"Hey! Hey, Nick, wait up!"

Sam jogged to catch up to me in the hallway. Marcus wasn't too far behind him.

"Is it going to be like this the whole semester, me rushing to catch up with you?" he asked once we were together.

Marcus came and stood next to Sam. "I know you don't have that many classes, but are we ever going to see you?"

I ran a hand through my hair. "I'm sorry, I'm just busy trying to get Maya's car finished in time to put in my application to the Kennedy Institute. But we'll hang out, I promise."

Sam raised his eyebrows. With a smirk, he said, "Maya..now it all makes sense why you're in such a hurry."

"Stop it, Sam," Marcus warned him.

"I haven't even done anything," he said. "But I think lover boy here is using this as a way to get close to Maya."

I didn't deny it. "Shut up."

"You two seemed to be getting pretty close at her apartment. Is this going to be a thing, you two?" he asked, nosey as ever.

"I--I don't know," I answered honestly. I would like for it to be, or I at least want a chance.

"Nia said Maya doesn't like getting close to people, so if she's letting you into her personal space that must be a good sign," said Marcus. We were talking about some pretty deep stuff last night. The things she said about her mom, reminded me so much of my dad, I've never met someone who gets that before. I found myself wanting to talk to her all night, but she had to leave.

"See I told you you'd meet someone at your party," Sam gloated.

Marcus said to him, "He'd already met her before."

He rolled his eyes, "You knew what I meant. But I'm glad you've actually gotten the courage to talk to her instead of just staring at her like a stalker."

I feel like he meant that as a compliment. "Thank you, Sam," I said hesitantly. "I should get going." I needed all the time I could get on Maya's deathmobile. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck, friend," smiled Sam.

Once I'd left school I stopped by the gas station and grabbed a Red Bull. Surprisingly, I got an hour of sleep last night, but I still felt a little drowsy. Since I would be working outside I grabbed a bottle of water as well.

Pulling into Maya's apartment complex, I parked next to the car that would haunt my thoughts for the next two months. I looked at it long and hard before going upstairs. From the outside it didn't look any worse than the other projects I had done, but the inside...it made me question my abilities. Maya asked me if I would punk out, and I was quick to say no, but deep down I was scared that I wouldn't be able to complete this project.

I shook my head. I couldn't let myself get discouraged before I even started. Once I got upstairs, I flipped her welcome mat over to search for the key she said she would leave. I found the small silver key hidden in the corner.

Picking up the key, I unlocked the door and stepped into her empty apartment. It was weird being in here without her. I felt like I was intruding somehow. I am glad that she gave me a spare key, because I needed to change my clothes.

I took my backpack in the bathroom with me. Something that I noticed about Maya is that she is very clean. I first noticed this on moving day, she was constantly picking up after us, and when we were finished eating she didn't waste anytime picking up our trash.

After I got changed into an old white t-shirt and the same jeans from yesterday I went back into the living room. I noticed the card I had gotten her. She stood it on her dresser next to the three little plants that Lavender had given her. I smiled seeing it there, so she did like it. I thought maybe she was just being nice.

She'd also left her car keys on the kitchen counter for me, slipping them in my pocket I went back downstairs. I'd brought my tool kit with me, because I knew that I was going to need it. The plan was to fix everything that was broken on the inside, and then begin, my favorite part, the outside.

I didn't bother turning on the car from I already knew what I was going to have to do. I had to get her a new engine. I'd rebuild it if I had the expertise but I don't, and I'm not stupid enough to attempt it. Lucky for me, I'm not dealing with anything foreign, because if I was we would have a major problem. I had no plans to tell Maya about the finances behind this remodel, because I knew she would call it off immediately. And I couldn't afford for her to do that.

This would be on a strictly need to know basis.

Once I started working, time seemed to fly by. And before I knew it Maya was pulling into the empty parking spot next to me.

I stopped what I was doing. The engine was out and ready to be disposed of. It had been a messy job. While pulling it out my hand had tripped a valve and oil sprayed onto the front of my shirt. And I had grease up to my elbows.

She stepped out of the car her sunglasses covering her eyes. She looked good in it. I just hope she was enjoying it.

