Chapter 28: Surpise?

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"Oh, I feel like a beached whale," Amy whined from the back seat as Max pulled up in front of July's house.

"Maybe if you hadn't eaten half the popcorn yourself, you wouldn't feel that way," Max replied with a smirk, not feeling in the least bit sorry for his sister.

"Well, guys, it was fun. Thanks for taking me," July said getting out of the car and letting Amy out so she could get into the front.

"No problem. We should get together soon," Amy said closing the door and leaning through the open window.

"Sure, your dad has the house number, just call me when you want to hang."

"Thanks for fixing my car. I owe you," Max said winking and July shook her head at him, smiling.

"We'll see you around," Amy called out as Max started to drive away.

"Bye," July yelled waving. She turned around and saw that a light was on in the living room. That wasn't right. She hadn't left any lights on and no one had keys to her house. She began to grow more suspicious as she saw a shadow move past the window. Quietly as she could, she went around to the back door. Testing the doorknob, she found it unlocked and slipped in.

Creeping, she made her way to the living room and as she approached, she could hear the television on. She walked further and peeked her head into the living room. The television was on but she didn't see anyone in the room. She walked in figuring that maybe Amy left it on when a hand grabbed her arm. July let out a scream and turned to hit the person, knocking them solidly on the chest.

"Ow!" the person exclaimed letting go of July and rubbing their chest.

"Mike?" July asked, blinking her eyes. Mike's short, black spiked hair was ruffled, like he had run his hand through it and both his eyebrow were scrunched over his ash gray eyes. He was wearing a black Social Distortion shirt, a pair of blue jeans that looked like they were ready to fall apart, and his ever present black Converse. He had a good solid build, but not that of a bodybuilder, just toned and fit.

"Surprise?" Mike said warily.

"Mikey!" July cried launching herself into his arms when the fact that Mike was actually standing in her living room sunk in. She felt his arms come around her, giving her a brief squeeze. Mike stood a couple inches taller than her so that her head fit perfectly on his shoulder.

"So is that how you greet everyone?" Mike asked rubbing the sore spot on his chest once July let go.

"No just you. You're special. Plus you so got what you deserved. That's what you get for scaring me," July replied smugly.

"Yeah, well how about no more special greetings for me, okay?"

"Maybe. I just can't believe you're here," July said amazed.

"I told you I was coming."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd be here till tomorrow."

"Well, I left early and I was a little eager to get here," Mike said flopping down on the couch, July settling down next to him.

"I guess so." July couldn't keep the grin off her face, just happy to have Mike here.

"Boy, did I not miss that goofy smile," Mike teased and earned a smack for his comment.

"Shut up, you know you did," July said trying to keep a straight face and failing horribly.

"I guess I did, but just because there was nothing else to make fun of," Mike remarked, pulling back from July and her death glare.

"So…how did you find me?"

"Easy," Mike said with a roll of his eyes before propping his feet on the table. "Called your lawyer. What's his name? Arnold Lewis."

"That was you?" July questioned, remembering the call the Arnold had to take, right before she fainted. The memory of fainting bugged her a bit. She didn't want Amy to think she was a wimp and no doubt she was going to tell Max about it.

"Yeah. I had dinner with Sam and Mary the night before I left and they explained a couple things to me and told me the name of your lawyer. So tonight when I got within city limits, I called him and asked him to give me direction, hence, me being here already. Pretty smart huh?" Mike asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

It was July's turn to roll her eyes at him. "Well, all of it except the scaring me part. That was just stupid."

"Yeah, that part kind of hurt," Mike commented, rubbing the sore spot again and wincing.

"So where's your car and all your stuff?" July asked looked around.

"Car's parked across the street. I didn't want to give myself away."

"Well, let's go get it." July got up, pulling Mike with her. They left out the front door and July stood on the porch while Mike parked his dark green Civic into the driveway, taking out two duffle bags from the back and locking up the car. She grabbed a bag from him once he was at the porch and led him back inside.

