Adventure in a Cup

The jump

"So, there's a mechanic 5 blocks down that way." I read off my phone, trying not to sound too concerned.

"OK, I guess we should walk over then." He slowly turned around waiting for me to come up beside him. There wasn't much around; it sort of seemed like a pit stop kind of town. Every store around seemed to consist of the town name, like "Pleasant Side Bakery," and "Pleasant Side Diner." The name being ironic, considering I think most would see Pleasant Side it less than a pleasant location. It overall seemed dusty and small.

"Well I guess this would be it." I pointed as we walked up to the front door of "Pleasant Side Auto Repair"

"Yeah I'd assume." He pulled open the door to reveal a small hard ware store with a couple of tools pined to a wall with prices. There was one older man sitting up at a desk, reading a newspaper.

"Hey how can I help you?" The man jolted up, revealing 'Steve' written on his old blue coveralls.

"Hi, um, we just parked at the 711 down the street, and my car won't start, I was wondering if you could take a look?" Jay asked the man, looking out of his element.

"Yeah sure," Steve scuffled out of his stool opening a side door to what I would assume was a garage. "Tate," He yelled turning back to us. "I'll get my son to go down and check it out." After a few seconds, a guy around our age came through the door, wiping his hands on an old rag. "Tate, these people have their car down at the seven eleven. Can you head down with them to check it out?"

"Yeah sure," He said rifling through his pockets until pulling out some car keys. "I'll give you guys a ride down."

Me and Jay uncomfortably squished into the back of Tate's old pick up, that looked as though it had been made a century after Jays. "So what's the problem with your car?" He asked pulling out of the parking lot.

"It won't start, I put the keys in but it just won't start," Jay responded.

"Alright, shouldn't be too complicated, probably just an issue with the starter." The car ride continued in silence before Tate asking, "So what are your names? I'm Tate if you hadn't figured that out." He turned and smiled at us in the back.

"I'm Mable." I chimed in.

"And I'm Jay."

"Nice to meet you guys. What are you doing around here? I don't recognize you guys."

"Um," Jay started.

"It's, kind of a long story," I finished, realizing it sounded very vague.

"Alright then, which ones yours?" Tate pulled into the seven eleven parking lot and parked in the first spot he found. We piled out and walked towards Jay's car.

"It's the pickup right there." Jay pointed pulling out his car keys and giving them to Tate.

"Ok ill see what's going on."

Jay pulled me aside and gave me a faint whisper, "What if he goes to Sea Forth?" Jay looked back at Tate who was testing the key, with no success.

"But sea forth is still half an hour away," I whispered back.

"But it's possible." He raised his eye brows at me. Now Tate was opening the hood of the car to look around.

"You just have a dead battery," Tate tried to hold back laughter. Jays face went a little bit red realizing he should have known this.

"Oh." Jay said.

"It alright it happens. I'll give you a jump and you'll be on your way."

"That's embarrassing." I said to Jay.

"Yeah it is." He half laughed. He quickly stopped however and turned back to me "Now's your chance, you should ask what school he goes to."

I took a deep breath rolling my eyes, but realizing I might as well. "What school do you go to?" I quickly asked Tate, His head popping up from the hood of his car.

"I go to Sea Forth." Jay quickly turned to me, as I felt my heart skip a beat. Tate looked at us, clearly noticing that his answer held significance. "Um, why you asking," Tate asked while attaching cords from car to car, getting ready to jump it.

"Mable just, was looking for someone who goes there." Jay turned to me, as if leaving me the floor to explain.

"You wouldn't perhaps know who this is, would you?" I unlocked my phone and quickly found the photo, passing it to Tate whom was now wiping of his hands on a rag.

"Actually, yeah, I think I do." Tate continued to examine the picture, squinting his eyes. "That's Jessie I think. Why are you looking for him?" I took my phone back and fidgeted while trying to think of an answer.

"It's a long story." Jay filled in, looking down at me. "You wouldn't know where we could find him, would you?" I looked back at him disapprovingly. I know the whole reason we went on this little drive was to find him, but it seemed to be going too far. I wasn't about to track him down to his house.

"You know what," Tate popped his head out of his car. "There's a party tonight at my buddy josh's house, you guys should totally come!" I tried to hide my unsure look when Jay quickly responded,

"We'll be there."