Falling Awake

by T. A Richards Neville

  “I think I’ll just get a ride back home with you if that’s okay?” I turned back towards him. “I’m totally beat,” I confessed, still feeling the sting in my lungs.

  “Sure thing. I’ll be finished here in about an hour,” he said, and pulled his way back under the car.

  I angled my way past a second car parked inside the garage, a Volkswagen Saberio pickup, and walked into the ageing office.

  The small space was furnished with a wooden desk and leather chair. An old black TV sat on a metal rack protruding from the top right corner of the wood panelled walls, and an old faded red couch sat directly under the glass window that looked out into the garage. The large pizza box lay open on the desk, and I grabbed a piece, dropping down into the leather chair as it shifted under my weight. The pizza was still hot and cheese strung from my mouth when I took a bite. God that tasted good.

  I finished it quickly and ploughed my way through another slice. Feeling satisfied, I pulled out a celebrity magazine that I kept stashed in one of the desk drawers. I skimmed over the pages, only really taking note of the pictures, wishing I had one of the many perfect bikini-clad bodies, when out of the corner of my eye, movement from outside the office caught my attention.

  I stood up and walked over to the Saberio expecting to see a customer, but instead, someone stood leaning over the opened hood of the truck.

  “What the hell do you think you are doing?” I demanded. The intruder, clearly surprised by my voice straightened up abruptly, banging his head on the inside of the hood in the process.

  “What the-” He put his hand up to his head and turned toward me. His mouth was set in a tight, firm line, and my breath caught in my throat as I took him in. He held his hand on top of his dark blonde mussed hair that rested just above his broad shoulders. His eyes were the colours of the river; deep green flecked with light grey, and right now, bore serious holes into me. As I struggled to find my voice, my eyes raked over his long lean body, which was clad in low rise stone wash denim jeans and a grubby white t-shirt smeared with black grease.

  “Sorry…I…Didn’t know anyone else was here,” I said pathetically, my brain struggling to turn thought into words. Still looking at me angrily, he dropped his hand and turned his attention back to the truck, burying his head under the hood. I stood there stunned. I could do nothing but watch as his toned bronzed arms roughly worked the engine. This guy knew his way around a car that was for sure.

  “So, uh, who are you?” I asked, now slightly annoyed by his blatant rudeness.

  “I work here,” he said bluntly.

  “Since when?” I asked a little too loudly. My dad never mentioned hiring anyone, and I pretty much knew everything when it came to the garage.

  “Since your dad hired me.” His voice was thick with boredom.

  “How do you know it’s my dad?”

  “Lucky guess.” He shrugged, grabbing a spanner off the tool rack that hung off the wall to his right.

  “He never told me he had someone working for him.”

  “And that concerns me how?”

  I had no answer for that, but his attitude was bringing out the worst in me.

  “Well, he would normally run something like this by me.”

  “Listen-” He turned his head sideways so he had me in his peripheral vision. “I’ve got work to do. So do you mind having your little tantrum somewhere else?”

  Oh my god, I couldn’t believe this guy. He was awful. What had I ever done to him anyway?

  “Wow, what a jerk,” I muttered. “I never realised rude and obnoxious was one of the criteria my dad was looking for in a mechanic.” He was seriously getting under my skin, and in more ways than one.

  “Like I said, I’ve got work to do.” That was the end of that then.

  I turned on my heel storming over to where my dad still lay under the ford. I didn’t know what irritated me more; the fact that my dad had brought some egotistical jackass in here without even so much as a heads up, or how insanely attracted I was to him.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you hired someone?” I tapped my foot loudly on the concrete by his legs, thoroughly annoyed by this point. I was fully aware that I was taking my anger out on the wrong person, but whoever that was in there, he was impossible to talk to let alone shout at.

  He slid back out from under the car. “What?” He didn’t bother to get up.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you hired someone?”

  “Oh, right. Sorry it must have slipped my mind,” he said, as if it was no big deal, and I suppose it wouldn’t be if the hired help wasn’t so freaking gorgeous and getting right under my skin with no effort what so ever. My heart was racing and it certainly wasn’t from my run.

