"Everything okay?" Mia asked Letty, her eyes closed. The girls were curled up under an afghan Mia's mom had made before they were even born. The movie, at this point, was just background noise as the two girls laid with their heads on opposite ends of the couch.
Letty cringed; she thought she had done well hiding her feelings. She would have to work on that. Truthfully, Letty was far from okay. Their movie night and Chinese food binge did little to distract her thoughts from turning to Dom. The subsequent ache in her chest and pit in her stomach told her that the words "love sick" had meaning.
"Mmm," Letty hummed, trying to feign sleep, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You just seemed distracted tonight is all."
"Thinking about school," she lied.
"Oh." Mia mumbled before falling to sleep.
When Letty was certain the other girl wouldn't wake up, she grabbed her phone and re-read the texts Dom had sent her only an hour ago.
Dom: I won.
Dom: Wish I was there with you.
Dom: I hope you're having a good time with Mia tonight.
Yeah, Letty scowled to herself. While you're off doing who knows which skank. You'll probably get chlamydia next.
Letty shuddered at the thought, hating how hurt she feels inside. I shouldn't feel like this.
Letty got off the couch and padded up the stairs quietly, leaving her phone, and all temptation, on the table downstairs. She softly closed the bathroom door and turned on the bright bathroom lights.
One look in the mirror and Letty burst into tears, trying her hardest to stop them by pressing the heels of her palms against her eyes. It didn't work. I shouldn't be crying like this.
It had been two days and Letty had gone through such a myriad of emotions that she no longer felt like herself. It doesn't matter what promises we make or what we tell each other. This… whatever this is… won't work. Dom was right. It's wrong. I am fourteen and he is twenty-one. It won't work. At least not right now. If anyone were to find out he would go to jail and I would be labeled as a slut. Or a victim. I don't want that.
And, Letty continued, I'm tired of feeling like a lovesick puppy. I want to be happy again. Dom's extracurricular activities always bothered me, but not like this.
I'm too young. I'm not… mature enough for this. I thought I could work through these emotions and handle it, but I can't. I'm not going to do this to myself. I won't keep feeling this way. It isn't right or okay. It's toxic.
With that thought Letty turned the faucet on, bent over the sink, and washed her face with cold water. She would wash her face of all evidence that she had been crying over Dominic Toretto. No, she corrected herself, I was crying over me. Not him. I won't cry over him.
The Latina turned the faucet off and stood up, jumping, a shriek sticking in her throat.
"Hey." Goddamn him and his deep voice.
"What are you doing here, Dom?" Letty asked softly.
He shrugged and pulled his phone out, "You didn't text back. I was worried." Letty grabbed a towel and dried off her face, not knowing how to respond. "And it looks like I had every right to be."
Letty didn't trust herself to talk. She knew if she spoke her voice would crack and the tears would start flowing again. That's the last thing she wanted Dom to see.
"Talk to me." Dom whispered.
Letty shook her head.
"Please."
When Letty didn't say anything he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the bathroom and down the hall to his room. He pushed her in, shut his door, and turned on his bedside lamp, illuminating his handsome face. How the hell am I supposed to do this? His lips are so kissable!
"What's going on?"
Letty bit her lip, "I don't know what this is," she gestured between herself and him, "but I want it to go back to the way it was."
There. I said it. And I didn't even cry.
"Why?" Dom asked slowly, confused. She was the one that wanted this to begin with.
"Because." Letty stopped, feeling tears prick the corner of her eyes.
"Letty. Just talk to me."
"Because feeling like this hurts too much." Letty started crying, and Dom pulled her in for a hug. she wrapped her arms around his neck, and somehow she was being picked up and her legs were wrapped around his waist.
"How do you feel?" Dom asked, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck, where he left his mark.
Like I'm about to burst into flames. Like being in your arms, wrapped up in eachother is where I should stay. Like I'm the only thing in this world you care about. But that's not true, is it? Because ten minutes ago I felt like I was the last thing in the world you cared about. But one kiss, one touch, one word… just a little bit of attention from you, and I'm gone. I'm like a drug addict and he's my drug.
