This is my first story so please be kind ο constructive criticism is welcome. Thank you and enjoy!
My name is Natalee. I was a senior at Oakwood High, and like every other teenager, forming ideas of colleges from far away to accept my offer in wanting to attend their campus for the upcoming year. It's not like I hate where I practically spent my whole life existence. I felt like I was suffocating, I wanted to see the world, I wanted to live.
I think that's why my main focus was to do well in school, so that no matter where I wanted to go, I could. Not like that much mattered, I was a good student. Good grades came naturally to me and I knew I was fortunate. Constantly hearing around the time of finals, about all the stress and pressure from my fellow class mates. Knowing that if I all I wanted to do was cram the night before I could easily get an A. Not that I ever did that, but I could. My memory was corky and I remembered the littlest things that not many people could or simply would just oversee.
As I was strolling home my books in hand. I couldn't help but notice how the air was crisp and at just the tip on every trees leaves was the colors of an orange or yellow. I loved Fall, I think it was the colors mostly. The deep reds and the rusty orange, nothing could replicate the colors and beauty the tall trees could. The weather was just an added bonus that came with it. Hoodie weather as I like to call it. The feeling of just being comfortable and not having to see others parading around with barely anything on. Because all though our Winters were cold, I felt the Summers were just as hot.
Like every day, I walked right past Evan's on my way home. I didn't have to go out of my way, which if I had to I probably would. He lived right down the street from me, always has, there wasn't ever a time where we hadn't been neighbors. Since I can remember Evan had always been the charmer. Not that he had to, his looks alone never went unnoticed from the girls. He grew into his final height of almost 6 ft., dark brown hair, a slightly darker olive complexion, and had the most beautiful green eyes I think I've ever seen someone possess. Not to mention his infamous boyish grin. He got away with pretty much everything with that grin of his and he knew it. Not just girls but even adults couldn't see past his charm. I remember plenty of times him bragging to his my brothers how teachers let him get extensions on this or make up that. I never understood why though. The work he did do was always A worthy. I think it mostly had to do with the fact he was always doing something with friends, or girls. In a way I kind of envied him. I went out occasionally with friends but I was always committed more to school work than friends.
As I approached his house, I looked just like every time I walked past. Hoping to see his car in the driveway or at least in the garage under that beater he and his Dad started rebuilding about 2 years ago. I haven't seen him lately. He graduated about 2 years before I did. Attended a University close to home and was planning on expanding his Dad's mechanic shop to Colorado. I remember him visiting his Mother there since I could remember. I knew that he missed her and that partly, besides the change of scenery, it was to be closer to her.
Our community is quaint I guess you could say, everyone pretty much knew everybody. My Mother was a single parent to 3 kids. The oldest being Mark who was the same age as Evan. They were pretty much inseparable growing up, always getting into trouble and chasing after girls. Then there was Trevor, only about a year older than me. We had similar friends through school but he was much more comfortable being around a small group unlike our eldest sibling. Who was always attending a party or seen hanging out with a group of people.
My Mother was always working. Partly because she had to, but also because she loved her job as a Head Nurse at the Children's Hospital. Our Dad passed in a freak construction accident when I was 7. He fell through a roof and instantly broke his back when he landed on the latter below. It was hard on all of us, even Evan. Who had also grown close to my Dad. Always coming over and helping him and my brothers on some wood work that always seemed to be a side project for my Dad. So it was to no surprise that after the incident it only made Evan's presence around the house become more often than it already was. I liked having him around he always made all of us feel better. Each in our own way, while also understanding a sense of what our pain was in losing him.
As I walked past, the garage door was open and I saw Evan's dad underneath the piece of junk above him as he was fumbling around with the tools spread out next to him. I walked up to say Hi. Because like my brothers who were also very attached to the other male figure in their lives, I was too. He reminded me of my Father, always working with his hands, easy to talk to, and always protective of my brothers and I. I also think it was an unsaid bond with him and my Father that he looked after us, for they were close just like their children were.
"Hey Mr. Bianchi, I see you've started on that thing again." I said standing a few feet away from where he was on the side of the car.
He rolled out and under sitting up wiping his hands with a greasy rag that laid in his lap. He grinned looking up at me. I could see where Evan got it from. His Father was probably just as much of trouble as he was growing up in his prime. His features were similar compared to his son's. His boyish features more so that of a rugged mature man. Whose life definitely displayed on his wrinkled features and his salt and pepper hair. No wonder even after him and Evan's Mother divorced he remarried to Angie. Who he says is his last chance at love because without her it didn't make sense. Him and Evan's Mother married young and later had Evan. They tried to work it out for Evans sake. But I think Colorado had more of her heart than Mr. Bianchi ever could. One thing Evan got from his Mother was that he too loved Colorado.
"I have to make it look like I've done at least something for when Evan comes home. You know he would complain that we don't have to do everything together on this car." He said chuckling.
I knew he was right. Evan had more patience for all the minor details when it came to that car, letting his dad doing the basics and him going back over it and perfecting it to the best it possibly could.
"How's the expansion going?" I asked
"It's getting there. He seems to be really focused lately. More serious than I've seen him in a long time. Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing yet." Knowing exactly what he meant by Evan's care free nature. But If Evan wanted something bad enough he worked hard on it and got it. Like many things of Evan, I admired that also. He knew how to be care free but also knew when to be serious and hard working.
"It will be good to see him home, I know Mark has really missed him." I did to in all honesty but I wasn't going to say it to him. Even though I'm sure he probably already knew by how I always use to follow the boys around trying to hang out with them. Especially where ever Evan was.
"Yea it will be good to have him around for a while. There really isn't much else he could do there at the moment. I know he enjoys spending time with Sandy. But the shop hasn't been the same without him here."
I knew Mr. Bianchi had always hoped Evan would stay and help run the one in Oakwood right along beside him. But just like me he craved change. Many times we would talk about all the places we wanted to see, where we wanted to go. His love for all the little beautiful things matched mine. He loved his Father and they were always close. He chose to stay and not move to Colorado not only because of not wanting to uplift from school and his childhood friends, but because of him. His Mother also approved of young boys adolescent being more controlled by a respectful male figure growing up. Working at his Dad's shop did help some with Evan's running around town too. Not only did he enjoy working on cars but it also gave him a sense of responsibility. My brother Mark worked there too. I know Evan and him were in the talks of possibly having Mark joining him and being a partner.
As if they knew we were talking about them Mark and Evan came pulling up in the driveway in Mark's pick up. When the engine stopped both got out and Evan retrieved his duffle bag that was in the bed. My heart fluttered its usual flutter that it always seemed to do when ever Evan was around. And I couldn't help but notice how his shirt raised just enough to show a sneak peak of his well-toned stomach as he reached in the back. His bare chest was definitely not foreign to my eyes, but it never got old to look at or admire.
"Thought I would stop over here first before I took him to the shop to see how things are running and to get his car." Mark said to Mr. Bianchi.