  “Isn’t that something I should have been made aware of?” I said childishly.

  “Like I said, I’m sorry. I forgot that’s all. What’s the big deal?” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Obviously, he didn’t understand my current flustered state. I sighed loudly; there was no point in this conversation.

  “Dad, I think I’m just going to walk home. I really feel like I need the fresh air. Plus I could use the exercise,” I lied. I never cared about exercise; it just wasn’t something that interested me. The only reason I ever went running, was because I found it oddly exhilarating to run until I eventually collapsed in exhaustion.

  “Are you sure?” he asked me, concern etched on his face. “It’s getting late and it’s practically dark out.”

  “I’ll be fine dad. This place is like zero crime, you know that.”

  “I would really rather take you home Pria. I can finish up now and leave Caleb to lock up.” He raised himself to his feet.

  Caleb. So that was his name then.

  “No, stay. I want to walk honestly. I really could use the fresh air.” The fresh air actually would be good for my current overheated state.

  “Is this because you’re mad at me?” I smiled at his perceptiveness. “No dad, I’m not mad. I just feel like walking that’s all.”

  “If you’re sure.” He looked at me sceptically. “I won’t be long though.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you at home.” I waved and made my way slowly back down the steps.

  I tried hard to think of something, anything, apart Caleb’s eyes, Caleb’s body, Caleb’s lips, but I couldn’t help but smile like an idiot. I fought even harder with myself to remove the grin from my face as I walked along Warbass Way. He obviously wasn’t interested in me, which was bothering me more than I’d care to admit, and I recalled the angry stare he laid on me. However, I argued with myself, that was probably only because I made him hit his head, and I cringed at the memory.

  Idiot I scolded myself. I didn’t know why I cared anyway. He was maddeningly rude, practically calling me spoiled. Making no effort what so ever to introduce himself to me, and if I disliked him so much, then why was I feeling so euphoric right now? I knew why. His was the most beautiful face I had ever seen, he had the most incredible body. He was amazing, it was as simple as that.

  When I strolled across the marina quite a considerable amount of time later, I spotted a group of jocks up ahead, all wearing the schools blue and white letterman jacket, lounging around outside of the coastguard’s cabin, surrounded by empty bottles. I recognised them as part of the football team and I turned quickly, heading for Spring Street giving them a wide berth, when one of them came jogging over.

  He was a senior, Nathan I think his name was. His light brown hair was pushed back off his face and he could have been considered cute with his large dark blue eyes and pretty face, if it wasn’t for the cockiness that he exuded ruining his genetic gifts.

  There was something about these guys that made me uneasy and a little bit scared, and I carried on walking just as he stopped right in front of me.

  “Hey…Pria is it?” he asked, the smell of alcohol rolling off him in waves. I crinkled my nose in disgust.

  “Yeah,” was all I said, and I carried on walking, signalling I d
idn’t want this conversation to go any further.

  “I’m Nathan.” He matched my pace now walking alongside me, but I kept my gaze trained ahead.

  “I’m kind of in a hurry,” I told him, hoping he wasn’t too drunk to get the hint. Clearly, he was too drunk.

  “I’ve seen you around school,” he went on, oblivious to my disinterest, and suddenly grabbed me by my upper arms and shoved me into a dark alleyway off Spring Street, pushing me against the cold brick wall. Shocked, I attempted to move and he pushed me back.

  "Hey,” I shouted. “What is your fucking problem?”

  He held up his hands. "Whoa there, calm down. I just wanted to talk to you that's all." I eyed him in pure disbelief and firmly planted my hands on my hips.

  "That's a funny way you’ve got of getting people to talk to you." I was angry now. He was an asshole and he was pissing me off.

  "I just wanted to tell you, I think you’re kinda cute, and I was wondering if maybe we could hang out sometime. Get to know each other better if you know what I mean." A sly grin lit up his face and he licked his lips eyeballing me like a piece of meat.

