Love Isn't Just Romance

The Story Behind Davis's Hardware

   Recap:  "Having a weird day?" Jonas asked, his eyes still strained on the remaining students waiting to be picked for their teams.

     "You have no idea." There was a pause. It felt like forever, but it probably was only for a couple minutes.

     "I heard you laugh." He looked over at me. "You sure do have a nice laugh. Loud and overexaggerated." I raised my eyebrows. He just chuckled and shook his head, still smiling.

       "Never heard that one before."

     "Oh. I know. After all, you're having a weird day anyways." I shook my head and felt a smile creep upon my lips.

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 The rest of the day went by with a blur as it usually did. I would go to class, write down my notes, go to my locker, go to lunch, finish homework in study hall, try to study and finish projects if any at the library until about four, go to waterpolo until about five, go to dance until six to six-thirty, then either go home or to Davis's Hardware. My days were productive, I guess, but really held no meaning. It was the same thing every single day. Only difference was that I was dressed in different clothes every day if you wanted to state the absolute obvious. 

      "Stormy, where in the world are you? Your brother and I want to spend the day with you. It's your birthday." My mom pleaded when I answered my phone as I came out of the school library. 

     "Ugh. Mom. I told you; I'm going to spend my time at Davis's Hardware. After all, he needs help with a couple things, and I already offered to help. Besides, it's my birthday, I can cry if I want to." I said, monotonously before cutting off the conversation, so I can listen to some music peacefully. This time, it was a slower song, Ordinary Love by U2. 

     "I can't fight you anymore/ It's you I'm fighting for/ The sea throws rocks together/ But time leaves us polished stone/ We can't fall any further/ If we can't feel ordinary love/ And we cannot reach any higher/ If we can't deal with ordinary love/ Birds fly high in the summer sky/ And rest on the breeze/ The same wind will take care of you and I/ We'll build our house in the trees" I sang before I saw bright head lights from behind me. They began to slow down to a speed where they were right behind me at all times without every gaining speed. I turned around to see that the windows were tinted and the lights were too bright so that I couldn't look at the front of the car directly without getting blinded. 

     This current event has happened several times before, especially on my birthday. Every year, I would walk from school to Davis's Hardware on my birthday and a couple other days besides that. But on my birthday, this particular car, a GTM Supercar Kit with a yellow body and a black wing and top, would follow me to the Hardware Store and back to my house. From there, it would stay until I turn my bedroom light off at night. Then, I would watch it leave from my window until the darkness overwhelmed me. This was the car. For some odd reason, I felt safe everytime I saw this car. Was it because it was so familiar but a faded memory from so long ago I have forgotten? I didn't know, but I didn't say anything. I was scared it would drive off. Don't ask why. It was just a hunch I had.

DAVIS'S HARDWARE the sign read. I opened the door and was welcomed by the bell that hung at the top of the door. 

     "Hey, Stormy! Happy sixteenth!" A familliar deep voice came from the back of the room. It was Liam. He was the owner's son, nineteen and attending the communitiy college for Automotive Repair, but he says he might change it so he can become an aerospace engineer. It was a big leap, but Liam was smart enough for it. 

     "Hi, Liam! Thanks." Liam appeared from the back of the hardware store in a tight white shirt that showed off his muscles as well as regular blue jeans. However, he broke the rules by wearing his awesome black Nikes. They didn't match, but he didn't care. He loved those shoes.