Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
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Upon arrival at the airport did Vert realize that this unknown uncle of his was well on in his age; being around his mid-forties. He wore a suit that looked to be perhaps two sizes too big for him and had the same color of brown hair his mother did. His eyes were a stern brown and he held a sign with his name scrawled across it in messy writing.
While walking up to him, he saw the girl on the plane walk past him, a single duffel bag slung over her shoulder as well, she didn't seem to see him, or recognize him as she walked on past, meeting up with a group of people, a few sporting the racing gear as well.
"You Vert Wheeler?" his uncle spoke suddenly, making the blonde teenager blink.
"Huh?"
"Oh, my mistake, guess not."
It took the 17 year old a couple of seconds to register what just happened before quickly catching up to the man. "Wait, sorry, yes I am."
He looked the kid up and down, almost as if approving of him. "Sister always said you got your dad's looks. I'm your uncle William, just call me Will. Come on then."
They had managed to wind their way out of the fairly busy airport, Vert every once in a while spotting the white-haired vixen (as he liked to call her in his mind that is) with her friends and/or family making their way out the same exit. The two headed out into the parking lot and stopped short at a beat up Volks Wagon. Vert couldn't hide his look of disgust.
"What's the matter? Think I'm made of money like your parents were?" Will sniped, obviously not giving Vert any comfort during his tough time. He opened the driver's door with some difficulty and leaned over to unlock the passenger's side for the teen.
Throwing his bags into the back seat, he got in, having to give the door a pretty hard slam before it locked into place, that's when he discovered that the seatbelt didn't work and that he was sitting on dried up gum.
"So...are you married at all?" Vert asked, trying to strike up a conversation. He had this sinking notion that his 'beloved Uncle Will' wasn't all that happy being stuck with him. Well, if he was going to live with him in New York City, might as well try to make the best of it.
"No, and I don't plan on it either" came his gruff reply.
Okay...obviously he wasn't one for family...
A disturbing silence filled the car as they rode their way along the freeway, Vert couldn't help but get a sudden twitch of annoyance at the snail pace speed they were going compared to the nitrox fuel he used with the Teku car's. At the thought of this, he also wondered exactly what was going to happen with the car he left back at the airport in his home town. A sickening vision of it being towed away to some dirty garage where it would be pulled apart by hicks filled his mind.
"What do you do for a living?" he asked, wanting to ease his mind of these nightmares.
"I sell used cars."
At this Vert's attention perked up with interest. "Oh, really, does that pay well?"
"It pays plenty to cover my rent if that's what you're asking."
"So you would consider yourself a salesman then?" the blonde asked, trying to avoid another snide remark about how his family had more money then him, which, taking a look around in the car he was in, was a lot.
"No, I consider myself the manager at a piece of crap company."
"Uh...congrats?"
More silence invaded the car, and Vert found it very hot all of a sudden. "Mind if I roll down the window for some air?"
Will laughed heartedly at this, "I'd like to see you damn well try!"
Wondering exactly what that was about, Vert grasped the handle to manually roll down the window, only to find it stuck. Deciding to give it all little more force, the handle snapped off right in his hands.
"That's coming out of your pocket." Will stated sternly. Gulping, he simply placed the handle into his pocket. "Heh, I'll try to pay for it as soon as possible."
"Which reminds me, you work yet?"
"Well I haven't exactly had any real experience or anything-"
"Do you know anything about cars?"
Only like the back of my hand, Vert thought, yet didn't voice this. "Yeah, I suppose I do."
"Good, you can work in our garage then, one of our mechanics quit on us yesterday and we need a replacement."
"How much does it pay?"
"Around 5 bucks an hour, seeing how you're a minor and all."
"Alright, and how many hour's a day will I be working?"
"Depends, you still in school?"
"Yeah."
At this his uncle cursed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Damn, now I gotta pay for that as well. I'm guessing you'll be working from 3-8 pm then."
"That's only 30 bucks a day" Vert voiced out.
"Well I ain't made of money kid! Now I know you probably got 100 bucks every week for allowance or whatever when your folks were around, but this is the real world!"
A deep loathing for Will burned within the 17 year old, he found it rather fitting if he had 'accidentally' smashed his head into the dashboard, but fought back the urge to act this out. For the rest of the ride through the non-stop traffic jams he yammered on and on about how the real world works and how you have to make sacrifices in order to survive...
