Wildly Driven

Epilogue

FEW MONTHS LATER

"Are you okay, sweetheart?"

I nodded my head even when I didn't feel like I was close to okay. My head was pounding and I knew there was no escape from this. What had I thought anyway? It was all a mistake. With this, I thought that death was much pleasanter.

I cursed every time someone asked me if I was okay. How could I be even close to okay? I regretted living when there was nothing to cling on to. It was a tough road, but I was doing everything alone.

Legally, things were in my favor except for the fact that I was banned from legal racing for a whole year. Ashley was in mental institution, the properties were in my name again, school had understood my plight and I had even become a mini-celebrity there. But internally, I knew I was damaged.

There was no changing things back.

If only Brian had intervened a little earlier than he had, maybe... maybe Dad would have been alive along with Robert today. But then again, he wouldn't have forgiven himself for putting me up to that game. He would have died a little every day in guilt.

With broken bones and and internal bleeding I had stayed back in the hospital after waking up for another month to be discharged completely. But as soon as I was discharged, the same memories haunted me back - the things I had seen and heard were too much to deal with. The solitary life back at home didn't help.

My trips to hospital increased two fold and so did the hospital bills. Without an income I struggled and for many nights I wished that I hadn't come out from the coma.

That was when the VS enterprises came to rescue me. They had trained me to be a model of sorts and with the mystery I had provided for their magazine cover, I had become a hit in their field. They had offered me a job with an insurance.

Though it was a pity job, I snatched it with both hands.

"So, what do you think of this one?" Simon asked me. He pointed towards the magazine with a white Mercedes picture on it. "Will this be okay with this setting?"

Ever since Simon had come to know about my situation, he had taken up the initiative to help me stand on my own feet again. After much debate with Cole, he had made me a graphic cover editor assistant since I had a few ideas about the photos and their angles.

"White is not much of a color, Simon." I said, putting the pictures together. "See, Black will be much better here than a white one."

"She is right." Cole agreed with me. After a month of me joining, he had warmed up a little. "And what's with those flowers? We don't need them."

"We do." I said, almost wanting to roll my eyes at him. He always argued with my ideas and themes even when all of us knew that it was eventually going to be a hit. "I asked for it."

"Tell me, why does a tyre model need a flower to pose with?" Cole crossed his arms together.

"It's a couple shoot." I said, standing up. My crutches knocked on the hard wooden floor as Simon walked behind to hold me if I fell. "See, the guy holds the girl at her waist, giving her the flowers. One of her leg will be up this way." I pointed my crutch towards one side. "And the flower bouquet will fall near the tyre."

"Like grabbing the audience with emotion." Simon said behind me. "I like playing with emotions."

He wasn't the first one that I had met who wanted to play with emotions. "Welcome to the club." I muttered, staring at my plastered legs.

There was still another week before they were finally talking it off of me and I couldn't wait any longer.

"Fine." Cole agreed. "Let's get this done and then you are off."