"Like I'm too young for this. Like I need a few more years before I start navigating waters like these."
"You didn't like me being there and you being here." Dom deduced.
"No, I didn't. I don't like that I'm 14. I don't like that you could get into a lot of trouble for this. I don't like these new feelings. It's all so intense."
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
"Never apologize for how you feel. This is my fault. I never should have kissed you. You need to grow up some more."
"Are you mad?"
"No."
After a few minutes Dom dropped Letty and she rubbed her eyes with his old t-shirt. "I'm not sure how to go back to how things were. But I feel better that we are black and white again."
"You aren't a fan of the gray area?"
"Not even a little."
Dom smirked, "Alright. So we are friends. Just friends. For a while."
"By the time I'm old enough to be with you, you'll probably have a kid with some racer skank."
Dom chuckled, "That won't happen."
"And you'll probably forget all about this."
"Not likely."
"And you'll see me as a little sister."
"Fuck no."
Letty grinned, "Lets just pretend this never happened. Okay?"
Dom nodded, "I'll try, but if you need someone to talk to you can always come to me."
After Letty left his room and headed back downstairs Dom sat on the side of his bed with his head in his hands. Didn't I tell her all of those things Thursday? Didn't we already establish this wouldn't work? I knew it would come to this. But I thought I'd have to be the one to grow up and tell her whatever game we are playing has to stop.
Dom undressed and fell back into bed. Tonight was a bust. He won the race. Hell, he had even won enough money to cover payroll next week. But when he got out of the car he realized that he didn't care about the busty women not wearing any underwear. His trophy was at his house, safe and sound. Where he wanted to be, but couldn't. The idea of racing next week lost its appeal, but he needed the money. The mortgage wasn't going to pay itself.
He knew Letty was faking her indifference when he left the house. She didn't want him to go. At least, she didn't want him to go without her. The desert wasn't the place for her on a Friday night. There were too many variables and he wouldn't risk her safety. To be honest, Dom didn't trust himself to not put a possessive arm around her shoulders, kiss her senseless, and let everyone know that she was taken. Except she isn't taken. Not really. Despite everything Letty said Dom couldn't convince himself that she wasn't his. She had always been his and would continue to be. He'd keep her safe.
When Letty hadn't texted Dom back, he knew in his gut something was wrong. She wouldn't read a text from him and just leave it unanswered. She would at the very least congratulate him, be happy for his win. Instead of sticking around for the rest of the races and trying to double his money, he told Vince he was going home. He got into his car and made hsi way through the dark desert towards the bright lights of the city. Even though it doesn't take long to get home, he still felt antsy to see his girl. That's all he wanted. To see her. Nothing else needed to happen.
Maybe if I hadn't come home she wouldn't of re-established where we stood. But Dom didn't think about it anymore. He could play the "what if" game all night and it wouldn't change anything. He would respect Letty, he would give her space and try to make this as easy on her as he could.
It was early Saturday morning when Mia opened her eyes before squeezing them tightly shut against the offending light. The TV was off and their mess from last night had been cleaned up by some fairy godmother. In reality, Mia knew it was probably Letty. Who breaks into a house and cleans up a mess?
"Mmmm what time is it?" Mia muttered, snuggling down farther into the blanket and closing her eyes again.
Letty felt around blindly for her phone on the table before she opened her eyes and located the device on the floor. She pressed the side button and read the time.
"It's 6:30."
"Jesus." Mia moaned.
No kidding, I've only been asleep for a few hours while you've been snoring all night.
"Oh no you don't," Letty said, stretching. "You woke me up. That means you have to get up too!"
Mia has a bad habit of waking up, asking what time it was and then falling back to sleep. Letty, on the other hand, could never fall back to sleep no matter how hard she tried. It didn't matter that they were up past midnight the night before stuffing their faces, gossiping, and watching movies. It also didn't matter that the girl had a meltdown, cleaned up their mess, and fell asleep with a bruised, but healing heart. Once Letty's eyes were open for the day - she was awake for the rest of it.
