CH.21
They all arrived at home at the same time.
"You and you. With me in the kitchen. Immediately," Dom ordered Annie and Letty sharply. He was more than angry: he was furious. The others said nothing, just exchanged concerned looks, knowing too well how terrible Dom's fury could be.
"Dom- " Mia tried uncertainly but he stopped her with a cold glare and she didn't insist. Letty, Annie and Dom got in the room and he closed the door behind him. The rest of the team went in the drawing room, a little bit worried about the two girls.
"So? Who's the one to start?" Dom asked looking menacingly alternatively at the two girls.
Annie and Letty both looked at their feet not having the courage to talk, not even to look at him.
"Who, the heck told you to do that?" he yelled at them again. They didn't answer.
"You knew Letty. You knew the rules!" he told her angrily pointing his finger at the girl who was now staring at him toughly.
"I'm sorry," Letty said simply in an apologetic tone, but she wasn't too worried and sorry.
"And you!" Dom said turning to look at Annie: "You!!! Be careful! You're on a razor thin edge!" Better be - very - careful!" he warned her menacingly. She lifted her eyes and met his furious gaze.
"I'm sorry, Dom. It won't happen again. I promise," she briefly replied coldly. She was truly sorry but for other reason.
"It'd better not, for both of you. I don't want to have problems." Dom said in a low tone. "I - I don't know. You - you're just silly girls!" he said still not understanding the reason of what they'd just done. He breathed deeply a few times to calm himself down and passed a hand over his shaved head.
"Is that all?" Letty asked annoyed. He came near to her, his face inches from hers, very angry: "- Yes -, it's all for now," he hissed through his teeth furiously underlining each word. "You can go."
Letty didn't wait and walked out, but when she passed nearby Annie, she slowed down, gave her a warning look and mouthed: "tonight," then walked out of the room.
Annie was going to do the same, when Dom's voice coming from behind her made her stop. "You almost had her."
She stopped grimacing. "You said it: almost," Annie replied bitterly looking into space.
"It was only for an inch- " he insisted. He couldn't believe his words . . . Why was he encouraging her? Where was the usual arrogant asshole? He was surprised of himself.
Annie shook her head.
"Only you've been more smart," he added, "and understood the situation."
She smiled cynically and turned to look at him. "You know, Toretto. Losing is losing, it doesn't matter if it's by an inch or a mile - and tonight I lost," she ended bitterly, leaving him
dumbfounded, alone, thinking about her words.
Annie joined Mia and Bryan. "So? What happened?" Mia wanted to know. He didn't like our little race," Annie said flatly, shrugging.
"Watch Letty, she looks so happy even after what she's done," Mia noticed. Letty was laughing with Vince.
Annie shook her head.
"What will you do now?" Bryan asked suddenly.
"I lost our bet," Annie said still staring at Letty. "Gotta go," she ended in a breath.
"No! You can't do that!" Mia said worried. "It's stupid, and Dom will never accept it!"
"Dom doesn't know."
"Oh, great! That's a smart idea! He'll be mad when he'll discover it!" Mia said agitated.
"He'll also be mad when Letty tells him about the truck," Annie made her notice. Mia shook her head sorry.
"Look. I have no choice. I lost my bet. It's better like that. If I go away she won't tell about it," Annie explained.
"What an asshole!" Mia said frustrated.
"It'll be fine, don't worry," Annie said hugging her friend.
"What will you do, now?" Bryan repeated.
"I got some money. I'll find another work somewhere else," Annie explained. "Who would have ever imagined when I arrived here, that things would go this way?" Annie said shaking her head bitterly almost thinking at loud voice.
"So we won't see you again," Bryan said: "Is it a definite goodbye?" he asked her raising an eyebrow.
"Who knows?" Annie replied shrugging, trying to play down the moment: "Maybe one day. Maybe . . . " she said smiling calmly, "but it'll have to pass some time before . . ." she ended thoughtfully. "Oh, Annie!!" Mia said hugging her: "I'm sorry!" She felt the need to say that.
"About what?" Annie asked. "- I - should excuse myself for all the problems I gave you. Ok, now let's stop with all this or I'll start to cry and the others will suspect something" Annie announced to end that dangerous conversation.
"Ok, ok!!" Mia said breathing deeply.
Another five seconds and she would have cried in front of them. It was heart-wrenching, they'd become such good friends, and she loved them.
Dom was seated on the sofa drinking his beer with Letty on his lap. He was relaxed now, when he noticed Annie talking with Mia and Bryan. What took his attention, was the tone of their conversation. It was very concerned and serious. Mia hugged Annie a couple of times. It was like - he frowned more interested. He couldn't hear what they were saying but it looked like they were taking leave. Then Annie said something and Mia smiled reluctantly. She looked upset. What was happening? He forced himself to look away. He shook his head; what a stupid idea he'd had! He surely had misunderstood the whole thing. He was becoming paranoid. Why had he thought about that? He was only tired of the day. It had to be this. Anyway he'd been too hard with Annie, he thought. The next day he would talk to her and explain the reason of his anger. He tried to chase away those thoughts, but a strange sense of uneasiness pervaded him.
