Chapter 2 Taking on responsibility
"Ok, so let's get to talkin." Roman came back, looking very impatient as he rubbed his hands together. Monica rolled her eyes and looked at Brian pleadingly.
"Ro, I'll meet you at the...Tej's place." Brian coughed lightly and nodded. Roman looked disgruntled now.
"Aw, hell no. Brushin a bro off for a girl. Same old Brian." He glared at Monica.
"Roman! Chill." Brian laughed, throwing a straw wrapper at him. "I'll be there in 20. No sweat, Dude." Brian said.
"Yo, if she throws your ass in the slammer, don't be waitin on me to come get you." Roman shook his head.
"Oh, Please." Monica rolled her eyes." Glad to know he's a member of my fan club." Monica shook her head. Brian's smile had faded and he was staring at her intently.
"Ok, I gotta get goin soon What's up?" Brian asked, staring at her with his intense eyes. Monica looked like she was blinking back tears. Her lips were pursed in a thin line, her eyes avoiding his. "Monica, what is it?" Brian held the hand that had been nervously toying with a napkin. She was making him nervous now.
"Brian, I'm in a mess. And I'm about to lose my job." She said, recomposing herself, taking a deep breath.
"Thanks." Brian nodded at the waiter when he came to clear off the table and refill the drinks. He pulled Monica up and led her outside after paying. He put an arm around her and leaned her against his car. They had spoken occasionally and they had become good friends despite Roman's dislike of her. They had unsuccessfully tried dating. That was why Brian knew something had to be serious.
"Brian, my parents were killed in a plane crash. I have a sister who is...She's 16, almost 17." Monica took a deep breath.
"Is she okay?" Brian asked, wondering really what she wanted with him and Roman.
"She's a troublemaker, if you call that okay, but yeah. I'm supposed to be going to France. I can't take her while I'm undercover." Monica wiped her eyes. Brian's mouth dropped.
"Monica, I know you're not asking what I think you are." Brian shook his head.
"Brian, you are the only person I can trust." Monica said. "I'm out of all other options." She pleaded.
"That's funny, Monica." Brian looked amazed. She hadn't felt that way before. "You trust me? How would I...what am I supposed to say?" He asked, staring into her pretty brown eyes.
"Please Brian, just think about it. I don't know what to do if you don't help." She shrugged, batting her eyelashes, pulling out all of her tricks to convince him. She needed his help desperately.
"Monica, I live with 3 guys and a lesbian. I'm a street racer for God's sake and you trust me?" He asked, his voice a little bit of a higher pitch than normal.
"Yeah, see what I mean, you are my ONLY hope." She laughed, hitting him in the shoulder. She smiled softly as their eyes met. She turned serious. "And not to mention two ex-cons, I know." She nodded. "I've been through the records but I also know you guys are good guys." Monica smiled.
"That's a first. I'm shocked." Brian said as his cell phone sounded off its 'Duke's of Hazard theme song. He held up a finger telling her to give him a minute. "Talk to me, Tej." He grinned, already knowing what was coming. Roman had likely convinced him to give Brian another reminder.
"Boy, you got like 10 minutes and your ass will be outta this race." Tej warned, grinning at Roman's expression while he paced, Roman grabbed the phone.
"Yo, holmes. What he means is get on goin and get yo ass down here or ya ain't racin. And don't let her pretty face fool you again, Brian." Roman said, leaning over Tej's shoulder and yelling. He hung up, and handed the phone back to Tej. "That's how we do it." He laughed, satisfied.
"Listen, Monica, I gotta go, I..." He started to say, his hands in his pockets. "Look, maybe if you stop by the party later we can talk. OFF duty, that is." He nodded.
"Brian, come on, like I am really going to arrest your friends when I am asking you for a favor. You and Rome both act like I'm waiting to bust you or something." Monica folded her arms and rolled her eyes.
"Well, you are a federal agent." He grinned boyishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Listen, Playboy. I have so much on you I could have done a long time ago if I had really wanted to." Monica stared him in the eyes.
"So why haven't you?" Brian asked, staring at her. She smiled, making him grin.
"Maybe it's your grin, your looks, your charm." She paused. Brian rolled his eyes. "No, really, Brian. You helped me out and you guys are cool. I won't turn you in. Please?" She asked.
"You know where we're at. See you at two." He said, getting in his evo. She leaned down by the window.
"You guys races are getting later and later." Monica looked surprised. He nodded. "See ya later, Playboy." She waved as she walked away. Brian zoomed towards the races, his mind deep in thought.
"Well, look who decided to show up." Roman said as Brian stepped out, the swarm of people around his car as usual.
"Aw, Rome, you're just hatin cause they wanna see me race and not you." Brian playfully teased.
"Hardy har har." Roman nodded back, sarcastically. He looked over at Tej and Jimmy, who were talking to some females.
"Yeah, looks like we're ready." Brian punched Roman lightly, heading over to Tej and Jimmy.
"Bullit! What up, Boy?" Suki asked, nodding Brian's way.
"Hey Sukes. You rollin with me tonight or am I on my own?" Brian asked. Here lately their 'team' had not raced each other but had been taking turns making the runs. All except Tej, of course.
"Nah, Jimmy boy wants to show off." Suki rolled her eyes, making Brian and Tej laugh. Suki loved being the star of the races and usually ran in majority of them.
"Aw, Sukes, your girls aren't here to cheer you on?" Roman teased her affectionately.
"Don't be hatin, Boy." She smiled. They guys walked over to Jimmy.
"So Jimmy you racin so I can make some money off of you?" Brian asked. They had a long standing joke.
"Yeah, Bullit, of course." Jimmy laughed. He looked at the two girls beside him. The red headed girl whispered in his ear and Jimmy looked at Tej. "Hey Tej. Can my friend count if off tonight?" He asked. The redhead smiled at him, standing up.
"Whoa, Hell yeah." Tej nodded, noticing the plaid skirt, black tube top, and knee high boots she had on. "She's hot, Jimmy." Tej grinned with approval, leaning over and whispering to Jimmy.
"She's single, too." Jimmy patted Tej on the back.
"Let me guess, though. She swings Suki's way?" He asked.
"Brixton? Nah, Brix is straight." He laughed, motioning for her to come over. "Brixton, this is Tej. Tej, this is Brixton.We call her Brix at school." Jimmy introduced, noticing his friend giving Tej the eyes.
"Nice to meet you." Brixton smiled, holding out her arm that was covered in bracelets.
"Yeah, you too, fo sho. Let's do this, Baby girl." He nodded, giving Brian the signal to get in his car. Brian was parked and leaning on his car's hood, nodded back.
"J Boy, I thought you were racin." Brixton said, following Tej, as they walked to the starting lineup. JBoy was Jimmy's nickname around school.
"Next one, Brix. I don't race against my own team, especially not Bullit." He put an arm around her. "You, Darlin, need to get out more." He teased. She followed Tej onto the strip of blacktop. As Tej counted off, she raised her hands, Tej's rag in one. As he said go, she threw it down. She smiled at the smell of burnt rubber and the sound of squealing tires. There was nothing like the smell of blacktop she thought.
"You new around here?" Tej asked after the cars were out of sight.
"Yeah, I took Jimmy Boy up on his invite." She smiled. Her purple contact covered eyes held his gaze for a minute.
"Glad ya did. Have some fun. We got a hell of a party goin down after we're done here. I'm invinting you to that one since Jimmy beat me on the race invite." Tej grinned. The petite, average height, red head smiled, flashing her white, perfect teeth.
"I think I will most def take you up on that invite." She said, walking off to get a drink.
"Yeah, it's an all time of a night." He said to himself, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.