Losing His Fix

23

Roland's POV

I sighed as I ran my greasy fingers through my hair. Working in the small workshop had been tiresome today. Nothing seemed to be going right with this car. Mary had found it for rather cheap and I was nervous about that. Cheap cars usually meant a lot of work and money put into them to get them to work right. The more money I had to put into it meant the less I got back when it was time to sell. I normally wouldn't care as long as I broke even but Andrew had put a thought into my head.

"You graduate in a few months," he said gently and I scoffed.

"Yeah, in 9 of them." It felt like that was still a lifetime away.

"It's never too early to think about big changes like that," he shrugged. "I know you plan on moving into your parent's house after you leave camp but what are your plans as far as work?"

"I'm going to reopen Grace auto care," I said, not being able to hide the smile that crossed my face.

"You don't want to go to school first?"

"Why would I want to go to school for something I already know how to do?"

"People might be more trusting of you if they see you have passed some sort of bar exam. I know nothing about cars," he admits and that's an understatement, to say the least. "But it might help more people trust you if they saw the work you put in."

"If people don't trust me that's on them," I pouted and Andrew frowned.

"It will be on you if you can't make a living because of that. Kit will likely be in college at that point, he said he was only taking a gap year. He can't go to school full time and make enough to support both of you unless you let his other friends move in as well." I didn't like that idea. Kit and I haven't been able to live with each other in so long, I don't want that ruined just because we couldn't afford to be on our own. "Not to mention, it might be illegal for you to just open without any further education."

"What all would I need?" After a quick Google search, it turned out I didn't need much to actually start working on cars but owning the business was a whole different ballpark.

All I needed to work on them professionally was an easy certification that I could do online but the fee to take the test was a hundred bucks. After that, before we could even open we had to talk about the electric and water reconnection fees, business insurance, state licenses, local licenses, certifications to work on foreign cars, and general compliance.

I had thought it was going to be as easy as just walking in, cleaning up, and buying an open sign but this was a lot.

Andrew said we would get as much done as possible before I left and would continue to help after. The scholarships everyone got after leaving camp would cover most of what I needed to get done but I didn't want to take their money. They had spent so much money on me and I didn't want to take funding from someone who needed it more, not when I was able to make a good amount of money while still in camp.

Andrew didn't like that answer but gave up trying when I agreed to let them pay for anything I couldn't quite save up for before I left.

We got to work quickly looking into insurance and licenses and I passed the online exam within a few minutes but there was still a lot to do.

And now I'm stuck with a money pit of a car while actively trying to save up for things I need. It was stressful but Andrew bought me a notebook to allow me to track my progress with fees and license. Mary had told me that I should stop donating to camp. That I should focus on my future, not what will soon be my past but I didn't want to hear it.

Camp was important. A lot of people need it and I saw firsthand what my donations did for the people who lived here. I didn't want to stop my donations even if it meant me taking a bit longer to reach my goals.

That sadly meant working harder. I had managed to pump out 4 cars so far this month even with Mary and Andrew's strict rules about working and this would be my fifth if I could only get it done. I liked the work and didn't think I could ever get tired of it but even I had a limit of how many times something could go wrong in a day before I started getting pissed.

I had gone to the shop early that morning, leaving just long enough to get breakfast, lunch, and stopping in enough time for dinner. I was bone tired and wanted nothing more than to pass out for the night but stopped short when the lights were on inside the cabin.

I was sure I had turned them off this morning but maybe I only thought I had. When I stepped onto the front porch and saw movement inside my heart stopped beating for a second.

Surely someone wasn't breaking in. Theft was very frowned upon here, we had so little that wasn't freely given to us that the few things we did have we sacred, and Mary took stealing as grounds for expulsion.

Anger pooled in my chest as I reached for the door. The only things I cared about in there were the few things Kit left behind and if someone thought they were taking them from me, I was about to get my second violence strike.

I paused when I opened the door.

Andrew was sitting on one of the spare beds while a boy I hadn't seen before flew around the room, putting random things away in the empty drawers. One of the unused beds, thankfully not Kit's, had new bedsheets on it.

I looked at Andrew and he looked a bit guilty.

"Roland, this is Derek," he said gesturing to the boy with short, almost buzzed black hair. From what I could see his eyes were brown and his skin was just as pale as mine. He had a small glare aimed at me but I hoped it was just because he didn't expect me to be here.

"Why is he here," I asked, not taking my eyes off of the new boy.

"All the other cabins are full," he said sadly. "We usually try and warn people before we just bring people in but there wasn't time. We didn't even know Patrick was bringing him until he pulled up at the office. Mary is getting the paperwork filled out and I came to help him set up. I was hoping to find you at the workshop but I'm glad you decided to turn in a bit earlier tonight."

I openly glared at him and he shrank away at the sight of it. I watched as he stood up and huddled closer to my side before sighing.

"I know it's the farthest thing from ideal," he whispered. "But this could be a good thing. You tried making a friend and it didn't exactly work out but a roommate is like a built-in friend." I turned my gaze back to Derek. He was already staring at me and judging by the look in his eyes, he didn't want to be here anymore than I wanted him here.

"I don't want him touching my things," I said harshly, already feeling nauseous at the thought of his germs being on my things.

"He won't," Andrew promised. "Any boundary you have, all you'll need to do is tell him and he'll listen. And if for some reason he doesn't come tell me and I'll take care of it."

"I don't like this."

"I know," he said, his eyes sad. "But we can't turn him away. He needs help. It was either this or jail, the same deal you had. He seems like a good kid. Give him a chance." I huffed but said nothing as I went to my dresser and pulled out clothes to sleep in before heading for the shower.

"Warm welcome," Derek scoffed as I closed the door.

"He hasn't had a roommate since his boyfriend left this summer. It will take time but he'll adjust."

"I don't care if he adjusts," Derek scoffed as I shed off my dirty shirt. "I'm just trying to get through my 9 months and leave. I'm not here to make friends." I rolled my eyes as I turned back to the shower.

Andrew's response was muffled by the sound of the shower turning on but if I know Andrew it was something along the lines of 'everyone needs friends' and 'just give him a chance'.

I sighed underneath the stream of water, watching the dirt, grease, and sweat drip off of me.

I didn't know the man out there but I could already tell this was going to suck absolute ass.