"I'll just lay here while you hit the bathroom first."
"Ug!" Letty yelled, falling back on the couch. Her sound of displeasure turned into one of appreciation as she stretched her arms above her head, arching her back.
"Shut up!" Mia complained, "Why does it always sound like you're having an orgasm when you wake up? God we're sleeping together. It grosses me out!"
Letty laughed. "This coming from the Queen of Masturbating?"
"It's normal. You're the only girl in the world who has never tried it. Let me go back to bed."
"No. Get up."
"Ugh. No! Why don't you go stretch like that in my brother's room?"
Letty thought of their conversation last night and said, "I don't think he'd appreciate that very much."
"You sure? I mean, he's not even home. If you want to get all creepy and sniff his sheets I won't say anything."
"God you are so weird." Letty stood up and stretched again, touching her toes. "I think I'll pass. You never know, I might catch an STD."
Mia giggled, "I am going to have so much fun teasing Vince about that. Years. It will be years before I stop."
Letty grabbed the blanket and yanked it off ofMia before running up the stairs to the bathroom, escaping her wrath.
"YOU BITCH!" Mia screeched.
Letty laughed harder, closing the door and shouting, "YOU LOVE ME!"
She pulled her hair back, examining the hickey on her neck which was starting to turn yellow on the edges. She scrunched up her nose and grabbed her toothbrush, feeling better than she had in a few days. It's amazing how such a short conversation could change her entire mood and even outlook on her day. Letty spit, rinsed, and stood up, surprised to find Dom leaning against the door jam.
"You're getting into a habit of barging in on me while I'm in the bathroom."
Dom shrugged, brushing her comment off. "I don't have an STD."
Letty raised her eyebrows, wondering why Dom was telling her this. Letty meant her comment to stay between the two girls as a joke, not overheard by him, and certainly not to be discussed. "You're sure?"
"I've never had sex without using a condom."
Letty shrugged, "And how often do you use a condom when a girl gives you head?" Dom was silent, "Exactly."
Dom growled, "I'll get tested. Then you'll believe me."
"You'd have to get tested daily. Besides. I don't care. You do you. Remember?"
"I remember," Dom said, and grabbed Letty's waist as she tried to squeeze past him. He pressed her against the doorjam and whispered, "We might just be friends, but that doesn't mean you can't touch yourself while you think of me."
"What happened to you-,"
"When I make you come, Letty," Dom promised, "it'll still be your first orgasm." He grabbed Letty's hand as he spoke, trailing her fingers against her sex through the fabric of her shorts, "You'll realize that whatever pleasure those beautiful fingers give you will be nothing compared to what I can do to you."
"Fuck, Dom. You're supposed to be just my friend. Friends don't do shit like this."
"You're right, they don't; I'm sorry. Seeing you in my shirt… I lost control. It won't happen again."
"Thank you." Letty said, stepping away from Dom and going back down the stairs, her heart beating a mile a minute. So much for setting boundaries. It didn't matter what he did, she was determined to feel like a normal 14 year old girl. She already felt better. In no time at all she would be back being okay with Dom gone on Friday nights while she stayed in with Mia.
Dom shook his head, turning on the shower. He did not like how the tables seemed to turn against him. Dom enjoyed flirting with Letty and wished that it could continue. But more than anything, he wanted Letty to feel comfortable and to not feel like she did last night. He never wanted her to shed a tear because of him.
We will just move on. For now. We'll circle back to this when she's older.
With that, Dom shoved his feelings for Letty as deep as he could and readied himself for the day. This wasn't something he could fix with his hands. Only time can heal this problem. And every second that passes is another second Letty is closer to being legal.
By lunch, Letty was feeling pretty good about herself. She thought she had done the right thing, handled herself like an adult, and now she's free to do as she pleases. That morning the girls worked together in the market, stocking shelves, dancing to the music, and helping customers. Over lunch Mia gossiped about each of their friends, trying to keep her voice low, but failing miserably.
