"Ok, so 3K for the bug, deal?"
"We already talked about this, Tony.5K. No less."
"Oh come on sweetheart, you know I ain't payin' five grand for that old wagon."
"I KNOW you're going to pay, because that old wagon is still in good condition; none of the seats are scratched, there's no rust on the paint, no dents either and the engine still runs smoothly. I know because I payed 850 for a full engine rebore. "
I was getting annoyed now. 3 weeks we've been going over this, and 3 weeks he's be playing around with the price. I worked my ass off the keep that car running, and he was not going to hustle me out of the five thousand it was worth. Tony was a car dealer known for his cheap cars, as they were rarely in good enough condition to be called cars, but he knew how to negotiate. He was the one who offered me money for the bug in the first place, and I was determined to get its full price and not what Tony thought would be enough to get rid of me.
"I don't care what you did with the car, that was your business not mine, I know its street value and –"
"Liar. Look , you're either gonna give me what I asked, or I'm going elsewhere with it and get even more money from a proper car dealer. "
He hated that. When someone insinuated that he wasn't good at his job. A vein in the middle of his forehead would spring up, and if you poked his pride enough, you would notice the pumping blood passing through it due to his aggravated state. His eyes would slowly poke out of their holes, until they would look ready to pop out.
"Ok listen here you little –"
I raised one of my eyebrows in an expectant manner. I was ready to just take the bug and sell it elsewhere, but I wanted to try my luck with Tony first. Plus I really wanted to get rid of it. Quickly.
He took a deep breath, raised his head to the sky as if saying 'why me? ', and then turned back to me.
"Four grand."
I opened my mouth to protest, but he shushed me with a raised hand.
"AND you get 10 percent off of any car here." He said, opening his hands wide towards the yard full of cars around us. He turned back to me with a sly smirk growing on his lips, though he tried to hide it. "Figured that if you're selling your car, you're going to need a new one."
Bastard.
"25." I said looking him in the eye." I know practically every car you have here ,Tony. I know them by heart, they're practically neighbors, and I've only been seeing them every day since I got here. " Few cars had been sold from the four years I've been living here. The rest had just been gathering rust in the yard, sometimes used for engine parts or the likes . And I knew every single one of them, as I had been browsing for my first car before Mission City happened.
"Stubborn-"
"Goodbye Tony. " I got into the car, purposely slamming the door loud enough to startle a few cats sunbathing on the nearest cars. Startled , they jumped a foot in the air , or fell off in the case of the ginger tomcat at the edge of the car , all with their nails drawn , leaving a couple of scratches on said cars.
Tony ran to the cars, cursing at the cats, and waving his hands to scare them off. They only hissed, and being the stubborn creatures they are, crept back on the car to resume their previous activities.
By the time he remembered the cause of his frustration, I had already sped off.
An hour later, I was back at my apartment, sitting down in the fire escape overlooking the parking lot for the block's residents. I had a beer in hand, and my eyes were zoned in on the bug.
It was practically brand new, with the engine rebore. It had an apple green spray and chrome details and matching rims. It was a vintage collector's bargain at five thousand. Once upon a time, I would have been proud to have been its owner. But now, I hated it, and I couldn't wait to get rid of it.
Simply put, only bad memories were associated with that car now, unwanted memories. So it had to go. That, and I needed money. I lost my last job, and I needed some cash to cover me until I found something else.
I had applied for any vacancies available in the area, but all I got were empty interviews. I was hoping the café downtown would hire me, if not, I had to go to my last resort. The army.
~1 week later~
I closed the last box, feeling a sense of accomplishment in having packed away the last of my belongings. I would only need my essentials for training, the rest would be kept away at one of my neighbors, who owed me a couple of favors from all of the years I spent babysitting their kids.
I gave one last look at the apartment, looking for anything I might have missed. My eyes landed on a weathered brown sofa in the living room, where a middle aged man used to sit, shouting at players on the screen as if he was on the field coaching them, throwing peanuts when any play lead to a score for the opposing team.
Past the living room, there was a cramped kitchen, its counters eerily empty when they usually where full with chopped food and scattered utensils, the matron of the house wielding a knife in front of them as she scolded her husband for the racket he was making.
Nearly 3 months since Mission City, and I still wasn't used to the emptiness that my parents had left behind. That's why I was so eager to get rid of the bug. It was their first child so to speak, it had been there through the first awkward dates and early rocky steps of their relationship, through their honeymoon, through their first house, it was even the memorable spot where I was born. It was basically there through every up and down they had together, it had sentimental value.
