17 #3
Harley was shocked at the name, surely it couldn’t be the same one she knew. There were probably multiple people who went by the name.
The purple car was gearing up and inside sat a woman with long dark hair.
She couldn’t see her face from the angle she was sitting, but cheered for her nonetheless.
Her opponent being Ambrose meant the group was split down the middle on who to support.
Bloss and Lily had their money on Posy while the boys had theirs on Ambrose who was seated comfortably in his red vehicle, a lazy smirk on his face.
Another stood in front of them holding a canister as the engine of both cars were firing up.
The man held it to the air as the buzzer went off, so did the two cars.
Posy led the takeoff as they fired down the street.
According to Scarlett, the race consisted of the cars going round the loop once to the first exit, turning around at the first exit and looping again into the second exit, coming out from the second exit and looping again, then heading back down to where they are. The first one back wins.
It was hard to see when they went down the exits but the streetlights did a good enough job. There were people standing on shoulders just to get a better view. They had just done the first loop and Ambrose was now in the lead, circling with ease as Posy lagged behind.
“Posy has got to win, I have money riding on this.” Bloss pleaded.
“She’ll win, she always does.” Lucas said with a distinct pride clear on his voice. Which confused Harley considering he mentioned being team Ambrose. He had his hands in his pockets, the wind blowing his hair every which way, his cheeks a little pink from the cold.
When Harley focused back on the race, she saw Posy had slightly overtaken Ambrose as both cars did a final loop round the bend but not enough to do damage.
The screams from the crowd were getting louder as they both raced down the street.
The nearer they got, the more neck and neck it became, the anticipation killing her.
The cars got closer and closer and closer and zoomed through the finish line. Judging by the squeals of the girls and groans from Jameson and other guys, she assumed Posy had won. But the guy at the front yells, “Tie!” Everyone unanimously began to boo.
Harley and the group headed towards the cars, they were immediately given access to the other side of the fence at Lucas’ decree.
As they neared the cars their doors opened, Ambrose stepped out a soft relaxed smile still on his face, seemingly okay with the results.
However the woman strolled forward angrily, “Bullshit, I won that fair and square.”
“That’s not what the results say,” Ambrose expressed, smiling.
“You,” she growls, pointing a finger at his chest. “Shut the fuck up!”
She recognised her immediately, it really was Proserpina.
Her dark hair swaying with her every step forward, she was in another set of jeans and a leather jacket.
This time she wasn’t wearing thin heels but thick boots that made it easier to drive.
She hadn’t yet noticed Harley, who hung at the back, as she was too busy arguing with the referee and Ambrose about the result.
“Ignore her, she’s a little competitive about this. Especially when it comes to him.” Scarlett said, pointing to Ambrose, who lazily leaned against his car not even flinching at being yelled at.
But Harley only had one thing in mind, “That’s your cousin?”
She nodded, “Why, what's up?”
“She was the one who brought me here, she works for my sperm donor.”
Scarlett’s face hardened at this, “I knew she worked closely with him but not that she would know about something as serious as you.” She blew out a breath, frustrated. “None of us have ever liked what she does but Luke lets her because he is physically incapable of saying no to her.”
“Why would he have a problem with her working with him?”
Before Scarlett could answer, the two of them were thrown back to the scene in front of them as someone yelled, “Feds!”
This led everyone to scatter immediately, the place dispersing in record time.
Harley was ready to run, but Scarlett just held her. She stood still like she was awaiting orders. Lucas commanded with a voice she was yet to hear from him. “Blossom, take Lily inside. We’ll deal with this.”
Then he turned to his cousin, referring to Harley. “Get the girl home, she doesn’t belong here.”
This was when Posy finally took into account who was in front of her. She froze. Her eyes pinched in frustration and she shook her head. “I’ll come with you.”
???
The staunch silence of the car was brittling and uncomfortable but Harley didn’t care to fill it at this present time so she simply looked out the window admiring the light of the moon.
