We made it into LA a day ahead of schedule. We flew through the desert.
It was beautiful. I drank in all of the colors and landscapes as I
followed Leon into the city. Such a beautiful world outside of NJ. The
further we went, the beautiful it looked to me. When we finally reached
the city. I was tired, but so excited; I could barely keep my eyes on the
road. What a city, reminded me of NYC but sunnier, and free. I followed
Leon into a gas station. He got out and came over to me.
"We have to go drop off the ____ at the garage, you can meet the rest of the team there, and I told them you were coming"
"When?"
"Yesterday, when we were going through Nevada, c'mon you ain't got nowhere to go anyway, I'll take you our store to, get you something to eat" he said with a big smile on his face " I know your hungry."
I really didn't have anywhere to go, and I had to stop and think, so I nodded in agreement. We pulled up to a garage a few miles off the highway. I paid attention just in case I had to run again. I parked across the street behind Leon while Jesse drove the ____ into the garage. As I got out of the car I saw 2 men emerge form the back. One was big, muscular, he reminded me of Anthony, but this guy was bald. The other one was built to, but he had this scruffy, dirty look about him. They charged Jesse and bare hugged him, lifting him off the ground. I smiled as Leon came over.
"That big guy is Dom, the dirty one is Vince" Leon said
"They seem happy you guys are home"
"That's because we're always together, c'mon I'll introduce you"
Just as he said that a girl came out. She was pretty with jet-black hair that came to her shoulders, and black eyes. She was wearing cut off shorts and a wife beater cut out so her toned stomach could show. She reminded me of the Puerto Rican girls back in NJ. I looked down at my baggy jeans and baggy tee shirt, and I suddenly felt self-conscious. I was dressed like one of the guys. I hesitated, but Leon took my hand and led me across the street
"Hey Dawg" Leon said as he let me go and embraced Dom
"Glad you home man…any problems"
"Smooth Sailing Dawg, picked me up a little extra along the way… Sarah this is Dom, Dom Sarah"
Dom looked me over with his head cocked to the side. "Pleasure"
"Nice to meet you"
"Leon told me all about you, Jersey girl huh"
"That's right"
"Well, welcome to LA" he said as he put his arm around Leon and led him back to the garage. I stayed behind them up the drive.
"Vince, Letty, this is Sarah"
Vince came right over and introduced himself, but Letty just scared at me giving me one of those "You are on my territory" looks. I just smiled.
"Nice to meet you"
"Yeah" was all I could get out of her.
"Hey Sarah, give me a minute, then we'll go" Leon said calling form the back of the garage. Great, now I was stuck with this girl who obviously didn't like me.
"OK" I said and walked back to my car, pulling out my cigs. I didn't realize that anyone was behind me until I heard a voice.
"Decent" I jumped and spun around to see Letty
" Oh Miss T, yeah I love her"
"Probably can't race for shit"
"She's faster than she looks, besides I don't race"
"Yeah" she said, looking me up and down, "I can tell"
It was obvious that this Letty character wasn't impressed with my arrival. She stared me down, waiting for my reaction, any reaction, so she could have an excuse to pounce. I've dealt with girls like her before on the east coast. I decided to play her game with my own little twist. I'd kill her with kindness.
"It's that obvious" I said laughing, "You smoke?" I said offering her one of my cigarettes. She looked at me in shock but eventually her face loosened as she smiled
"I'm not supposed to, Dom would flip"
I cocked my head to the side, and looked at her passed my glasses.
"Are you serious"
"Aw Fuck it, gimme one" That's right Letty, I am not no threat, so don't treat me like one.
We both took a few drags in silence until she broke it with an aggressive question.
"So, do all the girls in NJ dress like dudes, or just you"
I didn't know how to respond to her question. I looked down at my outfit, and then looked at her.
"I guess the fashion scene is different over here huh"
"Hell Yeah honey, are all your clothes like that"
"I uh…well…yeah"
"Oh, we are going to have to go shopping…wait till you meet Mia, she'll close down shop early for a crisis like you" she said laughing.
I suddenly felt self-conscious again. I did look like a tomboy, but that was how Anthony wanted me to dress. I was never allowed to accent my features. I was always dressed plain and low key. It was habit. I leaned up against Miss T and glanced back at my suitcase. Still safe. I took inventory of the rest of the contents in the car, including my .22 in between the seats when I heard Letty.
