Author's Note: I started this story long ago, really long ago. But I'm gonna finish it, it's almost finished actually. It gets better with each chapter in my opinion.
Please let me know if you agree with me.;)
Title: Too Fast to Live, Too Willing to Die.
Author: Alice Vanity
Disclaimer: I don't I do not own the characters or anything else from TFATF or Universal. This is pure fiction, don’t sue.
Rated: T (language)
Pairing: Dom/Letty, Brian/Mia
Summary: The story takes place after the heist, Vince
recovers, Brian's gone, and everything starts to fall apart when the are "new kids" on the block.
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Chapter 1: Routine Breaker.
It was just an ordinary day of work out at the garage, the heat took over my mind so I couldn’t even work properly.
First, I dropped a heavy tool and almost twisted the hood of my Silvia while working on it, and then I lost the stickers I planned to re-decorate it with…and finally…just fell downstairs and got injured.
I heard Leon calling my name. "Jesus Letty you okay girl?" he asked and came closer to lift me up. His hands were around my waists, I slowly reached to hold my forehead, he bent me over 'till I was standing on my feet, then slowly we stepped down the few stairs that left.
"What's with you? You're kinda out today…" he says as were stepping outside and I'm still leaning a little on his shoulder.
He set me down, still very carefully on a plastic chair at the front of the house, where we always use to do barbecue and just spent the afternoons as a family.
Then he got back to the house, it took him like a minute or two to come out with two Coronas in his hands, he handed over the bottle, it was cold and dripping. "Right from the fridge" he said with his familiar coarse voice.
I loved those moments…I always thought they weren’t appreciated as they should. I found myself often thinking about all those times, those silent or regular situations that made us who we are. All of a sudden everything looked so much meaningful.
Maybe it's just cause I had this one or two minutes of time away from this daily race, and I'm not only talking about the cars…my daily race of life, I guess I didn’t know I was about to reach my breaking point. I just leaned back to meet the back rest, watching Dom passing some spare parts from the garage to the inside of the house, I was wondering why he puts them there but when I was about ask him I saw Mia coming right towards me.
"Catching some sun?" she said, smiling at me. "Fuck yeah girl." I said, trying to move my leg. "Ouch…" I added after I felt this terribly sharp pain in the ankle. Mia's eyes narrowed, she looked confused.
"She fell downstairs" Leon explained. "Ouch…" she said."Tell me about it" was all I could say, as I passed my sight beyond her back, searching for Dom. I see his image from the half closed shades. For a second I could see him looking back into my eyes, those pair of eyes bursting from between the louvres.
Mia slowly sat in her chair infront of me, leaning on the table a bit. I could tell she was tired too by her slow and careful movements. "Maybe you should see a doctor or something…" she offered but I turned her down immediately; "I got a lot of work to do for the next like…two years? Barely making it to live so probably no time to see no fucking doctor." We all laughed, cause we all knew it was true.
Ever since Jessie died plans about Mexico were cast a side, no one ever dared to come up with the idea of a vacation. Like we need to suffer and grieve forever.
I heard the house's door shutting down, but my eyes were already closed and my head was laid back comfortably. I think I also heard a few steps cause there was an extended moment of silence, then I felt a big, warm hand, playing with my hair, moving it a little after my shoulder
Dom's low and deep voice broke the silence. "Ya'll finish your day of work I see…" he said with a smirk."Yeah I can tell you're tired…" he slowly pushed my head to get a better access to my back area and started massaging my neck.
I groaned in pleasure, hearing their giggles at the background about my reaction.
"You're so tight baby…" he informs. "I know…" I shrank my eyes harder, feeling the sunrays hitting my face over and over, warming.
"Okay guys get in and turn the AC on…Mia will you please start making launch…?" Dom ordered and started to step away. "Wait, where's Vince?" I asked suspiciously. Dom turned his head back a little, looking at me but his body was still directed to leave. "He's inside the garage, giving me a hand with the car that Smith brought yesterday…we'll come in when everything's ready." And as he finished talking he kept walking away into the garage.
Mia and I looked at each other, knowing something's going on, but skipping it for a while and already making room for other thoughts in our mind…such as, what's for launch?!
We all got inside, Leon walked right to the living room, turning the TV. Mia and I walked straight to the kitchen. "So… lasagna?" I offered. "Yeah why not" she replayed without even looking at me. After that she opened the refrigerator and started to get a few things.
"God, I need a vacation." I said quietly, this way only Mia could hear, I didn’t want Leon to know I'm bringing up the subject. Mia was silent, she turned around slowly, staring at me with a serious look on her face. I was sweating a little, my face were probably a little shiny, and my eyes were heavy and tired.
We both remained quiet…we were thinking about the same thing. Jessie…this kiddo… "Ever since he…" I started off as she cut me saying: "I know! It's like…we all need to be careful, not saying something that might freak someone out. It's impossible." I nodded, I knew exactly what she was talking about.
"This week was horrible." I murmured, "So glad it's over" I kept talking even thought her back was what I was talking to. "mmhmmm…" was all she replayed. "Hey what's with you lately? Don’t think I haven’t noticed." I asked after a few moments of thinking about her behaviour recently.
