Part 41
"I love you!" someone screamed, rudely waking me. I looked up from my chair to see that I was still on the balcony and that my sister and her finacee were frolicking in the pool. They were mighty close, and I could see that they were talking. Knowing I wouldn't be getting back to sleep soon, I decided to join them. I went to Hector's room and borrowed a wifebeater from him and a pair of shorts from La'Desta, thanked them, changed in their bathroom quickly, then went about myself. When I got closer to the pool, I could hear Mercedes talking.
"Baby, I told you, don't worry about it, we'll get money," she said, exasperated. I could hear Leon grumble something, then the undeniable sound of kissing filled the air. I thought for a moment and decided to leave them alone.
I slunk into our room and flopped down on the bed. "Why didn't he just talk to me?" I asked to no one in particular. I was worried about my sister. Of course, I didn't want her to get married, but if Leon was worried about not having enough money...
"What are you goin on about now?" Vince asked rudely. He sat up and peered at me through eyes that I'm sure were clouded. I shook my head and waved my hand, signaling for him to just go back to sleep. He shrugged and laid his head down. He was out.
I couldn't stay in the room much longer, because Letty and Vince were both there. Vince made me feel a little uncomfortable, and I didn't want to be around Letty for obvious reasons. I walked over her to exit, and out of pure spite, stepped on her hand. I heard her groan in her sleep and smiled to myself.
I wandered around the hallway, having no exact destination. Mercedes and Leon were still by the pool, laughing and having a great time. I was worried about them getting married so soon, but I saw how happy they seemed to be.
I found myself in front of Hector's room. I knocked and was promptly admitted. Unfortunately, Hector and his misses weren't the only inhabitants of the room. I looked around to see Brian, Mia, and Dom. "Jesus," I hissed under my breath. "Hector, can I talk to you?" Dom looked like he was ready to say something to me, but I pulled my brother out of the room before he had the chance.
"What's up, 'mana?" he asked happily. I took him around the building and pointed to Leon and Mercedes, all snuggled up together in the pool.
"Mira," I said quickly. He looked their way and let out a low whistle.
"He better get his broke-ass, white behind out that pool and off my baby sister," Hector started. As he stomped toward the stairs, I could tell that his temper was flaring, and knew that he would be on his way to beat Leon's ass if I didn't intervene.
"Hector, stop!" I grabbed his arm and tried to spin him around to face me. "What are you doin?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips.
"I'm gonna bust his ass," he replied very simply. I huffed.
"No, you're not. Listen to me." He'd already stopped listening and was storming again toward Leon and Mercedes. I called in my most motherly voice, the same one he and Mercedes had heard many, many times. "Hector..." He stopped mid-stride, and I could almost see the little hairs on the back of his neck, standing straight up.
"Okay, okay!" he said in defeat. I was satisfied as he walked back to Dom's room with me, and we talked about ways to raise money for Leon.
"How did you know?" I asked as we approached the door.
"Leon's always broke," he answered simply. I chuckled a bit, and we walked in. Luckily, there was only one person in the room. Conversely, it was Dom.
"Hey Dom," I said softly, moving past him to take a seat by the bed. Hector looked at me, and I knew he'd been struck with inspiration.
"What's up, man? I don't like that look," Dom said slowly, cautiously. Hector rubbed his head, then chuckled as he looked at Dom again. I could see the color drain completely from his face as my brother asked a simple question.
"How much do you love racing?"
"What's going on?" Dom asked pensively. I watched with a silent awe as Hector explained to Dom about the financial situation of their friend.
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Part 42
After swimming, Leon and I were tired and we immediately changed our clothes; I wore Leon's white button-down shirt and he was just in his boxers, which didn't bother me. I fell asleep with Leon's arms wrapped tightly around me and him whispering sweet nothings in my ear: everything from how much he loved me to how good my hair smelled.
When I awoke later that night, I was alone in the bed. The covers were wrapped all around me, but I was still alone and it didn't feel right to be without Leon. I looked up at the balcony and saw him leaned over on the fence on his elbows. He was wearing his pants, which obviously had to be dry or close to it by now. I smiled, got out of bed, and crept up behind him. I put my hands on his bare back and he spun around. When he saw me he relaxed and smiled.
"You scared me," he said, taking my hands.
"That was the general idea," I joked.
"My scandolous girlfriend, " he chanted before kissing me tenderly.
"You figured me out," I told him. He smiled and nodded. "So whatcha lookin at?" I asked, turning in the direction he'd been looking.
"The stars," he replied, stepping behind me and putting his arms around my waist.
"They are beautiful aren't they?" I asked.
"Yeah, but I know something more beautiful." I smiled and laid my head against his chest.
"Oh yeah, what?" I laughed. He took my hands, intertwined our fingers, and pointed them toward the parking lot.
"That hot chick down there," he answered. I looked down to see a very large woman getting into her car. I giggled.
"You so nasty," I said.
"Mmm hmm," he growled in my ear.
"Hit me baby one more time!" we heard someone sing from below us. We looked down to see Vince standing in the middle of the parking lot.
"Vince?!" I squealed. He obviously was drunk, he had a beer bottle in his hand.
"Vince, what're you doin?" Leon laughed. Vince spun around for a few seconds, trying to find Leon and I. And when he finally did, he waved.
"How'd you guys get way up there?" he slurred. I rolled my eyes.
"Get to your room," I demanded.
"I will not be pardoned, thank you very much," he declined.
"Talk to him," I told Leon, heading back into our room.
"V, get inside," Leon yelled. "Before you run into a parked car or somethin." I laughed as I fell back on the bed. After a few more minutes of arguing between Leon and Vince, the neigbors all around us began yelling for silence.
"It's impossible," Leon said. I sat up and smiled at the sight before me: Leon, in only his jeans, hunched over the balcony fence.
"Looks good from here," I said. He slowly turned around and set his arms on the fence beside him. He was somethin else. The tattoos on his tan chest and shoulders, the damp jeans he wore, the wallet chain that always turned me on, and his gorgeous brown hair, which had been lightened by the Mexico sun.
"Are you lookin at my ass?" he asked, smiling.
"I sure am," I replied. "You got a cute ass."
"I have a cute ass!" Vince yelled from the parking lot. I got up and went out to the balcony once again.
"No Vince, I could park a car in the shadow of your ass," I said.
"Hey!" he yelled in his own defense. He tried to walk, but he kept stumbling and tripping on his own feet.
