General Character
Means insert name here
It was just another night in the garage.
I sighed gustily as I spun the ratchet around in my hands, listening to the faint click-click-clicking sound that was the only noise in the empty garage. My father's auto body mechanic's shop was always empty on Friday nights, because most people came in with their car problems during the week. My shifts on Friday were mechanical, mostly for this reason, but I didn't really have any idea what I was doing most of the time.
I mean sure, I could write down what people said their car's problem was and tell the difference between an out headlight and a broken fuel rod, but that was pretty much it. I didn't really mind my job, though. It paid well and I loved being in the garage. With the faint smell of gasoline lingering in the air, the huge open windows with the chilly breeze seeping in and too-bright florescent lights, most people would find spending too much time in the shop to be unpleasant, but since I'd grown up with it I was comfortable.
I spun the ratchet faster and faster until the socket flew off and I had to get off from leaning on the magnetic table to get it. As I straightened up, I was met with the bright view of headlights coming closer.
I watched as a black Range Rover drove in and stopped short of the diagnostic station. I grabbed my clipboard, a little surprised, and went to meet the driver as he climbed out of the car. Just in case, I felt behind me to make sure my phone was in my back pocket. It was always nice to know I had back up, just in case some creep decided he'd try something funny with the underage girl that was here alone at night.
Not that it would be easy to tell from outside of the shop that I was a girl. The pair of skinny jeans I'd devoted to the garage were stained and greasy from all the times I'd been on the ground diagnosing an engine or whatever. The hoodie I wore to keep warm was a little big and hung around me. My hair was pulled into a messy bun, and I didn't wear much makeup. It wasn't like their way anybody to impress in here.
"Do you work here?" the guy asked, snapping his gum uninterestedly.
"Yes."
"Well could you help me out with a quick problem? This is the nearest garage and we're in a hurry, sorry we didn't make an appointment or whatever."
I was about to ask about the "we" he was mentioning, because so far it looked like it was just him and the expensive car. But then the passenger door opened and a boy who looked about my age got out.
"No appointment necessary, I'm not busy," I replied, hoping it would be something easy so I didn't have to call my dad from the house to come out. "What's the problem?"
I scanned the car.
"Well we were on the freeway and this car hit us from behind," the boy filled in, and I glanced at him. Suddenly I wished that I was in nicer clothes or at least that my hair was out of the messy bun or that the grease stain below my thigh wasn't as dark, because he was cute. He had a childish face with pretty brown eyes and sandy lashes. The brown hair layered over his forehead wasn't spiky or gelled into a Bieber do or any of the other things that all guys were into these days, it was just normal boy hair. He wasn't too tall or intimidating, about my size and wearing a pair of jeans and a faded Queen t shirt.
"Where?" I tore my gaze from him to inspect the damage. The man and the boy came around the back to point to the back bumper, where the taillight was out. I wondered briefly if the man and the boy were father and son, but they didn't seem to be close and looked nothing alike.
I traced my fingers along the taillight, which seemed okay. The bulb had clearly just dislodged from the inside, and needed to be replaced.
"Oh that's easy to fix," I said with a smile. "Just an out taillight. A replacement bulb is thirty six ninety five and services are half that."
"Great," the man said. "So we'll be in and out then?"
"I'd say twenty minutes."
"Great," he repeated, and disappeared. He was back in a second with a wad of cash, and I stuck it into my back pocket. He glanced at the boy.
"Come on, Greyson. We need to be in Atlanta City by tomorrow night, get back in the car so we can leave as soon as she's finished."
"Actually would you mind if I stayed out here?" he sounded unsure of himself. "I haven't stretched my legs since Houston."
The man nodded and climbed into the car alone, leaving Greyson to watch me as I grabbed the tool I'd need to pull the cover off the taillight.
"So what's your name?" he asked, smiling. He was clearly lonely.
"I' _. Yours is Greyson?"
"Yeah," he gave me another smile, which I returned.
"That's a really cool name. Very different."
"Thanks," he said. "You seem a little different yourself. Kind of young to be a mechanic, aren't you?"
He didn't sound impolite or accusing like some of the customers were. I'd had enough people just assume I was inept at fixing cars because I was a girl, and not only a girl but a young one at that.
"My dad owns this shop," I shrugged. "I can do the easy stuff, like this."
"That's awesome," he sounded a little envious. "I wish I had time to learn about cars…"
"You don't seem to have a lot of time to do anything," I said carefully, trying to avoid something that might offend him or the man that was now having a loud animated conversation with someone on his Bluetooth from inside the car.
