The door of Mr. Briar's automotive course opened, and I stood in the doorway. Everyone turned. We all looked at each other. Even Briar. No one said a word. Then everyone jumped up and ran to me. They were all laughing and I was just a little bit, when they all grabbed me and shook me around.
"Bro! What's up!" Yelled Isaac Dean.
"Viiiiinnnccceeee!" Said Jacob Viskit. Everyone, everyone was welcoming me back. No one was giving me shit. It felt good, the exact opposite of what I expected.
"Glad to see you back," Briar said. "Sit down and we'll get started in the shop." He said while stroking his grey beard. He was cool. I sat down in my usual seat, next to Jimmy Beck, who was always my partner in the auto shop. He had his hands together on his desk and spoke without looking at me.
"I heard what happened," He said, not in a friendly tone of voice like everyone else. I also talked without looking. We usually did this.
"Yeah," I answered. "Everyone has." He scoffed.
"Don't expect me to be all nice to you just because of the thing," He finally looked at me. "Because I'm not." I laughed slightly and returned his look.
"I wasn't expecting it at all. You're never nice, what would make me think you would be now?"
"Watch it. Just because we're partners for life doesn't mean we're friends." The term "Partners For Life" was created by Christian Briar, and referred to the way you had one and only one permanent partner in this class. Which we were all fine with. Jimmy was a prick, but we worked very well together. Well, we were both pricks, but it worked out. "Anyways. It's good you're here. We can continue with the Ford front engine."
The shop was nice, but only a few of us went out at a time, the others would rather stay back and do other work on paper. The "weak" ones. Briar usually came out, but some days he stayed behind to supervise and talk to the others. Today was one of those days that he stayed back. Which was okay. We knew we were able to start when we heard the speakers and radio come on. It was always either Nirvana or The Smiths playing all class, but today it was Pantera. Which we all were good with. Very good.
"Jackie," Phil Black said. "Hand me the seven-inch socket."
"Got ya," Jackson Greer said, throwing the wrench to Phil.
"Hey," Jimmy yelled. "Be careful tossing shit around, guys."
"Calm down," I said. He looked at me and sighed.
"Fine, whatever you say," Jackie said. Jimmy and I were sort of seen as the highest-ups in this class, everyone listened to us. There were maybe twelve of us out there, all doing different things. A bright light from the welding table would flash every couple of seconds, courtesy of Aston Coffey.
"Jesus Christ almighty," Said Troy Webb. "Could you do that any brighter, Aston?" We all laughed. I keep saying this, but it felt so good to smile and laugh again. But then I'd remember why I was sad. And the good feelings lasted for a while but soon ceased.
"Take the fucking oil pan off, Vince," Jimmy said. "Yeah. That one." I removed the black lid of the oil pan. I knew what the oil pan was, but Jimmy played me for a dumbass. I held the dry part in my hand and looked for oil. None.
"I wish I could hit you in the face with this, Jimmy. And that's how I truly feel," I said when he looked at it. "You know? In a nice way though."
"Put the shit down, Bishop," He said. "Jesus Christ." I put the pan down on the table.
"Don't do it like that," I said, taking his socket wrench. "Hit it at an angle to break the rust. 'Jesus Christ' " I said while mocking his voice. He struck me on the arm, which made me smile. I broke the rusted screw out of the hole, and it hit the floor with a clink. I picked it up and put it in the pan. His eyes got wide.
"Why would you-"
"Relax, bitch," I reassured. "It's dry." He rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"Window licker." He said and laughed. "Let's finish it."
By the time we finished taking apart the pieces of the engine, "All Apologies" by Nirvana was just starting when the warning bell rang.
"Alright boys," Jimmy announced. "Let's get out of here." After washing hands, wiping hands, and throwing hands we all exited the room. The first period wasn't so bad, but these were my actual friends. It was the other periods I wasn't looking forward to. We all said our goodbyes and went in opposite directions like always.
I took the short way to my next class, chemistry. Hated the people in that class. Badly. There were some I liked and some who liked me, but wow. It was a bad class. I went to the science wing bathroom just to kill time, I usually had a few acquaintances in there. This time it was only Mark Denny. Part of the football team, and a well-respected member of this school, he was a close friend of mine.
"Denny," I said, nodding my head. He waved and didn't look up.
"Vincent!" He exclaimed. "Good to see you! I'm very sorry for what happened with Angie, my parents are really scared about it. Scared for my sister, and all. That's how most parents are around their girls now.
"I know," I said. "Could we not talk about it right now though?"
"Yeah, sorry," He said.
"No worries," I replied. How is Lillie, by the way?"
"She's good, and still in with that bitchy group of hers. The one's that all are in love with me," He said. I laughed.
"Remember that one that asked me out when I was at your house a few years back?" I asked. "What are they, two years younger, right?" He also laughed.
"Yeah. Girls. The younger the worse." I nodded.
"Well," I said. "I have to get to class. We can catch up later, okay?"
"Mhm."
I walked out and across the hall to Mrs. Ainer's room and looked at the door. I did that for every class today. I sighed and walked in. Again, everyone turned to look.
"Hey!" Yelled Jason Smith. "Where the fuck is Monty, Vince?"