"Shit, there's Dom" she said flicking the cigarette "Do you have any-"
I already had a pack of gum in my hand offering it to her.
"Here you go"
"No shit… you're all right Sarah," She said patting me hard on the back. I tried to hide the pain in my face but Leon saw me as he walked out with Dom.
"You all right" Suddenly all attention was focused on me.
"I'm fine, but starved, didn't you say you were taking me somewhere to eat."
Dom and Letty laughed as he threw his arm around her and walked back into the garage.
"Yeah, you mind we take your car, Dom needs to work out a few kinks on mine"
Here we go again. He wants to get into my car, my only safe haven for the past few weeks. But what was this guy, his friends, and I thinking was not Anthony. I was thousands of miles away from him, from all of that.
"Sure hop in, but you gotta tell me where I'm going"
"Only a few blocks away, you can show me how this baby handles," he said jumping over the door and sliding his body into the passenger seat. I looked at him and laughed.
Miss T held her own and preformed as well as I said she would. We pulled up in front of a store called Toretto's"
"For someone who doesn't race you sure can handle a car"
"I never said I couldn't"
He smiled with that beautiful smile again" No, no you didn't"
I walked in and saw young women behind the counter. Leon took y hand and led me around the back
"Mia, this is Sarah, Sarah, Mia"
"Nice to meet you" I said extending my hand
"OH, the Jersey girl, welcome to LA, how you like it so far"
"Not as smoggy as I thought it would be" My corny little joke helped to ease the tension that was building up inside me as we all laughed.
As Mia was laughing she took a better look at me, suddenly her face went serious
"Oh damn girl, don't tell me all Jersey girls dress like that"
I couldn't help but laugh this time, Letty was right.
"That's what your friend just said to me"
"Letty? Yeah she knows me to well, Girl we HAVE to go shopping"
"Not until you feed us first" Leon said "We've been driving forever"
"Oh, sorry, what will it be"?
"Anything fast and filling" I said
"Your kind of girl" Mia said as she turned away to the grill
I could feel my face getting flushed and returned to the bar before Leon could see me. He sat next to me and lit up a cig, and mine as we waited for our food.
"So, here you are…in LA…what are you gonna do now"
"I don't Leon, I don't know… guess find a hotel"
"Oh don't worry about that, you can crash with us"
I just looked at him in shock. I knew he was a nice guy and his friends seemed to be ok, but I never thought he would open his home to me. I felt uneasy again.
"Us?" I said. It was all I could think of to say.
"Yeah, we all live together, ME, Dom and Letty, Mia and Brian, Vince and Jess."
"You sound a little crowded already, I don't want to impose"
"Your not imposing, I already cleared it with Dom so it's settled"
"No, its not Leon, you cant settle anything for me, without my say"
Mia came back with some cheeseburgers.
"Mia will you tell her its cool for her to crash at our crib"
"Oh yeah, girl, my brother already said you could"
"Your brother?"
"Yeah Dom, he's kind of our leader, or father figure, or whatever you want to call it"
I just kept shaking my head "No, I can't. Leon, you did enough for me already, but really no"
"Where else are you going to go?" he said looking at me as if he was hurt by my rejection.
"I don't know, I can find a hotel"
"No you wont" I heard a deep, demanding voice say behind me. It was Dom and a blonde haired kid with him.
"Dom, really I couldn't possibly-"
"Brian, this is Sarah" Dom said changing the subject
"Nice to meet you" I said towards him, then turning to Dom" Dom really-"
"The Jersey Girl huh" Brian said. I looked at Leon in disbelief
"What exactly did you tell everybody about me?"
Before Leon could open his mouth, Dom answered me
"That you were from NJ on your way to LA, had no place to go, and was cute"
I just shook my head and smiled. I couldn't believe it.
"So now you have a place to crash, no arguments"
I felt trapped in the corner. All of them were looking at me waiting for my response. Leon looked as if he were going to pass out if I said no. And for that reason alone, against my better judgment, I let out a sigh of defeat.
"Fine"
"Good it's settled. Mia you can close up and show Sarah around. Leon I need you backs to at the garage."
Leon got up and winked at me as he left the store. I smiled back and watched as Brian stole a kiss from Mia before following the guys out. Dom was the last to leave, and before he did he stopped and turned back around.
"By the way, sweet ride". And before I could respond, he was gone.