"It's really nothing." She said while she cut a few vegetables. "C'mon girl…I know for like…ages? It's so obvious something fuckin bothers you." Cause yeah, I wasn't buyin it.
"This is pointless." She finally gave up. I heard this tune of a hopeless girl which I didn’t like at all. "What is?" I pushed. "I'll get over it." She tried to convince me as she started to step towards me, lowering her voice. I got it…don't want Leon to hear anything…this subject is gotta be a taboo almost as Jessie's death. Oh yeah…how could I forget?
"It's Brian, the cop huh?" I said. "Shhh!!" she freaked, almost sending her palm to cover my mouth. Well, it did come out kinda loud. I blinked with tiredness. "I just can't seem to get over him!" she confessed quietly. She sat infront of me, leaning in my direction. "You gotta forget him girl, he wanted to hand over your brother Mia, and he was playing with you under cover. That bastard."
I tried to give her the surest look I ever gave someone. But deep inside I knew it wasn’t as easy as I made it sound like.
"You gotta move on." I said. "I will." She added immediately and got back to the counter top. After a few seconds she kept cutting the vegetables I heard her weeping, putting the knife down she lifted her arm to dry the dropping tears.
I was never good at those situations, even Dom was better then me, I just got up and hugged her from behind. We kinda stood there for a few minutes, just like that. There wasn’t anything I could probably say that could have made things simpler anyway.
A noisy explosion bounced us both and broke the hug. It came from the outside. "I'll go check." I said without even hesitating and went out, Leon was already standing outside the garage. "What the fuck…" I said loudly and got up, filthy fog and a stinky smell were holding the whole place, I could barely see, but I guess Dom saw me, I heard him calling my name and followed his voice.
"What happened?" I asked as I saw his hand bursting forth between the fume. "Vince happened." He explained - a little annoyed. "Sorry Dom, I should've listened to you…" I heard Vince's voice in the background. He usually never says these kinds of things, never apologizes or admits when he's wrong. This could be only when he talks to Dom, or only when he causes a really serious problem.
We were all standing there for a couple of minutes, waiting for the fog to spread out of the place, opening any possible windows, doors or vents. "Well…let's see how you fried the piston rings." Dom says and pops the hood. A few massive clouds of fume are spreading across the room, Dom is blowing them off in on hand, stabilising the hood up with his other hand.
"It'll be alright after we'll let it cool for a while," he said after he took a short look on the inside. "Let's go eat in the meanwhile" he decided and stepped towards me, he kissed my cheek and wrapped his dirty arms around me. "Dom!" I protested. "What? Did you get a shower?" he asked to provoke me. "No but…" I intent to answer but he's shutting me up with a kiss.
No one spoke as long as we kissed, I hugged him. We slowly broke our kiss and Vince was already standing out the garage, "What's with the NOS?" he asked as me and Dom stepped outside. "We'll just keep the doors open and wont touch anything 'till there will be some fresh air around…" he said and we kept walking towards the house. I saw Vince looking at us when I turned my head a little, he was still standing next to the garage, guess he may didn’t like the fact that we left everything wide open.
Dom and I took our places, Dom was sitting at the head of the table, and I took the next sit. Mia came along with the baking dish, "Looks great!" I mumbled, testing it from her hand. She smiled, "You hungry huh? Why won't we eat outside?" she offered. "It's too hot outside. Especially at noon, maybe we'll have dinner outside." Dom said, stressing his low manly voice.
Then Vince came over, taking his place next to me. I heard a few steps down the stairs, and then Leon showed up. "Yo Dom, there's a little problem up there." He informed. Dom stared at him without saying anything, waiting for him to explain himself. Leon just said "Later" and started a small talk with Vince. In those moments I felt Jessie's absence. The whole picture wasn’t full, there was something missing. That kid.
Mia sat infront of me, next to Dom. We sat almost in the same order we used to sit in those barbecues outside in the afternoons. When we were still living in a sweet lie that Brian was just Mia's boyfriend, and before Jessie messed with Tran.
I watched the guys eating, talking and laughing, I felt like I'm seeing a voiceless black and white old movie. Everyone was happy, I saw that lack of presence of the people they loved, but they were truly fine, almost okay with it.
I knew Mia was thinking about Brian, and the boys were missing the voice of Jessie as he pries to the car Gods for all the NOS we bought. "Letty, take a piece of lasagna, you'll love it!" Mia's voice woke me up from wondering, she asked for my plate and then handed it over with the lasagna. "Thanks" I mumbled and tasted. Everybody liked it. "Very good", "its awesome Mia" they said between their chewing noises. Dom tapped on her shoulder, they switched smiles. "I like it." He said quietly.
We all talked about work issues and TV shows, the next race and what are the plans for Friday night, we talked even after we were done eating. But after 15 minutes Dom got up, "Lets clear the table and come back to the garage, Vince, " he pointed at him and said "I wanna get the fuel map fixed." Vince nodded and handed over his plate, Dom took all of them to the kitchen, Mia followed.