  "And why would I want to go and do a thing like that?" I asked impatiently. Laughing he said, "Well I'm the school quarterback, but you probably already knew that, and I could have my pick of girls believe me. But I fancy you right now, and you look especially smokin’ hot tonight baby." I felt like I might throw up in my mouth if he spoke one more word about me like that.

  “Listen,” I told him. “You obviously think you’re pretty special, and I would love to say I’m flattered, but I’m not interested in the slightest and I’m leaving now okay?"

  I attempted to move around him and he grabbed me by my upper arm, pushing me back with his body weight into the cold wall. He pressed his face up to mine and snarled, "I don’t know who you think you are, trying to make me look like some kinda friggin’ idiot. Do you even know who I am?” I moved my face to the side, out of the way of his disgusting beer breath, and he grabbed my chin hard between his fingers and I winced in pain.

  "I'll give you one last chance. Are we gonna hang out or what? cause’ if you knew me baby, you would know that when I see something I like, I go after it and I always get it." I yanked his hand off my face and rubbed my sore jaw.

  He backed up suddenly and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets looking around him nervously. Hot Tears pricked my eyes. Do not cry whatever you do, do not cry I willed myself. I wasn’t about to show myself as being weak.

  “Just go away and we'll forget this ever happened,” I practically begged him. “I just want you to leave me alone." He stepped forward into my space and I instinctively stepped back, banging my head against the wall. He swooped down and put his arms around my waist.

  "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" I shouted. He pulled me toward him leaving his arms around me, and bent down kissing me hard, suffocating me with his hot sticky breath, forcing his tongue deep into my mouth. I pushed back with every fibre of my being and kicked out frantically at his legs, but he just seemed to be getting stronger and more forceful. His rough hands slid over my bare stomach and brushed up over my crop top, grabbing me aggressively.

  I felt like I’d floated up out of my body and could see myself helplessly unable to do anything. No way was I going to let him attack me out in the street as if it was the most normal thing in the world to be doing. I brought my knee up and hit him hard in the groin with every ounce of strength that I had in me. He bit down on my lip hard, probably from shock, and I cried out in pain.

  "You little bitch!" he shouted, holding his crotch. "You'll pay for that." I ignored him and wiped my mouth, leaving blood on my fingertips. He grabbed me by my top and pulled me toward him half laughing, and kissed me. My blood was now smeared across his lips, and he shoved me roughly away from him onto the floor. I wasn’t sure exactly what happened next, but a blow from nowhere hit him square in the jaw with a loud crack, landing him flat on his ass next to me.

  "Pick on someone your own size next time jackass." Caleb bent down and picked me up with ease, as if I weighed nothing at all and carried me away. I glanced behind me where Nathan lay on the ground propped up on one elbow, holding his swollen jaw looking back at me with pure hatred in his eyes. I had a feeling this wasn’t over.

  Caleb carried me over to a hastily parked black Dodge Sport 4x4. It sat half on half off the sidewalk, veering off mostly toward the middle of the deserted road with the driver’s side door slung wide open. I buried my face into his strong broad chest trying to hide the tears that I couldn’t seem to stop from falling. I was both mortified and slightly terrified by what had just happened.

  He opened the passenger door and gently lowered me into the leather seat before climbing into the driver’s side and tearing away, leaving Spring Street and Nathan far behind.

  We drove in silence, the streets whizzing by in a dark blur until finally I asked, “Where are we going?”

  “I’m taking you home,” he said, without taking his eyes away from the road. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly and his mouth was set in a firm line. I wiped away the last of my tears as I started to calm down.

  “Do you even know where I live?” I asked subdued, and recoiled further into my seat, unsure of the anger that seeped from him and permeated the space between us. I wasn’t sure if he was angry at me or what had just happened, but I wouldn’t be surprised if his irritation still lay with me.

  “I said I’m taking you home didn’t I?” This time he briefly turned in my direction. He did not look happy. Yes, I was definitely the root of his anger, and I turned my face away pretending to look out the window, until we finally pulled up outside of my empty driveway.