After lunch Dom came in with another one of his shirts - this time it was black - and watched as Letty danced across the market with a broom in her hand. The young girl turned and blushed when she caught Dom staring at her, but recovered quickly with the help of Mia.
"No! You're not taking her from me!" Mia screeched
"Yep." Was all Dom said, tossing the shirt to Letty.
Letty changed slowly, still feeling good about her decision to set boundaries with Dom, but not sure how working with him this afternoon would go. Her acting skills aren't going to win her any Grammys. Luckily, Letty was saved from blushing every two seconds at the memory of Dom guiding her fingers against her shorts that morning. Instead of working with Dom, she was paired up with Vince, doing the same tasks on Vince's car today that she did yesterday for Dom.
Vince was a surprisingly good teacher. He was patient, asked her questions, quizzed her on different parts of the car, and didn't make her feel stupid when she didn't know something. But her day could only stay good for so long.
"Holy shit it's hot," Vince muttered, taking his arms out of his coveralls and tying it around his waist. "It ain't even summer yet."
"Tell me about it," Letty agreed, pulling her hair, sticky with sweat, from her face and putting it up in a high ponytail.
It was at that moment that Leon walked over to Vince and Letty, his hands in his pockets.
"Hey, Vince, can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, dude, what's up?" He asked, bent over his engine, watching Letty as she topped off his oil.
"It's kinda personal."
"Spit it out." Vince said, standing up. He didn't care what Leon had to ask. If he was going to ask him how big his dick is he could do it in front of everyone. Letty might be a girl, but she's still one of the guys.
"Did you really have the clap?"
The music in the garage was turned down and everyone in the garage seemed to stop what they were doing to listen in on this conversation. Dom had a particularly wide grin on his face as he watched the exchange.
"Yeah." Vince muttered, not realizing that by personal Leon meant embarrassing.
"So, like, that STD shit is real?"
"Yeah. Didn't you learn about this in school?" Vince asked, lowering his voice. He was aware that everybody in the building was staring at them, eager to eavesdrop. Like a bunch of fucking housewives.
"Yeah, dude, but I thought they were lying."
"Why the fuck would they lie about that?"
Leon shrugged. "I don't know, Man. A guy in my bio class said somethin' about it. It's just. I've never used a rubber before."
At that Mia burst into laughter. Everyone turned to see her standing in the doorway, hands raised. "Sorry - sorry. This conversation just keeps getting better and better. Who knew we'd learn so much about each other just because Vince stuck his dick in a nasty girl?"
"So," Leon continued, "girls can get pregnant even when they don't want to?"
"How are you seventeen and not know how babies are made?" Vince asked.
"Better yet," Dom spoke up, "how has he gone this long without knocking someone up?"
Leon shrugged, continuing his line of questioning. "Does that also mean girls can't control when they get their period?"
Mia and Letty both started laughing at that. Leon turned to Letty, his cheeks pink. "Well? I wanna know!"
"No, Leon. We can't control our periods. It usually starts at the worst possible time too. Like when Mia is wearing white pants and doesn't have a tampon. We also can't control getting pregnant." Letty paused, misinterpreting everyone's silence as encouragement to continue. "Um, we also get cramps and weird cravings when we are on our period. Any other myths you need us to debunk?"
Leon shook his head, his lips pressed together tightly.
"Who," Vince yelled, "gave you that?!"
"What?" Letty asked, eyes wide, looking down at her body wondering what the hell he was talking about.
"Dont play dumb! You have a fucking hickey! I'd know one from a mile away! Everyone is giving me shit for an STD I don't even have anymore, and you're over here covered in hickeys?!"
Letty slapped her hand over her neck, tears already burning her eyes. She grabbed the rubberband and pulled it from her hair, hiding the bruise. How did I forget?! And how come I am crying again?!
