Backstreet Boy

|Chapter 57: The Mystery Car|

Jason

There was a black magic just down the street from our garage, but just a little further down were additional markets and even some shops – even if they were knock-off shops full of cheap designer gear.

Still, some of it was reputable like the place where I had my Ray-Ban sunglasses from. Some people could be trusted, and others you'd have to watch your pockets in case one of them decided to come snooping.

Not too far past the black market, a boy was stood on the sidewalk with a load of newspapers. They were the town's local newspaper – whatever the name was. Politics and world news that were plastered on the pages of the local newspaper never piqued my interest so I have never picked one up. So far, I don't believe I'm missing out on much considering it's all highlighted on the TV anyway.

"The pier is opening in two days' time!" the boy cheered, staring up avidly at me.

Peering down at him, he looked like he was n the threshold of his teenage years. He had a little bit of acne dotted on his cheeks, was still in need of a growth spurt and looked quite gangly. Still, he held out the newspaper in front of him so I could read the title.

"The one in The Valley?" I asked. "They're letting people who live in The District go to it as well?"

"Yeah," he said happily. "They decided it only last night! Apparently two people on the council changed their views at the last minute and everyone agreed with them!"

My thoughts turned to Isabella's parents. They must have been the two people to amend their judgement on who should be let onto the pier. Whether it was because of Isabella's relationship with me or they thought it would be better business to permit the presence of residents of The District onto the pier, who knows. But either way, I was delighted.

"Thanks, kid," I said hastily, striding down the street and retrieving my phone from my pocket. I began the text to Isabella.

Jason: Just heard they're letting people from The District be able to go to the pier – want to go together on Friday at the opening of it?

Her reply was received within minutes.

Isabella: Of course I'll go with you!

Just past the market and shops, there was a food shop that Alex and I go to frequently to get groceries and snacks when we're working in the garage and we've either ran out of food or we just have a craving for something. Today I was the one with the craving for some crisps so I was the one out on the shopping excursion.

Getting back to the garage, I began eating my salt and vinegar crisps. Alex hadn't asked for anything so I hadn't bought him anything. He didn't even bother looking up from the bonnet of the car when I walked in. He just said, "That car needs jacking up," and pointed idly to the car in my direction. But incidentally, where he was pointing to was exceptionally far off the actual car I had to jack up.

The next few hours seemed to drag by, despite feeling a bit like I was on autopilot. The work I needed to do on this car was mundane and tedious. But still, I finished it not long later. Alex was staring at the car he had previously been working on with a frown on his face. I sat down on the chairs by the office and said, "What are you thinking?"

"I don't like this car," he said. "Have you seen how tinted these windows are? I can't even see through."

"That's the point of tinted windows, Alex," I said, rolling down my cobalt overalls to my waist and tying them there.

"No," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "Look for yourself. Tinted windows are not meant to be that tinted."

Rolling my eyes, I got up and strolled to the car Alex was gawping at curiously. The front windows were tinted, but not tinted enough to conceal everything. I could still see through them. The back windows, however, were a different matter. Alex hadn't been fabricating it. Even with your nose pressed against the glass you couldn't see a single thing inside the car.