A Fix-Her Upper

[mikka]

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Mikka was laying across her bed as she flipped through the pages of the phone book to search for the number she was excited to call. After months of searching, she had FINALLY found a car! Well, sorta. It was second hand, and a little on the pricey side and she did not currently have a job to save money so that she could afford it...but still. There was no harm in looking. And thats exactly what she was going to do.

She pulled out her glittery pink cell phone (very girly, very Mikka-like) and dialed the number slowly, making sure she was entering the correct series of numbers. She heard the phone ringing on the other end, and waited for someone to pick up. If there was a car there, she was going to drive down today to see it...if they were open, since she wasn't even sure of the timings. Her father knew the guy who owned it though, so maybe he would be able to give her a good price for it. His name was....Damian? Yes, if Mikka remembered correctly.

~~~ Tag Damian....I mean....Dyami ~~~

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[dyami]

Dyami had patrolled last night, so he was currently running on little to no sleep and even less food. He was currently, sitting behind a desk, with papers all over it, trying to figure out when a simple thing like a calculator had gotten so confusing to use. It was meant to add and subtracted. Now it had graph buttons and text on it. He knew it had text on it because who ever used it last had written a message on it, and Dyami couldn't get it off to add and subtract!

When the phone out in the main room rang, he stood up and walked slowly to go get it. He was, tired, but he would answer it until some teenie bopper answered his Help Wanted ad. He looked down at the phone which said 'Line Three Ringing' and wondered why he had more then one line. He could only talk on one at a time.

Picking it up and hoping it would automatically pick up on line three, and not make him try to work the phone he answered. His voice, deep and slightly scratchy from lack of sleep still held a mellow, and confidante tone to it. "The Shop." Which was how the answered around here.

[mikka]

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Mikka adjusted her position so she was now laying on her back on her bed, her phone held against her ear. "Hi!" She greeted in an overly perky voice. "I was just calling about your add for a car. Its called like the Spider or something. Anyway, I was wondernig if you still had it or if it was sold." Her voice was polite; as spoiled as Mikka was, she was not an overly rude person. Besides, she wanted to get on this guy's good side. That was how she was going to get a discount . . . a very large discount. That, and by mentioning that she was Paul's daughter, and hoped that her father hadn't recently gotten on his bad side.

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[dyami]

Speaking of tennie bobbers. Dyami paused for a moment after the high, find the voice nice, but perky for her ears. Her next words only made his tired brain work harder. Very brand of car almost, had some car with Syder in the title. He sold car parts, and had ads for allot of 'Fixer Uppers' out at the moment. You buy a car that wouldn't run, and fixed it up. Then you had a hot car, for cheap. "Which one." She said, not sounding annoyed, just clam. Yet at the same time, there was an aloofness in his voice, as if he was holding back.

[mikka]

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"Umm...the one with the word Spyder in it?" She repeated. Mikka knew nothing about cars, but how many spider cars could there be? It sounded like a rather obscure name. Did he have a lot? "Its second hand." SHe wasn't sure if that would help. "I forget what color it is...but its a bit on the expensive side. Its a lambo," she added, excited by saying that word. "Does that help any?" She waited for his response snice she was finally done rambling on about how little she knew about the kind of car she wanted.

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[dyami]

Lambo? Even if he lived, another hundred years, he would still be slightly surprised every time a girl made a power car sound horribly cute. "The Lamborghini Gallardo Syder; is still has the for sale sign on it." He paused, not wanting to say more but, he would warn her once then let her learn the hard way. "It needs work." He keep things simple, not going into details he would bet his texting calculator she didn't know.

[mikka]

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Was he speaking English, because Mikka did not speak car. "How much work?" She thought about only for a few moments before going on to ask him another question. "Do you think I can come by and take a look at it. I am interested in buying it, but just need to see what sort of condition its in." He better be willing to give her a good deal if the car was just a hunk of junk!

"Are you open now?" She asked, already getting off her bed and looking at her closet, her eyes scanning through it for the outfit she was in the mood to wear today.

