A.N: Okay, I've had this idea for a Gundam fic for what seems like forever, but I never bothered to write it down, thinking (Because it was AU) that no one would like it. The main character was always getting herself near-killed... always. It interested me, but I thought I was just weird at the time. Well, instead of my outrageous story, I wrote a different fic, with a character that was always getting in those worst-case-scenarios. And everyone loved it! I was amazed, and I still am. I've gotten so wrapped up in what the public wants, that I never wrote this fic because it was what I wanted to write.
Thanks for all your support!
Mendel K.
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Chapter 1:
That Smiling Face
Lea roughly turned the large steering wheel in front of her. Her dark blue and black race car zoomed around the bend, barely making it, and in bad time. Lea slammed her foot down on the brakes as her personal trainer ran up. Hitting her head on the steering wheel, Lea listened for the umpteenth time about how she should drive.
"Now Lea, you have to push the brakes down slightly so you can make a sharp turn."
"But if I brake, I'll lose speed."
"But if you don't brake, you may crash. You saw how you almost hit the wall again. I don't think I have to remind you about Mr. G..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Sent to the hospital and was out three months later. Mai, you've told me this a thousand times."
"And you'll hear it a thousand more if you don't get serious"
"I am serious" Lea spat and revved up her engine again. Swerving slightly, she made her way back onto the track and began a new lap.
Lea... if you don't understand the fundamentals of your driving... will you meet the same fate as your brother? Mai thought painfully, remembering Lea's brother. He looked exactly like her, they were practically twins. Only a year of age separated them. Lea and her brother had the same exact dark green eyes, the same dark hair.
Lea once again made a sloppy turn, getting dangerously close to the wall. She imagined all those reality shows she had watched on television about race car crashes. Then, suddenly, an image of her brother shot through her mind. Her car swerved out of control and eventually hit a large pile of tires, cushioning the crash. Lea sat there in her front seat, the image of her smiling brother pasted in her mind. And then she re-lived the entire day again. There he was, her elder brother. He had a black eye and a huge gash on his head and one long gash across his chest. He was pinned in the vehicle, no one could pull him out.
"Brother" she remembered yelling as she rushed to the car. And there he was in his crippled condition. He blinked and turned his head to look at her.
"Hey, sis." he coughed and some blood came out of his mouth. "How's it goin'" he smiled.
That smile.
Lea closed her eyes and held her head in her hands.
"No... NO" she yelled and was instantly being shaken, pulled away, out of her hellish nightmare.
"Lea? LEA" came Mai's voice. Lea instantly snapped out of her dreamy state and focused her vision on Mai.
"Mai..."
"You saw him again"
Lea nervously brought her hand to her face, brushing away sweat and tears. She nodded.
"Lea... I'm sorry but"
"But nothing." Lea said and pulled herself out of the car and took off her helmet. Mai gave her a pained look.
"That's enough for tonight. Can I drive you home"
"Alone" Lea said not making eye contact with Mai.
"No, home. Do you want me to take you home"
"Heh. What home" Then, as Lea saw Mai's expression"Nah, I'll walk."
"You sure"
"No-I mean, yes. I'm fine, really." Lea said smiling. "Don't worry about it" She said, slapping Mai affectionately on the back. Mai nodded.
"Okay, but, I'll see you here again tomorrow, two o'clock sharp."
"Right."
"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you? It's almost dark out, it's dangerous."
"It's always dark..." Lea said breathlessly. Mai raised an eyebrow and she was just about to ask what Lea meant, but decided not to. Mai knew she couldn't budge Lea from her decision, so she climbed into her red sports car and sped away.
Lea rummaged around in her purse, trying to find some bus fare. When it was late out, she would ride the bus instead of walking, though she enjoyed walking more.
Walking towards the bus stop, she saw a young man. He wore the same cold gaze that Lea wore nowadays, at least, ever since the accident. Lea cautiously approached the boy. As she edged nearer, she found her was not that much older than she was, maybe about seventeen. He seemed very cautious too. As Lea approached and the bus pulled up and opened up it's doors, the boy looked left and right, as if making sure no one was following. His dark eyes and fell upon Lea. She stared back. His eyes were the exact same as her brother's. Noticing this, she gasped.
"Hey, you two gonna stand there forever, or are ya gonna ride" The bus driver asked irritably tapping his steering wheel. Lea nodded and quickly dashed up the steps, careful not to meet the strange boy's gaze again.
