Letty tipped her chair back, watching the clock. It was 2:30 and class would be ending in ten minutes. She observed the rest of her English Lit class as they scribbled down notes off the board. She sighed.

That morning she HAD received an awful lot of inviting glances from the male student body. And for once in her life, she hadn't beaten the shit out of the guys who flirted with her. So this is what it's like on the other side. She thought to herself. Not as bad as she thought it would be. She even had a date set with one of the foxiest guys in school, Shawn Remirez. Damn that boy was fine. He had always been nice to her before, being her partner in class and shit, but today he told her that he had wanted to ask her out for a while. Quite a few girls threw her hateful looks as she stuttered out her acceptance. His friend Ray Huntly had decided to ask Mia to make it a double date, taking a bit of stress of Letty.

'Alright, for homework, I want a two page essay on the effects of Media Violence on younger viewers and their sentimentality toward real life tragedies. Class dismissed.' Miss Yates said as she stacked their tests on her desk. Everyone grabbed their bags in a desperate attempt to get out of the room.

'Miss Garcia.' Letty froze and turned to face her teacher. 'I just finished marking the class' last assignment. You did exceptionally well. Have you thought of applying for that scholarship for Holy Trinity?' Letty frowned. Yates smiled.

'The catholic private prep school?' Letty said almost in disgust.

'I'll take that as a no. Listen if you want to, you can come to see me anytime and we can work on something together. You've got a lot of talent!' She said as she zipped up her suitcase.

'Okay.' Letty said, blowing the proposition off in her mind. Who cares about a scholarship? She thought as she walked out of the room, scanning the halls for any sign of Mia or Vince. She suddenly felt something big bump into her back and she nearly fell forward. She began to fall, when she felt to large muscled arms wrap around her and pull her back up. She looked up into a large grin and a set of deep brown eyes.

'Wow, two run ins in one day. Must be my lucky day, huh Let?' Dominic said, not releasing her from his arms. Letty suddenly noticed she was gaping at him and quickly shut her mouth, pushing him away from her.

'More like my UNlucky day.' She replied, picking her bag up off the ground. 'You seen Vince or Mia?' Dom leaned against the wall and shook his head.

'They left five minutes ago.'

'WHAT?!?' Letty yelled, dropping her bag again. Shit. Vince told her after shop he'd give her a fuckin ride home. And she didn't feel like walking. She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. This had to be one of the worst days of her life. Crappy as hell and she felt so tired. She heard Dom sigh.

'You want a ride?' he said in a low tone. She looked back at him. He wasn't smirking or laughing at her. He seemed sincere and he crossed his arms, leaning against a locker. 'Well?' he repeated.

'Sure.' Letty replied picking her bag up again. She followed him down the hall toward the parking lot. 'You don't have to you know.' She said, feeling her cheeks burn a bit as he smiled at her, not his usual sneer or mocking expression. It was just a smile. A natural smile.

'It's no problem. I got no plans so I might as well have company on the way home.' Letty smiled. She remembered saying something similar to Mia.

'I know what you mean.' She said softly. He looked as though he was about to reply when Letty heard her name being shouted down the hall. She whipped around to see Shawn jogging after her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dom frown.

'Letty!' he said as he finally stopped in front of her, 'Glad I caught you chica. So when are we goin' for that movie?' he said smiling at her. She felt her cheeks flush as she shrugged shyly.

'Um...we could go tomorrow after school I guess.' She said looking up at him with a timid smile. He grinned at her and nodded. He then lifted her chin up a bit.

'You're beautiful when you smile.' He said before leaning down and giving her a quick peck on the lips and jogging back down the hall toward the gym. Letty just felt her cheeks burning and stared after him, she wouldn't have been surprised if she looked like a complete freak, her mouth open a bit. She then turned back to Dom and walked past him toward the lot, him closely behind.

'So, you and Remirez huh?' he said as they climbed into his dad's truck. Letty shrugged.

'He asked me out today... we're not actually official yet.' She said staring out of the passenger window, smiling. Dom snorted as he put his key in the ignition.

