In Your Corner | ✓

One

"Nat, watch out!"

I squeak, stepping backwards as Jonny comes barrelling towards me with a tyre in his hands, nearly taking me out in the process.

"Sorry!" I yell after his retreating back, knowing that it was my fault for not paying attention to my surroundings, rather than his. I was trying to cross the floor of the garage but had been in my own head about the car I'm working on, rather than thinking about where I was going.

He's just trying to do his job, after all, which is definitely what I should be doing right now. I've been hanging around my father's garage since I was a little kid and was finally allowed to start working on cars – with supervision – once I turned sixteen.

Now I'm twenty, a junior in college, and work here part time. It's one of my favourite things to do, tinkering with people's cars, finding out what the problem is and fixing it.

It's probably to do with the fact that my all-time hero, my father, owns the shop. I take after him in so many ways, and this particular trait is no different. As a child, I loved watching him work and it brings me immense joy now to be able to actually work alongside him.

Jonny puts the tyre down next to the Ford Raptor he's been working on for the last couple of hours and turns back around to me, wiping some grease off his forehead. "What's got you in a twist, Nat? You're not usually so oblivious."

I smile sheepishly, adjusting my grease-covered overalls. "Sorry, Jonny. I'll be sure to look out for you careering around the place with big tyres next time."

His frown transforms into a smile, shaking his head. "It's cool, Nat. I'm nearly done with the Raptor now, I just need to change these tyres and that should be it all good."

Pat laughs from the other side of the garage. "That was actually pretty terrifying to watch, you two. I honestly thought you were about knock Nat out there, Jonny."

"Oops," I shrug, shooting both of my co-workers a guilty glance. "My bad."

Jonny's lips tug into a crooked smile. "You look like you've got something on your mind," he teases. "You had none of your usual soccer field co-ordination just there."

He's right. I play varsity soccer at college and when I'm on the field, I'm the picture of balance and composure, but I had my head in the clouds just now.

Pat makes his way over to the two of us, his nose crinkling in amusement. "I think it's being around the two of us, Jonny boy," he says, throwing his arm around the younger man as his eyes twinkle. "It just makes her nervous."

Jonny's three years older than me and has been working for Dad since he was seventeen. We're pretty tight, given that we've worked together for years and are similar in age. Pat, on the other hand, is in his early forties, but still keeps up with our chat all the same.

The other member of the team, Andrei, who's not working today, is eighteen and slots in very well next to us, despite being a little more reserved. The four of us, plus my Dad, make a great team.

I scrunch my nose up at the pair in front of me. "You can only dream, Pat."

The three of us laugh together, the sound reverberating off the concrete walls and through the whole garage.

"What are you three giggling about together?"

I turn around, smiling sheepishly at my dad, who's standing behind me with his arms folded over his chest and a small frown adorning his face. He's a little too small and soft to look intimidating, though.

"Hey, Dad. Jonny just nearly took me out with a tyre," I explain.

"It wasn't my fault!" Jonny bursts out immediately, his eyebrows pulling together. "I swear, she just wasn't looking where she was going!"