[dyami]

She was talking faster then he could think. He had to guess, at what she was saying most of the time, since she was asking questions and he would be forced to reply. "We are open." He ended up going with. It seemed the easiest one to answer as the rest he wasn't clear on what she wanted to hear. "Until nine." He added on, so she would know. The car needed allot of work but if her 'Daddy' came with her, he could explain to the man the details of what needed to be done. It would save time.

[mikka]

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Mikka finally stopped rambling enough to plan out what she was going to do. "Ok! I'll be there soon to take a look at it. Thanks!" With those words, she hung up the phone and started to rummage around her closet for something to wear. She had far too many clothes, and yet she could never find something.

She decided to go with a vibrant pink tank top with a tight fitted pair of jeans, and of course, the perfect pink stiletto heels to go with it. Mikka looked at herself in the mirror and smiled while flicking her long straight hair back. When she was finally satisfied with her appearance (which took far longer than an average person to be), she hopped into her mom's buggy (which she did not get to ride often, but since neither parent was home, it didn't matter). She started the engine and began to depart on a ride that would hopefully result in her getting her very own car.

[dyami]

The tennie bopper must have been excited about a 'lambo' because she forgot to say good bye. Dyami pulled the phone from his ear on the click sound, and stared at it for a moment, before hanging it up. Walking back to his desk sat down, and inhaled deeply ending on a yawn. He needed a nap but he was the only on here for the moment so he couldn't doze off.

Picking up his pen and calculator and then growled. He tossed it in the trash can, and pulled out notebook paper, and did the math by hand.

[mikka]

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Mikka loved driving. She could just drive for hours and hours, so long as she had some good music playing, and the window rolled down so that she could feel her hair blowing in the wind. This was exactly why she needed her own car! She was already thinking about the seat covers she was going to get...little fuzzy heart ones. That would be perfect to go along with her new lambo.

The ride was not that long...it was only to the Makah reservation. Mikka had only been here a couple of times, and even then it was very brief. When she got there, she made at face at the place that was in front of her. Parking the car, she slowly got out and hoped it would get better the closer she was to it...she was wrong. It looked like a junkyard. Was this where her perfect car was? Maybe not. She took off her sunglasses and put them on top of her head while carefully walking to the main entrance. She was practically tiptoeing, afraid to get her outfit and shoes dirty.

"Hello?!" She called, standing outside the door, before slowly opening it. "Is anybody here?" Clearly someone would be unless that guy lied to her on the phone. "I just called about a car...the spider lambo." That was her nickname for it since she did not remember the full, technical name for it. She continued to walk in to the store, taking each step very carefully. Hopefully it would be cleaner on the inside.

[dyami]

He heard the car, but most people liked to look around before coming in, so he didn't stop his work until the steps came to the door and the door opened. He knew the voice. The tennie bopper was here. He stood up and stretched, when he heard her call the car names. Sighing he spoke as he walked, "The Gallardo, is in the yard." He came out of his office, and took one looked at the woman way to young to be showing off that much of her self and froze.

Huh. So this is what it felt like when the world stopped spinning. You couldn't move, even if you wanted to run, and you couldn't blink. You were afraid to blink, to breath. Dyami had lived over a hundred years. If fate had been kind, she would never have even known his name. Now, the little teenie bopper of a girl was not only going to know his name, she would be screaming it later.

His brows bent slightly. That was unapproreate. He was spending to much time with teenage boys. All their jokes of 'remember my name you'll be screaming it later' had apparently gotten to him. He was not going to start talking about his wife like that.

His wife, who had on stripper shoes, too tight jeans, and a 'pretend' shirt. Still, even dressed in the horrible fashions of modern day dramatic teens, he had never seen anything quite so perfect. From her little noise, to her round face, and long hair. Her skin tanned and smooth, begging for him to touch, and hold her hand, crass her cheek.

It was her eyes, that did him in. He felt like he was looking into little gallexies. With a million little worlds of trouble, and fun. He walked slowly over to her, stopping to close for normal human contact. As if he had no concept of personal space, and his voice dropped to a deep rugged sound. "I'll show you."

