Close To Home

Chapter 6 ~ Everly {July '19}

I remind myself that I only have three days left with Leo. Time is moving too fast and I still haven't been able to find a place for him to stay. No ideas, no plan, and no hope. I can't help but feel guilty, I promised him that I would help, and so far, I have nothing. I'm starting to think Sunday really will be the last day I see him.

It's a gloomy day in Tokyo, and I don't hate it. Although others would disagree, I enjoy the dark skies and the tone it carries. To me, it's comforting, like it envelops the day in a calm motion. It's perfect for a mountain pass. Finally, a break from school and the whole Azriel situation. Leo and I agreed to meet up at my garage around six 'o'clock. It takes about two hours to get to the mountains in Chichibu, so by the time we get there it'll be empty except for some late-night delivery trucks and other car groups. The people who live nearby actually know that the mountain is used for races and drifting, yet they never had a problem with it. In fact, most know not to go on the road anytime after eight at night. It's a quiet agreement.

I'm waiting in my car for Leo when I get a text from my mom.

-mama-

<Where are you? Your dad is asking for you.>

It's pretty normal for my mom to question my whereabouts. My dad though, not so much.

<i'm with leo, is there something wrong ?>

<You missed another shift.>

<Your dad wants you to call him ASAP>

Crap. I forgot about my shift. With everything going on I've been forgetting about the shop entirely. It's been so hard to balance school, Azriel, and Leo that I haven't been working.

<i'll talk to him when i get home>

I hear a familiar exhaust and look up to see a soarer. Leo!

He parks his car next to mine and rolls his windows down. I do the same.

He smiles, "Sorry, I had a family thing. I hope you didn't wait too long."

"No worries, I thought you had maybe chickened out." I say with a light laugh.

"Hahaha very funny. You're gonna wish I had" he challenges.

And with that we pull out of the parking garage and head toward the mountains.

It was already eight o'clock when we reached the top of the mountain. Luckily I didn't see many drivers on my way up. It's already looking like a good pass. Usually when we start a pass, one of us leads and we take turns switching spots depending on the turn. That's when we do a chill run. Tonight, however, has already been determined to be something more. A race. It's a free for all, as long as we don't push each other off the cliff anything goes. We start in different lanes, Leo is in the right lane, and I in the left. At this position I have a great opportunity to take over from the start. I flash my lights, letting Leo know I'm ready. He flashes back. I do a mental count; 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

I switch gears and push down on the gas pedal. I focus on gaining the lead before the turn, making sure I don't hit the mountainside. I change my shift and push my e-brake down, turning my wheels to the left. The first turn is wide but sharp. I look to my right and see Leo right next to me. I turn my wheel to the right and pull my e-brake up fast. I don't see anyone in front of me which means I'm leading. My car is meant for these turns. It's small and light, making me faster and corners my best friend. Clutch in, gear, clutch out, gas. A repetitive motion. I look in my rearview mirror and see Leo. He's been on my tail since the start, but I haven't given him a chance to steal the lead. We're near the ending which is a long stretch that cuts into a tight final turn. Leo takes the chance and pushes his car, giving it gas. I look ahead and know the turn is coming up. If I speed up I would have to cut Leo and time my drift. I clutch and change into my fastest gear. I push my e-brake down and turn my wheel to the left. I look out my window to see Leo's car only inches from mine. Damn he's cutting it close. I pull the brake up and straighten out. I'm neck and neck with him now. I focus on timing my Nos release. If it's too soon he'll push further, but if it's too late I'll only see taillights. 3, 2, 1….

"Victory feels a lot better knowing it'll be my last for a while."

I turn to see a wide smile staring back at me.

"I timed it wrong. Trust it won't happen again."

"You? Miss perfect driver? Pushing too late? However, did it happen?"

He starts laughing and I hit his side as a response.

