♕Harley Anderson♕

"You have no idea how grateful I am to be going home." I mumble and both Dr Philip and Danté chuckle.

"Just remember to take it easy Harley. Your body still hasn't fully recovered yet." Dr Philip reminds me and I nod, tired of hearing his constant reminder. I can feel my body hasn't fully recovered yet, I don't need someone to inform me of it.

Danté comes to my side as I stand up and I shake a little before regaining my balance. Over the last few days I have begun walking more to get me back on my feet but it still feels weird since I've being in bed for most of my stay here.

"You okay?" Danté asks and I nod, holding onto his hand for support. He grabs the bag filled with my things and we leave the hospital after Dr Philip signs me out. The minute I sink into Danté's leather seats, I sigh in content.

He starts up the car and we begin our journey home. "Does your mom know you're staying with me?" Danté asks in the silence and I shake my head.

"No. She'd probably throw a fit if she did." I respond. Not staying with my mom is the same reason why I'm not staying with Audrey. I need to make sure that I don't drag anyone else into this. Danté doesn't need more people to worry about.

When we pull up outside of his apartment, I feel a wave of comfort come over me. However, when I see the empty parking space that was once occupied by my Mustang, my heart drops slightly at the thought that I ruined my most amazing car ever.

"Come on." Danté says, climbing out of the car and helping me into the elevator that takes us up to his floor. As we enter the apartment, I look around. It feels like I haven't being here in decades. And in general, the apartment looks like someone hasn't being in it for a while. There is no plates in the sink and the couch isn't crinkled from a body being pressed into it. 

Before I can even register it, I feel a whole bunch of emotions surrounding me and tears spring to my eyes as I realize the seriousness of this situation. The fact that Frank is the one after us, I was in an accident and put in a coma and the fact that Frank is still out there. Along with that, I don't think I'll ever be able to race again. Not when I remember the image of smashing into that tree.

I feel Danté snake an arm around my waist and I turn to him to connect his lips with mine. They move in sync and I stand on my tippy-toes before wrapping an arm around his neck. His hands move from my waist to my lower back, pulling me into him, but my arm in a cast prevents us from concealing the gap. I break away with a frustrated sigh.

"This is difficult." I grumble, looking down at the ugly cast covering my arm.

Dantè kisses my forehead. "You'll get the hang of it."

I give him a small smile, wishing I didn't have to get used to it but knowing I have no choice either.

"What do you want for dinner?" He asks and I purse my lips. Food has being the last thing on my mind.

"Waffles would be fine."

Danté shakes his head with a smile. "I'll make you waffles but you need some actual food Harley."

I gasp. "Waffles are food!"

"I mean a meal." He adds and I roll my eyes.

"How about you make whatever you want and I just eat it? I'm not really hungry either."

He nods, pulling away from me and heading to the kitchen. "Let's see what I can do."

I watch as he starts pulling ingredients out and throwing them into the pot. It's like for a just a second, everything is okay. Like everything is normal.

Even though it really isn't.

****

"It tastes amazing." I gush through a mouthful of chicken lasagna. Danté smiles at me and I take a sip of my water before scratching at the skin on my forehead that's being pulled uncomfortably from the bandage over it.

"Danté," I start, wanting to know something. He hums in response. "Where did you meet Frank the day of my accident?" I ask curiously. Danté has explained the messages to me and what Frank said that day but he never told me where it happened so that he could get to the accident scene so soon.

He shrugs but I sense the tenseness behind it. "An empty lot not too far from where we practice."

I nod in understanding and continue eating. Even though I wish I knew that was where Danté had planned on going that day, I'm not going to be uptight and be mad about him lying. He did what he had to do and it would be selfish of me to put unnecessary guilt on his shoulders.

"Do you remember the accident?" I hear his voice suddenly blurt out and I pause from chewing, the image coming to mind. It was going so smoothly. I had hit one hundred and fifty miles and was in complete control of the car. Or so I thought. Before I could even register how much I wished Danté could be there with me to see me race so effortlessly, I tried to slow down. I remember pressing on the breaks and trying to stop the car. It didn't work. The panic that invaded my senses in that second was unbearable and before I could try and find a way to slow down, I was skidding onto the gravel at a deathly speed before I saw the tree approaching. I remember the sound of metal scratching and glass shattering. And then I was out. Later I woke up in the hospital and was told I was in a coma.

I lick my lips and nod. "Yeah I do. I panicked when I realised the car wouldn't stop and then it was too late to regain control and I hit the tree." I say and I see the sadness flicker through Danté's eyes. I avert my attention and put my fork down. "I'm going to the bathroom." I mutter and scramble to my feet before he can respond. When I'm in the bathroom, I glance at my reflection in the mirror. Dull and tired eyes look back at me and I notice the paleness of my skin. I look so... lifeless. I sigh and reach for a hairband, trying to pull my hair into a pony. However, since I only have one mobile arm, it's proven a difficult task. The hair falls out of the tie limply and I feel tears of frustration spring to my eyes.

I try again and it once more fails, leading me to bite my lip, hard, in frustration.

I can't even tie my own hair.

I feel Danté's presence looming beside me and the idea is confirmed when he takes the hairband out of my hand and runs his hands through my hair. He ties my hair up as best as a man can and even though it's a little loose, I appreciate his gesture. Plus it's definitely better than what I could have done.

