A new beginning - Sideswipe & Sunstreaker

Chapter 2 - The silver Corvette

"You're back?"

    Bobby B. passed me, barely even glancing at me. "I'd like to bargain about the Corvette." I trailed after him. Strangely enough, the Corvette was the only car left without shattered windows. I was relieved to see it was still there when I returned a few hours later. It was a hidden gem in this junk yard Bobby called a shop and a part of me had been concerned someone else shared that thought, too. "I already told you my price, darling." I exhaled through my nose. "I only have three grand to spend. Every car here is damaged; I might be the only buyer you will see for a while."

    He completely ignored me. "If you don't have the money for the four-remaining grand, turn to your father. Unless you're not his favorite." I certainly wasn't. "I will pay you these three grands now and pay the other four later." Bobby came to a stop and slowly turned. "When, exactly?" He cocked a brow and looked me over twice. "I will pay you monthly. I have a job." Bobby studied me; his eyes flashed towards something— or someone behind me.

    I turned. A beautiful male walked up to us. Rich dark brown hair, tanned skin, tall and muscular. His jaw was sharp, but his eyes were. They seemed to have at least ten hues of blue, with a ring of gold around his irises. He was jaw-droppingly beautiful. It was so beautiful that I completely forgot where I was, what I was doing there, and to whom I was talking.

    Even his clothes, black jeans, and leather jacket were honed for him. It hugged every curve of his muscles. "Is there a problem?" His voice was sensual and deep. My entire body is electrified. My heart pounded when he stepped beside me, his eyes narrowing. Bobby B. beheld him as well, looking him over more than once. Even straight men would consider changing sides... the stranger was painstakingly beautiful and graceful. He was honed into perfection. It was almost unfair.

    "And you are?"

    Bobby regained his voice. "A friend." He jerked his chin towards the car. "Didn't she mention she'd like to buy it? Bobby followed his line of sight. "It's worth seven grand; she only has three." He shrugged casually. "You're overpricing most of your cars here... not to mention that most of them are... stolen." Bobby bristled.
    "I don't know who you are—"
    "It doesn't matter who I am. It matters that she wants to buy the Corvette. I don't know from what pathetic village you crawled from, but I can destroy this entire business, including you if you ever talk to the female like that again." I didn't need to feel to know the stranger was telling the truth. "You're threatening me?" Bobby snipped.

    "What will you do? Go the police? Go ahead. I'll tell them exactly where you got all these cars from." Bobby's tongue skimmed his lower lip, and he held the stranger's gaze. It seemed to go on for a minute before finally turning to me. "Three grand." I nodded. Bobby sighed and grumbled a confirmation under his breath.  "Go get her paperwork."

    Bobby growled and turned on his heels, hobbling back to the building. I turned towards the breathtaking stranger beside me. "Thank you." His strange, remarkable eyes looked me over. "And your name is?"

"Blake." I shook his hand. "Sideswipe, but people call me Sides for short." I blinked—strange name. Sideswipe gazed at the car I was about to buy. "Why that one?" I followed his line of sight. "I like it." Sideswipe leveled me a look. That attitude...
"That's it? All this trouble because you like it?" I am not going to explain myself to him. "It's the only other car not damaged."

    "There are enough dealerships. Tell me the real reason."
    "Everything that comes next out of my mouth will sound like I belong in an asylum." The slightest hint of a smirk danced on his lips. "I have dealt with a lot of difficult people. My brother is among them, and he definitely belongs in an asylum sometimes. Try me." I brushed some strands behind my ear and stared at the silver vehicle shimmering in the late afternoon sun. "I don't have a lot of things that make me happy, but when I saw this car earlier..." I shrugged. He curiously studied me. "Are you depressed?"

           I shook my head. "You were earlier, right? With your father?" I studied his face. "You were here then, too?" He merely nodded. "You want the car?" He smirked. "No, just curious why there were... mixed feelings." He must have been close then if he heard the conversations. Strange. I hadn't seen him, and I would recognize someone like him. "He's not my father. I was fostered, and then adopted. He didn't want me, his wife did, so there's some... tension."

    He slightly angled his head. "For how long have you been living by with them?"       
  "Eight years. My parents were killed when I was six." I turned my attention back to the building Bobby B. just disappeared in. "I'm sorry for your loss." I wrapped my arms around myself. "What about you? You don't sound like you're from around." He had a slight accent, but I couldn't pinpoint his origin. "No, I'm not from around. I came here with a friend."

           "You came all the way down here for a holiday?"

    He shrugged. "Something like that." Before I could ask more questions, Bobby B. returned with some papers. He glared at Sideswipe, then gave me the papers I needed to sign. Sideswipe stayed in the background, taking in his surroundings while I finished with Bobby B. I hadn't felt this excited in so long. "Well, good luck with it," Bobby said after silence. He squealed the papers from my hands. I didn't care. He could be sour-faced all day, but I got what I wanted.    

    I didn't bother saying a formal goodbye as I returned to Sideswipe. "I have no keys to the... mystery car," Bobby B said, scratching the back of his head. "Doesn't matter." Sideswipe herded me towards the Corvette. "I think keys do matter." He shrugged and opened the door. "Ever driven in a sports car before?"

    I shook my head. He had, or at least made it sound like he had. Sideswipe opened the door for me and allowed me to slide in. His hand reached for a small compartment beneath the steering wheel. A key fell in his hand. "How did you know?" He smirked and handed it to me. "Darling, there's a lot you don't know about cars, this one in particular." I shoved the key in the intake and twisted it. The engine rumbled through life. "Don't be scared of the car. Sometimes cars tend to have a life of its own." He winked at me.

    "Good luck with it."

    Sideswipe was about to shut the door, but I stopped him. "There's a party, tonight... you'd like to come?" My heart thundered in my chest, but there was no chance I'd let this beautiful male walk away. "I am afraid I have work tonight, perhaps another time." I sucked on my bottom lip, and Sideswipe tracked the movement. A part of me wanted to give him my number, but he had rejected my offer on the party. Maybe he already had a girlfriend. Obviously, who wouldn't want him? There hadn't been many times in my life that I felt jealous, but now I was one of them.    

    "Will I see you again?" He smirked. "Of course. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one." He tapped on the roof for emphasis, shut the door, and stepped back. I hesitated for a moment before I drove off.

***

    "What the hell is this?" Ron's brow arched as I proudly stepped next to the car. "I bought it." Ron scratched the back of his head. "Now I have two pieces of junk on my lane." I ignored the statement. "How did you even manage to pay for it?" I locked the car door. "Three grand." I flashed him a smile. The Camaro had been four grand, and I got mine for three grand. "You got the Corvette for three grand? And you're sure you didn't steal it?"

    Judy bristled. "Oh, leave the girl, Ron! If you wanted the car to be cheaper, you should've bargained," she snapped. Thankful for her interference, I flashed her a smile. Ron scolded under his breath. Sam walked out of the house with Mojo on his heels. "You bought it!" I nodded and approached. "How did you get him to lower the price?" I shrugged and decided to keep Sideswipe out of the story for now. "You got something to show off tonight." I certainly had.    

    "I am going to Miles and visit the lake..." Sam hesitated, then added, "be careful tonight. You know how Trent can be." I nodded and stepped aside so he could walk up to the driver's side of his car. "I will. Don't worry."