Thank you so much for the reviews you guys! It means a lot to me, knowing that you guys enjoy this story!
I think the main reason I am writing so much for this story is because I've been thinking about this plot for a LONNNNNNG time, and I'm happy seeing it come together!
Enjoy!
When Clary reached the auto shop, she was beyond exhausted. She was starving, sore, and in pain.
Why was life such a bitch?
She parked her bike in a bike stand, locked it, and headed over to the office inside the shop. She signed her name in a time slot, and made her way to the head mechanic, Raphael.
Raphael was intimidating at first, but he softened up whenever Clary was around. He started seeing her as a younger sister, and was protective of her. All the workers in the shop were protective of Clary.
She was the light in their lives, and she didn't realize it.
Her laugh, her smile, her existence enchanted them. She helped Raphael with his drug problems. She solved the love triangle between the three other mechanics: Jem, Tessa, and Will.
She only told one person other than Luke about her life, and that was Raphael. She trusted Jem, Tessa, and Will, but she didn't want more people pitying her.
"Clary!" yelled Raphael.
He ran up to her, and hugged her gently. "We were worried about you hermana. We saw you limping. What gives mi amor?"
Clary sighed in his arms, burying her face into the crook of his neck.
When she had told Simon she stopped trusting anybody, that was a partial lie. She stopped trusting anybody AFTER Simon's betrayal. She met Luke and Raphael before the incident, and they were both angry that she was getting abused.
She was lucky. She didn't tell Simon everything. She only showed him a couple bruises, and didn't tell him all the things Valentine did to her. Back when they were friends, she was skeptical about telling him things, her only reason being she had a bad feeling about telling him everything.
It paid off. When he betrayed her, she knew that if she had told him everything, her life would have been even worse.
She pulled out of Raphael's embrace, and he kissed her forehead, the way a brother would to a sister.
They walked into the shop, and Jem picked her up a twirled her around. Clary squealed in delight, and when Jem set her down, she hugged him.
"Hey!", yelled Will. "Where's my hug?"
Clary giggled, and threw herself at Will. He laughed, and Clary pulled herself out of his embrace to hug Tessa. Tessa smiled at her, and then frowned.
"Clare, have you been eating recently? You look and feel...thinner." asked Tessa.
Clary saw Raphael look at her with a worried expression, but Clary shrugged it off.
"Yes Tessa, I promise I'm eating." assured Clary.
Lies. She hated lying to them, but she had to. To protect them. She wanted to trust them, but she wasn't sure. Her secret was a heavy burden, and it was unfair of her to pass the burden along to others. So she kept it in, for now.
Clary cleared her throat. "So, what do you want me to do?"
Raphael steered her to a motorcycle. "We need you to paint this beauty black, and then add some white flames to the sides. Can you do that hermana? Also..we need to talk after work. Comprende?"
Clary nodded, and gathered the supplies to paint the motorcycle.
"Finally!" sighed Clary.
It took her the entire shift to finish painting the motorcycle, and when she finished, Tessa, Will, Jem, and Raphael started at it in awe.
It was beautiful.
Everything Clary painted, drew, sketch, you name it, was gorgeous. She brought her artwork to life.
"Wow," exclaimed Will, "It's beautiful little Red."
Clary smiled at them. Her shift was finally over. She glanced at her watch. 8:00. Valentine wouldn't be home for another hour.
"Well," yawned Tessa. "I think they Will, Jem and I are gonna head off. See you guys tomorrow!"
Once they were gone, Raphael gently dragged Clary to the office, and made her sit in the chair. He then proceeded to heat something up in the microwave.
"Clare, I made your favorite for dinner. Quesadilla. I want you to eat all four of them. Eat up!" said Raphael, taking a chair and scooting closer to Clary.
Clary devoured the quesadilla, and Raphael looked at her sadly.
"Why does he do this to you mi amor?" he asked softly.
Clary swallowed the last bite of her quesadilla, and looked up into his eyes.
"I don't know." she asnwered honestly. "He blamed me for my mom and brother leaving. I probably drove them away."
"No." he said viciously. "You didn't drive them away. THey left you, being the bastards they are. You are the most selfless girl I know Clary. If your brother left you, let me be your brother."
Clary smiled up at him. "You are my brother Raphael. Not by blood, but you've been there for me in my darkest times. I look up to you, and I do love you, as a sister loves a brother."
Raphael looked genuinely touched, and kissed the top of her head. He stood up, throwing away her plastic plate. He then helped Clary get up, and he walked her to her bike.
He placed his hand on her cheek, and sighed.
"Be safe ok? I don't know what I would do if something h-happened to-"
Raphael was choking on his words, and she hugged him. He sighed, and then hugged her back. He pulled away and kissed her cheek.
"I worry about you every day hermana. Please, if you are in trouble, call me. I know I tell you this every day, but I'm being serious about it."
Clary looked at him and smiled.
"I promise Raph."
Clary reached her house at 8:30. She took her Taki's uniform out of the bike basket, and went to her room. She locked her door, stripped her clothes, and took another shower to sooth her pain. The clothes she left at Luke's store was washed by Luke himself; even though it was a small chore for Luke, she was grateful he did it.
She put on her ratty pjs, and then gathered her clothes and Valentines and put it in the wash.
She then placed Valentines pre-cooked dinner in the microwave, and started making pancakes in recuperation of tomorrows breakfast. After making sure the house was spick and span, she took the clothes out of the wash and placed it in the dryer. Once that was done she neatly folded the clothes, placing them in their designated places.
She looked at her watch nervously. 9:00. Valentine could be home any minute.
She retreated to her room, and finished some of her homework. She always valued school, because that could be her ticket out of her shitty life. She would get into a good art college, and then leave. That was the plan.
Just as she finished the last sheet of homework, she heard the front door slam shut, and she knew what was coming next.
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