Anybody else born from the 90's? I have to say, it feels weird to write a story without including mobile phones since they weren't really around until the 2000's. But it's nice for a change.
Saphira was sitting on the bus as it drove through the city to her destination. It felt incredibly weird to not being going to work right now as she would be at work right now. But she was on her way to meet Marcus about the car he wanted to sell. Saphira was feeling a little excited about it now that she was on her way. She was wondering what color the Porsche is, and if it needed a lot of work. If what Marcus said is true, then she understood why he was trying to get rid of the car.
She stared out the window as the bus drove through the city as she wanted to memorize the roads before she would attempt to drive the car back to her apartment. She knew as she had been using public transportation a lot, she wasn't entirely familiar with the roads of New York. So she really did need to get familiar with the roads quickly or she would get lost. And she didn't have a map of the city, though she felt like she would get confused if she even attempted to open a map.
The longer drive gave her a bit of time to think though, and it was nice to have that free time. She also knew she would have to mentally prepare herself for going into the office tomorrow as Claudia was definitely going to notice that she is not present, and that the woman will likely take it upon herself to annoy Saphira. She was not looking forward to that, but she was looking forward to seeing how her team go without her present. She knew everyone would be aware that she was away for a business reason thanks to Arthur.
When the bus drove into a quieter suburb, Saphira smiled as she definitely liked what she was seeing. It wasn't as busy as the part she was living in, and she wished she could afford to move here. But her apartment was convenient, so that was why she lived there. She definitely was going to work towards being able to afford a more peaceful lifestyle in the city as it would just be much better on her mind and soul.
As the bus approached a bus stop, Saphira spotted a car parked around the corner from the bus stop. It was a silver Porsche with a blue stripe from the hood down to the spoiler of the car. She smiled as she saw a gentleman waiting by the car and she knew this was Marcus. And he definitely kept his word on bringing the car to the stop. It was hilarious to her because it was just something she didn't think he would do. But he did. And that would make it easier for her to test drive the car.
When the bus stopped, Saphira got out of the bus and walked over to him. She smiled as she saw the man. He had a dark beard, messy brown hair and hazel eyes. He was a little overweight too, but he was cleanly dressed, and he smiled as he saw Saphira approaching him. She hoped he had not been waiting a long time as she knew he could have been waiting longer than an hour. But he didn't seem annoyed, so she hoped he had not been waiting.
"You must be Saphira," Marcus said politely as he extends his hand out to the girl. "Nice to meet you." She shook his hand with a smile. "I hope the trip from the busier part of town wasn't too bad."
She shook her head. "Nah, the bus just had a few stops between where I got on until I arrived here. It is a pleasure to meet you." She looked at the car and walked around Marcus. "So this is the car that your daughter does not want. I see it has a custom paint job."
"Yep. It came with this very same paintjob. It has been unchanged, but I have made sure to keep it in as pristine of condition as possible." Marcus placed his hand on the roof of the car as Saphira looked at it curiously. "It also has a custom brand badge on the hood and steering wheel. Some kind of face thing, or whatever. It's very unique."
"Really?" Saphira walked to the hood and she saw it. It was a strange badge alright. And the shapes is of a face, but she didn't know what kind of face it represents. "I guess someone bought this car and decided to make it up this way. I am surprised that they didn't keep it."
"Yeah, well, I got this at a second hand dealer. The guy didn't give me much of a story about it, but because of the custom stuff it was cheap to buy. I am only asking for the same amount that I paid." Marcus opened the door to pop the back of the car. "As you know, Porsche engines are in the back."
Saphira smiled as she walked around. "And the front of the car is mostly for storage." She looked as Marcus lifts the boot and widened her eyes when she saw how clean and shiny the engine look. "Wow…you have done a good job keeping it like this."
Marcus chuckled softly. "Yeah, but…this is strange to me." She looked at him with a frown. "It has always looked like this. Even when I bought it. I honestly though paying the dealer five grand was a surprise, given how great the engine was. And it has stayed this way."
"That is kind of cool…" Saphira was impressed as she knew the man had said he looked after the car, but she didn't realize it was this good. "I didn't realize just how good the engine would be."
