Rose Bridges

Seventeen

Carmen

"Zara I have a lot to study," I groan and cover my face with my hands.

She scoffs. "Girl please, you were quite compliant when I asked you twenty minutes ago if you wanted to go get coffee."

My lips curl into a smile behind my hands and I glance to my half drinken iced chai latte.

Grabbing it from the cup holder I take a sip and obnoxiously smack my lips. "Yum."

She shakes her and grins. "I just need to drop my car off to the shop so he can fill up my oil. I just didn't wanna go alone and plus I wanted to get coffee."

Zara's parents are quite successful, one having a partner ownership for a car shop, and the other being a surgeon.

Her dad owns the car shop with this white man from New York.

He always changes my tires for me, love the man.

I take a sip of my coffee and look out the window as we drive down the highway. Upbeat music that she listens to during track plays loudly.

We pass a bunch of stores, mini shopping centers, and fast food joints until finally she sharply pulls into the place.

I practically fall into the side door and grip onto my latte for dear life. "Oh my god-"

She pulls into a parking spot and then turns to me. "Okay let's go." She grins and then hops out the car.

"Your driving brings me fear." I purse my lips and get out the car, sipping my quite yummy iced chai.

Delectable.

It looks like a typical car shop with it's ginormous garage and cars everywhere; new and old. Plus the mandatory cluttered front office with tools and paperwork.

The bell of the door dings as she pushes through the glass door.

A chunky guy with a stain on his green shirt sits in one of the waiting chairs. But other than that, it's empty.

Zara walks up to the front desk while I look at the poster of car parts.

I quiz myself as I read, seeing which ones I know before reading the words.

I don't know much about cars, so I'm failing the quiz so far.

"Hey! Is Mr. Amin here?" I hear Zara asking the guy behind the front desk.

"Uh yeah he's in the back I'll go get him for you-" My head snaps up and my eyes widen at the sound of the voice.

Without moving my head. I look to the side and see Romero glancing down to the desk before standing up from the chair and walking to the back.

Once he's gone I unfreeze and squeeze my eyes shut. "Shit," I mutter.

Romero is going to see me here. And I look like I just rolled out of bed.

One of my eyes peak open and I glance down to my grey sweatpants and fluffy slippers along with a tight light pink sweater.

I lift my hands to my head and try to fix my hair a little. No no no.

Why do you care so much if sees you not dressed up? He doesn't care nor would he notice.

I ignore answering my own question and instead anxiously finger comb my hair after tugging it out of a bun.

Zara leans against the counter, watching me amusedly.

I turn to her. "What?"

She smiles downwards and shrugs. "Oh nothing." Then she looks away.