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She waited until she didn't hear any more noise in the house, then silently got out of her room and looked around. It was dark, they all were sleeping.
She remained still for a while on the edge of her room listening to the silence and glancing at her bedroom one last time. She'd had fun with them.. Then she grabbed her things and silently went downstairs.
She was going to exit when she saw something moving in the dark. She stopped and held her breath scared that someone had discovered her. Bryan appeared from the dark with a glass of water. He was silently observing her. She felt dying under his look.
"Is this your choice then?" he asked her in such a low tone that she wasn't sure he'd talked or she'd just imagined it.
She silently nodded. "I have to."
"No, you don't," he insisted approaching.
"Bryan-" she started to say but he stopped her with a gesture of his hand. "Ush".
They were inches from each other. He gently took away a lock from her face and barely smiled. "We'll miss you".
"Oh-" said Annie and hugged him strongly tears crossing her face wildly.
He held her tightly to himself and caressed her hair trying to calm her. Then he detached from her enough to look deeply in her eyes. With his fingers he dried her tears away. They looked at each other for a long moment silently. They didn't need words. Then, without even perceiving it, he lightly, gently kissed her on her lips. So brief, so . . . haunting. When he left her, he gently caressed her jaw. "You ok?" he whispered.
She frowned, gulped and then nodded. He breathed deeply.
"I - "she started to say, but he stopped her posing one finger on her lips. "Yes. I know," he said in a breath, finally detaching from her and passing a hand through his blond hair. They looked at each other for one last long moment and then she opened the door of the house and got out. Bryan remained there. Staring at the closed door.
She silently switched on the engine with shaking hands and, as noiselessly as she could, she drove away. Tears ran down on her face, her heart was broken.
She glanced at the reflection in her rear mirror. All her world was there and she was definitely leaving it. She sighed. She'd sneaked out of the house almost without a word, like she'd established with Letty. Not an explanation. Nothing, so that Letty wouldn't say a word about the night of the truck. She wiped her tears away from her face with one hand, but new ones came down.
Jesse, Leon, Mia, Bryan, . . . Dom.
Dom. She wouldn't love anyone else after him, because . . . she was in love with him. He'd been able to reach her heart, made her feel complete like no one else before. But he wasn't free and what they'd done was wrong. No. She wouldn't make that mistake ever again.
She switched the radio on, trying not to think about what she was abandoning. A soft music filled the air. Driving away, far from that house she looked outside at the dark silent night crying. Never before had her future looked so pointless and sad.
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They all arrived at home at the same time.
"You and you. With me in the kitchen. Immediately," Dom ordered Annie and Letty sharply. He was more than angry: he was furious. The others said nothing, just exchanged concerned looks, knowing too well how terrible Dom's fury could be.
"Dom- " Mia tried uncertainly but he stopped her with a cold glare and she didn't insist. Letty, Annie and Dom got in the room and he closed the door behind him. The rest of the team went in the drawing room, a little bit worried about the two girls.
"So? Who's the one to start?" Dom asked looking menacingly alternatively at the two girls.
Annie and Letty both looked at their feet not having the courage to talk, not even to look at him.
"Who, the heck told you to do that?" he yelled at them again. They didn't answer.
"You knew Letty. You knew the rules!" he told her angrily pointing his finger at the girl who was now staring at him toughly.
"I'm sorry," Letty said simply in an apologetic tone, but she wasn't too worried and sorry.
"And you!" Dom said turning to look at Annie: "You!!! Be careful! You're on a razor thin edge!" Better be - very - careful!" he warned her menacingly. She lifted her eyes and met his furious gaze.
"I'm sorry, Dom. It won't happen again. I promise," she briefly replied coldly. She was truly sorry but for other reason.
"It'd better not, for both of you. I don't want to have problems." Dom said in a low tone. "I - I don't know. You - you're just silly girls!" he said still not understanding the reason of what they'd just done. He breathed deeply a few times to calm himself down and passed a hand over his shaved head.
"Is that all?" Letty asked annoyed. He came near to her, his face inches from hers, very angry: "- Yes -, it's all for now," he hissed through his teeth furiously underlining each word. "You can go."
Letty didn't wait and walked out, but when she passed nearby Annie, she slowed down, gave her a warning look and mouthed: "tonight," then walked out of the room.
Annie was going to do the same, when Dom's voice coming from behind her made her stop. "You almost had her."
She stopped grimacing. "You said it: almost," Annie replied bitterly looking into space.
"It was only for an inch- " he insisted. He couldn't believe his words . . . Why was he encouraging her? Where was the usual arrogant asshole? He was surprised of himself.
Annie shook her head.
"Only you've been more smart," he added, "and understood the situation."
She smiled cynically and turned to look at him. "You know, Toretto. Losing is losing, it doesn't matter if it's by an inch or a mile - and tonight I lost," she ended bitterly, leaving him
dumbfounded, alone, thinking about her words.
Annie joined Mia and Bryan. "So? What happened?" Mia wanted to know. He didn't like our little race," Annie said flatly, shrugging.