  My house loomed two storeys tall, painted in white boasting a refurbished wrap around porch, with a single cushioned love seat facing out over the garden. Orange and red rose vines gripped the wooden bars of the porch and climbed the entire length of the right side of the house, moulding itself around my dark bedroom bay window. Ours was the only house on the street and it sat nestled in front of a small wood which normally looked picturesque, but right now, the twisted bare branches and overbearing tress looked particularly sinister.

  Regardless, I was glad my dad wasn’t home. I really couldn’t deal with him right now. He would have a hundred and one questions for me about what happened tonight, and all I wanted was to lock myself away in my bedroom. For once, I was thankful my dad gave me so much freedom and spent most of his time working.

  Caleb shut off the engine and we sat there not saying a word to each other. I sneaked a look over to where he sat, unsure of what to do next as he stared out of the window thoughtfully, and I sensed he had something he wanted to say.

  “Did that guy touch you?” he asked, continuing to stare ahead blankly. His voice held less animosity but still contained a hard edge, and I suddenly felt my temperature rise as a wave of shame rippled through me. I pulled on a loose strand of hair nervously, twisting it around my index finger as I answered him.

  “No,” I said. “I’m fine. He was drunk and will more than likely wake up in the morning regretting what’s happened.” It was partly true. He didn’t actually touch me. Well if you didn’t count the barbaric grabbing of my boobs, but Caleb didn’t need to know about that. He already looked like he was about to blow a gasket. I didn’t need to make it any worse. However, I wasn’t fine. I was shaken and trying desperately not to think about what could have happened if Caleb hadn’t showed up when he did.

  “Oh you’re fine,” he practically snorted. “How fine do you think you would have been if I never happened to show up?” He turned his full upper body towards me. The heaviness of his glare weighed down on me like a ton of bricks, making me feel like a scolded child. His intense grey-green eyes raked over my face waiting for the answer I couldn’t bear to give him.

  "You’re lip." He reached out and put his hand to my face pulling gently on my bottom lip.

  "Huh," I said, frozen und
er his touch.

  "Your lip. It's bleeding, but it doesn’t look too bad. I don’t think it will need stitches or anything." I looked down to where his hand rested on my face.

  “Right, my lip.” I brought my fingers up to where his rested and as he slowly moved them away, I felt a swollen lump which throbbed now my mind had been alerted to it. “It hurts a little actually."

  He dropped his gaze “How'd that happen anyway?" He looked away, avoiding eye contact yet again. For some reason he was finding it hard to look at me. This guy really didn’t like me.

  "He bit me." I was flooded with a fresh wave of embarrassment as I spoke the words aloud, but it earned his full attention.

  "He bit you?" He looked at me incredulously and I wanted more than anything to bury a deep hole and crawl right into it. "Yeah he did." He shook his head in bewilderment. "What do you mean he bit you?" He was practically shouting now.

  “It was an accident,” I said.

  “How was it an accident?”

  "Well, he was kissing me, not in a nice way kissing me, and I didn’t want him to. I couldn’t get him to stop, so I hit him. Then he bit me." Anger flashed across Caleb’s eyes, briefly turning them a darker shade of green.

  "He was forcing himself on you is what you’re trying to say in your nicey nice almost innocent way." That got my back up and I pursed my lips ready to lash out, but he cut me off before I got the chance.

  "Guys like him, they don’t wake up the next morning feeling guilty and remorseful. That loser back there- he's not sorry for what he was trying to do to you. You can’t blame that on being drunk. Hell I drink all the time, but I don’t attack and grope the nearest female." I sat astonished at his bitter tone. He was acting like I was preaching Nathan's defence.

  "I'm not sticking up for him. I can’t stand the guy for Christ sake, but you weren’t there. You didn’t see what happened. He was acting the tough guy and I was handling it okay?"

  Caleb huffed out an exaggerated breath. "Yeah well, I saw enough and it didn't look much to me like you were handling it," he said angrily.