"Yep, it will be a very reliable car for you. And plenty of room for groceries for a single person." She nodded as she stared at it before he closed the boot. "But of course, you have to decide if you like how it drives." Marcus held out the key to her with a smile. "As they say, the driver does not pick the car, the car picks the driver."
She snickered in amusement at the man. "Okay…that must be a car hobbyist thing, or something. Because that almost sounds like we are talking about a dog, not a vehicle."
The man chuckled and nodded a little. "Yeah, I guess it is a thing with the hobbyists'. I thought it was funny as well. But you should still see if you like it. I'll tell you where to go, and then you can decide yes or no before we come back here or back to my house where you can pay for this and leave with the car."
Saphira took the the key from the man and walked out to the driver side, opening the door and getting in. She was surprised at how comfortable the seat was and she adjusted it for her comfort before turning on the car. She heard the roar of the engine coming to life and she smiled as the healthy rumble of the engine was a good sign. Marcus sat in the passenger seat and Saphira looked at the strange symbol in the center of the steering wheel.
She looked at him with a smile. "At least we could say this car is one-of-a-kind." The man chuckled and nodded in agreement before she put the car into drive and began to drive away. She was careful as she made a left and drove along the stretch of road. "Wow, this thing runs very well."
"Yep, it does," Marcus said in agreement as Saphira changed the gears while she drove up the street. The car felt so smooth, and there was no jagged movements that were sometimes felt in second hand cars. "This car has been quite reliable. I still wish my daughter accepted this car honestly. It's a great vehicle, but I really don't have a use for it. It is better to go onto a new owner."
Saphira nodded in agreement as she drove the car through the suburb. She really liked how the car drove along the road. The breaks were still good, and the air conditioning was excellent when she turned it on. Despite being a car that is normally much more than what Marcus was asking for, Saphira felt as though she was driving something that was practically brand new. And she loved it. She was starting to think that this might be a good idea.
She listened to Marcus as he guides her around the suburb so she wouldn't go too far. He saw the smile on her face, and he was happy as that meant that Saphira was definitely considering on buying the car. And he really hoped that it would be the case. Saphira was just happy to drive around as she got used to it. And she was definitely enjoying the drive as it was very easy, and she felt like she could be confident behind the wheel already. She knew she would have to have a bit of time to get used to it, but this felt like it was already her car.
After about ten minutes of driving around, Saphira took a deep breath and glanced at Marcus briefly. "Alright, well, I think I should drop you off home, Marcus. I feel like that the car has chosen me." The man chuckled in amusement, while also relaxing as he was happy she had decided to buy the car. "Now which way should we go?"
Marcus directed the girl on where to go to get to his house. She made sure to pay attention so she could get to his house. She was excited now. She was definitely glad that Arthur suggested this vehicle to her. And Marcus was a nice guy, so she knew she was going to get a great car. Even if it is a Porsche, it felt like it was the car for her. She knew she was going to have to thank Arthur for the suggestion. She might see if he and his boyfriend would want to go out for dinner somewhere. She knows they love seafood, and there were plenty of places to choose from.
Marcus's house was a double-story house with a double door garage. The truck was parked out the front as Saphira pulled up at the front of the house with a smile on her face. "This was a good idea from Arthur," Saphira said as she looked at the man and grabbed her purse. "Thank you for letting come to see the car."
"You are welcome. I think this is just the right car for you, young lady," Marcus said to her in a gentle tone with a smile on his face. "I am just very happy that I was able to find someone who deserves the car. I haven't had many people come to look at it, and they weren't exactly the best kind of people."
She nodded in understanding as she grabbed out the cheque and held it to him. "Here is your payment for the car." The man took it from her and she held out her hand to shake his hand. "It was lovely to meet you, Marcus. I can promise that I will take good care of this car. I will not be trashy with it at all."
"I believe you." The man chuckled as he stepped out of the vehicle. "Take care of yourself, Saphira. Since you have the day off, maybe you should take this thing to the mall and get yourself something nice. I heard you got a boyfriend, so maybe get something to wow him in."
Saphira hummed to herself as she pondered on it for a moment and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I could do that. I didn't have any other plan after this, so I guess that is a good idea." The man smiled and closed the door. "Take care, Marcus!"
