We were seated at a table in a nice little Italian restaurant called Cha Cha Cha, almost finished with our meals when I saw her pull up. She was still as beautiful as the day I watched her drive down the road, destination: as far away from me as Le could get her. Didn't quite work out that way, but, hey, what can you do. With her was a purple 240sx.

"You ok?" I hear Lenny ask.

"We gotta get out of here," I tell him, grabbing the bill and walking up to the checkout counter by the door, hoping to leave before there could be a confrontation. Just as the receipt was printing out and Len catching up to me, the door behind me opened.

I grabbed the receipt and pushed my way through the crowd of people walking in the door, keeping my head down. Twice my nose was assaulted with the familiar smells of my best friends, but I just kept going. I could hear Lenny hurrying in my wake, apologizing to people.

"Jade, what the hell is your problem?" a concerned Len asks me once we are out in the open. I glance back at the still-open door of Cha Cha Cha and see that the group of people was watching us curiously.

"Just get in the car Lenny," I tell him, not stopping.

I'm unlocking my door when I hear it. "No, Leon, I miss her, I'm not going to let her get away. Let go of me, Goddamnit!" I quickly get in and reach over to unlock the passenger door for Lenny. He opens the door, but doesn't get in.

"I'm not getting in until I get an explanation, J," Len says.

"I'll tell you back at the hotel, just get in," I say, frustrated.

"She obviously doesn't want to see us, man, let her go," I hear Leon say.

Len finally gets in, though he doesn't look happy about it. I tear out of the parking lot with a squeal, the same way I leave just about everywhere.

"Now, what the hell was that all about?" Len asks as we walk into our hotel room. I'd refused to say anything until we were far away from anyone who might recognize me.

"Some people I really don't want to see," I say, knowing he wouldn't accept that as an answer.

I was right. "And, why, exactly, don't you want to see them?"

"Because they're fucking pricks who left a twelve year old girl with a business to run because they were scared," I tell him, flopping down on the bed and covering my face with my hands. Flipping onto my stomach, I buried my face in the pillow. I felt Lenny sit down next to me on the bed and start rubbing my back. Turning my head to look at him, I try to reassure him, "I'm ok."

With a small smile he said, "Good." And leaned down to kiss me. We managed to keep ourselves occupied until everyone else showed up.

We were all eating dinner when I saw an interesting car pull up at the convenience store across the street. "I'll be right back," I tell the guys. Not waiting to find out if they heard me or not, I quickly walk out of the restaurant and cross the street. As I'm circling the black Honda 2000, with a plexi-glass hood to show off the immaculate parts, a Latino man walked up to me.

"Like what you see?" the man asked.

"Only for the simple fact that you can tell me when and where races are," I say, folding my arms and leaning against the car. The man smiled.

We didn't go up the main road. We were parked near the entrance to a side alley near the starting line. Everyone was there already, socializing before the races got underway. "Erick, come here," I say, watching Letty run chasers away from Torretto. I pull 5 grand out of my back pocket; Erick looks nervous. "Don't look so scared. Go up to Torretto, tell him he has a 5G challenge, show the cash. Don't point out my car if you can help it, don't tell him my name, and for the love of God, don't tell him I'm a girl," I instruct him, handing him the money and pushing him in Torretto's direction then getting in my car and pumpin' up the music.

My door is open and Lenny is standing between the door and the car, talking to Keith, the lead guitarist. That's a good thing. If Erick ends up pointing out the car, they'll think Lenny is racing- at least long enough to accept the challenge.

I watch from behind tinted windows as Erick walks up to Torretto. Torretto looks skeptical until the money comes out. He still looks slightly hesitant and I see Erick point us out. Seeing an old car seems to put Torretto at ease, for he nods his head and calls over the Latino man that gave me the stats for the races to apparently hold the money. Erick hands over the money and hurries back to us.

"All systems go," he tells me.

"Thank you, Erick," I say sweetly. Lenny leans down and gives me a good luck kiss and I start up my baby and head to the line. Pulling into the far right spot – Torretto's spot, I happily note – I turn my music to full blast just as 'Somethin's Gotta Give' comes on, then procede to turn on my NOS. As everyone else lines up, I compress my clutch halfway and shift into third then spit some flames out of my tailpipe.

I feel so wonderful,

Living in disguise,

It hides me,

And keeps me from being satisfied,

I feel so comfortable,

Living with disease,

'Cause I have the killer of humanity,

I see Torretto looking at me. He probably recognizes my car from earlier, but I know he can't see in my windows, so I'm not worried…yet.

I've had it up to here with you,

You keep playin' me like a fool,

I'm hangin' on by a thread,

And the voices in my head say "Take it out on you"

I've had it up to here with you,

You keep playin' me like a fool,

I'm hangin' on by a thread,

And the voices in my head say "Take it out on you"

I'm sick of all you people and your contradictions,

You're all about filth,

You're all about fiction,

I'm fed up with your get up so put your head up

I'm fed up with your get up so put your head up

Somethin's gotta give,

OH! And it won't be me,

The Latino man, who's name I now know is Hector, listens to something over his two-way the walks out to start us off.

I feel so sensual,

When I close my eyes,

It hides me,

And keeps me from being happy inside,

I feel so wonderful,

Waiting here for you,

To use me,

Abuse me,

The way that you always do,

I've had it up to here with you,

You keep playin' me like a fool,

I'm hangin' on by a thread,

And the voices in my head say "Take it out on you"

I've had it up to here with you,

You keep playin' me like a fool,

I'm hangin' on by a thread,

And the voices in my head say, "Take it out on you"

I'm sick of all you people and your contradictions,

You're all about filth,

You're all about fiction,

I'm fed up with your get up so put your head up,

I'm fed up with your get up so put your head up,

Time seems to slow as Hector's arms go down. I pop the clutch, and I'm gone.