Back to Black

Recovery

I sat in the passenger seat of the car with Victor driving, my cheeks still burning and my brain in a haze as to what just happened. My thoughts occupied me so much, I realised I didn't know who's car this was, and that Victor and I had been silent for the entire journey so far.

I glanced at his face. His gaze was forwards on the road with a forced focus, his brow crumpled into a frown. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly so his knuckles were white.

"Are you okay Victor?" I asked softly. He seemed preoccupied too and the past scene at his house was not exactly desirable. I didn't blame him. He glanced over at me, and looked at my face. His face un-rumpled and he quickly looked back at the road.

"I guess."

The short response alarmed me and I panicked a little in my seat.

I probed again, "Are you sure? What are you thinking?"

He sighed deeply, before finally replying, "I just don't know what to do Sang. My parents are normally difficult but this car they mentioned.... It's going to be too flash. They'll be able to keep tabs on me through the media with that thing as it will be so easily followed. And it's not as if I could bring back my old car, North says it's almost completely written off from the damage at the lake."

He shook his head, before a surge of energy swept through him and he jerked his body forward while grasping the steering wheel. It looked like he was throttling it.

"Urghhh!!!" He practically shouted; "This whole situation blows! I shouldn't have to put up with this crap! You shouldn't have to put up with this crap!" He turned his head to me, his fire eyes an inferno and full of passion.

As he looked me over his face softened, his body relaxed a little and his eyes sparked in a different way.

"You look really pretty tonight." His baritone voice became more soothing. I blushed at the compliment. "I'm sorry about my parents. Especially my dad. He shouldn't have said those things" Victor had the gall to look ashamed.

I reached out my hand and rested it on his outstretched arm and squeezed gently. He glanced at me in surprise. Was that because I touched him automatically? I was concerned about him getting so agitated.

"Will you pull over please?" I asked politely. "You're all worked up. You look like an ant under a magnifying glass".

His face smiled in response, but he shook his head.

"Sang we won't have time, we'll miss our appoint..."

"Do you trust me?" I interrupted.

"Yes, but..."

"Then pull over please?" I replied.

He glanced at me in confusion, before checking the mirrors and flicking on the signal to pull over. As soon as the car was stopped and the handbrake thingy was on, I jumped over reaching my arms around his neck and resting my head in the nook of his neck and shoulder. I couldn't see his face but I swore I felt him smile.

"Princess...." Victor whispered softly into my hair, his arms reaching around me and hugging me back.

"Shh." I whispered cheekily back, my smirk moving against his body.

He held on a bit longer and I felt his body begin to relax. He buried his face in my hair and breathed in, before nudging my head with his chin so I'd look up at him.

I did and he gazed into my face for a second before slowly leaning into me.
He was going to kiss me!!! I'd kissed Victor before, but I was so new to the whole thing, I still got that little excitement jump and nervous

I closed my eyes and felt a gentle kiss on my lips and kissed him back. The kiss was as soft as his lips  Was this the first time I'd kissed Victor since everyone found out about the plan? It was hard to keep track.

I pulled back into my seat and realised I'd leaned over a gear stick, my body stiff from the semi-awkward positioned hug.

"Whose car is this?" I asked. I couldn't remember any of the guys having a manual?

Victor looked down at the gear stick and laughed. Good. He seemed more himself now.

"Mr Buble's. He said we could borrow it when I mentioned the hair appointment. I know we didn't think you'd get a manager with Mr Blackbourne in our team, but..... it's not too bad."

I looked around the car in surprise, wondering what he meant. The interior was a consistent beige brown from the seats to the dashboard, which were made from wood. The only different colour was black and that was only on the steering wheel and seatbelts.

I realised that I hadn't been wearing a self belt before in my haze and reached over to pull it on. Victor took that as a signal to pull off again.

I replied as he did,"I don't know much about cars, is this a nice one?"

Victor hesitated before pulling off and laughed, the fire in his eyes at a merry sparkle.

"Oh princess!" His face was beaming as he joined the other cars on the road. "I meant it's not so bad Mr Buble is your manager. I mean it would be better if that didn't happen but it's not a massive thing and kind of expected honestly. You are brand new."

He chuckled, "And no Princess, this car isn't that bad, if not a little dated. I'd rather have this thing as my car than..." He sobered up, his expression more focused again.

I looked around the car again. "Maybe we can use that to your advantage?" I thought aloud.

"How do you mean?" Victor asked as he pulled into a car park in front of the spa. I blushed when I realised I'd made him pull over not five minutes before our destination.

"Well, you're worried about being flash right?"

"Yes", Victor nodded

"Well, maybe that's not a bad thing right now? I mean it would be a good decoy, with Hendricks and Mr Morris following us around. We could make it look like it's from the academy and I don't know distract them? It wouldn't always have to be you driving." I shrugged. "We could use it's noticeability to our advantage."

I looked at him and realised I was rambling and that the car was parked. I stopped talking and raised my hand to my neck.

"Princess...that might work." Victor mused, while getting out of the car. I followed suit. "I'll check with Mr Blackbourne".