I could tell there was no talking to these people. Whatever Leon had told them about me before our arrival must have hit a nerve with all of them because Dom wasn't trying to hear it. I was surprised to see Mia so excited about shopping. I was never into girly things, and always wore baggy clothes to hide the scars and bruises. I suddenly felt fear creep up inside me. What if Mia wanted me to try on slinky clothes?
"We have to go drop off the ____ at the garage, you can meet the rest of the team there, and I told them you were coming"
"When?"
"Yesterday, when we were going through Nevada, c'mon you ain't got nowhere to go anyway, I'll take you our store to, get you something to eat" he said with a big smile on his face " I know your hungry."
I really didn't have anywhere to go, and I had to stop and think, so I nodded in agreement. We pulled up to a garage a few miles off the highway. I paid attention just in case I had to run again. I parked across the street behind Leon while Jesse drove the ____ into the garage. As I got out of the car I saw 2 men emerge form the back. One was big, muscular, he reminded me of Anthony, but this guy was bald. The other one was built to, but he had this scruffy, dirty look about him. They charged Jesse and bare hugged him, lifting him off the ground. I smiled as Leon came over.
"That big guy is Dom, the dirty one is Vince" Leon said
"They seem happy you guys are home"
"That's because we're always together, c'mon I'll introduce you"
Just as he said that a girl came out. She was pretty with jet-black hair that came to her shoulders, and black eyes. She was wearing cut off shorts and a wife beater cut out so her toned stomach could show. She reminded me of the Puerto Rican girls back in NJ. I looked down at my baggy jeans and baggy tee shirt, and I suddenly felt self-conscious. I was dressed like one of the guys. I hesitated, but Leon took my hand and led me across the street
"Hey Dawg" Leon said as he let me go and embraced Dom
"Glad you home man…any problems"
"Smooth Sailing Dawg, picked me up a little extra along the way… Sarah this is Dom, Dom Sarah"
Dom looked me over with his head cocked to the side. "Pleasure"
"Nice to meet you"
"Leon told me all about you, Jersey girl huh"
"That's right"
"Well, welcome to LA" he said as he put his arm around Leon and led him back to the garage. I stayed behind them up the drive.
"Vince, Letty, this is Sarah"
Vince came right over and introduced himself, but Letty just scared at me giving me one of those "You are on my territory" looks. I just smiled.
"Nice to meet you"
"Yeah" was all I could get out of her.
"Hey Sarah, give me a minute, then we'll go" Leon said calling form the back of the garage. Great, now I was stuck with this girl who obviously didn't like me.
"OK" I said and walked back to my car, pulling out my cigs. I didn't realize that anyone was behind me until I heard a voice.
"Decent" I jumped and spun around to see Letty
" Oh Miss T, yeah I love her"
"Probably can't race for shit"
"She's faster than she looks, besides I don't race"
"Yeah" she said, looking me up and down, "I can tell"
It was obvious that this Letty character wasn't impressed with my arrival. She stared me down, waiting for my reaction, any reaction, so she could have an excuse to pounce. I've dealt with girls like her before on the east coast. I decided to play her game with my own little twist. I'd kill her with kindness.
"It's that obvious" I said laughing, "You smoke?" I said offering her one of my cigarettes. She looked at me in shock but eventually her face loosened as she smiled
"I'm not supposed to, Dom would flip"
I cocked my head to the side, and looked at her passed my glasses.
"Are you serious"
"Aw Fuck it, gimme one" That's right Letty, I am not no threat, so don't treat me like one.
We both took a few drags in silence until she broke it with an aggressive question.
"So, do all the girls in NJ dress like dudes, or just you"
I didn't know how to respond to her question. I looked down at my outfit, and then looked at her.
"I guess the fashion scene is different over here huh"
"Hell Yeah honey, are all your clothes like that"
"I uh…well…yeah"
"Oh, we are going to have to go shopping…wait till you meet Mia, she'll close down shop early for a crisis like you" she said laughing.
I suddenly felt self-conscious again. I did look like a tomboy, but that was how Anthony wanted me to dress. I was never allowed to accent my features. I was always dressed plain and low key. It was habit. I leaned up against Miss T and glanced back at my suitcase. Still safe. I took inventory of the rest of the contents in the car, including my .22 in between the seats when I heard Letty.
"Shit, there's Dom" she said flicking the cigarette "Do you have any-"
I already had a pack of gum in my hand offering it to her.
"Here you go"
"No shit… you're all right Sarah," She said patting me hard on the back. I tried to hide the pain in my face but Leon saw me as he walked out with Dom.
