People are talking around me, but I don’t pay any attention. I quickly open the fridge and search for a water bottle, but unfortunately, they have none. Ignoring the voices around me, I open a cupboard.
Once I find a cup, I quickly fill it up with water and start chugging it. I drink three cups of water before I stop and look around. Whiskey, Bear, and Gears are all staring at me.
I try to walk past them toward the garage before they can say anything, but that doesn’t work. Gears sticks his hands out, touching my shoulders, and I jerk back. I don’t want anyone touching me right now. He should know that I don’t like people touching me. That I flinch anytime a guy comes toward me.
They all back off when I move away. It is like I am on autopilot, just walking toward the garage, not really thinking orseeing anything. I rest my hands on the car. My mind is blank as I stare at the engine for who knows how long.
Once I snap out of my trance, I work on finishing replacing the spark plugs. It must have taken me a while to finish because Gears appears.
“It’s time for lunch. I brought your food here,” Gears says, placing my food next to me.
Gears walks out of the garage, and I look at the plate, which is full of chicken and rice. I take my food and walk around to the other side of the car, where no one can see me.
Sitting with my back against a car, I take off my gloves and loosen my scarf. I slowly start to eat, trying to relax a bit. Today has not been a great day at all. I can’t seem to concentrate on anything, and I haven’t been feeling good.
Once I finish my food, I place the container on the ground and lean my head against the car. I close my eyes, falling asleep soon after.
4
BROOKE
Yelling wakes me, and I slowly open my eyes, adjusting to the lights.
“Here she is! You can stop searching!” someone shouts.
I tilt my head to the side and open my eyes wider. Bear is next to me, staring. His eyes move to my neck and then to my hands. I wiggle my fingers and realize I don’t have my gloves or scarf on.
I scramble and turn my back to him, adjusting my scarf while searching for my gloves, but I can’t find them. Panic starts to settle in as I frantically search around me. From the corner of my eye, I see Bear bend down and pick up my gloves.
When he moves his hands toward me, I slightly flinch back. I quickly grab them from his outstretched hand and put them on. Bear takes a step back, and I see another pair of feet.
Gears is standing right behind Bear with his arms crossed. I watch them both stare at me, and I start to feel uncomfortable.
“You scared us for a second. We couldn’t find you,” Gears tells me sternly.
I hang my head, not knowing what to do. I just want to be left alone. Gears takes a step toward me. Without thinking, I take a step back.
“I-we’ll leave you alone right now,” Gears stammers out.
I don’t look up, but I hear their footsteps leave. When I’m met with silence, I look up and notice I am the only one in the garage. I relax a bit and make my way toward the car I am working on.
I just want to forget everything that has happened over the past couple of hours. Eventually, I will need to deal with it, but I don’t want to right now. Today already started off rough, and I had a feeling it would get worse.
I spend the rest of the day minding my own business, and the bikers don’t bother me either. I think they got the message that I didn’t want to talk to them today. It was nice to have a day with no one trying to speak to me. The only people who really chat to me in the bar are Gears, President, Whiskey, Bear, and Ink.
I put away my tools and wash my hands. Looking around, I see Gears under a car. I quietly slip past him and toward the bar.
I make a detour to Pres’s office and knock on the door. I want to ask if I can leave earlier tonight to get some much-needed sleep. I am absolutely exhausted and don’t know if I can make it through the whole day.
“Come in,” Pres calls through the door.
I open the door and make eye contact with Pres. Something moves in the corner of my eye, and I snap my head over to my left. Bear is sitting in one of the seats, staring at me.
“What did you need?” Pres asks.
I signal for a piece of paper and a pen, and he gives it to me.
Can I leave an hour or two early tonight?I write and hand it back to him.
