Pacific Bell High

> XI <

"Justin, you've been here since six o'clock. How about I send you home early?"

Justin slid out from under the car and looked at Kenny.

Kenny was Justin's boss as well as owner of Kenny's Auto Repair Shop. He was an older man -- fifty-two years of age. He married and had four sons. The two oldest came to the shop frequently to help out with the cars, the other two always stayed with their mother -- they only visited once in Justin's three weeks of working there.

"I don't mind staying longer." Justin told him as he tried to pull himself under the car again.

However, Kenny bent down and pulled him out by the bottom of his jeans. Justin's brown eyes collided with Kenny's lazy coffee brown ones.

"It's seven o'clock, kid. And it's a Saturday night. Go out, go home, or do whatever you kids do nowadays." Kenny stood up and held out his hand. "Plus, Ryan and Bryce are coming here soon to pick me up for something -- so I'm closing the shop early."

Justin hesitated before he sighed and reached out to grab onto Kenny's hand. He was pulled up to his feet and towered easily over him.

"You love this job too much, kid." Kenny said with a chuckle and a pat on the back.

Justin gave him a smile of his own and shrugged his shoulders. "It's the only thing I know how to do."

"It's the second. It's the second thing you know -- don't forget about football. You know about the plays that happened before I was born." Kenny told him with a knowing look. He then walked over to the gates, pulling them down with the chains that had been held down by two large bricks.

"Do you need help closing the other two?"

"I'm fine, Justin. Just go close the main gate on your way out." Kenny responded. He held up his hand as a way of farewell and Justin was on his way.

After Justin did what he was told to do, he went to his truck, got in, and put the keys in the ignition.

He honked once, just to tell Kenny he was on his way, and drove towards the house.

Along with football, fixing cars was his thing; In football, Justin can control what to do, he can make everything better, win at something.

By fixing cars, he was out of the house. Away from the problems that his parents caused. It was his escape haven.

He couldn't stay in that house, that's why he worked harder -- he wanted to have enough money to take Justianny and himself out of there. It wasn't a home anymore -- it stopped being one a long time ago.

He sighed as he parked the truck in front of the shabby building that he was forced to call 'home'. He looked around to see the rest of the buildings that looked identical to his -- it was dark, but some people were still out, lounging around and talking loudly while they puffed out smoke that came from the light brown roll-up filled with weed.

Justin took the keys out of the ignition and got out the car. As soon as he'd get in the house, he'd shower and change to get ready to pick up Justianny from the school event she went to.