The morning at school seemed to drag on forever for Alex. While the teachers were explaining algebra and literature, he had his mind completely elsewhere. Every minute that passed, his thoughts kept returning to the Civic and the endless list of repairs it needed. He had his phone tucked under his desk, surfing the internet for cheap parts. His math notebook had been overrun with prices and part names as he tried to balance the books.
"Oil filter… $12.99," he muttered to himself, jotting down the price in the corner of the notebook. "Brake hose kit… $30 used. Well, that's not too bad."
The numbers kept adding up, though, and with each calculation, the weight on his chest grew. He had no idea how he was going to pay for all of that.
When lunch time finally came, Alex found David at his usual table, already surrounded by a tray of food and his phone in hand.
"Hey, Rivera! Any progress on your mission to save the Civic?" David asked, looking up from his screen as he bit into a French fry.
Alex dropped his tray on the table and sighed. "Progress… yeah, if you count making a list of things I can't afford as progress. I'm looking for cheap parts, but even the cheapest stuff seems expensive when you don't have money."
David leaned in with a mischievous grin. "And Marcos? I thought I was helping you."
"Marcos helps me, but his pay is… let's just say a snotty one," Alex said, trying to laugh. "I can't just rely on that. If I'm going to fix this car, I need to find something else."
David raised his eyebrows, clearly intrigued. "You're talking about a job? You? The kid who hates waking up early to even come to school?"
"Yeah, a job," Alex replied with a sarcastic grin. "And I'm not excited about it, believe me. But if I want the Civic to run, I have to find a way to make more money."
David nodded, picking up another French fry. "Well, I know a couple of places we could try. My cousin works at a gas station and they always say they need help with the night shifts. It's not a big deal, but they pay you decent enough."
Alex looked at him, considering the idea. "Night shifts... does that mean less time in the shop?"
"Maybe, but you don't have much of a choice, bro," David said, shrugging. "Either you work a little harder, or your Civic will remain a decoration. Besides, who knows? Maybe they'll get you a discount on gas."
They both laughed at the comment, but Alex knew David was right. He needed to find a job if he wanted to move forward with the project.
Back in the classroom, Alex continued to look through options on his phone. Between second-hand parts and online jobs, he noticed several of his classmates staring at him. He didn't care. He had a goal, and nothing else mattered.
At the end of class, David walked over to his desk and patted him on the shoulder. "Tomorrow after school, we're going to ask at my cousin's gas station. If it doesn't work out, we'll try somewhere else. But this is going to work out, bro. I know it."
Alex nodded, with a grateful smile. "Thanks, David. This means a lot."
"Of course," David replied, walking toward the door. "And don't worry, when that Civic is roaring, you'll pay me back with a couple of laps around town."
-x.X.x-
The sun had already begun to set when Alex and David arrived at the shop after school. Despite their tiredness from the day, they were both excited to continue working on the Civic. Upon entering, they found Marcos leaning over a work table, surrounded by tools and parts. In front of him was a box full of new hoses, a canister of coolant, and a shiny oil filter.
"There are the apprentices!" Marcos exclaimed upon seeing them enter. "They're late. I thought they were scared with all the work to do."
"Late? There's still plenty of light!" Alex replied with a smile, leaving his backpack in a corner.
David walked over to the box and looked at the hoses curiously. "Is this all for the Civic?"
"Of course it is," Marcos replied, holding up one of the hoses with one hand and pointing at the canister of coolant with the other. "I got these new hoses to replace the ones that were torn up. I also brought some oil and a new filter. And just so you don't say I'm not helping, I found a second-hand battery in the tank. It's not in perfect condition, but it'll get that beast started and see what else is wrong with it."
Alex looked at the parts with a mix of gratitude and determination. "This is more than I expected. Thanks, Marcos."
More relieved that he didn't have to spend money on those parts.
"Easy, kid. This isn't a gift. This is work. Now get to work. David, you too. I don't want you standing there looking like a fool."
David raised his hands in surrender. "Whatever you say, boss! Just tell me what to do."
The first step in bringing the Civic back to life was tackling the electrical system. The battery was completely dead, beyond saving, and Marcos, with his characteristic patience, decided to turn the process into a lesson for Alex and David.
"Okay, guys," Marcos began, pointing to the hood of the Civic. "Before you do anything, remember this: a dead battery doesn't mean it can't scare you if you do something wrong. Always disconnect the negative terminal first. Got it?"
David raised an eyebrow as he looked at the cables. "Why? Is it going to explode or something?"
Marcos looked at him with a smirk. "It's not going to explode, but if you disconnect the positive first and touch something metal with the wrench, you could cause an electrical arc. And if that happens, you're not just going to freak yourself out; you're going to ruin something important. Trust me, I almost lost my eyebrows once doing that."
David let out a nervous laugh as Alex grabbed a wrench and leaned over the battery. "So, negative first?" he asked, just to make sure.