"I swear, it's like watching Bambi learn how to walk," I said to Leon. I looked at him and he laughed. I took his hands and, walking backward, led him into the room.
"Come on, sweetcheeks," I said. He chuckled.
"Don't call me that," he said.
"Can I call ya sex-machine?" I asked.
"Only if you have proof," he agreed. I thought about it for a second.
"Nah," I declined. "I'll have proof tomorrow night."
"What do you mean?" he asked, looking at me.
"I don't feel like it right now," I said. "Let's watch movies."
"Movies?" he asked. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah... why wouldn't I be?"
"I dunno, it's just... you got me hot right now," he said, putting his arms around me and kissing my neck.
"No, come on Leon, not tonight," I said, pushing him away. He sighed loudly and threw his arms in the air. "What is your problem?" I asked. I was beginning to yell.
"You're hot one minute, cold the next. You're so fickle," he said.
"There's a big word," I said, rolling my eyes. This obviously made Leon mad. He slammed his fists on the T.V. then paced around the room, glaring
at me.
"What is your fuckin problem Leon?" I yelled.
"You!" he screamed, pointing at me with his finger centimeters from my face. My teeth grinded involuntarily and my fists balled.
"In the time that I've known you, you have never raised your voice to me like this and if you do it again, I swear to God," I said before turning and heading for the door. Leon grabbed my arm and spun me around, giving me even more power when I slapped him. When we both realized what I'd done, we stared at each other.
"If you ever even think about putting your hands on me like that again..." I said, shaking and tears rolling down my cheeks. I was so mad I couldn't finish my threat. "Do you hear me?" I asked.
"I hear you," he said softly, holding his cheek. He was at my mercy and I hated it. I only liked it when it was Dom at my mercy.
"I'm leaving and don't you follow me," I warned, again heading for the door and this time making it out. I headed straight for Hector's room and knocked on the door. When he answered and saw me crying he quickly let me in.
"Where's La'Desta?" I asked, not knowing what else to say.
"Nevermind," he said. "What's wrong?"
"It's Leon," I cried and forgetting who I was talking to.
"Motherfucker!" he yelled with rage in his eyes. He stormed out of his room, across the hall, and pounded on Leon's door.
"Hector!" I called after him, but it was too late.
"Hey Hector," Leon answered, unaware of Hector's blind rage. Without a word, Hector planted a left hook across Leon's right cheek. He'd taught me that move because he and I were both left handed. He climbed on top of Leon who was now on the floor and laid him down punch after punch. Not knowing what else to do, I pounded on Dom's door then Brian's, waking them both. When they came out, Dom grabbed Hector and Brian took Leon. It took some time, but they were finally seperated.
"What's your problem?" Leon yelled, fighting Brian.
"Mercedes came to my room crying because of you cocksmoker!" Hector screamed.
"Get off it!" Dom yelled, pulling Hector toward the door. Dom looked at me and shook his head as if to say 'sorry about your brother'. I looked at Leon.
"You're dead you faggot!" Hector screamed from the hall.
"Are you ok?" Leon asked me.
"I'm fine," I replied. "You?"
"Fine," he slurred. "I'm right as the mail."
"You lucky it wasn't me poundin you," Z said after she magically appeared next to me.
"What happened?" Letty asked from the door, rubbing her eyes.
"That fucker right there..." Z started.
"Zoraida," I said, calmly telling her to shut her mouth.
"Ok, who stole my beer?" Vince asked, pushing Letty out the way and entering the room.
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Part 43
"Everybody, out!" screamed Mercedes. Every person began filing out and the room was cleared within a minute, save for Leon and my sister. I grabbed the collar of Hector's shirt and held him in his place.
"Listen," I said softly with my index finger in his face, "Mexico just isn't workin for us, we're goin to California, and we're staying with you, and you're gonna like it, got me?" He huffed and nodded, then smiled a bit. "What's so funny?" I asked, my hands on my hips.
"You're such a fuckin bitch sometimes, you know that?" he said, snickering.
"Yeah, I know, but that's why you love me," I told him, putting my arm around his neck. "Now go pack up your shit and let's get goin."
He trotted off without another word, and soon I was at the door of Mia and Brian's room. I informed them of our voyage and they began packing. I then ventured to Dom's room, which held Letty and Vince as well as my arch nemesis, Dominic. Eventually, they were all ready to go, so we paid a visit to my sister. Apparently, she'd heard about my decision to move the entire crew back to California and was ready to go.
"When do we leave?" she asked. Luckily, she had calmed down, and Leon was recovering from his fight with Hector.
Within an hour, we were totally packed and ready to roll. We'd consolodated our finances and found that in all, we had over a thousand dollars. "Aright then, let's go!" I ordered. Leon, Mercedes and I all piled into the Viper, Hector, La'Desta, Mia and Brian were in Hector's car, and the rest of the gang hooked themselves up with Mercedes' Hemi Cuda. We took off toward the border, Hector's house, and hopefully, a new beginning.
After hours of driving, the Viper's three occupants, my sister, her finacee and myself, were completely silent. Not one word had been spoken. Leon and Mercedes were still mad at each other after their fight, and I wasn't about to get in the middle of it. Suddenly, breaking my train of thought, the radio came on and blasted, but then was abruptly turned off. It came on, then went off. On and off. For a good five minutes this continued, and I was able to see that Mercedes was the one turning the radio on, but Leon, who was driving, was observing the age old rule: Whoever's driving picks the music. He decided that he wasn't in the mood for music, and everytime she turned the radio on, he'd turn it off.
"Fuck you, leave it fuckin on!" she yelled. He began screaming about how it was his fuckin car and how it was up to him what we listened to.
"Ex-cuse me?" I asked, sticking my head between the front seats. "Your car my ass. Motherfucker, do you know how much trouble I went through for this fuckin car? You know what? Fuck you, you don't even know what the fuck you're talkin about. Pull this goddamn car over, I'll show you who's fuckin car it is!"
"You know what, I've had enough of you, so why don't you just shut your fuckin face?" he asked, turning his head around to face me.
"Oh hell no!" I began to try to climb into the front seat.
"Enough!" Mercedes screamed. "Leon, quit bein a dick, I'm listenin to my damn radio and that's all there is to it. Z, sit the fuck down, and everybody shut the hell up!" With that said, I sat back, Leon shut his mouth, and Mercedes cranked the radio.
"You know what, I changed my mind," Leon said roughly a few minutes later. He flipped the switch and turned off the radio again. "I like the radio off when I drive." The meanness with which he said it was enough to flare the tempers of both my sister and I.
