Love Impact

Love Impact

last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-27
By:  Rain ElectricCompleted
Language: English
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24Chapters
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The last thing Valencia expected was to crash into Damien's life--- literally. Valencia Rodriguez is a sweet, shy, albeit downtrodden girl who was perfectly fine floating through her days. When she gets into a car accident with a biker named Damien, everything changes. Riddled with the guilt of almost costing Damien his life, Valencia agrees to nurse him back to health by living with him for 6 months. But living with an arrogant, handsome stranger might be harder than she expected.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Okay, I need to admit something— I'm a terrible driver.

Just the worst. Every morning as I'm gripping my steering wheel, knuckles white as ghosts, I curse the unmotivated DMV woman who let me pass my driver's test. The way she flicked that pen on her paper so slowly and carefree, I should've realized that she had already accepted a fate of death getting in that car with me. I really hope she's doing okay regardless. One thing's for sure, though, I'm definitely not okay.

The minute I stepped into my car this morning, something just felt off. It took me an extra 10 minutes to get dressed, adding an extra 10 minutes to my commute. On top of that, my fuel tank was a tick short of empty, so I had to make a stop. On top of that, I had to take a detour due to construction on my daily route. I thought everything that could go wrong had gone wrong.

While bobbing my head to the rhythms of soft classic rock, the warm, flowery breezes of the fresh Spring morning tickled my face through the car window. I inhaled the fragrance with a slight smile. Even if life was proving to be difficult, the small simple things seem to make up for it. The drive to and from work felt like my only moments of solitude.

Rows of cars surrounded me everywhere I looked, and I could a hear an orchestra of car honking behind me. I looked in my side window to see a man on a motorcycle weaving in and out of traffic only inches away from the vehicles waiting. I could hear some people shouting at the provocative way this man cut through. He was intentionally testing their patience, his expensive motorcycle exuding the same arrogance as his movements.

I scoffed. I may not be very good at driving, but I did my best to be courteous on the road. The biker stopped next to me as I sat waiting for the light to turn green. The sun glimmered off of his pitch black helmet and leather jacket. He let the handles of his motorcycle go and leaned back with his head tilted up slightly. Something about the way he bounced from one foot to the other was hypnotizing. He turned to me and gave me a gentle wave. I turned away flustered. I didn't expect him to notice me staring. My intrusive thoughts desperately urged me to leave my car and yank his helmet off like some sort of a Scooby-Doo villain.  I shook my head trying to dismiss those thoughts. There was probably an old man under that helmet anyways.

Loud, obnoxious honking broke my thoughts and I suddenly realized traffic in front of me had begun to move quickly. A mix of guilt and adrenaline shot through me and I hit the gas petal much harder than anticipated.

SCREEEEECH

My body jolted forward as sounds of clanging metal and plastic filled the air. My breath caught in my throat and I clamped my eyes closed in anticipation of what's to come. The seatbelt dug into my body until my car came to a halt. When I opened my eyes, I saw debris in the road in front of me and a familiar motorcycle not too far from where I was stopped. No. Oh no. No no no. I unclicked my seatbelt and dashed out of my vehicle. Other than a slight soreness in my chest, I had come

out of this completely unharmed. I couldn't say the same about the man on the bike.

He was lying on the road writhing in pain, unable to decide whether he should be swaddling his broken arm or broken leg. His jacket had scraped up pretty badly and his jeans were nearly shredded. He was coughing violently. The smell burning rubber and smoke stung my nose as I exited my vehicle.

I ran over to him in a panic and looked around hoping to see someone stop and help. Everyone was too busy trying to drive around the debris to notice the badly injured person on the ground. The world is a selfish place where people would rather get to work on time than help another human being. But I had no time to linger on that thought. After all, I was the one at fault.

I hovered my hands around him trying to see if there was anything I could do to help. Tears clouded my vision, but I made my way to his helmet and gently pried it off. Instant regret washed over me when I realized I was probably doing more harm than good.

I wanted to see what this man looked like earlier, but I never wanted to this way. He was coughing up blood and seemed completely disoriented. I ran back to my car to grab my phone and frantically dialed 911. It took several seconds to steady my breath enough to finally ask for an ambulance.

