Chapter 25 HARPER
“Tyler—” I gasped, choking on the force of his grip. Pain shot up my spine, my eyes watering from impact.
“Guessing?” he snapped, his fingers tightening around my arm. “You’re guessing?”
“I-I was just trying—”
“That’s the fucking problem, Harper. I don’t need you trying, I need you to be sure of what the hell you’re doing,” he yelled, letting go of me to clutch his head. “You’re supposed to be helping me! You’re supposed to know when the fuck I can go back to training! What the fuck kind of guarantee is ‘guessing?’”
Goosebumps broke out on my skin at the rage in his voice. No one had ever scolded me like this before; it almost made me break down in tears. I tried to form words, to defend myself, that I did know what I was doing, but the wildness in his eyes made me stand still in fear.
I knew he wasn’t angry at me. He was angry at everything. At his shoulder, his broken dream, his future slipping through his fingers, and right now, I was the closest target to channel his frustration at.
“Tyler,” I said softly, trying my best to mask the tremble in my voice. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have said ‘guessing’. That was careless of me.”
His jaw clenched, his breathing uneven.
I was treading dangerous waters, but I felt keeping my mouth shut would only make matters worse. “I know it’s not easy to hear, but you have to understand that no recovery is exact. We’re dealing with your muscles, your nerves, your body’s own timeline. And if you push too hard, too soon, you’re going to relapse.”
“Then what’s the bloody point?! If you’re not sure I’ll be healed in time for the game, then why the fuck are you here?”
His words cut deeper than I’d expected. I blinked back tears, refusing to be weak when I knew he needed someone strong.
I dared a step forward, wanting him to see the honesty on my face as I looked him dead in the eyes. “The point is that you’re trying—you’re not giving up. The more the sessions continue, the better your chances are. And believe when I say I’m not just doing it now to keep up the end of my deal to my mum. I’m doing this because I consider you a friend.”
He scoffed, but I didn’t let it discourage me. “I might not look like I know what I’m doing here, but I promise you do. I give you my word that I’d help you in whatever way I can so you’ll be ready in time for your game.”
His face went impassive just then as he closed the distance between us, leaning down to my level, threateningly. I didn’t flinch, nor did I lower my eyes. Instead, I met him head-on, letting him know I meant every word I’d said. Sadly, it still wasn’t enough.
“It’s easy to make empty promises, Harper,” he seethed, tilting his head to the side until the warmth of his breath brushed against my ear. “As much as I would like to believe you, I can’t help but feel you’re lacking a lot in competence. Do me a favour and give your mom a call. Maybe then, I’d feel a bit better.”
The door slammed hard, rattling the walls as he exited the room. I sucked in a shaky breath, not bothering to hold the tears back anymore as they slipped down my cheek.
I didn’t wait for him to come back. I didn’t tell his mom I was leaving. Abandoning my clothes behind, still putting on his hoodie and boxer, I ran out of the house straight into the pouring rain.
The cold hit me instantly, but it was nothing compared to the storm raging inside me. My feet pounded against the wet pavement, splashing through puddles that soaked my legs. The world was a blur of grey and sound—the downpour drumming on rooftops, thunder growling somewhere above, and my own uneven breaths echoing in between.
I knew home was too far to walk, yet that didn’t stop me. I just needed to move—to get away from him, from the humiliation that burned through me worse than the cold rain. The gates creaked open at my approach, almost like they sensed the chaos in me and decided I didn’t belong inside their walls anymore.
Beyond them, the street was empty, washed clean by the storm. Streetlights flickered weakly, their glow distorted through the veil of rain. My hair clung to my face, water dripping down my lashes, but I kept going.
I didn’t have an umbrella. I didn’t even have shoes on. All I had was the ache in my chest and the sting of his words replaying over and over—’ lacking in competence.’
Maybe he was right. Maybe I was in over my head. What did I know about helping someone who had already decided they couldn’t be helped? I thought being strong meant standing my ground, but I just felt foolish for thinking my words would some what mean something to him.
My body trembled from the cold now, my hands shaking as I wrapped my arms around myself for warmth. Cars sped past in the distance, their headlights cutting brief lines of gold through the rain before fading away again. I tried to focus on them, on anything that would stop me from crying harder, but the sobs came anyway—small at first, then uncontrollable.
A flash of lightning split the sky, lighting up the path ahead, revealing nothing familiar. I slowed down, chest tightening as I looked around. Every street sign was a blur, every house a shadow. The road stretched endlessly in both directions, puddles rippling beneath my feet.
I spun around, hoping to recognize something—anything—but the rain had swallowed every trace of where I’d come from. My breath hitched, panic started to creep in. The storm had drowned out the world, and suddenly I couldn’t tell which way led home.
The anger, the pain, the tears—they all seemed pointless now. All that was left was the echo of my heartbeat and the soft whisper of realization sinking in.
I was lost. Completely, utterly lost.