We stay quiet for the next couple of minutes. It's a comfortable silence as we enjoy the view. We can see the entire city. The lights dazzled against the dark night. I look at Leo, taking a mental picture, his dark brown eyes that match his hair. A middle part that separates his wavy hair, giving it a naturally messy look. His nose with the slightest bridge that many don't notice. Then a soft smile that makes you feel safe.

"Eve?" he says with a frightened tone.

Fuck I'm going to miss him. He was the only person that I truly felt comfortable with. Knowing all my struggles and successes. Who was there for me when I didn't want anyone near, he never left my side. No matter how harsh I was he would still stay.

"I really wish I could do something. I wish I could tell you right now that I had a plan. That I figured everything out for you. I'm so sorry Leo."

"Eve, no, no, no, stop. You have done nothing wrong. The fact you tried means a lot. It's okay. I'm going to be okay. I wish I told you sooner, honestly. I could have beat you in more races." he says with a light chuckle.

I can only laugh at the last part. Of course he knows exactly what to say.

"I'll visit you as soon as I can. I swear." I say determined.

"Say less. I'll be waiting."

I say my goodbyes to Leo and we agree to hang out the day he leaves. The drive home is quiet and peaceful. There's close to no one on the road or expressways. There's always something about night drives. Simply enjoying your own space and listening to your favorite songs. As I enter Tokyo I take in the sight. Buildings are lit up, reflecting off the different colors onto the glass panes. People making their way home to call it a night. With my windows down I can feel the light breeze. I make it to the garage and park my car. It reminds me of yet another reason to get my own space. I don't mind the journey home, but sometimes I wish I could just take an elevator up to my floor or even walk up some stairs instead of taking a bus and walking. Tonight however I have to take a taxi since the buses stopped running for the night. I wait outside the garage for less than five minutes when a car pulls up. I double-check with the driver and gave him my address. I get in the car and he pulls onto the road. I open my phone and immediately see messages from my mom and sister. I don't feel like reading my mom's messages, so I open my sister's instead.

-roomie <3-

<heads up your in deep shit. i'll be waiting in the room for you.>

Ugh. I do not want to deal with anyone right now, let alone my parents.

<thanks lo>

It only takes a couple of minutes to make it to the shop. I pay the driver and thank them for the ride. As soon as they pull out I turn to look at the shop. Time to get it over with. I open the building door and push the gates up. If anyone's still awake then they know I'm home. I close the door shut and pull the gate down. Making sure everything's locked before I go upstairs. I open the door to our home and the first thing I notice is the kitchen light on. I see my dad standing against the counter with the cup in his hands. He turns to see me and puts the cup down, crossing his arms after. Crap.

"Glad of you to finally come home. Care to explain why you missed another shift?"

I put my bag down by the couch and turned to face my dad. Shit, he's pissed.

"I was with Leo. We stayed at the school later than expected and he wanted to make sure I ate before going home. We lost track of time and I'm sorry. There's just so much going on with school and other things it slipped my mind. It won't happen again."

"Ni madre!" he screamed. It caught me off guard I flinched just the tiniest bit. I can't remember the last time he raised his voice at me.

"That's it. I'm setting curfews. You come home straight after school now. You can study at home and after your shifts. I'm tired of you ditching the shop and not even telling me about it. You're always out with friends and studying at school." he says the last part with air quotes.

"You wake up early and leave the shop before anyone else is awake. You come home when everyone is asleep. I can't help but feel like you're hiding something."

"Are you serious right now?" I question "It's only been a couple of days for christs sake. There's no need for you to say all that. I am working my ass off to balance school and work. Don't forget but I also have a scholarship to maintain. Sorry I missed a shift or two out of the past ten years I've been working. Sorry for trying to have fun and have a life outside of all this. Sorry for not wanting to be home when all you do is argue with Mom!"

"Calmas o te calmo." he threatens in a low tone.

(Calm down or I will make you)

Wow. I know he did not just say that to me. After trying to explain myself and even opening up, all I get is a threat.

"Ayee papa, y si no me calmo entonces que? ¿Me vas un putaso?"

