Once In A Lifetime

Chapter 10 - Moonshadows Malibu

Several weeks passed by, and I didn't see Ethan once. He wanted to recover on his own, while his parents took care of him. He didn't want any of us to see him in his condition, he felt embarrassed and became sad. I felt sorry for him and wanted to go visit, but I I didn't want to go against his wishes. Everything seemed so tense lately... So, I decided to go to The Ruins.

I drove into the driveway, vines had been growing around the shop. I leaned against the hood of my car, looking over the place I grew up around all these years as tears came to my eyes. This is where I learned how to work on cars, made amazing friends, and had my first kiss. Time seems to go by so fast when you're not appreciating life. I crossed my legs and put my hands in my pockets, watching the sun set behind the shop that I would hopefully own one day. I heard a car pulling up on the gravel driveway beside Victor, I turned my head and saw Declan in his camaro. My heart skipped a beat as I saw him give me a soft smile before rolling up his tinted windows. Then I remembered to keep my feelings shut off, for Declan and Ethan both.

He stepped out and shut his door, walking over to me. "Hey, Darcy. You doing okay?" he asked me with gentle emotion. All I could do was look at him and nod my head. I couldn't smile, no matter how good looking he was I just couldn't. I lit up a cigarette and took a slow drag, "I thought I told you that we can't be friends." He raised an eyebrow, lighting up a cigarette himself as he grinned, "You can't get rid of me that easily, you need someone to help you clean this place up." I tilted my head while we inhaled and exhaled the smoke, "And what makes you think I want to clean it up?" Declan stepped closer to me, putting each hand on either side of me against my hood as the cigarette was hanging out of his mouth. "Don't tell me you're not going to own this place someday, I see the way you look at it," he whispered. I smirked and took another drag, exhaling out the side of my mouth, "Let's get started." He stood back up, walking into the shop and disappearing into the back. I patted Victor's hood as I jumped off, putting my cigarette out on the ground.

I walked inside and stared at the front counter, where old candy bars and packets of gum sat on dusty small shelves. Walking into the garage bays, I looked around at all of the tools that have accumulated throughout the years of my friends and I being here working on our own cars. It made my heart feel warm and peaceful, knowing we achieved so much here. I often wondered what would have happened if we never discovered this place. It would have been torn down long ago and no one would even know the treasures of memories that sat in the overgrown backyard. I went out back to find Declan looking at the old cars again, I leaned against the doorway as I watched him. He looked over at me and gave me a soft grin, his eyes pierced with excitement as he gazed over all the cars. I went back inside and began the cleaning of a lifetime.

Hours went by, the entire shop was free of dust and unwanted bugs. The garage bays were organized with all of the tools, the front counter was spotless and the old register was fixed. Declan worked on getting the overgrown plants off the building and the cars out back. I walked outside to have a cigarette break and give Letty a call.

"You mean to tell me you're alone with Declan, at The Ruins, and cleaning the shop? Oh, I am loving this. You better have details for me later," Letty said as we began talking. I smiled at her response and looked over to the road, "I can't be in a relationship right now, Letty... not with everything going on." I heard her annoyingly sigh at me, "Look, I get you don't want that right now but Darcy, you are so different around Declan. You seem more grown up and happier. Just please allow yourself to be happy for once." I thought about what she said as I smoked, trying to think clearly and looking up at the clouds. "I know, he makes me feel alive. But right now I'm numb and don't know what to do. I need to focus on getting started with my career. I'll talk to you later," I said once I put my cigarette out and hung up.