_____________________________

Beep...   Beep...   Beep...

Damien's breathing was steady, rhythmic, soft. That's his name: Damien.

I had accompanied him to the hospital in the ambulance, pretty much leaving everything behind. He was a stranger to me, but I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Seeing a man holding onto his life by a thread was completely, utterly terrifying. Doctor Adams, the one assigned to Damien, informed me that he had no emergency contacts or family members to contact. I stayed with him, of course. I wasn't going anywhere until I knew he was okay.

They had treated all of his injuries, but the severe internal bleeding made Damien exhausted. He had glanced at me very briefly with his eyes half open before being wheeled into a room for treatment.

I looked up at the clock ticking above the door -- midnight. It had been 15 hours since the crash, but it felt like it was only moments ago. I could still hear the grinding of the metal, ear deafening screech, and the wretched coughing as Damien clung onto life.

I looked over at him and admired his long, brown eyelashes draped delicately over his olive-tan skin. He looked to be in his mid-20s, same as me. His dark brown hair was short and slightly tapered in the back with soft curls near the top, nestled messily over his head bandages and into the hospital pillow. His face was jagged and rough with patches of short facial hair here and there and couple of scrapes still left over from the accident.

I had been sitting there anxiously sifting through the barrage of thoughts filling my head. Once Doctor Adams assured me Damien was fine, the financial dread had begun to envelop me. How will I get to work without my car? How will I afford my new insurance rates? The traffic ticket, the deductible, the hospital bills. Damien would surely want to sue me once he wakes up. I nearly cost him his life. A heavy burden had been placed on my shoulders and the first step was to convince this man to have mercy on me. My stomach was in knots thinking about how part of the reason I stayed at his bedside was for my own selfish reasons.

I lay my head down on the edge of the hospital bed.

"I am so fucked," I muttered softly to myself.

"That makes two of us."

I gasped and sat straight up. Damien was looking over at me with a smirk on his face.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Hmm not sure. Opened my eyes and saw the woman that tried to kill me having a pity party next to me."

I looked away in embarrassment. I had rehearsed a thousand times what I would say to him when he woke up, but all of that had disappeared after hearing his voice. It was smooth and a little rough, not too deep but just enough. It was hard to describe, but it's the kind of voice you wouldn't mind listening to for hours.

"Look... I uhh... I'm sorry," I let out a deep breath and looked back over at him, "I'm really really sorry. Driving just isn't my thing and I should've been more careful. Please forgive me. I can't afford to be sued right now. I'm really broke. I'll do anything. Please."

I knew I was rambling but couldn't stop myself. Damien propped up his unbroken arm against the bed and sat himself up with a groan. I reached out to him hoping to offer some sort of assistance, but he shook his head. Instead my eyes gravitated to his biceps as they flexed from his movement. Not the time, Valencia.

"What's your name?"

I hadn't even introduced myself before bombarding him with apologies.

"Valencia Rodriguez, but you can call me Val if you'd like."

"Well, Val, I'm Damien Stathos."

"Yeah I know. The doctor told me..."

"Come closer, Valencia."

The way he said my name sent chills down my spine. No one ever calls me by my full first name. I hesitantly complied and scooted my chair closer to the bed.

"No. Come closer. I want to see the woman that tried to murder me today."

My cheeks grew hot. This guy was clearly messing with me, but the guilt was overbearing. I leaned close enough to where I could almost feel his breath on my face. His hazel eyes were twinkling with mischief. He grabbed a strand of my wavy, black hair and ran it through his fingers.

"You said you would do anything right?"

"Y-yeah," I stuttered out. He flashed me a grin.

"Come live with me."

