The Mechanic Next Door

Intro

           With Christmas only less than a week away, it definitely didn't feel like a holiday. At least that's what Zach Mitchell thought. It was nearly 50 degrees, snow on and off and his parents were constantly bickering. His little brother, Gray, was sheltered from most the arguing. But Zach knew the truth. A divorce was inevitable at this point. Things have gone on for too long. He was so tired of the petty digs, his father being a douche, his mother complaining everytime their dad fails to do things, both of them asking him to take a side. The only escape was his bestfriend that lived next door. 17 year old Jonny Levine grew up with Zach since they moved in when he was born. Jonny grew up without a mom and his father, Cal, was a mechanic, owning a speedshop with his buddies to do custom car and motorcycle builds. They also own a gas station which is how they made their income, passing his traights onto Jonny since he could learn to walk.
          Zach would hang with him all the time, whether it was being in the garage together, grabbing food or going to car meets with mutual friends, and occasionally having to flee from the cops for "wreckless behavior and noise complaints", not that Zach's parents ever knew. The teen fixed his hair in the mirror as he walked to the fridge passing his little brother who sat around the kitchen table.

"What's up dude?" He asked the blonde boy while getting a glass of Orange Juice.

"Coloring" Gray responded quickly.

           He was mesmerized in his vibrant dinosaur picture. Gray wanted to be a paleontologist when he was older. His room was covered from floor to ceiling in everything and anything prehistoric. He had been begging to take a trip to Jurassic World, as far as planning an itenerary with a cost spreadsheet to ensure they saved the most money. Their Aunt Claire was the park operations manager. Though, she hasn't seen them in roughly 7 years. That subject puts Zach in a sour mood faster than the speed of light. He despises her for abandoning their family and not making time to see them. But Gray was the more hopeful one, wanting to go to his idea of paradise, and that somehow she would rebuild a connection with him and his brother.

"Alright well I'm gonna head to Jonny's I'll catch you later."

Zach finished his glass, grabbed his military jacket and headed next door.
          

         Next door was a 17 year old blue eyed Caucasian brunette of about 5'8" dressed in a red hoodie and black jeans with toned muscles, full lips and sharp brows detailing his car and jamming out to Always on Time by Ja Rule.

"Missed a spot" Zach commented walking up the driveway.

Jonny glanced over and chuckled. "Shut up".

          Zach was laughing as he looked up and down Jonny's ride. He owned a Roségold wrapped Nissan 350Z with a carbon fiber accents, color matching wing, and slammed on a set of high performance wheels and tires. It was a force to be reckoned with. The first week it was assembled, Jonny took him to a car meet. The sound of screeching tires echoed throughout the city, guys were street-racing, loud music blaring, it was a new world that Zach began to fall in love with. However the cops were rather quick at trying to shut it down. They both ran back to the car escaping before they could get ticketed. Coming in from all directions, everyone took any opening they could see to not get caught. Jonny drove home as fast he could parking in the garage to not be suspected. They laughed about it the entire night over a box of Pizza. Unlike Zach, that's been Jonny's lifestyle since he could remember. Meeting a bunch of people, working on cars almost every week and having fun with it. Not too long ago there had been rumors speculating at school that the reason there's so many different souped-up flashy cars at the Levine house every week is due to drug dealing. Jonny quickly put a stop to it, even thought it costed him a 3 day suspension for punching the kid in the face. His brute honesty and attitude is one of the many qualities that Zach and Jonny definitely had in common. "Wanna grab some food?" Jonny asked. Zach never passes up that offer. They went to the nearest Waffle House, drowning in cheap breakfast food and laughter.