Diana, a timid 19-year-old artist, battles severe anxiety while recovering from the aftermath of a toxic relationship. With support from her father, the VP of a biker club, and his close-knit friends, she starts to heal. When she unexpectedly bonds...
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For anybody asking, I promise I'll be fine I've had some trauma, did things I didn't wanna Was too afraid to tell you, but now, I think it's time -Billie Eilish
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DIANA
"I just got a bomb dropped on me. And now you want to keep me in the dark?" Dad angrily whispered, his lips tight as he spoke.
"No!" I whisper-shouted, covering my face in frustration. "Look, you don't understand. I can't do this here. I would rather think or talk about literally anything else right now. Please." The fluorescent lights in the hospital hallway cast a cold, sterile glow. My entire body trembled, the chill of the hospital air conditioning prickling my skin.
"I'm sorry," he softened, letting out a sigh and taking a step closer. "I'm just...concerned. I mean, can you blame me?" There was a crack in his voice, a hint of the worry that was tearing him apart. I flicked my eyes towards the ground, trying to stave off another bout of tears.
I hugged my arms against my chest, eyes glued to the toe of Dad's worn down boots. "We'll talk about it. Just not here...not now," I couldn't bring myself to see the pain on his face, knowing that my admission would only make it worse.
"Okay," he sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "I need you to promise me that we'll talk about it soon." His tone was firm, but I could hear the underlying plea, the desperate need to protect me.
I nodded, avoiding his gaze. "I promise."
I prayed that he couldn't see how much I was struggling to keep myself together. Part of me knew that I was just being a coward, but another part of me was okay with that. The thought of sitting down and saying every single detail out loud made my skin crawl. I had yet to tell anyone but the judge the full extent of Billy's actions. Thinking about it was a nightmare.
For a moment, we stood in silence, the only sounds being the distant beeping of monitors and the whispers of hospital staff filling the space between us.
Dad finally broke the silence, his voice soft. "Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.
I took a shaky breath, rubbing my hands up and down my arms. "I'm trying to be."
Without another word, Dad pulled me into a tight hug, catching me off guard. It was a long, lingering embrace—one that made me feel like a little girl again. It was exactly what I needed, and for a few moments, the load I was carrying seemed just a bit lighter.
"I'll be back," Dad said, his voice a low rumble in my ear. "I'm gonna find Ben and Marlene."
I nodded, reluctantly pulling away from him. "I'll be here," I said, watching as he disappeared down the hallway. The moment he was out of sight, the sense of security started to dissipate, but I forced myself to stay strong. With a deep breath, I turned and headed back to Eddie's hospital room. I paused at the door, taking a moment to compose myself before knocking gently. After a short pause, I heard Eddie's tired voice call out, "Come in."