"Exactly," Marcos said, nodding. "Negative first. Loosen that clamp, carefully remove it, and then do the same with the positive. And don't just throw it around like trash. Those batteries are full of acid."
Alex followed the instructions carefully, loosening the negative terminal with slow, precise movements. Then, he did the same with the positive and lifted the old battery, placing it to the side as if he were handling something highly explosive.
"Now what?" Alex asked, looking at the replacement battery that Marcos had brought.
"Now we put the new one in," Marcos said, pointing at the battery with his chin. "But before we connect it, let's check the terminals. If they're rusty or dirty, we need to clean them. David, hand me that wire brush."
David handed him the brush, and Marcos began scraping the terminals, removing the built-up corrosion. "This is important," he explained as he worked. "Poor contact at the terminals can cause the car to not start, even with a new battery. So always make sure they're clean and tight."
When the terminals were spotless, Alex put the new battery in place and reconnected first the positive and then the negative, just as Marcos had instructed. He made sure the clamps were firm, but not too tight, to avoid damaging the terminals.
With the battery installed, Marcos crossed his arms and nodded toward the driver's seat. "Okay, kid, time to test. Turn the key and see if we've got any life left in this old thing."
Alex climbed into the car with a knot in his stomach. It was a small step, but an important one. He turned the key, and to his relief, the lights on the dashboard began to flicker. A faint hum indicated that the electrical system was working.
"We've got lights!" David exclaimed, almost jumping up and down with excitement. "This thing is alive! It's like Frankenstein, but in a car."
Marcos laughed, gently tapping the Civic's roof. "Easy, Igor. There's still a long way to go before this thing really comes to life. But it's a good start. Now that the electrical system is working, we can move on to the oil and filter. The engine needs an internal cleaning before we start it."
Before continuing, Marcos pulled a multimeter from one of the shelves in the shop. "Not so fast, guys. Let's make sure this battery is working as it should. Just because the lights are on doesn't mean everything is okay."
Marcos connected the multimeter leads to the battery terminals and watched the display. "12.4 volts. It's not perfect, but it's enough to get you started. Now let's test the alternator."
"The alternator?" Alex asked, leaning in to look.
"It's what keeps the battery charged while the engine is running," Marcos explained. "If it doesn't work, you can have the newest battery in the world and still get stranded on any corner. Now, try starting the car and we'll see if the alternator is doing its job."
Alex turned the key again, but this time the engine didn't start. Only a faint clicking sound could be heard.
"That's normal," Marcos said, not losing his cool. "We haven't done anything with the engine yet, but the clicking means the starter is at least getting some power. When we get the rest fixed, we'll see if this alternator is working as it should."
"So... the battery's okay?" Alex asked.
Marco nodded as he put away the multimeter. "For now, yes. But we're going to keep an eye on it. Old batteries can be temperamental, so don't be surprised if you need to replace it in a couple of months. Now, let's work on the oil and filter. This engine needs an internal cleaning before we try to start it for real."
Marco stood next to the Civic, nodding at the hydraulic jack that was on the side of the car. "First, guys, let's get this old thing up. Alex, come here, I'll show you how to do it right."
Grabbing the hydraulic jack, Marcos explained each step. "Place this under the support point of the chassis, never under any part that looks fragile. See these marks here? They are the strong points of the car. If you do it wrong, you could bend something important. And trust me, fixing that is not cheap."
Alex nodded and carefully picked up the jack, placing it exactly where Marcos told him. Pumping the handle, the Civic slowly began to rise. "Is this okay?" Alex asked, unsure.
"Perfect," Marcos said, patting him on the shoulder. "Now, never rely on the jack alone. Always use stands. If this jack fails, goodbye to your legs. Or worse."
David, watching from the side, raised an eyebrow. "Is this part of the safety rules or the rules for not being crushed to death?"
"Both," Marcos replied with a smirk. "Now put those stands in place and make sure they are secure before you get under the car."
With the car safely lifted, Marcos handed them an oil drain wrench and pointed to the oil pan. "Okay, Alex. There's the plug. Loosen that carefully and put this container underneath. I don't want a mess on the floor. This place has enough grime already."
Alex carefully positioned himself underneath the car, positioning the container just below the oil pan plug. He took a deep breath and began to loosen the plug with the wrench. "It's a little stiff," he muttered, applying more force.
"That's because no one has probably touched it in years," Marcos commented from behind. "But don't worry, loosen it slowly. And be prepared for the smell. Old oil smells awful."
Finally, the plug gave way, and a dark, thick stream began to flow into the container. The strong, pungent smell filled the air, causing an immediate reaction from David, who stepped back, holding his nose.
"What the hell is that?! Oil or tar?" David exclaimed, with an exaggerated grimace.
Marcos laughed out loud. "That, kid, is what happens when you don't change the oil for years. This engine was running on pure sludge. But don't worry, Alex, it'll breathe better now. Let it finish draining, and then we'll remove the filter."
End of Chapter 5