Chapter five: For the love of carbs

“Do I even want to know what happened to your hands?” Mike asked looking troubled when his eyes took in my bandaged hands, during the time that I entered the garage. “Just some scraped skin, nothing to be worried about.” He quirked an eyebrow at my reply. “You don’t need to be worried,” I assured him. But with the look on his face told me that he didn’t really believe me.

I greeted everyone once I unwrapped my bandages, at least the scars didn’t look as bad as the guy’s face. “What’s up with the Mustang?” I asked George when I found him lying underneath the hood. He pushed himself out from underneath the Mustang, his face smudged with oil and dirt. “Oh, hi. Cam.” He greeted sitting up. “No, idea what is wrong with this baby.” He said pushing himself to his feet.

“Want me to check it out for you?” George smiled at me. “You can help me fix her up.” George was one of Mike’s oldest employees, he carried a lot of information around with him with all the cars he fixed over the years. “How is your mechanical engineering going?”

“It’s going, from tomorrow we will be working in the engineering room.” I was quite excited to work on a real engine instead of listening to a lecture for over two hours.

I helped George to find the problem with the Mustang, it took us a while and before we knew it our time has run out. George had to leave to fetch his daughter from school, he left me to carry on, not that I cared much. I had nowhere else to be and Mandy is probably stuck in her room still getting over the shock from the weekend.

I was on my way towards the bathroom after making up my mind to go home, when I heard Mike’s hard and hostile voice echoing through the garage. “Corbin Williams, you will not turn your back on me. I’m still your father and you will show me some respect!” I feet came to a sudden halt. Corbin? Father? Mike was his father? The loving, sweet and caring Mike, raising that self-centered Corbin?

I grabbed my things from my locker, unzipped my blue uniform jacket and wrapped the sleeves around my waist. I was in the middle of leaving when the door to Mike’s office burst open and Corbin came walking out with Mike. It was too late to hide as they already notice me. “Camille?” Corbin asked frowning.

Mike looked from me to Corbin. “What are you still doing here?” Mike asked, ignoring his son's curiosity. “I was helping out George when time passed me by.” I told him. I couldn’t look at Mike as Corbin held me captive with his eyes. He was the first man I ever stared in the eyes after Tucker. I was afraid that he could see the real me, the broken me. “Should I be worried?” Mike asked, ignoring Corbin’s expression.

“Depends.” I started looking at Corbin and continued. “If Corbin knows what’s good for him.” Mike let out a chuckle while Corbin looked between Mike and I. “If you gents would be so kindly to excuse me but I’m going home.” Mike nodded while Corbin just stared at me.

I grabbed my things from the locker to get out of here, I noticed Corbin leaning against my bike just when I left the garage. His ankles crossed over one another, his arms crossed in front of his muscular chest, and his head tilted to the side as he watched me. “A full time student who works two jobs, a mechanic and a bartender.” His expression was unreadable.

“I’m sensing a why.” It’s always, why would you work two jobs?

“It wouldn’t matter if I asked anyway.”

“I’m impressed, you actually learned something.”

His usual smirk returned. “I might not know the reason as to why you are over-working yourself but I’ve learned that you are incredibly hostile and secretive.” I just pulled up my shoulders and cocked my head to the side.

“Are you hungry?” He suddenly asked, changing the subject.

“What do you have in mind?” I asked, feeling very much hungry. I’m sure he overheard my tummy rumbling. “Depends, are you one of those watching-your-figure-type-of-girls?”

“Do I look like one of those girls?” Should I pull up my shirt just to make my point??

He looked me over and then shrugged. “Good point.” He answered, rubbing his chin with the back of his hand. “I’m in the mood for a thick base, cheesy and meaty pizza. What do you say?”

Sounds so good right now. “Only if you promise me that they make the best pizza in town.” It was more of a joke actually but I loved a good pizza.

“That they do.” He replied, winking at me.

“What about my bike though?” I wasn’t going to leave it here but itself. “You can drop if off at home and you can catch a ride with me.” He gestured to his fancy McLaren standing next to the sidewalk.

“I have an unsettling feeling that you are not going to behave.” Corbin gave a laugh but that wasn’t what caught me by surprise, it was his careless gesture once he stopped laughing and smiled at me. I wonder if he has shown his smile to anyone beside me. “I don’t need to be worried as I saw the damage you did to Luke.”

“What?” I asked unblinking. He was still smiling at me. “You thought I didn’t know that you messed up Luke’s face after what his done to Mandy?”

“How?”

“I connected the dots. Mandy’s and Luke’s face were bruised, and your hands were bandaged. The same day after Mandy went on a date with him.”

“You are not as dumb as I thought you were.” Instead of feeling like I insulted him, he actually smiled at me.