♕Harley Anderson♕

I lean against the car and glance at the engine, admiring the good condition of it. The previous owner definitely took pride in this possession. Even though my eyes are focused on the car, my mind can't help but dwell on what Cameron said on our way here- someone was in his apartment. I'm beginning to grow increasingly frightened because too much suspicious behavior is surrounding my life; first I get stalked, then a doll of me is put in my car and now someone breaks into Cameron's house all in the span of a few weeks? Call it a coincidence, but I cannot seem to see it that way this time.

"What're ya' doing sweet cheeks?" A voice suddenly murmurs by my ear and I jump, hitting my head on the hood of the car. I rub at my forehead that throbs before turning to Ryan with a scowl.

His blue eyes twinkle with amusement as he watches me and I find myself feeling uneasy. I don't trust Ryan and I definitely don't feel comfortable or safe around him.

"What do you want?" I ask coldly and he chuckles, playing with his lip piercing as he leans against the headlights of the car.

"Just checking up on what you're doing."

"I don't need to be checked up on." I know that snapping at him is a dangerous game but I'm tired of him always harassing me when Cameron isn't around.

"No need to get defensive." He almost laughs and I kiss my teeth, narrowing my eyes at him. His eyes move to the engine of the car and he lets out a low whistle.

"She's got one hell of an engine,"

I nod in agreement, not feeling comfortable with this friendly front he's putting up. I pull a hairband out of my pocket and put my hair into a ponytail while Ryan stares at the car. I look over my shoulder for any sign of Cameron, hoping he'll be back soon.

"So what's going on between you and Dawson?" The white-haired boy asks and I frown, looking at him uneasily.

"I don't see how that's any of your concern."

He smiles to himself. "I see why Cameron's gone for you. Not only are you gorgeous with an amazing body," his eyes rake my frame "but you're also smart."

I gulp, feeling the hairs on the nape of my neck stand up.

"What do you want?" I ask lowly and he shrugs, standing up and stepping closer to me.

"I want to know how he does it."

I frown at him. "Does what?"

He smiles at me, his teeth nearly as white as his hair, before reaching out and wrapping a coil of my hair around his finger. I lean further into the car, not liking his touch or the way he invades my personal space.

"Stays the unbeaten champion. I want to know his cheats." He murmurs to me and I scoff, flicking his hand away.

"Cameron doesn't cheat. Believe it or not, he actually races fairly. Besides, what did you want me to do?" I scowl "Rat him out to help you win?"

Ryan rolls his eyes, stepping closer to me which makes me move even further into the car.

"Don't tell me he's as innocent as he seems." He sneers before looking me up and down. "And neither are you." I push at his chest, willing him to move away from me but he doesn't, he simply smirks. "Where'd he pick you up? A brothel? You another whore running around here?" He asks coldly and I wince, the memory of being called a whore by my father coming to my mind on a loop.

I don't need another man calling me something I am not. I don't have sex with hundreds of men- I haven't even done it before- and I definitely don't sell myself for sex like he's insinuating. I shake my head, trying to keep my cool before I have a full on anxiety attack.

"Leave me alone Ryan." I mumble and he smiles maliciously, leaning his hands against the car so that I'm trapped.

"Why would I do that sweet cheeks?"

I scowl. "Don't call me that."

"Oh really? What would you prefer?"

I push harder at his chest, desperate to get some space. "Nothing- leave me alone."

"Don't be a buzzkill now gorgeous."

I'm about to tell him to fuck off when he's violently ripped off of me and pushed on the chest by Cameron. I take in a deep breath from having personal space but lose it all again when I see the deadly look in Cameron's eyes.

"I'm done with your shit, Maxwell." Cameron hisses and Ryan regains his balance and straightens his shirt.

"Chill bro. I wasn't taking your whore of a girlf-"

Cameron is up in his face in seconds, his voice low and ruthless. "You better lay off of Harley before I lay into you."

Ryan smirks, finding the situation all too funny. "And if I don't?"

