Tragically Beautiful

Chapter 11...

Semi-Edited

Song above is...Zombie by Bad Wolves (Doesn't really fit the chapter :D But I love it) 

Happy Reading! :)

Alex

"You're all set Mrs. Howard." I smiled politely handing over her car keys. "Just let us know if you have any other problems."

"Thank you dear." Mrs. Howard kindly smiled at me.

"Any time."

As soon as the door shut behind her I pushed away from the desk and headed for the back of the shop. I liked being in the back way more than the front. Putting on a fake smile for a costumer can be exhausting as hell.

I went back to the car I was working on before Mrs. Howard showed up. The smell of oil and gas relaxing me slightly. As soon as I ducked my head under the hood of the car my name was called, making my swear under my breath.

"Yeah?" I popped my head back up and towards the voice.

"Got that part in for that Honda you brought in." Dustin yelled from the other end of the garage.

"Thanks man!" I called back. The part to Riley's car was finally here. At the thought of Riley her face flashed in my head. I felt my lips wanting to curve into a smile at the thought of her innocent face.

There was something about Riley that I found myself reacting to. Not in a sexual way either. There was an innocence about her yet she could be feisty. I've seen that part of her come out only for her to revert back into herself. It was almost like she was afraid of letting her real self come out. Not that I entirely blamed her.

I've heard all the rumors going around school; it wasn't hard. High school was a prime spot for gossip. They spread just as fast as STD's do. I know myself how fast rumors fly around there. The things said about Riley were beyond cruel and on more than one occasion I've seen her pushed around. Hell just the other day she had milk poured on her.

In all honesty I didn't know if the rumors were real or not. She really could have slept with Bret, Vik, and Rich for all I know. But Riley didn't strike me as someone who would do that. The innocence that came off of her was enough to make me think it was all rumors. Especially with how she acted the other day at Monroe's Place.

The moment Rebecca said those things she was up and out of the diner before anyone really knew what to do. It took everything in me not to go after her, especially after I saw the satisfied smirk on Rebecca's face. I knew better than to believe anything Rebecca said. I wouldn't touch her with a ten foot poll either.

With the shake of my head I pushed aside the face of the girl that always tried to hit on me and never took no for an answer. It wasn't easy to get under my skin but there were a few that do and Rebecca is one of them.

Pushing all thoughts aside I focused on the car engine in front of me. The last thing I needed was to get distracted and mess this car up more than it was. So for the next thirty minutes I put my energy into the car and stopped thinking of Riley. It didn't really work since her face popped up in my head every few minutes.

"Ali!" The high pitch yell broke through the loud noises of the garage. I took a step back from the car just in time to catch the flying little girl that launched herself at me.

"Hey nugget." I grinned at my little sister. When she pulled back I brought up a dirty hand and bopped her on the nose, leaving a dark smudge.

"Ew stop." Harper wrinkled her nose. I laughed and sat her feet on the ground.