"What? You like the radio off when you drive? Leon, why is it always about you? Huh? Why? Why's everything always about you? It's gotta be your way, the way you want it. Why is that, Leon?" she asked quickly, but harshly.
"Always my way?" Leon asked in disbelief. "What the fuck are you on? Who slapped who?"
Feeling like an instigator, I corrected, "Who slapped whom?"
"Shut up!" was the reply of both of the other people in the car. I smiled to myself, and looked contently out the window.
"Like I said, you slapped me, so fuck you," Leon said simply but ferociously.
"Fuck me? No, Leon, fuck you!" Mercedes said sarcastically, flipping on the radio again.
Leon turned it off once more, then snarled, "One more word out of either of you, and I swear to God I'll smash this fucking car into a big rock." He added that there was to be no radio, and no talking, at least until we reached the border. I couldn't help but notice that Dom was behind us, and was approaching rather quickly. Leon noticed, too, and sped up.
We were cruising at a nice, happy pace of 130 miles per hour, when Mercedes said, "I dunno why you're such a fuckin baby all the time."
"You shot me," he replied.
"Oh would you get over that already? It was a while ago and you told me to!"
"Yeah!" I chimed in.
"Ok, fine, one more fuckin word outta either of ya, and I swear to God, I'll fuckin crash! I'll run this fucker off the damn road right now. Not one more goddamn word!" he turned around in his seat to direct his statement toward me. I put my hands up in mock surrender and chilled while Leon sped down the dirt road.
After another hour or so of silence, Mercedes was over Leon. "Vaffunculo," she said, flipping him off. His head whipped to the side, and I could tell that he was livid.
Within a matter of moments, we'd gone from cruising comfortably to completely out of control. The speedometer was nearing 160, and I was being pushed back into my seat by the G force. Leon whipped the car sharply from side to side, and I was involuntarily screaming, as was my sister.
"Leon, you crazy fucker! Stop!" she screamed. I was screaming similar things as we headed straight for one of the massive boulders. He was screaming at her, she was screamin at him, and I was just screaming.
Suddenly, the car stopped. Mercedes was beating Leon with all her might, then she flung herself out of the car. "Fuck you, Leon! Fuck you!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. Leon climbed out of his door, and leaned against the hood. I watched as my baby sister paced around, kicking things and screaming, while Leon hung out, rubbing his face.
My phone rang. "What?" I asked, irritated by Leon.
"Lemme talk to Leon," Dom's voice came over my phone.
"He's busy," I explained, my voice full of attitude.
"Hey, lose the lip and give him the damn phone," Dom demanded.
"Fuck you, man," I said, hanging up. I turned off the phone and threw it on the seat beside me. My breathing was finally back to normal as Leon decided to drag his sorry self back into the car. Soon, Mercedes followed suit. Dom had since sped past us, roaring into the desert, but he was making his way back now. The red Hemi Cuda was just visible on the horizon, but he was runnin right along, and was next to us in a flash.
"So you were goin kinda fast there, are we racin?" Dom asked Leon. Leon nodded and strapped on his seatbelt.
"Buckle up," he informed us. Mercedes was less than excited about racing, but she was now aware of what could happen with Leon behind the wheel, and scrambled to hook her seatbelt as he took off at full throttle.
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Part 44
"You really are crazy," I said, looking at Leon. He glanced at me then turned his attention back to the road.
"Don't talk to me," he said. I laughed quietly. I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen this side of him before. He was being such an asshole and it all started just because I wouldn't have sex with him at the exact time he wanted to.
He knew for a fact that I didn't like driving fast and I sure as hell didn't like being a passenger when the driver was going over 100 miles per hour. The speed increased and I looked out the window to see Dom driving right next to us, Hector was a little behind him, and Brian was beginning to catch up. I looked back at Leon and he was determined to either win this race or make me murder him.
"Why are you doing this?!" I finally yelled. "Are you insane?!"
"I told you not to talk to me," he growled, his eyes looking my way, but not his head.
"You know, I have had enough of your shit!" Z yelled from the backseat.
"Didn't I say if you talked I would crash this fuckin car?!" Leon yelled.
"You crash this car and you're payin for it," Z said.
"Oh, you mean like you paid for it?" he asked. I closed my eyes, my teeth grinded, and I shook my head. He'd done it now.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked. Leon thought about it for a minute. I knew he was debating whether or not to say what was on his mind or keep it to himself.
"Nothin," he said. I sighed. He'd made the right choice for once.
I looked forward and saw the biggest damn road block I'd ever seen. And it was only in the lane we were in. Dom, Hector, and Brian showed no signs of stopping or slowing down and neither did Leon.
"You're slowing down right?" I inquired. No answer. "You do see that road block?" He only went faster.
"Stop the fuckin car!" Z yelled, pounding his seat. His foot only pressed harder on the gas pedal.
"Leon, stop the car," I insisted, a little softer and hoping that would help calm him down. But I had no such a luck; his foot wouldn't budge. "Leon," I said again, this time more demanding. "Stop the car." Nothing. "Stop the goddamn car!" I screamed, punching his arm. The force from my fist knocked his arm to the left, which spun the steering wheel to the left. The car skid against the wall and Leon tried frantically to recover.
"Holy shit," he breathed, sounding scared. He tried over and over to recover the out of control car, but he just made it worse. The Viper went into a fast spin. I could hear the squealing of the tires and saw the smoke they were producing. We were heading straight for the road block.
"Oh my God," Leon said, his eyes big. "We're gonna hit that." By this time, I was crying with one hand on the door handle and the other gripping the arm rest. I'm not too sure what Z was doing, she was quiet and I was too scared to even turn around. Suddenly, I felt something on my seat belt. I looked down and Leon was unbuckling it.
"What're you doing?!" I cried. He didn't answer as he threw the seat belt off me and grabbed my shoulders, pulling my upper body down. Z's head soon followed and was next to mine, then I felt Leon's arm around me and his forehead on my shoulder. My hand gripped his shirt and held him closer to me. I didn't care what he'd done to me or what I'd done to him; nothing mattered at the moment.
"It's gonna be ok," he whispered in my ear. "Everything's gonna be fine." I wanted to believe him, but somehow I just couldn't. I knew we were gonna die and I also knew it was all my fault. If I hadn't hit Leon, he wouldn't have lost control.
