Chapter 2
Ari drove her dad's old truck the few hours to where she had agreed to meet Sid.
The business was closed, her dads final projects done, all his tools and his trailer sold. She even sold all of her tools and welding equipment, and pawned the rest. With a few hundred still saved for food for the next coming weeks, most of her savings was shoved into an envelope in her jacket pocket with the rest of the cash she needed to pay back.
This past week she moved her stepmom in with her aunt, her dad's sister. Both windows, they were looking forward to each other's company. With hugs and goodbyes, Ari said she'd come visit, though everything she had left was packed into the truck and she really had no intention of coming back at all.
She pulled over to the side of the small highway when she heard her phone go off. The old truck didn't have Bluetooth, so she had to safelt stop to be able to look at the message, which was from Sid. He was an hour away from the meeting spot.
She messaged back that she was too, and drove back onto the road when it was clear. She didn't want to ignore any of his texts, so he didn't start thinking that she was avoiding him. She wanted this sorted out, and not to end up hiding for the rest of her life. Or worse.
That next hour went by without another message from him. Finally she pulled into the carpool parking lot just off the highway they agreed to meet at.
At the far back of the lot, she recognized the car. The guy leaning against the passenger door was the guy she saw with her step mom that day they were at the shop. Sid was sitting in the driver's seat. He nodded at her when she looked at him.
The guy leaning on Sids car, Jonah, made his way to Ari's door. She rolled down the window and he leaned in, against the truck to talk to her.
"Ari. I'm Jonah, Sids brother." he reached his hand in, and she shook it without saying anything. His eyes were wandering to the back seat and trunk, which were filled to the brim with her stuff.
"Going somewhere?" he asked.
She laughed a little at his comment. What he was seeing was everthing she owned shoved into a truck, and no where to go was an understatement.
"Not really." she answered simply.
He raised his eyebrow, and opened her car door.
"Slide over, I'll drive."
"Drive?" she questioned him, but slid over to the passenger seat anyway.
"Yep." he climbed in and closed the door. Sid drove out of his parking spot towards the highway again. His blinker was on for the opposite direction Ari came from.
"Do I get to know where we're going?"
"hmm?.. Home."
She leaned back in the seat trying to keep herself calm. She thought she was going to be able to exchange the money, and maybe have them give her more time to find a job to pay the rest off. This wasn't leading to that.
"Relax, you're gunna be fine." he turned on the radio before she could reply. The rest of the ride was mostly silence, except Jonah occasionally tapping the steering wheel to the beat during some of the songs.
After a little over two hours, they passed a sign for a city named Bearhaven, and Jonah followed Sid off that next exit. There were barely any other vehicles along the way, making the trip into the city that much faster. Ari's heart was racing, but she appeared as calm as she could, watching out the window quietly as they drove.
Eventually she saw Sid turn into an alley and she looked around, and back at Jonah, who was still following.
She watched as an underground parking lot door opened up at the end of the alley, and she turned to watch it close behind them. She sighed. The boys parked the vehicles side by side and got out.
Ari followed hesitantly.
They lead her through the parking garage and into an elevator. She watched as Jonah hit the 1st floor button, and she saw there were 3 upper levels and the parking garage they were in now.
The brothers were huge compared to her as they all stood silently in the elevator. They both shared the same golden brown eyes, and similar high cheek bones. Sid hair was a side part to keep it off his face. It was a dark brown and hung no longer than the top of his ears. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a black hoodie under a leather jacket. Jonah was a little more worn. Ripped jeans, even rips in his t-shirt. He was wearing a black zip up hoddie that looked like the newest piece of clothing on him. Jonah was more tanned, and his hair was a lot lighter. He had a undercut, while the rest was long and hanging lazily wherever it fell naturally. He clearly spent a lot time in the sun unlike his brother Sid. Jonah was bigger, too. Taller.
The elevator door opened to what looked like a lobby and they walked out with Ari trailing behind cautiously. As they walked passed a front desk off the main entrance, it was empty.
