by Long, Marie
Shit. It’s Larry.
FEW MINUTS LATE MY ASS!!! WHER TEH HELL RU BOY!!!!!!
Cringing, I text a quick omw as I bolt toward the lot where my bike is parked.
Chapter 10
I arrive at Frank’s later than I meant to, but I don’t see Larry. Probably went to take a piss. As I walk toward the whiteboard hanging on the wall in bay one, the office’s side door suddenly swings open and Frank comes storming out.
“You’re late. What the hell, Dominick? Oversleep? Wanna end up like Sam, too? Don’t think for a minute I won’t hesitate to get your ass replaced!”
I nod, frowning. “It won’t happen again, man. I swear.” Frank’s a bastard most of the time, but this time his anger is justified. I’m sure Larry is plenty pissed at me, too. Frank returns to the office and slams the door behind him. Checking the whiteboard, I see I’m assigned a clutch replacement job. Pretty complicated, at that. It must be Frank’s doing.
The sports car is up on the lift in bay two, and Nate is already working on it. Sighing, I approach him.
“Yo, Nate. I got this,” I say, as he removes a bolt from one of the drive shafts.
Nate casts me an annoyed but relieved look. “It’s about time. Where the hell were you?”
“Out,” I say, and leave it at that. “But I’m here now, right? So you can take a break.”
Nate rolls his eyes. “Right. Fuck up in front of the new guy, will you?” He shoves the air wrench at me.
I blink. New guy? But before I can ask about it, Nate walks away.
Has Frank found someone already? I look toward the office. Larry might be in there, too.
“I’m tellin’ you, man, I tapped some of that at the party last night.” Paul says from the first bay.
I glance over to the SUV on the lift, where Paul’s busy setting the wheels.
Marissa? How was she?” Nate asks, joining him, and shouting over the whine of the wrench.
Paul whistles. “Sweet mother of God, she’s amazing. She gets all kinky when she’s drunk.”
The two of them laugh, and I tune out the rest of their conversation. Usual shop buzz.
The office’s side door creaks open, but I don’t bother turning away from my work. I’m in deep shit as it is for being late. I might as well not add to it by idling around.
“ … yeah, I’m pretty good at poker, but an ace at darts—at least, that’s what my girl says.”
I freeze. That voice.
“No shit?” Paul guffaws. “Man, don’t you know I’m the king of darts?”
I peer over to bay one. Nate, Paul, and another guy stand on the other side of the lifted car, only visible from their torsos down.
“We’ll have to see about that,” the familiar-sounding guy says, then laughs.
No … It can’t be.
The office door opens again, and a set of workpant-covered legs approach the group.
“All right, you guys,” Larry says, then pauses. “Dominick! Get over here!”
I jump, and my heart starts pounding. I set down the wrench and hustle over to the group. Rounding the back of the SUV, I halt. All eyes are drawn to me, including the new guy’s, who looks more amused than anything.
William.
Fuck me.
“If you all haven’t formally met yet, this is William Porter,” Larry says with a wave of his hand. “Today’s his first day on the job, so make him feel welcome.”
I watch Nate and Paul shake his hand, but I remain where I am. No, he can’t be working here. Why the fuck is he working here?
“The quiet one over there is Dominick,” Larry says, gesturing to me.
William strokes his goatee. “Oh yeah, it is Dominick. What’s up?”
Larry lifts an eyebrow. “You two know each other?”
“You could say that,” I say, holding back a sneer.
William laughs. “Yeah, ran into him at the club last night.”
Larry crosses his arms and nods slowly, giving me one of those calculating looks as if he knows something’s up.
William steps forward and extends his hand. “Well, good to meet you again, bro.”
I exhale through my nose. The feeling’s mutual, asshole. For now, I swallow my pride and paint on a smile that would convince even Larry. “Yeah, you, too,” I say, shaking his hand. My hand is getting crushed in his. Damn, he’s got a strong grip, but nowhere near as strong as Larry’s. Squeezing back, I match his strength as best I can, but all he does is smirk as he finally lets go.
