Ruby had been working at Hummel Tires & Lube for the better part of her senior year. When people asked why she worked there, she said it was because Burt Hummel was a really sweet, wise old man whose business desperately needed a fresh upgrade, aka a functioning instagram page. The real reason was that she needed the money but she wanted to work somewhere that she wouldn’t bump into many of her classmates at. Most people had their parents deal with their broken down cars and didn’t know shit about doing it themselves, so Ruby didn’t have to deal with any snide comments or side eyes. Well, not at work anyway. It was the most chill job ever. The place stayed busy, but all Ruby had to do was take care of the administrative tasks and be nice to people who came in. It was the easiest buck she ever made because it didn’t require a lot of brain power. During her downtime, she often did her homework or zoned out on her phone, which is exactly what she was doing when she heard the very familiar voice belonging to a ghost from her past. She looked up from her phone and straightened out her slouch when she saw that yes, Trace Hummel-Anderson, clad in a navy blue jumpsuit often worn by mechanics, was standing right in front of her. In the flesh. Home for the summer. “Wow,” she greeted in disbelief, scoffing slightly as she took in the sight of him with a growing smile, “am I having a Grease Lightning fever dream or are you working here?” Last she heard Trace was on the fast track to making his dreams come true at NYU. After his break-up with Lemon, he was a bit of a sore subject, so the brunette hadn’t really thought about him much until bam! He was standing right in front of her. “This whole get-up kinda suits you,” she complimented, flashing a smile as she stretched out casually from her previous sitting position.
