Mess of Fading Lines

"Ugh, really guys?" I scrunched my nose disgusted by the sight of my best friend and her boyfriend essentially sticking their tongues down each other's throats in the middle of our living room. I rolled my eyes shuddering a little bit as my best friend Lucy continued to suck face while flicking me off. "Be safe!" I called out walking into the kitchen and grabbing a diet coke out of the fridge before walking out into the garage of our small house.

The heat just seemed to be magnified in the stuffy boxed in garage, I hopped in my little blue sedan and turned the keys in the ignition setting my coke in the cup holder and my purse in the passenger seat, about to die from the heat. "Come on, baby," I urged listening to it purr, continually returning the key until the spark plug finally caught and the engine was on. I sighed in relief and thanked my car for making it through one more day in this town.

I pulled my denim shorts down as much as I could to avoid my legs sweating on the seat under me, I turned up the radio after recognizing Tom Petty on the radio and sang along. Driving mindlessly before I remembered I actually had a destination in mind. I took a sip from my coke and turned out of the subdivision and into a more busy street, singing along to the Waiting.

Brrrg. What the fuck was that, I thought before looking down through the cutout section of the steering wheel and panicking almost immediately seeing the needle in the red section. I didn't know what was happening but I knew enough to know that red was never good when it came to cars. I noticed smoke coming from under the hood and I tried to dismiss it as the Arizona heat, but I knew better.

"Oh no, baby, please don't do this," I whined stroking the steering wheel as if it would help at all. Knowing my car was over heating I pressed the emergency button causing both my turn signal lights to blink and pulled over turning off my car and feeling the full force of the summer all around me. I dug around my bag frantically looking for my cell phone and tried to call Lucy, after continuous ringing her voice mail finally came up and I sighed trying three more times before giving up. I had moved in with Lucy after she moved down here from Connecticut her junior year of high school and I came down right after I graduated so we could start ASU as freshman together, but that was two years ago. Now Lucy was busy fucking her boyfriend and I was going to die in 112 degree weather melted to the concrete. Fucking fantastic.

I could already feel the beads of sweat forming on the bridge of my nose and my forehead. I started digging again and found a hair tie, throwing my long black hair into a messy bun and tapping my fingers for my next move. I grabbed a water bottle remembering the lesson from driver's ed four years ago and popped my hood splashing water everywhere, which of course only led for more steam to come out.

"Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck fuck," I sang to myself looking through my phone wondering who else I could possibly call until I saw a car pull up behind mine, an old Ford pickup that looked relatively well maintained and I hoped he knew what he was doing, or at least wouldn't kill me and leave me in a ditch somewhere. He got out and I saw how tall he was, skinny, but cute. I pushed my reflective silver aviators further up on my face and grinned.

"You look like you could use a little help," He said doing the same with black ray-bans. I scoffed, he was wearing some blue skinny jeans, emphasis on the skinny and a tank top that read something about sex, drugs and rock and roll. Of course, I mentally noted- heavy on the sarcasm.

"Just a little," I smiled with sarcasm heavy in my voice, I pulled down my dark peach tank top that was a little bit more than revealing, paired with a lace camisole which looked more like underwear. For lack of better terms, I looked pretty skanky, but I was just going to, well fuck. What was I going to do? I couldn't remember for the life of me, but rest assured, it was somewhere where this attire would've been deemed appropriate. I played with my silver infinity necklace, resting on my protruding collar bones.

"Aw, overheating? I hate when that happens," the boy said. I figured that much out, with the whole steaming thing, but I took his word for it. He shoved his pockets deep in his tight pockets before I realized he was staring at me. "I'm John, by the way," He said removing his right hand and extending it towards me.

"Holden," I smiled taking his hand and shaking it back, he looked taken back. Everyone always is, confused why I have a boys name, particularly such an unusual boys' name. Assumptions usually are my parents liked Catcher in the Rye, this is false and the only reason I mention it is because I spent half my sophomore year getting called Rye-Rye, world's most annoying nickname.

