Soul Searcher by D.M. Richardson (novel24 .TXT) 📕

“Alright, it’s done. Though you’ll probably need to clean the rest of the spark plugs soon or you’ll get the same problem. The car is driven too hard there’s too much sludge. It really needs a good cleaning, but it will run just fine for now.” My dad nodded.

“Thank you.”

“Everything done?” Koner asked coming into the work area. Rayne nodded and walked over to a sink to start washing her hands. My dad smiled at him.

“Yes she did a wonderful job. To be honest I expected the work to take a couple hours, but she got it done in less than one.”

“I told she was good.” Koner answered with a smile.

“How much to we owe you?” Dad asked as he pulled out his wallet. Rayne walked back over and picked up her shirt pulling it back over her head.

“Ask her she’s the one that did the work.” Koner replied with a sleigh smile in Rayne’s direction. She paused and turned to him in surprise.

“What?”

“It was your labor you set the price as long as you cover any parts that you used.”

“But I already get a paycheck. You have to be able to run the shop I can’t just set a price. You have to make a profit.” she answered.

“Yes which is why you will have to give five percent of anything over the price of the parts.” She looked at dad with wide eyes and he smiled at her kindly.

“So how much do I owe you?” he asked softly. She looked between the two of them again then cleared her throat.

“Umm well it’s usually twenty five for an oil change. So we’ll say forty five? Is that fair?” she asked looking between the two men again with a concerned look. My dad chuckled.

“You undervalue your work. Here.” he handed her a bill and turned to tell us to be on our way.

“Wait. This is too much I can’t take this.” she said trying to hand the hundred back. My dad shook his head.

“It would have cost me at least two hundred anywhere else for what you did today. You’ve earned the money just take it. And don’t let anyone tell you your worth less than you are.” he said turning and heading for his own car in the parking lot. Leaving Rayne to stair after him in shock and something else I couldn’t place.

“Come on guys I got to take you home.” we all piled into the car. As I was pulling out I saw Rayne try to hand the hundred to Koner. Instead of taking it he folded her hand over it. He said something to her that I had no hope of hearing. He walked away and I watched her lower her head.

An hour later I pulled into my driveway. I looked down the street out of habit and saw Rayne’s car in the Keely’s driveway. I climbed out of the car and walked into the house. I tried to enter softly so I didn’t attract my dad’s attention.

“Zeke get in here!” I sighed and walked into my dad’s study. He was sitting in an armchair waiting for me. “Have a seat.” he said in a tone that I knew well. I was in trouble. I sat down in the chair across from him like I had so many times in my life.

“I want you to leave that girl alone.” he said setting his coffee cup down on the table next to his chair. I sat up straight in the chair.

“Whys?!” I asked in an unnecessarily loud voice.

“Because you have too much interest in her. I see you watching her house. How you watch every movement she makes. You intentionally invade her personal space for no other reason than you want to. And not to mention the way she obviously tests your self control.” his words got more and more heated as he spoke.

“Okay so I almost lost control once. Once in my entire life. Why am I being condemned for it?” I don’t know why but the thought of leaving her alone just got under my skin.

“You’ve become too invested in her. She’s a sweet girl with some obvious issues and she doesn’t need you making it worse for her.”

“How would I make things worse for her? She wouldn’t even know if I satisfied my curiosity. And she’s a walking contradiction. Nothing about her adds up. She’s not like anyone I’ve ever seen let alone met.” I couldn’t sit still anymore. I stood and walked over to the window. A window that conveniently looked into her front yard. I could see her bedroom window. As I watched the curtain in the bay window moved. She was in there right now.

“Do you really think you could get close to her by stealing unwelcome glimpses into her past?”

“She wouldn’t even notice.”

“That’s not the point. We don’t have this ability so we can just violate people with it. It’s a gift that deserves respect and dignity.”

“Yes I know. It’s the same thing you’ve said my entire life. But I can’t just leave her alone. Your right I’m invested in her. I can’t just walk away.” I turned to look at him to see he had his face in his hands. He sighed.

“Okay I understand, but don’t violate her like that. She would eventually find out and she doesn’t seem like the forgiving type. If you want to get close to her do it the old fashioned way. If you were to read her soul without her permission she would see it as a betrayal, and I have the feeling that she’s had enough of that to last a life time.”

“How am I supposed to do it the old fashioned way? She won’t say two words to me unless I trap her into it.”

“That’s because you make her uncomfortable. Isn’t there anything that you have in common? Or a situation you can work to your advantage?” I thought for a moment then smiled.