"Hey," I said to her. "How was work?"

"It was fine," she said coming over to me. "You weren't kidding about taking the engine out so I couldn't drive it."

"No, I wasn't," I replied. "But it needs to be replaced anyway. I think that's why your car sounds like garbage disposal when you try to turn it on. How was driving in your new car?"

"It's your car,"she corrected me. "But it was very nice. It's been so long since I've been in a car with air conditioning I forgot what it was like."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." She looked down at the mess I had made around her car. Kicking at my turned over Red Bull can. She said, "I see you're drinking your heart attack juice again."

"But I also have water," I said trying to make up for it. "So that counts for something."

"I guess," she said. "Try not to die, while you're out here I'm going upstairs."

"I'll try my best."

Unashamed I watched the way her hips swayed as she walked up the steps making me accidentally burn my finger on a hot pipe.

"Shit!"

The sun was setting, when I felt the increasing need to go the bathroom. And a blast of AC wouldn't hurt either. My t-shirt stuck to my sweat covered back. I was hot and sweaty, but I was making progress and I was proud of that.

Closing the hood, I put all my stuff in the seat of Maya's car and locked the door. I'd be back, but I'm not stupid enough to leave my equipment unattended where anyone could steal it. Maya thinks I'm too quick to trust, but really, I'm not. Sure I'm a nice guy, but I'm skeptical of everyone and protective of my things. Especially, my cars. I trust her though, maybe it's because she's so straight forward with everything.

Going upstairs, I found there was no reason to knock since Maya had left the door unlocked for me. She sat on the couch, with her laptop on the coffee table, a movie was playing but there was no sound coming from it only music from her record player filled the room. The sight of her half-eaten sandwich made my stomach growl, maybe I was hungry too.

"Hey," she said looking up from the screen. She had traded out her jeans for sweatpants and loose graphic t-shirt. I could smell her soap from where I stood, so I assumed she had just taken a shower.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you I just needed to go to the bathroom." I said closing the front door behind me.

"I figured you'd be coming up some time. Go ahead."

Her foggy bathroom mirror confirmed my suspicions about her recent shower. The whole room smelled of her body wash, I breathed in the cool scent. Most girls have sweet smelling perfumes, but not her, it smelled fresh and clean. Not like cupcakes.

After using the bathroom, I went to wash my hands in the sink. There was so much condensation on the mirror I couldn't see myself, I hope I looked okay.

When I left the bathroom, I noticed Maya was no longer sitting on the couch but in the kitchen washing her few dishes.

"How's my car treating you?" she asked wiping the soapy water from her hands. "Not too bad I hope."

I chuckled. "It's definitely giving me a run for my money." Literally, I called Troy at Car World to see if he could order an engine for me he told me it would cost two thousand dollars. Two thousand dollars!

"I can see," she said looking at my oil stained shirt. "It looks like it threw up on you."

"You can say that. You've been getting your oil changed frequently."

She smiled proudly. "I do it every three thousand miles."

Ugh, she's so cute.

She narrowed her eyes coming closer to me. Gesturing towards my forehead, she said, "You've got a little something on your face."

Embarrassed, I wiped at my forehead. "Did I get it?"

"No," she laughed. "You actually just made it worse."

Great, if I wasn't embarrassed enough. I went to wipe at my forehead again, but she stopped me.

"Just stay still, I'll get it." Grabbing the kitchen towel, she stood on her tiptoes and wiped at the oil smear on my forehead. She was so close my breath caught in my throat. It would take nothing to put my arms around her and pull her closer. "There," she said backing away from me.

"Thanks," I said trying to slow my heart rate. She quickly turned back towards the counter, facing her back towards me.

"You're welcome. Have you eaten anything? I have half a sandwich left over if you want it." She pushed the plate housing her sandwich from earlier towards me.

"I'll take it outside with me." I grabbed the half of the sandwich from the plate and headed for the door. It wasn't until I got outside again that I fully caught my breath again. My pulse raced as I walked down the stairs, I feared that I might be close to that heart attack Maya was talking about.

But I don't think it was the Red Bull that was making me feel this way.