CH.25
"So you're back," suddenly a female voice said behind her back.
Letty? But hadn't she followed Dom? She slowly turned to look at her.
Letty stared at her with open hostility. "Thought we had a deal: you stay away, I stay away. I kept my part," Letty said toughly.
Dom was searching for Mia, when he stopped and frowned. Letty hadn't told him where his sister was. He fast came back to ask her, but slowed down has he heard the two girls talking animatedly. He neared and watched remaining half covered by the darkness.
"Thought I obeyed to you. I respected the deal," the other girl said.
Annie? What was she talking about? Dom frowned.
"Don't think so, since you're back," Letty made her notice.
"Listen, how could I imagine to find you here? Dom hasn't raced for a lot of time and Hector told me - " "Leave," Letty interrupted her toughly.
"Listen, this place is big enough for both of us, and I only want to race, I don't think - " Annie said in a comprehensive tone.
Why was she so submissive with Letty? Dom thought.
"Leave," Letty repeated obstinately: "Or else I - " Dom couldn't believe it. What was that? He had known the girls had always disliked each other, but this was more than antipathy. This was pure hatred. How was it possible that he had never become aware of it? That he'd been so blind?
"You what? Huh?" Annie promptly said loosing her control raising her chin and putting her hand on her waist in a defiant tone.
"I'll tell Dom everything," Letty ended menacingly.
"Everything . . . " Annie repeated with a bitter laugh: "You know? You should truly tell him everything, I mean all of it, even about you."
He finally stopped hidden by a car. He narrowed his eyes and decided to wait in the darkness.
"It'd not be worthwhile for you, and even if, he would never trust you," Letty said sure of herself.
This was the big problem, thought Annie. Dom would have never trusted her.
Dom frowned. What were they talking about?
"Must be sad to have to resort to blackmail and menaces, to keep your man nearby you," Annie stated finally taking her courage.
"You know, he's a man, he makes mistakes," Letty said: "And you're just one of them," she added contemptuous. "But I'm here to make him notice it."
Annie shook her head: "Have you ever told him about that?"
"Sure not, but it's irrelevant. He wouldn't understand it," Letty shrugged.
"You know what? I don't give a damn! You want to tell him everything? Go on! Tell him!" Annie said fed up. What more could she lose? Dom was already out of her life and she still felt terrible because of this. It was enough, she was tired of this blackmail.
"Really?" Letty said sarcastically, crossing her arms on her chest tilting her head to one side, narrowing her eyes: "And you also don't give a damn about Mia?" she asked defiantly.
Oh, shit Mia! She couldn't do this to her! "Oh, oh! So you still care about her!" Letty said with a triumphant smile watching the girl's reaction.
Annie bowed her head. Letty still got her.
"Looks like you're the one who doesn't give a damned about the people you call friends. You're part of the team, but you would hurt them just to get rid of me?" Annie said lifting her head up and shaking her head in disbelief.
Letty narrowed her eyes and sent her a glance of pure hatred. "Yes," she simply muttered and for the first time Annie felt a chill down to her spine scared by what she'd just read in Letty's eyes. Annie swallowed. "Stay the fuck off my grass!" said Letty through her teeth.
Dom stared astonished at the scene, struck by Letty's words.
"Ok, I'll race tomorrow and then I'll go away," Annie said sadly. "No, tomorrow you'll announce your withdrawal," Letty replied toughly.
"Listen, I got a deal with Hector, I gotta race!"
"No! You got a deal with me and you'll announce your withdrawal!" Letty repeated stubbornly.
"What's up? You're afraid to race against me?" Annie teased her with a sad smile.
"You?" Letty laughed sarcastically. "C'mon! for what you'll try to do, you'll always be nothing! I beat you once and I can do it again," Letty said sure of herself.
"Wanna bet?" Annie promptly said with the most provocative smile. She didn't know why she'd said that, but she couldn't help it.
"Why? Do you need to be humiliated again?" Letty said contemptuous.