Cameron's lips turn up this time. "Don't forget where you are in the track. Emery won't hesitate to kick your ass out of here if you don't cut this shit out."

He rolls his eyes. "Emery needs me."

Cameron laughs, pushing Ryan roughly. "What fucked up world are you living in Maxwell? You're just another racer- you don't do much for him except cause trouble."

Ryan takes a step forward and I watch with wide eyes as he tries to swing at Cameron however, Cameron catches his fist before throwing his own at Ryan's jaw. A horrifying slapping sound resonates through the room as Ryan stumbles on his feet, cradling his jaw in his hands while Cameron just stares at him calmly.

I close my eyes and try to regain my breathing, suppressing memories of my father hitting Cyrus and I like that.

"You're a fucktard. Y'know that Dawson?" Ryan spits and Cameron shrugs just before Ryan launches himself at Cameron. Cameron moves out of the way before grabbing Ryan's arm and bending it behind his back at an awkward angle. Ryan hisses out in pain.

"I told you to leave Harley alone, man, and I'm saying it again. Only this time, I promise you- if you don't- I will break every bone in your body." His words are a warning, telling Ryan that he isn't kidding. Before Ryan can respond with anything, Emery steps into the garage. His face turns into a frown when he sees what's going on.

"What the hell is going on here?" He demands and Cameron looks at him, letting go of Ryan in the process. Ryan stumbles forward, clutching his arm that's in pain.

"Ryan decided to pick a fight with me." Cameron responds and Ryan spits a wad of salvia at Cameron's feet. I see Cameron's jaw clench and Emery sighs.

"Go home Ryan."

"What? I have a race tonight."

Emery steps towards Ryan and points an authoritative finger at him. "Don't make me kick you out boy." Emery says coldly and I almost want Ryan to go against the one in charge so I can see him getting kicked out. Ryan scoffs, kicking the tyre of a car by him before stalking off while muttering curse words under his breath. When he is out of sight, Emery turns to Cameron with a frown.

"I cannot afford you starting up trouble Cameron. Having Ryan always starting up nonsense is enough of a hassle."

Cameron shakes his head. "He was harassing Harley, Emery. I couldn't let it slide again."

Emery sighs, the wrinkles of stress and worry making an appearance as he glances at me briefly. "I trust you know what you're doing Cameron."

He says nothing more before he stalks off into the night, leaving Cameron and I alone again. He immediately turns to me, his eyes searching for any injuries on my body. When they meet mine, I see guilt flash through them.

"Are you okay?" He asks, stepping towards me and I nod, not having it in me to say anything. As if sensing this, Cameron nods and closes the hood of the car behind me. "Come on. I'm taking you home."

If it were under any other circumstances, I would immediately argue back with him and be stubborn not to leave. However, today it might actually be a good idea after what has just happened with Ryan. I'm still a little shaken and I think it would be best for me to get home and lay down in the comfort of my room where I know I'm safe.

I don't know if Cameron drives at a faster speed to my house than usual however, I definitely feel like it goes much quicker tonight. We both vacate the car and he walks me to my front door silently although I can sense that he wants to say something. When I unlock the door, I notice the room submerged in darkness and come up with the conclusion that Audrey isn't home. I throw my bag onto the couch and walk to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, the memory of Ryan calling me a whore just like my father running through my mind. I feel my head begin to pound before my ears ring and my vision blurs slightly.

I sway slightly from the sudden dizziness and the glass in my hand drops into the sink, cracking as it does so.

"Harley." I hear Cameron say beside me and I shut my eyes, willing myself to calm down while I think rational thoughts. "What's wrong?"

"I'm- I'm just a little dizzy." I say, managing to regain control over my breathing. I'm swooped up into Cameron's arms in one swift motion and he carries me to my room before I'm placed onto my bed. I lay on my back and shut my eyes. When I open them, Cameron is watching me silently and I manage to croak out "Lay with me."

He purses his lips before pulling his shoes off and takes the spot beside me. He lays on his side, watching me, as I stare at the ceiling and I take comfort in his presence.

