The team were all ready to go in about 20 minutes.
Vince and Jesse left first, then Dom and Letty and then Brian and Mia. The only person left was Leon. Ali figured she would get a lift to the garage with him. He came up the stairs.
"Came I come with you?"
"Yeh no problem"
He lifted his keys off the kitchen table and headed out the front door. Ali followed. She got into his car and they were off. She felt kinda bad about seeming so rude this morning. She knew exactly what they were feeling about her she just couldn't help but be protective of herself - after all who else would be.
They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Leon spoke.
"You know Ali I'm sorry if we offended you or anything this morning. We didn't …"
"Know I was listening?"
She cut him off before he could finish his sentence. He looked over at her to see her face. She was smiling.
"It's ok honestly. I would be exactly the same if I was in your position. It's just hard you know? Not knowing anyone or what they are thinking?"
"Yeh I know what you mean but then I can't stop thinking about how bad things must have been for you to want to come to a different were you didn't know anyone."
"Yeh I know"
"Look you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to I just worry about people that's all."
"You don't need to worry about me honestly."
"Well you ain't got anyone else to worry about you at the minute do you?"
He was smiling at her. That was exactly what she had been thinking this morning. Did she want someone else to look after her or was she capable of doing it herself?
"I've got me."
"Well that's true I suppose."
"Leon?"
"Yeh"
"What do you's normally do for lunch around here?"
"We go to the store. Mia makes lunch. Why?"
"Oh nothing."
They pulled up at the garage. Ali tried to take it all in. It didn't look like much from the outside. Maybe it was better in the inside, she thought.
They got out of the car and headed into the garage. It actually looked very like the garage back home. She said hello to everyone before Dom called her into the office.
"So you ok girl?"
"Yeh I'm fine thanks. Just can't wait to get my hands on a car again. It's been too long."
"That's what I like to hear. Do you want to give Brian a hand the civic he's working on?"
"Yeh sounds good." She turned and walked out of the office.
They worked hard all morning then headed to the store for lunch then back to the garage in the afternoon. They got back from the garage at about 4 or 5. This routine carried on for the next couple of weeks and Ali finally felt like she was starting to fit in. That was of course excluding the evil glares and comments from Letty but she figured they would die down soon.
2 weeks later they were all getting ready to go out. It was Leon's birthday and they were heading to some nightclub in the city. Ali had been out shopping with Mia, they had even convinces Letty to go, although she moaned about it the whole time.
Mia and she were getting ready upstairs in Mia's room. Mia was wearing a short black skirt and a pink halter top with black shoes and a gorgeous small diamond necklace that Brian had bought her.
Ali was wearing the traditional little black dress with high shoes. She looked in the mirror and actually felt liked she looked nice. She knew this was going to be a good night.
Mia left the room first and headed down the stairs. 5 minutes later she heard Dom calling her.
"Ali would you come on we are all waiting for you."
"ooppss"
She grabbed her bag and left the room. As she was walking down the stairs she could hear whistling. She turned around to see all the guys and Letty and Mia in the living room watching her.
She blushed.
"Stop it" She smiled at them as she walked down the rest of the stairs.
"Ok let's go" Dom saved her from any more embarrassment. "And lift your jaw off the floor Le." Maybe not she thought.
She turned and looked at him before walking out of the house with everyone else.
They got to the nightclub about 20 minutes later in their taxis and everyone got out and headed inside.
Before long the alcohol was flowing and everyone was having a great time. She got up and was dancing on the bar with Mia at one stage.
At that moment she thought to herself - could life get any better than this?
She could feel herself getting more and more drunk but she didn't really care she was enjoying herself for the first time in weeks.
She walked back over to the table were everyone was sitting after being at the toilets. She sat down beside Leon on a free chair.
"You having a good night?"
He leaned over to speak to her
"Yeh this is brilliant just what I needed."
"Good"
He just smiled at her
"Happy Birthday"
She got up and went over to the dance floor with Mia again. They were dancing away and when the song ended the DJ spoke over the club.
"OK one song for the couples out there and then we will get back to some hardcore dancing again."
Mia and Ali just looked at each other and laughed. Brian walked up behind Mia and grabbed her. They just laughed again. She headed back to her table. She looked at the dance floor.
Everyone was up dancing in their couples - even Dom and Letty. Brian and Mia were dancing and Jesse had some blonde girl dancing with him. Vince was just standing at the bar talking to some brunette girl. She couldn't see Leon anywhere.
Just as she was thinking that someone put their hand on her shoulder. She turned round to face Leon.
"Come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.
They danced the song without speaking. As soon as the song was over she felt hands grabbing her. She turned round to see who it was.
"Come on girl we are going to the toilets." Letty and Mia were standing in front of her.