“All right. Now that the intros are done, get back to work.” Larry thumbs at my car. “William, since you and Dominick seem to know each other, I’m putting you two together, so Dominick can fill you in on how we do things around here.”
William nods. “Sure thing.”
Watching Larry disappear back into the office, I grit my teeth. Was Larry being sarcastic? I guess this is my punishment for being late.
Looking sideways at William, I frown. Why does God hate me right now? Of all the mechanics’ shops in Seattle, William had to choose this one. Sighing, I put on my poker face as I walk back to the car.
“Damn, can’t believe I’d run into you again,” William says, following me. “I mean what are the odds?”
Against me, apparently.
“Small world, isn’t it?” he says.
I scowl. “Cramped is more like it.” I grab for my air wrench but end up picking up a drill instead. Growling, I toss the tool aside and pick up the correct one. Damn it, I can’t even concentrate.
William looks at me and laughs. Fucking stupid laugh.
“What’s so damn funny?” I snap, whipping my head back around to look at him.
He stops laughing and holds his hands up in surrender. “Nothin’, man. Nothin’.”
“Good,” I say, removing the final bolt holding the drive shaft. I toss a drain pan underneath the car. “Pop that bolt and get that shit drained.”
He looks at me, amused, then steps under the car and begins fiddling with the bolt. “Gotta say, man. I never thought in a million years you were a mechanic.”
My left eye twitches. What was that supposed to mean? “Yeah, you don’t look so mechanically savvy yourself either, Pret—William.”
William catches the bolt in his palm and holds the drain pan up just as amber-colored fluid pours steadily out of the car. He slowly sets the pan back on the ground while the fluid continues draining. “I worked in a shop in Chicago back in high school,” he says, apparently not noticing my slip.
“Yeah? So how’d you end up here?”
William steps out from under the car. “Well, I’m a Seattleite, but I had to move with my parents to Chicago when I was a junior in high school. I went to Chicago State for about a year, then transferred to UDub this semester.”
The fact that we go to the same school makes me cringe. “Oh, cool,” I say with little enthusiasm. “I go there, too. Sophomore.”
“Heh. So am I. Truth is, my high school sweetheart’s still here.”
I roll my tongue around in my cheek.
“She’s still as amazing as I remembered her. Hasn’t changed one bit. That look on her face when I surprised her last night at the club was priceless.”
“So were you two still talking after you left Seattle?” I ask.
“At first, but then it got harder. I mean, long distance relationships suck, you know?”
No, I don’t really know, but I’ve heard the horror stories. I check to see if the fluid has completely drained. “So it’s been a while since you’ve seen her? I would think she’s forgotten about you by now.”
He chuckles. “Fuck no, she didn’t forget about me. She kissed the shit out of me, actually. That girl’s got amazing lips.”
I narrow my eyes. I’d like to punch the shit out of him. I’ve got an amazing left hook.
“So, how do you know her?”
His question irks me. It’s none of his fucking business how I know her. “I see her around campus sometime.”
/>
William furrows his brow, and then nods thoughtfully. “Oh, I see. So who’s your girl?”
That was none of his business, either. I’ve half the mind to tell him it’s Denise, but that’d probably make her forever pissed at me if he ever relayed that to her. This asshole seems like the type that probably would.
“You gotta be kidding me,” he says again. “No girl?”
Shit. I guess I was silent for too long.
“You’re a mechanic,” he says. “You know chicks are into guys who are good with their hands, right? So what’s the problem?”
I roll my eyes. “There’s no problem. I’m just a busy man.”
He guffaws, obviously seeing right through my bullshit.
Denise was right—I’m a terrible liar.
Chapter 11
I clock out as soon as six o’clock hits. I can’t get out of there fast enough. Revving the engine on my bike, I speed out of the parking lot. This day has gotten shittier and shittier. I’m ready to strangle William. String him up by his fucking dick for bragging about Denise in my face. Of course, she’s amazing. But seriously, what does she see in that guy, anyway?