"I don't," he sighed, sounding a little grumpy. "I'm actually a musician, so that's pretty much what I do with all my free time."
He gestured to the man in the car.
"My driver's all 'Greyson! Do this right now. Greyson! Do that, hurry up!'"
I studied him for a moment.
"Oh my god, I know who you are!"
It finally clicked just who I was talking to you, and for the first time I wondered if maybe I had breathed in too much gasoline fumes.
He looked pleased.
"I love your music."
"Thanks," he grinned. "I love making music."
I turned my smile back down to the car, successfully removing the taillight cover. I traced my hand along the inside and was met with smudgy black dust and dirt on my hands. I ignored it, and continued to remove the bulb.
"So what exactly are you doing to fix it?" Greyson came closer and I felt his arm brush mine but it was accidently. He wasn't one of those guys that flirted all the time, especially not by touching. He noticed quickly, and moved his arm away but kept looking down into the car.
"Taking the bulb out and getting a new one, that's all," without thinking I reached up to tuck a strand of hair away that had fallen into my eyes. I brought my hand back down and remembered the dirt from the car. I shook my head, turning to Greyson.
"Do I have black stuff on my face?"
"Yeah, like all over it. Right here," Greyson reached down into the gutter of the taillight and smeared a little of the dirt under my eye.
"You did not just do that," I laughed.
"Do what?" he asked innocently, trying not to laugh himself. I reached in and drew up some of the gunk and swiped it across his cheek.
"I'm gonna get you," he reached out for my with two black fingers and I dodged him. Before I knew it, he was chasing me around the garage and I was so overcome by laughter I couldn't run. I stopped shirt and Greyson tumbled into me. We both fell onto the ground, but he caught me so instead of hitting my head against the cement I collided with his chest. We both laughed some more, and I realized I loved the sound of his laughing more than his singing.
"But seriously," he panted. "Your face is a mess."
"Thanks," I giggled. "So is yours."
He nodded, and then caught my eye which only made us laugh again.
"Is the taillight replaced?" a voice broke into our perfect moment, and Greyson sat up quickly.
"Yeah," I blushed at how unprofessional I was caught being. I just need to put the cap back on and we're good to go."
"Thank you," he said heavily, and I nodded quickly. I walked back to the Range Rover and started screwing the cover back on.
"Wait," Greyson came over too, and he frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"It's all fixed?" he asked, and I nodded.
"So I'm leaving?"
I smiled at him.
"Have fun in Atlanta City."
He frowned again, and then stood silently as I finished the car.
"It was nice to meet you," Greyson reached out to shake my hand, and then our eyes met again. The streak of black on his cheek made my lips curl into a smile. He'd see that later…
"Same," I said, and I felt him tug me closer for a hug. It was strange how well I fit into his arms, and how good he felt in mine.
"Wow," he sounded surprised in my ear. "You're an amazing hugger."
I laughed, and my throat ached a little. I know we'd only just met, but I was going to miss Greyson so much. I finally understood the lyric of that annoying, overplayed song.
Before you came into my life, I missed you so bad.
Greyson loosened his grip, and I let him let go of me. Our eyes met once more, his beautiful shining brown ones glinting bright under the fluorescents. He smiled a little sadly.
"Would it be weird if I gave you my number?" he asked shyly, and I quickly shook my head.
"No, not at all. Please."
He smiled, and reached into his pocket. He withdrew a pen and gestured for me to give him my hand. His skin burned against mine as he held my hand tightly and he jotted down the number. He was writing slowly, like he didn't want to let go.
When he finally did, I looked down at it. He'd written a heart just below his number with his name.
"Thank you," I looked up at him one more time.
"No problem," he said, and then he started walking towards the car. "I expect you to use that right away, missy."
"Of course," I chuckled as he got in and then the car started. I watched as the car backed up, and Greyson rolled down his window.
"Oh by the way," he called. "There's stuff aaalll over your face."
He smiled mischeviously as the car backed out.
"Look in the mirror!" I shouted back. I assumed he did, and I could have sworn I heard him laugh when the car drove away. And then a fist appeared out of the window, shaking like an old man yelling for kids to "get off his lawn".
I couldn't help but laugh some more as the car drove out of sight, and I leaned back against the counter ratchet in hand.
Just an ordinary night in the garage…
Note: Hi guys! So you've probably noticed I haven't been updating as often as usual, and I'm really sorry but there's nothing I can do to change that! I'm really sorry about how annoying the random updates are, and I hope things will be a little better towards middle November, maybe. Also I haven't forgotten about the other more adult story I've promised you, and I will post the first chapter of it soon! I'm sorry for the wait, review, 143!