"So? Wanna bet?" Annie insisted, fascinated now by the idea.
"What?" Letty asked tempted.
"Money . . . . and respect."
"Respect!" Letty laughed sarcastically but she looked at Annie and became serious again: "And then you'll announce your resignation," she ended half closing her eyes.
Annie nodded.
Letty smiled slowly shaking her head "Told ya! Whatever you try to do, you'll never reach my level."
"So?" Annie insisted.
Letty thoughtfully stared at her for a long moment. "Done."
Annie breathed relieved.
"You'll race until we'll meet on the list, then you'll withdraw."
"Ok," Annie agreed.
They sealed the deal by holding each other's hands.
"You know," Letty ended raising an eyebrow: "It won't be as easy as last time was," with a provocative smile.
"I never thought it to be" Annie said not scared at all by those words.
"See you soon, pizza girl," Letty said finally leaving her alone.
"See you - Letty," muttered Annie thoughtfully, once Letty was far from her.
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Dom leaned against a car where he was hidden crouched down. He was shaken feeling someway betrayed. He 'd just realized that he knew nothing about Annie and Letty.
Letty. He thought surprised. He'd maybe truly discovered her for the first time. And Annie? What had happened? What had they been talking about? He'd had to find it out soon. Who else knew it? He was going to move when . . . .
Annie leaned against a car alone once again. She breathed deeply, running her hands through her hair. She was shaking badly. It was anger mixed up with impotence. Tears ran down on her face because of the tension.
"Bitch!" she suddenly shouted kicking the wheel of a car to let off the steam.
"Annie?" a male voice called her hesitantly: "Are you all right?"
Annie's eyes widened and she swiftly turned. "Bryan!"
He held her in his arms to calm her down. She cried against his shoulder.
Dom frowned at that scene. What the heck was happening?
"How are you baby?" Bryan asked comprehensively gently caressing Annie's hair once she was a bit more calm.
Annie left his hold: "Did you hear her? She menaced me! Again! She said that if I don't leave, she'll tell Dom all about that night!" Annie said exasperated, wiping her tears away.
Bryan observed her worried. "You cannot go on like that," shaking his head.
"Do I have a choice?" Annie replied bitterly:" I don't want you and Mia involved in all that. Me is enough."
"You don't have to sacrifice yourself for all of us. It wasn't your fault."
"Yeah, - it was!" Annie insisted: "And Dom would never understand. He would first kill me and then you if he just knew it."
Dom was getting more and more angry. He breathed deeply trying to remain calm. Also Bryan was in it? And Mia!! Who else?
"But if I talk to him, he'll have to accept it," Bryan proposed generously.
Annie smiled comprehensively holding his hands in hers. "Thank you Bryan, really. But I don't want you to get into this any further. Better leave things like that. And also . . . . . she allowed me to race until we'll meet on the list."
"Damn, Annie! Again? You know she'll be unfair!" Bryan told her seriously worried.
"Only this time I know what to expect and I'm ready," Annie replied determined.
"But she'll do everything to win and humiliate you. It'll be worse than last time," Bryan said.
"I know," Annie replied thoughtfully.
"But you'd never back down," Bryan ended with a sad smile reading her thoughts. He gently caressed her hair.
Annie smiled quietly and nodded: "It's all I have. The respect for myself. My honor. She won't take that away from me," she ended determined.
Bryan shook his head. Letty could do it, but he said nothing. It would have been useless. "You're exactly like Dom," he said shaking his head, took back a forelock from her face and tenderly lifted her chin to stare into her eyes. She was so beautiful and not only because of her look but also because she was there. She was there still fighting against a world so far from hers, a world that hadn't accepted her completely. She was fighting against the lies, against all her demons, against something she hadn't wanted and still it had happened. She was alone. He couldn't help her. Heck! This drove him nuts. If only . . . he could talk . . . he caressed her cheek losing himself in the turquoise depths that her eyes had become after the crying.
"It'll be fine," she cheered him up: "It'll be alright," she whispered mostly to herself.