“She’s my physics partner. She’s also very good at it, and it’s my worst subject. Maybe I can get her to tutor me if I ask at the right time.”

“I think that would be a good idea. She can tutor you away from school, and you can get closer to her that way. In a more relaxed environment.” I nodded and smiled. It was a good plan, and it could work. I may have to work for it, but I would still get the answers I seek.

I went up to my room to wait for seven thirty. When I would go to her house and trap her into spending time alone with me.

I knocked on the door and looked at my watch. Seven thirty on the dot. After a moment Mrs. Keely answered looking pleasantly surprised.

“Oh Zeke. It’s nice to see you. Please come in.” she stepped aside to let me enter.

“Thank you.”

“To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” as she asked Koner walked into the entry way. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

“Is there something wrong with your car?” he asked with concern and confusion.

“No of course not. It runs like a dream.”

“Then what did you need?” Mrs. Keely asked confused.

“Well Mrs. Keely-” I started but she cut me off.

“Oh Sara please.” I nodded and smiled at her.

“Sara. I was wondering if Rayne was home?” I watched both of their eyes widen. Sara’s in surprised excitement and Koner’s in slight worry.

“Of course I’ll go get her.” Sara turned and almost ran up the stairs. While she was gone Koner stared at me.

“Your intentions toward Rayne wouldn’t be bad would they Zeke?” he asked quietly glancing up the stairs to make sure we were still alone.

“No of course not!” I answered truly shocked. I might want to get to know her out of curiosity but I meant her no harm. He studied me for a moment then nodded.

“Good. She’s a good girl. I don’t want to see anything more happen to her.” I almost asked what had happened to her, but I heard foot steps coming down the stairs.

Sara came into view first with a smirk. Rayne was right behind her with a mix of confusion and worry. She had a towel in one hand and her hair was down and damp. She must have just gotten out of the shower. Her hair was waist length and had a slight wave to it. She was wearing a spaghetti strapped shirt and pajama pants. The pants showed more of her hips than the jeans she usually wears. When she looked up and saw me standing there she slowed her decent and stayed on the bottom step.

“What’s going on?” she asked not me but Koner and Sara. Koner shrugged never moving from his spot.

“I don’t know he came over asking for you.” Sara answered. Rayne sighed and finally turned to me.

“Did something go wrong with the car?” she asked in a tone that clearly said she knew that the car was fine.

“No actually I came over to ask you about physics.” I answered enjoying the play of expressions across her face. Though I didn’t understand any of them.

“What about it?”

“Well my grade in that class is less than passing. And I know you’re really good at it so I was wondering if you could help me out?”

From the corner of my eye I saw Koner relax and Sara’s shoulders slump in disappointment. Rayne’s eyes narrowed suspiciously and I could see her going through different ways to turn me down. I watched as she realized her defeat. She couldn’t come up with a way to politely turn me down. She had no reason not to help me.

“Okay when do you want to start?” she asked. I shrugged I hadn’t really thought that through.

“I guess we could start Saturday.” I offered.

“That sounds good.” Sara said with renewed hope. Rayne’s eyes widened in alarm.

“No! Saturday’s no good.” she said in a hurry. Sara turned to her in confusion.

“Why not? You don’t have school or work you’d have all day to study.” Rayne shook her head.

“A friend from my last town is having a party. I promised I would be there.” she said choosing her words carefully.

“Oh sweetie I’m sure she would understand.” Again Rayne shook her head, but with more determination.

“No she really wouldn’t.” she said starting to look desperate. Sara saw it and appeared at a loss for words. She looked to Koner.

“It’s okay you can just set it up for another day. How’s Sunday?” he said looking between the two of us. Rayne’s posture relaxed and she nodded. I shrugged.

“Sunday’s good for me.”

“Okay come over at about noon and we can get started. Make sure you bring your calculator.” she said and turned away and started up the stairs. Sara soon followed her and I said good night.

When I got home I sat on my bed to think. I was happy that it worked, but disappointed that she managed to change the original plans. She wasn’t supposed to have any wiggle room. But then again I was still getting what I wanted so I let it drop. I would get close to her whether she wanted me to or not.

I spent the next morning goofing off. I played video games, and listened to music. At noon I took a plate to the kitchen. Since it was my day to do the dishes I decided to gather all of them from throughout the house. I knocked on the doorway to my dad’s study, and he looked up from the paper’s on his desk.

“Hey, do you have any dishes in here?” I asked. He shook his head, but I wasn’t paying any attention. Something out the window