14 Danger
1107 Words
Harper's POV
The next day, Angelo came over to my house. Despite his polished look, he seemed exhausted.
I didn't know what he had said to my parents, but my mother's gloomy expression from the past few days had brightened considerably.
I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. After all, wasn't I supposed to be her favorite daughter?
When I playfully shook her arm and acted spoiled, she just smiled and hugged me tighter, "Sweetheart, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be so kind to him."
Though Angelo made an appearance, Marco was nowhere to be found. I pouted a little. He wouldn’t actually skip my engagement, right?
Suddenly, the image of Marco kissing me flashed in my mind. I quickly shook myself back to reality. Get a grip, Harper. I shouldn’t be worried about him.
Seeing me dazing off, Mom picked up her phone and opened some photos to show me some jewelry she had picked out. She said she'd take me to collect some custom pieces tomorrow morning.
As we were discussing which one looked best, a knock sounded at my bedroom door. I ran over to open it, finding Dad standing outside.
Seeing me barefoot, he frowned disapprovingly. "Harper, put on your shoes. You young girls never take care of yourselves."
Smiling, I pulled Dad inside, only to realize that his eyes were almost glued to Mom as he spoke.
So I pulled my mother off the bed, placing her hand into Dad's arm. "Go have your private chat. Don't worry about me."
A hint of shyness appeared on my mother's gentle face. After I closed the door, I planned to study for a while, but my thoughts were a mess.
I took a copy of Jane Eyre off the bookshelf and started flipping through it absentmindedly. Before long, I was engrossed.
I was much luckier than the heroine, but her spirit was truly admirable. Gradually, I realized that ever since coming to New York, I was no longer the naive girl I used to be. Although it seemed I had entered a greenhouse, I had grown quite a lot.
But sometimes, growth meant having to face increasingly complicated situations—a world I didn't fully understand yet.
How could I put it? I felt both hopeful and scared.
By the time I finished the book, I almost wanted to cry. After saying goodbye to Mom, I asked the driver to take me to the mall.
No matter what, I was already with Angelo. For our engagement, I needed to give him a gift.
Oh, God, I really wasn't good at making choices—including picking out gifts.
I picked out something for myself first—a dreamcatcher. It was beautiful, made with pale purple weaving, adorned with shiny peacock feathers and clear white crystals. I had always been curious about mystical things, so it perfectly matched my taste.
Before I knew it, I had been swept up in the engagement atmosphere. I thought the dreamcatcher would look nice hanging in our future home.
But when it came time to pick out a gift for Angelo, I was stumped. I didn't know what he liked or what he needed.
That realization made me a bit discouraged.
But I wasn't one to be defeated by such a simple problem. Luckily, I had Sophia's contact information. I made plans to meet her at the mall tomorrow. With his sister's input, I was sure I could pick something he’d like.
By the time I was ready to leave the mall, it was late. The shops were closing. I called the driver and told him I was heading out soon.
I went downstairs and waited outside the mall for him. The driver texted me that he was on his way.
I guessed it was taking a while for him to get out of the parking lot, so I wrapped myself in my coat and stood outside, idly staring at the neon lights along the street.
But I forgot one thing—New York City was more than just glamor; beneath it lurked danger.
It only took about two minutes before a group of guys approached me. They wore baggy T-shirts, their hair dyed in bright colors.
"Hey there, sweetheart. How about giving me your number? Wanna grab a drink with us?"
Fear gripped me, but I tried to stay calm. I didn't want to provoke them. Who knew if they were even sober?
Under the cover of my coat, I reached for my phone, trying to remember the number to dial. I just hoped someone would come quickly.
There were people passing by, but it seemed no one wanted to interfere.
"I don't really feel like drinking right now, but you can leave your number," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the fear.
He sneered—a sleazy smile that made my stomach turn. Maybe it was the tension too, but my throat was dry, and I felt like I might gag.
"I just wanna take you out for a drink, and then maybe…"
He leaned closer, and I could smell the stench of m*******a on him.
"Oh, s**t!" Just as I was figuring out how to escape, someone suddenly appeared between me and the guy, landing a solid punch on him.
The thug swore, using some street slang I didn't understand. I looked up at the stranger who had come to help. His face was unfamiliar to me.
He positioned himself in front of me protectively, and I noticed the over-ear headphones he wore. His skateboard had been kicked aside during the fight.
He was a good Samaritan, but with so many of them against him, I was afraid he wouldn't last long. As I dialed the driver’s number, I looked around for anything I could use to protect myself. My eyes landed on a metal rod by a trash pile.
The driver answered, asking if something was wrong. I didn't have time to explain—I just told him to hurry.
Holding the rod, I stood behind the guy who was helping me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my driver pulling up, with a few more cars following.
In a moment of desperation, I grabbed the skater guy's arm. "Get in the car! I’ll buy you a new skateboard."
He trusted me enough to follow me, and we ran to the car.
I climbed into the back seat, still trembling. From the window, I could see the bodyguards tying up the thugs.
"Phew—"
I finally allowed myself to let out the breath I'd been holding.
- Writer
