CHAPTER FIVE

We arrive shortly at The Riders' garage where a blue Mustang was serviced inside. There are no other cars inside other than a black BMW parked not far from the exit door at the back. A motorbike is parked on the side with a helmet hang on.

"Oh, is this why the garage is closed so early? Is it hitting the track tonight?" Matthew asks when we all get inside. Everyone turns look at me including Mark who was focused on the hood of the Mustang. I shrug my shoulders and say,

"No, wouldn't y'all know if that's the plan? It's tomorrow. The campus bash, remember?"

"Ugh…I was about to fix my lenses for tonight." Nathan whines from behind.

"Well, fix them for tonight's show. We need proper videos." I scold him.

"I know, I know. But it would be more exciting if I were going to shoot the legendary mysterious racer, Shirley Rider." Nathan speaks excitedly opening the driver's door of the Mustang.

"Can I just rev it a bit?"

"NO!!!" Both Mark and I scolds in unison.

"Kid, get out of the car, will ya?" Says Mark with his hands on him muscled waistline in an oil-stained black t-shirt and black jeans. With tattoos peeping through his sleeves.

"Hey, Mark. You talked

to Dave?" I ask ignoring the whining kid in the car.

"Yeah, he is at the track already. And he agreed to help out tomorrow. He couldn't be any happier to see Shirley giving a show." Mark smirks and gets back to his work. I shake my head at that and head to the black BMW.

Mark runs this garage and is the head mechanic, while Dave is the Old man's head of security. Time and time again he always lends us help to make sure everything goes well with the race competitions and spin shows that we organize.

Matt is a paint artist. He does graphite work on cars and house call tattoos. As for Nate, he takes after my brother Luke. The kid is a computer genius even though he is still in high school.

Mark has always been a good friend of my brother and worked with him to reopen my dad's garage. Matt as Mark's younger brother also tagged along. Nate was practically adopted by my brother. Luke taught him almost everything he knows today.

When I saw them together at times, I could not understand why he did all that, even though the kid was quite rebellious.

I always thought I would be the one to follow in my brother's foot steps even when I attempted to study mechanical engineering after high school. But I eventually gave up on it and decided to study IT for a year. At least I finished with that one.

After a whole year of studying and forcing myself to bypass Nate's knowledge and skills in computers, I finally got my certificate and realized how useless it was for me since my brother, Luke was not there to be proud of me. At that time, I understood why my brother did not want to teach me a lot of things. I lived my life to mirror him.

"Matt, Nate, get ready we have to get going!" I call out as soon as I arrive at the car, taking out car keys from the inside pocket of my leather jacket. I notice first that the car has been washed. When I left it here last night there was mud all over the tires. The

I open the exit door with the remote controller and start the car immediately after getting inside, then drive out. When I reach Matt's car outside, I wait for him and Nate to come out. While waiting in the car, I notice a gift bag in back seat through the rear-view mirror.

I reach for the bag and pick it up. It's a not heavy nor light. I curiously check inside and find a huge box of chocolates with a card on top of it.

"Happy 21st birthday.

Love, Mark.

PS: It was good to see you finally took the baby out of the garage. I was surprised, but relieved to see you moving on. I hope you don't mind that I washed it for you."

I am startled by the passenger door opening and see Matt leaning in.

"I couldn't believe when I saw Mark washing the car in the morning. You really did take it out of the garage."

"Mhmm…What's that? Chocolates? Who is the mystery man? Come on, let me see…"

"Nathan! No, this is a gift. From someone who remembered my birthday." I scold Nate who's trying to take the unopened box of chocolates from my lap. As for when he opened my side of the door, I don't know. I was still dazed looking at the card and listening to Matt.

Mark is right. It is good to move on. But I only drove the car last night because it was my birthday and I just wanted to drive alone and reminisce on the past, like any other lonely nights when I'd drive off without anyone noticing.

They have never seen the car ever since it was parked in the garage back at the apartment two years ago. Even Sarah, has never seen me drive it ever since it was still new. Since that fateful day, they all thought I'd never drive again. But I had responsibilities to carry on my shoulder. Although, my dad's garage had been closed since then, I had to not only take care of myself, but the businesses my brother left behind.

"Oh, I thought you never celebrate your birthday. But we also got you something, right matt?" Nathan takes me out of my thoughts.

"And what would lame kids like you two get me?" I sniff and put back the gift making a note to share the chocolates with Sarah on our movie night.

"Us! What other best gift can you ever get, if not your two favourite brothers to take care of you." Matt answers while two of them smile like they just won an argument.

"Take care of me? I take care of myself, and basically take care of you, kiddo." I point accusingly at Nate.

"Come on, I take care of your IT work, and we come pick you up on nights like this, drive you around in Matt's car." Says Nate and Matt agrees with him.

"Yeah, we're basically your servants at this rate."

"Okay, boys. We are leaving. Or we will be late for our own event. And no, Nathan you're not getting in my car. Go with Matt." Nathan who is already at the passenger side retreats disappointedly.

With the sound of the hooter, I indicate to Mark who is still inside the building, that we are leaving.