Who ever she was, she had just gotten her self a free Lamborghini (And he'd made it run for her), and whoever her father was, was about to have his day ruined.

[mikka]

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Mikka watched the man come into view. The very LARGE man. He was some tall! And he was cute, definitely worth flirting with and trying to talk her way to getting a deal. He looked like he had muscles, and a lot of them. That was always good. Mikka did not like scrawny, weak boys....she liked men. The time she spent checking him out was short lived, for she noticed that he was just staring at her.

Did she have something on her face? Maybe she should have put on more lip gloss. Whatever the reason, they were just standing there...staring at each other. Mikka felt awkward, but didn't want to let it phase her. She was trying to make a good impression, first impressions were always important. She watched him get closer...and closer...and closer...and absentmindly tightened her grip on her purse, just so she had something to hold. Was he going to rob her?! Why was he so close? Too close. Mikka liked attention, but she felt a little uncomfortable having just come into a shabby little place, only to have this guy looking at her like....well, she couldn't describe his expression. It was unreadable to her.

She breathed a very small sigh of relief when he offered to show her where the car was, but the relief did not last long because he was still too close."Cool! That would be great," she said, smiling, still trying not to look as discomforted as she felt. "Cute store," she complimented, half meaning it. She took a few steps away from him, pretending to look around even though it did not strike any interest in her. Maybe she could get a drink or something though. It was a bit of a neat place. It could use a bit of a more welcoming entrance, but she would tell him that later....once she had her car. "Whats it called? I think you answered the phone saying it, but whats it really called? There's no sign outside."

She glanced around, mostly to break eye contact with him and just have a distraction from the silence that they had allowed to fill the room for a few moments. She continued to aimlessly walk around, creating a bit more of a distance between them.

[dyami]

When she stepped back he got the impression she liked space. He would comprise on allot but not the space thing. "It's just The Shop." He answered her as she looked around. Then he took another step closer, reached around her to open the door up again and hold it for her to walk though. Once she had, he followed, placing a hand on her back to guide her.

Dyami normally didn't touch people, and didn't get as close, but with her, he wanted to. "Your father here." She looked familiar, in her face. Like he had seen her before but that was impossible since he had imprinted.

[mikka]

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What a horribly, unoriginal ..... he needed to stop coming so close to her. As she back up, he moved forward. She finally went the wall against her back and as he slightly leaned in, she thought he was going to try something. But all she heard as the faint click of the door opening. Oh...ha ha.

Mikka quickly stepped outside, though it wasn't long until she felt his hand on her back. Mikka was officially uncomfortable. Her politeness wore thin, because she was not afraid to tell him to move his hand. But first, she just squirmed away, and would see if that worked. She took a few steps away from him...not wanting him to have any physical contact with her. Creepy!

Wait......why did it matter if her dad was here? Was this one of those...no one can hear you if you scream things?! Mikka hid her fear. "No," she answered bravely. "Why? Whats it to you?"

[dyami]

Dyami's brows bent at her words. She apparently was one of them disrespectful teenagers. Still, she could grow out of it, and he couldn't wait to see her grow up. "How old are you, kid?" He said not matching her tone, keeping his calm and amused. He wasn't the type to pick fights, so he wasn't going to let her temper get the best of him. He worked with allot of tempers in his life time. "I had assumed, your father would help you pick out a car."

He knew she had moved away from him again, but this time, he moved closer, and put his hands on her shoulders to turn her to face the car she wanted, then -- only for her -- did he step back. "This is it."

[mikka]

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Mikka was considering lying about her age....then again, why should she? "18," she said confidently. How old was he, 25? He looked older, but not old. Still, he was too touchy. "I don't need his help." That was a lie. She desperately needed help because she didn't know what she was doing.

He was touching her again. She was about to yell at him to get his paws off of her......when she became too distracted by what she saw. That? Was...her....car?! It was so horrible looking! It looked like it had been through hell and back. "That?" She said, with a bit of a disgusted look on her face. "No no, I think you're wrong. Thats...that can't be my car. Its supposed to be a lambo! Not a hunk of junk like this thing." She didn't even want take a step closer to it. "Can you please take me to the actual car."

