Redamancy

Chapter 3- Opia

It sort of felt like I was escaping, but at the same time I feared I wouldn't be able to leave everything behind.

I thought for a while in the car, my destination unknown, on whether to change my name or not. I decided against it, there was no upset relating to my name, and I'd always be Maggie- whether I liked it or not.

Welcome to charming, our name says it all.

I read the sign as I passed it, maybe this was far enough away from it all. Maybe I would meet some new people that had no idea about my life, finally I wouldn't be surrounded by pitiful smiles.

I heard a rather irritating sound, coming from my car, but ignored it- I knew nothing about the stupid thing so I came to the conclusion, ignorance is bliss.

I had gotten maybe less than a mile down the road when one of my wheels stopped completely. Not now, this was the worst thing to happen in a town where I new no one.

I pulled into the little lay-by at the side of the road and got out of my car. I sat on the bonnet unsure of my next move, I didn't even know if there was a repair shop in charming- never mind their phone number.

I sat contemplating my predicament for at least twenty minutes before I heard the rumble of another two vehicles. Thank god.

One of the motorcycles had spotted me and made a signal to the other to pull into the lay-by alongside my car. Great, big scary bikers, just what I needed.

"Hey, you need some help here doll?" One said as he got off his bike- he had curly, black hair and made his way over to me.

"Yeah, I'm new to town so I've no idea where anything is," I said, "plus cars are not my area of expertise."

The man laughed for a second then removed his sunglasses, "don't worry doll, you're in luck, me and hap here work at the repair shop in town." He nodded to the other man, who had now taken his place beside his friend.

"Happy." He stuck out his hand at me, this guy was terrifying. He absolutely towered over me and his eyes were almost black in colour. His unerving stare made me feel vulnerable, but I didn't dislike it.

My eyes widened at his gruff voice, but took his hand in mine anyway, " nice to meet you happy."

"Calm down hap, sorry he can get a bit excited sometimes." The man said, clearly making fun of happy's emotionless face, "I'm Tig doll, what's your name?"

"Oh uh yeah of course," how had I not introduced myself yet? "Maggie, Maggie Wilson."

"Well, Maggie, I'll call TM, see if I can get the flatbed out for ya." Tig said, pulling out his phone and walking back to his bike.

Meanwhile, happy was scouting out my car, looking for the problem.
"Pop the hood." He ordered staring right at me.

"Yeah, okay." I may not know alot about cars, but I could do that at least.

He looked around for a while but found nothing that piqued his interest.

"Hey uh, I'm not sure if this would help but I heard a noise for a bit then one of my wheels just stopped." I tried to help, he seemed annoyed that he couldn't find the problem.

He turned to look at me then, "what kind of noise?"

"It was like squealing I guess, not sure." Well explained genius.

"Could be a worn wheel bearing, I'll have a look." He nodded at me and began to check straight away.

Tig then came back after his phone call with TM, "so, the flatbed is on its way, any luck finding out what's wrong?"

"Happy said it was a worn wheel bearing," I told him, "it was making a weird noise then my wheel just stopped."

"Jesus doll, it's a good job you stopped when you did, that shits dangerous."

Happy then stood back next to Tig and told him it was the front left bearing, he also said it was an easy fix- luckily for me.

The flatbed arrived after a short amount of time, now I was tired. Tig introduced me to juice, the one driving the truck, he told me to get in and he'd take me and my car to the shop to be fixed.

On our way there me and juice engaged in small talk, "so, what brings you to charming?"

"Wanted a fresh start, you know?"

Juiced nodded, "I get that, where are you staying?"

"Not sure yet, I just got into town when my car decided to be a dick."

"Well, back at the shop," he said "we've got some spare dorms."

"Yeah I noticed the kuttes, sons of anarchy MC right?"

"Yeah, being a club," juice began, "we've got a clubhouse so some of the guys crash there a-lot of the time."

"I guess one night wouldn't hurt, just until I find a place." I nodded, looking out of the window. It was approaching night now, around 6 o'clock so my car wouldn't be fixed until the next day anyway.

The truck eventually pulled into the lot and parked up. Just as I was about to open the truck door, someone opened it for me. As I stepped out happy was there, his hand still wrapped around the handle of the door.

"Thank you," I said with a slight smile, which he briefly returned.

Tig led me over to the clubhouse and through its door, he told me to wait at the bar and he'd be there in just a minute.

I took a seat and asked the man behind the bar for a drink.

"Sure what can I get you?" He was youngish, and had blond hair.

"You got any whiskey?" I was never really a beer drinker, it wasn't my thing at all.

"Yeah, highland park okay?" He asked.

I nodded, it hurt a little hearing the name of the whiskey, it was the same brand Marco would drink. He gave me my first glass of whiskey at our grandfathers wake, I was only fifteen but he said whiskey wasn't about getting wasted- you drunk it for the taste.

I sat sipping from the glass when someone sat next to me.

"Hey darlin, I'm Jax," he was quite the looker, abit too sure of himself for me though, "juice said your stayin here tonight, that right?"

"Yep, if thats okay," I replied.

"Course it is darlin, stay as long as you need."

I thanked Jax and asked him which dorm was free for me to stay in, he took me to one so I could dump my things.

As he hung in the doorway he said, "oh, by the way it's Friday."

"Yeah?" I was confused at why he was telling me what day it was.

"Here, Fridays are party days. So come out and get drunk darlin, you look like you need it." And with that he walked back down the hall into the main part of the clubhouse.

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A/n: yo! Maggie has finally met happy and some of the guys, how will the party go?? Who knows? Also, Opia- the ambiguous intensity from looking someone in the eye making you feel vulnerable.

-😻