Chapter 5

About Time for a Party

The months to follow were very uneventful. Most of the people in the house went to find their own excitement. Jess stayed in her room a lot, and the only time she left the house was when Brandon brought her somewhere. Brian raced whenever Tej called him and was always speeding off in the middle of the night with Rome. Dom never told anyone where he was off too, but he went there often. Sean followed Jess around like a puppy dog. Tyler was always at a party and Nate tried to keep his girlfriend happy. But all of them worked on their cars together in the morning.

One night in August seemed to be dreadfully dull as the whole group sat in the living room, watching a movie Sean had picked out. Dom was in what was now known as his chair. Nate and Tyler were sprawled out on the large couch. Jess was curled up next to Brian on the smaller couch and Rome sat on the other side of Brian. Sean lay on the floor.

"This isn't like Eben," Jess sighed as the movie credits rolled. Boredom was setting into the house and she knew it. Eben never left anyone bored.

"What do you mean?" Sean asked looking back at Jess. Jess' eyes narrowed together in thought as she looked at Sean.

"He's the kind of guy that puts you right in the action. He doesn't leave you sitting, that's for sure," Jess stared blankly at the TV screen that had now gone a horrid shade of blue.

"How long have you known Eben?" Nate questioned.

"Too damn long," Jess spat out without hesitation. "I think I was 11 the first time I ever laid eyes on him. He was 19 and nowhere near the success he is today. I had the biggest crush on him too," Jess had a smile that went from ear to ear. "He is one devilishly handsome man." Her eyes glossed over as she chuckled softly and drowned in her own memories.

An 11-year-old Jess sat behind the counter of her dad's garage. She was scrawny with huge blue eyes and greasy blonde hair. Black oil streaks dawned her cheeks. She sat on a tall stool hunched over an English textbook, a cute confused frown planted firmly in place. You could hear her mumble under her breath that she could be helping in the shop if she didn't have to read.

"A pretty girl like you is better off reading," a smooth voice cut through the silence. A young Jess looked up into the face of a then very young Eben Foster. His green, blue eyes sparkled in the light. Jess couldn't help but lose herself in his brilliant white smile. His jet-black hair was perfectly kept and his lean, fit body made her flush.

"Working on cars is more fun," Jess replied in a hurry. Eben raised one of his perfect eyebrows in amusement. He chuckled lightly.

"No shit." He chuckled some more and Jess could feel her face heat up again as he winked at her. She knew she was supposed to ask him what his business was but her voice lost her.

"Are you Brandon's sister?" he asked. Jess nodded. Just then her said brother walked in. Eben turned his attention away from Jess to Brandon.

"Stop eyein up my sister dude. She's only eleven." Brandon scowled at Eben. He was a friend with him but he knew Eben's reputation.

"Damn… you're awfully pretty for eleven. Even under all that grease," he winked again and turned to leave with Brandon. It was a good thing too cause Jess had turned permanently red.

Her first crush.

"I don't see anything special about him," Sean huffed and cut the silence that had fallen over the room. Jess shook herself out of her flash back.

"You wouldn't cause you're a guy and I'm glad for that," Jess teased as she stood and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Besides, the guy's an ass," Jess headed towards the stairs swaying her hips lazily.

"You're going to bed already? It's only 8:00pm!" Tyler exclaimed. She shot him a side ways glance.

"Well what do you suggest we do for fun?" she asked him as she raised an eyebrow. Tyler sat in thought for a while along with everyone else.

"I think we should throw a party and hold our own little street race gathering in the back yard! I know we all can call up people and no one can pass up a risk free way of racing. Come on you guys, like Jess said, Eben doesn't leave you sitting. Well, here we are, and I know none of you are happy." Tyler looked around and everyone seemed to agree. They all ran upstairs to their cell phones to call all of their buds. No one even noticed Dom stay behind and call friends of his own.

"Come on Jess, people are staring to arrive," Brian said stepping into her room. She sat on her bed facing the balcony doors. Loud music already blared from downstairs and the sound of cars revving their engines could be heard from the back. Jess looked back at Brian and smiled,

"I guess."

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You know, nothin…" she got up and took his arm as they walked to the stairs. His attire was plain as usual, and she wore a lime green halter-top and a pair of tight fitting jeans. She hadn't worn anything tight fitting sense she arrived at the house and she suddenly wished she'd hadn't. With her arms locked with Brian's, she couldn't pull up her low-rise jeans that were going a little too low for comfort.

The living room was filled with people, most she didn't know. She noticed Nate and Sean playing Play Station II with a bunch of their buds. A lot of girls showed up and had guys in lip lock already.

"Oh my god! It's little Jess! Look at her, she's all grown up!" Jess looked around to see one of the street racing chicks she'd known sense she was 13. Jess had once looked up to her, because she was a racer too. Her hair was long, red and went down to her waist, she was super model skinny, and she had deep green eyes Jess secretly wished she could have. There was also a look about her that men were drawn to. Jess and the girl hugged as Brian stood back and looked her friend over.

"It's so good to see you Valerie." Jess greeted warmly.

"Little girl it's been too long. I was starting to think you had disappeared," Valerie put a hand on her hip. "Now who is this handsome stud? A boyfriend?" she asked with curiosity. Jess suddenly realized Brian was there, and she could feel herself begin to blush.

"No, Valerie this Brian O'Coner," they shook hands.

"Well it was good to met you Brian, but Jess I promised your brother I'd save him from his ex. She just showed up. But I'm glad Brandon told me to come, it was good to see you again. Nice meeting you Brian," and with that Valerie had disappeared though the crowd.

"I think I'll leave you now Brian. I wanna go outside and get some fresh air," Jess said in a rush as she left Brian staring after her. The night air was strangely cool for the middle of summer in Miami. Her thoughts drifted away till a figure came out from the shadows.

"Hey there Dom," Jess said as she popped back into reality. He gave a little head nod like most men do and came to stand by her on the doorstep.

"Are you racing tonight?" Jess asked hearing the sound of tires peeling out from the track. Dom looked down at her with a frown on his face.

"Are you?" He shot back but not in a mean way.

"Well I was thinking about it," she shrugged.

"I thought racing was what you used to live for?"

"It is…it was…" Jess stammered.

"I don't get you Jess. You sound scared to me, but you didn't seem scared when you raced Rome awhile back." Dom's face was stern, but Jess knew he was just trying to help. And maybe she was scared, but she wanted to race more than anything in the world.

"I don't even understand myself," she now stared down at her shoes.

"Don't hang your head kid," Jess looked up at Dom with a weak smile, "just give things time." For some reason Jess was comforted by Dom's simple words of wisdom. The two stood in a peaceful silence even though the sounds of the party still blasted. Jess turned to go back to the party when Dom stepped into the driveway as a car pulled in. Jess couldn't see who was in it because the windows where heavily tinted. In the dark it was hard to tell, but Jess guessed the car was a Nissan Skyline. Two men stepped out from the front seats. The first guy was small and mousy looking. He wore a stripped beanie, baggy jeans and a black T-shirt. The driver was built a little smaller than Dom, but taller.

Then two more people squeezed out from the back of the car. Jess didn't even have to get a good look, because she knew these people. The two guys were Jesse and Leon from Brian's picture and the two that just stepped out of the back were Letty and Mia.

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated lately, I've been having a little bit of writer's block with this story. I know this chapter is really short, but the next one should be longer. And thanks to the few that took the time to review!

:::New A/N::: I revised another chapter! This one had a whole new flash back if you caught that. Woohoo! Only like 10 more revisions to go! See ya in the next chapter.