"So where am I staying?" Mike asked.

"In a guest room," July answered leading the way up the stairs and into one of the guest rooms. It was decorated similar to the rest of the house with its beach décor. The room was fairly large with a bed, a dresser, and a closet. An ottoman chair sat near the window and close to it was a desk. July set the duffle bag she was carrying at the foot of the bed.

"Wow. This is nice," Mike observed, setting his own bag down and taking in everything.

"It's okay. Let me show you around."

July gave him a tour of the house, finishing it in the kitchen. "And the backyard's out there," July said pointing to the double doors. "And if you haven't guessed, this is the kitchen," July finished, stopping and leaning against the counter.

"Really? I thought it was a bathroom," Mike replied mockingly.

"Yeah, only you would think that."

"Man, I am so tired."

"It's the time difference. Come on, you need sleep," July ordered leaving the kitchen.

"Sleep. Good," Mike mumbled, following her.

"Yeah, and lack of it reduces you down to cave man talk. Oh wait, my bad, your always like that," July said impishly.

"I am too tired to even try and think up a comeback."

"Well, I'll see you in the morning. My room right there if you need something," July said pointing at her door as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Okay. Night," Mike said giving her a hug.

"Night," July replied and headed to her room. She heard the guest door close as she opened her own door. The thought that Mike was only a couple feet away if she needed him brought a smile to her face. She went to sleep hoping that when she woke up in the morning, Mike would still be here and that it wasn't a dream.

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July woke up the next morning feeling excited. Mike was here, they were going to go pick up the rest of the parts and fix the cars. What more could a girl ask for? And she'd be able to introduce Mike to everyone since she promised Mia she would go down for lunch. She got up and took a quick shower, throwing on a pair of worn jeans and a white tank and putting up her hair into a loose bun.

She clambered downstairs to find Mike sitting on the couch, eating a bowl of cereal. She smiled at how at home Mike looked. You could always count on him to do what he wanted, no matter whose house it was, he still acted like he owned it, or maybe he was just that comfortable.

"You're finally awake!" Mike exclaimed around a mouthful of cereal. "Do you know how long I have been up?"

July raised an eyebrow at him and then walked into the kitchen with Mike behind her. He sat at the table as she got her own bowl of cereal. July sat at the table and began to eat just as Mike finished. He put his bowl in the sink and then sat back down.

"So," Mike began, exaggerating the word, "What's on the agenda for today?"

July swallowed the cereal in her mouth. "We're going to go pick up the rest of the car parts, then probably work on the cars 'til lunch. I promised a friend I'd go down to their store for lunch, so you get to meet everyone."

"Fun fun. Well, hurry up and eat, I want to go," Mike whine.

July glared at him and continued to eat, taking as long as she wanted just to torture Mike. He watched closely as the bowl began to empty. The bowl was snatched out of her hands as she slurped the last of the milk. Mike quickly put the bowl in the sink and turned back towards her.

"All right, let's go!" he ordered, walking out of the kitchen. July smirked at his retreating form and followed after him.

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July and Mike arrived at the Racer's Edge around nine. July pulled her car into a spot and Mike was out the door before the car was even fully stopped.

"You know, next time you do that I am just going to slam the brakes and laugh as you go flying," July threatened as she got out of the car and locked it.

"Ha ha, very funny," Mike deadpanned, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"I know, thank you." July smirked, slinking past him.

They entered the store and Mike's retort died on his lips as he took in the surroundings.

"Hey, look, I found a way to shut you up!" July jibed as she walked away from Mike's still form, giving him a tiny flick on the arm. Mike snapped back to reality and gave her a look.

"I bet you were the same way when you first came," Mike growled, stepping up next to her at the counter.

"Yup," July agreed watching as Mike turned so he could look at everything.

"Hello July," Harry's voice sounded out as he came from the back.

"Hi Harry. Did you get everything that I needed?" July asked.

