Chapter one

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The road was bare, sky was covered in layers of white clouds with a blue sky background. Nothing made a noise, everything seemed still after spending 16 hours in a car. I looked in the rear view mirror at my reflection, my makeup was there, just smudged and flakey. My hair which was originally in a bun had come loose and ends were sticking out everywhere, I looked like a hot mess.

I reached for the radio in the dash and turned up the volume to an old country classic, I looked over in the passenger seat to look at a newly bought map that I had just gotten from he nearest gas station, from what I had gathered from the map and the road signs was that I should head into Charming any minute.

I huffed and pushed my shades up to the top of my nose and continued down the bare highway. What will he say? Does he even remember me? What do I do if he says no? Thoughts ran though my head of what my brother might say, you never know what 5 years can do to people.

I was fifteen the last time I saw Juan, I remember him crying and telling me that he'd be back in the summer to come visit, he never did. Never called, no letters, texts, nothing. He was gone, I was for sure that he was dead but until recently he's been hiding out.

A big sign on the corner of the road snapped me out of my head welcome to Charming it read in nice and kind letters. When I entered the town I stopped at the nearest gas station. I reached into the backseat to grab my hairbrush and makeup bag to at least make myself look presentable. I rushed inside and made a bee line for the bathroom and locked the door behind me.

I touched up my face and applied a layer of mascara, I undid my bun and brushed my hair so that it fell down my back. When I was pleased with myself I made my way to the counter at the front. A teenage boy was working there who seemed rather flustered with me being in his presence.

"Um excuse me" I spoke to him "u-uh yes?" The boy replied "this might sound a bit odd but" I paused and reached my hand into my back pocket and pulled out a tiny folded picture "do you know where I can find this man, his name is Juan Carlos Ortiz" I spoke to the boy

He took the picture and examined it "you mean Juice?" He asked weird nickname I thought "uh yeah" I said sheepishly "he works at Teller Morrow mechanics, I can give you the directions if you want?" He asked "oh yes that'd be great thank you". The boy gave me the address to the body shop and I soon left and went back to my car.

I scanned up and down a street until I found it, it was a big entrance for just a body shop, I drove in and parked beside some Harley's. I checked myself in the mirror one last time before stepping out of the car. My wedges nearly made me fall as I got out but I soon caught my balance, I walked towards an open garage door where two men were currently working on a car.

"excuse me?" I yelled a little bit so they could hear me, both men turned to me and walked over "what can we help you with miss?" One tall gruff man asked "I was told that Juan Carlos works here is that correct?" I questioned "yeah princess, but why would you look for him when you got ole Tiggy here" he gave me a smirk as the tall man rolled his eyes "I'll take you to him" the tall man spoke to me.

I followed him inside the body shop past some guys working on cars "HEY JUICE! YOU GOT A LADY HERE TO SEE YA!" the man yelled which made a loud echo throughout the building "if it's Jackie tell her to piss off" I heard a voice speak.

I saw the back of a man stand up from underneath a blue Chevy "I told that bitch to" the man stopped talking when he turned around and saw me. He didn't say anything just starred, I took in his appearance. He looked the same since 5 years ago, a few more tattoos but still the same him. "Hi" I said barley above a whisper, he looked like he was about to say something but it never left his lips, he just ran towards me and wrapped his arms around my small frame.

I heard him sniffle a little bit and felt his head tilt into the crook of my neck "I missed you so much" he whispered in my ear, I didn't respond, I just held on tighter and closed my eyes. When we let go of each other he just looked me up and down "wow, you seem like you changed so much" he stated "well that's what 5 years will do to ya" I said and chuckled a bit "I don't know what to say" Juan spoke "well I do, and I think we should sit down" I said as my hands were resting on his shoulders.

"Yeah of course, here we can go inside the office" Juan said. We walked through the grease filled auto body shop, it smelled of a mix of sweat and something else that I couldn't make out. We reached a room on the other side of the shop, there wasn't much there just a desk with some scattered papers and some filing cabinets around the room.

Juan hopped up on the desk and sat down as I leaned against the wall opposite of him and crossed my arms when I looked at him he had a dumb smile on his face "what?" I asked "It never even crossed my mind that you would come find me" he said and pursed his lips. "Well it crossed my mind a couple times that you would find me, but that never happened" when I said that he looked down at his grease covered boots "where were you when mom died, where were you when I was put into foster care?" I spoke anger hissing, his smile turned to a frown and his eyes were full of sorrow.

"I was gonna come get you, I swear I was, but I couldn't drag my baby sister into the club business" he said he seemed sincere about it but one thing wasn't adding up "why didn't you come to mom funeral" I asked "there were too many guys down there that'll have my head if they see me down there" when I heard that I huffed and almost let out a tear "I visited her you know" Juan said when he stood up off of the table "every Sunday for three weeks, at nights at the grave yard" he stepped close to me "Talia" he said to get my attention. It was the first time in a while that he said my name, I should be used to it I mean it's my name after all, but it sounded so different when he said it.

" I loved her just as much as you" he rested a hand on my shoulder as he spoke to me, I nodded in response "I know". Juan leaned back against the table again "I know you didn't come here to bitch me out about not seeing you and mom, so why are you here?" He asked "I need a really big favour" I paused for bit but continued "I need to stay with you for at least six months" I said. His eyes went huge and his mouth dropped a bit. "I'm sorry, what?" He was in a state of shock and confusion was what his face was telling me.

"Look it's a long story but, I got kicked out of college they sent out a document to every university in the country saying what I did, the only way I can go back to school is if I stay with a guardian for six months while attending a local college that's two hours outside of charming" I explained.

Juan put his fingers together and rested his hands on the back of his head "Juan please" I begged "it's Juice" he replied. "I'll see what I can do, I guess you'd have to stay in the club house with me, but I need to ask Clay"

Who's Clay?

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