CH.8

Three weeks passed since that day. It was a sunny morning when Annie stopped her car at the traffic light, and breathed deeply. How many things had happened in her life during that last period. If only her father could have known. She smiled to herself. He sure wouldn't have understood. She'd met Dom and Mia and their team. She'd started to work on a bar and on a garage. She'd have never done things like that at home simply because, her family would have never allowed her to do it. She liked what she did, and she'd learned a lot. She liked the Toretto's. Well, to be honest, she liked Dom, thought Annie smiling couldn't denying no more those feelings to herself.

She liked Dom: he was amazing.. tough but not bully. He was intelligent and smart even if sometimes too stubborn. She smiled again; yes. When she was nearby him she felt the beat of her heart accelerate and her knees bending. Even now that she was thinking about him, she was smiling like a stupid. "Grow up, Annie!" said Anastasia loudly to herself: "You're reacting like a teenager!" But she couldn't deny to herself that there was something special between them, a kind of a strange electricity.then when they started to talk, all ended in a quarrel. It was incredible. Anyway the problem was something else. Someone. Letty, his girlfriend. And since things were like that she would have done anything, because even if she didn't like Letty, she respected her and her relation with Dom. So, he was forbidden for her. She'd had to remember this and stay far away from them.

She heard the radio playing a music she liked and pumped up the volume, when she heard a car stopping near to her one at the traffic light. She turned to see who it was. "Hy" a Chinese girl, wearing very showy, greeted her.

"Hy" Annie replied.

"Do I know you?" asked the Chinese girl frowning .

Annie shook her head frowning "Sorry?"

"Oh, yeah, now I remember! I saw you last time with the Toretto's!" realised the girl.

"And you? Do I know you?" Annie asked her.

"You should. I'm Tran's sister" answered the girl, proud of herself, like if it was something very important.

"Oh." Said Annie remembering what the team had told her about Dom and Johnny. Stay away from him and his family.

"Wanna race?" asked the girl, tightening her hold with her dark red fingernails around the wheel, making her car roaring.

"I don't race" said Annie. The girl looked sceptic. "And anyway I don't think, it'd be a good idea" added Annie. Why I said that?

"You're new, aren't you?" asked the girl. Annie nodded.

"I'm not surprised. Like my brother says, all of the Toretto's team are good at nothing" said ironically the girl in a defiant look.

"Truly?" replied Annie ironically. Calm. Stay calm. She repeated to herself.

"Yeah and coward" added the girl. Annie knew, she was provoking her. She thought for a while. Race or not to race? Be intelligent, be mature. Mature..

"How much?" finally said Annie.

"What you want" said triumphant the girl. She'd reached her aim.

Annie thought for a while. "200$ not more" said Annie.

"Done" replied the girl satisfied.

"At the green. Next traffic light it's a quarter mile far. It'll be our arrival" explained the girl. Annie nodded and closed the window. Both of them made their cars roaring and when the green came, both pushed on the accelerator. The tires turned wildly for the big accelerate, creating a white cloud, and the race started. Annie knew nothing about race but let her sixth sense drive her. They drove along a street that ran nearby the beach. For a good moment Annie remained nearby the girl, than the other took the lead of the race and won.

Annie breathed deeply while she made her car slowed down. It was amazing. She'd never tried something like that: a pure adrenaline discharge. It had been great. It had been exciting. They both stopped at the next traffic light. The girl got a victory and satisfied smile stamped on her face: "You owe me 200$". "Come later to the Toretto's bar. I'll be there" said Annie. The girl nodded and at the green, ran away as well as Annie. What she didn't know was that there has been a witness to all this. A violet sport car had followed her. The girl seated inside, smiled satisfied and turned at the first crossroads, hiding herself into the traffic.

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Annie reached the bar. Mia was checking some bills. "How are you Mia?" said Annie coming inside.