"Yeah, they're in the back. Just bring your car around and we'll load them up."

"Give us a couple minutes to look around and then we'll be back."

"Sure thing," Harry said nodding.

"Man, you know how much money I could spend in here?" Mike asked with a glazed over look.

"Yeah, I can just imagine." July continued to watch him as an idea formed in her head. "Okay, I'll buy you two things," she said and couldn't hold back the smirk at Mike's shocked expression.

"What? No way! Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I mean you came all the way out here for me, this will be a way for me to compensate you and thank you for coming," July explained, looking down at her feet.

Mike tipped up her chin, her face serious. "JJ, you don't have to do that, I told you I wanted to come."

"I know, but I want to do this for you," July said wrapping herself around one of his arms.

They spent a couple minutes looking through things and finally Mike decided on green neon glow kit for underneath the car and some speakers. Luckily Harry had it all in stock and added it to July's pile. They loaded up the parts and headed back to July's house, where they back up the car into the driveway and popped the trunk.

"I'm going to go change into my coveralls," July said as they walked through the front door.

"Me too."

Mike followed her up the stairs. They parted their separate ways and rejoined each other in a few minutes. They both came out with their overalls tied around their waist but July wore a white wife beater while Mike wore a black one.

"I have something for you," Mike said going back into his room. He returned with a shoebox and a travel case in his hands.

"What's that?" July asked with a frown.

"This is all your drawings," Mike explained, handing the shoebox over to her. She opened it up to find all her drawings and the set of colored pencils she especially used.

"Did you take these all from the shop?"

"Yeah, I went and got all your stuff. Now you have to guess what's in here," Mike teased, waving the travel case in her face. She studied the familiar looking box.

"My spray gun!" July shouted, grabbing the case from him and hugging it.

"Yeah, Sam told me to bring it to you."

"Oh," July mumbled running her thumb along the edge of the case.

"So, I thought we were going to work on the cars," Mike prompted, trying to lift July's spirits up. If cars didn't do it then he didn't know what would.

"Yeah," she answered as she followed Mike down to the garage, lost in thought about Sam and Mary.

"Earth to July. Is there anyone in there?" Mike asked.

July shook her head to bring herself out of her stupor. "Yeah, what?"

"I asked which one you wanted to work on first?" Mike repeated, opening the garage door in front of July's car. July set the boxes containing her spray gun and drawings on the bench and then began to help Mike unload the car parts.

"Let's work on the Soarer," July decided, setting the last box on the ground.

"Sweet, but you know what we need if we are really going to work on the cars?" Mike asked looking at her. Their eyes meet and they both knew.

"Music," they answered at the same time.

"I'll go get my stereo and CDs," July said disappearing and reappearing a few seconds later. "Okay, so what do you want to listen to?"

"Why don't you surprise me?" Mike suggested, putting all the stuff they would need for the Soarer into a pile on the bench.

July slipped her Red Hot Chili Peppers CD in and turned to help Mike separate the parts. As the music began to play, Mike turned and smiled at her, nodding his head at her selection.

"Good choice."

She opened the hood to the Soarer and they began to work. July telling him about everything that had happened in full detail since she'd arrived and filling him in on everyone next door. Mike got especially jealous when he heard about the race but was ecstatic when July said he could probably go to the next one.

It was noon by the time July checked her watch again. They had made some progress on the car. Maybe a day more and then they would be done with all the basic stuff.

"Okay, lunch time," July announced, wiping the sweat off her face. The day had proven hot and with no fan in the garage the air was muggy. She would definitely be putting a fan on her shopping list.

"Okay, where are we going?" Mike asked.

"My friends little store," July answered.

They both washed up and got into her car. The drive was quick and the rushing air from the windows felt good. July wasn't surprise to see everyone else's car already parked as Mia had told her they usually came by for lunch. She parked her car next to Vince's and they both go out, Mike whistling at the other cars.

"You ready to meet everyone?" she asked.

"I guess," Mike answered.

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tbc…