The crash finally happened. We slammed into the road block at what must have been 130mph. I was knocked forward, but Leon held tight and wasn't letting me or Zoraida go anywhere. When we were still and silent, I took it upon myself to look up to see what the car looked like. The roof was fine, but the steering wheel, the dashboard, everything in front was crushed together and a lot closer than it should have been. Leon looked up and our eyes met. I immediately broke the stare and looked at Z who was entirely too scared to even move.
I kicked open my door and slowly got out followed by Leon because his door was smashed in. As I looked at the car, I cried and cried. I loved that car and now it was totaled and it was my fault. When Leon crawled out, we looked at each other and I began crying even harder.
"I'm sorry," I cried. "I am so sorry."
"It's alright," he said, softly and taking me into his arms. "It's not your fault." He laid my head against his chest and I knew at that moment that I was safe. I knew he would never let anything happen to me.
"I love you Leon," I said, looking up at him. He smiled.
"I love you too." We kissed softly and continued hugging. I would never forget that day.
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Part 45
"A little help!" I cried from the mangled car. My sister and her man were so busy making up that they forgot that I was still stuck in the busted wreck.
"Shit!" Mercedes said, chuckling as she realized that she'd forgotten all about me. She held the crunched door open while Leon pried me from the wreckage.
"Thanks," I said, half sarcastically. I caught my breath and checked myself for major injuries. When I knew that I was good, I asked, "Are you guys okay?" They both nodded, and I heard the shrill sound of tires slamming to a screeching halt. I whipped around to see Dom jump out of the driver's seat of a still-moving car, and watched as Letty jumped quickly into the unoccupied position to take control.
She slammed her fist against the steering wheel and I could see her staring daggers into Dom's back as he wrapped his arms protectively around me. "My God, Zoraida, are you okay?" he asked, his hands on either side of my head, running his thumbs over my lips. I nodded, and watched in awe as he let out a relieved sigh and shook so violently that he fell to the ground, taking me with him. My hands were on his braced arms as they held their position of being clamped around my head.
"I love you, so much," he choked. I was stunned. The words hit me like a ton of bricks. No, a ton of lead. I was absolutely dumbstruck. That one moment outshone every fight, every kiss, every other word. I knew at that very moment that he was the one. My soul mate. My bald Leon. In an instant, I was changed. I pushed myself roughly against him, kissed his lips. We sat tangled in each other for a while, our lips pressed together. In the minutes that followed, every unspoken apology, every unanswered question, every stolen glance, everything was right. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, breaking our bond, interrupting the moment. His forehead leaned against mine, and I could feel his erratic breaths as they slowed.
"Yeah," I said, smiling, "I'm fine."
"Oh yeah, by the way, I'm good too, baby!" Leon chirpped in a mocking version of my voice.
"Hey, shut up over there, jackass!" Dom resounded jokingly. He jumped up and helped me to my feet, and I could see that Letty's glare ws still fixed solely upon Dominic. Even from afar, I could see the jealousy and I could almost feel the immense hatred that radiated from her pupils. I turned to my sister, Leon, and Dominic.
"Well, what do we do now?" I asked. Hector was nowhere to be found, nor was Brian, and there was no way that the rest of us were gonna fit into that little red Hemi Cuda. Dom reached into his pocket and produced a small cell phone. I looked at my sister and rolled my eyes as he called Hector.
Soon, we were on the road again, headed toward LA. Hector had returned and had brought Brian and Mia along. For safety's sake, Dom and I rode with Hector and La'Desta, while Mercedes and Leon caught up with Brian and Mia. This way, we could be sure that Hector's fury wouldn't be unleashed upon Leon, and Brian was safe from Dom's temper.
Within the day, we'd crossed the border. Thanks in part to my good standings with the guards, we had a rather expediant stop, and were soon in the good ole U.S. of A. The first place we sped toward was Hector's. I needed a shower like nobody's business, and because we'd had a hard day, I knew that Mercedes would probably want a nap.
"So, Hector," I said as we pulled into his apartment complex, "how long does your water stay hot?"
"Geez," he huffed, "not long enough, don't even get me started." I scoffed and twisted my face.
"What?" Dom asked, smiling. I explained about my shower problem, and he laughed at me. I narrowed my eyes and he stopped, then told me that I needed to learn to take short showers. "I can be in and out in 2 minutes, tops."
"Good to know, but do ya know that I actually have hair, so it takes me a little while longer." We exited the car as I was finishing, and I was so happy to finally be there. The four of us trekked upstairs to Hector's apartment, followed soon by the rest of the crew. Accompanied by Dom, I headed straight for the bathroom. I made him leave and told him to go with my sister to the store. It's not that I didn't want company, but I wanted clean clothes more. From the bathroom I could hear her objecting, but she eventually gave in when Hector pointed out that she was the only other person who knew what size I wore and what kind of clothes I liked. Leon had announced earlier that he was headed straight for a bed, and she really wanted to join him, but she changed her tune when she remembered that she didn't have any clothes, either.
"Fine! I'll go!" she yelled. I smiled at myself in the mirror and hopped in the shower.
After about ten minutes of warm, liquid bliss, my water ran cold. "Shit!" I squealed as the icy streams pelted my back. Luckily, I'd washed my hair and everything when I first got in, and had spent a considerable time just basking in luxurious warmth of the water. I jumped out, wrapped a towel around myself and raced into Hector's room. Unbeknownst to me, that's where Leon had chosen to sleep.
I quickly doffed my towel and grabbed a pair of Hector's big, baggy jeans and a rather large t-shirt. I threw the pants on the bed, and they landed right on Leon's face. I yanked the shirt over my head and turned around to snatch up the jeans, which were being held out to me by a very awake, very embarrassed Leon.
"Sorry," he muttered. I could only laugh. I apologized and explained that I didn't know he was in there and took myself back into the bathroom to finish dressing. Once I was fully dressed, I check to see if Leon was alright, which he was, then I went into the living room. I saw Hector and La'Desta lounging together in a chair, Letty and Mia were in the kitchen and Brian was on the long sofa, watching TV quietly. I noticed that Letty was trying to stay interested in whatever Mia was talking about, but her eyes kept coming back to mine.
"Did Mercedes and Dom leave?" I asked, knowing the answer. They were the only ones unaccounted for, and I'd told Dom to go with her.
"Yeah, Vince went with 'em," Brian chimed in. I nodded and went to sit next to him.
"Wait a second..." I said, realized what I'd heard, "My sister went shopping... with Dom... and Vince?" Brian nodded. "Jesus H," I said, "Poor girl."
