CH.20

That night.
They arrived when all the crowd had already come together. It was always the same: Dom wanted to be the last and make his triumphal entrance.

Everybody had to see him, admire him. He stepped out of his car, and he was immediately surrounded by all his friends. He scanned the crowd to see with whom the race could be. Then, as usual, the leaders of the other teams came up to him.

"Harry, Hector, Edwin . . . " Dom greeted all of them.

"Wassup, man?" Hector said smiling like the others and giving him a head up gesture.

"You know, your new racer made people talk a lot," Edwin said.

"Yeah." Dom grinned satisfied. He knew it and was proud of Anastasia.

"And there are some guys come to beat her," Harry added.

"You're kidding me?" Dom said a bit surprised. He didn't expect such an immediate answer, but she was a girl and all the guys wanted to give her a "racing" lesson. He smiled.

"They are just there," Hector said.

Dom watched the three men waiting for Anastasia. "Well, they'll have to pay a lot, if they want to race against her. I don't waste my time for nothing," Dom said smiling arrogantly.

"Where's she?" Hector asked.

"With Mia," Dom replied briefly.

"So? What's up for tonight?" Edwin asked.

Dom glanced at the men: "Let's do it like this . . . "

After 10 minutes Dom joined Mia and Annie. "You're gonna race," he told her, "against them." He motioned with his head at the three guys who were looking at her chuckling.

"Listen. Men can be really stupid sometimes," Dom added staring at her seriously. Was there a second meaning to that? Was he excusing himself for what had happened that afternoon? "This is different. Last time was just an essay. This one is serious. This is * not * going to be a piece of cake," he continued warning her. "They'll give you a lot of trouble." She nodded. "Do your race and don't think of them, just look forward." He paused. "You ready?" he asked her.

"Heck, yeah!" Annie said determined. It was business now.

Dom nodded: "Ok, smoke'em." It was an order.

She raced against them and won. It'd been hard however because at the starting line one of them had tried to push her outside, but she'd won and now the crowd was cheering her name. Anyway she didn't care of all those people. She was like a robot: she was doing her job and stop. Nothing else mattered. So she leaned against her car, arm crossed on her chest, too taken by her dark thoughts.

Suddenly a big guy joined her. "You know, I can beat you," he stated arrogantly.

"Yeah?" she replied annoyed not looking at him, her mind definitely somewhere else.

"Why don't you race with someone of your level instead of that shit?" the man insisted.

Another wannabe, Annie thought. "Listen, if you wanna race, you have to be serious. My car against $4,000. Winner takes all," she said defiantly. She didn't really mean to provoke him, just to discourage him. It was a waste of time.

"Ok. Here's the money," the man declared promptly.

She finally turned to look at him as if he was an alien that just landed. "Got the money. Let's race," he repeated as she looked at him blinking to realize what he'd just said. "You afraid?" he smiled.

So he was serious. She shook her head slowly.

She'd never personally negotiated a bet before. Dom had always done it for her and maybe what she was doing was wrong but - hey! This was a good sum of money. She needed it. $4,000! She would be able to give Dom the money back, at least the one of the theft.

Not a bad idea. She thought quickly, quiet for a while. Not bad at all. She saw Mia in the crowd and called her. The girl nodded and joined her.

"Can you keep the money?" Annie asked her.

"What money?" Mia gave her a questioning look.

"The one of the race. I'm gonna race," she told her.

"And Dom?"

"No. This is just me," Annie explained her.

"Annie - you sure?" Mia said hesitantly half closing her eyes.

"Yes, I am," she replied convinced, her eyes shining now. Mia wasn't too happy about that but accepted.

The race was fast but tough. Annie drove good and with a little shot of NOS, she won.

"You lucky," the man said at the end of the race shacking her hand. "No. I'm good," Annie replied arrogantly, smiling satisfied.

"And disobedient," a husky voice came from behind her when the other man was gone. She knew it was Dom. She turned to look at him.

"Why did you do it without asking me before," he asked her quietly . He didn't seem angry. It was just a question.

"Because I wanted and felt it," she replied proudly lifting her chin up defiantly and before he could talk, Annie said: "Here, take that," giving him a small roll of bills.

"What's that?" he asked frowning while taking it.

"They money of the theft. $4,000 exactly," she said sharply waiting for his reaction.

