Ok everyone I've decided to change my writing style on this chapter. I think it's easier to read and write this way. I'm sorry if you don't like it or it's a bit confusing from the previous chapters. Let me know what you think please?

Celicasam

On the entire journey home I listened to Brian and Mia catching up with each other with Brian trying to be polite every now and again by trying to include me into the conversation. I wasn't really in the mood for talking though.

I was getting very anxious about meeting these new people now. Normally I am a very outgoing person who gets on well with everyone, well everyone that I like. But because of everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks I can see myself becoming more and more shy, easily intimidated, a bit of a pushover. But I don't want to come across as that kind of person to these new people. I want to be the tough, strong Ali that I had been for the past five years.

The atmosphere in the car was far from nice. I could tell that Mia was annoyed with Brian. This was obviously because he hadn't told her, or anyone for that matter, that I was coming over with him.

I could understand why Mia was annoyed though. If it had of been Taylor that had been away for a month and arrived home with a strange girl I would have been annoyed. But not that that matters anymore, I thought to myself as I looked out the window of the car as we continued driving.

I sat in silence for the rest of the journey while Brian tried to sweet talk Mia into not being annoyed. I don't think he was getting very far though.

About 30 minutes later we pulled into the driveway of a tall white house. It looked quite big from the outside. There was one car parked in the driveway already. I noticed that it was a Skyline. There weren't many of them around in Ireland so this was quite good to see and hopefully had some bearing on how much these people liked their cars.

We got out of the car and headed up the steps into the house. I stopped at the side of the Skyline and looked in the window although I couldn't see much because they were tinted. Brian and Mia stopped walking when they noticed that I wasn't walking behind them anymore.

"Oh God don't tell me it's another one that's into cars. I thought Letty was bad enough."

Mia said this with cheek as she laughed a little. Brian gave her the dirtiest look.

"Mia don't be like you don't even know the girl."

"Yeh I know that Brian which is the biggest problem I have with her being here."

"Mia stop being stupid. Just go into the house and I'll be in in a minute."

She didn't look pleased at being told what to do by Brian. She turned on her heels and muttered something under her breathe before unlocking the front door and walking in, slamming it hard behind her.

Brian had a confused look on his face as he walked down the steps towards me.

"Sorry about that. Don't worry she'll come round. Guess I should have told her you were coming though. Don't worry though it will be fine."

He gave me smile.

"So you like the Skyline then?"

"Brian maybe it isn't such a good idea me staying here. I mean no one knows me, for all they know I could be a right weirdo and by the sounds of things the two women living here aren't going to be pleased with another woman being in the house. I don't want to get off to the wrong start in my new life. It's supposed to be simple and hassle free."

I looked at him in an awkward and embarrassed way.

"Look Ali, if I didn't think it was a good idea for you to stay here I wouldn't have offered. Honesty the people I live with are actually quite nice you just have give yourself time to get to know them, and give them time to get to know you."

He was trying his hardest to make me feel better.

"And by the way, life is never simple and hassle free. I think you are just going to have to get used to that."

He was laughing. I couldn't help it but laugh as well.

"I know. It was wishful thinking."

"Ok come. I'm sure you're hungry and there is bound to be something in their to eat"

He said pointing at the house. I just nodded and we headed into the house.

I walked in the big front and was immediately into the living room. It was big and had two big sofas against two of the walls. There was a very big TV in one of the corners with a play station plugged into and what seemed like every racing game ever made lying on the floor around it.

We then walked into the kitchen which was also big. It was very bright and had a big door in the corner of it, which I assumed lead to the back garden.

Brian made a sandwich for both of us and another for Mia, I assumed. We went back into the living room and Brian turned the TV on and handed me the remote.

"Ok I'm going to go upstairs to talk to Mia for a bit. Will you be ok here for a while?"

"Yes Brian I'll fine. I'm a big girl you know."

"Ok sorry."

He said laughing as he headed up the stairs.

I flicked the TV over all the different channels trying to find something that looked remotely similar to something I knew. I finally found a TV channel that was showing an episode of Friends and decided to stick with that.

I looked at my watch - it was almost 4 o'clock. I assumed everyone else would be back soon from their jobs. If they had jobs that was.

I watched that episode of friends and another afterwards whilst eating my sandwich. I had come to the conclusion that Brian and Mia were doing more than talking. I was half-heartedly hoping that if Brian had got back on her good side (not literally) maybe she might be a bit nicer.

I was distracted by the sounds of supped up cars driving up the street. I got up and looked out the window as some of them pulled into the driveway and others parked on the street.

There was a silver Skyline, a red Maxima, a white Jetta and a red RX - 7. I predicted that these were the rest of Brian's team and was all of a sudden feeling even more nervous about meeting them.

I was anxious about what the would think of me, what they would think about me staying in their house when they didn't even know me, what they would think of Brian for bringing a complete stranger back from Ireland with him.

What if they didn't like me? What if they decided that there was no way I was staying in their house? What if I was thrown out of the house and I was left in a strange country with no where to go and no one to go to?

Now I didn't only feel anxious, I felt scared and a little bit sick if I was quite honest. O get a grip I told myself.

Before I could think about it anymore the front door opened and a tall, well built guy with a kinda beard walked through the door closely followed by a much shorter, much scrawnier looking guy with a beanie hat on. They were talking about a car and didn't even notice me standing by the window.

Another man walked in the door. He was about the same height as the first guy but had longer hair and didn't have a beard. He noticed me and called to the other guys.