"Really? I swear I'm not a fucking creeper, you can give me your real name," John said, smiling bigger with his teeth showing. I laughed and shook my head placing my hands instinctively on my hips, letting my shoulders relaxed. Something about his persona made me calmer, maybe it was the laid-back way he had his dirty blond hair strewn around messily or the way he was burned like he had spent half his life outdoors.

"Good to know, but that is my real name. I could make one up if apparently girls have been giving you fake names?" I asked raising an eyebrow in sarcasm. John let out a warm, raspy laugh and I felt my heart skip a beat at the familiarity of that laugh, even though I was fairly certain I had never met this boy in my life.

"Nah, Holden's pretty, I like it," He stated plainly. I thanked him quietly before investigating my car a little more then retrieving something from his trunk and pouring things in. I didn't know what exactly this stranger was doing, but for some odd reason I trusted him. Maybe out of hope I could get out of the head, sweat beads sliding down my spine, sending an odd reaction of shivers throughout my body. "Alright try it now," he said. I nodded making my way back into the car and turning the keys hoping that it would even start at all.

With a change of luck it started on the first try and a smile crept on my lips. I got out of the car and threw my arms around him, forgetting momentarily how awkward it is and how in general strangers don't appreciate being hugged. John just patted my back lightly and I blushed withdrawing back into my cool elusiveness.

"Thank you so much, you are literally a live saver!" I said running my fingers through my long bangs, as a result they stayed back loosely. I couldn't hide my smile, standing awkwardly my car still on and my hood still up. John took down my hood for me and patted it.

"Anytime, you should carry around coolant, especially in old cars in Arizona weather. Its like shit waiting to happen," he said confidently, a crooked smile on his lips making him look just cocky enough. There was something undeniably appealing about him.

"Well if there's anything I can do to repay you let me know," I said, smiling but not expecting him to respond in any other way besides the usual small talk and goodbye. Then we would drive off and never see each other again.

"Actually, there is something you can do," He said a cocky grin on his face, the sun caught behind his sunglass, letting me vaguely see his eyes. Enough to see a mischievous glint in them that alarmed and thrilled me at the same time. I extinguished my smile into a suggestive smirk.

"What would that be?" I asked, raising my eyebrows waiting for whatever was going to come out of his mouth. Probably asking for lunch or my number, I had gone through this whole schtick before because my car is old as fuck and has more miles on it than an transcontinental railroad.

"A blowjob?" He asked, with a dead seriousness. With one swift move my hand met with his face in a harsh slap and I kept my lips pursed shut as I climbed into my car and drove back into traffic swearing to myself and driving straight back home. I heard my phone vibrating loudly and still pissed off I answered it without looking who it was. "Hello?" I sighed letting my annoyance be conveyed through my voice.

"Holden?" I heard Lucy's voice and I sighed turning back into my subdivision and slightly less fuming when I heard a dash of sadness in her voice.

"What's wrong?" We both asked at the same time, we both laughed at loud. Our emotional and mental connection never ceased to amaze me, even though we got in fights we almost had a sixth sense of sorts, always able to tell when the other is bothered. I pulled into the driveway and grabbed my purse and coke, not even bothering to park in the garage. As I pulled my keys from the ignition and got out the car in one smooth movement, I saw Lucy standing in the doorway, her long blond hair tangled and managed into loose bun atop her head. She grinned at me her bright blue eyes looking excited as she lifted her left hand and revealed a bright diamond ring.

"No fucking way," I said dropping my coke on the sidewalk, she nodded a grin plastered on her face. We ran into each others arms and screamed excitedly jumping up and down, not concerned with what the neighbors might think. "Ohmigod! You're getting married!" I said, my voice going up at least two octaves with excitement.

"I know, come on, Garrett wants us to go to a barbeque tonight with his friends and announce the engagement, you have to help me get ready!" She said pulling my hand and basically yanking me back into the house. Which I was grateful, the air conditioning immediately cooling my sweat coated body. The furthest thing from my mind was John, the perverted good samaritan. I busily helped Lucy make cookies to win over Garrett's friends and helped her pick her outfit. I was enticed by the promise that Garrett had cute friends, and there was one she was dying to introduce to me, and I needed a boy to distract me more than I would care to admit.