Terrible Fates (BEN Drowned story)

Chapter 19

And soon enough another week passes and it's my third week without seeing Ben. Things remain the same: I still drive to school, Mom works at the jewelry store in the local mall, Hunter goes to school and does his work too, the world still spins and the sky is still blue, which I realize isn't actually true. Because the sky turns to shades of gray and black and purple and orange and it's never staying at a stable color. So things aren't always the same, but they're normal enough to live. That's all that really matters at the end of the day.

...

Wednesday comes up and I go to Artem's shop. When I walk in, I find Artem with his back turned to me, talking to another person. I would check to see who it is, but from experience I know not to bother Artem when he's with a customer. Casually, I saunter towards the office to grab my uniform, and then a voice chimes, "Oh, hi Reese!"

It isn't Artem, because the ruski doesn't say hello and he definitely doesn't have a feminine voice.

I turn around and the woman named Angel that came by last week was looking back at me. She waved at me with a relaxed hand and I waved back.

"It's good to see you came back after all," I remarked as I came to stand next to Artem.

"You make it seem like I wasn't interested in the first place," she replied, smirking.

"Well, I wasn't sure how appealing working at an auto shop would be to someone else," I said truthfully. Artem flashed me a look and I pretended not to notice.

"So are you going to work here?" I asked her.

She smiled. "Ask your boss, not me."

The Russian man cleared his throat as I turned to look at him and he said, "Angel came by yesterday with her application and I looked over it. I do plan to give her a position, but I'd like to allow her the chance at settling herself in Wriamont first before she officially works."

"Sounds agreeable," I commented.

"Yes. I also invited her today so that she could observe us and see how the shop runs," he added.

"Cool."

He tapped my chest with his knuckles. "I expect you to be on your best behavior, soplyak."

Raising my hands, I replied, "Of course, sir. Anything for you, sir."

"Get changed," he grumbled, while Angel chuckled to herself.

Minutes later, I was clad in my mechanic uniform, working on another oil change. Angel stood to the side, watching me silently. I glanced at her, taking in her short, slim figure and her dark clothes. As I worked on loosening the oil plug, I spoke up, "I usually get uncomfortable when people watch me."

Out of the corner of my eye, she tensed up and took a step back. "Sorry. Should I...?"

"Just talk to me," I said. "That takes the tension away."

"Okay...," she mumbled and paused to think. She began, "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," I answered.

"Really? You seemed older."

"It's the scars," I retorted nonchalantly. "And you?"

"Nineteen."

"Really? You seemed older," I remarked, repeating what she said.

She smiled, knowing what I did, and responded, "It's the eyepatch. And the scars."

"How'd you get yours?"