"...I mean look at how much money I'm giving up just to give you a roof over your head!" he finished while pulling into an underground parking garage beneath a dirty looking apartment building. Will jerked the car around a bit, causing Vert to nearly slam into the windshield a couple of times before he managed to fit the junk of scrap metal the vehicle was into a tight parking space. Giving the door a good kick with his heel, he managed to escape contraption and grabbed his things just as smoke emitted from underneath the hood. Will took no notice to this while heading for the elevator, fiddling around with his keys as he followed after him.
They entered the rather grubby elevator; it seemed everywhere he looked Vert could spot stains, dirt, garbage and even Durex wrappers littering the small space. A noise along the lines of "ugh!" escaped his lips as he noted some fast food joint wrapped was stuck to the bottom of his foot. Ignoring his nephew's remark, Will exited the elevator and turned to head down a narrow hallway, where every step they took it sounded like the whole place would come down right there and then.
"Here we are, home sweet home." Will said, jabbing his key into the lock on a door numbered 325, the 5 missing but he could see the dirt outline of it. Swinging the door open, Vert stepped into his new home.
The walls were a disgusting color of brown and looked almost rotten, the floor was made up of tile that was cracked and in some places it looked taken out all together, leaving the concrete to show through. The ceiling had disgusting yellow stains on it along with some cracks and the air smelled of rotten cabbage. It was small, two steps into it and Vert found himself in the small rectangle of a kitchen. The fridge hummed loudly and some cupboard hanged off the hinges, he even caught sight of roaches in the corner nibbling at some crumbs.
The living room consisted of an ugly flowered pattern couch with stains littered all over it and a empty bag of chips (which Will quickly grabbed and brushed the crumbs off the cushions before throwing the bag into a corner) and a smashed in TV set. Off to the right was a door that obviously led to Will's bedroom.
"You'll be sleeping on the couch, it pulls out into a bed, I think I got some blankets in the closet, bathroom is just to your left and help yourself to anything you find in the fridge."
While he said this he had walked into his room, from where Vert could see by the couch was an empty room except for the mattress on the floor, blankets in a tangled mess and a chair piled with clothes. "I think the closet is pretty much empty, so you can store your clothes and stuff in there." He added, coming out with just a pair of jeans and a casual t-shirt on now.
"Now I have some friends coming on over and we're going to be playing poker and whatnot, so you okay with trying to find your way around the City for a couple of hours?"
If I can get out of here, yes, he thought but simply nodded, dropping his bag onto the couch as Will handed him a fairly rusted key. "This is the key to the apartment, don't loose it because it's the only extra one I've got. Now run along."
Shoving the key into his pocket, Vert headed out the door and managed to find the main lobby, walking out onto the busy streets of New York City. His new home.
The sound of club music pounded in his ears and he watched keenly with his blue eyes as many teenagers walked inside with their friends, out to have a good time. Straightening his shoulders somewhat, he tucked his hands into his pockets, deciding what could it hurt to head on over there and check it out?
As he approached the front door, a brute of a man stopped him in his tracks. "Can I see some I.D?"
Thinking quickly, Vert had half the mind just to give up right then and there and head somewhere else, that's when a brunette girl latched onto his arm, practically bombarding him with her weight. "He's with me sugar." She claimed, giving the man a wink. Vert could smell a mix of alcohol and cigarette smoke off of her breath, this made his head spin slightly.
He seemed to recognize this girl, seeing how he nodded and moved aside for them to pass through. Looking over to the girl, Vert forced a grin, "Thanks for getting me inside." He said.
The girl laughed, pulling him closer to herself, "No problem honey, now you just owe me a dance!"
"Oh...uh...I don't-"
"KAYLA! Wait up!" and with that she was gone, leaving a confused Vert to stare at the spot she was ten seconds ago. Confused, yet relieved, he made his way through the crowd and up to the bar to get himself a drink.
He wasn't one for drinking, but that's because he had parents back then that forbade him of doing such things. But hey, he was a free teen now wasn't he? Now he can do whatever the hell he wants! As if Will can force him to do anything...he wasn't his father now was he?
"I'll have a beer." He ordered, watching the bartender nod and come back, placing a bottle before him.
"5 bucks." He said, watching him dig through his pockets and come up with the cash, handing him a crumpled bill. Turning his back on the bar, Vert took a long gulp of the amber liquid, almost coughing at the bitter taste. And that's when he saw her...
The white-haired vixen.
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And here's the second chapter to my 'oh so lovely' story! Tell me what you think! I'm working at making them longer!
M.Parker.