All of a sudden it seemed like a good idea to sit on a lawn chair with a few cold Coronas in my reach. I stepped into the garage, looking for those bunch of lawn chairs I put at the side of the garage a few days ago. I don’t remember where the fuck did I put them. But then I see something's wrong. That car that Dom was working on, it's hood was closed, and I remember that when we left the garage to eat he kept it open so it'll cool for a little.
I went a little closer to the car, then I saw a big black Jim bag on the floor, next to it were lying a few of our tools.
Impossible. I thought to myself, Dom and I were standing over here before we got inside the house, the floor was clean and clear. I lifted my hand, wanting to see if something's going on under the car, but right when I was about to do that, a man ran into me, he was hiding behind the car and came out running into me, pushing me away. I grabbed his arm, trying to take him down. "You son of a bitch!" I screamed. "What are you trying to do faggot?" I screamed harder. I wish someone would hear, I knew how to box and I intended to use it.
The guy pushed me back at once, he tried to punch me with all of his strength but I bent down and pushed his chest with my arms, he fell to the floor, I think I wore him out just a little. I sat on his hips, trying to reinforce his hands. He rolled over me, then we were face to face, I could see a part of them now, I could see his eyes. His skin was a little suntanned and his eyes were dark green. I could see the tip of his forehead, he was sweating. He's stressed? Is he a newbie at the business?
He constantly moved and tossed from side to side underneath me, trying to get rid of me, but the harder he tried, the harder I settled. In one sharp movement I felt his knee hitting my backbone, one death-blow that dropped me off him.
I writhed in pain, trying to get up, but just as I started to lift myself slowly he punched me in the mouth and kicked me in the stomach, I felt I was about to black out so I screamed for the team. "Guys! Someone is stealing stuff from the garage!!" guess no one heard me, I crawled slowly forward after noticing he was out of my sight, I groaned in pain, feeling my guts burning up. I saw him bending over, grabbing the Jim bag and another bag, they were loaded. I tried to lift myself but it was in vain.
I saw Mia's back farther away on the pavement, she was out to drop the trash. "Mia!" I cried out in agony. She turned around, looking at my direction, it took her a few seconds to find me on the floor. She rushed into the garage. "Jesus Christ Letty you're okay?!" she asked worried. "Your lip is open, you're bleeding. What the hack happened?!" she was more hysteric than I was. When she tried to sit me steady I screamed in pain, I felt my ribs cracking and moving like sleazy brunches. "Oh god!!" she cried out even harder, I think I saw a few tears in her eyes. "Chill Mia I'll be fine, we were rubbed. This son of a bitch, when I'll find him!!" I whispered in anger.
"Jesus Dom, get out here right now!" she yelled. A few seconds later I saw Dom coming inside, Leon followed him. "Letty!" Dom called out and hurried to sit next to me. "Are you okay baby? What happened?" he asked worriedly, examining my whole body to see if I got hurt. "Someone came into the garage, he stole things, and I don’t even know what! I caught him in action, he probably heard me getting in…he was hiding and before I made it to see what he took he showed up, we started to fight." I explained. Dom rubbed his eyes, then his head, pressing his eyes shut again. Then he took a deep breath as he tried to lift me and helped me walking into the house.
"I'm calling the police." Mia called out after a few minutes of sitting all silenced in a Boiler room. She didn’t mov
e regardless of the statement, after a second she walked towards the phone. "Nobody is calling the police!" Dom said, following her and grabbing her arm, he held her back and pointed at me. "What are we gonna tell 'em? We were rubbed? We're thieves, we rub others. We're doing street races, our goddamned garage ain’t legal."
Again this annoying silence all around. Everybody's thinking how Dom's fucking right. He finally says we should solve this in our way. "We gotta find this motherfucker." He raised his voice aggressively and hit his right fist in his left palm. Dom turned his look on me, he was holding his big cross medallion in one hand, and the other hand was resting on my tight. "I swear to god Letty." Then he waved his cross infront of me and went on "We'll get the NOS back, and take him down for what he did to you."
"Fuck yeah!" Vince yelled, tapping on Dom's upper back. I gave them a weak smile, I thought they were crazy, how the fuck are we gonna find this son of a bitch? I didn’t even see his fuckin' face. "Dom, I didn’t even see how he looks like." I said quietly, not wanting to make things worse or annoy someone even more.
"This Friday night, everybody's gonna talk about it. I'm gonna spread this to my people and we'll find out. We won't stop 'till we'll go down with this shit."
All of a sudden, I felt a greater weakness falling upon me, I closed my eyes, groaning softly. "You okay?" he asked, worried. His grip around my arm got tighter. I nodded. "I'm just tired." I didn’t want any pity, I'm glad I did a hard time to this fucker, he deserved it. Except that what else could I do? Runaway? Fuck no - that’s not me.
Chapter 1: Routine Breaker.
(Saturday night)
I opened my eyes to peek in the digital watch. "What?! Fuck…" I mumbled. It was fucking 9 and a half. The guys are going easy on me because of the injures, I didn't work since then, not even went down the garage to hand 'em tools or shit, nothing at all. Shitty feeling, like I'm useless and helpless.