"Watch Letty, she looks so happy even after what she's done," Mia noticed. Letty was laughing with Vince.
Annie shook her head.
"What will you do now?" Bryan asked suddenly.
"I lost our bet," Annie said still staring at Letty. "Gotta go," she ended in a breath.
"No! You can't do that!" Mia said worried. "It's stupid, and Dom will never accept it!"
"Dom doesn't know."
"Oh, great! That's a smart idea! He'll be mad when he'll discover it!" Mia said agitated.
"He'll also be mad when Letty tells him about the truck," Annie made her notice. Mia shook her head sorry.
"Look. I have no choice. I lost my bet. It's better like that. If I go away she won't tell about it," Annie explained.
"What an asshole!" Mia said frustrated.
"It'll be fine, don't worry," Annie said hugging her friend.
"What will you do, now?" Bryan repeated.
"I got some money. I'll find another work somewhere else," Annie explained. "Who would have ever imagined when I arrived here, that things would go this way?" Annie said shaking her head bitterly almost thinking at loud voice.
"So we won't see you again," Bryan said: "Is it a definite goodbye?" he asked her raising an eyebrow.
"Who knows?" Annie replied shrugging, trying to play down the moment: "Maybe one day. Maybe . . . " she said smiling calmly, "but it'll have to pass some time before . . ." she ended thoughtfully. "Oh, Annie!!" Mia said hugging her: "I'm sorry!" She felt the need to say that.
"About what?" Annie asked. "- I - should excuse myself for all the problems I gave you. Ok, now let's stop with all this or I'll start to cry and the others will suspect something" Annie announced to end that dangerous conversation.
"Ok, ok!!" Mia said breathing deeply.
Another five seconds and she would have cried in front of them. It was heart-wrenching, they'd become such good friends, and she loved them.
Dom was seated on the sofa drinking his beer with Letty on his lap. He was relaxed now, when he noticed Annie talking with Mia and Bryan. What took his attention, was the tone of their conversation. It was very concerned and serious. Mia hugged Annie a couple of times. It was like - he frowned more interested. He couldn't hear what they were saying but it looked like they were taking leave. Then Annie said something and Mia smiled reluctantly. She looked upset. What was happening? He forced himself to look away. He shook his head; what a stupid idea he'd had! He surely had misunderstood the whole thing. He was becoming paranoid. Why had he thought about that? He was only tired of the day. It had to be this. Anyway he'd been too hard with Annie, he thought. The next day he would talk to her and explain the reason of his anger. He tried to chase away those thoughts, but a strange sense of uneasiness pervaded him.
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She waited until she didn't hear any more noise in the house, then silently got out of her room and looked around. It was dark, they all were sleeping.
She remained still for a while on the edge of her room listening to the silence and glancing at her bedroom one last time. She'd had fun with them.. Then she grabbed her things and silently went downstairs.
She was going to exit when she saw something moving in the dark. She stopped and held her breath scared that someone had discovered her. Bryan appeared from the dark with a glass of water. He was silently observing her. She felt dying under his look.
"Is this your choice then?" he asked her in such a low tone that she wasn't sure he'd talked or she'd just imagined it.
She silently nodded. "I have to."
"No, you don't," he insisted approaching.
"Bryan-" she started to say but he stopped her with a gesture of his hand. "Ush".
They were inches from each other. He gently took away a lock from her face and barely smiled. "We'll miss you".
"Oh-" said Annie and hugged him strongly tears crossing her face wildly.
He held her tightly to himself and caressed her hair trying to calm her. Then he detached from her enough to look deeply in her eyes. With his fingers he dried her tears away. They looked at each other for a long moment silently. They didn't need words. Then, without even perceiving it, he lightly, gently kissed her on her lips. So brief, so . . . haunting. When he left her, he gently caressed her jaw. "You ok?" he whispered.
She frowned, gulped and then nodded. He breathed deeply.
"I - "she started to say, but he stopped her posing one finger on her lips. "Yes. I know," he said in a breath, finally detaching from her and passing a hand through his blond hair. They looked at each other for one last long moment and then she opened the door of the house and got out. Bryan remained there. Staring at the closed door.
She silently switched on the engine with shaking hands and, as noiselessly as she could, she drove away. Tears ran down on her face, her heart was broken.
She glanced at the reflection in her rear mirror. All her world was there and she was definitely leaving it. She sighed. She'd sneaked out of the house almost without a word, like she'd established with Letty. Not an explanation. Nothing, so that Letty wouldn't say a word about the night of the truck. She wiped her tears away from her face with one hand, but new ones came down.
Jesse, Leon, Mia, Bryan, . . . Dom.
Dom. She wouldn't love anyone else after him, because . . . she was in love with him. He'd been able to reach her heart, made her feel complete like no one else before. But he wasn't free and what they'd done was wrong. No. She wouldn't make that mistake ever again.
She switched the radio on, trying not to think about what she was abandoning. A soft music filled the air. Driving away, far from that house she looked outside at the dark silent night crying. Never before had her future looked so pointless and sad.
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