There was a full moon tonight and it hung in the sky following and watching.
It was no secret but she loved the moon, it was a guilty pleasure of sorts.
She loved the stars but the moon was who she admired even more. There were many moments as a child when she would just sit on her balcony and watch it, she felt like it was watching over her in a way her mother couldn't.
The irony wasn’t lost on her considering her mama is named Selene, after the Greek goddess. Likely she was looking for a replacement to the one she had. Unlike her mother the moon was constant, the moon didn’t leave and the moon always shone brightly amongst the stars, embracing them.
She felt the resentment that she often tried to swallow, build back up and ultimately had no choice but to divert her focus back into the car to not let it overwhelm her.
Harley was sitting in the backseat as Posy drove with Scarlett in the passenger seat.
The latter tapped her fingers against the window to the beat of the drizzle that had started to pour.
Other than that, the vehicle was still relatively quiet, the two girls likely still reeling from their night out being cut short.
They had only narrowly escaped being seen when they left, and though Harley was no stranger to police she would rather stay away from them.
After a couple minutes, she leaned her head back against the seat and let out a restless sigh. “I enjoyed your race,” Harley said, breaking the silence. “Very surprised to see you there in the first place, but I probably shouldn't have been. You clearly love being behind the wheel.”
Posy’s jaw ticked like she was holding in her frustrations.
Harley suspected from the way her eyes constantly flickered towards Scarlett she didn’t want to reveal the secret of her birth in front of her despite the familial relation.
So she revealed it for her, “Don’t mince your words. She knows, so you can speak freely.”
“You told her?” Posy whipped her head towards Harley, before quickly looking back to face the nearly empty road. “After I specifically warned you against it?”
She gave Scarlett a sharp look and the recipient just shrugged. “Don’t blame me, she told me of her own free will.”
“It just came out,” Harley nonchalantly confessed.
“What do you mean it just came out? If your dad find-”
The relaxed smile wiped off Harley’s face in an instant and she bestowed Posy with a grave expression, “Don’t call him that.”
But Posy paid her anger no mind, “The image of your father is something that is very important to him. I’m serious, you don't want to find out what could happen if he finds out you're telling people.”
“And you especially need to stay the fuck away from anything to do with my brother.” Then she muttered a barely legible, “That sister of yours, too.”
“Why? I have been here for a month and I haven’t even met the man.
Now, you tell me that I can’t go to places with my friends without any explanation and expect me to comply,” Harley gritted out, her frustration building.
Her upset at being cast aside by yet another parent swelled.
Despite how much she told herself that she didn’t care about the man, she did.
That was why she went searching for him when she was fourteen in the first place and truth be told why she was here now.
“My brother isn’t a very good person and deals in things you have no business concerning yourself with. Something someone,” Posy gave Scarlett a dangerous glare, who turned away and suddenly fancied something out the window. “Should have told you about, before she brought you there.”
“I didn’t think anything would happen tonight.
Also–” Scarlett whined, and they bickered with one another.
Harley couldn’t help but take note in the way they interacted with one another.
Scarlett had always been someone who held her own and seemed in charge, yet right now she acted like a youngest child being told off by an older sibling.
The chip on her shoulder was gone entirely in the presence of family, it was cute.
Harley secretly wished that she would feel that way about her someday. A friendship that felt like home.
She was glad that they had addressed their issues earlier, now she hoped things would be smooth sailing from here on out.
They finally got to the front of her house. When Posy parked, she said, “Don’t go back, Harley. William knows everything that goes on in this place, even when he isn’t around. Stay on this side of the water. It’s safer for you here.”
There was nothing she could do but accept it. Harley turned to Scarlett and softly said, “I’ll see you on Monday… at uni?”
She nodded, then Harley thanked Posy for the ride and exited the car without another word, the sound of the tires on the gravel fading as they drove away.