"So you did it?" he asked her in a quiet tone raising an eyebrow, watching her attentively.

"No. I didn't." Her tone was decisive and tough. "But it doesn't matter anymore," she said shrugging. Her eyes were cold. She was serious. He slowly nodded his agreement and put the money in his pocket.

"Dom!" Hector called him. "We need you."

Dom observed her still for a few seconds with a mysterious look then left her alone.

"You won," Letty said joining Annie after a while. She looked so sure of herself. "But things will never change," she continued, "he still thinks you're a thief." Looking at her with open hostility.

"What do you want Letty? "Annie said snorting.

"He will never be yours," Letty continued following the line of her thoughts.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Annie said angrily.

"Now you know what it feels like to be pushed away, to be ignored, to be considered a bitch, not to be trusted," Letty said narrowing her eyes, cold anger in her voice.

"What?" Annie turned to look at her and tilted her head to one side.

"How does it feel Anastasia?" Letty insisted defiantly with an evil smile.

"You did it!" Annie said. Her eyes widened as realization hit her. Everything was so damn clear now. "* You * stole the money, didn't you?" Annie asked directly recognizing how blind she'd been not to understand that Letty was behind of all this.

"You know? I organized everything so good, that he trusted it immediately."

"Bitch!" Annie burst out angrily.

"Call me whatever you want hon. Things won't change," Letty replied arrogantly.

Annie couldn't believe all that: "Why?" she asked exasperated.

"Oh? You really don't know?"

"You never could stand me. What's wrong with me?" Annie said bitterly.

"You! You with your goody-goody look, your accent, your culture - " Letty said shaking her head scornful. "Thought you could come here and change everything? Become his favorite - the one! Vince wasn't enough - no!!! You wanted him!" Letty said furiously in an emphasized rancorous tone.

"Look, you're wrong, I've never wanted- "

"Shut up! You little bitch! Faded copy of a girl! Stop playing the innocent with me, I know you!" Letty said in a louder tone.

"Oh, you know me?" Annie replied sarcastically, raising an eyebrow: "You know nothing about me!" She kept her voice controlled, measuring her look with Letty.

"You know, he couldn't believe that you did such a disgraceful thing," Letty said satisfied of her plan. "But I convinced him," she continued enigmatically: "And when he'll know what you did with Bryan . He won't even want to hear your name anymore!" Letty said taking a pause. Annie looked at her bewildered. She never imagined Letty would be able to pull off a sneaky plan like

this. "Unless - " Letty suddenly added.

"What?" Annie asked frowning. Things were going too fast.

"You leave," Letty ended smiling evilly.

Annie opened her mouth and closed it again, momentarily speechless.

"Leave and I promise you that I won't tell him the truth."

"But why - "

Letty's evil smile became larger: "Miss Walker, I'll send you back home. We don't need you. You're nothing, - even as a racer!" Letty ended in a firm, menacing low tone.

Annie raised an eyebrow in surprise but inside she shivered of fear. Mia was right, Letty could be very dangerous.

"So why don't we race?" Annie suddenly found herself proposing.

"I can have you easily," Letty replied arrogantly.

"So, let's race!" Annie encouraged her.

"What do you wanna bet? Money?" Letty asked in a mockery tone, pretending not to be interested but Annie saw from her eyes that she was intrigued.

"No. Something more interesting," Annie started to say mysteriously.

"What?"

"If I win, you'll have to tell Dom the whole truth about the theft," Annie explained defiantly. She wasn't sure that Letty would accept.

"Don't know - " Letty started to say uncertain.

"C'mon!" Annie said, "or maybe . . . you're just a wannabe, maybe you're not so great as you pretend to be. . . ." she teased her.

Letty looked at her thoughtfully. She wasn't sure. Annie could read it in her eyes.

"I'll have you," Letty finally declared doggedly: "And I'll give you the biggest humiliation of your life - but if I win . . . You have to leave. Tonight. Without another word," Letty ended smiling satisfied.

Annie gulped. Leave tonight . . . She was speechless. No. She shouldn't think about that. She wouldn't lose. She had to believe it.

"What?" Letty asked in a mockery tone watching her evidently surprised reaction. "You afraid?"

Her mind screamed at her not to accept. She could still try to talk with Dom and tell him everything. No. He would never have trusted her. The stake was too high but she had no choice. I'll win, she repeated mentally. I'm gonna win.