She refused to look in Dom's direction. Instead she stood staring at Vince, not really knowing what to say. She didn't have a lie ready despite Dom's suggestion. She didn't think anybody would notice, but when you put your hair up it makes it kind of hard not to.
"I'm pretty sure," Mia said, stepping forward and grabbing Letty's hand, "that you having an STD is way worse than someone sucking on Letty's neck."
"Who is it?" Leon asked. "I haven't seen anyone around you at school."
Letty shook her head and then turned, heading out of the garage, leaving Mia there to defend her. Mia, who didn't even know it had happened let alone who had given it to her.
Letty had gotten halfway down the block when Jesse caught up with her, "So you have a boyfriend and didn't tell us?"
Letty shook her head, crying openly in front of her friend, "Do we need to kick someone's ass for hurting you?"
"No, Jesse. It was just. It was stupid and its not something I want to talk about, okay?"
Jesse chewed on his lip and nodded. "Alright. Okay. If that's what you want. Fine. But if you need something let me know."
"Thanks Jesse"
The two of them walked in silence for a while, Jesse not wanting to let Letty roam the streets alone. He didn't want something to happen to her. He knew he would never forgive himself if it did, and while they weren't heading back to work, he didn't want to break their comfortable silence. Because when he's with Letty, everything inside him just seems to stop. She calms him down, slows his thoughts, and makes him feel like a normal kid. Not a freak like other people at school.
"Did you know?" Leon asked Mia.
"Does it matter?" She countered.
"What do you think, Dom?"
"I think if she wanted you to know she would have told you. She's obviously embarrassed about it."
"Dom, they've been gone a while. Maybe you should go get them?" Mia suggested.
"Do you really think she's going to want to work with all of you staring at her neck?"
Vince shuffled, "I won't bring it up. And if you do," he pointed at Leon, "I'll kick your ass."
"No, I'll keep quiet."
Dom nodded, grabbed his keys and went searching for the two escapees. Letty still had to serve her time for stealing his car. He wouldn't let her off that easy. Fortunately, it wasn't hard to find them. They were just a few blocks away, heading God knows where.
"Get in." He ordered.
The two of them obeyed, getting into the car. "They won't ask you about it."
"Good." Letty said, wiping her tears.
"I'm sorry."
Letty huffed, "Don't be."
"Yeah, Dude, you weren't the one who gave it to her." Jesse stated from the back.
Letty laughed and grinned at Jesse, "Thanks for walking with me."
"Always."
True to their word the guys didn't bring up Letty's neck. Vince even told her she could put her hair back up if she was hot. Dom kept his distance; it almost seemed like he was avoiding her altogether. She knew she would have to tell Mia something eventually. She just hoped it wouldn't be today.
"Hey," Vince pulled Letty aside, "you let me know if someone's giving you problems. I mean it. I'll take care of it for you."
Letty shook her head, "It isn't like that. At all. I was… curious."
Vince nodded his head, "I understand that. Just don't get too curious. If you know what I mean."
Letty hugged Vince, "Thank you."
"Anytime, Letty."
To Letty's surprise, Mia didn't ask her about it. Mia stated that she was there for Letty if she wanted to talk about it, no judgment, but if she wasn't ready yet then that was okay too. Mia knows that Letty needs to process things at her own speed.
Of course, the girl was dying to know all of the juicy details. But she would respect Letty's privacy and take the little bit of info she was offered. In the end, Letty's saving grace was Mia's distraction with the new boy in school: Brian.
"Well, if it isn't Miss Fast and Furious," Leon whispered in Letty's ear, "Only, I'm startin' rethink the meanin' of 'fast'."
Letty balled up her fist and took a deep breath, trying to not let her friend get to her. She knew that was Leon's goal: to piss her off. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He was like her older brother and he was upset that she wouldn't tell him who had his lips on her skin and how much skin his lips touched.