But I really felt better today, it was just an afternoon rest that lasted too much. I meant to get up around 5 and take a good bath. Guess I was too tired. I went out of the bed slowly, stepping to the closet and opening it. Just as I reached to open it some hard knocks on the door were heard. "Letty?" I heard Dom's voice from the other side of the door.
"Yeah" I replayed and opened the closet, not looking at him, passing with my sight over a few clothes. I could feel him getting closer, he wrapped his hands around my hips, hugging me from the back, burying his nose in my neck. "You think it’s a good idea for you to join us today?" he said, I felt the careful tune in his words. "Yes Dom I'm fine." I said simply, very secure. He didn’t say a thing, just started to kiss my neck, I leaned my head backwards on his shoulder, giving him a better access. I felt his warm breath over my skin, short, dry and limited kisses.
"You're ready?" I asked, finally breaking the touch and turning around to check him out. "Yeah. I just can't find my shoes. Have you seen them?" he said, moving over the bed, looking beneath it and lifting his head to see me, waiting for an answer. "Which ones?" I replayed and turned around, still looking for something to wear.
"The ones which look a bit like boots, beige ones." I turned around and he was still looking for them. "Dom, I think they're downstairs." I remembered. "Oh okay" he said simply and got to the door. "Will you be ready in like half an hour?" he asked, I nodded and he closed the door. "Vince!" I heard him yelling across the hall, probably wanted Vince to check if his shoes were there.
Finally, I decided not to put a lot of thinking into this shit. It's only Friday night's race. Not a fucking wedding or something. I pulled out my good old tank top. It was colored with black and grey stains, and for the bottom I pulled my military pants, now…where the fuck did I put those shoes? Damn, can't even remember when I saw them lately. I was wearing a white t-shirt and Jessie's old boxers, I took them off rapidly and took a peek in the clock that was hanging next to my drawer. "Fuck." I mumbled, the whole dressing thing took a few seconds.
I marched out along the hall, still looking for the shoes. I decided to take a look around Mia's room, since the door was open I guessed she wasn’t there and nothing privet was going on. I entered quietly, looking on the ground, checking the possible corners, next to her bed or her closet…nothing. To the foot of the drawer there was nothing as well. "Goddammit!" I called out. I gotta find this shit, it's the only thing that fits with the clothes I'm wearing tonight.
Mia stepped inside her room, I turned around as I heard her steps. "Letty, what are you doin'?" she looked surprised. "I'm looking for my black boots. Is there any chance you got 'em?" I said simply, still looking around, passing my fingers through my hair and scratching my head. "I don’t think so" she replayed and smirked: "Though I think I saw them along with Vince's mess in the living room." She added and set on a chair next to her drawer, starting to do her makeup. "Okay I'll check over there thanks, girl."
I took the stairs carefully, one by one I slowly went down and stepped into the living room. "Can someone please tell me where the fuck is my boots?" I said, breaking into Vince and Leon's conversation. They got silenced, looking 'em with their eyes too. "I think Iv'e seen them next to Vince's boxers after the couch." Leon said and laughed. "What?" Vince annoyed. "I never leave my boxers in the middle of the house you basterd." I took a look in both of them and I saw that Leon was about to answer him. I just knew it was about to turn into a fight. So I just took myself to check the couch area. "Oh no? What about that blond you brought here last night? No one was home except Letty that was probably asleep." He started to remind him as Vince tried to shut him up he went on: "She probably didn’t hear you both banging all around, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did her on this floor."
Vince whispered to him something I couldn’t hear and they both got quiet. "You know…you two really sound great when I can't hear you at all!" I said, with my boots in my hand and then I went back upstairs.
I set infront of my commode and the mirror, opening my make up drawer I took out a mascara bottle and my pencil eyeliner. I made my eyelashes longer and thicker, slowly and carefully passing with the eyeliner on the inner rim of my eyelid, then my lower lid. It made my eyes look bigger and I liked that natural but still pretty idea, I used to do my make up like this all the time.
I remember Mia taught that. I was so lame for the first time, almost went blind. We were sitting in her room, waiting for Dom and Brian to come back from wherever the fuck they were. We got nothing to do so she offered to give me a few tips, and I offered to teach her how to punch hard in return. We were talking for almost an hour, everything was peaceful and quiet. The streets were empty since it was almost the middle of night, Leon and Vince were God knows where, and Jessie was watching TV at the living room. Mia and I laughed and talked about the guys. I remember the exact scene of her pulling out the drawer and taking off a lot of make up shits and a few different paintbrushes for eye shadows, she planned to teach me how to do an evening make up.
I remember the only thing I actually managed to do was putting the eyeliner right. For the first time I was a complete wreck so she gave me a hand for the hard part, the lower lid was easier to do. I looked in the mirror and I fucking loved it. Then she heard the boys coming up so she intended to go straight to Brian and made me wash away the make up and do it all over again on my own, 'till I'll succeed.
