Garage Girl

Chapter 4

I am awoken by the dreaded beeping of my alarm clock. Sometimes I want to rip it out of the wall and throw it across the room. I put my hair in a ponytail, fold a bandana and secure it around my head to wear as a headband. I head over to the bathroom and take a quick shower without washing my hair. No one has time for that right now. I dry off, slip on my undies and bra, pull on a very large sweater and leggings. I put on my combat boots after pulling on some black socks. I grab my bag that was right beside my bed and head downstairs hoping to get some breakfast.

I smell the sweet aroma of homemade pancakes, and it makes my stomach growl. I stop dead in my tracks when I see none other than Maddox in my kitchen. I'm pretty sure my mouth is wide open, and I'm staring at him. He smiles over at me, and I'm so shocked that it is a smile and not a smirk that I am brought back into reality.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, still staring at him.

"Well Frank called me and said that something had come up at work, so I came to get you again. I know you like to be early so I came early, Frank let me in, and I thought you may like some breakfast." He holds out a plate of buttered pancakes drowned in syrup, just the way I like them.

"Thanks. That was really nice." I don't know what he is up to, but honestly I don't care because these pancakes are freaking amazing. I quickly eat them, but try not to eat like a pig, because believe it or not I am a girl. I head back upstairs to brush my teeth, and I am still in shock.

He made me breakfast. Why would he do that? Why does he seem like he cares? Why does he keep picking me up? Is it just because of Frank or is there something else? I shake off all of these thoughts and head back downstairs to the big oaf himself.

"You ready?" He asks, pulling on a leather jacket.

"Yeah. Where are your friends?" I ask, slugging my book bag over my shoulder.

"Believe it or not, but they can function without me."

"I had no idea." I say, faking shock. He flashed his smile at me, shakes his head and walks out the front door. I follow him, locking the door behind me. He plops the helmet on my head, not giving me time to take my ponytail out and shove my hair inside. Also, my bandana slips down so that it is in front of my eyes. He laughs taking the helmet off.

"Sorry I was just trying to help." He sets the helmet on the seat of his bike as he tries to help my with my hair. I swat at his hands, telling him that I can do it. I take the ponytail out, grab the helmet and put all of my hair in the helmet while putting it on. I shove the bandana onto Maddox's head, laughing slightly. He shakes his head at me, flashing me his smile again, before he gets on the bike. I follow his lead and get on behind him. He drives us to school, except this time no one is paying attention to me. I have a feeling that Trevor and Asher have something to do with it. I let it go, not saying a word about it, because I'm enjoying the people not looking at me.

Maddox shuts his bike off, climbs off and then turns around to help me. After helping me off, he takes off the helmet for me and hands me back my bandana. I redo my hair, securing my fly always with the bandana once again. I walk with Maddox into the school, stopping only at my locker because "books are stupid" according to Maddox. We continue walking together and eventually make our way to first period.

All through the day Maddox walks me to my classes and picks me back up when they are done. I don't know what he is up to, but I think he just wants to know why I said what I said yesterday. But, I'm not ready to tell him. No one here knows about it, except for my aunt and uncle, but still.

The bell finally rings signaling the end of the school day. I walk slowly to my locker. I don't know if Maddox is going to want to work on our project or if he has work or if I'm just going home. I have to work at 4 today at the diner, so I don't have much time to do anything since it is 2:30. I open my locker and deposit the unnecessary books into it. I shove some books into my bag on the ground, and I stand up when I am done. I check my hair in the mirror that I have stuck in my locker. It still looks the same as this morning. I reach down for my bag, but it's not there, instead there are two legs clad in jeans. My eyes trace the jeans up the persons body, to their shirt and eventually to their face. I see Maddox smiling at me with my book bag on his shoulder. I shrug at him and turn around to close my locker.

"So my place?" Maddox says, as we start walking towards his bike.

"No. I need to go home I have work at 4."

"Oh." His voice seems kind of sad and there is an awkward silence between us. "Where do you work?"

"At the diner in town. You can come over, and we can work for a little bit, but it won't be for very long." I say, for some reason trying to make him happy.

"Will do." He hands me the helmet that he always makes me use, even when he doesn't use one. "You should also wear this too. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

"We who?" I ask, because of his weird wording.

"Uh, Frank and I." He says, but he seems unsure of himself.

He slips his leather jacket over my shoulders and helps me get my arms through the sleeves. He zips the jacket up, and I am suddenly aware of how close he is to me. He is standing about six inches away. He turns away, clears his throat and climbs on the bike. He revs the engine to life before waiting for me to get on.

What is up with him?