She's A Trouble Maker

Chapter: Twenty-Nine

-Harley West-

To say that everyone were happy about the fact that Ryder and I were back together would be an understatement. Molly was jumping up and down and screaming with excitement to the point where Ryder's sister came from next door, worried that someone was dying. My mom started giving packets of Oreos and my dad started cheering. Dustin had been so excited that he started congratulating Ryder, which I found really weird. As for Tom, he was in his own little world as he stuffed his face with some strawberries.

"It was about time that you two made up. It was starting to get boring not being able to hang around with both of you at the same time." Tom finally spoke up as he bit into another strawberry.

"It was strange having Ryder not annoying me everyday." Snow says. "All he did was stay in his room so I barely saw him."  She drapes an arm around Ryder's shoulder.

"You two remind me of Hunter and I when we were your age." My mom smiles as she looks over to my dad. "But now we need to talk, just you two, Hunter and I so let's go to your father's office."

I hated having private talks with my mother and father, it always seems to end up in us arguing. The last private talk we had was about the fact that they suspected I was doing drugs and I didn't take it very well so we started arguing. If this talk was anything like the previous talk, then it probably will end up in us arguing.

She led us into my father office and then my mother sat on one of the couches and my father on another one beside her. Ryder and I sat on the couch facing them and waiting for one of them to break the silence that was slowly becoming awkward. Ryder and I share confused looks before my mother spoke up.

"Axel is on his way, we are just going to wait for him and then we will get on with what we wanted to tell you guys but in the meantime I wanted to ask when are you going back to school?" 

"I think I'm ready to go back tomorrow." I actually missed school. I missed sitting in the cafeteria with Molly, Snow, Tom, Dustin and Ryder as we laughed and joked around.

"Are you sure? Because there are a lot of people who will have spread rumo-" my mother starts to retaliate but I stop her.

"Mom, I'll be fine. It's nothing I can't handle and I'll have Ryder and the others so there's nothing for you to worry about."  I smile at her, she sighs before looking at my dad and nodding. Then we hear a knock on the door and my father tell them to come in. The door opened, announcing Uncle Axel.

He stands in front of Ryder and I before talking.

"Are you feeling better, Harley?" He begins, I simply nod in response. "I'm glad. Anyway, I needed to tell you guys something that you won't like."

"What is it?" Ryder speaks up.

"Josh is getting better and healing quickly. The hospital still hasn't given him the clear to leave but he's getting there."  Son of a bit- "Though it'll be a while, I just thought I let you guys know. After all that happened, you two need to know."

Ryder and I stayed in silence for a couple of minutes, not saying anything until my father broke the silence .

"When he is completely healed, the gang and I all thought it'd be best if we paid him enough to make him leave the country and never come back." I hated the fact that Josh was getting better and there was nothing I could do about it. I could easily put him back in the state I left him in but that probably means I'd get arrested and I don't really need that in my life right now.

"What if he refuses?" Ryder finally speaks up.

"I don't know just yet, but I doubt that he'll refuse over a million dollars."

"How did you find out?" I ask.

"I sponsor the hospital he's in and I host annual charity events to raise money for the hospital. So they give me any information that I want." Well that answers my question. I hate the fact that Josh is getting better and I hate the fact that he's probably going to walk out of that hospital with a smirk on his face and he is probably going to go after Ryder and I.

"Isn't that illegal? Confidentiality laws?" I ask. Surely the hospital were forced to not give out any information about the patients to anyone who isn't family.

"It is but I don't really care. I asked, they gave. All I want is for you and Ryder to be safe. Also when has something being illegal ever stopped this family?" Axel smiles, looking over to my father.

He's right, my father is the leader of one of the most infamous gangs and truth be told, they are the ones everyone else fears. So yeah, it's safe to safe our family doesn't really follow rules. My father has always protected me from this world but Dustin refused to not be a part of my fathers world. Dustin has never been one to be afraid of someone or something whereas, I may act like I'm strong but I'm not. Sure, I have the physical strength but I'm terrified of what Josh might do to Ryder.

We were dismissed after Axel gave us the news and I went straight to my room, completely ignoring the fact that my friends were downstairs. My chest felt like it was suffocating me, like I couldn't breathe, I felt like bursting into tears as I tried to find the strength to breathe. I felt my arms and legs shaking as I ran up the stairs.Ryder and Molly followed me upstairs and shut my bedroom door behind them.

"What happened?!" Molly asks, concerned. I took deep breaths trying to calm myself down so that I could breathe as I pace around my room. I can't believe that he's going to come back.

"Harley?" Ryder pulls me into a hug before letting go and sits me down on my bed.

"I-I feel like I can't b-breathe." My voice barely came out and when it did, it was hard to speak. Ryder pulls me into hug and rocks me back and forth as I hiccupped. I felt tears streaming down my face as I remembered that awful day where Josh threatened to kill Ryder and my family. Ryder starts playing with my hair, my head was placed on his chest and I could feel his heartbeat. The sound of his heartbeat made me feel so relaxed, he made me feel relaxed.

Soon I start to breathe normally and I stop shaking. 

"What happened?" Molly asks once more.

"She just had a panic attack." Ryder answers for me. I hadn't had a panic attack since I broke things off with James.

"Why?"

"Josh is coming back soon."