He then stares back at me in the mirror, our eyes speaking a language our tongues can't master.

"You're going to get through this." He says, his voice sure, and I blink, a tear slipping out of my eye and he wraps his arms around me while the tears flow silently. "After everything you've overcome, this is the smallest of them all. You're going to be fine and I'm going to be right here beside you. Every step of the way." He assures me and I manage a small smile.

"I know," I sniffle, wiping my nose. "It's just hard."

He nods. "You're so strong hermosa. You can do this."

I smile softly. "Thank you Danté."

He kisses the side of me head. "Anything for you."

He pulls away from my grasp and I watch as he does so, wiping at the few teardrops sitting on my eyelashes.

"How about we watch a good movie and relax? I think you could use it."

I smile and let out a laugh. "I think that's a good idea."

****

Knocking on the door to my apartment is weird, considering that I used to sleep here every night. However, when Audrey pulls the door back and greets me with a dazzling smile, I realize how much I actually miss her.

"Fuck, I've missed you." She hugs me and I return the embrace, waving at Caleb who is in the kitchen. I laugh at Audrey's words before she pulls back and greets Danté. He then makes his way to Caleb, giving him a greeting while Audrey pulls me to her room.

"You won't believe what Caleb bought me." She gushes and when I see her crumpled sheets and a pretty lace bra strewn on her floor, an amused smile comes to my face. I pick up the bra between my two fingers as she rummages through her draws.

"A set of lingerie?" I tease and she turns around to see me eyeing it. She rolls her eyes but doesn't answer and I laugh. "I take it that things are going well with Caleb?"

She looks at me over her shoulder with a smirk. "Oh trust me, things are going much better than just well. I've never felt so... amazing."

I laugh again before Audrey pulls out a small red box and walks over to me. "He gave this to me the other night." I open the box to reveal a beautiful silver locket with intricate details that are absolutely stunning. Inside is a picture of the two of them smiling widely at the camera and I 'aww' at the gift.

"It's gorgeous." I comment and I look up to see the happiness in Audrey's eyes. "Why aren't you wearing it?"

"I'm so scared I damage it," she explains and I roll my eyes, putting it in her hands.

"Put it on. I'm sure Caleb will love to see you wearing it."

She fingers the chain and smiles before slipping it on her neck. "How do I look?" She asks and I smile.

"Like Caleb will stare at you all day."

She grins at that and when she continues to play with her new prized possession, I glance around the room again before settling my eyes on her. "You and Caleb better stay off of my bed." I warn and she smirks.

"Too late."

When she notices my horrified expression she cackles. "I'm kidding! We keep it strictly in the bedroom- my bedroom. And sometimes the bathroom, you know, where it's all hot and steamy-"

"Okay, thank you for that update," I cut her off, not wanting the images of my best friend and her boyfriend in bed in my mind. She chuckles at my reaction and I roll my eyes before I see her expression softening.

"What?" I ask, uncomfortable.

"I'm just thinking about how well you're looking and you've only being out of hospital for two days."

My features soften in appreciation and I smile at her. "You're an amazing best friend. Have I ever told you that?"

I'm expecting her to reply with something smug like she usually does but instead she smiles at me and embraces me in a hug. When we pull apart, Caleb peeks his head through the door.

"Y'all alright with pizza?" He asks and Audrey and I both nod.

"Let me chose a flavour." Audrey grumbles, trailing after him.

I giggle at her retreating figure. I'm stopping by today to stock up on clothes since I'm running out at Danté's place. However, Audrey pleaded that I spent some time with her so I agreed to stay over for lunch and catch up with her.

I hear her grumbling at Caleb in the living room and I shake my head at her usual antics before entering my own room. I'm expecting to miss it a little, miss being here. But I don't. I don't miss staying here, I miss Audrey, but not the apartment.

I think that's because  Danté has become my home which is why this place is just another room to me. I walk to my cupboards and pull out some clothes to stuff into a duffel bag when Danté enters.

"You packing?" he asks and I nod.
He wordlessly helps me put my things in the pink and sparkly duffel bag, that Mia decided to give me one Christmas, without me needing to ask him. When I hand him a stack I see him looking at the items in amusement.

"What?" I ask and he holds up a shirt. A blush creeps across my cheeks when I see it.

"At least this way you'll get your shirt back?" I suggest and he chuckles before putting it away. I pass him my set of pajamas when his phone goes off. He slips it out of his pockets, slowing his movements, before looking at it with a hard expression. I stop to watch him, my stomach twisting.

"What's wrong?" I ask and Danté looks up to me with a hooded expression before he blinks it away and shakes his head, pocketing his phone.

"Nothing. Mason just sent me an odd text."

I don't know why but I don't find myself believing him, instead I find my eyebrows knotting together as I watch him move about. His posture is a lot more tense now with his jaw set hard.

"Danté-" I start, only to be cut off by Audrey who comes strolling into the room with a sassy look.

"Are you two going to be here all day? C'mon. We picked out a movie already." Audrey says before coming over and gripping my hand. She drags me out of the room and I look over my shoulder at Danté, having a feeling about what is really on that phone.

•••

Merry Christmas <3 I hope you experienced the joy of this special day! Thank you for being a part of this journey...

vote•comment•share