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I nod. “Yeah, really.”
“Awesome.” Grinning, she steers the car toward the shop.
I grin back, but my stomach kickflips. God, I really hope I can keep my shit together for this.
Chapter 2
“Maybe this was a stupid idea,” I mutter as Nina pulls into the auto body shop’s parking lot a couple of spaces away from his 1968 Chevelle.
Usually, I only see the mysterious stranger when we’re driving home from school. The first time I spotted him was a couple of months ago when I was walking home. Nina had been sick that day, and Gage had afterschool detention.
The distance from my school to home is about five miles, and I had decided to trek on foot instead of suffering through a bus ride and dealing with the mess of emotions that comes with that. I don’t mind walking, but I’d worn uncomfortable shoes that day and was cursing my decision. But then I had spotted the mystery guy and was sort of glad I had opted to walk, even if my boots were dirty, evil bastards that made my feet bleed.
As a fan of classic cars, his vehicle was what drew my attention first. But then he had climbed out of the car, and I immediately became distracted by him.
Tall and lean with short, dark hair, he wore all black, a chain dangled from his belt loop, and he had a couple of tattoos inked on his arms. Even from afar, I could tell he was good-looking, but that wasn’t what made me keep watching him.
It was the way he rounded to the back of his car, leaned against the trunk, and lowered his head into his hands, as if he was crying. I started to feel awful for him.
I might have stuck around and struck up a conversation to see if he was okay, if Grey hadn’t driven by and shouted something foul at me.
After that, I hightailed my ass home.
I thought I’d never see the stranger again, but then, the next Friday, his car was parked at the auto body shop again.
It became like clockwork after that. Every single Friday, his car is at the shop and sometimes he’s standing out by it. I don’t know who he is or why he goes there. While he looks around my age, he doesn’t go to my school, so he either graduated already, dropped out, or he lives somewhere else.
“You need to throw up before you do this?” Nina asks as she shuts off the engine. “You look pale as shit.”
“Shit’s not pale.” I grin nervously as I sit up straight in the seat and peer out the window at his car, trying to keep a grasp on my nervousness. He’s just a guy. Chill out, Sky. You’re never going to see him after this. “He’s not even out here.”
Nina reaches for her phone. “So, we wait then.”
“Doesn’t that seem sort of stalker-ish?” I flip down the visor and examine my reflection.
My long, wavy brown hair is swept messily to the side and looks like I just ran a mile in a windstorm. My kohl eyeliner is smudged, and my lips are chapped. Where my makeup is minimal, my piercings stand out; a stud above my lip and a series of earrings trim my ears. My outfit consists of a leather jacket, a plaid shirt over a black shirt, and torn jeans tucked into a pair of clunky boots. Nothing that screams, hey, look how sexy I am. Then again, dressing up has never been my style. I like grungier, edgy clothes, and usually wear dark colors.
“You look great,” Nina assures me. “You always do.”
“I look like a hot mess, but thanks for saying that.” I flip up the visor and crinkle my nose as a thought occurs to me. “What if he’s short?” My long legs put me taller than the average guy, and since I prefer a guy taller than me, it makes finding one difficult. Not that I’ve tried. “I mean, I’ve seen him from a distance, and he seems like he’s not. But, what if I get out and he’s like only up to here?” I hold my hand flat below my chin.
“Then I guess …” She trails off as her gaze drifts out the windshield. “Well, if that’s him, then I don’t think the short thing is going to be a problem.”
I track her gaze to the mysterious guy I’ve been obsessed with for the last couple of months. He’s standing beside his car with his attention fixed on his phone, and when my eyes settle on him, the sky grumbles with thunder.
Calm down. He’s just a guy.
“That’s him, right?” Nina asks, glancing at me.
I nod, my pulse accelerating. This is as close as I’ve been to him, and I realize he’s better looking than I thought. Too good looking.
Way out of my league.
Another boom of thunder that matches the quickening of my heart.
Shit, this was a really bad idea. I need to get out of here.
“I changed my mind.” I reach to refasten the seatbelt. “I can’t do this.”
