Status: active af
Fallacies of Fidelity
The Shop
Julia's POV
“Wait. This is Julia? Like Julia Julia?” Alec looked like he had walked into a different dimension.
“Yeah, this is Julia.” Rex was staring at me like he thought I'd disappear. Something that sounded like a grand idea.
“Oh, so I'm Julia Julia now. Well, that's a step up from Barbie or stupid little girl. You really do have a thing for nicknames.”
“So you two...” Alec was looking between us.
“Yes, we dated. Why is that so hard to grasp?” I asked.
“It's just... well I just can't picture you coming to this side of town, let alone date a mechanic.”
“I guess you don't know me at all then.” I gritted my teeth. Rex's idiotic grin was reaching Cheshire Cat proportions. He really had grown into himself. He grew a few inches but he'd always been a giant. When we were younger, Rex's hair was always buzzed close to his scalp. Now, his mane had grown out and he had it in a ponytail. His large hands went to his hips as he eyed me.
“I still got her.” Rex said.
“Got who?” Poor Alec was so out of the loop.
“Really? After all this time? You kept her?” I asked, taking a step forward.
Rex scratched the back of his neck, “Well you did ask me to take care of her and make sure she was in good shape. You know I don't back down on my promises.”
“No, you don't.” I agreed.
“Can't say the same for you.”
“Ah shut your damn mouth, let me see my baby.”
“Baby?!” Alec nearly choked when he yelled.
With a smirk, Rex nodded to the shop. I followed him with Alec practically breathing down my neck. “Baby? Rex? A baby Rex? Or is it a baby Julia? Oh God, I'm going to be sick. He's my boss Julia. He raised me more than my father did, for Christ's sake.” I turned around and gripped his jaw so he was looking at me. Then I gave him all the answers the the questions his eyes were asking me.
“Yes, Rex is my ex-boyfriend. Yes, we dated a long time. It was also an awfully long time ago. We're friends. We--”
“He's like three years older than you! You dated a 19 year old when you were 16?” Alec exclaimed.
“No, silly. I dated a 20 year old when I was 16. Don't you know how old he is?” I scoffed. Alec didn't look impressed. “I'm not making things better, am I?” I asked. He shook his head. “Sorry, look it was a long time ago. I used to have a thing for older guys.”
“Isn't an age gap that big illegal?” he asked.
“Only if you're having sex.” I answered simply. The mention of the word made my eyes flicker to his lips. His jaw felt heavy and warm in my hands.
“So you guys didn't...?”
“Not when he was 20, hell no.” The words slipped out. His eyes got wide.“Goddammit!” I yelled as I released him.
“I'm never going to get that image out of my head. Oh God.” Alec put his hands on his knees and let his head fall down.
“My mouth is running like a V8 engine. I swear, I normally have a STP cleaner for my mouth. It's just that you make me...” I stopped and turned around, balling my hands into fists.
“I make you what, Jules?” He felt closer now. I probably looked like I had a stick up my ass when I walked away. My feet carried me until I went through the entire shop, then out to the back door. The property behind the shop extended out enough to hide a few cars before Rex's house hid them from the other side of the street. The thick fence was a good cover. There were three cars lined up.
“These walls are pretty thin, Winter's.” I spun and saw Rex leaning against the wall to the shop. He shut the door I left open.
“I don't go by that anymore. You know that, Rex.”
“You look like Winter's. You used to call me Rexy.”
“I used to be 16.” I answered. We stared at each other for a solid minute before the corners of his lips started to turn up. I couldn't fight it either, I started to smile too. Before we knew it, we were laughing. He came over to me and gave me a bear hug, or well a Rex hug. My feet flew from the ground. “Rex!” I laughed.
“Ah I missed you, Julia.” He sighed when he put me down.
“I know you did, that's why you kept stalking me. Right?” I asked. I watched as his eyes turned into wide saucers.
“I don't know what you're talking about, babe.”
“Fuck off. South Africa. 2012. You're a hard person to miss... honey.” I added.
“The street-racing was good...?” He tried.
“Damn right it was.” I nodded.
