CROSSROADS

CHAPTER 15 - Strawberry and Vanilla

NATE

22 February, 2022

18:15 We Fix All Junks Auto Repair Shop

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Me and my boys were pretty swamped after the Gala. I have received five contracts that night with awesome deals and I accepted all of them. The boys were pumped and excited that's why the shop is bustling. The smell of iron, wood, grease and sweat is overpowering inside the shop.

We've already closed the shop at six but I'm still busy inside my office doing interior sketching and modelling for what my clients requested and needed customized with their vehicles. I love being busy with stuff like this because I love cars, trucks, vans and even bikes but I also hate it because I could have been with Iris out of town. Not seeing her for a week drives me a little crazy.

I remember Gavin and I had a man-to-man talk the other night. He invited me for drinks at a dive bar where we usually go and hangout, telling me that I needed to loosen up a bit. Believe it or not but it was a nice break, a nice breather away from work and overthinking.

I've always treated him like an older brother. Gavin is two years older than me and have been working for me even before we have established the Vipers. Our history goes way back when we were kids and are training under Uncle Pete. We had our first "mini gang" that branded us as bullies. It's kinda amusing that we still ended up making our own gang now that we are adults.

He asked me if there was something bugging me because I was easily irritable and was being a dick lately. I have opened up to him that I wasn't feeling like I normally do if I don't see Iris around for a long time. I wanted to ditch work and just follow her where she was. I am aware that it's getting borderline unhealthy but I can't help myself.

Gavin knows, well everyone in the Vipers know, how deeply I feel for Iris. "D'you remember brother when you used to bully Iris when she first arrived with Uncle Pete and Aunt Hillary?" He laughs as he takes a trip down memory lane. "You've always been a dick since we were kids Nate," as he shakes his head.

"Shut up bro," I shake my head too while laughing. "I was jealous because she get to call them her parents. That's why I wanted to make her life miserable so she leaves and we can have Uncle and Auntie for ourselves again." I took a sip of my beer as I recollect our childhood memories.

"I still can't believe that a little girl can tame the king of the bullies. I guess that was your karma brother." He tips his bottle of beer at my direction before taking a sip, "who would have thought that you'll be following her wherever she goes like a lost puppy."

"I still couldn't believe what she did to my old man when she saw me getting beaten up by him while he was drunk."

Gavin laughs at the memory, "that was fucking gold! I can still feel my shock when I saw her charge at him and head butt your old man's groin," he shakes his head while laughing. "I have to salute her for that. She was really brave, still is."

I chuckled. "Yeah. She still is," I sighed. I was staring at my empty beer bottle, deep in thought. "Hey Gav."

"Yes bro?" He downed his beer and signalled the waiter for another round.

"D'you think I'm going too far?"

"What did you do Nate?"

I took a deep breath as I rub my face irritably with my hands and exhaled loudly. "All I can think about is her Gav. That's why I'm keeping myself busy. I'm worried that she's doing something behind my back that's why she can't commit to me. I know that she wants to get even to whoever dickhead did this to Uncle, Auntie and the dojo but I have a feeling that she's still hiding something from me."