Shades of Me
42
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Shepard stared at her foster parents. They hadn't known each other long, but she still felt comfortable enough around them to be angry with them. They'd given her her first car, and they'd taught her to drive, but now she was in some other place that she didn't know. She had every reason to be angry with them.
Shepard threw her bag into the passenger seat of her old truck. The engine stalled for a few seconds before starting. Realizing she didn't have long before she'd have to start again, Shepard left her house and headed in the direction she'd been told.
It'd only been about ten minutes until her truck died. The times had been getting shorter and shorter. She wondered if her truck was pregnant and the contractions were getting longer and closer in between them. Shepard doubted it. The school was visible from where she'd stopped, so she could walk it, but she really didn't want to leave her truck.
Deciding it was best to take a look at the problem- though she was more likely to cause harm than to fix anything- she popped open the hood. The sizzling and smoke scared her, and she jumped back immediately.
Another car was passing her as this was happening, and it pulled over behind her back. She turned apologetically as two boys got out. One of them had brown eyes and black hair, and was muscled to boot. The other was taller, thinner, but still muscled. Shepard mentally cursed herself for looking like such a girl.
"Need some help?" The shorter one asked.
"Know anything about broken down old trucks?" She asked with a smile, already getting out of their way. The boys seemed to go straight to work. Soon enough, the smoke stopped.
"Want to try and start it up?"
Shepard didn't hesitate to do so. The truck sounded better than when she had received it. Compared to the first time she'd used it, it was singing.
"Wow, thank you guys so much."
"No problem. My name's Alenko. Kaiden Alenko." The shorter boy offered his hand. She shook it with a smile and waited for the other to introduce himself.
"Garrus." He said.
"Shepard." She replied, shaking his hand. Her watch was suddenly visible, "Oh, man. I made you guys late."
"Eh, we were late anyways." Garrus shrugged.
Shepard covered her mouth with her hand. At least she wasn't the only one who didn't care for time constraints.
"Do you know where to go from here?" Kaiden asked.
"Ahm.. that way? Specifically, no. But that's it there, right?" She pointed behind the two of them. Kaiden nodded and smiled.
"Hey, Garrus, take my car. I'll show her where to park." Kaiden tossed his keys. They landed in Garrus' hands with a metallic cling.
"What's Ashley gonna say when I pull in and tell her you're helpin' out the new girl?"
Kaiden sighed, held up his hands for Garrus to toss the keys back. "Guess you're right."
"Usually am." Garrus crawled into Shepard's truck. It made Shepard a bit self conscious. At least she had cleaned the truck out yesterday.
"Thanks again." She said.
Kaiden hopped in his car and drove off. Garrus pointed her in the direction she'd been previously been going. They made easy conversation, and Garrus established that she was to sit with them during lunch. She figured that, though late, this was a good way to start off a new life.