Before I Ran || Perrentes

Chapter 16: Little Violence

They got to North Carolina and blew a tyre.

"Do you guys hear a weird noise?" Jaime asked from the back, and Vic huffed in amusement.

"Now isn't a great time for a psychotic break, Himes."

"Actually..." Tony trailed off, listening, straining to hear. "I do hear something. Mike, roll down your window."

The wind buffeted around the car and blotted out all sound for a moment, but once their ears had adjusted to the howl they could hear noise outside the car - and the most prominent noise was a low, steady, rapid rumble. Tony didn't understand what the noise meant - but Mike clearly did, as he sighed and sagged, braking gently, slowing the car to a halt. Once stopped, he squeezed his eyes shut, foreboding.

"Tony, be a dear and check the left front wheel? The one on my side. I can't bear to look."

Tony blinked a few times, but then unplugged the seatbelt and got out of the car to do as instructed.

As he checked the tyre, the problem suddenly became obvious. The black rubber looked as if it had been chewed up by an angry dog and spat out afterwards - something had well and truly blown it out, not just punctured it. He grimaced, backed off and got back in the car.

Mike didn't look at him as he got in. He kept his eyes on the road, his hands on the wheel, and stayed very still. "Please bring me good news," he begged softly as Tony sat down in the seat, one leg still dangling out of the car, stretching.

"Uh..." He started, unsure of how to proceed. Mike closed his eyes again.

"Is it blown?"

"It's blown," Tony confirmed, and Mike groaned and leant forwards, head resting on the wheel.

"Fantastic. Do we have a spare tyre?"

"I think so," Vic nodded. "I'll help you change it."

It took a while - it took a while to jack up the car, and then to unscrew the bolts on the tyre, which were slightly rusted and slightly too tight. Vic and Mike teamed up, clearly knowing what they were doing. Clearly clueless, Jaime and Tony sat on some rocks on the other side of the road, snacking on a pot of pistachios.

"Mike really loves the car huh?" Tony laughed. Jaime snorted.

"Yeah. He loves her like a daughter. Hates when anything bad happens to her. He'd never say but I think he sees the car as the last tie with his father. See, she looks new, but that's because Mike takes such good care of her. She's got a lot of problems under the hood, a lot of miles on her clock. She's been in the Fuentes family for a long time. Their mom took them to school in that car."

Tony watched Mike as he knelt down on one knee and jacked the car up even further. Tony watched each muscle flexing, contracting, rippling beneath his fair skin, touched by sun. Involuntarily, he sighed. There was something about him that was so entrancing.

Mike Fuentes was all rough edges. He was all sharp and defined, angular, with torn parts and frayed seams. He was all messy hair beneath his cap, and whenever he shaved in the motels he was always rushing so he had a permanent stubble on his chin. He was covered in rough edges, and yet he was smooth and soft and gentle and careful. With each passing day, Tony thought about it more. With each passing day, he was further drawn in.

"Jaime?"

"Yeah?" Jaime responded cheerfully, crossing one leg over the other and resting his chin on his hands.

"You're pan, right?"

"That's right. Attracted to kitchenware and proud of it."