Angel Burn (Book 1 Of Angel Trilogy)

Chapter 1| Lucy's Life

Chapter 1| Lucy's Life

Lucy's POV

"This is so embarrassing," Muttered Levy. She was leaning against the driver's side door with her arms crossed over her chest, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Do you want it fixed or not?" I demanded. My voice came out muffled, because my head was buried somewhere deep in her Corvette's engine, along with the most of my upper body. I was trying to replace her carburetor, but her engine was filthy that the nuts were practically welded in place with gasket grime—which is black and gross, in case you're wondering.

"Would you hand me that wrench? The one with the yellow handle?"

Levy grumbled to herself as she crouched down to rummage through my tools. "I can't believe you actually have a toolbox. I can't believe you brought it to school with you!" She shoved the wrench into my hand.

"Fine—should I stop? Just say the word, Levy." I'd already removed her air filter by then and disconnected the fuel line and vacuum hoses. We were in the school parking lot because I had figured it would be easier doing it here than in my garage at home, which is stuffed to the gills with old boxes and bicycles and crap that my aunt keeps meaning to throw out but hasn't gotten around to it yet. I had clearly reckoned without embarrassment factor, though. Story Of My Life.

"Lucy! Don't you dare," hissed Levy, pulling at her small blue bangs that was behind her ear. "Look, don't get all sensitive. Yes, I want it fixed; I just didn't know you were going to do it here—that's all!"

She glanced furtively over her shoulder, obviously keeping an eye out for Gajeel Redfox and his gang of swaggering Football Heroes. The school day was long over with, but football practice was still going strong. Meanwhile, the student parking lot was like an empty gray ocean around us, with only a few stray cars dotted about here and there.

"Just be thankful I didn't do it during lunch." I told her. "I do have some sense of decorum, you know. Oh, come on, you—" I gritted my teeth as I struggled to turn the wrench, putting all my weight on it. All at once the nut gave way. "HA! Success!" I spin it free, then pulled the old carburetor out and checked it against the new one. Perfect Match.

"Decorum? You?! Don't make me laugh. You're Lucy Heartfilia the Queen of Weirdness! Like, what are you wearing?" Levy says as she wrinkled her nose.

"Clothes?" I said to her stating the obvious.

"Lucy. You look . . . like . . . I don't know; I don't think there's a word for it."

"Really? Cool!" I grinned as I wipe my hands off a piece of wadding. "That means I'm unique, right?" Despite the chill in the air, I was wearing a short-sleeved 1950s brocade blouse with my favorite pair of jeans. My black velvet jacket was draped over Levy's open hood, out of my harm's way.

Levy closed her eyes and groaned, "Unique. Yes, you could say that. Oh my god, Pawtucket is not ready for you."

This was so true that it wasn't even worth debating. Instead I took a screwdriver and started to scrape clean the area where the old carburetor had been, getting rid of all the old dirt and gasket material. Beyond gross. Picture a coal pit that's fallen into an oil slick.

Levy opened her eyes and peered under the hood. "What are you doing now?" she asked warily.

"Getting rid of all your disgusting grime. What does it look like?" I showed her the wrench, which was now thick with black goo. "Want to help?"

"EW! NO!" She said in complete disgust. "Anyway, what do you have to clean it for? Can't you just shove the new one in?"

A strand of my long blonde hair fell down as I was working, and I tucked it back behind my ear without looking up. "Good idea. Then it wouldn't have a perfect seal, so it would start sucking air like a dying vacuum cleaner, and—"