Grease Monkey
Eight
My parents were working and my car wasn't working, so I had to walk all the way to the shop. It took me a bit of time, but by the time I arrived it was time for Harry to be getting done with school and starting his shift.
During my walk, I'd rehearsed what I'd say. For some reason, I was extremely nervous. No guy had ever given me the jitters, but just the thought of seeing Harry had me all out of sorts. He was my best friend, even though he didn't know it. Why was I so worried? I just really hoped he'd come back into my life. I'd only spent one weekend without him, but it'd felt like a lifetime. Thinking about all of it made me dizzy. Even though I barely knew anything about him, I realized that I cared for him and that he'd left such an emotional imprint on me. I decided that if he'd accept my apology, I'd try to be an actual friend. I'd learn about him, and actually show that I cared.
I silenced my thoughts as I entered the garage. I looked around, but didn't see anyone. Suddenly, Bart came out of the office. "Hey there young lady! How can I help ya?" He smiled.
"Hey Bart! Is Harry around?"
"No ma'am, he won't be back for a week or so." Bart tipped his hat and returned to the office. What? A week? Why? And where?
I felt dizzy again as I turned to leave. I saw Louis on a creeper, sliding up under a truck. I usually didn't care to speak with him, but today was the exception. "Louis!" I shouted, snagging his attention. He slid back out from under the vehicle, meeting my gaze. I stepped closer to him as he sat up from the creeper. "Where's Harry?"
"Why do you care?" He shot back.
"Louis, I just do. I need to talk to him."
Louis hesitated. "I heard what happened. He cared for you, ya know?" He eyed me.
"I know that now. Where is he?"
He looked as if he was debating on whether or not to tell me where Harry was. "New York."
My heart fell to my stomach. "What? Why?"
"That's a long story, but his family's up there. If you want to know any more than that, he'll have to tell you. He doesn't like to talk about it, so good luck." Louis slid back up under the truck.
"I'm not done with you." I stated. He slid back out.
"What more can I do for you, madame?" He scoffed.
"Why do people hate me around here? Why do you hate me? What have I done?" Tears filled my eyes. I didn't know why I was asking him this, but I felt like he'd be completely honest and I was sick of everyone giving me dirty looks.
Louis' expression softened a bit. "Your dad's job. Isn't it obvious?"
"I don't know what he's doing here. I don't speak to my parents, really." I sniffed.
"Surprise, surprise." He grunted. "Your dad is heading up a plan to turn our little town into the next hustle and bustle city. He's got twelve corporations moving in. He's bought up land all over the county - family land that's been passed down for generations. He's planning on making us a little New York. And no one around here wants that." He stopped to wipe his brow. "We like things the way they are here. Your family sweeps in and tries to take all we've known from us. People around here don't like that. Plus, your parents are trying to act all kind and attempting to befriend everyone. But they're taking our home. They don't get it. No one wants your dad here. It's simple as that."
I covered my mouth in shock. "I - I didn't know. I'm sorry Louis."
"Sorry doesn't change a thing, does it?" He softened a bit. "Look, I know it's not your fault, but people associate you and your family with change. Change is scary. We don't see much of it here. It's not something we're used to."
"Am I the reason Harry left?" I almost whispered, horrified at the thought.
"A lot of things made him leave." Louis answered and slipped back under the truck.
I didn't know what to do, so I turned and left. The whole walk back to my house, I cried. Why was Harry in New York? Would he ever forgive me? How could my dad do this to such a number of people who only want their little town to stay the way it is? Why are they taking it out on me? I had so many questions. I wanted to be mad at Harry. He knew I was so set on getting to New York. He could have opened up and told me more. How did he even get there? I walked through the front door and went up to my bedroom. I buried my face into my pillow and continued to cry. What if Harry never comes back?
During my walk, I'd rehearsed what I'd say. For some reason, I was extremely nervous. No guy had ever given me the jitters, but just the thought of seeing Harry had me all out of sorts. He was my best friend, even though he didn't know it. Why was I so worried? I just really hoped he'd come back into my life. I'd only spent one weekend without him, but it'd felt like a lifetime. Thinking about all of it made me dizzy. Even though I barely knew anything about him, I realized that I cared for him and that he'd left such an emotional imprint on me. I decided that if he'd accept my apology, I'd try to be an actual friend. I'd learn about him, and actually show that I cared.
I silenced my thoughts as I entered the garage. I looked around, but didn't see anyone. Suddenly, Bart came out of the office. "Hey there young lady! How can I help ya?" He smiled.
"Hey Bart! Is Harry around?"
"No ma'am, he won't be back for a week or so." Bart tipped his hat and returned to the office. What? A week? Why? And where?
I felt dizzy again as I turned to leave. I saw Louis on a creeper, sliding up under a truck. I usually didn't care to speak with him, but today was the exception. "Louis!" I shouted, snagging his attention. He slid back out from under the vehicle, meeting my gaze. I stepped closer to him as he sat up from the creeper. "Where's Harry?"
"Why do you care?" He shot back.
"Louis, I just do. I need to talk to him."
Louis hesitated. "I heard what happened. He cared for you, ya know?" He eyed me.
"I know that now. Where is he?"
He looked as if he was debating on whether or not to tell me where Harry was. "New York."
My heart fell to my stomach. "What? Why?"
"That's a long story, but his family's up there. If you want to know any more than that, he'll have to tell you. He doesn't like to talk about it, so good luck." Louis slid back up under the truck.
"I'm not done with you." I stated. He slid back out.
"What more can I do for you, madame?" He scoffed.
"Why do people hate me around here? Why do you hate me? What have I done?" Tears filled my eyes. I didn't know why I was asking him this, but I felt like he'd be completely honest and I was sick of everyone giving me dirty looks.
Louis' expression softened a bit. "Your dad's job. Isn't it obvious?"
"I don't know what he's doing here. I don't speak to my parents, really." I sniffed.
"Surprise, surprise." He grunted. "Your dad is heading up a plan to turn our little town into the next hustle and bustle city. He's got twelve corporations moving in. He's bought up land all over the county - family land that's been passed down for generations. He's planning on making us a little New York. And no one around here wants that." He stopped to wipe his brow. "We like things the way they are here. Your family sweeps in and tries to take all we've known from us. People around here don't like that. Plus, your parents are trying to act all kind and attempting to befriend everyone. But they're taking our home. They don't get it. No one wants your dad here. It's simple as that."
I covered my mouth in shock. "I - I didn't know. I'm sorry Louis."
"Sorry doesn't change a thing, does it?" He softened a bit. "Look, I know it's not your fault, but people associate you and your family with change. Change is scary. We don't see much of it here. It's not something we're used to."
"Am I the reason Harry left?" I almost whispered, horrified at the thought.
"A lot of things made him leave." Louis answered and slipped back under the truck.
I didn't know what to do, so I turned and left. The whole walk back to my house, I cried. Why was Harry in New York? Would he ever forgive me? How could my dad do this to such a number of people who only want their little town to stay the way it is? Why are they taking it out on me? I had so many questions. I wanted to be mad at Harry. He knew I was so set on getting to New York. He could have opened up and told me more. How did he even get there? I walked through the front door and went up to my bedroom. I buried my face into my pillow and continued to cry. What if Harry never comes back?
Lol a YEAR
6/20/15