I am 15 chapters ahead on my patreón, check it out if you are interested.
https://www.patréon.com/emperordragon
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Chapter 32: First Car
Jon sat in the passenger seat of Jay's car, watching the city roll by as they made their way to the car dealership. The morning sun reflected off the windshield, and the cool Saturday breeze drifted in through the slightly cracked window. He turned to Jay, a small smile on his face. "Thanks again for coming with me, Jay. I really appreciate it."
Jay grunted, keeping his eyes on the road. "Kid, I told you—this is the least I can do. You're practically family now, and family helps each other."
Jon nodded, his appreciation growing. He knew Jay meant well, but he also knew what was coming next. Sure enough, Jay let out a long sigh before continuing. "That being said, I don't know why you won't just let me buy you a car. You know I can afford it, right? You don't have to go through this whole process. I could have handed you the keys to a brand-new car, and we'd be done with this."
Jon chuckled, shaking his head. "I know, Jay, and I appreciate it. You've already done enough for me and I want to do this myself. Buying my first car on my own is important to me. It just feels right."
Jay sighed again, this time with reluctant admiration. "You're a stubborn kid, you know that?"
Jon smirked. "I've been told."
Jay pulled into the dealership parking lot, scanning the rows of vehicles lined up like soldiers ready for inspection. He parked the car and turned to Jon. "Alright, let's get one thing straight. When we go in there, you keep your mouth shut and let me do all the talking. These salesmen smell inexperience like sharks smell blood in the water. If you so much as hesitate on a price, they'll pounce."
Jon raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like we're walking into battle."
Jay looked him dead in the eyes. "We are."
Jon held up his hands in surrender. "Got it. Silent mode activated."
They stepped out of the car, and Jon couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Buying his first car was a big milestone, and having Jay there made it feel even more significant. They walked into the dealership, where they were immediately greeted by a man in a too-tight suit with an eager grin plastered on his face.
"Good morning, gentlemen! Welcome to Valley Auto Sales! My name's Greg, and I'll be your guy today. What kind of vehicle are we looking for?"
Jay crossed his arms, giving Greg a hard look. "We're looking for a used Toyota Corolla. Good condition, low mileage, and none of that 'dealer markup' nonsense."
Greg's smile faltered slightly before he quickly recovered. "Of course! A great choice. Reliable, fuel-efficient—just the kind of car a young man like yourself needs." He turned to Jon, but before he could say another word, Jay stepped in front of him.
"He doesn't talk. I talk. Show us what you've got."
Greg blinked, momentarily thrown off, but quickly regained his composure. "Right this way!"
Jon followed Jay and Greg to the lot, where several Corollas were lined up. Jay wasted no time inspecting them, running his hands over the bodywork, checking the tires, and even getting down on the ground to look under the chassis. Jon, true to his word, remained silent, though he was thoroughly entertained by the way Jay scrutinized every detail like a detective examining a crime scene.
Greg, on the other hand, was clearly getting flustered. "Uh, sir, I assure you, all our vehicles go through a rigorous inspection—"
Jay cut him off with a scoff. "Rigorous? Please. I've seen more thorough inspections at a middle school science fair." He stood up, dusting off his knees. "We're not looking for some lemon you polished up with cheap wax. We want a real car."
Greg chuckled nervously. "Well, this model right here is one of our best. Only 50,000 miles, single owner, no accidents…"
Jay nodded slowly, then leaned in. "What's the price?"
Greg hesitated. "Well, the sticker price is—"
Jay held up a hand. "I didn't ask for the sticker price. I asked for the real price."
Greg swallowed. "Uh… let's talk inside."
Jon followed Jay and Greg back into the dealership, sitting quietly as Jay went into full negotiation mode. It was like watching a masterclass in psychological warfare. Jay haggled, countered, and even threw in a few well-timed sighs and disapproving head shakes. Greg was visibly sweating by the time Jay finally leaned back in his chair.
After what felt like an eternity (but was probably only an hour), Jay finally turned to Jon. "Alright, kid. This is as good as it's gonna get."
Jon smiled. "Let's do it."
Jay turned to Greg. "Alright, we'll take it. But you're throwing in a free oil change and a set of all-weather floor mats."
Greg looked like he wanted to protest, but one look at Jay's expression made him think better of it. "Deal."
Jon grinned, shaking his head in amazement. Jay had managed to lower the price significantly while also squeezing in some extras. As they finalized the paperwork, Jon couldn't help but feel grateful. He didn't care about the money—he had plenty of that thanks to his grandfather's investments. But what mattered was the experience. Having someone like Jay guide him through this, someone who genuinely cared.
Jon could tell Jay was proud of his work, even if he wouldn't admit it.
Once everything was signed, Greg handed over the keys, and Jon followed Jay outside to admire his new car. It wasn't flashy, it wasn't expensive, but it was his.
Jay clapped him on the back. "Well, kid, you did it. Your first car."
Jon smiled, running a hand over the hood. "Yeah. Feels pretty great."
Jay nodded, then gave him a stern look. "And if you so much as scratch it in the first month, I'm going to pretend I don't know you."
Jon laughed. "Noted."
He climbed into the driver's seat, gripping the wheel as he took a deep breath. This was another step in his new life, another milestone. He looked over at Jay, who gave him an approving nod. With that, Jon started the engine, ready to drive forward into whatever came next.