Bikers, Chains and Bad Boys

Chapter 16

(unedited)

Bikers, Chains and Bad Boys: Chapter 16

Bang. "This is bullshit!"

Here we go, again.

"I'm so sick and tired of this shit!"

"It wouldn't be so bad if you'd calm the hell down and learn some damn patience, Paul."

Bang.

"I'm so done with this shit, man!" BANG!

This is how the day had gone since the moment I'd stepped into the shop this morning. It'd been a week since Andy let me come back to work. Watching everyone work on bikes while I sat here going over stock inventories and balancing the books was starting to wear on me. It wasn't exactly the worst job in the world, but I very much preferred to be working with bike parts than numbers.

Listening to Paul bitch and moan all morning was making it all the worse and I was about to explode. Never in my life had I heard someone complain as much as he had since I arrived this morning. Listening to him complain was more exhausting than being paranoid and looking over my shoulder every few minutes because people were trying to kill me.

BANG! "Fuc-"

"Goddammit, Paul! What are you, a child? Take a break, change your pad and come back when you're done bitching and moaning about every-fucking-thing!"

Everything went silent after my outburst. Everyone stared at me and Paul looked at me wide-eyed and jaw dropped. Seems as if no one expected me to lash out, but no one was as surprised at my outburst as I was. I wasn't normally so quick to anger and could usually contain my frustrations. I guess Paul's complaining just found its way under my skin. I was so preoccupied with the boring work Andy gave me, not that I was complaining about that, and the looming threats of death and pain following me around like a shadow, that I lost my own patience and lashed out.

I felt bad about yelling at him, but someone had to say something. He was getting on my last nerve with his whining and complaining. Did he even like working on bikes? Why did he work here if he didn't like working on them or couldn't figure out what was wrong with them?

He closed his mouth and turned, dropping the wrench he was holding on a nearby bench and walked out the open garage door. Slowly, everyone went back to what they were doing, and I turned back to the shelf I was taking inventory on, trying to ignore the heat covering my cheeks. Finally, some peace and quiet.

Or at least as quiet as a working garage could be.

Work went on as usual after that. Eventually, Paul came back and continued working, quiet like he usually was unless he was pissed off at something. I was able to get into a groove and finished my list of tasks that Andy gave me rather quickly.

I stepped into the office without looking up from the list I was double-checking. "Alright, Andy. Stock's been inventoried, books balanced, receipts organized, and next week's order has been sent–" I looked up right then, and into the eyes of Warren and Jack. I paused mid-step and blushed in embarrassment, before looking at Andy. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I didn't know—"

He waved me off. "It's fine. We were finished anyway."

I stood there; hands clasped in front of me in awkward silence.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"Oh—yes, I've confirmed seven new appointments next week for the new promotion I implemented yesterday." His brows raised as he nodded in approval.