"May I kiss your forehead, Crimson?" She doesn't recoil or say a word, so I press my lips gently against her forehead. It's a tender and fleeting moment, but it fills me with a warmth that I can't explain.
"Just because a relationship has an expirat...
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CRIMSON DONOVAN
"Why did you insist on picking me up today? Are we going somewhere?" I question Ayla who was driving the both of us to an unknown destination after school today. This week was almost at its end. I was baffled at how fast the time flew.
"Yep, we are going to visit The Garage."
"The Garage? You mean the place where Drexel and Archer work at?"
"Yeah. Since Rowan doesn't know about the boys' street racing, I cannot bring her with me because they are getting Drex's car ready for the race tomorrow," Ayla lets out a dejected sigh. "I absolutely hate having to hide things from Rowan. All because we can't have her knowing about street racing. She is my best friend and we tell each other everything. It kills me to hide these things from her."
I've never had a best friend, I think to myself; someone who knows all about you, someone who you share secrets with, someone who is with you through happy and sad times, someone who embarrasses you in front of your crush, someone who is ready to defend you from all the bad...
...I had always been connected to my family, but after moving back to America, those connections started to fade. I wondered what it would be like to have a best friend, and if I would make one here.
It must be nice to have a best friend like that, I ponder as I look at Ayla who was silently sulking at her driving seat. We finally reach the famous mechanic shop in the town. "Oil 'em up?" I inquire as the neon name board flutters red. "Yep, here we are," Ayla announces, getting out of the car.
The Garage, or 'Oil 'em up!', was a contemporary and sleek mechanic shop with a spacious ground floor featuring numerous vehicles, maintenance and repair stations. On the upper floor, there was a main office, waiting areas, and a dedicated worker's area. It was evident that the shop was bustling with activity, as Ayla mentioned that everyone from around the town, even the wealthier people bring their vehicles here for service and upkeep.
"Uncle Emmett; Drexel's Uncle that is, and his best friend; Uncle Danny, established this garage ten years ago and since then, it's been going strongly. However, with Uncle Emmett's declining health, Uncle Danny has it hard to maintain all this alone. So, Drexel started working here with Archer too," relates Ayla as she takes me inside the shop as the scent of motor oil, chassis grease, and fuel permeates the air.
She looks around and her face brightens when she sees Archer who is spraying a beautiful metallic blue into a car.
"Hey Arch!" she waves to get his attention.
He removes his mask and waves back, "Ah, so you brought her?"
"Hmm?" I slant my head confusedly. Ayla lightly pats my shoulder, "I brought you here for a reason." Before she could elaborate further, Archer leads me through the busy workshop and opens a door at the back, revealing a yard-like area filled with tires stacked against trees, broken engines, and rusty metal parts. It appeared to be a storage space for unwanted items from the garage.