(Ohh Dad, and if I don't then what? Are you gonna hit me?)

His eyes grow while his eyebrows shoot up. I don't care what happens next. I'm sick of this stupid talk and just want to go to bed. l have shit to do and still have to wake up early to clean Azriel's house. This talk is only wasting time.

"Oh, so you grew some balls or what? All of a sudden you think you're the shit and that gives you the right to talk back? I'm sorry I forgot, Miss Everly here is all grown up and can make her own decisions and do whatever she wants." he lets out a small chuckle "Okay then. Get out."

What? My confusion must have shown because his expression shifts. His eyes are cold and his lips form a straight line.

"Get out. You want to act like an adult so much you can live like one. Take your shit and go. Don't bother coming back for your shifts either. You're fired. Come back when you learn to be respectful and grateful for everything instead of being a brat." he walks to his room and before turning the door he looks back at me.

"If I see you here in the morning I'll call the cops."

With that he enters his room and shuts the door.

I'm left standing by the kitchen, replaying the last words he said. Fuck. I run to my room and immediately grab my duffle bag. Filling it up with clothes and other necessities. Lola shuffles in her bed and turns to face me. Once she sees what I'm doing she sits up.

"What are you doing? Go to bed."

So much for staying up I thought to myself.

"I'm leaving."

"What? Wait, what? Eve what are you talking about?"

I don't answer her. I really don't want to explain that I just got kicked out and have nowhere to go. I could go to a hotel and pay for one night. All the money I saved up would have to be stretched a little bit. Now that I'm jobless I have to be careful with my spendings. Looks like no more car runs and eating out. I still can't believe he would actually do this. My dad has never once yelled at me like that or kicked anyone out! Not Samuel or Lola, who have done much worse things. I can't ask Leo if I can crash, he has too much going on and I really don't want him to worry about it. Especially when he only has a couple of days left in Tokyo anyway. I wonder how I'll find another job, or what I'll do when I can't afford a hotel. Am I actually about to become homeless? Is this really happening?

I feel a hand grab my arm and I immediately fight it off. Lola let's go and backs up a little.

"Hey, I need you to breathe. Calm down and tell me what happened." she says in a calming voice.

I do what she says. I stop and breathe, closing my eyes. I tell her what happened and she's just as shocked as I am.

"It's okay. We're going to figure this out. He fought with Mom earlier so he's just being irrational."

"It didn't sound like it Lo. You should have seen the way he looked at me. It's like he wanted to incinerate me then and there. Sure I passed a line but so did he. All that bullshit he said. I'm done. I was going to move out anyway. A little sooner than what I planned but what can I do?"

She hugs me in an instant and I can't help but shed a few tears.

"Forget him Eve. You need to focus on yourself and do what's good for you. If that's leaving then so be it. C'mon, I'll get you another bag and help you pack. I'll text Sam to be expecting you."

"Wait, Lo no."

She puts a hand up and shakes her head, "I'm not letting you sleep on the street or in some crappy hotel. Besides, consider it his weekly visit."

"Thanks. You have no idea how much this helps. Really, I mean it."

We finished packing a couple of bags and in total there's about four. I don't know how long I'll be away from home, but it's better to be prepared for the worse. I might not come back at all. Sam and Lo had been exchanging messages and he already said I can stay awhile. She helps me down the stairs and waits outside for me. We stay quiet and look ahead. It's about 2 in the morning, which is the quietest time in Tokyo. People are either sleeping or working graveyards. Nonetheless, it's a time when the city dwells in silence. A car pulls up to the front of the building and the passenger window rolls down.

"I'm here to pick up a stray who goes by the name of Eve." he chuckles.

Of course. Even in the worst times, Sam cracks a joke. All I can do is share a small smile and thank him for coming out. He pops the truck and we put the bags in the back. I slide into the passenger slide and Lo closes the door from her side. She leans into the open window and says her goodbyes. Wishing us a safe drive and telling me she'll call in the morning to check up. I nod in response and say my thank you's. We wait to leave, wanting to make sure Lo gets back inside safely and that everything gets locked up. Once we don't see her anymore, Sam puts the car in drive and heads towards his place.

