Introductions (Part one of the April Series) #
Hayes was busy. Cars came and go as both Mike and William, the shop owner, rushed to get people back on the road. Mike was getting tired after a long day, still getting used to how the shop operated. He knew his way around cars from his days of tinkering with old cars back home. But working in a professional shop was an entirely different experience.
William, set on making Mike a manager one day, threw more things at him every day, making sure that Mike understood every aspect of the business. Today was no exception.
The last car had just pulled out from the bay, and Mike had begun sweeping the area and cleaning up the remnants from the work that had just been completed.
“Mikey!” called the voice from inside the office. Mike turned to see William striding out of the main door to the waiting room and office into the open work bay. His blond hair slicked back stylishly, with wisps of grey speckled within.
“There you are.” he said triumphantly in his accented English, “We have a new hire coming in shortly, and I want you to show them the ropes.” he stated with a smile. Mike nodded, unsure of himself.
“Well, not brand new. I’ve already trained the basics, but make sure you show everything.” he continued. “This will be a good test to see if you have been progressing in your own training” He finished with a confident nod.
“Sure, I think I’m ready…” Mike lied, smiling in a way that he hoped conveyed the confidence that he was certainly not feeling.
“It is a thing!” William bellowed in his trademark way. “You will do perfectly fine.” he offered before turning on his heel and going back into the office to continue his paperwork.
Mike sighed. Sure, he had been training hard for this job, and he knew the processes inside and out, but was he ready to train someone else? It had barely been a month since he started here and only a month and a week since he arrived in Los Santos. To be training other people seemed like a large step.
He stepped outside into the beating afternoon sun. The light breeze doing little to counter the heat. Children played and ran around in the park across the street, the blue water of the large artificial pond shimmering and sparkling in the bright sun. He leaned up against a support column for the shop awning and lit a cigarette. He puffs quietly, thinking about his situation.
While he was lost in his head, a car pulls up and a person gets out. The door closing snaps him back into reality, and he looks over to see who it is.
The first thing he noticed was her brightly coloured tracksuit that was surprisingly tight on her compact, athletic frame. Her top was a cropped style, exposing her well toned abs. Form-fitting pants accentuated her tight ass and supple thighs. Her above average-sized cleavage lightly bounced as she walked away from the car. Her hips moving with her step in a way that was almost hypnotic.
She wore her brown hair in a bob tight to her head, but the occasional stray hair danced around, she scanned the front of the shop. Her bright-green eyes settled on Mike as he raised himself off the pillar and started walking toward her.
“Hey there,” He started with a charming smile, “Welcome to Hayes. How can I help?”
“Oh, Hey” She responded brightly in a thick Irish accent that danced in Mike’s ears. She drew out the y in “Hey” and it had an almost sing-song quality. “I’m looking for William, I’m here to finish my training.” she finished with a bright smile.
“Oh!” Sparks replied, snapping out of it. “I’m Mike, I think I’ll be looking after you today”.
She tilted her head ever, so slightly, her eyebrows raised. “Oh, okay then. Well, my name is April O’Neil” she extended her hand, and he took it, shaking it.
“What have you been through already?” Mike asked, turning back toward the shop.
“Mmm,” she started, thoughtfully. “Just the basics, really. I was shown how to check the vehicles over, and manage the stock in the back.”
“Alright then!” He said, nodding. “Let’s see how you do then. Have a look at that car there and let me know what you think it needs.” he offered, gesturing toward his car sitting in the last bay.
She looked toward the compact hatchback sitting in the bay, still looking nearly brand new, its bright white paint shining in the daylight. She shrugged and walked to it, expertly popping the hood and looking it over. Mike’s eyes drawing lower as she bent over the front of the car, her form making his head rush.
Mike stood next to her and leaned over watching her progress, the flowery scent of her perfume threatening to draw him even closer. He stepped back and tried to clear his head. “I have to remain professional,” He thought to himself, “She’s a colleague after all.”
Suddenly, the phone rang, saving his sanity and giving him the distraction he required. Mike all but ran to the phone and answered it, writing notes as he listened.
After a few moments, April walked back up to him just as he hung the phone up, “I don’t think it needs anything at all.” April asserts confidently.
“Alright then” Mike accepts, not even considering checking her work. “I have a roadside call to do. Would you like to come?”
April brightens even more, excited to go on an outside call. “Sure!” she exclaims. “Now?”
Chapter 2 #
The old and dusty tow truck squeaked, rattled and banged as they drove in silence. It’s loud diesel engine grumbling and smoking as the truck wound through Los Santos Streets.
April watched out the passenger window, humming to herself as Mike drove. Wanting to break the relative silence, his mind raced to think of something to say.
“So,” he started, “What can you tell me about yourself besides your amazing voice and excellent fashion sense?” Regretting it almost as quickly as he said it.
She looks over at him with a bashful smile, a hit of blushing on her soft cheeks. “Aww you are such a charmer” She quips with a sweet giggle.
“This and that” She adds in a musical tone. “Just trying to survive, really.”
“Fair enough.” Mike replies, nodding. “Aren’t we all”.
Mike kicked himself for not having something good to say back. His lack of self-confidence reared up, and he started clamming up. The rest of the drive was composed of small talk. She chatted most of it, mentioning where she was from, and what she wanted to do with her life. Mike spent most of it listening to her musical voice, deciding that he could listen to it forever. He also, however, decided right there that she as probably taken. Because why wouldn’t someone like her have half a dozen guys hanging off her? Some hillbilly kid from the sticks wasn’t going to have a chance, and he knew it.
When they returned to the shop later in the day, William was gone, so Mike backed the truck into a parking spot and went inside to finish paperwork.
He looked out the window to watch April milling about, the sun glinting off her deep copper hair. Mike sighed, shaking his head. He put the papers down and walked outside.
“Hey, April?” He started nervously, searching for the right words to say. She looks at him curiously;
“Hey ya, what’s up?” Her sweet accent dancing in his ears.
He blushes slightly and clears his throat, “I, uh…” He stammers, panicking internally. After a painfully long pause, he finishes, “I am going to close up for a bit. We’ll talk later, okay?”
Without waiting for her response, he starts towards his car, jumping in and starting the engine. He sighs deeply before putting the car in gear and driving off.
April, watches him go. A confused expression on her face, wondering what he was going to say.
Chapter 3 — Epilogue #
(To be expanded later)
Unfortunately, the rigours of mechanic life did not suit April, and she quit shortly after when an accident caused a fuel can to explode near her and almost caused serious injury.
Mike never really got the chance to ask her out, even though he really wanted to. He saw her with various other guys over time and just assumed she was already taken. Not that he really ever thought he had a chance to begin with.
To be continued