The three of them had entered a long hallway and at the end of it was an office, a fancy office. A massive man was standing in the open doorway of it. He was older than Sid and Jonah, maybe even their father. They had small similarlies, but it wasn't as obvious as the ones the brothers shared. He looked at least 6'10" and his arms were long and muscular, tattoos poking out of his neckline and wrists of his expensive suit. He had a long scar on his cheek from his eye to his jaw bone. His facial hair didn't grow there, so you could really see it since he hadn't shaved for at least a few days. His hair was the same color as Sids, but he kept it short, also unlike the boys. They never did tell her who the money belongs too, but she was now pretty sure it was this guy.
They walked up to the man to introduce her. Sid spoke, Jonah just looked irritated all of a sudden.
"Ari, this is Daniel Holland."
"Daniel will do just fine. I'm their father, Ariana. Please, come have a seat." Daniel shook her tiny hand and lead them all into his office, closing the door.
"Ari, she prefers Ari."
Jonah snapped as they had followed him into the room. Ari was surprised he said that. She had only corrected Sid on her name, but she did nod in agreement.
"Thank you for seeing me." she said politely as if she had a choice to be here.
"No matter. I am so sorry to hear about your father's passing, how's your mother?"
Daniel Holland went and sat behind his giant desk leaning his elbows onto the table. Ari had to sit in the middle seat in front of the desk, as the brothers took the chairs on either side of her.
"My step mother is fine. She's living with family."
"Good!" he hit the table with his hands. "Now about payment, Sid tells me you have most of it?"
Straight to the point with this guy, huh? At least he asked about Sherry. She took the envelope out of her pocket and slid it across the table. He looked in it and nodded.
"I can get the rest if you give me some time. I sold everything, and I was going to find a job to..." she stopped talking when Daniel raised his hand slightly to quiet her.
He shook his head. "I'm impressed, Ari." she relaxed a little as he spoke. "You can work the rest off by working for me."
All three of them infront of the desk stared at the man behind it. Jonah spoke first.
"What?"
"What kind of work?"Ari asked with confusion but they were all ignoring her completely. Jonah was just glaring at his dad, and his father's attention was on his son.
"No." Jonah snapped.
"She'll do just fine." snapped back Daniel.
"Forget it." Jonah stood.
"She won't make much money doing anything else.." Daniel said sternly.
Sid finally spoke up "I have to agree with Jonah. I don't think you're seeing her potential. There's real value here."
"I see great value." Sid knew his dad wasn't speaking about the same value he was. By the look on Ari's face, she clearly understood what was going on. Jonah jumped to his feet after his dads comment.
"Not fucking happening, old man." Jonah
"Jonah!" It was Sid who reacted, he was now standing too. Ari thought she saw his eye colour had turned more gold rather then the goldish-brown that was usually more prominent.
"No. If he wants the money so fucking badly, we'll pay the rest and she can work with Sid and I until she pays us back." Jonah looked at Sid and when he tried to protest; he added, "She doesn't fucking deserve that and you know it, Sid. So, I think this conversation is over."
Jonah grabbed Ari by the arm and pulled her out of the chair and out of the room. Ari was wide eyed of shock, but happy to be out of there.
When the elevator door finally opened back in the lobby, Jonah let her walk in first and followed. He hit the P for parking
"Thank you, Jonah." Ari didn't say anything else, she just looked at the floor of the elevator.
Jonah shook his head. "Dudes a dick.."
"Yep."
They both laughed a little as the elevator door opened to the parking garage. They walked back to the truck, since Jonah still had the keys. Sid was already leaning against the hood of his car when they came up.
"I lost my cool, I know."
Jonah looked at his brother. Sid didn't respond, he just walked to the driver side door of his car.
"Let's get out of here." Sid finally said.
"Come on, Ari." Jonah replied.
Ari sighed heavily as she followed Jonah to the car and she jumped in the back, letting the brothers have the front. They left the garage and turned out of the alley.
From the back seat she asked.
"Where are we going now?"
Sid looked at her through the rear view mirror.
"Got somewhere else to be?"
"As far away from this family as possible sounds pretty great, actually."
Jonah turned to face the back seat so he could look at Ari. She leaned back in her seat, nervous.
"I'm afraid you've just been adopted, little sister." Jonah laughed.
"What the fuck does that mean?!" Ari sounded panicked.
Sid laughed. "You're freaking her out, Jonah."
The both of them laughed as they kept driving. Jonah clicked the lock button to add to his humour, but Ari knew they automatically lock when you put it in drive, so she didn't actually panic. They laughed harder anyway.
She shook her head. "... Fuck."