"I'm sorry I punched him. I know you don't like violence." I hear him whisper and I chew on my lip.

I remember all the times I came home late from school- be it that I had to speak to a teacher or go to the library or go grocery shopping- my father always accused me of sleeping around. The amount of times he called me a whore are countless and I find tears pricking my eyes as I think about how Ryan did the exact same thing today. He accused me of being a prostitute- of degrading my own worth just to praise that of men.

It always bugged me when I was little. Beside the fact that I was being called a whore and being accused of something I wasn't doing, I hated being compared to my mother. I loved her, yes, but I'm not like her. She didn't do something about my father when he was beating me- she would simply give me a tearful smile, handing Cyrus the first aid kit before leaving for work until she ran away and never came back. I get that she was scared- he had his way with her a few times when she tried to intervene- but the fact still stands: she abandoned us.

I would never do that to my children.

Besides, she wasn't a whore either. Yes she had an affair and yes it was wrong but could you blame her? My father was a monster- how could she love him?

"I'm not mad at you Cameron. Thank you for defending me. Just being in that position with Ryan reminded me of all the times with my father." I say softly. "And I'm just terrified that I get stuck in that position again." I confess, a tear slipping out of my eye. I don't ever want to be hurt like that again but I'm still scared that I'll one day be anyway.

I feel Cameron intertwine his hand with mine. "I promise that won't happen again Harley. Not if I can help it."

I smile at him, turning onto my side so I can stare at the loving boy in front of me. He smiles back at me, although it's weak. I scoot closer to him, snuggling into his chest and taking his scent in while he plays with my hair. I grab his hand and bring it to my face, examining the red skin on his knuckles.

"You should put ice on that." I say, looking up at him and he shrugs.

"I'll do that later."

I nod, letting go of his hand and letting myself relax in his arms. I allow myself to appreciate the silence between us that lets me clear my head and get my thoughts in order.

"Harley..." Cameron starts and I hum in acknowledgment. "What's it like suffering from anxiety?" He asks and I frown to myself.

What's it like living with anxiety? Well, that's a difficult question because you can't really explain it. It's like having two voices in your head- one that's logical and rational and one that is the complete opposite, always ridden with fear and worry. It's like being drowned excruciatingly slow. It's like the world is against you and you have no way out. Living with anxiety is a daily battle.

I lick my lips. "Have you ever gone down one of those waterslides where it's completely dark? No light at all?" I ask and I feel him nod. "That's what it feels like- like you're going down a dark water slide that never ends. At least with a slide you know you'll hit the water soon enough, anxiety is not knowing if you'll even hit the water at all."

That's the simplest I can put it. Some people have anxiety worse than others, some people get depression because of it, however, it's still a disorder that nobody should have to face. Especially alone.

I feel the weight of my response hanging in the air and I sit up to lean on an elbow before turning to Cameron. He watches me. "Tell me about Carla." I ask, genuinely interested. All I know is her name, her history with Cameron and how she sadly passed away, but I actually have no idea what she was like.

Cameron frowns. "What do you want to know?"

I lift one shoulder in a shrug. "I don't know. What did she look like? What was she like as a person?"

He thinks hard. "Okay... she had long blonde hair." He starts, his eyes glazing over. "And it was always loose. She had green eyes that were always wide with mischief and a soft heart shape face, making you think she was younger than she really was." He chuckles to himself. "She was always laughing and she had a huge mouth. She was always getting into trouble because of it. She loved flowers and often told me quotes about them. She adored dancing and she was always making new friends, teasing the guys but never giving them a piece. She was such a flirt." He smiles to himself and my own lips quirk into a smile at seeing Cameron talk about his best friend. I think I would've liked her and I wish I could meet her. I wish Cameron could still be friends with her. Life isn't always fair, however, and we have to learn to accept that.

Cameron goes on to tell me what she loved doing and her favorite recipes- she liked to cook- and tells me a story about how she got kicked out of a club. I laugh and I smile, loving that Cameron trusts me enough to tell me all of this.

•••
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