"Yo guys! Who's this?"

They both turned around to him and then immediately looked in the direction he was looking.

I now had three strange men looking me up and down and now I wished that Brian was back down the stairs again. Well there was no use just standing here like a doll I thought.

"Hi I'm Ali."

I said as I looked from one guy to another.

"Oh you're Irish."

The short guy spoke up. No need to point out the obvious, I felt like saying.

"Yeh I'm Irish. I came over with Brian today."

"Oh so you're a friend of Brian's. You a cop?"

The bearded guy looked me up and down once again but this time with a slight look of disgust on his face. I was shocked by his question; in fact I thought it was a really random question?

"Am I cop? No."

I looked at him with confused look on my face. Nothing as said.

"Come on guys be nice."

I looked up to see Mia coming down the stairs with Brian following her. He winked at me as if to say don't worry she's ok with everything. At least that was one thing. One down how many more to go?

"Have you's forgot your manners guys? You aren't going to impress any ladies if you treat them like prisoners anytime they come into the house.

"What's with all the questions V.? Lighten up."

She looked at him with a cheeky smile.

She walked over to my side and smiled at me.

"Guys this is Ali. She's a friend of Brian's that he met in Ireland. Ali this is Vince, Jesse and Leon."

She pointed to each one as she said their names.

Ok so Vince was the one with the kinda beard thing who asked the random questions.

Jesse was the shorter one.

Leon was the other one, the one who had noticed me.

"Where's Dom and Letty?"

Mia questioned the guys. Leon spoke up.

"They're in Dom's car talking about something. Well actually I wouldn't call it talking because you can hear them shouting at the top of their voices. In fact I'm surprised one of them hasn't lost it yet and got out."

Mia just rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry you'll get used to it."

She smiled at me. I don't know what Brian said to her but it must have been good. She was like a different person now that the green eyed monster had disappeared.

"Do you want a drink? I'm sure you're thirsty?"

"Yeh that would be great."

"Ok come one then. Follow me."

She turned around and headed for the kitchen and I followed behind her. To tell the truth I was glad to get out of the living room. I didn't know what those three guys thought of me and for I don't think I wanted to know. We went into the kitchen and Mia went to the fridge ad got out two cans of diet coke.

"This ok for you?"

She asked pointing at the coke. I just nodded and she set it down on the table and sat down. I sat down as well. Nothing was said for a few seconds then she spoke up.

"Look I'm sorry about earlier. I was just a bit shocked that my boyfriend had just arrived back from a foreign country with a good looking Irish girl that he hadn't told me about. But don't worry I'm good now. Just wanted to say sorry. Plus I thought you could use a girly friend around here. It gets a bit tough living with all the guys."

"Look its no problem at all. I would have been the same if it had of been me and Ta…"

I stopped before I finished my sentence. I looked down to the table but quickly composed myself.

"…if it had of been me and my boyfriend had done the same thing so don't worry about it. And what'd you mean 'living with all the guys,' what about the other girl? Letty, is that what's she's called?"

She gave out a little laugh.

"Yeh its Letty, but she's more like one of the guys. She's always with them and doing stuff with them. She definitely isn't a girly girl. You'll realize as soon as you've known her for about 5 minutes."

"O ok then."

This was all a bit too much to take it. Plus I was totally wrecked from the flight and to me it seemed like it was almost midnight. Of course in reality it was just after 5 in the afternoon. Joys of jet lag!

The other two people, Dom and Letty still hadn't come in from their cars. Mia and I sat in the kitchen a bit longer before Brian came in.

"Hey girls y'alright?"

He walked over to the fridge and got a drink then walked over and stood behind Mia with his hand on her shoulder. She looked up and him and smiled.

"Yeh we're fine. Just waiting on Dom and Letty coming in so we can get finished with all the introductions. Then I'm sure we could find somewhere for Ali to sleep because I'm sure she's beat after that flight. She's not used to it like you are."

She looked over at me as if she wanted me to say something to back her up.

"Yeh I'm am pretty wrecked."

They both looked confused by what I just said.

"You're what?"

They both asked in unison. Seriously going to have to start using American terms or this could start to get annoying, I thought as I prepared to explain myself.

"Wrecked. You know really tired."

A look of understanding came to both their faces.

"Oh ok." Mia said. "I'm sure we'll get used to your sayings but if you want to change that one make it beat instead of wrecked."

The three of us laughed. Brian looked down at Mia.

"The guys are away to bed for an hour or so then I think they are going to get ready for tonight. Are you going tonight?"

"Are you going?"

"Well I'm a bit beat but I don't mind going if you want to. But I thought maybe we could stay home and have an early night."

He had a playful look in his eyes. I was all of a sudden quite jealous of their, what seemed to be, perfect relationship.

Mia seemed to blush a bit as Brian finished his sentence but she smiled at him as if to agree. What was tonight? I thought. Were did everyone go on a Friday night? I couldn't help but ask.

"Sorry I hope you don't mind me asking but what happens tonight?"

"Oh sorry tonight's race night. If you want to go we can sort you out with one of the guys. But don't worry if you don't want to go. You can stay here if you want."

I didn't know what was worse - going to race wars in a different country with guys who I hadn't even known an hour and who probably didn't like me or staying in this house with Brian and Mia who obviously were planning on doing a lot of catching up. It was a tough decision.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the front door slamming and I could hear shouting. This was obviously Dom and Mia. Someone stomped up the stairs and I heard another door upstairs slamming shut. Oh great, I thought, what have I let myself in for.