[dyami]

"You are slightly right." He told her, "Is is not your car, nor a lambo. THIS, is my needs work, Lamborghini Gallardo which is for sale, as is." He told her, which watching her. "The engine is still good, just has allot of millage, the body, breaks, and shocks need work or replacing and the starter is missing. I have everything you will need in this yard minus the belts, shocks and paint." He waited for her 'huh' face. "It should take to long for anyone good with cars to build it up and have it hugging curves on the road. Should I save all this for your father, or go on?"

[mikka]

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Was he speaking English?! It sure didn't sound like it. It sounded like complete jargon! But she would not admit to him that she didn't understand a word he was saying. "No, I can handle it." She didn't want to show him that she really needed her dad...or someone who was good with cars right now; besides him. Maybe he was just showing off.

"Okay...soo...." She began to walk around it, inspecting it, acting as if she knew exactly what needed to be done. "How much is it going to cost for the car, and to get it fixed up? I mean like, what price range am I looking at?" She wanted her lambo! Not some fugly, beat up car from a junkyard!

[dyami]

She had heard nothing he said. It was a good thing she had come to him. He could protect her from the world now. Protect her from the idiots - - - like the kind who would be in in about 15 mins. Dyami gave a small groan and looked around. "If you can or a love one" HIM "can do the work, it's going to be next to nothing compared to a real one. If you don't know anyone who can do the work, for free or cheap then you might as well get buy a new one." He looked back at her.

"You got a shirt to put on over that? The boys are about to get here, and your just going to distract them looking all dolled up and beautiful." And he didn't want them seeing her on display like this.

[mikka]

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"I can't afford a new one," she said immediately after he told her that she was going to need someone to fix it up. Her father wouldn't have time to do this ... and he was not a professional. "How much would it cost me if I hired you to fix it for me?" This car was already costing her a fortune, but as he said, the cost was nothing compared to a REAL one. As long as it looked real... well, that's all that mattered.

She looked at him curiously when he asked if she had a shirt. Her further reasoning for asking only made her expression transform from curiosity to a smirked with a hint of a flirtatious smile. She began to absentmindedly twirl her hair in her finger. He had just called her beautiful! She loved compliments and while this guy may have been creepy before, he was redeeming himself by calling her things like beautiful. "Maybe it'll be good for your business. You know, to see someone more feminine around..." She looked around the messy, dirty area. "Here." This place was not somewhere she usually hung out at.

[dyami]

Dyami almost did a double take, but he had to much control for that. She liked that he asked her to cover up? She was smiling at him now. Women made no since what so ever. "The last thing I need is every male in the state coming here to drool over you." He thought about pulling off his shirt and giving it to her but, held back for the moment. "However, we are hiring. Need someone who know about computers to answer the phone."

"As an employee, I would do the work for almost free." He let that hang there, learning a bit how to make the deal seem better for her. "I would ask you not dress such as thing. None of the boys would get anything done with you around." Which would annoy him more then help him.

[mikka]

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Mikka continued to feel flattered. "Like I said, maybe it'll be good for business or something. I mean, look at this place...you're going to need something to make it look more appealing. Whether that be me or not, you really gotta do something about the mess here." Even though it was not supposed to be a glamorous shop, Mikka knew there had to be a way to make it more....pretty. And suddenly, she was distracted.

"OH! You are? Really? That would be so perfect!" She didn't want a job. BUT, she needed a car, and her parents were on her back to get a job and do 'something constructive with her time'. "What sort of qualifications do I need?" Would she need to do up a resume? "I don't have a degree in computer science or anything, but I know how to use one...is that good enough?" Surely, just by looking at her, he would know that she didn't look like the most computer savy person...as far as repairing them went anyway. "I am awesome with phones though. I use them a lot! I could help you there." And somehow, the conversation diverted back to her wardrobe. However, for the moment, she would ignore it. She would ask about the dress code later. It was probably: wear the most ratty clothes you can dig out of your closet." That would not surprise her, but she would not follow that dress code either. Dress to impress, that was her motto.

