100 Proof Octane
I'll show you what it is, let the anthem build
I stand on the outskirts of the group of people crowding around the plot of land Tobey’s dad is being buried. Hiding in the church was easy, but hiding out in the open could be harder; that’s why I’m not closer. Tobey and I haven’t really spoken in years, I don’t know how he’ll react to me being here.
“You okay?” Hael asks me as she walks up with Pete behind her.
“I don’t know.” I admit, my voice cracking. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve never seen Tobey this down.”
“Talk to him,” Pete suggests, “he knows you’re here. He’s just waiting for you to talk to him. He needs his best friend. He’ll welcome you with open arms, I can see that.”
“Another one of your visions?” I ask, a small smile creeping onto my lips.
“Go to him Aria.” Is the last thing Pete says before him and Hael walk away.
A sigh escapes my lips as I return my attention to Tobey. Everyone quickly gives their condolences and walk away, leaving him at the grave alone. I bite down on my lower lip as I find myself walking towards him on autopilot mode. But even as I get closer to him, he doesn’t turn.
Taking a deep breath, I walk up and wrap my arms around him and place my chin on his shoulder. Again he doesn’t move, not really. He does have a hand on my arm though, but that’s it.
“I’m sorry Tobey,” I say after a couple minutes of purely comfortable silence. “For everything.” He pulls away from me and turns to look at me,
“None of this is your fault, Aria.” He says, “none of it.”
“I should have been here for you,” I tell him, “not in California.”
“You’re here now,” he says pulling me into a hug before kissing my temple, “that’s all that matters.”
“Want to talk?”
“Not really.”
As he replies, I pull away, already knowing the answer. I grab his hand before pulling him away from the grave, “come on, I know what you need.”
“And what’s that?” He asks, freely following me without hesitation
“We’re going to go to my dad’s old place, I’m going to get changed out of this dress and we’re going to get grease under our nails and our hands filthy.” I smirk, causing one to form on his lips as well. We walk out of the cemetery and towards my rental car. Tobey and I share a look before both of us get into the car, shortly taking off towards my dad’s place in silence….
**
Tobey Marshall
“When was the last time you even worked on a car?” I ask Aria as she leans over, looking at the engine block of her father’s old Camaro, a hand-me down car that survived her father’s reckless driving, her brother’s reckless driving and her reckless driving. "And when did you get the tramp stamp?"
“It’s been awhile,“ she admits, “I’ve been busy with work. And I got the tattoo 3 years ago. I got drunk and decided to do something stupid.”
“And what do you even do?” I ask, causing her to look at me, “you never told me.”
“I cater to rich people and get them their fast and expensive supercars; mainly people that have heard about the De Leon.”
“That must be hard.”
“It’s life, Tobey.” She reminds me, “things are going to remind you of someone you loved that passed away, sometimes you can’t escape it.”
“De Leon should be something you can escape.”
“Well it’s not and I’m fine with it.” She smiles to reassure me. “I love working with supercars, I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
“You don’t think I’m going to give up the garage do you?” I ask. “Why else would you tell me this story?”
“I had my doubts,” she admits, “I just want you to know, if you need any help I’ll always be there for you. I ran away from my problems, I don’t want you to run away from yours.”
“Thanks but I don’t plan on running away,” I assure her. “No matter how hard it gets.”
“Good.” She smiles before looking back at the engine, “I didn’t want to have to smack you.”
“You always enjoyed that too much.” I laugh as I join her. A chuckle escapes her lips before a comfortable silence washes over us as we begin to work on the car both of us learned how to drive in...
“You okay?” Hael asks me as she walks up with Pete behind her.
“I don’t know.” I admit, my voice cracking. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve never seen Tobey this down.”
“Talk to him,” Pete suggests, “he knows you’re here. He’s just waiting for you to talk to him. He needs his best friend. He’ll welcome you with open arms, I can see that.”
“Another one of your visions?” I ask, a small smile creeping onto my lips.
“Go to him Aria.” Is the last thing Pete says before him and Hael walk away.
A sigh escapes my lips as I return my attention to Tobey. Everyone quickly gives their condolences and walk away, leaving him at the grave alone. I bite down on my lower lip as I find myself walking towards him on autopilot mode. But even as I get closer to him, he doesn’t turn.
Taking a deep breath, I walk up and wrap my arms around him and place my chin on his shoulder. Again he doesn’t move, not really. He does have a hand on my arm though, but that’s it.
“I’m sorry Tobey,” I say after a couple minutes of purely comfortable silence. “For everything.” He pulls away from me and turns to look at me,
“None of this is your fault, Aria.” He says, “none of it.”
“I should have been here for you,” I tell him, “not in California.”
“You’re here now,” he says pulling me into a hug before kissing my temple, “that’s all that matters.”
“Want to talk?”
“Not really.”
As he replies, I pull away, already knowing the answer. I grab his hand before pulling him away from the grave, “come on, I know what you need.”
“And what’s that?” He asks, freely following me without hesitation
“We’re going to go to my dad’s old place, I’m going to get changed out of this dress and we’re going to get grease under our nails and our hands filthy.” I smirk, causing one to form on his lips as well. We walk out of the cemetery and towards my rental car. Tobey and I share a look before both of us get into the car, shortly taking off towards my dad’s place in silence….
**
Tobey Marshall
“When was the last time you even worked on a car?” I ask Aria as she leans over, looking at the engine block of her father’s old Camaro, a hand-me down car that survived her father’s reckless driving, her brother’s reckless driving and her reckless driving. "And when did you get the tramp stamp?"
“It’s been awhile,“ she admits, “I’ve been busy with work. And I got the tattoo 3 years ago. I got drunk and decided to do something stupid.”
“And what do you even do?” I ask, causing her to look at me, “you never told me.”
“I cater to rich people and get them their fast and expensive supercars; mainly people that have heard about the De Leon.”
“That must be hard.”
“It’s life, Tobey.” She reminds me, “things are going to remind you of someone you loved that passed away, sometimes you can’t escape it.”
“De Leon should be something you can escape.”
“Well it’s not and I’m fine with it.” She smiles to reassure me. “I love working with supercars, I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
“You don’t think I’m going to give up the garage do you?” I ask. “Why else would you tell me this story?”
“I had my doubts,” she admits, “I just want you to know, if you need any help I’ll always be there for you. I ran away from my problems, I don’t want you to run away from yours.”
“Thanks but I don’t plan on running away,” I assure her. “No matter how hard it gets.”
“Good.” She smiles before looking back at the engine, “I didn’t want to have to smack you.”
“You always enjoyed that too much.” I laugh as I join her. A chuckle escapes her lips before a comfortable silence washes over us as we begin to work on the car both of us learned how to drive in...