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Comments

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geridari87
Perfect short story. Not unnecessary dragging, well written and sweet. Highly recommend!
2024-12-18 06:36:07
0
user avatar
RSJ
I really liked the story as it unfolded it’s not too long or unnecessarily complicated the grammar and vocabulary is flawless and there are dialogues and sentences that make you laugh I really enjoyed the book and reread it, if there is a part two I really would love to read it
2024-05-19 01:51:18
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24 Chapters
Chapter 1
Okay, I need to admit something— I'm a terrible driver.Just the worst. Every morning as I'm gripping my steering wheel, knuckles white as ghosts, I curse the unmotivated DMV woman who let me pass my driver's test. The way she flicked that pen on her paper so slowly and carefree, I should've realized that she had already accepted a fate of death getting in that car with me. I really hope she's doing okay regardless. One thing's for sure, though, I'm definitely not okay.The minute I stepped into my car this morning, something just felt off. It took me an extra 10 minutes to get dressed, adding an extra 10 minutes to my commute. On top of that, my fuel tank was a tick short of empty, so I had to make a stop. On top of that, I had to take a detour due to construction on my daily route. I thought everything that could go wrong had gone wrong.While bobbing my head to the rhythms of soft classic rock, the warm, flowery breezes of the fresh Spring morning tickled my face through the car wi
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-12
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Chapter 2
"Live with you? You can't be serious!" I jerked back in shock, unable to comprehend this man's intentions."Why not? You said you would do anything, right?" Damien's voice was serious and his gaze was unwavering."I-I mean yeah... but... that's not what I meant.""What did you mean then?" Damien tilted his head slightly and flashed me a mischievous grin. His smug face made me irrationally angry. I reached for a set of controls next to his bed."What are you doing?" He asked."Calling a nurse. You've obviously been given too many painkillers, and now you're acting insane."Damien chuckled softly. "I can assure you I'm not being delusional. Tell me something, Val. What outcome were you hoping for when I woke up? That you say 'sorry' and I say 'it's okay' and we both move on with our lives? I don't know if you realize the kind of costs that come with injuries like mine. I assume the treatment for my internal bleeding along with broken leg... broken arm... hospital stay...hmm. Even with i
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-13
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Chapter 3
"You look like a mess.""I know""You're still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.""I know.""Your makeup—""YES I KNOW!"Damien looked at me, eyes wide. He turned away from me and started laughing. Is this what I should be expecting for the next 6 months? Being berated by this stranger while spoon feeding him Jell-O? I felt ridiculous."Come on. Don't be so serious. This is going to be fun!" Damien's eyes were bright with excitement."If you're going to make fun of me, I'll just go back home. My roommate can do that much better than you can."Damien's smile turned serious. "Is that why you're back here? Your roommate?"I sighed and sank into the chair, "Among other things, I guess."Damien looked me over then frowned. "They're making me go home today," he stated trying to change the subject."Already?! You just got here.""Yeah, well. Right now I'm taking up prime real estate that they could use to make money off someone else," he chuckled.I frowned. How messed up was it that
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-14
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Chapter 4
Damien's nap gave me the opportunity to whisk away into the bathroom for a much needed shower. It felt good stripping off the clothes that were a reminder of the awful things that transpired in less than 48 hours. I stepped into a walk in shower that was almost as big as my bedroom. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but it could definitely fit 4 people in there with a little bit of squeezing.I half expected Damien to have one bottle of shampoo that he used on his hair, face, and body. He seemed like one of those guys. Instead I found a neat row of apple scented shampoo, conditioner, and pine scented body wash.Suddenly I was reminded of when my face was nuzzled against Damien's head for a brief moment in the shuttle. I remembered his scent really vividly: apples and pine. I popped open one of the bottles and took a quick sniff. Real creepy, Val, I thought to myself. What the hell was I doing? I took out my own little toiletries from my bathroom bag and lined them up next to Dam
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-14
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Chapter 5
One week had passed since the accident, and I was getting used to taking care of Damien. He had previously made himself out to be a lot more difficult than he actually was. Occasionally he would be picky about his food or demand things to be a certain way, but he was always very lighthearted about it. Damien spent most of his day tapping away on his laptop a couple keys at a time since his hand use was limited. I offered to help several times, but he always insisted it was "boring work stuff" and "there's no need". Whatever he did for work, Damien held onto that information like a vault. I can't say I wasn't insanely curious.My insomnia had been severe that entire week, and I often found myself sitting in the small balcony, overlooking the city. I was constantly thinking about how I didn't deserve such a comfortable life. Even aside from what happened with Damien, I never felt like I had truly deserved anything good, and the majority of my life up to that point had proven that theory