"I love you!" someone screamed, rudely waking me. I looked up from my chair to see that I was still on the balcony and that my sister and her finacee were frolicking in the pool. They were mighty close, and I could see that they were talking. Knowing I wouldn't be getting back to sleep soon, I decided to join them. I went to Hector's room and borrowed a wifebeater from him and a pair of shorts from La'Desta, thanked them, changed in their bathroom quickly, then went about myself. When I got closer to the pool, I could hear Mercedes talking.
"Baby, I told you, don't worry about it, we'll get money," she said, exasperated. I could hear Leon grumble something, then the undeniable sound of kissing filled the air. I thought for a moment and decided to leave them alone.
I slunk into our room and flopped down on the bed. "Why didn't he just talk to me?" I asked to no one in particular. I was worried about my sister. Of course, I didn't want her to get married, but if Leon was worried about not having enough money...
"What are you goin on about now?" Vince asked rudely. He sat up and peered at me through eyes that I'm sure were clouded. I shook my head and waved my hand, signaling for him to just go back to sleep. He shrugged and laid his head down. He was out.
I couldn't stay in the room much longer, because Letty and Vince were both there. Vince made me feel a little uncomfortable, and I didn't want to be around Letty for obvious reasons. I walked over her to exit, and out of pure spite, stepped on her hand. I heard her groan in her sleep and smiled to myself.
I wandered around the hallway, having no exact destination. Mercedes and Leon were still by the pool, laughing and having a great time. I was worried about them getting married so soon, but I saw how happy they seemed to be.
I found myself in front of Hector's room. I knocked and was promptly admitted. Unfortunately, Hector and his misses weren't the only inhabitants of the room. I looked around to see Brian, Mia, and Dom. "Jesus," I hissed under my breath. "Hector, can I talk to you?" Dom looked like he was ready to say something to me, but I pulled my brother out of the room before he had the chance.
"What's up, 'mana?" he asked happily. I took him around the building and pointed to Leon and Mercedes, all snuggled up together in the pool.
"Mira," I said quickly. He looked their way and let out a low whistle.
"He better get his broke-ass, white behind out that pool and off my baby sister," Hector started. As he stomped toward the stairs, I could tell that his temper was flaring, and knew that he would be on his way to beat Leon's ass if I didn't intervene.
"Hector, stop!" I grabbed his arm and tried to spin him around to face me. "What are you doin?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips.
"I'm gonna bust his ass," he replied very simply. I huffed.
"No, you're not. Listen to me." He'd already stopped listening and was storming again toward Leon and Mercedes. I called in my most motherly voice, the same one he and Mercedes had heard many, many times. "Hector..." He stopped mid-stride, and I could almost see the little hairs on the back of his neck, standing straight up.
"Okay, okay!" he said in defeat. I was satisfied as he walked back to Dom's room with me, and we talked about ways to raise money for Leon.
"How did you know?" I asked as we approached the door.
"Leon's always broke," he answered simply. I chuckled a bit, and we walked in. Luckily, there was only one person in the room. Conversely, it was Dom.
"Hey Dom," I said softly, moving past him to take a seat by the bed. Hector looked at me, and I knew he'd been struck with inspiration.
"What's up, man? I don't like that look," Dom said slowly, cautiously. Hector rubbed his head, then chuckled as he looked at Dom again. I could see the color drain completely from his face as my brother asked a simple question.
"How much do you love racing?"
"What's going on?" Dom asked pensively. I watched with a silent awe as Hector explained to Dom about the financial situation of their friend.
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Part 42
After swimming, Leon and I were tired and we immediately changed our clothes; I wore Leon's white button-down shirt and he was just in his boxers, which didn't bother me. I fell asleep with Leon's arms wrapped tightly around me and him whispering sweet nothings in my ear: everything from how much he loved me to how good my hair smelled.
When I awoke later that night, I was alone in the bed. The covers were wrapped all around me, but I was still alone and it didn't feel right to be without Leon. I looked up at the balcony and saw him leaned over on the fence on his elbows. He was wearing his pants, which obviously had to be dry or close to it by now. I smiled, got out of bed, and crept up behind him. I put my hands on his bare back and he spun around. When he saw me he relaxed and smiled.
"You scared me," he said, taking my hands.
"That was the general idea," I joked.
"My scandolous girlfriend, " he chanted before kissing me tenderly.
"You figured me out," I told him. He smiled and nodded. "So whatcha lookin at?" I asked, turning in the direction he'd been looking.
"The stars," he replied, stepping behind me and putting his arms around my waist.
"They are beautiful aren't they?" I asked.
"Yeah, but I know something more beautiful." I smiled and laid my head against his chest.
"Oh yeah, what?" I laughed. He took my hands, intertwined our fingers, and pointed them toward the parking lot.
"That hot chick down there," he answered. I looked down to see a very large woman getting into her car. I giggled.
"You so nasty," I said.
"Mmm hmm," he growled in my ear.
"Hit me baby one more time!" we heard someone sing from below us. We looked down to see Vince standing in the middle of the parking lot.
"Vince?!" I squealed. He obviously was drunk, he had a beer bottle in his hand.
"Vince, what're you doin?" Leon laughed. Vince spun around for a few seconds, trying to find Leon and I. And when he finally did, he waved.
"How'd you guys get way up there?" he slurred. I rolled my eyes.
"Get to your room," I demanded.
"I will not be pardoned, thank you very much," he declined.
"Talk to him," I told Leon, heading back into our room.
"V, get inside," Leon yelled. "Before you run into a parked car or somethin." I laughed as I fell back on the bed. After a few more minutes of arguing between Leon and Vince, the neigbors all around us began yelling for silence.
"It's impossible," Leon said. I sat up and smiled at the sight before me: Leon, in only his jeans, hunched over the balcony fence.
"Looks good from here," I said. He slowly turned around and set his arms on the fence beside him. He was somethin else. The tattoos on his tan chest and shoulders, the damp jeans he wore, the wallet chain that always turned me on, and his gorgeous brown hair, which had been lightened by the Mexico sun.
"Are you lookin at my ass?" he asked, smiling.
"I sure am," I replied. "You got a cute ass."
"I have a cute ass!" Vince yelled from the parking lot. I got up and went out to the balcony once again.
"No Vince, I could park a car in the shadow of your ass," I said.
"Hey!" he yelled in his own defense. He tried to walk, but he kept stumbling and tripping on his own feet.
