Two weeks had passed and Laura had only just found a job bar tending at a local nightclub 4 nights a week. As she finished her first night she realised just how much she missed her friends. After watching the groups of people laughing and having a blast throughout the night she had finally decided to call them. As she said goodbye to Suzie, the girl who had shown her the ropes that night, she walked outside to find it had cooled down an awful lot. As she put her hoody on and pulled the hood up she heard roaring engines coming her way. She looked up just in time to see a red RX-7 fly past her with a cop car hot on its tail. She had seen a lot of that lately, the street racers seemed to think that coming down to the coast would mean cops wouldn't chase them, but really it was just as bad as racing in the city!
Every time she saw a racer she was always reminded of her dad, he had been a mechanic for years before he retired early. He had always been so into cars and she had followed suite, helping him in his garage after school nearly every day. It also reminded her of what she really wanted to work at while she was here- cars. It wasn't so easy finding a mechanic willing to take in a foreigner who had no papers to prove she was staying here legally. So she had to settle for a bar job, not really what she had in mind but hopefully it wouldn't be for long.
Laura let herself into her motel room, which had now become hell for her. Every night she had to listen to loud TV's, people fighting or people having sex and she hated it! No matter how hard she looked though she couldn't find a place to stay. All apartments or rooms to rent were really expensive and it wasn't like she was earning loads at the minute. Everyday things seemed to look bleaker and bleaker and she had found herself slipping into a depression she did NOT want to be in! She knew where that would take her……
As she got undressed to take a shower she looked at her clock. The digital digits read 1.30am. She was too tired to shower and instead pulled some pyjamas on and got into bed.
She was just about to drift off when she heard a loud voice outside. She got up and went to her window. A girl was standing shouting into her phone while her Turquoise Acura Intergra smoked beside her.
"Oh God...", Laura muttered as she pulled on a jacket and stepped outside. The girl had just hung up her phone and was looking around like a lost puppy.
"Hey, you don't need help with that do you?" Laura asked whilelooking at the Acura.
"Can you….you know…are you good with cars?" the girl asked, looking as though she didn't really trust Lauras abilities.
"Yeah, I'm OK I guess." Laura popped the hood and was surrounded by smoke.
The engine was done up well, a lot of performance parts added.
"This must have cost a packet!" Laura said as she tightened a few things and looked around, "You need more coolant is all. I don't have any so you'll have to leave the car here till the morning I guess."
"Shit! How will I get home? My brother has just been put in a cell overnight and I cant get through to any of my friends!" The girl looked worried.
This left Laura thinking. She couldnt just leave her here...but it wasnt her problem, "Do you have any money?"
"No."
There was nothing for it then, " You could stay with me if you want. Or I could just lend you thirty dollars if you wanna get a room."
"Oh, I hate owing people money. Could I maybe crash on your sofa or something?"
"Sure, no problem." Laura led her into the room, "I just got in from work so the place is a mess. Ive kinda had to crash here a few weeks now cuz Ive…well, Ive got no were else to go at the mo."
"Oh no, it's fine."
The girl settled herself on the sofa at the end of the room and Laura got some blankets out of the wardrobe for her. She then got back into bed and lay there for a few minutes.
" Youve got a strange accent. Where you from?"
"Ireland."
"Cool, I'm Mia by the way. And thanks for this, I owe you big time."
"No problem."
Laura lay awake for quite a long time until she knew Mia was asleep. Then she let her guard down and finally drifted off.