Caleo
"Hey, Mark! You heard the news?!" My best friend Charlie, called me. I snapped my attention from the passing girls to him.
"Which news, Charlie?" I asked, bored, because, well, he pulled me out of my favorite activity: checking out girls. Guess I don't need introduction, but I will anyway: Mark Channing (girls actually believe I'm related to Channing Tatum, for some dumb reason I don't get, but I let them), bad boy resident of the east side of Manhattan. Not the Upper East Side. Those stuck up snobs are too unworthy of time, space and resources.
"'Member the dusty old shop we used to hang out in?" he started, gaining my total attention. That shop belonged to my grandfather and when he died, my mother (who cares nothing other than her boy toys and her drinks) couldn't afford it and abandoned it. When I was younger, my buddies and I used to hang in it all the time "Well, someone bought it and I heard will be remodeling starting next week!" he explained, somehow, looking excited. I raised my eyebrow at him.
"Why are you so excited about?" I questioned him.
"There was a note at the entrance. They're looking for help. And hiring!" he said. I bolted up and ran to the shop where, like Charlie said, a paper was there:
Hello, fellow members of the East side!
Just to let you know, my family and me bought this shop!
We'll be moving into the apartment above next weekend
and remodeling will start during the week.
If any of you are interesting, come here on Monday at 7am!
We'll be paying all those who come and get the job!
Sincerely yours, Valdez Family.
I don't know why, but I felt a little of hope at the sight of that note. Like someone was actually worry in make a change around here and give people a second chance. I smiled to myself. Like Hell I was gonna lose that job.
When Monday came, I woke up at 5:30 to actually have time to get ready and make a good impression on this new family. I heard a few gossips around like, they were a couple with two kids. I heard that the father was Latino, but scrawny. I heard that the mother was too good for him. And, also, I heard some pretty disgusting things, that only thinking about them makes me sick.
Anyway, I showered, got dressed and had some breakfast before sprinting down the apartment and the stairs to meet up with Charlie.
"So, you really want that job?" he asked me. I nodded "Cool. Would be nice to actually have something to do after school" he said. I nodded again. Like me, Charlie comes from a messed up family. He's very private and I respect that. We walked to the old shop and got there with 10 minutes to spare. So, we waited. At 7 sharp, a woman walked down the stairs that lead to the upper apartment: she was in her mid twenties, her skin was toasted, like she lived in the beach. Her hair was like cinnamon, braided to the side and her eyes were brown. She looked around and saw us, waiting by the door.
"Hello" she greeted us. Even her voice sounded melodic, complementing her looks "Are you here to get the job?"
"Yes, ma'am" I agreed, pulling out my hand. She shook it "Mark Channing, and this is my friend, Charlie Brown" Charlie also took his hand out, waiting for a joke... that never came.
"Calypso Valdez. Follow me, boys" she introduced herself, walking into the shop. Everything was like I remembered it, except it was dusty and covered in cobwebs "A second... Valdez! Get your butt over here!" she shouted, making us flinch.
"Coming, Sunshine!" I heard the reply, making Mrs. Valdez to rolled her eyes. A few minutes later, a man in his mid twenties as well, Latino and with a smile that made you check your pockets walked in with two kids in his arms. A girl with curly cinnamon hair and elfish look and a boy with straight black hair and toasted skin. Their kids no doubt...
"Mama, Papa burned my drawing, again!" the girl, not older than six, pouted at Mrs. Valdez, who raised an eyebrow at her husband.
"It was an accident!" Mr. Valdez defended himself.
"Third time in the week?!" she argued, with a tone that said 'we'll discuss this later, but don't think for a second this is over'.
"Papa, who theze?" the boy, four-five years, asked, pointing at us.
"These are- Wait, who are you?" he asked, frowning at us.
"We came for the helping sign" Charlie started, pulling his hand out.
"I'd shake it, but I'm covered in oil" Mr. Valdez explained, showing his hands.
"You're staining the kids' clothes with oil?!" Mrs. Valdez complained "You have any idea how long it took me to take the stains off Zoë's dress last week!?" OK, so Zoë was the little girl...
