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2.

TJ

The shop was dark and quiet when I walked into the office to pull my coveralls on, tied them around my waist and traded my white tank for one of my many racerback tanks . I pulled my hair back into a low loose bun and pulled my Rydel Auto shop hat back on. Turning on the Bluetooth speaker I tapped my phone a few times and soon Breaking Benjamin started blasting through the shop. It was only a little after ten and I figured I could finish the tune up and few other things I needed to do on Griffin's Mustang, we also have a Jeep Wrangler that needed an oil change and brakes done, a Ford Explorer that needed a new muffler that I figured wouldn't take too long. I threw myself into it.

I didn't know how much time had passed when I heard the door to the office snap shut as I was tightening the last bolt.

"I thought you were just doing the Mustang." Danny called over turning the my music down.

"I figured I'd get a head start on a few other things." I slid out from under the Explorer and saw he wasn't alone. Griffin and Colton were with him. Wait- "What time is it?" I asked as I got to my feet.

"It's almost seven, T. You've been here all night."

"Shit." I leaned against the beam for the car lift that held the Jeep up. I wiped my hands off on one of the multiple rags around the shop.

"This is the third time this week." Danny said heading into finish up the transaction with Griffin. "You can't keep doing this." He called over his shoulder.

"Thanks, dad." I sighed. "I know."

"You missed practice this morning." Colton added. He was leaning against the wall with his hand stuffed into his front pockets, his legs crossed in front of him.

"I didn't miss anything." I shook my head. "I didn't make the team this year."

"What?"

"Oh, Danny didn't tell you? Yeah, the guys all voted and I was thrown off the team. I was too much unwanted drama." I shook my head and turned back to the explorer. "Between you, Max, Rich, Mick and the other flunkies who thought they could touch me and get away with it, Coach agreed that it might not be such a great idea for me to be on the team." I still hadn't looked at him directly.

"Tay, I'm sorry, I didn't know." I felt him behind me now. His movements had always been quiet and stealthy. I jumped when his hands cupped my shoulders. "It's only me." He whispered. "I'll never let anyone hurt you again."

"It's TJ now." I shrugged off his hands and turned to face him. His eyes locked on to mine, they had always been my favorite part of him. They were this beautiful hazel, more blue and green than brown, always open and readable for me. He didn't move away but he also didn't move to touch me again either as I continued. "And don't make promises that you know you can't keep." I saw a flash of anger in his gorgeous eyes. It met something else, another emotion that I couldn't describe.

"Why'd you let them change you?" He reached up and gently rubbed his thumb back and forth against my cheek. I must have had a grease smug.

"They didn't." I shrugged and leaned away from him again. "You did. They would have left me alone if you hadn't said anything to them."

Colton

She slid out from between me and the Explorer, she shut the hood and turned it on. The shop doors started to open to she started to back away from me.