AN- Thank you to my first reviewer Jo :-)

Chapter 2

By the time Brian caught up with the mass group on Schelle Street the road side was covered in the long line of spectator cars, it resembled a parade for street racing. He drove up towards the start line where Tej, Roman Pearce and Suki stood waiting as was Ashley in her car. She had the driver's window wound down; since the two cars were right-hand drives there was some distance between them. Brian rested his arm against the wide and leant halfway out.

'So,' he chirped. Ashley turned to him her eyebrows half raised.

'Yes?'

He grinned and licked his lips.

'What do you say to a date after the race?' he asked. Have to give him credit for putting his best foot forward. She thought. There was no doubt she definitely found him attractive more than just some regular guy with his dazzling blue eyes and sandy blonde hair and that cheeky smile.

'Ok,' she said.

'You are on,'
Brian's smile grew wider he tapped the side of his car and settled back in his seat.

'See you at the end,' he remarked.

'I'll see you there,' she answered and wound up the window. Suki strolled up between the two cars to the start line and turned around she raised both arms.

'Ready…set…GO!'

Her arms dropped to her sides the cars screeched their tyres; smoke from the burnt rubber enthralled the nearby crowd, and Skyline and Evo shot off down the street at first both cars were neck and neck. Ashley was the first to change gears giving extra grunt in the car's acceleration the scenery flew by not that she'd noticed. A quick glance in the mirror to check on the other car she was pleased to see it was already lagging behind.

'Come on, you got to be better than that!' she exclaimed, as the two cars flew down the slope and headed up the hill she made a second gear change and switched into the left lane.

'Damn!' Brian mumbled he floored it harder this time and caught up to the ear end of the Evo and made a quick change into the right lane to draw level.

'Oh no you don't,' Ashley said, another change of gears and she pulled slightly ahead and moved lanes to block off Brian's next move.

'Ah you haven't got me just yet,' he answered with a smirk. He too changed up a gear they were closing in on the finish line he knew if he wanted to make this final move count he had to get it right. With his right hand he kept the steering wheel steady and with his left he found the small red flick switch just beneath the CD stereo system. He flicked on the switch, heard a light pop and put both hands back on the wheel.

'Here we go,' he said and keeping the wheel straight his thumbs on the N2O buttons on either side of the steering wheel. The car shot forwards in a sudden burst of acceleration flying towards the finish line.

'Armature,' Ashley replied , her activation button was, unlike Brian's car was located next to the gear box, flicking the switch up she went for the final gear change pushed down harder on the accelerator pedal and hit the N2O. It was all a blur what happened next she knew not to change the dynamics of the steering wheel now, and instead counted in her head the final 400meters run to the finish. She swerved the car a little to the left and braked tyres screaming through the air and jerked to a halt. The crowd cheered and clapped she acknowledged with a short wave then and turned around to see Brian's car also parked though at a 90 degree angle. He was already out of his car and leaning against it with arms folded across his broad chest. She strode over to him and placed her hands on her lips.

'Well,' she said.

'Yes, well,' he answered.

'All right, all right!' Tej called he walked towards the pair they glanced over at him as he approached them in tow with Rom, Suki, Jimmy and much of the gathering crowd.

'Looks like we got a new racer to add to our ranks,' Tej said he patted Ashley on the shoulder she took it in her stride.

'Oh thanks but I can't,' she answered.

'Why not? Girl you're good and we could always do with one more especially with your caliber,' Rom remarked.

'Yeah…well I do appreciate the offer but I've got my own racing back home and that is my commitment. I came out here looking for a chance to see what your driver could offer and now I know. So I can pass off the knowledge onto those in my district,' Ashley explained.

'That is a pity but I suggest you can learn much, much more with another race tonight,' Tej added.

'I'll think about it,' she remarked.

'Ok then, maybe this will help you make a decision on tonight,' Tej added he dug into his pants pocket and pulled out the mass stack of money bills. He thumbed through it briefly and with a smile handed it out to Ashley. She nodded her thanks and accepted the stack and looked at Brian he remained un-moved.

