Silver Lining ❥ daerin

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐: 𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐌𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝

𝚂̷𝚊̷𝚐̷𝚎̷

After the contract signing, the tension in the air seemed to ease a little. The rain had stopped, and the sky outside had cleared, revealing patches of blue as if the storm had never happened. Calista and I stepped out of the office, the fresh air hitting us as we walked hand in hand. Everything felt calmer, quieter now that the big decision had been made.

But then we saw the Pagani, parked in the same spot it had been left, its once pristine exterior marred by the crash. I could see the way Calista's shoulders tensed, the way her eyes lingered on the damage, a reminder of what she'd been through today.

I squeezed her hand gently. "It'll be brand new again if we take it to a shop," I offered, hoping to ease her worry, to remind her that things could be fixed.

Calista shook her head, her gaze fixed on the car. "Mending it won't make it brand new," she replied quietly, her voice carrying a weight that went beyond just the car. I could hear the layers of meaning beneath her words—the crash, the fear, the vulnerability that came with it all.

I sighed, understanding in a way I hadn't before. "You're right," I admitted, "but maybe... it doesn't have to be brand new. Maybe just mended is enough."

She didn't say anything, just kept staring at the car for a moment longer before finally looking at me. "What do you want to do now?" I asked softly, trying to nudge her thoughts away from the wreck.

"I want to take it to the shop," she said, her voice more certain this time.

I nodded, reaching for my phone. "I'll call for a tow truck."

Once the call was made, I could see her shoulders relax, the weight of the car's damage no longer hanging over her. I figured she could use a distraction, something to lift her spirits after everything that had happened. So, once the truck arrived and the Pagani was on its way to the shop, I took her hand again, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"I've got a surprise for you," I said, leading her to my car.

Calista glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "A surprise?"

"Yup. You'll see," I grinned, not giving anything away.

We drove for a bit, and for a while it felt kind of funny, me, in the driver's seat of my car, driving Calista Avellino, the atmosphere between us lighter than before. Soon, we arrived at a small, cozy diner.

I knew Calista wasn't expecting it, but I wanted to take her somewhere simple, somewhere we could just relax and be in the moment. We ordered food, and for the first time in what felt like hours, I saw her smile—genuinely smile.

After we finished eating, I took her to the arcade next door. Her face lit up when she saw the flashing lights and heard the familiar sounds of games and laughter. It was exactly what she needed—what we both needed after the day we'd had.

We played a few rounds of air hockey, then moved on to the basketball game. Calista had this fierce competitive streak, and I loved seeing her get so into it. But just as we were really getting into the game, I saw her wince when she lifted her arms to shoot.

"Cali?" I called out, worry creeping into my voice. She lowered her arms, her face twisted in pain.

"I'm fine," she insisted, trying to shake it off, but I could tell something wasn't right.

"No, you're not," I said firmly. "Let's go check."

We hurried to the bathroom, where I helped her pull up her shirt slightly to check her side. There, on her ribs, was a large, dark bruise—the kind that made my stomach drop just looking at it.