Bad Reputation

Episode 2

Malia:

My name is Malia Rodrigues and I’m almost 18 years old, I live in a small town, not that long from the big apple, but even though it’s not far from the big city, it’s kind of like a little world of its own, everybody knows everybody’s business, rumors get spread around here like wildfire and nobody really cares to fact check anything before they say anything out loud. I can’t wait to get out of this town and far away from the people in it! Luckily for me that won’t be that long anymore, I have just started my senior year at Hillside High, and you will never guess that the school actually is builded on a hillside, clever huh? Note the sarcasm, please. 

I used to be a happy, but kind of shy girl, I got along with most people, I’ve never had a ton of friends, but i was friendly to everybody and most importantly I stayed out of everyone’s business. Until the day that, that all changed. Now I keep to my self and if I can avoid it I don’t really talk to anyone. I have my one best friend Theo, he always sticks by me even when I’m a huge b***h, it’s not his fault, I just can’t pretend to care anymore, and I really appreciate him always being there, I don’t know what I would do without him. 

And then of course there’s my dad, I love my dad to the moon and back, he’s been alone with me from day one, sadly my mom and the love of his life, died giving birth to me. So from the moment I opened my eyes for the first time it’s only been me and my dad, so as you can imaging I’m not really the most girlish girl. My dad is a mechanic, so I’ve been helping to fix vehicles since before I could walk. 

I just got home from yet another day in the hell they call high school. “Hey grease monkey, glad you’re home! Do you want to just order dinner tonight and eat in front of the tv watching that series we started on Netflix?” My dad excitedly said as I walked in through the door “hi dad, sure why not” I shrugged giving him a little smile “are you gonna order, then I’ll just go up and change to something more homey” I added. My dad smiled and nodded as I went by him and up the stairs to my room. My dad knows what I like, so my dinner is in good hands. I changed into an oversized shirt and some pj shorts and went back downstairs. 

****

“I’m going to the gym dad!” I yelled heading to the front door “ok, see you later  grease monkey, be careful” he yelled back from his chair in the living room. 

I laughed a bit at the nickname he’s giving me, thinking about the day it started, I picked up my first screwdriver and got black oil all over my cute little baby outfit, of course I’ve only seen pictures of it since I was to little to remember. 

I was still smiling when a reached my dads car, my own is still at the garage where I was working on it to get it just like I wanted it. 

“So that’s what it looks like” I heard a somewhat familiar voice say

I looked up to see the same guy that was bucking me the other day with my book, this is the first time I let my eyes actually look at him, and let me tell you it was some sight! I started from the ground and up, he was wearing ripped skinny but not to skinny jeans that hang perfectly from his hips, a white t-shirt that hugged his from what I could she chiseled upper body and a leather jacket, as my eyes fell on his face all I could see were these almost crystal clear green eyes, and as a smirk was forming on his lips I figured I must have been staring, I cleared my throat and answered “what, what looks like?” I said it with as little of emotion as I could. “Your smile” he said smirking. 

“Well, you better take a mental picture of it, cuz you won’t be seeing that again anytime soon” I said as I continued to open the car door and get in. I turned the key, starting the car and drove out of the driveway, without another word. 

Why the hell did a guy I don’t even know get me this flustered from just standing there, I thought as I shook my head trying to shake the emotions that almost came to the surface just a few seconds ago.