She breathed deeply and looked at Letty. "Ok. Let's race," Annie finally said determined.
----------------------
Mia came to her: "Where are you going?" she asked while following Annie.

"Racing," Annie simply answered concentrated.

"With who?" Mia asked frowning.

"Letty," Annie said through her teeth while making her way through the crowd.

Mia was almost running after her: "What??? Dom knows that?"

"Not yet."

"What did you bet?" Mia asked.

"The truth," Annie simply replied.

Mia finally stopped her grabbing her arm. "And if you lose?" she stared at her seriously.

Annie looked back at her friend. "I'll leave," she finally said lowering her tone.

"Nooo!" Mia shouted vehemently. "Why did you accept? Annie? Annie!" Mia was calling her again because Annie had started walking again to join her car.

"I had no choice. She threatened she would tell Dom the truth."

"And what is the problem?" Mia asked. "He loves you, he'll trust you."

"He will - never - trust me after what has happened and you know that. I had no choice, I was looking for a solution and here I have it: It's the right thing to do," Annie explained very quietly as if it was obvious what she was saying.

"No!! You don't understand!!! Letty is a very good racer, she's skilful," Mia said very worried.

"Me too," Annie replied stubbornly.

"No, what you refuse to understand is that she has raced for a lot of time and she knows all the tricks to win! Fair and . . . unfair."

"I'm gonna win," Annie repeated now standing next to her car. Letty had already moved.

"And if- " Mia couldn't say it aloud.

"It won't happen," Annie sighed. "Please Mia, trust me. Please. It's the right thing to do," Annie tried to convince her friend. And herself. Madness. It was madness. She knew it and she had no choice.

"And Dom? Don't you think about him? What if - it happens?" Mia said as a last desperate attempt to make her change her mind.

Annie stopped for a while looking into space. An aching pain exploded in her chest at those words. Dom. Dom. No, I don't have to think about that. Not now. Free your mind. Blank. Concentrate.

She turned to stare at Mia frowning seriously: " I already lost him," she said sharply. Her voice cold. Her voice cold, sounding like it came from far away, wherever her mind

had wandered. "No. You- " Mia was saying but Annie had already jumped in her car and was moving to reach the starting line. "You don't understand. He loves you," Mia muttered staring at the black Subaru.

Annie reached Letty at the starting line. They looked at each other feeling the tension growing inside them. She breathed deeply looking ahead. Concentrate. You can do it. You can, she repeated to herself.

"Who's racing now?" Dom asked absently at the finish line watching two cars preparing to race.

"Oh, you don't know man?" Edwin asked emphasized.

Dom shook his head.

"The two chicks of your team," Edwin explained.

"Who?" Dom asked frowning: " Mia and Annie?" he said in a kidding tone as if it was absurd.

"No, man! Anastasia and Letty!" Edwin ended all excited.

"What?" Dom said suddenly serious.

"Heck, yeah! It's gonna be interesting!!" Edwin said, who hadn't noticed Dom change of mood.

"No, shit!" muttered Dom through his teeth: "Bryan! Bryan!" he shouted searching his friend in the crowd.

"Yeah, man?" Bryan reached him.

"Annie and Letty are preparing to race. You gotta stop' em!" Dom said worried.

"But . . . how?" Bryan asked confused.

"Find a way and stop them!!!" Dom yelled back at him.

Bryan picked up his phone and called Hector on the other side of the street. "Yo man? Stop the race!"

"What????" Hector was shouting because of the noise of the people and of the engines.

"*Stop the race!!!*"

"Too late, man! It's already started!"

Bryan lifted his head up meeting Dom's eyes and shook his head. "Fuck!" Dom cried out, his fist connecting with the top of his Mazda.

Annie and Letty pushed the accelerator all the way down, the exact moment that Hector gave the sign. The tires of the cars smoked leaving trails on the asphalt. The race had begun.

Letty and Annie did a great part of the race side by side, no one of them taking the lead.

"Oh, Shit! I've never seen something like that!" Edwin said astonished.

Dom was too concentrated to talk.

Bryan and Mia looked almost mesmerized at the scene in front of them: the two cars running at a crazy speed.

"Ok, enough game, let's talk seriously!" Letty said preparing herself for a shot of NOS. Annie did the same.