At least there’s one thing she and I have in common. She likes motorcycles, something he hadn’t talked about. But it seems obvious that she likes him, not me. The thought of her having put her beautiful lips on his fucking face makes me sick to my stomach.
I park my bike and storm through the kitchen door. The house is quiet again, and just as I’m wondering where Chris might be, my phone vibrates. I slip it out of my pocket and check the screen.
A text from Chris. He seems to send them at the most inconvenient times.
Yo, spending the nite @ Adri’s.
Scowling, I hurl the phone against the wall. The impact sends the back cover flying off and the square battery popping out. There’s a small black scuff on the drywall. I don’t care if I practically destroyed my phone. I’ve had it for over three years, so it’s probably about time I upgraded, anyway.
“Fuck my life!” I yell, stomping up the stairs. I should be happy for Chris. It’s what I wanted, right? This is the second day in a row that he’s stayed with the same girl. A new record. I’ve not seen a girl make Chris this happy in a long time.
So why the hell can’t I be happy?
I slam my bedroom door and lean against it. Closing my eyes, I sigh. I’m angry, jealous, and sad all at the same time—mainly sad. And yeah, very jealous. Uncle Adam’s words ring through my ears. That tunnel is dark—so dark, I’m getting lost. I don’t know if I’m going forward or backward.
I have to move on. She doesn’t want a guy like me. Take it like a man and move on.
I flop on the bed and lay back, staring up at the still paddles of the ceiling fan. Maybe I should just give up the chivalry shit. It’s only brought pain. Be a bad boy like all these bitches like and take what I fucking want—her.
No!
My left eye twitches.
God, no. Did I just think that? I hate thinking like that. He would love that. Love that I’d become just like him by thinking that shit. No. I’m not going to give that son of a bitch the pleasure.
You’ll never win. You hear me? Burn in Hell you piece of shit. Tears sting my eyes. I just want to be a normal guy, meet a great girl, and spend the rest of my life with her.
I just want to be happy, but fuck those thoughts.
Fuck my life.
I hop out of bed, return downstairs, and retrieve the discarded phone. I pop the battery back in, and once I snap the cover shut, the phone turns on, no problem. The thing’s been dropped, smashed, and even run over by a car, and the only damage was a tiny little crack on the upper corner of the screen. And the thing still works. I call Kevin. It’s still a few hours yet before he’d go to a club if he’s working tonight.
“’Lo?”
I sigh, relieved to hear his voice. “Hey, bro. You working tonight?”
“Yeah, gonna head out to Blue Xscape around nine. Something up?”
I slowly walk up the stairs. “I need to talk, to vent.”
He stays silent, though I can faintly hear his breathing, so I continue. “I’ve been thinking bad shit again. Thinking about hurting people. Thinking about Pops—”
“Don’t you start with that shit, Dom,” he says. “You’re better than that.”
“I’m such a screwup.”
“It’s about a girl, isn’t it?”
I don’t reply.
“That girl you told me about … Danielle, right?”
“Denise,” I say as I rest my hand on the doorknob to my room. “And yeah.”
“So what’s the problem?”
I sigh. “I met her piece-of-shit boyfriend. William.”
“Seriously, Dom? You’re gonna just let him take her from you?”
“She can like whoever she wants, Kev. I just wish it wasn’t that guy.”
“She likes him, huh?”
“Yeah.” I think back to that night I took her home. She looked unsure of herself, about to say something, but she didn’t. Could it have been about him? “I don’t know what to do, man,” I say, heading into my room. I plop down on the bed with a solid bounce. “Worst of all, I have to work with William, and today, all he talked about was her.”
“If she don’t want you, then you need to find yourself a new girl. Come to the club tonight, li’l bro.”
My throat tightens. I was afraid he’d say that.
“Dom?”
“Yeah, I’m here. I—”
“Hey. You wanna forget about her? Then get your ass to Club Xscape tonight.”
“But, Kev—”
“No ‘buts’ unless they’re attached to cute girls.”
With a long sigh, I nod. “Fine. I’ll be there around ten.”
