Road to recovery

Chapter Seventeen

April's P.O.V

April woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the day. After seeing Ray yesterday and spending the day with her she felt so much better. Ray didn't remember her, but she still talked with her without being overly guarded and Ray let her ramble on, which is more than she or Yuno thought Ray was going to do.  April noticed her phone was blinking so she picked it up and saw she had a text message from an unknown number. She read the message and saw it was from the guy who crashed her car yesterday. April completely forgot all about it after everything that happened last night. April texted Joe back, Hey Joe it's your girl April, I can meet you at the Tuner Shop in an hour to get the car fixed. April then got up and got ready for the day. She put on her white corset, pink skirt, and her black high heel ankle boots. Sh noticed Joe messaged back and it said he would there. April still had about 45 minutes until she had to meet Joe, so she went out to the cubby to see who is around. 

When April got outside, she noticed that almost everyone was at the cubby. She walked over to a group where Ramee, Randy, Curtis, Taco, Jayleen, Garrett, and Mr.K were all talking. "Hey guys it's your girl April." April said addressing the group. "Hey April, I'm surprised your up already. You didn't go to bed until really late last night and you had a busy day too." Ramee said confused, because April was almost never up this early. " Yeah, I woke up feeling so good and refreshed yesterday. I think it is because I had such a good day with Ray." April said and the moment the words left her mouth she knew she messed up. April watched as looks of grief, guilt, and sadness flashed across their faces. April decided to change the subject. "So do you guys have any big plans for today?" April asked. "No today is a business day, Ramee, K, and I all have meetings." Randy said. "I have to convert cars at H&O." Jaylen replied. Garrett, Curtis, and Taco just replied by shaking their heads no. "What about you April, do you have any plans today?" Taco asked. "Not really I just have to meet the guy who crashed into the LFA to get it fixed and then I will probably go by the CB Manor." April said. 

April saw a look of suspicion cross Ramee's face. "Who is this guy you're meeting?" Ramee asked. April knew where this was about to go, every time She meet a guy Ramee always got jealous. "It's not like that Ramee, this guy named Joe ran into the back off my car yesterday outside of UwU Cafe and he offered to meet up today to pay for the damages." April said already knew Ramee was about to turn this into a fight. " You have no idea who this guy is, you shouldn't be meeting him alone." Ramee said. " Ramee stop Joe is perfectly harmless, and we will be at the Tuner Shop it isn't like he can do anything in a garage full of people." April said. Before she could continue K spoke up. " April, Ramee is right. In light of what has happened to Ray and Tommy, I don't want you going to meet strangers by yourself." K said in a tone that let April know it wasn't a suggestion.  "Ok fine, I will call Lucas and have him go with me, but I really have to go I will be late at this point." April said moving towards her car. 

"Stop." K said. April stopped and turned back to the group. "Taco go with April, I want to make sure that if something happens, I want someone who can actually fight back." K said. "I can take care of myself. I don't need a babysitter." April said annoyed that the guys thought she couldn't take care of herself. "I was not asking you April, I'm telling you. We have no idea who this guy is or where he is. If he can take out Tommy in the middle of a race, who knows what else he can do." K said in a voice that told April to stop arguing. April knew that what they said made since, but she just felt like they thought she couldn't take care of herself, and it hurt her. April let out a long sigh. "Fine let's go Taco we are already late." April said as she turned around and marched towards her car. Taco got in the car and April drove off. 

April and Taco sat in silence for about five minutes before Taco broke the silence. "You know we only do this because we care about you right." Taco said trying to comfort April. "I know but it makes me feel like I'm not good enough and makes me think that you guys don't think I can't handle myself or believe in me." April said.  "If this was Novah or Mari, you guys would even think twice about them going alone, but I need a babysitter just to get my car fixed." April felt all these emotions take a hold of her and she needed to get it off her chest. The only person who ever understood how she felt was Ray, but now she has no one to talk to about her feelings. "You have to understand that everything with Ray and the psycho guy have them all on edge. Of course, Ramee is going to overprotective, and K is going to be a little more watchful and assertive about your safety since you are basically his daughter." Taco said trying to get April to understand. "I get that Taco, but it makes me feel like I don't belong or I'm a disappointment because I need one of you to make sure I'm safe getting my car fixed." April said her frustration getting the best of her as her voice starts to raise. "April you're not a disappointment. I honestly can't imagine the gang without you, your family. I'm dure all the guys would agree. Also, yes if you were Mari or Novah we wouldn't go with you, but on the other hand just like I'm going with you someone would go with Autumn or CJ. Not because you girls can't handle yourselves but because some of your best qualities is that you try to make friends with everyone and you're to kind. This guy is crazy, and we don't want him to use your caring personality against you." Taco said, hoping he got through to her. April sat there silently for a while until they pulled up to the Tuner Shop. April knew everything Taco said was true and he meant all of it and now she felt bad about how she reacted back at the cubby. "Thank you, Taco. I feel better now." April said and then they both got out of the car.