"I swear, it's like watching Bambi learn how to walk," I said to Leon. I looked at him and he laughed. I took his hands and, walking backward, led him into the room.
"Come on, sweetcheeks," I said. He chuckled.
"Don't call me that," he said.
"Can I call ya sex-machine?" I asked.
"Only if you have proof," he agreed. I thought about it for a second.
"Nah," I declined. "I'll have proof tomorrow night."
"What do you mean?" he asked, looking at me.
"I don't feel like it right now," I said. "Let's watch movies."
"Movies?" he asked. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah... why wouldn't I be?"
"I dunno, it's just... you got me hot right now," he said, putting his arms around me and kissing my neck.
"No, come on Leon, not tonight," I said, pushing him away. He sighed loudly and threw his arms in the air. "What is your problem?" I asked. I was beginning to yell.
"You're hot one minute, cold the next. You're so fickle," he said.
"There's a big word," I said, rolling my eyes. This obviously made Leon mad. He slammed his fists on the T.V. then paced around the room, glaring
at me.
"What is your fuckin problem Leon?" I yelled.
"You!" he screamed, pointing at me with his finger centimeters from my face. My teeth grinded involuntarily and my fists balled.
"In the time that I've known you, you have never raised your voice to me like this and if you do it again, I swear to God," I said before turning and heading for the door. Leon grabbed my arm and spun me around, giving me even more power when I slapped him. When we both realized what I'd done, we stared at each other.
"If you ever even think about putting your hands on me like that again..." I said, shaking and tears rolling down my cheeks. I was so mad I couldn't finish my threat. "Do you hear me?" I asked.
"I hear you," he said softly, holding his cheek. He was at my mercy and I hated it. I only liked it when it was Dom at my mercy.
"I'm leaving and don't you follow me," I warned, again heading for the door and this time making it out. I headed straight for Hector's room and knocked on the door. When he answered and saw me crying he quickly let me in.
"Where's La'Desta?" I asked, not knowing what else to say.
"Nevermind," he said. "What's wrong?"
"It's Leon," I cried and forgetting who I was talking to.
"Motherfucker!" he yelled with rage in his eyes. He stormed out of his room, across the hall, and pounded on Leon's door.
"Hector!" I called after him, but it was too late.
"Hey Hector," Leon answered, unaware of Hector's blind rage. Without a word, Hector planted a left hook across Leon's right cheek. He'd taught me that move because he and I were both left handed. He climbed on top of Leon who was now on the floor and laid him down punch after punch. Not knowing what else to do, I pounded on Dom's door then Brian's, waking them both. When they came out, Dom grabbed Hector and Brian took Leon. It took some time, but they were finally seperated.
"What's your problem?" Leon yelled, fighting Brian.
"Mercedes came to my room crying because of you cocksmoker!" Hector screamed.
"Get off it!" Dom yelled, pulling Hector toward the door. Dom looked at me and shook his head as if to say 'sorry about your brother'. I looked at Leon.
"You're dead you faggot!" Hector screamed from the hall.
"Are you ok?" Leon asked me.
"I'm fine," I replied. "You?"
"Fine," he slurred. "I'm right as the mail."
"You lucky it wasn't me poundin you," Z said after she magically appeared next to me.
"What happened?" Letty asked from the door, rubbing her eyes.
"That fucker right there..." Z started.
"Zoraida," I said, calmly telling her to shut her mouth.
"Ok, who stole my beer?" Vince asked, pushing Letty out the way and entering the room.
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Part 43
"Everybody, out!" screamed Mercedes. Every person began filing out and the room was cleared within a minute, save for Leon and my sister. I grabbed the collar of Hector's shirt and held him in his place.
"Listen," I said softly with my index finger in his face, "Mexico just isn't workin for us, we're goin to California, and we're staying with you, and you're gonna like it, got me?" He huffed and nodded, then smiled a bit. "What's so funny?" I asked, my hands on my hips.
"You're such a fuckin bitch sometimes, you know that?" he said, snickering.
"Yeah, I know, but that's why you love me," I told him, putting my arm around his neck. "Now go pack up your shit and let's get goin."
He trotted off without another word, and soon I was at the door of Mia and Brian's room. I informed them of our voyage and they began packing. I then ventured to Dom's room, which held Letty and Vince as well as my arch nemesis, Dominic. Eventually, they were all ready to go, so we paid a visit to my sister. Apparently, she'd heard about my decision to move the entire crew back to California and was ready to go.
"When do we leave?" she asked. Luckily, she had calmed down, and Leon was recovering from his fight with Hector.
Within an hour, we were totally packed and ready to roll. We'd consolodated our finances and found that in all, we had over a thousand dollars. "Aright then, let's go!" I ordered. Leon, Mercedes and I all piled into the Viper, Hector, La'Desta, Mia and Brian were in Hector's car, and the rest of the gang hooked themselves up with Mercedes' Hemi Cuda. We took off toward the border, Hector's house, and hopefully, a new beginning.
After hours of driving, the Viper's three occupants, my sister, her finacee and myself, were completely silent. Not one word had been spoken. Leon and Mercedes were still mad at each other after their fight, and I wasn't about to get in the middle of it. Suddenly, breaking my train of thought, the radio came on and blasted, but then was abruptly turned off. It came on, then went off. On and off. For a good five minutes this continued, and I was able to see that Mercedes was the one turning the radio on, but Leon, who was driving, was observing the age old rule: Whoever's driving picks the music. He decided that he wasn't in the mood for music, and everytime she turned the radio on, he'd turn it off.
"Fuck you, leave it fuckin on!" she yelled. He began screaming about how it was his fuckin car and how it was up to him what we listened to.
"Ex-cuse me?" I asked, sticking my head between the front seats. "Your car my ass. Motherfucker, do you know how much trouble I went through for this fuckin car? You know what? Fuck you, you don't even know what the fuck you're talkin about. Pull this goddamn car over, I'll show you who's fuckin car it is!"
"You know what, I've had enough of you, so why don't you just shut your fuckin face?" he asked, turning his head around to face me.
"Oh hell no!" I began to try to climb into the front seat.
"Enough!" Mercedes screamed. "Leon, quit bein a dick, I'm listenin to my damn radio and that's all there is to it. Z, sit the fuck down, and everybody shut the hell up!" With that said, I sat back, Leon shut his mouth, and Mercedes cranked the radio.
"You know what, I changed my mind," Leon said roughly a few minutes later. He flipped the switch and turned off the radio again. "I like the radio off when I drive." The meanness with which he said it was enough to flare the tempers of both my sister and I.
