Broken

Chapter 42

Harry's POV

• • •

I silently stare at the steel bars barricading me in the small enclosed space.

Holding me back from my freedom.

Keeping me away from Danielle.

God how I hope she hasn't found out about any of this. I only have a couple more days in here before my court session.

I know that usually when you are charged with a DUI you just receive a ticket. Since this isn't the first time I have driven under the influence of alcohol, they decided to punish me by taking away my freedom. Or better known as jail.

Jail is such a cold and dark place. All these dark cement walls leave me to the consumption of my thoughts. My mind is running crazy knowing that Danielle is still out in the world, clueless of my actions.

Or maybe she knows more than I thought.

I glance beside me to see Luke chewing on the side of his thumb: a nervous habit of his.

"Dude chill out. It's not we've been charged with the death penalty", I laugh off my nerves.

"Are you being serious right now? You're not thinking about what Danielle is going to say about this? Look at you, you're a mess! You haven't changed one bit since high school. You should be ashamed of yourself Harry for getting a girl that's too good for you. She doesn't deserve you", his words sting at my heart.

He's right.

Danielle can do so much better than me.

I feel absolutely disgusted with myself for ruining Danielle's life. She shouldn't have to go through this, I have caused her enough trouble and heart break already.

"You're right".

"What? You're actually agreeing with me? No argument? No physical violence?", he says in disbelief. "Wow maybe Danielle's helped you more than I thought".

"What's that supposed to mean?", I bite back.

"It's just maybe she is the solution to all your problems. I think she has what it takes to cure this broken soul of yours".

"Gee thanks buddy, I really appreciate it", I sarcastically roll my eyes. "Let's not forget about you here. You technically lied to Danielle as well", I point out.

"Yeah, yeah, no one's perfect".

"That's your excuse?", I chuckle.

"Do you seriously think it will matter what my excuse is after you tell her the truth", he puts the blame back into my shoulders.

"Already enough, I'm tired of stressing over Danielle. Just drop the subject". I sit back against the wall and close my eyes.

"Just drop the subject?", I hear a familiar voice from behind the cold bars speak up.

"Danielle? What are you doing here? I thought I wasn't allowed to have visitors in jail", I let out a frustrated sigh I've been keeping in for a while.

"Harry care to explain to me what you're doing here? And who's that beside you- Luke what the hell are you doing behind these bars?!", she shouts out of anger and pure frustration.

Danielle's POV

• • •

I can't believe what I'm actually witnessing right now.

My first college friend sitting next to Harry; in jail might I add.

I must be hallucinating because I know this can't be happening to me right now. My life was going so well, everything was finally falling into place. Well I guess my life is only allowed to be good to me for 24 hours at a time.

"Wait Luke don't tell me why you're here before I hear Harry's explaination. And you better make it good because I only have a 20 minute time period to be back here with the holding units", I sigh completely drained by the situation.

"Alright well let me start from the beginning. I sent Luke your way so I could keep a close eye on you. I wanted to protect you without actually being there with you. What you didn't know was that Luke and I were good friends back in my 'dark days' of smoking daily, drinking alcohol carelessly, and being out of control. So last night Luke and I were smoking when we decided to go to a party. All these memories flooded back into my brain and I guess I completely lost it. So I drove home without thinking about my high intoxication levels, and got pulled over. And Luke was in the car with me at the time and just happened to be over the legal limit of intoxication consumption, which explains why he's here with me".

"So you're telling me this whole time, you made me think that you changed when you really haven't?", I say completely disgusted with his mind games on me.

"Well when you put it that way it sounds like I did a terrible thing. You see Danielle changing isn't as easy as you think it is. Maybe if you were there to help me, it would be a little easier", he sends a wink my way.

"What's wrong with you? You can't even apologize to me for what you've done and you're trying to soften me up", I cross my arms.

"Why would I need to apologize for something I'm not sorry for. I'm not going to apologize for every little thing I do just because you don't like it. I am who I am, and I can't help it", he says glancing over at Luke who seems to have fallen asleep.

"How could you Harry? I started thinking last night that you might actually be the one who I want to spend the rest of my life with. I wanted to grow old with you and constantly show you my love, and how it will never die even when we will. But now I see that you don't feel the same. I'm sorry for wasting your time. I'm sorry for everything, and I'm sorry for ever bumping into you in the hallway on the first day of senior year", I let the tears fall out of my eyes showing Harry the pain I'm feeling.

I see the guilt in his eyes, and then I see him crying. I slowly take the promise ring off my finger and slide it under the bars of the cell.

"I'm sorry that we're not the perfect kind of broken that you wanted".