"Oh ok." She walked away with the girls.
They got into the toilets and Mia was all giggly.
"Oh my God girl what's going on there? Do you like Le?"
"MMMMM?"
"Come on girl you gotta give us more than that?"
Letty was actually being nice to her. She figured that as long as Letty knew she interested in someone else she wouldn't have to worry about Dom.
"I don't know. We are just friends."
"Well a wee tip for you, Le isn't just friends with any one like the other two."
"But I think we are just friends."
"Oh my god this is so exciting." Mia was giggling in the corner.
Letty turned to talk to Ali again.
"Come on lets get her back with the rest of them."
They left the toilets and headed back to the table with the rest of the guys.
"One thing I never understood. How girls have to go to the bathroom in two's or three's."
Dom was saying this as the girls came back towards the table.
"You're not meant to understand Dom. That's the reason guys aren't allowed in."
Letty was standing behind him. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his knee and she was laughing.
Ali was looking at her watch. It was 12:05. Time for another drink she thought.
"Here Ali"
She turned around to see Leon standing behind her.
"You want another drink?"
"Yeh sure"
She followed behind him towards the bar, she could hear whistling and shouting from table. They just looked at each other and laughed.
They got another drink and then Ali suggested shots.
"No way Ali I'll be crawling home."
"Aww come on Le it'll be fun. It's your birthday you've got to."
"Fine. What do you want?"
"Ok get tequila, salt and lemon."
He leant over the bar and asked for two and the bar man give them to them.
"Ok what do we do?" He looked at her
"You don't know what to do?"
He just laughed.
"Ok put the salt on the back of your hand and lick it first. Drink the shot and then suck the lemon."
"Ok"
"OK 1, 2, 3 go"
They both did the shot.
"Omg that's horrible." Was all the Leon could say.
Ali leant over the bar and ordered another two.
"No Ali come on we've had enough." He said giggling in her ear.
"There's no such thing."
She handed them the shot and they did another one. Now she was starting to feel really drunk and she liked it.
"OK now that's enough. You wana go back to the table?"
"Yeh come on."
They walked back towards the table.
"That was a long drink." Dom looked up at them.
"Shots man."
Dom just laughed. "Oh someone is going to feel rough in the morning." Everyone at the table laughed.
They could here the bouncers calling final drinks.
"Ok that's our cue to go." They all got their stuff and headed outside to get taxis.
That's when it hit Ali that she was really really drunk. She went to walk down the edge of the curb and almost fell but Dom grabbed her arm before she could. She just laughed.
"I think we need to get you home." He looked at her
"So do I." She smiled back at him.
"Leon. Come and give me a hand would you."
Leon came up behind them and put his arm around her waist and Dom put her arm around his neck so he could hold her up.
Dom just laughed and walked over to Letty.
They all got home by about 2am. Ali collapsed on the sofa when they got in and Leon sat down beside her.
Dom and Letty, Mia and Brian, and Vince and Jesse with their girls headed to bed.
Ali put her head on Leon's shoulder.
He lifted her head up with his hand under her chin. They looked at each other before he kissed her. She kissed him back.
She pulled away from him after a minute.
"I'm sorry maybe I shouldn't have done that."
"Don't be sorry." She took him by the hand and stood up.
"Come on."
"You being serious? Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
He stood up still holding onto her hand. He kissed her again putting his other hand at the bottom of her back.
They headed up the stairs to his room. Before they went in he turned to her.
"Are you sure Ali? We don't have to do this. There's no rush."
She leant over and kissed him hard pushing the bedroom door open with her hand. They were still kissing as they headed over to the bed. The room was in darkness and they couldn't see a thing. They both tripped over a chair and landed on a heap on the floor and erupted into fits of laughter.
He picked her up and let her fall backwards onto the bed. He took his shirt off and leant on top of her and kissed her again.
He put his hand on her leg and lifted her dress over he waist and the over her head. He just looked at her. She had the most gorgeous figure. She was wearing matching black underwear.
"Oh my God." He just smiled.
She sat up and pulled him towards her kissing him again. He pushed himself on top of her kissing her back. Suddenly she stopped.
"What's wrong?" He said looking at her.
"I don't feel too good."
"Are you ok?"
"No get off me I'm going to be sick."
She jumped off the bed and ran out the door to the bathroom. She got their just in time. She was being sick when she felt someone holding her hair back for her and rubbing her back. She turned around for a moment and could see it was Leon. But she had to turn back round again to be sick again.
He stayed with her until she was done then put his arms around her and lifted her up off the floor.
They headed back to his room and he put her down on the bed.
"I'll get you some water. Wait here."
She put her head back on the pillow. She felt awful. She watched him leave the room wearing just his trousers.
What was she thinking? Is this what she wanted?