"Fine. I was just checking our situation" said Mia not leaving her eyes from the papers. Annie as well as Mia had worked harder and harder during those weeks to make the 8000$ promised to Dom. They'd spent all their time there.

Two tourist, a man and a lady, arrived. "You speak French?" one of them asked to Mia.

"No, I'm sorry" replied Mia then she turned to Annie: "It's for you" she told her with a grin.

Annie smiled and nodded. Three minutes later she was back to Mia with the order.

Mia looked at her amazed: " You speak French pretty good!"

Annie smiled playing down "Oh, no just two, three words.here and there" and went giving the drinks to the clients.

When she came back, Mia was looking at the bills again. "So? How much we've done until today?" asked Annie.

"We have 6700$" Mia told her counting the money.

"But we still have to buy some other food and drinks, and pay for the publicity" added Annie.

"It's been a good idea to make the advertising leaflets and put them all around LA" realised Mia.

"Ok, so how much we still have to spend?" asked Annie.

"1700$ with the publicity" said Mia checking out with the calculator.

"So we still have to make 3000$" said Annie.

"And we have one week left" added Mia thoughtfully.

Annie sighed. "We've arrived until here. We have to do it" she said encouraging both of them.

Mia agreed convinced: " and we have to be lucky." Annie nodded and smiled.

In that moment a car stopped in front of the store. Annie recognised it immediately. It was the girl of the race. She took the money nonchalantly and went outside. After a while the car ran away and Annie came back to the shop. "I know that car" said Mia frowning.

"Yeah" said Annie casually avoiding to look at her friend, and starting to clean the counter. She knew, she'd done something wrong.

"Hey? I'm talking to you!" said Mia blocking Annie who finally raised her gaze meeting Mia's eyes.

"It's Johnny Tran's sister" Annie admitted breathing deeply.

"What she wanted from you?" asked Mia. But Annie avoided to look at her friend coming back to her work.

"Annie?" but she insisted. "Ok, ok!" Annie snorted: "We raced".

"You did what?" asked Mia astonished.

"This morning.we raced and.I lost." Briefly explained Annie standing there silently, waiting for Mia's reaction.

"How much?"

"200$" "Listen, I know, I did something wrong Mia, but please! Please! Don't tell it to Dom" said Annie worried. If he'd discovered her . . . she didn't even want to think of it."Please Mia!" Annie begged her.

"You know? You would be perfect for Dom. As crazy as he is!" replied Mia losing her patience: "Ok. Ok, I'll say nothing".

"Thank you! Thank you so much, you're a friend!" said Annie relieved. She would have never done such a stupid thing again. Never. Never.

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"What did J.Tran sister want from us" asked Dom frowning, coming inside the bar in that moment with Letty and Leon.

Annie immobilized herself terrified widening her eyes. Why was Dom there at this time in the morning? Mia looked back at her worried. "She came here . . . to drink" dared to say hesitantly Mia, but Dom looked daggers to her. It was not possible. Tran never came up there. Mia and Annie didn't talk.

"I'm waiting" insisted Dom.

"She came here . . .for me" finally said Annie snorting finding the courage to face him.

"And why?" he asked her in a fake quiet tone but with an inquiring look. His calmness scared her more than everything.

She didn't answer. She was looking to find the best words but it didn't exist. "I owed her some money" Annie said in a whisper.

"Why" he repeated, his arms crossed on his chest, his eyes half closed waiting for her explanation.

"We-" she gulped " we raced" she finally said in a low tone, looking down to her feet.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Dom yelled against her completely angry.

But why Dom was there at this time? This question echoed in Annie's mind. It seemed like he was expecting for something . . .

"Listen." she tried shyly to reply.

"You're crazy! No better you're stupid or what?" he yelled against her with more rage.

"I - "

"You knew the rules and you broke them again!" he looked at her threatening.

"Dom - " Leon called him and glanced to the two tourists that looked worried at the scene.

"Leave us alone!" yelled Dom very angry not leaving Annie's eyes. The others looked astonished at them. "Get the hell out of here all! NOW!" he repeated more loudly not taking care of those tourists that immediately ran outside.