April and Taco walked into the Tuner Shop to find Joe before they did anything else. April spotted him on the phone in the back corner of the garage. "Come on Taco, he is over there in the corner." April said as she started walking towards him. As April walked across the garage, she got a mix of what's up and hellos for the people inside. April waved back at everybody, most he people she didn't even know the name of. April finally got across the garage to Joe. " Hey Joe, it's your girl April." April said excited at the thought of her car getting fixed for free. "Hi April, it is good to see you again. Who is that with you? I didn't know you had a bodyguard." Joe said with a hint of irritation in his voice. " Oh, this is Taco, he is part of Chang Gang with me. Taco this is Joe, we meet outside of the Cafe." April said introducing them to each other. Taco just nodded at Joe. " OK so the mechanic said that you could go next so where is your car. " Joe said " It is out front I will go get it." April said. " Ok I will go fill out the ticket then and we can meet back right here." Joe said. " OK let's go get the car Taco." April said as she turned around and started making her way across the garage. 

April and Taco got back into the car and drove up and pulled it into a parking spot. As they were getting out of the car, a different car or a crumpled heap that used to be a car that was three spots down stood out to April. "Taco look I think that was Tommy's car." April said the sadness creeping into her voice. The cars whole roof was missing the passenger side was so crushed if it wasn't in the Tuner Shop April wouldn't have been able to recognize it as a car. " Fuck, I'm even more surprised that Tommy made it out alive even without being shot looking at that mess." Taco said but April could see the horror in his eyes, because she felt it too. If he did that to Tommy in one night who knows how much he did to Ray in six months. April and Taco made their way back over to Joe will looks of sadness across their faces. "Hey what happened you guys seem upset." Joe said trying to sound friendly and concerned even though he already knew why they were upset. "That car over there is our friend Tommy's. He crashed it and is currently in a coma." April said trying not to get upset. " Wow that is horrible at least he made it out alive." Joe said. April could hear a slight hint of frustration in his voice. 

April a voice interrupted their conversation. "Hey April, Hey Taco, how is it going." Dan asked as him and Adam walked towards the group. "Hey guys it's your girl April. What are you guys doing here I thought you would be with Tommy?" April asked surprised to see them. "Lana and Patar are at the hospital we are trying to see if we can get T's car fixed." Adam said. "Well, I hope they can fix it I know how much that car means to Tommy, and I hope he wakes up soon." April said. "Yeah, we hope he wakes up so we can catch the guy who did this. We saw Ray Yesterday she came to visit Tommy. I'm surprised Yuno let her out of the manor." Dean said. Adam finally noticed Joe. "Sorry we are being rude who is your friend April?" Adam asked knowing he had seen this guy before. " Oh sorry, Joe this is Dean and Adam they are from the Mandem." April said. A look of suspicion crossed Adams face. "Nice to meet you Joe, you look really familiar have we meet before?" Adam asked Trying to figure out where he met Joe. "No, I don't think we have ever met before." Joe said. "Are you sure, you look really familiar?" Adam asked again still trying to put the pieces together. " No sorry we have never met.  I have to go April, so I am going to go pay for the repairs." Joe said as he started walking away. " Ok, bye Joe, I will text you soon." April said as he walked away.  "Well, that guy was weird." Taco said. " I didn't mean to run him off, but I swear I have met him before." Adam said still sounding confused. "Yeah, he did seem really familiar." Dean said. "Well, my car is fixed so we should probably go. The boys will send out a search party of we aren't back soon. I hope Tommy gets better soon." April said as she turned to walk away. Later Adam and Dean would come to regret to not recognizing Joe.

End of chapter

Thank you for all the love and support as always. Sorry the chapter is a day late.