Page 35 of Beneath the Surface

As soon as I sat in my car, my phone pinged, and everything inside of me froze. Was this how people died of heart attacks? Their heart stopped beating, and they just forgot how to start it again.

It’s funny how our bodies got used to extreme conditioning. When I began skating, I used to get all bruised, something out of a horror movie. With time, my body became resilient to the demands of my skating. These text messages had rewired mynervous system, and I wondered, if I ever got through this, would I be the same? Or was Ava Hayes, sorority girl and D1 figure skater, a thing of the past? And now would I forever be reduced to having a mental breakdown because of a message?

Daddy:

We have pizza at the garage. Make sure to get some before going into the house

When I saw my dad’s message, I couldn’t help but smile. I was so relieved that I almost cried. Doing as he said, I drove the car and headed toward his auto shop.

For a girl whose dad was a mechanic, I had to admit I did not speakCar and Driver.My car got its oil changed on time, when my tires started to get run down, they got changed. And every Monday when I woke up, my tank was full again. I tried not to hold my dad’s schedule against him. When he was backed up with work, he didn’t come home on time.

I found my dad in the back, chowing down on a slice of pizza.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he greeted me once he stopped chewing.

“Another long day?” I asked as I reached for a slice.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Tommy’s been having issues, so I’m a man down. Everyone is coming back into town, and work is picking up speed.”

I nodded as if I understood what he was talking about, but then an idea struck me.

“Are you, by any chance, hiring? I have a friend.”

Calling Cruz a friend was a bit of a stretch. Another thing told me he wouldn’t be happy about my meddling.

“Who’s your friend?” my dad immediately asked with a glint in his eye. We had never talked boys, and we were not about to start today.

“My friend,” I emphasized the word. “You actually know him. He comes in a lot here. Martinez, Cruz…”

That easy-going smile fell off my dad’s face.

Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.

“Ava,” he warned.

“I know, Daddy,” I said to butter him up. “He’s trouble. We’ve all heard it before. Honestly, I think he has had a shit start in life, and isn’t that what we are supposed to do as good Christians?”

My father chuckled.

“We aren’t Christians.”

I pointed a finger as I reached for another slice.

“Hey, you’re the one that would leave me with Mrs. Fowley, and she was trying to convert me.”

Both my dad and I shuddered at the mention of my old babysitter, who tried to baptize me without my dad’s consent at her church, the New Horizons Fellowship of Enlightenment. If the rumors were true, they were just as cuckoo as the Scientology people.

“Don’t stay up too late.” I kissed my dad on the cheek and headed home.

I was up before my alarm went off, which seemed like a crime. Before going to sleep last night, I told Cruz to go to the auto shop in the morning so he could meet with my dad. As I had expected, he blew up my phone, but I ignored him.

That restless feeling settled over me as soon as I was properly awake. At first, I thought it was stress, but honestly, it was sexualfrustration. When was the last time I got laid? The fact that I couldn’t remember said it all.

I was picky about who I let take me to bed. Guys had big mouths, and in my profession, I couldn’t allow scandals to follow me.

“Fuck it,” I mumbled, knowing I was going to be late today.

Just as I was getting excited to have some me time, someone started calling me. I huffed in annoyance, but then saw it was Micah. I bit my lip, debating what to do. Then I figured I could call him later once I was done.

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