♕Harley Anderson♕

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" A soft and melodic voice asks me in the gloomy living room I'm sat in. She sits in  her work clothes, a yellow dress with her name engraved on the right hand-side pocket. Her green eyes swirl with exhaustion but she keeps a smile up as she talks to me. We talk softly, not wanting to interrupt the man who is sitting a few meters away with a beer in hand and a glazed over look in his eyes as he stares at the illuminated box.

"A race car driver." I respond, smiling up at my mother.

"Well then," her soft and gentle voice says "you can be just that."

A scoff is heard from the couch and my hazel orbs look to the man who takes a swig of his beer. "Don't lie to the child, Rose." He quips bitterly and my mother purses her lips.

"I'm not lying Derek."

He looks over at us with blue eyes that remind me of the sea; a raging and wild sea that nobody can swim in or enjoy because it's just so destructive.

"She will never be a racer."

My heart drops, and I look down at my lap with tears in my eyes.

"She's a child; let her dream."

"Dreams are for the weak."

My mother doesn't respond any further and instead tilts my chin up before looking at me in sympathy. "You can be anything you want to be."

"You're a girl, Harley. You can't be anything! You won't be anything!" The man booms so loudly that I flinch. My mother sighs agitatedly. "You can't race. You're too pathetic for such a thing; no talent. Think of something more realistic- like cleaning houses or dancing at night."

"Derek." My mother says pleadingly and he looks over at us, my heart crushed with my dreams, and sends my mother a warning glare, his hand tightening around his beer can. She purses her lips, looking back at me with glossy eyes. "C'mon." She whispers, grabbing my hand and helping me off of the chair. She takes me upstairs and I sniffle, wiping at my nose.

As soon as we reach my bedroom door, she turns me around and crouches down to my level. "You can be a racer, honey." She caresses my cheek and I look up at her. "I need to get to work now, okay? Stay in your room. Cyrus will bring you food."

She kisses my forehead before walking away down the dimly lit hallway, leaving me behind with hopelessness.

My father thinks I'm worthless and perhaps, I am.

****

Maybe I had being considering it, but after the dream that woke me up last night I can't help but actually put my thoughts into action. I'm taking a chance- I know that much- but his words keep echoing in my mind, telling me I can't do it. I wish it didn't affect me as much as it does but then again, no child should be belittled like that.

I needed to prove the monster in my dream wrong.

Is that why I've never got behind the wheel despite my burning temptation? Because I believed the shit that came out of his mouth?

It's these exacts thoughts that push me to pull on a pair of jeans and a plain shirt before driving to campus. The chances of my plan actually working out is slim; if I was any other person, I wouldn't even go through with it! But I can't turn back around. I need to prove this to myself; prove that I'm so much more than I've being told I am. I want to prove to myself that I can actually do it.

And besides- I genuinely want to do this. I've just had more of a push now.

I lean against my car that's parked close to the entrance of the engineering faculty of my college and wait for the man I'm looking for to walk out. A few kids stream out of the building, cheering along the way due to finally being on spring break. However, every time I see a new figure walk out, my heartbeat picks up for just a second before it slows back down again.

But when I see the towering figure come out of the shadows, I can't help but kiss my teeth. He strolls over to his Audi, his face blank while he walks confidently with a rigid posture. It takes every ounce of self constraint not to turn around and head back home but to rather jog over to him just as he presses the button to unlock his car.

"Cameron." I breathe out and he pauses his action of reaching for the car door to look at me as I step in front of him.

"Harley?" He asks, frowning. "What are you doing here? I thought you were on break already."

I nod, swallowing my nerves. "I am."

He raises an eyebrow in question.

I let out a sigh, looking between his beautiful russet brown eyes while my heart beats so fast I think it's about to burst through my chest.

"Teach me." I say softly and his eyebrows draw together.

"Teach you what exactly?" He asks, confused.

I lick my dry lips and look down at my Converse before meeting his gaze again. "How to race."

At first he just looks at me in pure shock, disbelief flashing through his eyes, before he shakes his head. "No." He steps around me and opens his car door to put his shoulder bag in the back and I sigh, watching him do so.

"Why not?" I ask desperately "Is it because I'm a girl?"

He slams his car door shut, turning to me with an annoyed look. "Believe it or not, Harley, but not everyone is sexist."

"Then why?" I counter and he pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Do you know how dangerous it is? Racing isn't some game Harley. I'm not going to be responsible for you getting hurt."