'That kiss looked pretty official to me.' He said as they pulled out onto the road. Letty grinned cat like and settled back in her seat, stretching out.

'Torretto, if I didn't know you better, I'd swear you were jealous!' she said smirking at him. He let out a small laugh.

'Yeah right. Of what? So the pretty boy gets a new pest to bother him. Means I get a break right?' he said as they turned into traffic. Letty glared at him.

'At least he has taste in women.' She said as she returned her sights to the sidewalk. She heard Dom snort again.

'What is that supposed to mean?' he said as they drove into gridlock.

'Oh nothing. Just that he doesn't just take whatever excuse of a piece of ass walks up to him. Like some desperate pimp.' She said remaining calm but she could tell that Dom was getting irritated by the way he was rubbing the back of his head.

'Sure. Instead, his gay ass picks the closest thing to a guy, just with a uterus.' He said, his voice carrying a certain edge to it. Letty felt like she could smack him right there and then.

'Fine. Since you're so opposed to being in my presence why don't I just walk from here? It'll take less time anyway. Not like you could ever properly drive a car anyway.' She threw open the door and grabbed her backpack.

'Fine. Walk. Don't expect me to offer again!' he yelled after her as she slammed the door and walked over to the sidewalk. She threw him one last dirty glare as she walked down the side of the road. UGH! She couldn't stand him! One minute he was being an ass. Next he seemed all right. Then it was back to being a jerk. Letty just couldn't stand him pansy assed mood swings.

She quickened her pace as she realized Dom's truck keeping up along side her. She looked everywhere but at him and turned into her short cut, where no cars could go. She kicked a stone down the road. Damn him with his cocky attitude and his nice eyes. Not to mention his bitchin bod. Letty smacked herself. Bitchin Bod?!? Since when did she think those things about Dom? He was annoying and she hated him. She chanted this over and over until she got to her street. She saw Dom pull up to his house as she marched up her porch steps. He's just another guy, she told herself as she entered her home.

**********************************************************

'Letty, chikita, its only for a couple mo days than planned!' her father cooed on the other end of the phone. Letty sighed. Great. Alone for another week. He had already told her mother and she was probably gonna make herself scarce until Letty's Papi came home.

'Okay. It's just... It's lonely, ya know.' She said, trying to guilt her father into coming home early. She heard him sigh.

'I know Leticia but I gotta get this done.' He said softly. Now Letty felt bad, for making him feel guilty. He was doing what he had to after all.

'I know.' She said just above a whisper. He sighed again.

'I'ma gonna call Mr. Torretto. He's always calling, askin fo you to sleep over with his kid. Might as well stay there, since your mama...' he trailed off. There was an awkward silence but Letty smiled.

'Thanks Papi.' She said lovingly. She heard a small chuckle.

'Anything for my little girl. And anytime you feel alone, just hold onto my tags and I'll think of you.' He said before saying good-bye and hanging up. Letty smiled into her pillow. She wouldn't have to be alone anymore. She lay there for what seemed like forever, thinking about her father.

BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Letty sat up on her bed, frowning and rubbing her eyes. She looked at her alarm clock. It was nine thirty at night. Who could be calling on her now? She hobbled down the rickety stairs and shuffled over to the door.

She opened it and felt her mouth drop open a little bit.

It was Dom.

'Dominic.' She said, shocked into using his full name. It was odd how it rolled off her latino tongue. He nodded and smiled, the same smile he'd given her after he'd offered her a ride. The genuine Torretto smile.

'Well, you gonna invite me in, or do you hold grudges?' he asked still smiling. Letty looked back into her house. It was a mess, but she stepped to the side, allowing him to enter.

'What are you doing here Dom?' she said, trying to mainstain an icy tone as she walked toward her kitchen at the back of the house. Letty heard his footsteps behind him and knew he was following.

'Well, I figured I'd get a head start on my apology since we're gonna be livin' together for the week.' He said taking a seat at her kitchen table. She grabbed her water bottle off the counter and turned to face him, leaning against the counter.