He looked back at the door, then back at me. “So Alec?” he asked.
I gave a small smile at the mention of his name. “Yeah, I think.”
“I met him about six years ago. He showed a natural talent, so I helped teach him.”
“That sounds familiar.” I muttered.
He chuckled. “He's been working for me since. Alec's a good kid... at heart.” he walked past me to the lined up cars with tarp over them.
“At heart? What are you talking about, Rex?” I followed.
“Hey Butterfingers! Get your ass out here!” he called. I gripped his shoulder as I tried to read his eyes. He immediately averted them. Damn him for knowing me so well. “Your tricks are still the same, Julia.” I groaned, pouting like some toddler.
“Alive and present.” I turned around to see Alec glaring at where my hand was on Rex's shoulder. My hand dropped. “Barely.”
“Well, are you here for her?” Alec was staring at me when he nodded. “You are one brooding motherfucker, Butterfingers.” Rex said.
“Butterfingers?” I asked.
“First day I came to the shop, I dropped a wrench on his foot.” I inhaled sharply. I'd done that more then once. No fun for bare feet. “Now I wish I'd dropped two on him.” My eyes and Rex's rolled in unison.
“Well, here's Carvey.” Rex pulled off the tarp of the far left car.
“Is that a Lotus Exige?” The words flew out of my mouth before I could even process what I was thinking. “Wait Dana and Carvey? You named your cars after Dana Carvey?”
“He's a great comedian, so sue me. And yes, that is my Lotus Exige.”
“Dear God, I wanted this car for so long.” I murmured. I touched the hood and looked back at Alec. “May I?” He got this soft look in his eyes before he shifted his feet and nodded. I lifted the hood and whistled. “Looks good. You must work on her a lot, yeah?” I didn't wait for an answer. My fingers hovered over the engine. “You kept the i4 supercharger? I would've kept it too.” I said, not waiting for a reply. I leaned over. “You could change this oil filter though.” I heard a smack and I turned around to see Alec rubbing the back of his head.
“Ow.”
“Did you tell him he should have changed the filter?” I asked, figuring that was what the fuss about.
“Uh yeah.” Alec nodded with bright red cheeks. I lifted an eyebrow to Rex. He gave me a blank stare then looked to Alec before he tilted his head to the sky like he was saying a prayer. Rex walked to far right car and knocked on the tarp.
“Would you like to do the honors?”
“Am I finally going to see these two mystery cars?” Alec asked. I made my way to the car and slowly took off the tarp.
“Hi baby.” I cooed.
“Holy shit.”
“Don't fucking cuss in front of my baby when she's uncovered.” I snapped. I could hear Rex snickering.
“How in the...” Alec trailed off when I was throwing daggers with my eyes. “How did you get her?”
“Long story. Short story is she is a masterpiece.”
“Okay seriously though. You own a 1970 Chevy Camaro?” I lifted the hood and sighed. “Um what?”
“Oh you upgraded her, Rex! I touched the engine. Supercharged 3.0-liter V6. She looks beautiful. You really do keep your promises. Although I was thinking about going for the ls2 turbocharger, I think I like the look of this supercharger instead” I grinned at Rex who grinned back. I turned and saw Alec's mouth hanging open. I closed the hood. “I want to take her out.”
“How do you just take a gorgeous girl like that 'out'?” Alec asked.
I cast a wary look at Rex. He didn't seemed worried. “How do you take out Carvey?” I asked instead.
His gaze sharpened as he looked at me. “Well, it's apart of my secret so...”
“Oh just tell me, you can show me later too.”
“Well,” he looked at Rex who looked like he wanted some popcorn and a comfy chair. “I actually partake in well... it's well complicated. That's why I wanted to show you.”
“Well, just tell me.”
“Street-racing.” I threw my head back and laughed loud and hard. “Wha-what's so funny?” Alec looked between Rex and I, which just made me laugh harder.
“Oh buddy.” Rex patted Alec's shoulder before heading into the shop.
“Jules will you quit it and tell me what's so da--” he looked back at my baby which almost made me piss my pants, “funny.” he finished.