"See ya!" Letty said pushing the NOS button on her wheel but nothing happened: "Shit! I forgot to open the NOS valve before!" Letty shouted worried. Annie pushed her NOS button in that moment, preparing herself for the big push but - nothing happened. "Oh no! Shit!" Annie pushed it again and again but nothing. She couldn't believe it: she'd used it up in the races before!

Both cars where still side by side, running incredibly fast.

"Ok. Let's see what you do, if I do - this!" Letty said with an evil smile and inch by inch moved her car towards that of Annie, gradually forcing her out of the street.

"What the heck . . . ???" Annie grew scared at the sight of Letty's car. She didn't want to take her foot off the accelerator but Letty was closing in on her and now they were running inches from each other. One wrong movement and it would have been a disaster. Then Letty came closer, touching her lightly.

Watching that scene Dom closed his eyes and turned his head.

"Bitch!!!" Annie shouted watching Letty approaching more and more and trying to control her car in order to keep it on the street. Then she glanced in front of her and suddenly froze. In front of her, not too far away, there was a parked car between the others protruding on the street and Letty was pushing her against that one at a crazy speed.

Less than a hundred meters to the impact.

Annie tried to move away from there, but nothing. Letty was inexorably pushing her towards that car.

Fifty meters.

It was so near. Too near. "Fuck!" Annie shouted. Finally she was forced to leave the accelerator and touch the brakes to decrease the speed and with a fast swift movement of the wheel she put her car behind Letty's, just in time to avoid the parked vehicle. This allowed Letty to take the lead of the race just the second before her front wheels crossed the finish line, and win. They both slowed down their speed, until they stopped completely. The crowd immediately came to give them their tribute. No one had ever seen something like that before.

"Oh, Dom your racers got a bloody courage!" Edwin said clapping his hands and joining the two girls. Dom didn't reply, only breathed deeply. "Then, thinking about what had just happened he frowned, becoming furious at the girls' giddiness."

Both girls got out of the cars. Annie slammed her car's door and furiously reached Letty: " You closed in on me! It was dangerous! It's unfair!" she yelled.

Letty's lips bent in an evil smile. "No one said it would be fair, . . . hon," she replied satisfied.

Meanwhile Bryan and Mia had joined Annie still shocked: " Annie? You all right??" they asked worried. Annie wasn't listening to them. "But- " Annie said to Letty still not believing what had happened.

"You lost," Letty simply said in a low decisive tone, remembering her of the bet. She paused as she noticed that Hector, Dom and Edwin had arrived.

"Scared wannabe! How did you get into this team? A few turns on the couch? You hardly kept your car under control!" Letty said scornfully in the middle of the cheering crowd loudly.

They all shut up to listen to her. It was her moment: she was the winner and she would take her revenge. Annie stared at her with a defeated and angry look. She couldn't talk.

"Girl, you're not determined enough to *ever* win against me!" Letty raised an eyebrow and watched Annie closely, to see if she got the double meaning. "Babe, you're not worth the trouble we had with you."

Dom watched the scene silently and impassive. Letty was humiliating her towards everybody.

"You've been weighed - " Letty said slowly circling Annie, "measured . . . and found wanting, . . . hon!" she ended underlining the last word. There was nothing friendly in it. She looked Annie up and down. " In what world could you have ever beaten me?" Letty said triumphal and the crowd cheered loudly . Then she approached Annie in the middle of all this commotion and whispered in her ear: "Told you, I would send you back home." She paused. "Go lick your wounds somewhere else, baby!" She ordered sharply in a low tone that didn't admit reply.

Annie stared at Letty feeling the bitter sensation of defeat and anger . . . for herself. It was more than a simple lost race. She'd lost even her honor. She swallowed back her tears. Don't give her the satisfaction of seeing you crying!

"Cops! Cops! Cops!" someone suddenly shouted and everybody ran to their cars and drove away.

For a few seconds Annie met Dom's stare. His one was indecipherable, then he slowly shook his head in disapproval. She was speechless. She would have wanted to tell him everything, tell him how much in love she was, but she couldn't. She'd lost. So while everybody was running here and there around them she was only able to mouth him: "Sorry". She gulped, for a moment still staring at those deep dark eyes observing her, then she turned, jumped in her car and fast moved away from there, tears crossing her face, her heart painfully broken.
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