Chapter 4 – Boots

Dom

I love seeing my father go as fast as him can go! Sitting in the pit waiting for him to fly by. That's what I want to do someday. I want to go as fast as I can! Let me amend that, I want to go as fast as I can and not worry about cops interfering.

It's Sunday a couple weeks after the party at Vince's and Vince isn't here. He knew that party meant big trouble and he did it anyway. Gotta love Vince! Not afraid of shit! Mia's here, she's sporadic. But Letty is always here! She never misses it. I really wish I could stop thinking about Letty, even Mia has noticed and called me on it. But it's not like any other chick. I think about her beyond the lay. I guess that's because I already love her and couldn't do that to someone I care about like that. To family…NO she's not family!

My dad is done and wrapped everything up here.

"Let's go guys!" he says. "I'm starving."

"Luz says we can go anywhere we want because she doesn't feel like cooking!" Letty says to my dad.

"Awesome, tell her to meet us at Jimmy's!" Tony says.

If we're not making barbecue, we're definitely going to Jimmy's to have some!

Letty

"I'm exhausted and you guys bring me to Jimmy's," my mom complains with a hint of joking.

"You said we could pick," Dom reminds her.

"It was a test, you all failed."

"Luz, for what it's worth, I didn't want to come here." Mia pipes in.

My mom and Mia are close. They go shopping and junk together, I guess that's part of the reason she gave up on me.

"I know you didn't, honey, no one would want to come here."

We all laugh a long time about that.

"How was work today Luz?" Tony asks.

"It was alright Tony, the little baby I've been telling you about, Jasmine, she got out of the special care nursery today."

My mom works in the NICU at the Memorial. I don't know how she does that. That takes strength.

"Well, that's great news!" Tony really cares about people. He's the kind of person who will pray for complete strangers if he thinks they need it. I mean pray hard too.

For awhile, Mia and I thought Luz and Tony were going to get together. But Tony just couldn't really love someone else after Mia and Dom's mom, Isabella, died. If my mom were going to allow anyone in, it would be Tony. But beyond that she wouldn't even make any attempt. I don't know she's ever been on a date that I recall. But she wouldn't have time with working so much.

This is the perfect Sunday.

Monday morning however not so much.

"If you don't back off I'm going to rearrange your face!" Yep that's me.

"It doesn't have anything to do with you Letty." That's the bitch who's well on her way to a beating.

"You are standing way too close to my sister, for my comfort."

"Come on Letty, let's go to class." Mia, always the diplomat. "This chick isn't worth the suspension."

I really don't get into fights much, I just don't let bullshit slide much either. I come out of class to find this big Amazon chick towering over Mia. That's not something I'm going to let slide. She's telling her to stay away from her "man".

"Like I said Shannon, Darian asked me out, I said no. It's no big deal."

Mia starts to pull me down the hall.

"You better keep walking bitch." She just had to add that exclamation point, didn't she?

I turn around, walk up to her. She looks down at me and laughs. Did she really laugh at me? I can't stop myself now, I punch her right in the stomach, she doubles over and kick her in the face. A couple times…

Before anything really gets started, Mr. Matthews has me down the hall.

"I don't want to hear it Ortiz," he says. "You should have just walked away or waited for her to hit you first." We smile too quick for anyone to notice but us.

"No one hits me first."

"That's why you're going to be suspended and she's going to lunch."

"Can't you do something Mr. Matthews?" Mia is there, I didn't even notice her.

"Everyone knows how fond of Miss Ortiz I am, if I try to get her out of suspension…"

"It's okay Mr. Matthews, I could use the vacation."

Yeah, Monday night, not better.

"YOU GOT SUSPENDED!" That's Luz.

"Luz…" she gives me a look.

"Ma, this huge chick was threatening Mia. Am I just supposed to walk away from that?"

"No," Tony says. "But you have to give Mia a chance to handle it."

"I know you love her and want to protect her, but there has to be another way to do that." My mom doesn't need more on her plate so I decide to let it go. "I can't take you back to school until next Monday. You're not staying home and having a vacation while I go to work every day."

"She's going to work in the garage all week," Tony says. Luz and I both look at him like he's crazy. I'm not sure he understands what a punishment is. "No pay for any of the hours she puts in." Damn. "No working on her car at all, and your parts are due in tomorrow I believe." Never underestimate Tony. "Oh and you can't drive your car until you can go back to school." Shit!

"Tony…I…" What can I really say?

"I agree with Tony," Luz says. Of course she does. "Maybe I can't take you back until next Wednesday. I gotta check my schedule." She smiles. Sadist.

She gives me a hug and walks out. Tony comes over kisses me on the forehead.

"Thanks for protecting Mia, but you and Dom have to learn a better way of doing that other than your fists, or…boots as it were. Or one or both of you is going to end of in trouble and I don't want that for you." He walks over to my bedroom door. "See you in the garage at 6:30."

"6:30?"

"Yeah, I want to get the most out of our time together." Sadist!

A/N - Thanks for reading. Please review. I don't own anything FF related.