Cars and leather

Chapter 5

My eyelids feel heavy but I manage to open my eyes. Bright light fills my vision and my face creases in response. I'm laying in a cold, sterile hospital room. I struggle to sit up but I collapse into the bed weakly when my head begins to ache, sending a sharp pain all over my body. I struggle once more and succeed.

The door into my room is wide open, to my left in an armchair where Nathan sleeps with his head crooked to one side and his arms folded. I smile at his sight and let myself enjoy him a little. His blonde hair is messed up, he's wearing black sweatshirt and black sweatpants with black converse, the same outfit he wore to the racings.

At the thought of racings, my mind flashes back the earlier events. The mustang and the accident. My porsche crashing. My heart starts pounding as I remember the crashing sound as clear as if it was still happening. Oh no! My porsche! What happened to my spyder?

"Nath-" I choke, my voice low and hoarse. I clear my throat silently.

He wakes slowly, only half opening his eyes but when he sees me his eyes open wide, startled and he rushes to me.

"Jesus, Helen. You've got me worried" he murmurs, taking a seat at the edge of my bed.

I flush. He cares about me.

"I'll call Sophie" he stands and rushes out the door.

Sophie? Jeez, my mother! She only lets her friends call her with her name, that's unlike her.

My mother storms into the room, with a just-about-to-cry look. She's dressed in dark green shirt, black pants and black slippers.

"Oh baby" she cries and takes my hand in her weary ones.

"I'm sorry mom" I murmur.

She's thinking of dad. I'm here but she sees dad. He didn't survive but I'm alive.

The look on her face makes me want to cry. Her eyes are watery and there are large bags under them, her nose is a little pink on the tip from crying and the corners of her mouth are set downwards.

"Shh, baby" she commands. "Me and that boy of yours, Nathan"

"He's not mine" I correct her

"He's a very lovely young man,Helen" she goes on "he hasn't left your side not even for a second"

"How long?" I wonder.

"18 hours," she sighs "you've been unconscious for 18 hours" she begins to weep

"I'm sorry mom" It breaks my heart to see her like this

"You have to promise me." She says suddenly "Promise me you will never race ever race again"

I look appalled at her. She can't do this to me. It's my life she's asking me to forget. "Mom, I-" my voice cracks as emotions take control over me. Hot tears run down my cheeks. "I can't"

"What?" She rages, letting go of my hand. "Wasn't this enough? You want to end up like your father?"

No, just not the talk of my dad.

"I asked him to stop, but he wouldn't listen. He was stubborn, with that car of his. Yes, the same spyder you call yours. It brings bad luck" she shakes her head in desperation and stands off my bed. She eyes me briefly and walks away.

Nathan comes back right after my mom leaves. I smile at his presence but my smile gets even wider when Loren follows him in. She's as ever so elegant, dressed in a grey sweater, red jeans, black boots and a black knitted scarf, wrapped around her slim neck.

She walks quickly towards me and grabs me in her arms, embracing me firmly. Pain runs down all over me from the tightness of her hug and I groan. She let's go off me instantly.

"I'm sorry" she murmurs "I forgot"

I shake my head expressing that it's okay.

"I missed you" she smiles

"I missed you too" I smile wearily back

She grins slyly and leans closer. "Nathan likes you" she whispers staring into my eyes.

I feel my cheeks reddening, my heart pounding at the possibility and I look at Nathan who's standing at the door, examining me. He's eyes narrowed -probably trying to eavesdrop on us.

"He doesn't" I murmur shyly.

"He does" she insists. "You know he does, and I know that you like him too. I saw how you were looking at him earlier, and I still see"

I do like him, a lot. He was my last thought before the crash. I saw his face, his eyes.

Loren sits silently in front of me, her eyes looking downwards at her knuckles. I look at Nathan again and he smiles when he notices my gaze and I smile back. Disturbed by a question I wanted to ask since I opened my eyes, but couldn't ask my mom, I shake Loren's hand and she looks up at me.

"Yes?" She looks quizzically

"How bad is spyder?" I ask hopefully.

Loren looks away and stands off the bed. Nathan walks closer, looking apologetic. My heart starts aching and I feel an urge to cry but I hold my tears back.

"It's hopeless" he murmurs, his voice low and hoarse

Tears run down my cheeks unbidden, my chest feels empty. The car was my dad's memory. I can't lose it. "No" I find myself whisper, "no" I cry louder. My head is throbbing, I rub my forehead with my palm wishing to ease the pain.

"Helen" Loren mutters anxiously

"Leave me alone, please" I ask looking sullenly at them.

Nathan walks closer and I open my mouth to protest but close it immediately when he takes my phone out of his sweatpants pocket.

"Your mother asked me to give it to you when she was leaving" he says handing me the phone.

I thanked him and apologized for my behavior. They left my room but promised me to stay close.

I place my phone under my pillow as I sink into the bed. Laying on my side I cry a little more. I can't believe I've lost my porsche. My phone buzzes under my pillow and I reach for it.

One message received.

I open it and gasp.

*Blocked ID*

*Your car is a price you paid for what you've done to the tracker. If you think you can get rid of me easily then your wrong. I'll find you no matter what, told you -I'll always be two steps further.*