He hugged her strongly and she let him do it. He was so gentle, so comprehensive and she needed that. She was so angry and at the same time so lonely. She couldn't count on anyone. It was only her now and things had become even hard mostly since she'd seen Dom again. And what she'd tried to chase away was back. She looked at Bryan and stared into his big blue eyes trying to find an answer to her thousand questions. Suddenly she felt so tired and sad. Help me, she would have wanted to say to him. Help me.
He looked at her and felt his heart tearing apart, he could read the deep sadness and solitude in those eyes. She was so lonely . . . if- only he could help her . . . he approached her . . . if- only he could . . . kiss her . . .Bryan bent down to her, their eyes locked, their lips so near almost touching and then Annie suddenly turned her face and he kissed her cheek. He breathed deeply feeling shaken by his emotions but said nothing. He swallowed hard and simply held her in his arms strongly. No words. As if nothing had just happened, trying to calm down his inner turmoil.
Dom narrowed his eyes and swallowed hard at that. He turned away from the scene, he couldn't bear it any longer. He was shaken and angry and . . . Betrayed and hurt, that's how he felt.
He clenched his fists digging his nails into his skin. He felt as if he was choking, overwhelmed by what he'd just seen and heard. He closed his eyes trying to reason and calm down but a few words still echoed in his mind with striking power: Lies, secrets, betrayal. Annie, his Annie was in all that. And Letty and Mia and Bryan! Dom shook his head incredulous. His best buddy, the one he trusted most. He was lying to him. He was cheating on Mia!
The night. What had happened that damn night? He felt his head spinning. He'd been cheated on. Annie had cheated on him. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His Annie. This thought seemed to drive him crazy, make him furious. And then his group. Everyone seemed to know everything except for him. He breathed deeply and opened his eyes again. He needed answers. Someone would have to pay for this.
He stood up and looked decisively toward him. Answers. He fast walked away. It would be a long night. Lots of things needed to be cleared. Yes, it would be a damn long ass night.
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"So you're back," suddenly a female voice said behind her back.
Letty? But hadn't she followed Dom? She slowly turned to look at her.
Letty stared at her with open hostility. "Thought we had a deal: you stay away, I stay away. I kept my part," Letty said toughly.
Dom was searching for Mia, when he stopped and frowned. Letty hadn't told him where his sister was. He fast came back to ask her, but slowed down has he heard the two girls talking animatedly. He neared and watched remaining half covered by the darkness.
"Thought I obeyed to you. I respected the deal," the other girl said.
Annie? What was she talking about? Dom frowned.
"Don't think so, since you're back," Letty made her notice.
"Listen, how could I imagine to find you here? Dom hasn't raced for a lot of time and Hector told me - " "Leave," Letty interrupted her toughly.
"Listen, this place is big enough for both of us, and I only want to race, I don't think - " Annie said in a comprehensive tone.
Why was she so submissive with Letty? Dom thought.
"Leave," Letty repeated obstinately: "Or else I - " Dom couldn't believe it. What was that? He had known the girls had always disliked each other, but this was more than antipathy. This was pure hatred. How was it possible that he had never become aware of it? That he'd been so blind?
"You what? Huh?" Annie promptly said loosing her control raising her chin and putting her hand on her waist in a defiant tone.
"I'll tell Dom everything," Letty ended menacingly.
"Everything . . . " Annie repeated with a bitter laugh: "You know? You should truly tell him everything, I mean all of it, even about you."
He finally stopped hidden by a car. He narrowed his eyes and decided to wait in the darkness.
"It'd not be worthwhile for you, and even if, he would never trust you," Letty said sure of herself.
This was the big problem, thought Annie. Dom would have never trusted her.
Dom frowned. What were they talking about?
"Must be sad to have to resort to blackmail and menaces, to keep your man nearby you," Annie stated finally taking her courage.
"You know, he's a man, he makes mistakes," Letty said: "And you're just one of them," she added contemptuous. "But I'm here to make him notice it."