I went downstairs after I did my own makeup that night, explaining to Dom what I did exactly, I remember him looking into my eyes, saying he loved it, and then kissed me in a sweet embrace. Mia and Brian were sitting hugging in the living room, they saw us, Mia smirked and Brian laughed. We were all happy. I was with Dom and Mia was doing her own thing with Brian…and we got along so well, I wished this wouldn’t mess up so grievously.
I looked in the mirror and added a little of white eye shadow above, then blurred it a little with a piece of paper so it wont glow so much, I wanna look good, not like one of those skanks from the races. "Yo Lett!" I heard Leon's scream from the first floor. "I'm coming!" I yelled back impatiently. Then I wore my boots and passed my fingers through my hair, blowing him up and messing it up a little so it won't look so pressed and organized. I gave it a few browses and dropped the browser on the bed. "Now where the fuck are the keys…" I mumbled, looking on the bed and the pockets of every optional pair of pants that were dropped around. My cell rang, I pulled him from underneath my pillow, don’t even know how the hell he got there. It was Dom's ID number. "He's home, so why the fuck is he calling?" I thought to myself but answered him. "Letty what's going on?!" he asked anxiously, "Vince and I are waiting outside for almost 20 minutes, what's taking so long?"
"Sorry Dom I can't find my car keys." I murmured distracted. "What? No no…you wont drive tonight Letty baby…" he started off with a pretty much teasing tune. "What?! But Dom, I'm fine!" I got defending, cant believe this is happening. "Lett, I'm letting you get away with a lot of things, but this time we're doin' it my way." He ordered. I knew this tune, this tune was the "No-second-option" Dom used when there was no way to convince him otherwise. "Urgh fine!" I yelled towards the cell and hang up. Putting it in my pocket I got out of the room and went out of the house.
"Finally." Vince called annoyed and got into his car. Dom was already in his red Mazda, he started the car and I got into the passenger sit. He took a quick look at me, then he passed his hand over my cheek, I felt a warm stroke, turning my head a little right I pressed my lips to kiss his palm. He took his hand off to grab the wheel, second hand on the gear. "Let's find this motherfucker." He mumbled, drawing a sharp reverse, then full speed up the street. "Where are Mia and Leon?" I asked when I saw Vince's car was the only one that followed us.
"I sent Leon to check on the cops scanner, and Mia will join us later." It was odd, but I didn’t say a word, guess I was too nervous. "Are you nervous?" he asked, stressing the last word. "Nah…just…" I started to mumble a little, not knowing if it's a good idea to say it…"What?" he takes his look from the road to meet mine for a second. "Letty, relax, everything's gonna be fine. I'm gonna find out who it is, then beat the shit out of him and get the NOS back." He says in a very trustful tune, putting one hand on my inner thigh. Then he looked at me again, checking on my expression, I smiled a forced little smile that looked more like a twitch.
Huge group of people were waiting in the same place, fuck…this scene really grew in the last few years. More and more people are into cars and races, more and more fans for Dom, and whores…of course. We stepped out of the car. Edwin and Hector stepped from their cars to shake Dom's hand and say hey. I was all quiet, waiting for the racers to arrive so Dom would decide how it's gonna be tonight.
I saw Hector taking Dom to the edge of the crowd, he whispered something in his ear, then Dom looked straight into my eyes, I saw this unspecified expression, like something's out of control. And I didn’t like what I was seein', at all.
Dom listened to Hector one more minute and then stepped towards me, the look on his face…he was looking at me and then turning his sight to search the place, and then looking at me again and keep searching among the crowd. He was worried and something was going on.
"Something's going on?" I asked, stepping forward to meet him, couldn’t even wait 'till he'll get to me. "Yeah…kinda…" Dom said quietly. "Well, what?!" I asked, pushing him to spill it all. "Something's weird…" he said, scratching his bold head. "Spill." I ordered. I was thinking about the worst, someone has probably died.
"New guys in town…" he mumbled, still looking 'round us."And…?" I cut him before he even made it to breath. "Hector told me they are weird…something's suspicious." I raised one eyebrow.
He just looked at me back, knowing what I'm thinking. "I really don’t know what is this all about Lett, but I do care, he says they are loaded. In some ways, if you know what I mean…" he gave me that serious, concerned look. When Dom did it…I felt insecure, I knew I always had Dom's back, but…a new team? Maybe they're a gang, gangsters? Great, just what we needed. And our team was the most valued and famous thing in the local scene.
Suddenly I noticed the crowd was splitting, they spread over two pavements on the rims of the road. "Shit." I heard a familiar voice chasing me. I turned around to see Edwin looking over my shoulder. "Here they are." He said, looking at me for a second but then returning his look over my shoulder. I turned to see them too.
One car was standing out, the other two were parking from it's both sides. The first car was a beautiful black B.M.W, the one that was parking to its left, closets to us, was also new, silvered Mazda 6, and the one that was farer was Dodge Viper type. It all looked damn good, I'd say…too damn good.
I looked for Dom with my sight, and when I found him, he was still wearing this terrifying look on his face. I knew what he was thinking, we were exchanging thoughts. I raised my eyebrow, he twisted his lips a little. That ain't feelin' good to me. I wanted to reach him, but then I heard the noise of car doors. Looking again in the same direction I saw 3 big mans stepping out of the cars.