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-22
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Chapter 6
"Here at Sunny Side Up, what should we be...?" Matteo inquired with his fingers up and a stupid grin across his face."Sunny," I grumbled."That's right. Now, no more distractions and make sure to smile," Matteo emphasized for the third and final time today.I gave him a half-hearted, tight lipped grin that seemed to satisfy him enough to leave. As soon as his back was turned, I slumped over the bar counter and looked at the bustling of customers enjoying their brunches."Matteo's being a real pain in the ass today," Kay whispered while carrying a tray stacked high with plates of half eaten eggs Benedict, French toast, and an ungodly concoction of all other breakfast foods smooshed tog
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-24
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Chapter 7
Damien spent 5 restless nights with the flu. During that time, he lay sweating in bed nearly half naked, complaining about being hot one minute then cold the next. I had run out a few times to get medicine and groceries but would come back quickly to make sure he was still okay. I began to realize I cared a lot about what happened to him even outside the scope of our deal. I chalked it up to a standard sense of human empathy-- nothing else.Most of my days were spent cleaning him and making him comfortable. He didn't make many snarky remarks during that time, but he always looked at me like he wanted to say something to me. A look of worry seemed to occasionally flash through his face then disappear in an instant. Something bothered him, but I knew he wouldn't come out with it on his own."Why do you look so concerned?" I asked while giving Damien his daily sponge bath. He needed these more frequently now due to the excessive sweating. I did feel proud that he was finally looking more
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-27
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Chapter 8
After a cold shower, I came to a conclusion that Damien was just some deranged pervert that lured me into his home. The cocky look on his face as he fondled me kept popping up in my head. I can't say I hated it, in fact... I quite liked it. I wasn't going to tell him that, though. Maybe I was also a deranged pervert. I put on a bra this time, not wanting to repeat the same mistake. This couldn't happen again because if we crossed that line between caretaker and... whatever that was, there was no going back. The last thing I wanted were for things to be awkward between us. It was too late though. The tension between us was palpable. He was passed out by the time I came out of the bathroom, but the following days were filled mostly with silence and uncomfortable pauses. I avoided any conversation with him that wasn't directly connected to his recovery or chores. He was back to his old self, typing away on his laptop, and occasionally sneaking glances in my direction. He tried to be su
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-27
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Chapter 9
Rustling of magazine pages and light taps were the only sounds filling the small waiting area at Dr. Helder's office. She was the best physical therapist in the city, and Damien made sure of it. He always dove headfirst into researching any topic that was of importance to him, and being able to walk again was extremely important. He wasn't the only one that knew Dr. Helder's qualifications, a fact which was amplified by the amount of people crammed into the small waiting area. "Uggghhh," Damien groaned loudly, alerting the attention of everyone in the room. "What's wrong with you?" I asked, a little agitated by his verbal outburst. "How much longer? What's the point of an appointment if I still have to wait?" He complained. "I'm hungry!" I rolled my eyes, and took out a granola bar from the backpack I had placed on Damien's wheelchair. "Eat this and shut up, please," I pleaded with a harsh whisper. He took a bite and gave me a tight lipped smile, a huge chunk of granola bar fill
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-27
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Chapter 10
Tension hung in the air around us in that small elevator. The silence was deafening as we waited for our rescue. I kept glancing over at Shawn expecting him to say something rude. He always looked like he had something to say but not anything I wanted to hear. He had refrained from opening his mouth so far, so that was all that mattered.Seeing him under that bright elevator light, I realized why Darcey was infatuated with him. Objectively he was fairly handsome with a strong, slim build towering to an imposing 6'2". His dirty blonde hair was styled to look messy with probably a hundred different hair products. He had piercing blue eyes that some may find attractive, but to me, they were soulless.I was sitting on the ground near the elevator buttons with my legs crossed in front of me. I tried to distract myself with my phone, but it proved pointless against the flurry of thoughts going through my head. Damien had been typing furiously on his phone. He had the same expression on his
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-27
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