Now every time I looked at it lately, I wanted to bury it six feet under with my parents. But I didn't have the heart to. So, I found a new family to take care of it and create new memories with.
The neighbors, the Smiths, who had agreed to take care of the rest of my possessions, had a daughter who was heading off to college soon, so I gave her the bug as a good will gesture for half the price I had asked Bobby for.
I left the packed boxes lying around, the Smiths would put them away somewhere safe, and headed out with a red duffle bag with anything I needed jammed in it. I had passed the army tests not long after I applied, and now I was heading off to training for 3 months. I locked the door , and pushed the key under the Smiths' door. I refused to look back as I headed out , I never wanted to see this apartment, or that car ever again.
"OK, listen up! This week was the last week of your training, and I rarely say this, but you've done well. You've worked hard to get here, and I hope that you'll keep working hard where ever you're going to be next. Right here, I have your placements. Now, I'm going to remind you, that the decision was taken based on your assessment these last 3 months, your skills and qualifications also influenced the final outcome. If for some reason, you think you're better off somewhere else, you have till the end of next week to talk to me."
The 27 bodies that made up the new recruits were scattered around the course grounds, all red in the face from the heat from the afternoon sun and the 5 hour training course we had just been through. Although tired, there was a happy buzz in the atmosphere. We had just finished our 3 month training, and now we were ready to be sorted ,so to speak.
Our trainer, Major William Lennox, had a proud look on his face, something akin to the one a mentor would have after his student left the training wheels. Clutched in his hand was a thin stack of papers, where our sorting was written.
I had hope to be sorted into the mechanics division or something similar. It seemed the most interesting , but there were a couple of recruits who already had experience with mechanics or studied something similar at school , that it was obvious that they were going to be the first choice for it.
" Now , before we start , I just wanted to inform you that the ones that are going to be called out under N.E.S.T , are going to have a meeting at 6pm. Nest is a prototype division that is the military is trying out and you will be informed exactly what it's about and what is expected of you. If after you should wish to pass to a more stable branch, as stated before, you have until the end of the week."
Whispers and looks spread out, all confused and surprised as no one had been informed of this new division. Spencer, a brown haired-blue eyed recruit, that was one of the more athletic ones of the group, raised his hand, which the major nodded to.
"What happens if N.E.S.T. doesn't work out? I mean, you said it was a prototype division, does that mean it has a chance of being discarded?"
"If that happens, you will be given a chance to choose where to go next, and depending on your stats, you will be moved to the area of your choice."
"Fair enough, since they'll probably be wasting our time from the looks of it, "a woman next to me muttered. Sandra, was a honey blonde 22 year old, known as the resident loud mouth, you could hear her from a mile away with that voice of hers. She was my roommate, and being the only two women present, we become friends these last few months. Not sister like, but we would be exchanging letters every now and then.
I snorted, earning a half smile from her. We were passed talking in our friendship, now we could communicate with just a look.
The sorting started. As predicted, those with previous qualifications were immediately sorted into their respective posts such as computing, mechanics or the aerial division, the rest were sorted on where most likely to succeed. Unsurprisingly, Sandra got sorted to communications.
"Shay, Evans, Green, Ford, Schmidt and Crocker." I perked up at the mention of my name. "You're in nest. Meeting 6pm sharp – don't forget." And then he started calling out the aerial division.
Sandra and I exchange a look.
You got any idea? Raised eyebrow.
No clue. Shrug.
Damn. Huff. You'll tell me later right?
Sure. Nod.
Resident loud mouth and gossip girl, ladies and gentlemen.
Once the sorting was done, we headed off to the showers. Being the only two girls, me and Sandra had the girls' showers to ourselves.
"Kind of last minute to tell us about the new division, don't you think? What do you think it's about? "
"I have no idea," I replied." Maybe it's a nature thing? I mean nest does kind of hint to something like that yeah?"
"Mm… Maybe, "she thought. She opened her locker, and pulled out her stuff, before slamming it shut and turning back to me." Seems like a waste to me, 3 months training to go bird watching.I guess we'll know after 6, yeah?"
"I hope so."
I took off to one of the stalls before Sandra could continue on her gossip spree. She was a nice girl to have around, but the one vice that she had was her need to gossip, and when she was in one of her moods, God help the poor soul in her sights.