I rarely visit Sam's condo that I forget what it looks like. The drive is only about thirty minutes so he doesn't live far. He moved out about two years ago once his business really took off. It focused on cyber security and eventually became well-known after striking a deal with a popular company. To say the least, he's rich, but doesn't really show it. He lives a modest and humble life. I mean hell, the guy drives a Honda CR-V and still eats at the same mom-and-pop shops he's been at since six years old.

We pull up to the front of his building where a valet is waiting. Sam gets out of the car and talks to the man, assuming they know each other. I get out and go straight to the trunk. As I reach for a bag a voice stops me.

"Please, allow me." says a man dressed in a dark navy blue concierge uniform.

"It's okay, their not that-"

"Eve, leave it to him. It's already late and I would like to get a couple hours of sleep before work."

I simply nod and thank the man before starting towards the front doors, following Sam. I forgot how fancy this building was. The lobby is pretty much minimal, with a front desk and a small seating area pushed to the back wall. Dark wood covers the floor with black pillars, giving a very modern look. We step into the elevators where Sam enters his floor. 21. I make a mental note to remember. The elevator doors open to a sleek hallway. I follow Sam as he heads down the hallway and makes a left to the next hall. We make a right and within a couple of feet, we reach his door. He pulls out his keys and opens the door, making way for me to go in first. I walk in and notice the entryway light up. I place my shoes on the rack and walk around the condo. It's an average size with low ceilings. Two bedrooms and one bath from what I remember. The guest bedroom is just straight ahead of the front door. You then turn right to go down a small hallway, which opens up into the living/kitchen area. Where the lobby was dark and modern, his place is light and rich. The living room has floor-to-ceiling windows that encompass the entire corner of the room and expand out to the walls. You have a perfect view of the city. The walls are white and the flooring looks to be birch wood. Sam decorated the space to be stylish but knowing him, comfortable. A large gray L-shaped couch sits on the other side of the windows. There's a fancy coffee table in the middle which sits atop a rug. On the other side of the table are two gray bean bag chairs. There are pictures and paintings that cover most of the condo walls.

I think to myself how I already feel at home. A sense of relief surges through me.

"You already know where the guest room is and all your stuff should be in there too."

"Wait, already? But I haven't seen the concierge guy."

He lets out a small laugh, "Perk of the building I guess."

"Hm, interesting." I turn to look out the giant windows. The city looks even better at night.

"Well I'm off to bed and so should you. You've had a long day, some rest would be good right now. Of course, make yourself at home. Feel free to hang your clothes up in the closet and put some stuff in the drawers. You also have the balcony in your room so don't be shy to open it for some fresh air. The bathroom has two sinks so you can take the other one. I'll clear out the space tomorrow when I get home from work. After you've unpacked your stuff let me know if there's anything you might need okay?" he says, giving me a comforting smile.

"Thank you Sam. I really don't know what I would be doing without you. You have no idea how much all this means to me. I promise I'll find a job soon to help pay for groceries and other things." I assure him.

"Don't worry about it. Right now just get settled in and we'll talk about all that tomorrow. Night Eve."

He walks into his room, leaving me with the view and reassurance. God. I really got lucky with the sibling draw. I enter the guest room and immediately notice the queen-sized bed. I jump and crash into the bed, the comforter being ruffled as a result. It's so soft and feels like a cloud. At least it's what I envisioned a cloud to feel like. I change into my pajamas and take out only necessities. My phone charger, school backpack, and some clothes for the week. I crawl under the bed sheets and plug in my phone. I see messages from Lo and I reply back to her. After a few exchanges, we call it a night. I turn off my phone and flip to the other side, enjoying the large space I have to myself. Next thing I know, the world around me fades and the Tokyo skyline is the last thing I see.