I would be flattered that he actually cares about me if his response wasn't so frustrating as a whole. "Don't you think I know that?"

"If you do then you're crazy to still want to go through with this." He scowls and I groan.

"Please, Cameron." I plead, hoping he can see my desperation.
I need him to say yes to this.

He shakes his head at me before looking at my face intensely as he rests his hand on his car door.
"Give me one good reason why I should do this." He responds and I lick my lips.

"I just want to forget." I shrug.

He frowns, his eyes looking between both of mine. "Forget what?"

"Everything."

It's silent after that and I try mask over the vulnerability that contorts my features. My response is ominous but clear all the same and I have a pinch of regret for saying it. He eyes me up and down before sighing to himself, his rosy lips pursing themselves.

"I'll pick you up at seven. We need to discuss things first." He responds and I let out a sigh of relief, my shoulders slumping as I do so. "And you better be grateful I'm agreeing to this."

I nod. "Trust me I am."

He nods at me. "I'll see you later Harley." He says and I smile softly as he climbs into his car. Once he's out of sight, I let out a relieved sigh before my lips quirk up into an excited smile.

****

By the time seven rolls around, I'm ready for Cameron who arrives a few minutes later. I take note of his punctuality and when I stroll to the door and open it to reveal him waiting for me patiently, I smile. "Hey." I greet.

"Hey." He responds. "Ready to go?"

I nod at him, reaching for my silver bag- that matches my grey romper- and slip it on. We exit out of my apartment and into the elevator that is filled with silence as we make our way down. When we're finally out into the parking lot, I gaze around for his familiar Audi when my eyes instead land on a black 1968 Mustang and I involuntarily gasp.

"Is this yours?" I ask Cameron when we're in front of it and he looks at me in amusement.

"Yeah."

I walk around the car and gaze at it, my eyes savoring the moment of witnessing my favorite car in the flesh.

Well, metal.

The black metal is smooth beneath my fingertips and the rims reflect the street lamps' light, allowing me to see how well looked after they are. The tires, too, are pitch black and not worn at all and I grin to myself.

"You like it?" Cameron inquires and I look at him, standing back up to my full height from crouching.

"I love it. I've loved this car since I was, like, seven." I exclaim enthusiastically.

His eyes widen at me and he smiles softly.

"You like vintage cars a lot don't you?" He asks curiously and I nod.

"You could say that."

He stares at me for a second too long and I'm beginning to grow uneasy when he looks away and opens his car door. I follow after him and when I'm seated in the stunning and classy interior of the car, I smile even wider and gaze around at the pristine condition before breathing in the incredibly clean smell it has to offer.

"Be careful not to get your drool on the carseat." Cameron teases and I glare at him, leaning back and buckling my seatbelt.

When he steps on the gas, I slap a hand over my mouth. "It sounds so beautiful." I say and Cameron lets out a breath of a laugh due to my reaction. I'm too preoccupied with my excitement over being in my favorite car to notice any awkwardness that fills the silence along the way.

Soon enough, we pull up outside of a small restaurant and I follow Cameron out of the car and into the brightly lit room that has various people sitting in spaced out tables. Waiters bustle between their customers and we take a seat in a corner booth that's much dimmer than the rest of the room and is away from the loud chatter.

"What can I get you two?" A waiter asks us when we're both seated.

"I'll have a mug of camomile tea. And you Harley?" Cameron then turns to me.

"A mug of cocoa, please." I smile.

"Anything else?" The waiter asks after scribbling down what we want in his notepad.

"You hungry?" Cameron asks me and I shrug.

"Not really."

"We'll have one large bowl of fries please. That's all." Cameron says and the waiter nods before stalking off in the direction of the kitchen.

When he's out of sight, Cameron turns to me and the first thing he says is: "You're crazy."

I let out a breath of a laugh. "You've said that already."

He runs a hand through his hair. "You know this is going to take time and effort, right? It isn't just going to happen overnight."

I let out an agitated sigh. "And I'm not expecting it to either. I know what I'm getting myself into."

He leans back in his seat and stares at me calculatingly.

"You know that racing isn't all that it seems right?" He asks lowly, never removing his eyes from me.

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.

He licks his lips. "If you're planning on ever racing at the tracks like me, you got to know that it's a different world. And you have to be willing to be a part of it if you want to go through with this."