"Cut it out, Leon." Jesse defended, sitting next to Letty at her usual lunch table. Leon rolled his eyes, pissed that his friend was choosing her over him. Leon brushed it off and sat down across from the girl. He wasn't nearly done. And while he couldn't say anything in front of Vince or Dom, she was fair game at school.
"Who is that," Mia suddenly asked, grabbing Letty's wrist while craning her neck to see through the crowd. "Oh my God he is cute."
"Who?" Letty asked, trying to catch a glimpse of who Mia was talking about.
"Him! Over there! White boy - tall, lean with sandy colored hair. Do you see him?"
"No."
"UGH!" Mia groaned, "He just went inside."
"I'm sure you'll see him again. Hell, I'm sure he'll be one of the many lined up behind you begging you to give him your number."
"Oh please," Mia rolled her eyes, "there aren't that many."
"Whatever you say."
The rest of the week went much the same way. Leon would insinuate that Letty was a slut every chance he got, frustrated that he didn't know who had kissed her. Dom was professional at work, letting her work in the market most afternoons. When she was in the garage either he or Vince was next to her, making sure everything she did was right and correcting her the few times she had done something wrong. At lunch, Mia would catch glimpses of the new boy, and she even managed to learn his name from a girl in her math class. By Friday Mia had gotten fed up with wondering who the boy was and was determined to make friends with her for no other reason than to satisfy her curiosity. No one had ever gotten under her skin quite like this Brian boy did.
It wasn't until Friday night, when Mia and Letty were home alone, that Mia was finally able to spill the proverbial beans about Brian Spilner.
"Oh my God, Letty, this guy - he's amazing. He's a junior, but he acts so mature for his age!"
"You talked to him for five minutes at lunch!" Letty laughed, "You can't know that much about him."
Mia grinned, "Well, I may have asked him for his number."
"You did what?!" Letty screeched, sitting up straighter, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Suddenly the green eyed monster that had seemed to inhabit Letty all day was forgotten. Mia had asked a boy for his phone number. Mia never does that. She doesn't give boys the time of day. She had plans and boys would undoubtedly screw those plans up. Dom, racing, cars, freedom, and whores were all pushed out of her mind.
"I didn't want them to know."
"So tell me about him!"
"Well," Mia said, glancing down at her phone, "you can find out for yourself. He's going to be here in ten minutes."
"Mia. I'm not wearing a fucking bra and you invited someone over!"
"I tried to get you to do a makeover with me."
"Mia," Letty bit out through clenched teeth, "you always want to give me a goddamn makeover. Why would I think this one would be any different?"
Mia shrugged, "I think you look fine."
A knock sounded on the door and Letty paled. Mia jumped up and down on the couch and whispered "He's here!"
"Do you want to get the door or shall I?" Letty asked.
Mia hopped off the couch and scurried across the room. She pulled the door open gracefully and smiled brightly at the boy standing on the other side.
"Hi!" Mia said, "Come on in."
Brian walked into the house and smiled warmly at Mia, "Hey."
"I'm Letty," The Latina said, not sure where to put her hands. If I cross my arms will he look at my chest? Can he see my chest now? Why did she invite a boy over? I should just go home.
"Brian Spilner. Nice to meet you."
A/N: Thank you all for the feedback and encouragement to continue writing! It certainly does motivate me. As a heads up, I'm going out of town this weekend so it will probably be a week or more before I post another update. My fingers are crossed that it will be sooner though!
My goal for this story was practicing my "show don't tell" as well as character development. Please do give me feedback and constructive criticism! I can't grow as a writer if I don't have honest reviews. In case you haven't figured it out, this story is NOT a prequal and I'm trying to write it as "real" as possible. By "real" I mean the confusing time it is to be a teenager and the reality of growing up.
I'm hoping some of you know where I'm taking this story by now, but if not you will soon! I have one more chapter to "set the stage" before things start "getting real". Hopefully all of you readers who are looking for more will at least stick it out through the end of chapter five. You won't be disappointed! And for the last bit of info I'm willing to give out regarding the future, I have the next 150K words planned. So, yes, do not fear: I will continue to update!