I cock an eyebrow, "Can't you stop being so serious, Dom?"
Without answering, Dom started walking towards the garage, Jesse and Brian following him. Shaking my head, I walk alongside Brian.
"Who's Nour staying with?"
"Mia. Don't worry, she's going to be fine." I don't answer to that. I don't trust them. To be fair, I don't trust anyone.
"What is Dom gonna do?" Jesse joins the conversation.
"He's gonna take a look at my motorcycle. See if I'm good enough."
"You're good enough. Dom is just making sure." Brain assures me.
Jesse makes a sound of agreement in answer to Brian's latter statement. Walking into the garage behind Dom, I spot Vince working on a blue car. I remember the last time I saw him. He wasn't exactly the definition of pleasant, and had held me to the bed. I wasn't nice either. Looking at Dom he snarls, "What's she doin' here?"
I guess you could say he doesn't like me, I'm not fazed by that, just surprised, but my face doesn't show it. I've never held an actual conversation with him, so I don't know why he dislikes me. Either way, I don't answer, Jesse does, "Dom's taking a look at her motorcycle, she's gonna work here." He smiles at me sounding so sure. It was kind of nice to get that kind of support.
Vince doesn't seem to like that, his angry expression saying as much. He starts to protest, but a look from Dom is all it takes to shut him up. Throwing the crowbar, he storms out of the garage.
"Looks like something got stuck up his ass." I remark.
Brian snorts, before nodding in agreement. Dom is looking at the motorcycle, while Jesse is excitedly chirping beside me about the paint job. I answer Jesse's question, while Dom and Brian hover over the motorcycle, inspecting its parts. Dom looks over, "We can't see the engine." Of course he can't, he had to take apart a few parts to be able to access it.
Nodding, I kneel on the side of the motorcycle. Taking a wrench from Brian, I unscrew some of the screwed nuts, putting them on the floor, careful to keep them in the same order. It takes me a total of five minutes to do that. I watch as their faces take a look of appreciation at the engine wiring.
"Not bad." Dom says. Coming from him, I'd say it's a compliment. Brian stands up from the crouch, while Jesse starts to sprout questions about the engine and its parts. As Dom stands up from his inspection, I take that as my cue to put the motorcycle back together. In three minutes flat, everything is back in place, and Dom is looking at me. As expected, putting the parts back together was as much of a test as them inspecting the motorcycle. Raising an eyebrow at Dom, I rise to my full height.
"You're in." That's all he has to say. "You start tomorrow." He doesn't stick around much after that, something about taking to Vince. I couldn't have cared any less.
If I was being honest, this was the highlight of my week. I got a job, one that I'd actually like. Waking back to where Brian and Jesse were standing, I hold back a smile. Jesse is excited, "I can show you around, and tell you where the stuff is, and my designs, I can show you them too-"
Brian cuts him half-way, "Jesse, clam down. You'll scare her away."
I watch as his checks redden in embarrassment, smiling sheepishly at me.
"I'd like that, Jesse." I shoot him a tiny smile, watching as his cheeks flush at my words. Brian looks like he's trying hard to contain back a laugh.
"When do I have to be here, anyways?" I ask, I'm not always on time, but I do try.
"Umm…10?" Brian answer, hesitant. "Yeah, 10 is a good time."
"Thanks." I felt like I owed Brian, he had helped me get a job. He barely even knew me.
"Don't mention it."
I smile slightly, talking a few more minutes with them. I can't stay too long. I still have to talk to Nour. That was not going to be easy. I hated playing the strict parent, but I knew I had to do it. Plus, I'm still pissed at her. She was going to get it. I don't know why I hadn't seen this coming. She clearly was not happy with my decision, but I had thought she would drop it. I didn't think she actually sneak away.
"I have to go." I wasn't that comfortable with leaving Nour so long.
"I'll walk home with you." Brian says. Jesse opts to stay at the garage, his shift was starting soon.
Brian walks into the house, I follow after him. Loud voices are echoing from inside, someone's arguing. I walk in to find Letty and Mia are sitting on the couch, Nour braiding Letty's hair as they talk.
"I can't believe she let her do that." Brian says, amazed. "She'd cut off my hands if I tried to do it."
"Do what?" I don't know what he's talking about.
"Touch her hair, let alone braid it." He answers.
Letty notices us, but remains seated as Nour ties her hair.
"Vince is mad. I'd steer clear if I were you." She says in greeting.
"Thanks for the heads-up." I answer, watching as Brian starts making his way to the source of the noise, only to stop.
Vince had entered the room, took one look at me and shouted, "Why is she here?"