“Street-racing is my girl's favorite hobby.” I barely wheezed out.
“Wait. This is Julia? Like Julia Julia?” Alec looked like he had walked into a different dimension.
“Yeah, this is Julia.” Rex was staring at me like he thought I'd disappear. Something that sounded like a grand idea.
“Oh, so I'm Julia Julia now. Well, that's a step up from Barbie or stupid little girl. You really do have a thing for nicknames.”
“So you two...” Alec was looking between us.
“Yes, we dated. Why is that so hard to grasp?” I asked.
“It's just... well I just can't picture you coming to this side of town, let alone date a mechanic.”
“I guess you don't know me at all then.” I gritted my teeth. Rex's idiotic grin was reaching Cheshire Cat proportions. He really had grown into himself. He grew a few inches but he'd always been a giant. When we were younger, Rex's hair was always buzzed close to his scalp. Now, his mane had grown out and he had it in a ponytail. His large hands went to his hips as he eyed me.
“I still got her.” Rex said.
“Got who?” Poor Alec was so out of the loop.
“Really? After all this time? You kept her?” I asked, taking a step forward.
Rex scratched the back of his neck, “Well you did ask me to take care of her and make sure she was in good shape. You know I don't back down on my promises.”
“No, you don't.” I agreed.
“Can't say the same for you.”
“Ah shut your damn mouth, let me see my baby.”
“Baby?!” Alec nearly choked when he yelled.
With a smirk, Rex nodded to the shop. I followed him with Alec practically breathing down my neck. “Baby? Rex? A baby Rex? Or is it a baby Julia? Oh God, I'm going to be sick. He's my boss Julia. He raised me more than my father did, for Christ's sake.” I turned around and gripped his jaw so he was looking at me. Then I gave him all the answers the the questions his eyes were asking me.
“Yes, Rex is my ex-boyfriend. Yes, we dated a long time. It was also an awfully long time ago. We're friends. We--”
“He's like three years older than you! You dated a 19 year old when you were 16?” Alec exclaimed.
“No, silly. I dated a 20 year old when I was 16. Don't you know how old he is?” I scoffed. Alec didn't look impressed. “I'm not making things better, am I?” I asked. He shook his head. “Sorry, look it was a long time ago. I used to have a thing for older guys.”
“Isn't an age gap that big illegal?” he asked.
“Only if you're having sex.” I answered simply. The mention of the word made my eyes flicker to his lips. His jaw felt heavy and warm in my hands.
“So you guys didn't...?”
“Not when he was 20, hell no.” The words slipped out. His eyes got wide.“Goddammit!” I yelled as I released him.
“I'm never going to get that image out of my head. Oh God.” Alec put his hands on his knees and let his head fall down.
“My mouth is running like a V8 engine. I swear, I normally have a STP cleaner for my mouth. It's just that you make me...” I stopped and turned around, balling my hands into fists.
“I make you what, Jules?” He felt closer now. I probably looked like I had a stick up my ass when I walked away. My feet carried me until I went through the entire shop, then out to the back door. The property behind the shop extended out enough to hide a few cars before Rex's house hid them from the other side of the street. The thick fence was a good cover. There were three cars lined up.
“These walls are pretty thin, Winter's.” I spun and saw Rex leaning against the wall to the shop. He shut the door I left open.
“I don't go by that anymore. You know that, Rex.”
“You look like Winter's. You used to call me Rexy.”
“I used to be 16.” I answered. We stared at each other for a solid minute before the corners of his lips started to turn up. I couldn't fight it either, I started to smile too. Before we knew it, we were laughing. He came over to me and gave me a bear hug, or well a Rex hug. My feet flew from the ground. “Rex!” I laughed.
“Ah I missed you, Julia.” He sighed when he put me down.
“I know you did, that's why you kept stalking me. Right?” I asked. I watched as his eyes turned into wide saucers.
“I don't know what you're talking about, babe.”
“Fuck off. South Africa. 2012. You're a hard person to miss... honey.” I added.
“The street-racing was good...?” He tried.
“Damn right it was.” I nodded.
He looked back at the door, then back at me. “So Alec?” he asked.