The one that came from the leading B.M.W was wearing a black tight tank top, he was well-shaped, and he wore a pair of dark blue jeans and army boots too. "Are you Dominic Torreto?" he asked, stepping towards him. "Yes that’s me." Dom said simply, still checking him out very obviously. I saw Vince and Leon coming out of the crowd to stand in both sides of Dom, as if they were backing him up, and so did both of the guys that came out from the other two cars.
"I wanna race tonight." He said simply, I could hear every word and every breath since everyone around was silenced. No music or talking…everyone was listening to the new guy, talking with Dom. He just laughed. "And you are?" he asked. I bet he thought it was rude from him to ask for Dom's name but not presenting himself.
"Oh I'm sorry." He said, leaning one hand on his chest. "My name is Cole Damon." He said confidently, handing over his palm, waiting for Dom to shake it. Dom lowered his look to the guy's his hand for a second, all of a sudden the look on his face changed. He shook his hand and said: "Oh yeah I've heard about you." He nodded "Miami? Right?" he was testing him, waiting for his approval. That Cole just laughed.
"So what do you say?" Cole asked, not spending any moment and cutting right to the case. "Okay so this is how were gonna do it tonight." Dom clarified, looking around and calling the racers names: "Edwin, Hector, Cole" he gave each one a quick look and then asked Vince if the area was clean from cops. Leon said were good to start and Dom tapped the back of his neck.
Two chicks passed across the paved and sprayed the starting line. People were whistling and laughing out loud. "There you are!" I saw Mia coming next to me. "I've been looking for you all around, this time the crowd is bigger then the usual right?" she asked, looking farer. "Yeah" I approved apathetically.
"Listen Letty, I know something's wrong, okay?" she became serious, her tune, her face. But I knew I must be strong for her and for Dom, and for the rest of the team. I knew freaking out because of the new gang wouldn’t be much help. "Mia, relax girl…it's all good." I replayed with a forced smile. "Lett, I'm not buyin' it." I just blinked with tiredness.
Vince stepped between the two of us, putting each one of his hands on our shoulders, getting us closer, bending our heads forward. I just stared at him, waiting for the worst to come out of his mouth. "Dom thinks they stole our shit." He said quietly. I immediately looked backwards, looking for the two other guys that were with Cole, cause I was pretty sure Cole wasn’t the one that fought me in the garage.
His gang took place right infront of our cars, the two of them were leaning on their cars, checking us out, and I was ready to use my fist, but I knew Dom wouldn’t like that, except that, we don’t know nothing about them…yet.
All cars were ready on the start line, they gave full speed when some guy gave the order to start. "GO GO GO" I heard the crowd shouting, people were hugging, kissing, yelling, dancing all around…I'm back in good old times. The cars were now like a few small stains of colors at the horizon. We waited for them to come back from the other side of the road; the first one was obviously the winner.
We heard the noises of cars from the other side of the road. Engines sounds and wheels screeches, first and only two cars were streaming ahead. The first one to come was the black B.M.W. Cole got out of it, afloat with pride, the crowd went wild, and then people started to fall in around him, handing over their hands to shake his and shit. Dom came a few seconds after him. He stepped out of the car towards Cole. All of a sudden everything was silenced.
They stood there for a moment, just staring at each other. I saw the hate in Dom's eyes, I wonder if that guy noticed too…cause it was pointed right to him. Dom reached his hand meet Cole's hand. They shook it for a moment and then he whispered something in Cole's ear. Cole smiled and stepped back into the crowd.
The music started dimly, and I heard their talking again. Dom came over and said it was time to go back. "What? Why? We usually go back with dawn!" I said. "Does this looks usual to you Lett?" he asked, a little bit annoyed. I didn’t answer, I think I was a little offended, and Dom knew.
"Mia, go find Leon and Vince, tell them its time to pack it up." Dom asked, she nodded and walked away. "I can't believe were chickin' out man…" I started off, ready to raise my voice. "Letty shut up, don’t you understand we got a problem?" he got closer and whispered, maybe hinting me to lower my voice, but I didn’t give a fuck. "What kind of problem? Let's kick their asses! And don’t tell me to fuckin' shut it I'm not one of your skanks Dom!" I yelled. He instantly grabbed my face, pressing two fingers over my cheeks to shut me up. I slapped him and pushed him, it didn’t affect him but he took a few steps back, I used this moment to run off, away from his sight.
"Letty, what's going on?" I heard Mia calling, she held my wrist to stop me from walking really fast. "Nothing Mia." I replayed, trying my best to sound like everything was normal. "I can see something's wrong, Letty, you got tears in your eyes, what's going on?" she was worried, she lifted her hands to grab both of my shoulders, shaking me slightly.
"It's just that…" I mumbled, she let go of my shoulders, I was free from her touch so I just said "take care of Dom, he's losing it." And I kept running. "Letty!" I heard her cries out in the background, but I didn’t stop. I passed that massive crowd and saw Leon and Vince standing next to our cars, they were busy talking with some other guys I know, so they didn’t notice me rushing over them. I opened the Saliva front door, then set and closed it rapidly, starting the car I checked there's nothing and nobody around and pressed the gas full speed ahead, leaving a path of smoke and an annoying noise to the ones who were standing back there.
