I know my mom will never let me live this down.

I glance at Cameron from the side of my eye before letting out a sigh of defeat.

"Do you want to come in for lunch?" I ask suddenly, making him look over at me. "It's my mom- she's adamant to invite you but if you don't want to come in, I totally understand. I mean, it is a little out of the bl-"

"Relax." He chuckles, stopping me from rambling. "I'll come in."

His words make me let out a relieved sigh as I smile softly.

"Okay."

He gives me a small smile in response and I savor the moment, enjoying the subtle beauty of it.

•••

Leave me a comment and don't forget to tap that little star below :)
What do you guys think of how Cam and Harley are dealing with what happened at the motel? And what about Cam now going to her house? Let me know what you think!
Also, I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas!

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