I gave a small smile at the mention of his name. “Yeah, I think.”
“I met him about six years ago. He showed a natural talent, so I helped teach him.”
“That sounds familiar.” I muttered.
He chuckled. “He's been working for me since. Alec's a good kid... at heart.” he walked past me to the lined up cars with tarp over them.
“At heart? What are you talking about, Rex?” I followed.
“Hey Butterfingers! Get your ass out here!” he called. I gripped his shoulder as I tried to read his eyes. He immediately averted them. Damn him for knowing me so well. “Your tricks are still the same, Julia.” I groaned, pouting like some toddler.
“Alive and present.” I turned around to see Alec glaring at where my hand was on Rex's shoulder. My hand dropped. “Barely.”
“Well, are you here for her?” Alec was staring at me when he nodded. “You are one brooding motherfucker, Butterfingers.” Rex said.
“Butterfingers?” I asked.
“First day I came to the shop, I dropped a wrench on his foot.” I inhaled sharply. I'd done that more then once. No fun for bare feet. “Now I wish I'd dropped two on him.” My eyes and Rex's rolled in unison.
“Well, here's Carvey.” Rex pulled off the tarp of the far left car.
“Is that a Lotus Exige?” The words flew out of my mouth before I could even process what I was thinking. “Wait Dana and Carvey? You named your cars after Dana Carvey?”
“He's a great comedian, so sue me. And yes, that is my Lotus Exige.”
“Dear God, I wanted this car for so long.” I murmured. I touched the hood and looked back at Alec. “May I?” He got this soft look in his eyes before he shifted his feet and nodded. I lifted the hood and whistled. “Looks good. You must work on her a lot, yeah?” I didn't wait for an answer. My fingers hovered over the engine. “You kept the i4 supercharger? I would've kept it too.” I said, not waiting for a reply. I leaned over. “You could change this oil filter though.” I heard a smack and I turned around to see Alec rubbing the back of his head.
“Ow.”
“Did you tell him he should have changed the filter?” I asked, figuring that was what the fuss about.
“Uh yeah.” Alec nodded with bright red cheeks. I lifted an eyebrow to Rex. He gave me a blank stare then looked to Alec before he tilted his head to the sky like he was saying a prayer. Rex walked to far right car and knocked on the tarp.
“Would you like to do the honors?”
“Am I finally going to see these two mystery cars?” Alec asked. I made my way to the car and slowly took off the tarp.
“Hi baby.” I cooed.
“Holy shit.”
“Don't fucking cuss in front of my baby when she's uncovered.” I snapped. I could hear Rex snickering.
“How in the...” Alec trailed off when I was throwing daggers with my eyes. “How did you get her?”
“Long story. Short story is she is a masterpiece.”
“Okay seriously though. You own a 1970 Chevy Camaro?” I lifted the hood and sighed. “Um what?”
“Oh you upgraded her, Rex! I touched the engine. Supercharged 3.0-liter V6. She looks beautiful. You really do keep your promises. Although I was thinking about going for the ls2 turbocharger, I think I like the look of this supercharger instead” I grinned at Rex who grinned back. I turned and saw Alec's mouth hanging open. I closed the hood. “I want to take her out.”
“How do you just take a gorgeous girl like that 'out'?” Alec asked.
I cast a wary look at Rex. He didn't seemed worried. “How do you take out Carvey?” I asked instead.
His gaze sharpened as he looked at me. “Well, it's apart of my secret so...”
“Oh just tell me, you can show me later too.”
“Well,” he looked at Rex who looked like he wanted some popcorn and a comfy chair. “I actually partake in well... it's well complicated. That's why I wanted to show you.”
“Well, just tell me.”
“Street-racing.” I threw my head back and laughed loud and hard. “Wha-what's so funny?” Alec looked between Rex and I, which just made me laugh harder.
“Oh buddy.” Rex patted Alec's shoulder before heading into the shop.
“Jules will you quit it and tell me what's so da--” he looked back at my baby which almost made me piss my pants, “funny.” he finished.
“Street-racing is my girl's favorite hobby.” I barely wheezed out.
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