[dyami]

"Your fine"-"Yes."-"mmhmm". Dyami was a man of few words, and even if he wasn't she could only fit in a few words around her run on statements. Her voice was beautiful. He could let her talk forever--Help him with phones? "Test run." He blurted out. "Come answer the phone once and that is how you apply." It wasn't but that way he could at lest stall her here for a bit longer. "Employees get discounts too, and parts for free sometimes." He lied again to temp her into wanting the job more. She could have asked him for it free and he might have given it to her. She had already won all the battles she would never know to fight.

[mikka]

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"Well that seems easy enough!" She wanted the application to be easy, she definitely wasn't complaining. Not having any work experience may make it difficult in some places to apply, but this guy seemed to be pretty understanding and fair. "Ooohh discounts!" Her face lit up. Even if this wasn't an ideal shopping place for her, a dedicated shopper always loved to hear the word 'discount'. "That'll probably help with fixing up the car and stuff!" She would have to use her most polite, most professional tone when answering the phone. Who knows how much competition she has!

"Shall we?" She said, already waiting to prove to him that she could answer a phone well. "I've got lots of practice...you won't be disappointed. Are there a lot of other people who applied for this job?" She had to ask. She needed to know what her chances were, and she needed to figure out a way to either eliminate the competition or find a way to out stage them.

[dyami]

The corner of Dyami's lips tilted very so slightly when she said he wouldn't be disappointed. He knew he wouldn't. He walked beside her, putting one hand on her back to guide her like he always did, even knowing she would pull away. He made sure to only touch her back and no lower or higher. Proper. Leading her back to the shop he did a quick walk / jog to get ahead of her enough to open the door and hold it for her. Unlike some, didn't look like he was over trying, just habit. "We get phone calls often here, just checking for parts. We are one of the largest and most well known yard in the area." Being the cheapest helped too, "Just answer it, the shop, and they will tell you what they need and you try to help them."

He walked behind the counter and stood before the very old looking computer, which had a dark screen. How did you make it come on? He wiggled the mouse and then tapped the keyboard. Nothing. Now he looked like an idiot before her. Great. "When this is working, you can get them the map quest how to guide to here, and to check for parts you use this thing." He picked up a walkie "and one of the boys or my self can answer."

[mikka]

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Dyami was right in thinking that Mikka was going to move away from his touch...because that's exactly what she did. She still didn't feel comfortable letting him into her personal space. After all, this was the first time she was meeting him. He was still a stranger to her. She did however follow him. If he kept being all touchy though, then she wasn't sure she would be able to work here. It was too weird for her. "Oh! That's something that I think we need to talk about...I mean, 'The Shop'....really? Couldn't you think of something more creative? I can't imagine how one of these places can beat another, since they all look the same, but since you sound like you're doing well, don't you think you should make a better name for your store? Like, The Shop is just so...........unoriginal." She didn't want to criticize his business too much, she just wasn't afraid to speak her mind; something she got from her father. If he shrugged that off, well, she wasn't going to let it go so easily.

She watched him with no success attempt to turn on the computer. "Um...is the switch on?" Mikka was no computer expert, but she figured that it was at least worth a try. After all, sometimes the most simplest solutions were the best. "Who are the 'boys'?" Ooohh there were more boys here?! How nice! Mikka would enjoy getting dressed up even more now when ....if she got this job. "So I would basically have to walkie talkie you all? That's....cute. Very um... old school, but cute I guess." Wow. This whole place was big time, old school.

[dyami]

Dyami watched her for a moment, not going to tell her he did not know where the power button was. Everything on this computer seemed to have a power button and he was not going to spend the next little bit looking around for it and appearing like an idiot. Nor was be going to comment on it. He just stood there, silently and unmoving as she went on and on about the name of his Shop. He had not meant for the business to take off. It was meant to be just a cover for his life. "The Shop is over 40 years old." He told her, letting her mind take that comment as she could.

He also didn't like the small changes in her when he talked about the boys. Dyami's wasn't going to warn her away from them. He wouldn't warn the boys. He did not waste his breath on things. The boys would know, she was his. There would never be a question in their mind. "Yes, basically."