Mastering the Valley: Completed

Chapter 11: The Unexpected

    We walk towards my dad's truck. Hawk looking around.
  "Are you scared the boogey man is gonna get you?" I say.
  "No, I just know some of the Cobra Kai's live on this road, so I keep my head on a swivel." says Hawk.
  "Oh okay. So, are they really as bad as everyone is making them out to be?" I ask, with curiosity taking over.
   "Yeah, they are. I know they are teenagers, but with Terry Silver in their lives, they only see red." says Hawk.
    "Speaking of my great uncle. My dad told him we were in town, and he made plans for us to go over to his house tomorrow to find out some more about mom." I say.
   "Are you sure you really want to meet this guy? He can rope you in just like *snaps* that." says Hawk.
  "I'm just going to tell him I'm not interested in joining a business as a client with him being my family. He will understand and respect my boundaries." I say.
   "Wait a second." Hawk gets in-front of me.
  "Come on, I didn't know this was a race." I say.
   "It's not." he says as he opens the car door. "Get on in." he says.
    I find myself blushing, and quickly try to stop before he sees me. He runs around to the other side of the truck and gets in.
   "I hope you don't mind me rolling down the windows for a minute, it makes it easier to see what the trailer is doing back there." Hawk says.
   "Oh, it's no problem." I say.
    He sits there and stares at me. Wait, do I have something on me? Let me look around. Nope.... Why is he looking at me?
   "Can I help you?" I say, wondering what he is looking at me for.
   "You can help me by putting on your seatbelt." he says.
   I groan. "Okay, fine." I say as I put it on.
  "Thank you." He says, "here's my phone. If anyone texts me tell me what it says and I'll have you respond for me."
    "Okay." I say, setting his phone into my lap.
   He starts to back up. Occasionally asking, "how is it looking over there?" To make me feel needed.
   I look at the front window and my dad is watching him back up, and looks satisfied with his skills.
  "I actually learned to back up a trailer when I was 9. My dad taught me before he passed." Hawk says. "I just told your dad because I knew he and my mom knew each other and my dad told me to keep it between us."
   "Ohh okay." I say. "If you don't mind me asking, how did your father die?"
  "I will answer that in just a second, let me make sure the trailer is hitched to the back of your dads truck correctly." he says as he gets out of the car.
  I look at Hawks phone and I see a text message pop up, from Miguel. It reads, "Goodluck with Kate tonight." I act like I haven't seen a thing. Hawk walks back to the front seat of the car.
"Hey, before you start driving, someone texted you." I say.
   "Who is it?" Hawk asks.
  "Miguel." I add.
    "Oh okay, let me see what he is wanting." Hawk says, holding out his hand for me to give him his phone.
    He looks at me, "Did you read it?" he says.
   "No, why, what is it?" I say, leaning over.
  "Ok, don't worry about it. Just being a dumbass." he says, looking at his phone, smiling.
   Wait, is this a setup?
  "Okay." I add.
   "And here you go." he says, finishing off his text message and handing me his phone. "Now shall we?"
   "Indeed we shall." I add.
  "So anyway, to answer your question earlier. He got hit by a diesel truck." Hawk says.
   "Oh, that's absolutely terrible. I'm sorry for your loss." I add.
   "It's okay. He died years ago." Hawk says.
   I look at Hawk. His bicep showing as he is holding the wheel. I feel in a trance whenever I hang out with him. I feel weak to his company. He makes my heart race, and my palms sweat. I can hear my brain screaming for him. Then suddenly, I hear a gunshot in the distance. I jump.
   "Hey, is everything okay?" he says, pulling the truck over. "You look scared." he says.
  "I'm sorry, it's just that. A few years ago... just forget it." I say, realizing that he doesn't know what happened.
   "Hey, is everything ok?" he says, putting the car in park, "if you don't feel good, we can take the U-Haul back and get your dads food and go straight back home. I'll just tell them you wasn't feeling good." he says.
   "No no no, there is no need in that." I say.
"Then what's wrong?" he says, unbuckling his seatbelt and turning towards me.
  "A few years ago, in Utah. My house got broken into, and I was awake watching re-runs of George Lopez on TV. The people who broke in didn't take any of the belongings, but they took me." I said.
   "Holy shit. Are you okay?" he says, reaching for my arm.
  "Yeah. I'm fine. They got caught and I was taken into custody somewhere in Tennessee." I said.
   "Did they... do anything to you?" he said.
"I feel comfortable not talking about it, this happened when I was 11." I add.
  "Ok, that's completely fine." he says, reaching to put his seatbelt back on.
   As soon as we do that, I hear a police car siren.