Separately Together

Chapter Seven: 2/2

When I reach my apartment and start to unlock the door, dreed seeps into my bones at the thought of being here alone again. This place was anything but homey anymore, it was eerie and quieter than normal.

Explaining why I nearly jump out of my skin when my phone dings with a notification.

Harley: I'm going to pick you up at seven.

A lazy grin made its way onto my face, and I did my best to wash it away. I wasn't ready to feel these kinds of things yet. I needed to work on myself first before I could let someone else in. My heart and body were betraying what was best for me. At least my mind had enough sense to keep everything under wraps.

Me: I can drive.

It was a tactic to keep him as far away from helping me hurt myself any further.

Harley: I'm going to come over now.

I pushed him away and he pushed further in, typical Harley. Think of this as a friendship, nothing more or less. It was nice having someone to rely on sometimes but there was a fine line I was riding here, and I needed to be careful not to waver onto either side.

"Oh, my goodness!" He's coming over now. I rush around the house and clean everything. Wipe everything down, shove everything into my bedroom, and shut the door. I haven't had time to clean in between my job and school, but there was no way I was letting him see this place looking like it did.

Just as I set the last clean dish onto the drying rack there was a knock on the door and my hands grew a little bit more jittered. I opened the door to let him in, but it wasn't Harley. It's a woman dressed in professional attire like she just left her job. Her black hair is tied neatly behind her back and her makeup looks flawless. "Miss Hansel?" She questions with sorrow lacing her words.

My shaking hands start to twist into knots at the end of my shirt anticipating what she was going to say. My subconscious already knew what was about to come out of her mouth.

"Y- Yes ma'am." I already didn't like meeting strangers, but she was at my door apparently about to deliver unwelcome news from the looks of it. Making my panic swell uncontrollably, causing my lungs to grow tight.

"I'm here to inform you that Vicker's Oliver has been rewarded parole on good behavior." I freeze up and don't know what to say to the woman. All I can do is stare off into oblivion as voices repeatedly fly through my brain.

You're getting your justice.

Wasn't it worth it?

He's going away for a long time.

You won't ever have to see him again.

All of it was lies. "Okay." I simply say and avoid her eye contact because I didn't want her to see the empty void her news had just created.

"I'm sorry." She walked away nearly bumping into Harley as he gave her a funny look probably wondering what she was doing leaving my apartment doorway.

I turn around and make my way inside leaving the door open for him to follow me in.

He was talking but I didn't hear anything he was saying, all I could hear was his laughter. My steps waver and I stumble while throwing my hands over my ears trying to block out the awful hideous laugh. It didn't silence it, it only made it worse. "Shut up!" I whisper and shake my head quickly losing my footing and heading straight for the ground arms wrapped around me before I could feel the impact.

My whole body was nearly convulsing with shivers, I was hyperventilating I could feel my lips growing numb.

His laughter became more invasive up until it began to be replaced with the soft humming of someone. A chest vibrated against my ear with a soft tone. The tone of my favorite song. Slowly my breath begins to come out more even and I slump against Harley as the panic attack ends leaving me feeling drained emotionally and physically.