I kiss my teeth and let his words sink in. I understood what he is saying- it is a different world and it is most certainly dangerous. However, I want this. I want to race and finally do what I truly love besides writing. And if it means entering his world, I am willing to do it. All I've done my whole life is let fear dictate my decisions and I'm tired of it. I'm never going to know my abilities if I don't give it a shot.

"I want to do this, Cameron. And I'm willing to do what it takes." 

He watches me, our eye contact never breaking before the waiter returns with our orders and interrupts our stare off. I break eye contact with Cameron and give the waiter a quick thank you before taking a sip of my cocoa.

"Alright, Harley." I hear Cameron say.

"I work by the way. If that's okay? I don't mind if we meet up before or after my shifts."

He stirs his tea. "That's okay. Just let me know your shifts so we can work around them. I'll let you know during the day when we can go." He responds and I nod, taking my cellphone out of my bag and handing it to him.

"You can put your number in." I say and he does exactly that before he gives me his phone, too. After we've exchanged numbers, we lapse back into silence as we both munch on the fries in front of us. That is until Cameron breaks it again.

"I take it that you haven't raced before?" He asks curiously and I chew on a fry.

"Obviously not. But I have being in the car during a race before."

I look up to see him watching me curiously. "A passenger?"

I nod.

"For who?"

I lick my lips before lifting my mug up to my lips. "That's irrelevant."

He narrows his eyes at me. "I'm curious."

"Curiosity can't always be satisfied." I retort and he shakes his head.

Before he can respond, the lights in the café flicker before shutting off and submerging me in darkness. I spring up from my chair on impulse, looking around blindly. Due to being in a corner booth, the light coming from the windows is pretty much nonexistent and I struggle to get out from the table to find a source of light.

"Sorry for the inconvenience everyone! Our generator will be starting up!" Someone working for the restaurant shouts but it does nothing to ease my nerves as I feel tears of panic spring to my eyes and my heart leap into my throat.

"Harley. Calm down." I hear Cameron say just as I knock my mug of cocoa and send the rest of it onto my romper which I hiss at. I suddenly feel someone grip my wrist and I freeze, my whole body tensing up in fear and dread as a million memories play in my mind on loop.

"Cameron?" I utter softly, trying to make out his face in the vast blackness.

"Obviously it's me." He replies incredulously and I shut my eyes with a sigh. "Calm down. It's just a power surge." He states in a rather soothing voice and I nod to myself, trying to steady my breathing. When the lights flicker back on, my shoulders slump in relief and I look down at my feet in embarrassment that Cameron saw me freak out like this. His hand is still gripping my wrist and when I look up at him, he's already watching me in burning curiosity.

"Please let go." I say, glancing at my wrist in his grasp. He lets go of it and I rub a hand over it.
"Sorry." I mutter, folding my now trembling hands over each other. "I just caught a fright."

I take a seat back down and realise how sticky my romper feels to notice the cocoa stain on it. I groan and peel it off with two fingers.

"Shit." I mutter, reaching for a napkin and attempting to wipe it down.

"C'mon." Cameron says. "Lets head home."

I don't decline his suggestion due to the sticky romper feeling very uncomfortable on my skin. He pays for the bill despite my protests of being able to pay for myself and we return to the car a few minutes later.

"Are you burnt?" He asks me when we're on our way back home and I'm not sure whether he asks out of concern or not. I shake my head.

"A little. Nothing too bad."

He nods at me and checks his review mirrors before he continues driving. I lean my head against the car seat and close my eyes in frustration. Why does my past have to still affect me? I just want to move on and live my life without all the shit I went through following me around like a lost puppy. Why couldn't I have had a happy childhood that I can one day be proud to tell my children about? Because all mine is
filled with is nightmares.

When he pulls up in my parking lot, I don't hesitate to open the door in an attempt to get out of the stuffy car. "Thank you Cameron." I say and he responds with a small smile before I climb out of the car and into the night. I don't take my time to reach the building and I notice that Cameron doesn't drive off right away. When I'm finally back in my apartment that's still empty, I let out an irritated sigh before walking into my room and throwing myself onto my bed. I stare at my wall and feel exhaustion wash over me.

Life sure can be a bitch.

•••

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please don't forget to tap that star below and drop me a comment :)
So Cameron agreed to teaching Harley how to race? What do you guys think about that? Is it going to go well or is it going to be a complete and utter fail? And what about that dream she had?

Also, for all of those who don't know cars very well, I've attached a picture of Cameron's car above!

Lots of love guys!

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