Mia looks disapprovingly at Vince, while Brian shoots me an apologetic look. I simply give him a cold look before walking towards Nour. Dom and Brian are standing near the doorway, watching silently. Vince walks away angrily, slamming a door in the process. The air is tense, and the room stays silent.
"Thanks for taking care of her, Mia."
"Anytime."
"I'll be here by 10." I say to Dom on my way out. Nour goes around giving hugs before we leave. Mia squeezes her back, while Brian teasingly ruffles her hair. Dom's stoic face gives way to a tiny smile as Nour hugs him. Taking ahold of Nour's hand, I leave for the door.
As I walk to my motorcycle, Brian falls into step beside me.
"Don't worry about Vince. He'll come around."
"I don't." I reply shortly. I don't remember offending him in any way. It's not like I was in the wrong.
"I'll see you tomorrow." He says. "Bye, Nour."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow."
Nour waves at him as we get on the motorcycle. Throwing her the helmet, I make sure she buckles it, before driving away. It isn't long before we reach our apartment.
Climbing up the stairs in silence, Nour avoids looking me in the eye. As if that would help. Reaching the door, I unlock it, entering the apartment. I watch as Nour tries to slip into her bedroom. Tapping her on the shoulder, I point to the couch. Resigned, she sits on the couch, her eyes following my movement. I walk into my bedroom, taking my time, knowing that I needed to keep a cool head while talking to Nour. It wouldn't be too bad to have her stew while waiting. Putting on some comfy clothes, I lay on the bed for a few minutes, gazing at the ceiling. I had painted it like a galaxy, splashes of bright colors on a dark background. It had taken me a couple days to finish. Sighing, I close my eyes before sitting. I had to get this over with. Just like ripping off a band-aid. Fast and easy.
She looks up as I come to a stop in-front of her. I look her in the eye, not uttering a single world. She lowers her gaze, before looking up again.
"Are you mad?" Figures she'd ask this first.
"Yes." My voice is cold, even to my own ears.
A whisper. "I'm sorry."
"Why?" She probably wasn't sorry for what she did.
She winces, "For sneaking off."
I fix her with a cold stare, "We both know that's a lie. You're sorry you got caught. You're not sorry for what you did."
She doesn't answer, guilt written all over her face.
"I specifically asked you not to do that. And you did exactly what I told you not to." I remember the fear I had felt, and have to control my anger. "Do you know how worried I was? I thought he had you.
She hangs up hear head as she hears those words, the consequence of what she did finally registering.
"You're grounded." The went without having to be said.
"For how long?" She braves.
"Until I say you're not." She doesn't like my answer, but finality is evident in my voice. She'd have to be stupid to argue now. "Go change, I'll cook something up." I don't give her a chance to argue, quickly setting up what I needed for dinner.
Leaving for her room, she closes the door softly. In the next hour, I cook, while Nour watches quietly from the counter, looking lost in her thoughts.
She snaps out of her reverie when I place a plate of spaghetti in-front of her. She's still not talking much, probably giving me space. Halfway through the silent dinner, she speaks.
"Are you gonna work for Dom now?"
"Yeah." I already know where this conversation is heading.
"Does that mean I can see them too?" She asks in a small voice.
"We'll see about that." I answer. I understand how much they mean to her, even after so little time, but I have to be careful.
Her eyes light up, as if I had agreed. I technically did. We finish the rest of the dinner in silence, save for the silverware sound as it scraped the plates. After we're done, Nour goes to bed, while I wash the dishes. Sighing, I stretch over the couch. Looking out the window, I see the night sky stretching through the landscape, sprinkles of stars present here and there. I smile sadly, remembering how mom used to make up stories about the stars every night. Why I had decided to name my sister Nour.
Coming here was one of the best choices I've ever made. It was far way from his usual place of influence, Nour likes it here, and I had a legitimate job where I didn't have to serve food while drunken idiots tried to grab me. I actually had a chance to have a job. A good one. Thinking about tomorrow, I decide to talk to the teacher, she shouldn't have let her leave.
I try to close my eyes and drift to sleep, but I can't. The moment I close my eyes, images of the past flash on my eyelids, prompting me to open them again. Sighing, I rub my eyes, I can't remember the last time I slept at night. Switching off the lights, I make my way to my bedroom. As I lay on the bed, I flip through the pages of my sketchbook, impatiently waiting for the first light of the morning to come, so I can finally rest.
It took me longer than usual to update. I'd love it if someone decided to drop in line. I feel like the fic is coming along pretty okay. I hope it's not as bumpy as I feel it is. The next couple chapter will have a lot more information about Tessa and her sister. Thanks guys.