Annie shook her head: "Have you ever told him about that?"
"Sure not, but it's irrelevant. He wouldn't understand it," Letty shrugged.
"You know what? I don't give a damn! You want to tell him everything? Go on! Tell him!" Annie said fed up. What more could she lose? Dom was already out of her life and she still felt terrible because of this. It was enough, she was tired of this blackmail.
"Really?" Letty said sarcastically, crossing her arms on her chest tilting her head to one side, narrowing her eyes: "And you also don't give a damn about Mia?" she asked defiantly.
Oh, shit Mia! She couldn't do this to her! "Oh, oh! So you still care about her!" Letty said with a triumphant smile watching the girl's reaction.
Annie bowed her head. Letty still got her.
"Looks like you're the one who doesn't give a damned about the people you call friends. You're part of the team, but you would hurt them just to get rid of me?" Annie said lifting her head up and shaking her head in disbelief.
Letty narrowed her eyes and sent her a glance of pure hatred. "Yes," she simply muttered and for the first time Annie felt a chill down to her spine scared by what she'd just read in Letty's eyes. Annie swallowed. "Stay the fuck off my grass!" said Letty through her teeth.
Dom stared astonished at the scene, struck by Letty's words.
"Ok, I'll race tomorrow and then I'll go away," Annie said sadly. "No, tomorrow you'll announce your withdrawal," Letty replied toughly.
"Listen, I got a deal with Hector, I gotta race!"
"No! You got a deal with me and you'll announce your withdrawal!" Letty repeated stubbornly.
"What's up? You're afraid to race against me?" Annie teased her with a sad smile.
"You?" Letty laughed sarcastically. "C'mon! for what you'll try to do, you'll always be nothing! I beat you once and I can do it again," Letty said sure of herself.
"Wanna bet?" Annie promptly said with the most provocative smile. She didn't know why she'd said that, but she couldn't help it.
"Why? Do you need to be humiliated again?" Letty said contemptuous.
"So? Wanna bet?" Annie insisted, fascinated now by the idea.
"What?" Letty asked tempted.
"Money . . . . and respect."
"Respect!" Letty laughed sarcastically but she looked at Annie and became serious again: "And then you'll announce your resignation," she ended half closing her eyes.
Annie nodded.
Letty smiled slowly shaking her head "Told ya! Whatever you try to do, you'll never reach my level."
"So?" Annie insisted.
Letty thoughtfully stared at her for a long moment. "Done."
Annie breathed relieved.
"You'll race until we'll meet on the list, then you'll withdraw."
"Ok," Annie agreed.
They sealed the deal by holding each other's hands.
"You know," Letty ended raising an eyebrow: "It won't be as easy as last time was," with a provocative smile.
"I never thought it to be" Annie said not scared at all by those words.
"See you soon, pizza girl," Letty said finally leaving her alone.
"See you - Letty," muttered Annie thoughtfully, once Letty was far from her.
------------------------------------
Dom leaned against a car where he was hidden crouched down. He was shaken feeling someway betrayed. He 'd just realized that he knew nothing about Annie and Letty.
Letty. He thought surprised. He'd maybe truly discovered her for the first time. And Annie? What had happened? What had they been talking about? He'd had to find it out soon. Who else knew it? He was going to move when . . . .
Annie leaned against a car alone once again. She breathed deeply, running her hands through her hair. She was shaking badly. It was anger mixed up with impotence. Tears ran down on her face because of the tension.
"Bitch!" she suddenly shouted kicking the wheel of a car to let off the steam.
"Annie?" a male voice called her hesitantly: "Are you all right?"
Annie's eyes widened and she swiftly turned. "Bryan!"
He held her in his arms to calm her down. She cried against his shoulder.
Dom frowned at that scene. What the heck was happening?
"How are you baby?" Bryan asked comprehensively gently caressing Annie's hair once she was a bit more calm.
Annie left his hold: "Did you hear her? She menaced me! Again! She said that if I don't leave, she'll tell Dom all about that night!" Annie said exasperated, wiping her tears away.