"Do we have to argue this now?!" Mr. Valdez questioned her, before she could say anything else.
"Later, Valdez" OK, so it looked like when Mrs. Valdez is angry at her husband, she uses his last name as insult... She took the kids and walked out with them.
"Um, we should come back in another time?" I asked, sensing we just came across the worst couple around.
"No, it's fine..." Mr. Valdez waved his hand like nothing happened "So! You boys are the only ones interest?"
"Apparently so..." Charlie noticed and I nodded. Mr. Valdez nodded.
"Well, since you two were brave enough and you seem to be in school age, how about..." he started to do mental maths.
"500 a week" Mrs. Valdez's voice came from behind. She was without the kids and she wasn't frowning "Each of you" I took a glance to Charlie and I knew we had an answer.
"When do we start?"
Working for the Valdez family was like working in magic shop. You never know what to expect from them. During the first two weeks, we cleaned the dust and the cobwebs. We also took all the old boxes and opened them, to see if anything was worth using. If not (which was the case, unless Mr. Valdez wanted to set up a bakery), they'd go into a garage sale. After that, we changed the floors, paint the walls, fix the celling, installed the ovens and a lot of blacksmith stuff I don't get. Now. Mr. Valdez took the time and tried to des accelerate his ADHD to explain us about his job. He was a mechanic, blacksmith, inventor... all in one. No wonder he's a little, I don't know... bonkers?
"Alright, boys!" Mr. Valdez called us after weeks of cleaning and installing and permissions and stuff. It were the hardest weeks of our lives, but also the safest and funniest "The sign is about to arrive and, once that's placed, we'll open this place up!" he announced, excited. We, however, didn't share his exciment.
"Oh, so it's our last week here, uh?" Charlie pointed out, disappointed. I wasn't better. Mrs. Valdez frowned at us.
"What's wrong, boys?" she asked, in that motherly tone that always made us feel bad and confess.
"Nothing, we're excited for you and stuff, but-"
"-we don't want to go back to our houses at the end of the day" I blurted out, cutting Charlie "Our families are messed up"
"Well, we certainly didn't have the best ones, either. Am I right, Sunshine?" Mr. Valdez told his wife, who nodded, resting her chin in his shoulder.
"Remember what we talked, Leo?" Mrs. Valdez asked her husband, making us confused. But Mr. Valdez gasped and nodded.
"Wait till the sign is up"
"So, I'd like to thank the family, friends, and blah, blah, blah!" Mr. Valdez started his 'speech' (wasn't a speech, but it was OK). A lot of his friends came to the 'grand opening', as he called it of 'Leo and Calypso's Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monters'. No idea why the title, maybe some attention for the costumers, beats me. Anyway, the Valdez threw this big party and the entire neighborhood was invited. That didn't mean everyone came, but me and Charlie. Mostly, the people were friends of Mr. and Mrs. Valdez, with their kids, who were running around and chasing each other, laughing.
"Guess we run out of luck" I said to Charlie, while sipping my drink. Charlie nodded.
"You know we can't go back" he pointed out, looking down at his plastic cup "They'll beat us for something we don't have"
"We could live on our own. We're 18, anyway"
"What about jobs?"
"How about working here?" We jumped, startled, when we heard Mr. Valdez's voice behind us "Gods, guys! I wasn't that silent!"
"Looks like we weren't paying attention" Charlie smirked, while panting.
"So, what do you say?"
"Wait, you were for real?!" I questioned, surprised. Mr. Valdez nodded.
"We need help. Calypso can't work all the time with the kids still young..." he started to explain, but we didn't care the excuses. We only said one question:
"When do we start?!"
Ta da! Caleo meeting! Also, the opening of 'Leo and Calypso's Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monters'! What do you say?! Reviews, comment, you know the drill!
P.S. I already planned the next two following shots: Tyson/Ella (you'll hate me a bit for it) and Chris/Clarisse (I'll go back to the typical 'break-the-couple'). Tell me which one would be afterwards!