I knew I couldn’t drive back home cause this is the first place Dom's gonna look for me in. I could go and ask Harry to arrange something so I could stay in his store for the night, since Brian left no one sleeps there, but at that moment it didn’t sound like a good idea…
So I just drove, without even thinking so much. It was weird, I've been driving a lot, but always had something to do, I always tended to do something. I drove in order to get something, to get somewhere, to win this race to show a random motherfucker I own his ass. This time nothing was burning inside me, nothing gave me the adrenalin to be as fast and furious as I was for the last years.
I remember when my dad left. I couldn’t be more lost. Bags and suitcases all around, the lights were dimly depressing. I watched them taking my dad away, bullies in black pants and blue shirts. They tied his hands around his back with handcuffs. And I just couldn’t understand, in school they always told us cops were good people, that their job was to keep people from getting hurt, to save lives, to put bad people in prison. But I knew my dad wasn’t a bad person, what made the cops in my eyes look like the bad people, my dad was right, they were wrong – It was like a mental chaos in 12 years old girl's mind. And I just had to fix it all. Yes indeed - I fixed it, they were the bad people, and it all made sense.
I knew back then I would reach my breaking point soon. I was 12 years old, chubby black haired girl. What can possibly girls in those ages can know about breaking points and depression? I envied them, they were all busy with dollies and pink shit. But that night I slept all alone at home, I remember this night as one of the scariest things I ever felt in my whole life. It was a wintry night, the wind was blowing against the windows and our neighborhood wasn't the friendliest place generally. Lots of gangs and criminals were out in these hours.
I locked the front door and the backdoor, and went upstairs, I entered into my dad's room and climbed over his bed. Embracing his pillow I sunk between the sheets that smelled just like him. It was strong but yet soft manly perfume. I felt tears coming up and that lump in my throat was avoiding me from breathing. I was hysteric, thinking about what's about to come, what am I gonna do, tomorrow was also a school day. How am I gonna get to school, how am I gonna manage to live, alone? I didn’t want to be sent away. I was stressed and paranoid, the weather around wasn’t peaceful or helped me to stay calm. The wind blew and smacked the window, everything was dark and cold. Nothing but a street lamp's dim light bursting through the glassy panel.
I eventually fell asleep that night. And the morning after wasn’t better. I waked up very early. Sometime around 5 AM. I put on my uniform and went downstairs towards the kitchen to make something that looks like a sandwich.
Class always started around 8, I went out and locked the door around 7 and a half. I took my bag over one shoulder, and started to walk over the pavement, I knew the way perfectly, only that I never walked it, there was always dad, who drove me there and back home.
I heard an engine's noise as I crossed to the right side of the road. "Hey Letty!" some man shouted, I looked to the right and saw the Torreto's car driving really slowly, parallel with my walk.
I knew this family very well, they live right along the street. Mia was two years younger them me, and Dom was six years older then me. Their mom died long ago, I once asked my dad about it but he told me not to talk about it, cause they may find it hurtful. I always used to go to their house in the afternoons, sometimes Mia and I were going up into her room and playin' dolls for a while, I'd get bored and go down to look for Dom. He was always doing something more interesting, fixing something, planning some punk-ass prank.
Point is – they were always there. My father told me that when I was born, Ricardo (or Rick, as everybody called him) and his wife came over to the hospital to visit me and my mom. And I don’t really remember the first time I was in their house. It was just…like a routine. When I got bored…I'd visit them, just spent the time 'till my dad came when darkness fell, he used to tell me its too late and drag me away, I never really wanted to leave.
Rick raised his hand, telling me to get closer. "Are you going to school all alone?" he asked with a smile, surprised. I nodded. "Where's your dad?" he asked again, looking around. "They took him away last night." I said quietly, watching him as the look on his face changing, the smile is wiping off… then I lowered my head, feeling that I couldn’t look in his eyes. "Come in! I'll give you a ride." He offered, I raised my sight, the backdoor opened, I saw Mia moving a little to crowd with Dom so it would make a little room. "Thanks" I said and got in.
We were quiet during the ride. All I remember from that day is that awful silence. Dom was busy listening to music with his headphones, he gave me a look when I got in and that was it. Mia and I exchanged looks along the drive, but none of us dared to start the talking thing. I remember Rick's old Mustang, it was a little faded red, always looked sleazy.
And one memory brought to another one, that’s pretty much explains how the fuck I've been sitting in my car for fucking 4 hours - just thinking about me and the Torreto's. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I didn’t know any guys except Dom and the team. How could my life look differently? These were the only things I ever knew. Cars, the team, Dom, Mia, living with my friends…that’s all it was.
I got another flashback with sunrise. I fell asleep at the backseat but as the sun came up the rays came into my face, lightening me, forcing me to wake up. Then those lights reminded me this evening…my birthday party - my 18th birthday.
