Sorry it has taken so long to write this chapter. I have a new puppy and looking after her is a full time job at the moment. Anyway here it is.
Part way down I need to voice the thoughts of the team's reactions to Gabriella. I am going to write separate paragraphs for each person with a small title to split them. I know this isn't normal but it's the only way I can put their thoughts into words in a simple orderly way. I might change it later but for now it will have to do.
Anyway I hope you like it.
"You aren't seriously going to buy that are you?" Mia said as she pointed to the long brown skirt in Gabriella's hand. Gabriella looked at it and then back at Mia,
"Yeah I am, what's wrong with it?" she asked incredulously.
"Well I don't mean to be harsh but it well, it's hideous and a lot like the clothes you already own", Mia said as kindly as she could.
"Well I guess that now you have persuaded me to buy all those other clothes that I have just bought I felt that I needed to get something that I am used to", Gabriella said a little indignantly.
"The whole point if this trip was so that you changed your style which means not buying skirts like that" Mia replied. Gabriella sighed in response and meekly replaced the skirt onto the wrack "You're right, I admit it you are right" Gabriella said with a smile, "so is there anything else that you think I should buy?". Mia paused for a second in thought. "Do you have any decent shoes?" she asked. Gabriella shook her head no. "Right then we need to buy shoes.
They walked out of the shop they were in and headed for a small boutique selling all different types of women's shoes. "Now you need some nice casual ones that will go with everything like these" Mia said as she pointed to a pair of black pumps on the nearest shelve to them. "They will go with pretty much any of the skirts that you bought and they are casual enough to wear during the day." Gabriella nodded and looked more closely at them and decided that they were quite nice. She searched around for her size and then looked at Mia "Do you mean I will need more than one pair of shoes?" she asked suspiciously. Mia nodded "as well as those you will need at least two or three other pairs" she said. Gabriella frowned, "Will I actually need them like, as a necessity?" she asked curiously.
"No but if you want to be able to mix and match your outfits you will" Mia told her forcefully.
"Okay then what else do you suggest?" Gabriella said after a moment's hesitation.
"You need some boots, preferably knee high with high heels" she said in reply.
Gabriella shook her head, "That doesn't sound like my style" she disagreed.
Mia raised an eyebrow at her, "Don't make me go through this with you again", she exclaimed, "the whole point of this is to change your style, now boots with heels will go with your dresses". Gabriella smiled, "you mean those dresses that barely cover anything that you made me buy?" she asked.
"Stop being so dramatic, they weren't that revealing and they looked good on you" Mia exclaimed slightly exasperated.
"okay, okay, now what boots do you suggest?" Gabriella said finally caving in to what Mia was saying. Mia looked around and spotted a pair at the back of the shop.
"how about those?" she said pointing to the pair of black knee high leather boots with a zip up the inside of the legs and buckle all the way out on the outside. They had a three and a half inch heel. "they kick ass".
Gabriella dutifully tried on boots and shoes until Mia was satisfied that she had bought the right ones. After the finished they lugged all the bags back to Mia's car and drove home.
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Once they arrived at the house Gabriella began to feel nervous again, what if that Vince guy was there again. He made her feel uncomfortable, almost like she was back home again and he was waiting for her to do something wrong, just so he could yell at her.
Gabriella knew that she was being ridiculous and that she didn't even know him but it was the vibes he gave off.
It turned out that when they went inside no one was home so they went straight down into Gabriella's new room so they could put her things away.
"The team will probably be back in a bit so you will get to meet them all" Mia said as she was putting the new skirts on a hanger. Gabriella paused as she thought about meeting everyone. It made her nervous; after all she wasn't a people person. She wasn't completely socially retarded but she still couldn't speak to new people easily. She was still slightly confused as to why she confided in Dom and Mia.
"Mia?" she questioned "do you think I should change my clothes before I meet the team, I mean into something more normal?" Mia nodded her head yes. "I think you should because those clothes do nothing for you and these clothes you have just bought are great" she paused " I think I just heard the guy's pull up, I'll go upstairs and say hi and you can get changed then come up when you are ready, I'll just tell them you are unpacking." She concluded and then walked out of the room closing the door behind her.