"What? You like the radio off when you drive? Leon, why is it always about you? Huh? Why? Why's everything always about you? It's gotta be your way, the way you want it. Why is that, Leon?" she asked quickly, but harshly.
"Always my way?" Leon asked in disbelief. "What the fuck are you on? Who slapped who?"
Feeling like an instigator, I corrected, "Who slapped whom?"
"Shut up!" was the reply of both of the other people in the car. I smiled to myself, and looked contently out the window.
"Like I said, you slapped me, so fuck you," Leon said simply but ferociously.
"Fuck me? No, Leon, fuck you!" Mercedes said sarcastically, flipping on the radio again.
Leon turned it off once more, then snarled, "One more word out of either of you, and I swear to God I'll smash this fucking car into a big rock." He added that there was to be no radio, and no talking, at least until we reached the border. I couldn't help but notice that Dom was behind us, and was approaching rather quickly. Leon noticed, too, and sped up.
We were cruising at a nice, happy pace of 130 miles per hour, when Mercedes said, "I dunno why you're such a fuckin baby all the time."
"You shot me," he replied.
"Oh would you get over that already? It was a while ago and you told me to!"
"Yeah!" I chimed in.
"Ok, fine, one more fuckin word outta either of ya, and I swear to God, I'll fuckin crash! I'll run this fucker off the damn road right now. Not one more goddamn word!" he turned around in his seat to direct his statement toward me. I put my hands up in mock surrender and chilled while Leon sped down the dirt road.
After another hour or so of silence, Mercedes was over Leon. "Vaffunculo," she said, flipping him off. His head whipped to the side, and I could tell that he was livid.
Within a matter of moments, we'd gone from cruising comfortably to completely out of control. The speedometer was nearing 160, and I was being pushed back into my seat by the G force. Leon whipped the car sharply from side to side, and I was involuntarily screaming, as was my sister.
"Leon, you crazy fucker! Stop!" she screamed. I was screaming similar things as we headed straight for one of the massive boulders. He was screaming at her, she was screamin at him, and I was just screaming.
Suddenly, the car stopped. Mercedes was beating Leon with all her might, then she flung herself out of the car. "Fuck you, Leon! Fuck you!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. Leon climbed out of his door, and leaned against the hood. I watched as my baby sister paced around, kicking things and screaming, while Leon hung out, rubbing his face.
My phone rang. "What?" I asked, irritated by Leon.
"Lemme talk to Leon," Dom's voice came over my phone.
"He's busy," I explained, my voice full of attitude.
"Hey, lose the lip and give him the damn phone," Dom demanded.
"Fuck you, man," I said, hanging up. I turned off the phone and threw it on the seat beside me. My breathing was finally back to normal as Leon decided to drag his sorry self back into the car. Soon, Mercedes followed suit. Dom had since sped past us, roaring into the desert, but he was making his way back now. The red Hemi Cuda was just visible on the horizon, but he was runnin right along, and was next to us in a flash.
"So you were goin kinda fast there, are we racin?" Dom asked Leon. Leon nodded and strapped on his seatbelt.
"Buckle up," he informed us. Mercedes was less than excited about racing, but she was now aware of what could happen with Leon behind the wheel, and scrambled to hook her seatbelt as he took off at full throttle.
----------------
Part 44
"You really are crazy," I said, looking at Leon. He glanced at me then turned his attention back to the road.
"Don't talk to me," he said. I laughed quietly. I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen this side of him before. He was being such an asshole and it all started just because I wouldn't have sex with him at the exact time he wanted to.
He knew for a fact that I didn't like driving fast and I sure as hell didn't like being a passenger when the driver was going over 100 miles per hour. The speed increased and I looked out the window to see Dom driving right next to us, Hector was a little behind him, and Brian was beginning to catch up. I looked back at Leon and he was determined to either win this race or make me murder him.
"Why are you doing this?!" I finally yelled. "Are you insane?!"
"I told you not to talk to me," he growled, his eyes looking my way, but not his head.
"You know, I have had enough of your shit!" Z yelled from the backseat.
"Didn't I say if you talked I would crash this fuckin car?!" Leon yelled.
"You crash this car and you're payin for it," Z said.
"Oh, you mean like you paid for it?" he asked. I closed my eyes, my teeth grinded, and I shook my head. He'd done it now.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked. Leon thought about it for a minute. I knew he was debating whether or not to say what was on his mind or keep it to himself.
"Nothin," he said. I sighed. He'd made the right choice for once.
I looked forward and saw the biggest damn road block I'd ever seen. And it was only in the lane we were in. Dom, Hector, and Brian showed no signs of stopping or slowing down and neither did Leon.
"You're slowing down right?" I inquired. No answer. "You do see that road block?" He only went faster.
"Stop the fuckin car!" Z yelled, pounding his seat. His foot only pressed harder on the gas pedal.
"Leon, stop the car," I insisted, a little softer and hoping that would help calm him down. But I had no such a luck; his foot wouldn't budge. "Leon," I said again, this time more demanding. "Stop the car." Nothing. "Stop the goddamn car!" I screamed, punching his arm. The force from my fist knocked his arm to the left, which spun the steering wheel to the left. The car skid against the wall and Leon tried frantically to recover.
"Holy shit," he breathed, sounding scared. He tried over and over to recover the out of control car, but he just made it worse. The Viper went into a fast spin. I could hear the squealing of the tires and saw the smoke they were producing. We were heading straight for the road block.
"Oh my God," Leon said, his eyes big. "We're gonna hit that." By this time, I was crying with one hand on the door handle and the other gripping the arm rest. I'm not too sure what Z was doing, she was quiet and I was too scared to even turn around. Suddenly, I felt something on my seat belt. I looked down and Leon was unbuckling it.
"What're you doing?!" I cried. He didn't answer as he threw the seat belt off me and grabbed my shoulders, pulling my upper body down. Z's head soon followed and was next to mine, then I felt Leon's arm around me and his forehead on my shoulder. My hand gripped his shirt and held him closer to me. I didn't care what he'd done to me or what I'd done to him; nothing mattered at the moment.
"It's gonna be ok," he whispered in my ear. "Everything's gonna be fine." I wanted to believe him, but somehow I just couldn't. I knew we were gonna die and I also knew it was all my fault. If I hadn't hit Leon, he wouldn't have lost control.