She waved at him before pulling away from the man's home to head back to the apartment. Though she did think about what Marcus had said. She was in a suburb over from where her boyfriend worked, and she knew he was currently at a construction site. She knew he would be there since it wasn't a high rise building or anything he was working on today, as far as she knew. She figured she could probably stop by the site to surprise him. That seemed like a good idea to her.
So she decided to attempt to make it over there. She knew she could end up getting lost, but as she spoke out the address of where she was heading to, it almost felt like the car knew where she was going. Saphira couldn't quite put her finger on it as she drove through the streets. It felt as though the car knew where it was going by how it was driving. It would nudge to the right, left or ahead as she was coming up to a new street. It was a bit weird, but Saphira decided that she shouldn't complain and she simply was seeing things.
There's no way for a car to have some kind of consciousness.
The only car Saphira knew of that had a consciousness is the fictional character, Herbie. She used to love those movies, and she had used to want a beetle just like that. But it seemed fate had a different car for her. At least for now. This car might be in her possession for a long time though with how well it seemed to be running, and Saphira couldn't wait for her boyfriend to see the car.
She knew he didn't have a car either, and she hoped that he would think it's cool that they could now just drive somewhere without needing a taxi or bus. It would save a bit of money at least. She would only use the bus to get to work since the parking cost way more than the bus fare. But she now had something else for convenience. She was definitely glad she agreed to come check it out.
Now I even wonder why I was unsure in the first place. Just anxiety probably.
Saphira did consider putting music on, but decided against it for now until she got more comfortable driving through the city. She was already noticing just how busy the road was, and she would have to learn a bit more patience to get through it. She was just lucky that large highways were not close by, as she wasn't sure how she would handle congestion.
Saphira eventually arrived at the worksite and she immediately spotted her boyfriend, Dylan, standing by a cement mixer that was rolling while he was writing things on a note board. She smiled as she parked the car near the worksite and got out of the car, glancing at a couple workers who had noticed her. It was enough for the men to start gesturing to her and talk to each other, which made Dylan turn around and widen his eyes in shock when he saw her.
Saphira walked up to the fence as he ran over to her. "What the hell are you doing here, Saphira?" He asked in shock with a slight smile, brushing bright brown hair from his dark brown eyes. "This is the first time you have ever done this. Shouldn't you be working?"
She nodded. "Meant to, but my boss gave the day off for something. And I have stopped by to show you what exactly I had just picked up. You are going to love it."
Dylan smile widened as he listened to her. "If it was important enough for you to come here yourself, then it must be good. I cannot leave the site right now, so I gotta stay stuck behind this fence I am afraid. Lunch is not for another hour."
Saphira was very excited when he responded to her. "Awesome! Well…it is behind me…" She gestured behind her and Dylan glanced over her shoulder curiously. "I got it for really cheap do, it drives well and still has space for groceries and shopping, so it will be a great car to get around."
"Wait, what?" Dylan frowned as he saw the car. "A Porsche? You got a Porsche?!"
She nodded. "Yeah, well, I thought it was not a good car for me either, as you know I wanted an SUV. But this thing runs like a dream, and I am very happy with it."
Dylan shook his head and Saphira realized that he seemed to be shocked and disgusted at the same time. "Why would you even get a car?! We have public transportation! That's enough!"
Saphira was surprised by his reaction to the car. "Uh, I don't see the problem. I will only use the car when I am not working, so it should be fine. It will make things easier when we go out somewhere."
"How much was it?!" Dylan demanded suddenly as he frowned at her angrily, making her even more surprised by his action. "Well? Was it a lot of money?"
"I told you it was a good price." Saphira didn't understand why he was getting worked up at the moment, he's never been this way before. "I paid five grand for the car. Nothing more, nothing less. He just wanted to get rid of it since his daughter didn't want it anymore."
Dylan tensed his grip on the fence bars and grits his teeth. "Five grand? I thought it would have been more." She smiled and shook her head. "But there wasn't anything more important that you could have paid five grand to instead of a car that you are only going to take joyrides in? I think it was a waste of money." Saphira frowned in confusion as she listened to him. "And you know I have been wanting a car. You could have bought me a car for my birthday."
Saphira was very taken aback by his complaints. "But you said you wanted to buy your own car. You told me that you didn't want me to buy it for you."
He rolled his eyes in irritation at her. "I did say that, but you still could have surprised me with a car and I would have gladly accepted it. At least I am the one who actually needs it." Wait, what? "Having a truck would make life so much easier for me."