I never thought anything can be perfect when the missing piece of a parent was hanging above my head. But that night…the party was obviously at the Torreto's house, which became my house almost 6 years before that night. All I could think about during the day and the night was - Dom, his absence stroke me over and over, everyday for those 2 fucking years.
But that day…instead of thinking about me turning to an adult, being fucking 18. I thought about me and Dom. Wondering how's it gonna be after he comes out.
I knew he was about to come out from Lompoc soon, it was a matter of days. But I hoped he will be there.
I remember getting into the dark house as Mia following me, closing the door after us. The lights turned on and the house was full of guests. Vince came over hugging me, everybody wished me a happy birthday and the ordinary shit. I was surrounded by tones of people which most of them I didn’t know.
But all I was doing after the wishes and getting presents was going around the whole house…looking for him, those moments made me realize he was my best friend. I set in the living room, staring with a hollow look at all of our guests, Mia reached to hold my hand, sitting next to me, she simply said: "Letty, you are not happy." And if she was announcing, not guessing, but saying it as if it was a fact.
And she was right, it was. "I'm just missing somebody." I confessed. I knew with Mia there's no point in saying its nothing. Cause when she knows…she knows. And she always knows. "My brother?" she gave me a sad look, I just nodded back, playing with my fingers and staring down at them.
She got up, holding my hands up, trying to cheer me up I guess. "Listen Mia…I know this is stupid, he should be out in a few more days…but I just, hoped he would be here today, in my special day." She smiled a little smile. I couldn't read her mind and it was odd, she just let go of my arms and disappeared. I didn’t even noticed where she went since Vince came over and distracted my mind.
"Hey girl what's going on? It's your day, change your look!" he called out, passing his fingers over my cheek just the way Dom used to do when I got offended or injured and he wanted to make me feel good. "I miss Dom, V. this isn’t the same without him." I said, looking around knowing I'd see the same people I've already seen but not that one person I really wanted to see.
But then…there was Dom, sitting on the couch that was placed just a little before the hall. He was holding a Corona, raising it up, I looked again carefully, reading his lips, and he was saying "cheers". I got up with a huge smile on my face, he got up as well, we faced each other for a second, not touching. But then he broke the distance as he put his big palms over my hips and lifted me up, spinning me in the center of the hall. I smiled, and I was happy. I'll never forget the picture of him in my head, Dom is down there, smiling at me, his eyes were sparkling full of life, the background was blurry and unimportant.
Then it became a real party. The booze was flowing all around…and Dom took a few drinks off my hand saying I'm already too drunk. Later that night… when all the oldies and unknown people were gone and Rick went to bed, we were dancing in the living room - Mia, Vince, Leon and Jessie and I. There was also a bunch of guys from our school which I knew a little bit.
After Dom was there with me I was all happy and safe, I was ready to chill out and just have some fun. I remember dancing my ass off…hip hop music in my ears, and Dom's look following me around. But that night…he looked at me differently.
When we were kids, he always spoke his mind, and so did I. I never had a problem punching him between his legs or tap his ass slightly as a joke or when I thought he was being an ass. Vince and Leon gave up, they were a little sweaty and heavily breathing, so they took their places next to Dom on the couch.
I stepped out of the living room and lay down on the top of them. I stared at the ceiling and then closed my eyes, when I opened them back Dom was leaning his head forth, looking down on me. I smiled a tired smile and closed my eyes again, knowing he's still looking at me, watching over me…made me feel good.
Vince lifted me up cause he wanted to go to bed. "I had a rough day at work today girl…so I guess I'm off…" he explained and then put me back on the couch as my head's leaning on Dom's leg. Leon went away as well, I think he was in the bathroom. But I was too blurry and too busy thinking about Dom. I lifted my look to see him upside down - I giggled. He looked at me back, I laughed even harder. "Dom. You look so funny upside down." He smiled back and took my head off him gently. "Where are you going?" I mumbled. He lifted me up with one hand underneath the back of my knees and one hand under my back. I closed my eyes, the music was getting dimmer as we went farther away.
Finally I found myself in my own bed. "Come lay next to me." I asked, but he just kneeled next to my bed, still looking at me strangely. "Why are you looking at me that way?" I asked. "What way?" he defended. "I don’t know…like there's something you wanna say or something that makes you think a lot." His face changed. I moved back a little, making some space for him. "Dom, come lay next to me" I asked once more. "Letty…this isn’t a good idea" he said quietly. I thought he was finally starting to see me in other way then he used to until now.
He bent over to give me a goodnight kiss, I wanted to kiss his cheek, but he wasn’t sure, so he turned his head a little to look at me, but my eyes were closed…and it came up…as a real kiss, my first kiss with Dominic was in my birthday, and the day he got his freedom back.
I've never been that happy, I've bitten my lip, waiting for his reaction. "I…I…" he mumbled."Dom…" I started off, but he just raised his voice saying "Letty, goodnight." With that familiar authoritative tune of him… Urgh…how frustrated I was that night…he walked out of the door…and I just couldn’t sleep that night. I guess you can say the next morning was the beginning of us…our feelings just floated on the surface in a way we couldn’t ignore them anymore.