"You all right" Suddenly all attention was focused on me.
"I'm fine, but starved, didn't you say you were taking me somewhere to eat."
Dom and Letty laughed as he threw his arm around her and walked back into the garage.
"Yeah, you mind we take your car, Dom needs to work out a few kinks on mine"
Here we go again. He wants to get into my car, my only safe haven for the past few weeks. But what was this guy, his friends, and I thinking was not Anthony. I was thousands of miles away from him, from all of that.
"Sure hop in, but you gotta tell me where I'm going"
"Only a few blocks away, you can show me how this baby handles," he said jumping over the door and sliding his body into the passenger seat. I looked at him and laughed.
Miss T held her own and preformed as well as I said she would. We pulled up in front of a store called Toretto's"
"For someone who doesn't race you sure can handle a car"
"I never said I couldn't"
He smiled with that beautiful smile again" No, no you didn't"
I walked in and saw young women behind the counter. Leon took y hand and led me around the back
"Mia, this is Sarah, Sarah, Mia"
"Nice to meet you" I said extending my hand
"OH, the Jersey girl, welcome to LA, how you like it so far"
"Not as smoggy as I thought it would be" My corny little joke helped to ease the tension that was building up inside me as we all laughed.
As Mia was laughing she took a better look at me, suddenly her face went serious
"Oh damn girl, don't tell me all Jersey girls dress like that"
I couldn't help but laugh this time, Letty was right.
"That's what your friend just said to me"
"Letty? Yeah she knows me to well, Girl we HAVE to go shopping"
"Not until you feed us first" Leon said "We've been driving forever"
"Oh, sorry, what will it be"?
"Anything fast and filling" I said
"Your kind of girl" Mia said as she turned away to the grill
I could feel my face getting flushed and returned to the bar before Leon could see me. He sat next to me and lit up a cig, and mine as we waited for our food.
"So, here you are…in LA…what are you gonna do now"
"I don't Leon, I don't know… guess find a hotel"
"Oh don't worry about that, you can crash with us"
I just looked at him in shock. I knew he was a nice guy and his friends seemed to be ok, but I never thought he would open his home to me. I felt uneasy again.
"Us?" I said. It was all I could think of to say.
"Yeah, we all live together, ME, Dom and Letty, Mia and Brian, Vince and Jess."
"You sound a little crowded already, I don't want to impose"
"Your not imposing, I already cleared it with Dom so it's settled"
"No, its not Leon, you cant settle anything for me, without my say"
Mia came back with some cheeseburgers.
"Mia will you tell her its cool for her to crash at our crib"
"Oh yeah, girl, my brother already said you could"
"Your brother?"
"Yeah Dom, he's kind of our leader, or father figure, or whatever you want to call it"
I just kept shaking my head "No, I can't. Leon, you did enough for me already, but really no"
"Where else are you going to go?" he said looking at me as if he was hurt by my rejection.
"I don't know, I can find a hotel"
"No you wont" I heard a deep, demanding voice say behind me. It was Dom and a blonde haired kid with him.
"Dom, really I couldn't possibly-"
"Brian, this is Sarah" Dom said changing the subject
"Nice to meet you" I said towards him, then turning to Dom" Dom really-"
"The Jersey Girl huh" Brian said. I looked at Leon in disbelief
"What exactly did you tell everybody about me?"
Before Leon could open his mouth, Dom answered me
"That you were from NJ on your way to LA, had no place to go, and was cute"
I just shook my head and smiled. I couldn't believe it.
"So now you have a place to crash, no arguments"
I felt trapped in the corner. All of them were looking at me waiting for my response. Leon looked as if he were going to pass out if I said no. And for that reason alone, against my better judgment, I let out a sigh of defeat.
"Fine"
"Good it's settled. Mia you can close up and show Sarah around. Leon I need you backs to at the garage."
Leon got up and winked at me as he left the store. I smiled back and watched as Brian stole a kiss from Mia before following the guys out. Dom was the last to leave, and before he did he stopped and turned back around.
"By the way, sweet ride". And before I could respond, he was gone.
I could tell there was no talking to these people. Whatever Leon had told them about me before our arrival must have hit a nerve with all of them because Dom wasn't trying to hear it. I was surprised to see Mia so excited about shopping. I was never into girly things, and always wore baggy clothes to hide the scars and bruises. I suddenly felt fear creep up inside me. What if Mia wanted me to try on slinky clothes?