'I don't have to stay with you guys you know. I... I don't want to be a bother.' She said taking a small swig of her water. Dom smiled again and Letty felt her knees become a little weak. Fuck girl, pull it together!

'You won't be a bother Letty.' He said softly. 'Besides, what are you going to do? Stay here alone all week? Or maybe get beaten up by that sorry excuse of a mother of yours?' If Dom had one sore spot for Letty, it was the fact that her mother was a drunken bundle of erratic nerves. She usually only emotionally attacked Letty, but on the rare occasion that she had raised her hand to the girl, Dom had nearly exploded. Sure he made fun of Letty, but he always made sure she was never actually injured or in real trouble.

'I'll be okay Dom. She doesn't usually come around...'

'No. No fuckin' way am I letting you stay here with her alone.' He stated, and his eyes were dark, his jaw clenched. Letty smiled a sad smile and nodded. They sat in silence for a few moments...

'Dom?'

'Yeah Letty?'

'Why do you always rag on me?' she asked sipping her water. He shrugged.

'I dunno. I just do... pest.' He added just for good measure, though it was accompanied by a smirk. She smiled back.

'Fuck face.' She retorted.

'Ouch Letty. Ouch.' He grabbed his chest as if he were wounded. 'Now go get some shit. You're not coming back here unless you really can't help it.'

******************************************************************

Letty rushed upstairs and into her room. The first thing she grabbed was the picture frame by her bed. She stared at it for a few moments. It was a picture of her mother, and father, before she'd been born. They looked so happy. Which was rare for them now. She sighed and threw it on the bed. She grabbed her duffel bag and began to stuff her clothes into it. But suddenly she felt a strong grip on her wrist and she whipped around to be only inches away from Dom's face.

'No.' he said shortly and she frowned, not understanding, 'I want you to wear some of Mia's clothes this week. She was right about you needing to change your look. And you look so beautiful when you wear them.' Letty felt a lump in her throat suddenly appear. She just looked down and nodded. It was the least she could do, since they were letting her stay... even if she would prefer wearing her own clothes.

She just grabbed a sweater and her pyjamas, her clock and her father's dog tags and was ready to go.

'Okay.' She announced. 'Let's go.' He nodded to her and she followed him out of the house. After locking it all up she breathed heavily. That was that. She looked up to face Dom, who looked strangely... sympathetic.

'I don't need your pity Dom.' She said, managing a half glare at him as she walked down the stairs and opened the gate.

'What'd I say?' he said as he closed the gate behind him.

'Well you didn't say sorry... wasn't that why you supposedly came over?' she said, not turning to face him as they walked down the street toward the Torretto house. She heard him heave an almost exaggerated sigh. She smiled. She liked getting under his skin, it made her feel as though she had power.

'Let... you know I don't mean to go off on you... it's just sometimes you're so... so...'

'Right?' she put in with a grin. He rolled his eyes.

'Annoying. Like just now. And you know, I don't deal well with annoying little girls.'

Letty huffed at his statement and glared at him threw the corner of her eye.

'Excuse ME Dom. But I'm not a 'little girl' anymore. I'm turning sixteen in a month and I've been thrown more shit than you know. So instead of making me feel worse about myself, why don't you try apologizing? Or does that word have too many syllables for you to sound it out?' Letty said in a stiff voice. Where did this fool get off?

Another heavy sigh. 'Letty I'm sorry okay! I'm just not good at this kind of thing! Anybody else who talks like you do to me I usually just either punch or ignore!' he said waving his hands around as they neared his house. Letty raised an eyebrow.

'So how am I different?' she said slowly, quietly, sadly. Dom shook his head.

'I dunno. You just are. You're different.' He said as he unlocked the door to his white house. But then he paused.

'What?' Letty asked, hiking up her duffel bag on her shoulder. He smiled.

'Not different. Special. You're special.' He said as he pushed the door open and walked inside. Letty stood outside, staring at the doorframe, shock washing over her. Then she smiled. Maybe Dom wasn't such an ass after all.