Bryan observed her worried. "You cannot go on like that," shaking his head.
"Do I have a choice?" Annie replied bitterly:" I don't want you and Mia involved in all that. Me is enough."
"You don't have to sacrifice yourself for all of us. It wasn't your fault."
"Yeah, - it was!" Annie insisted: "And Dom would never understand. He would first kill me and then you if he just knew it."
Dom was getting more and more angry. He breathed deeply trying to remain calm. Also Bryan was in it? And Mia!! Who else?
"But if I talk to him, he'll have to accept it," Bryan proposed generously.
Annie smiled comprehensively holding his hands in hers. "Thank you Bryan, really. But I don't want you to get into this any further. Better leave things like that. And also . . . . . she allowed me to race until we'll meet on the list."
"Damn, Annie! Again? You know she'll be unfair!" Bryan told her seriously worried.
"Only this time I know what to expect and I'm ready," Annie replied determined.
"But she'll do everything to win and humiliate you. It'll be worse than last time," Bryan said.
"I know," Annie replied thoughtfully.
"But you'd never back down," Bryan ended with a sad smile reading her thoughts. He gently caressed her hair.
Annie smiled quietly and nodded: "It's all I have. The respect for myself. My honor. She won't take that away from me," she ended determined.
Bryan shook his head. Letty could do it, but he said nothing. It would have been useless. "You're exactly like Dom," he said shaking his head, took back a forelock from her face and tenderly lifted her chin to stare into her eyes. She was so beautiful and not only because of her look but also because she was there. She was there still fighting against a world so far from hers, a world that hadn't accepted her completely. She was fighting against the lies, against all her demons, against something she hadn't wanted and still it had happened. She was alone. He couldn't help her. Heck! This drove him nuts. If only . . . he could talk . . . he caressed her cheek losing himself in the turquoise depths that her eyes had become after the crying.
"It'll be fine," she cheered him up: "It'll be alright," she whispered mostly to herself.
He hugged her strongly and she let him do it. He was so gentle, so comprehensive and she needed that. She was so angry and at the same time so lonely. She couldn't count on anyone. It was only her now and things had become even hard mostly since she'd seen Dom again. And what she'd tried to chase away was back. She looked at Bryan and stared into his big blue eyes trying to find an answer to her thousand questions. Suddenly she felt so tired and sad. Help me, she would have wanted to say to him. Help me.
He looked at her and felt his heart tearing apart, he could read the deep sadness and solitude in those eyes. She was so lonely . . . if- only he could help her . . . he approached her . . . if- only he could . . . kiss her . . .Bryan bent down to her, their eyes locked, their lips so near almost touching and then Annie suddenly turned her face and he kissed her cheek. He breathed deeply feeling shaken by his emotions but said nothing. He swallowed hard and simply held her in his arms strongly. No words. As if nothing had just happened, trying to calm down his inner turmoil.
Dom narrowed his eyes and swallowed hard at that. He turned away from the scene, he couldn't bear it any longer. He was shaken and angry and . . . Betrayed and hurt, that's how he felt.
He clenched his fists digging his nails into his skin. He felt as if he was choking, overwhelmed by what he'd just seen and heard. He closed his eyes trying to reason and calm down but a few words still echoed in his mind with striking power: Lies, secrets, betrayal. Annie, his Annie was in all that. And Letty and Mia and Bryan! Dom shook his head incredulous. His best buddy, the one he trusted most. He was lying to him. He was cheating on Mia!
The night. What had happened that damn night? He felt his head spinning. He'd been cheated on. Annie had cheated on him. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His Annie. This thought seemed to drive him crazy, make him furious. And then his group. Everyone seemed to know everything except for him. He breathed deeply and opened his eyes again. He needed answers. Someone would have to pay for this.
He stood up and looked decisively toward him. Answers. He fast walked away. It would be a long night. Lots of things needed to be cleared. Yes, it would be a damn long ass night.
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