“Don’t bullshit me, either, or I swear, I’ll never let you live this down.”
“All right, damn it. I told you I’d come!” I snap through clenched teeth. Kevin can be persistent sometimes, but I can’t help but love him for it.
We both hang up, and I toss the phone next to me on the bed. I’m too exhausted to think clearly any more, so I shut my eyes and take a nap. Even in my dreams, all I keep seeing is Denise’s smiling face, and I can’t get the smell of pears out of my mind.
* * *
Club Xscape is nearly as crowded as Club 88 was last night. On stage, Kevin is set up, doing his thing. It’s always great to watch my brother do what he loves.
I head to the bar and get my usual. Leaning with my back against the high countertop, I scan the crowd of mostly college students and recognize a few from my engineering classes. I’m supposed to be forgetting about Denise, but I can’t help but hope that she’s here.
Familiar girlish giggling breaks me out of my thoughts. Taking a long swig of my drink, I look over to a group of four girls nearby. I recognize them—Denise’s friends. I gasp. Could she be here? I look around the crowd but don’t see her.
A thin petite girl breaks from her group of friends and approaches me. Her short, purple hair falls in small wisps across her ghostly white face. She wears an oversized, off-the-shoulder top revealing tattoos on her arms and chest, hip-hugger jeans, and brown boots with fur. She’s got a metal ring in her bottom lip, as well as scores of other piercings in both ears. After looking me up and down, she smirks. “Hey, you’re the guy from the other night. The cute one on that awesome red bike.”
I finish my drink. “Cute one, huh?” I say, smirking back.
Purple Hair giggles and takes my hand. “It was unanimous. My friends wanna meet you.”
My heart pounds as she tugs on my arm. I reluctantly follow her to the rest of the group of girls, who all have their eyes on me.
Purple Hair releases my hand, and I shove both of them in the front pockets of my hoodie. “Hello, ladies.”
One of the girls, a curvy Latina with long curly hair, chews on her fingernails, fighting back a smile as she stares.
Another girl, dressed in
a purple halter top and jeans, gazes at me, her mouth slightly open. She’s a bit on the chubby side but wears the weight very well. She looks toward the stage, then back to me. “You look a little like DJ Kevitron.”
“Oh whatever, Trinity,” Latina says. “You think every hot guy looks like DJ Kevitron.”
I never thought we looked anything alike. “Well, actually, he’s my brother.” Oh shit. I wasn’t supposed to tell them that, was I?
All of the girls’ eyes go wide. “Oh my God! It’s Kevitron’s brother!” they squeal.
I wince. Is this the kind of thing Kevin gets every night? “So, any of you guys seen Denise tonight?”
All excitement slowly leaves their eyes. Then, one of them, a tall, full-figured girl wearing a black dress says, “She’ll be here soon. She and I were supposed to come together, but William called and ended up taking her instead.” She scrunches up her face a little. “How do you know Denise, anyway?”
I sigh. I can’t seem to get away from that bastard. I should leave while I can. “Oh, I, uh, fixed her car.”
Purple Hair elbows Trinity, giving me a discreet wink. “Hear that, Trinity? He’s not only Kevitron’s brother, but he’s also a mechanic.”
Trinity licks her sparkly, glossy lips, and looks anxiously at me.
William did say something about chicks liking guys who are good with their hands.
“I am so jealous of Denise right now,” Latina says. “She’s getting all the hot mechanic guys after her.”
“And one of them happens to be Kevitron’s brother!” Trinity exclaims.
I think I’m grinning like a fool. Their flattery is beyond overwhelming. Denise has some cute girlfriends. But none of them are quite like her. “I’m Dominick, by the way. Sorry for not introducing myself before.”
Black Dress plays with one of her braids. “I’m Cherie.”
“And I’m Alexis,” Purple Hair says, eyeing me like a piece of meat.
“I’m Bianca,” Latina says and gives me one of those kissy-faces.
Trinity still can’t stop staring and smiling. Her smile reminds me of Denise’s.