Gabriella picked out a pair of faded low rise jeans with tears in and put them on and then put on a black and red sleeveless top . On her feet she pulled on the black converse high tops that Mia had made her buy. They had tiny sliver skulls decorating them. Mia had said that she herself wouldn't wear them but that they suited the clothes that Gabriella had bought.
She turned to look at her reflection in the mirror she had propped up against the wall. She looked quite good. All of the clothed hung to her in the right places. She looked at her face and decided that for once in her life she would wear her hair down as it complimented the outfit better. When she took it out of the bun it was in it hung in loose, dark waves down her back. She looked at her reflection and sighed, "Here goes nothing" she muttered and then walked out of the room and headed for the stairs.
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After Mia had gone upstairs the front door opened and the team literally came tumbling in one after another. Dom was first followed by Letty and Vince and then after them Jesse and Leon.
"So is she here?" Dom asked her instead of the usual hello. Mia nodded with a smirk. "Yes Dom she's here she's unpacking downstairs, she's already met Vince, she doesn't like him" Mia told Dom.
She watched as Dom turned to Vince and raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. Mia knew that Dom knew about Vince being resentful of Gabriella but he hadn't expected Vince to be so up front about it. Vince shrugged his shoulders at Dom and walked away.
Mia smirked at his immaturity and turned her attention back to Dom and the rest of the team "she should be coming upstairs in a second so you won't have to wait long", she said. They all nodded their head in acknowledgment.
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The team had all settled themselves in various places in the front room and were talking between themselves when the door to the basement rooms opened. Gabriella cautiously walked through the door and she quietly closed it behind her. As she had done this so quietly no one noticed her standing there, silently surveying them.
She immediately recognised Dom and Mia and also saw Vince sitting in the corner of the room, tuning what looked like a base guitar. As she looked around the room she saw three other people. Sitting in front of the television she saw two other men, a young fair haired man that looked to be younger than everyone else and a darker haired man sitting next to him. Both of them were too engrossed in the television to notice anything around them. The last person she saw was the young woman sitting on Dom's knee. She assumed that this was his girlfriend and wondered if she lived their too.
As she was looking around she caught Mia's eye who had finally noticed her and smiled at her. "Gabriella, hey", Mia said to her purposely loud enough to let other people know she was there. Everyone turned to look at her and she felt her cheeks burn red in embarrassment. She walked over to stand next to Mia who was perched on the sofa next to the two guys she had spotted earlier. "Let me introduce you to everyone", she said "This is Jesse" she pointed to the fairer haired man next to her, he looked at her and smiled slightly, "next to him is Leon", who looked her up and down then smiled in a way that made Gabriella slightly self conscious. "You already know Dom and Vince and the girl sitting with Dom is Letty", Gabriella looked at her and smiled, Letty looked taken aback and gave her an awkward nod.
Vince's thoughts
I can't believe that is the same woman as earlier. She is going to be a whole lot harder to be mean to. She looks…good. WAIT!!! Did I just think that she looks good. V!! snap out of it man you are supposed to hate her remember she stole your room!!!
Letty's thoughts
Hmmm, the Chica is a bit too good looking for my taste. I don't want her making moves on my man. She can keep her hands off. Well maybe I shouldn't jump to that conclusion straight away but I am going to keep my eyes on her.
Leon's thoughts
Oh wow she is… fine, I probably won't make any moves on her though, Dom would kill me. I don't do relationships and Dom would kill me if I just slept with her then dumped her. Oh well it's not like I don't get my fair share.
Jesse's thoughts
I think I will like her. She looks nice. Dom said she is good with car designs. Maybe I can get her to help me with mine on the computer I need some more ideas. Will she help me? I wonder what's for dinner…
Dom's thoughts
Yeah I think it was a good idea that I let her stay here. We can protect her. Even if V doesn't like her he won't let her get hurt. He is so childish sometimes. It's not like he still doesn't have two rooms. Yeah I think she will learn to fit in. I wonder if she will like the races, I wonder if she can even drive.
"Hey Gabriella, you made it, and now you know everyone I think it's time for dinner" Dom said as he and Letty began to stand up and move towards the back yard, "tonight we are having a barbecue". Mia smiled when Dom said this. "You can help me make the salads if you want Gabriella" Mia asked. Gabriella nodded her head and followed Mia into the kitchen and they began the preparations for dinner.
A/N I know I know, not the best ending for the chapter but I had to stop somewhere, anyway let me know what you think.