The crash finally happened. We slammed into the road block at what must have been 130mph. I was knocked forward, but Leon held tight and wasn't letting me or Zoraida go anywhere. When we were still and silent, I took it upon myself to look up to see what the car looked like. The roof was fine, but the steering wheel, the dashboard, everything in front was crushed together and a lot closer than it should have been. Leon looked up and our eyes met. I immediately broke the stare and looked at Z who was entirely too scared to even move.
I kicked open my door and slowly got out followed by Leon because his door was smashed in. As I looked at the car, I cried and cried. I loved that car and now it was totaled and it was my fault. When Leon crawled out, we looked at each other and I began crying even harder.
"I'm sorry," I cried. "I am so sorry."
"It's alright," he said, softly and taking me into his arms. "It's not your fault." He laid my head against his chest and I knew at that moment that I was safe. I knew he would never let anything happen to me.
"I love you Leon," I said, looking up at him. He smiled.
"I love you too." We kissed softly and continued hugging. I would never forget that day.
----------------
Part 45
"A little help!" I cried from the mangled car. My sister and her man were so busy making up that they forgot that I was still stuck in the busted wreck.
"Shit!" Mercedes said, chuckling as she realized that she'd forgotten all about me. She held the crunched door open while Leon pried me from the wreckage.
"Thanks," I said, half sarcastically. I caught my breath and checked myself for major injuries. When I knew that I was good, I asked, "Are you guys okay?" They both nodded, and I heard the shrill sound of tires slamming to a screeching halt. I whipped around to see Dom jump out of the driver's seat of a still-moving car, and watched as Letty jumped quickly into the unoccupied position to take control.
She slammed her fist against the steering wheel and I could see her staring daggers into Dom's back as he wrapped his arms protectively around me. "My God, Zoraida, are you okay?" he asked, his hands on either side of my head, running his thumbs over my lips. I nodded, and watched in awe as he let out a relieved sigh and shook so violently that he fell to the ground, taking me with him. My hands were on his braced arms as they held their position of being clamped around my head.
"I love you, so much," he choked. I was stunned. The words hit me like a ton of bricks. No, a ton of lead. I was absolutely dumbstruck. That one moment outshone every fight, every kiss, every other word. I knew at that very moment that he was the one. My soul mate. My bald Leon. In an instant, I was changed. I pushed myself roughly against him, kissed his lips. We sat tangled in each other for a while, our lips pressed together. In the minutes that followed, every unspoken apology, every unanswered question, every stolen glance, everything was right. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, breaking our bond, interrupting the moment. His forehead leaned against mine, and I could feel his erratic breaths as they slowed.
"Yeah," I said, smiling, "I'm fine."
"Oh yeah, by the way, I'm good too, baby!" Leon chirpped in a mocking version of my voice.
"Hey, shut up over there, jackass!" Dom resounded jokingly. He jumped up and helped me to my feet, and I could see that Letty's glare ws still fixed solely upon Dominic. Even from afar, I could see the jealousy and I could almost feel the immense hatred that radiated from her pupils. I turned to my sister, Leon, and Dominic.
"Well, what do we do now?" I asked. Hector was nowhere to be found, nor was Brian, and there was no way that the rest of us were gonna fit into that little red Hemi Cuda. Dom reached into his pocket and produced a small cell phone. I looked at my sister and rolled my eyes as he called Hector.
Soon, we were on the road again, headed toward LA. Hector had returned and had brought Brian and Mia along. For safety's sake, Dom and I rode with Hector and La'Desta, while Mercedes and Leon caught up with Brian and Mia. This way, we could be sure that Hector's fury wouldn't be unleashed upon Leon, and Brian was safe from Dom's temper.
Within the day, we'd crossed the border. Thanks in part to my good standings with the guards, we had a rather expediant stop, and were soon in the good ole U.S. of A. The first place we sped toward was Hector's. I needed a shower like nobody's business, and because we'd had a hard day, I knew that Mercedes would probably want a nap.
"So, Hector," I said as we pulled into his apartment complex, "how long does your water stay hot?"
"Geez," he huffed, "not long enough, don't even get me started." I scoffed and twisted my face.
"What?" Dom asked, smiling. I explained about my shower problem, and he laughed at me. I narrowed my eyes and he stopped, then told me that I needed to learn to take short showers. "I can be in and out in 2 minutes, tops."
"Good to know, but do ya know that I actually have hair, so it takes me a little while longer." We exited the car as I was finishing, and I was so happy to finally be there. The four of us trekked upstairs to Hector's apartment, followed soon by the rest of the crew. Accompanied by Dom, I headed straight for the bathroom. I made him leave and told him to go with my sister to the store. It's not that I didn't want company, but I wanted clean clothes more. From the bathroom I could hear her objecting, but she eventually gave in when Hector pointed out that she was the only other person who knew what size I wore and what kind of clothes I liked. Leon had announced earlier that he was headed straight for a bed, and she really wanted to join him, but she changed her tune when she remembered that she didn't have any clothes, either.
"Fine! I'll go!" she yelled. I smiled at myself in the mirror and hopped in the shower.
After about ten minutes of warm, liquid bliss, my water ran cold. "Shit!" I squealed as the icy streams pelted my back. Luckily, I'd washed my hair and everything when I first got in, and had spent a considerable time just basking in luxurious warmth of the water. I jumped out, wrapped a towel around myself and raced into Hector's room. Unbeknownst to me, that's where Leon had chosen to sleep.
I quickly doffed my towel and grabbed a pair of Hector's big, baggy jeans and a rather large t-shirt. I threw the pants on the bed, and they landed right on Leon's face. I yanked the shirt over my head and turned around to snatch up the jeans, which were being held out to me by a very awake, very embarrassed Leon.
"Sorry," he muttered. I could only laugh. I apologized and explained that I didn't know he was in there and took myself back into the bathroom to finish dressing. Once I was fully dressed, I check to see if Leon was alright, which he was, then I went into the living room. I saw Hector and La'Desta lounging together in a chair, Letty and Mia were in the kitchen and Brian was on the long sofa, watching TV quietly. I noticed that Letty was trying to stay interested in whatever Mia was talking about, but her eyes kept coming back to mine.
"Did Mercedes and Dom leave?" I asked, knowing the answer. They were the only ones unaccounted for, and I'd told Dom to go with her.
"Yeah, Vince went with 'em," Brian chimed in. I nodded and went to sit next to him.
"Wait a second..." I said, realized what I'd heard, "My sister went shopping... with Dom... and Vince?" Brian nodded. "Jesus H," I said, "Poor girl."