About ten minutes later, Lea asked the bus to stop and unloaded at an old orphanage. The building looked so run down, it was amazing that people actually lived there. Lea looked up to her bedroom window, a habit she had since she came here. Lea shook her head. I won't see him... But I still can't shake my old habit. Lea shook herself mentally, another painful memory entering her mind.
When I first came here... it wasn't all that different. I have lived here now for six years which means I came here when I was... Lea knocked on the door of the house and a woman opened the door.
"Welcome back, Lea."
I was ten years old. I came because both my parents died when I was very young. My brother and I were both adopted soon after by another family, but soon they're lives became so busy that they couldn't take care of us anymore. Lea threw her purse down on her favorite random chair remembering that day.
"Like a thorn in my side, my memories burn my soul..." Lea said quietly. A small girl, Jenni, looked up and said quietly,
"Hard day at the tracks" Lea set her hand on the small girl's shoulder.
"Does it show"
"Your eyes are all red." Lea blinked and then sat down on the same random chair her purse had just been thrown on. Lea soon evicted the purse and then sat back.
"I just had something in my eye." Jenni gave her that I-Want-The-Truth look. Lea instead focused all her energy on a speck of dirt on the old arm chair.
"What is it" Jenni inquired.
"Caked on mud, it would seem." Lea answered now scratching furiously at the stain.
"No, not that, what's wrong" Lea lifted her head up from her cleaning job and stared directly at the girl. Jenni stared into the empty pools that were her friend's eyes.
"Lonely..."Jenni said.
"Nah, not that... just..." Lea replied.
"No one understands."
"Right."
"I understand."
"No, you don't."
"I've lost a brother too, you know" Lea stopped, and then her whole world crashed. She stared blankly ahead, the pain of that day surging through her. She felt like she would collapse; her vision blurred and she felt the most horrible feeling. Gasping for breath, she supported her head on her hands.
"No..." she spoke quietly. Jenni looked horrified. "It's not the same" she yelled and as quickly as she could, ran upstairs into her bedroom.
Once in her room, Lea locked her door and then her tears ran freely. A short poem rang in her head.
Like a bullet through the heart
My memories burn my soul
Like a thorn in my side
My thoughts tear me apart
When will I get inner peace?
When will I laugh again?
When will this torture cease?
When will I no longer feel this pain?
I wish for it to end,
My fears be ceased for good
This pain I wish to transcend
My emotion released like a flood
Lea thought about what Jenni had said.
I've lost a brother too, you know!
"It's not the same..." Lea thought painfully. "...without you, Damon." Lea turned away from the solemn poem and instead opened up her drawer and pulled out an old picture of a man not that much older that she; he had short brown untidy hair, and his eyes were a dark green.
Just like that boy's eyes at the bus stop... Lea blinked sleepily and placed the picture back in it's drawer. Brother, I know I haven't always loved racing but... I want your legacy as a fine racer to live on. But... but what did you ever do to deserve to be killed? We all knew who had done it, we all knew your "best friend" had tampered with the brakes of your vehicle... he meant only to win the race, and it ended up killing you...
A timid knock came at the door.
"Yes"
"Lea, there's someone here to see you." came Jenni's small voice. Lea stood up and moved over to the door.
"She'll be down in a moment..." came a woman's voice from the foot of the stairs. Lea slowly made her way down, not knowing what she would find.
An old man introduced himself as the personal trainer of another fine racer. Lea pasted on her face a fake smile.
"Can I help you"
"I just came over to ask if you would participate in my race."
"Your race"
"Yes, I hire the drivers and sell tickets and then you all race for us."
"Sounds good."
"I want to hire you."
"Me"
"Yes. I used to watch your brother race, and he was magnificent! I am certain his little sister will be just as good"
"How much are you paying"
"It's an amateur race so about one million yen."
"Deal."
"Good, I'll see you then" And the strange man left, leaving Lea to contemplate what she had just agreed to.
"You're late" Mai exclaimed when she saw Lea walking up to the race course.
"I know."
"Would it kill you to be on time"
"What do you think" Lea said flatly and made her way to her race car.
Once inside, Lea let all her thoughts go and concentrated wholly on her driving.
Forward past the starting line, so far so good. Now the first turn, brake slightly... hm, that wasn't so hard. Lea made the next turns perfectly also. Her driving had improved greatly; but all the experience in the world couldn't have prepared Lea for who awaited her at the tracks.
TO BE CONTINUED
AN: I'd like to thank Andrew for reviewing my stories on AYR. V And please, please, PLEASE write a review for my story! I REALLY appreciate it!