All the guys were intimidated by his tone except for Letty. She looked so sure and calm of herself. Annie frowned glancing at her so strangely calm, walking slowly outside the bar, she got a strange grin on her face. She had to know something, thought Annie. But she hadn't had the time to think of this, that they already were alone, and Dom was shouting back to her again.

"I never hit a girl in my life, but you're making me dangerously cross that line!" said Dom out of himself.

"Why are you so worried? I know how to drive!" counterattacked Annie.

"You don't know anything!" He shouted pointing his finger toward her. She made a step back instinctively.

"This is different! Don't you understand?" continued Dom.

"You do this - " tried to say Annie. "I do it in particular conditions" he underlined trying to calm himself a little.

"But Bryan told me - "

"Let O'Connor out of this!" he said sharply.

"Oh, no!" she insisted: " He told me that you did it, against a Ferrari".

"But we do know how to race! It's all different! It's a different way to drive!" he was exasperated.

"You took the risk not only for your life but also that one of the people around you!" he was shouting again.

Annie made a step back again and discovered worried that she was against the wall. She glanced outside the shop, the others looked vanished. She frowned, then her stare came back to him. "There was no one when we raced" she dared to reply. He put his hands on the wall to both side of her face. He was very angry. She held her breath. He had tried until now to remain calm, but he was dangerously near to the edge. He raised his fist up, Annie looked scared at him. The hit started and she closed her eyes and turned her head on one side preparing herself for the pain . . . and suddenly he punched against the door which was just near by them. She started at the sound of the hit and waited a few seconds like that. Then, she slowly turned her head, opening her eyes and dared to look at him.

He was panting hard trying to calm down. "You could have died, don't you understand??" his tone had changed, it was now low and concerned. He looked worried at her.

She gulped. All the tension amassed until now, made her shacking badly . It was like if her legs weren't no more able to support her. "I'm sorry! I really didn't know . . . " she softly said.

"Stupid girl . . . " he said grabbing her chin and kissing her with fury and passion as to free all his worry, as to punish her for what she'd done. Then he stopped abruptly leaving Annie breathless and confused.

"If you wanted to race why haven't you asked me?" He asked her still upset holding gently her chin. She was mesmerized and shocked by his touch, so tender and soft after all that fury. She shivered closing her eyes.

"I didn't know I wanted - until - I tried today!" she said with a little guilty grin.

"You crazy, you know?" he told her with an ironic amused smile, kissing her again. When he left her, they were panting hard, his forehead leaned against her. He slowly grinned and whispered: "You truly want to race?"

"Well, I think - I would try" admitted Annie softly.

He stared at her. "mmh . . . maybe you're worthy" he said breathing deeply. Dom stood up and stared at her now his eyes glimmered of interest: "Ok, . . . "said Dom thoughtfully. "I'll prepare you: the car, your drive. You'll race for me. Maybe we can do some money with you" he ended with a grin.

"I'll never end to pay my debt to you" she shook her head resigned thinking at loud voice.

"Maybe you don't want" he told her sibylline with a smile.

"Or maybe I'm really as stupid as you said and I let you play your game with me as you like" She ironically replied teasing him.

"Yeah . . . maybe" he said with a mischievous look, caressing her lips with his finger. When he touched her like that, she was no more able to think. She kissed his finger. He grinned. It was a dangerous game, most because he wasn't free.

"C'mon pizza girl, let's tell to the others, the great news" he suddenly said calling the rest of the team from outside. When they came back, he announced them the news. All were happy, because she had a great car and because she would have become now really part of the team. Only one of them wasn't happy at all about that: Letty. It was clear that something wasn't going like she'd expected. But she said nothing. She limited to stare at Annie coldly.

All the team was talking loudly and happily about that, when Mia joined Annie: " Now, he owns you" Annie turned to look back at her friend, but she was already gone.



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