She really didn't know what to say. He was being ridiculous, and this was something he has never done before. "Um…well, I don't think that you can judge I don't need the car, Dylan. I was given the opportunity to buy this car today, and I took it. I don't know why you are acting weird."
Dylan breathed in deeply and loudly while maintaining an angry expression on his face. "You just don't get it. But you probably earn a lot more money than I do. And because you have no family, you probably think that this just so great. Am I right?"
Saphira frowned and shook her head. "What the hell are you saying now, Dylan? Are you trying to tell me that you should have gotten a car before me?" Dylan shrugged with a half nod in response. "You know what, I came here with the intention of sharing some good news. I see that was a mistake, so remind me not to do it again." She turned with a huff as he was starting to irritate her. "We will talk when your ego has healed."
Saphira got into the car and took a deep breath of disbelief. She really didn't understand how, or why this had just happened. She didn't know if she wanted to cry or not. But she drove away to head back towards home as she felt that she needed to get home. She was going to go shopping after, but she was now no longer in the mood. She would not enjoy clothes shopping with all of this drama repeating in her mind. She just couldn't understand why he said those things.
Is this a side of Dylan I just have never seen before until now? We've been together for a short time…maybe things will get a bit better.
Dylan's response and attitude also put a real dampener on her happiness about getting the new car. She hoped to not let it get to her, but if this was a side that will come out whenever something good happens to her, Saphira wasn't sure if she will want to deal with it for too long. She's already gone through most of her life being unwanted by her family, she has no patience for others who might want to treat her the same way. Or at least, don't treat her like she would want.
She tried to not think about it for too long, however. As she drove through the city, she realized there were some things that she did need to buy. There was also some recipes she wanted to cook, and having a car will help her a lot. So despite thinking about going home, doing some grocery shopping sounded a lot better at the moment. Especially since she has the day off, so she might as well use it so she wouldn't have much to do on the weekend.
She glanced at the symbol on the steering wheel a few times as she wondered what it was a symbol of. It was a strange shape, and she does not recall seeing anything like that before. However, it was a unique detail to the car and Saphira definitely was going to memorize it. She did wonder who came up with the design, and if there was a way to track down the person who created the symbol for the original owner. She figured it might not be that easy though.
Driving into her suburb of Brooklyn, Saphira made way her to a shopping center that was close to her apartment complex. She parked the car in the lot and got out. She smiled at the car as she put her handbag over her shoulder before walking away from it. She was very happy to have the car, and she definitely was going to thank Arthur. She continued walking away, and she realized she had the strange sensation of someone watching her. She glanced around for a moment before shrugging as she hoped that it wasn't someone will ill intent.
The Porsche's radio suddenly filled with static before a voice spoke through. "Come in, Mirage." A deep voice spoke sternly. "Status report."
"Aw, man!" A younger voice responded in surprise. "And here I was having a good old time with fine wine."
"What are you talking about?" The deeper voice responded in confusion and irritation. "Mirage, what's your status?"
Mirage simply chuckled in response to him. "Relax, Optimus. I am just chilling in a supermarket parking lot right now. I am still completely undercover, and there has been no sign of decepticons or a way home. Nothing that exciting to report."
"And I hope your comment about fine wine is not a metaphor for hanging out with a human," Optimus responded to him bluntly. "You are aware of the rules, are you not?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" The younger bot was already feeling annoyed as Optimus reminded him what the rules were. "I know, Optimus. You do not need to tell me all the time. I just like watching them go about their day. They do seem to know how to have fun at times."
Optimus grumbled in irritation at Mirage's response. "I do not care how humans live their life, Mirage. We must remain hidden from them at any cost. Do you understand?"
"Like the sun blazing down on top of me right now, I understand."
"Good. I will check in on you again."
Mirage was relieved that Optimus had left him alone, and he was relieved that Saphira had left the vehicle before his leader spoke to him. That would have been very awkward, and he would be in trouble. And so would she. Mirage had been so bored the last year, so when Saphira came along and bought him from Marcus, he was happy. And Mirage thought she was a very pretty lady in his optics. But he was upset for Saphira. He had witnessed and heard the interaction between her and boyfriend. Mirage already knew she could do so much better.