'Aw don't tell me you're feeling jealous now, especially to lose out to me?' she remarked.

'No not at all,' he answered.

'All right so how about th—'

'COPS!' somebody shouted, instantly the place was a flood of panic, roaring engines, and just in the distance police sirens was heard.

'Follow me,' Brian said with a wave as he jumped into his car; Ashley did as told and slammed on the accelerator to follow Brian. He zigzagged through the bunched traffic game as other racers rushed to escape the police. Just when he thought they might be in the clear after hitting a side alley and burst out onto a quiet strip of road, three cop cars flew into view right behind them. Ashley took a quick glance through her rearview mirror.

'Ok not good.' She said. They continued down the road still with the cops on their tail.

'Pull over!' one officer ordered through their PA system. Brian caught another alley just up ahead and swerved right into it Ashley did as well the cops were swift in their reaction to follow, Brian missed out on making sharp turn to the right and instead drove straight past. Ashley opted for the turn and disappeared.

'What? Where does she think she is going?' he said. Unsurprisingly to him one cop car went after her while the other two remained on him. He came to the end of the alleyway just as another car flew by forcing him to turn right, a taxi cab screamed to a stop just as Brian made the turn and he had to swing left this time.

'Crazy stupid racer!' the taxi yelled. Brian didn't even look he quickly straightened up his car and hit the gas again. The two cop cars following shot out onto the road not long after and resumed their chase again.

'This is going to take forever,' he grunted.

Ashley had a bit more luck losing her cop chaser once they had hit the main traffic. Along other drivers gave way to the cops when their sirens came on but Ashley was still able to maneuver cleverly in and out of the cars that hadn't yet cleared a path and gained valuable distance on the cops.

'Well that was a close call,' she said now reducing the speed. She saw a free parking space just ahead directly in front of a café. She pulled in and shut the engine off and got out. She heard somebody wolf whistle from across the road she spun around to look and saw a group of five men, all of them wearing street baggy clothes and greased hair.

'Ugh,' she muttered and ignored them and headed to the café, her nostrils filled with the smell of coffee and toasted sandwiches'.

***

Brian had eventually evaded the cops after a half an hour drive through the main city streets. He pulled into a gas station to fill up as the tank filled with gas he leant against the car his forehead rested upon his elbow. The heat was intense now he felt the t-shirt now stick to his body he breathed out deeply.

'Ruined my date guess I'll try again tonight,' he said, well he hoped Ashley would come back tonight. Just then his phone rang. Without even looking at the screen he put the phone to his ear.

'Hello?'

'Bri! Where are ya, man? Everyone's already back at the garage,' Rom said.

'Just filling up I'll be back soon,' Brian answered.

"Ok, and do you know where's your girlfriend?'

'Ha funny and no I haven't got a clue. She was supposed to follow me, but ended up going some other way and I lost sight of her,' Brian remarked.

'Never mind you might see her tonight,' Rom added.

'Yeah, maybe. Anyway I'll see you guys soon,'

'Right see you,' Hanging up Brian headed into the store to pay. As he was about to step in the roar of an engine caught his attention. He swung around a smile appeared instantly upon his face he recognized the car. It came to a stop directly in front of him the driver's side door swung open, she stepped out a gentle smile on her lips.

'Well, well so where did you go?' he asked.

'Well it didn't look like we were getting anywhere with the cops by going the same way. Figured it was best to make their chase a little bit harder,' she said.

'And I was hungry,' she added.

'You could have just stayed with me and once we shook the cops then grabbed a bite to eat together,' he remarked.

'Ah and that is something you haven't yet realized about me,' she said and inched closer towards him, he felt his heart race just that bit faster when she got this close.

'Oh, yeah?' he remarked. She leant up to whisper into his ear.

'Yes, and maybe you just might get to find out tonight,' she remarked. Brian swallowed hard he couldn't quite get the words out, Ashley knew it too she moved back and winked.

'See you tonight, oh and don't be late this time,' she answered, hoped back into her car and backed out of the park and drove away into the streaming traffic.