After five days of driving and some really crappy hotels I finally passed the sign welcoming me to California, and a few hour later I arrived in LA. Just as I hit LA the car started to chug. “Fuck!” I yelled hitting the steering wheel and pulling into the next gas station I seen.

I shut the car off before getting out to have a look under the hood. As soon as I opened the hood white smoke and steam came pouring out. As I leaned against the side of the building staring at my smoke car I couldn’t help but laugh, which naturally drew unwanted attention.

“Hi I’m Jesse, I could fix that for you if you’d like.” I looked up at the guy who offered to fix my car and rose an eyebrow at what I saw. He was young, probably around 17, and really thin with blonde hair that stuck up all over the place.

“I think I got it kid, but thanks anyway. If you still want to help you could tell me where the nearest parts store is.”

“Yeah, it’s called the Racers’ Edge. It’s just around the corner from here.” He said pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it up.

“Thanks.” I said taking one more looking at the engine of the car before closing it and grabbing the bag and keys from the car before walking off toward the shop.

Looking around the store it was really hard not to get sucked in, it was every racers wet dream and then some. NOS tanks were set up in displays all around the shop along with a lot of other high performance parts.

“How can I help you little lady?” A man asked walking up, he had a Mexican complexion with a bald head, mustache and beard, and a stocky build.

“Yeah my car just broke down, I made a list of what I’m going to need, can you hook me up?” I asked handing over the list.

“Sure, but why don’t you just take it to a garage?”

“I’ll trust a garage with my car just as soon as I end up in the ground.” I stated with a frown on my face. “For that matter I’ll trust a man with my car when pigs fly.”

“Sorry I asked.” He mumbled under his breath walking toward the computer at the back of the shop. I followed behind him and sat at one of the stools while he looked everything up. “Looks like we have everything in stock and I can have everything dropped off to you just as soon as my man comes back from lunch. Where do you need it?”

“The gas station around the corner. I’ll give your man the money when I see my parts.” I replied “I’ll take the toolset now though.” I said pulling a fifty out of my pocket for the toolset.

“Wouldn’t you prefer one of those?” He said pointing to the power tools on the wall, “they make the job a whole lot easier.”

“I don’t trust power tools, sorry. Make such your man shows up soon.” I said walking out the door with the toolset in hand.

My white cami was covered in grease along with my short shorts and most of my skin as well. Damn head gasket in this thing shattered and was giving me a lot of trouble. I finally managed to get the last piece out and threw it on the ground with the rest.

“Need a hand with that?” a guy asked climbing out of a red truck that had the words Racers’ Edge painted on the side.

“Does it look like I need a hand?” I asked glaring at the guy when I straightened up to look at him. He was pretty cute in the rough around the edges kind of way, but then again so was my ex-boyfriend Jared. The guy standing in front of me was tall and a bit lanky with blonde hair and a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. “Who the hell are you?”

“Sorry, I’m Brian. I’m here with your parts. Would have been here sooner but I got held up at the garage.”

“Whatever, how much do I owe you?”

“$500. Are you new in town?”

“None of your damn business.” I said handing over the money. He quickly unloaded the parts after that and drove off.