Guns and Mirrors

TWENTY-TWO

This is a double update as per usual- Chapter 21 was uploaded before this so please make sure you read them in the correct order :)

♕Harley Anderson♕

The next week and a half passed by slowly and painfully but not as bad as I thought. Even though I had to race every night, it's still taking me a while to get used to being behind the wheel again. And it's definitely taking a toll on me- my bones are heavy with exhaustion and my brain is just a bundle of anxiety. But I'm coping. Barely. But I'm making it. Danté has fought every other night, often coming home bruised and cut up but none of his fights have being bloody or gruesome yet. Not that I would really know since I only went back to watch him once after that and I still couldn't handle the blood.

Due to me winning my races, Isaac has laid off of me a little bit. Even though I still have practice a lot with him during the day, I still have time to breathe and do what I want for a small portion of the day. Most of the time I'm with Lina- while trying to ignore the fact that she knows I killed someone- and occasionally Ramiro when he isn't busying beating people up or being a computer geek. As much as I love their company, I don't like having to rely on them for safety but I don't feel safe at the apartment. Not after what happened. But if Danté has some spare time, then we're there, relaxing together and spending our days in bed and baking in the kitchen.

If Lina and I are not at the gang's building, chilling in the parking lot, I'm at a rundown coffee shop with Lina which sells delicious muffins. I've only known Lina and Ramiro for a few weeks and yet I laugh with them like we're long lost friends. They talk a lot about their parents and it's clear how much they loved them. I listen intently when they do but I can't help but feel a little jealous. Even though their parents are no longer around, at least they experienced love. It's more than I can say.

Along with that, Olivia has called a few times and expressed her disappointment that I dropped out of college quite clearly. Even though I'm the one who has started paying for it ever since I started betting at the track, she still said it was a waste of money before going on to say that Danté is clearly influencing me to do 'irrational' things despite me telling her that it's a lot more complicated than that. When she'd asked how, I had sighed and kept quiet because I had nothing else to really say. I had nothing else I could say. Unfortunately. But she wants to see me and after speaking to Mia who had cried on the phone about not seeing me, I so desperately want to go see them too. Even if only for a day. But Nevada is nearly ten hours away and I'm part of a gang and it's just...

It's just so complicated.

"And I told the bitch to back the fuck up, y'know? I mean, come on. You can't tell me that she couldn't see my car when she was reversing. It fucking shines!" Katalina exclaims. "The chick even had the audacity to say it blended in with the surroundings and that's why I slapped her. Ramiro was pissed as hell but even he wanted to slap the blonde bimbo. Niños ricos y tontos." She mutters under her breath and I let out a laugh. Katalina has a very animated way of talking which I find quite entertaining.

"Did she try sue you?"

"Of course not. Bitch was terrified of me. Serves her right." She remarks and I shake my head with a smile. Katalina and I have being sitting here at the coffee shop for more than an hour now. "Harley, are you okay?" She suddenly asks and I look away from gazing out of the window.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I ask and she leans her elbows on the table.

"You've being so quiet." She comments and I look down at my muffin that I've only picked at.

"I miss my mom." I say and Katalina frowns, cocking her head to the side.

"Where does she live?"