The Last Of Us (DISCONTINUED)

Talking To A Truck

I'm an Autobot!"
___

I heard Tessa stomping outside my door. I went with her and we went out to the front, where our dad and Lucas was. I didn't want to make too much contact with Tessa though - she was really pissed that dad got something like this.

Unlike me.

When I got out of the house, I ran to dad and hugged him, and he hugged me back and we quickly exchanged "Hi's" before I let go and walked to the broken down truck. Tessa went up to dad with a pissed-off face.

"A truck?!" Tessa exclaimed. "Dad, please tells me that you didn't spend our money on this."

"Don't worry, he didn't." Lucas said. "He spent my money. A hundred and fifty bucks of it."

"Hey, you'll get an advance on your regular paycheck." Dad said.

"What regular paycheck?" Lucas asked.

"Which you will get back."

"When?"

"Never. We're broke." Tessa said. I tried to ignore that, since it was a painful topic, and Iooked inside the truck. Like I was too busy to notice what they were saying.

"I knew it!"

"Sweetheart, could you please not drive a wedge between employer and employee?"

"Wait, I thought we were partner-"

"Look, I came up short, 'kay? I had to buy her prom dress. You want me to deny her prom dress?"

"Might as well, you denied her prom date."

"No, I offered to take her and chaperone."

"Nobody wants to go to the dance with their dad. It's weird."

Dad looked at me for some help, and I said the first thing that popped into my mind: "Um, guys? That's not the issue."

Tessa glanced at me, then looked back at dad. "Well maybe it should be." She said.

"Hey, could you guys just get off my case?" Dad said. "You know what this engine runs for? I could break it down and strip it for parts - sweetheart, your shorts are shrinking by the second, okay? Cold water air dryer please." I looked at Tessa, who I realized, for the first time today, that her shorts were really short. Mine were like hers, but that's because it was the only thing dry at the moment. I was also wearing a black tank top (because it's really hot here) and a red and black checkered jacket wrapped around my waist.

Tessa rolled her eyes and walked away.

"I think she looks hot." Lucas said.

Dad looked at him. "What did you say?"

"Like a hot teen. . . ager."

"Oh, so it's the teenager thing that makes it better. Thank you." Dad went off to follow Tessa, and so did I.

"That didn't sound like it would've meant."

I smiled faintly at Lucas and we all went into the barn.

. . .

I helped dad position on of the machines we worked on.

"Look out for the circuit board," Dad said to Lucas as he walked around the barn. "And put those ice lenses over there."

Dad and I were examining the Robot Guard Dog when Tessa came to us.

"Dad," she said. "You can't keep spending money on junk just to turn it into different junk."