Chapter 16 - So tired of the Drama
When she woke up the next day Vince was snoring away on his back and it was already 11 am. She stretched, enjoying waking up on her own schedule and then sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She walked out of the room and went to the bathroom. She wandered back to the bedroom and then though about whether she wanted to go back to bed or get dressed and take her 'stang down to Jesse. She figured it would need some work after sitting unused for two years. Her father's caretaker had started it every so often to keep the battery charged but other then that it had just sat, forlorn without her to take it for runs.
She realized it had to get inspected for emissions and safety as both had been allowed to lapse over the time she'd been away. Oh wait, she reminded herself. Dom does that too. Sweet. Decision on the morning made, she figured she'd let Vince sleep and haul her car down to the garage on her own.
She started rummaging for clothes. It was really time to do laundry. She pulled on a black thong and a pair of hipster blue jeans. She put on the matching black bra and then realized she had no clean tops. She opened Vince's drawer and stole a black mesh tank top out of it and pulled it on. It was baggy but the mesh was fine and you could just see her bra showing through. Just the right look she thought. But more daring then she ever would have dreamed before moving in with the team.
"Hey, is it nice to steal my clothes without asking?" Vince had watched her dress. She woke him up getting out of bed. She looked back at him, surprised to find him awake.
"No, but I need to do laundry or go shopping cause all my stuff is dirty. So I had to wear something."
"You can borrow a whole shirt you know. You don't need to go around with your underwear showing on my account." Vince scowled at her choice of attire, not liking the thoughts that other guys were getting to see things he wanted reserved for his eyes only.
"You're funny. I gotta take the 'stang down to the garage. It hasn't had an oil change or anything in about two years."
"You gotta be kidden me."
"Nope. I didn't know it was still there till I talked to daddy. So I'm taking her down to Jesse this morning. Then I'm doing laundry." She wrinkled her nose. She hated doing laundry. She hated laundry mats and folding clothes, and she really, for some reason she didn't ever understand hated change. She always went out of her way not to have any so she always had to go 'buy' some to use laundry mats. "You think Dom'd mind if I did my wash here instead of at a laundry mat?"
"Of course not, but wait a minute and I'll come to the garage with you."
"No way. You need to stay in bed and take it easy."
"I can take it easy while you drive. I'm going and if you don't let me go with you I'll just go in my own car. Only that means I need to drive myself."
"That's dirty." He gave her one of those looks. "But fine, get ready."
Vince got dressed and they headed out. She got in the car and started it. Once Vince was in she put the top down. It was a beautiful sunny day. The garage was only about 5 minutes away from the house. But she didn't head right there.
"I thought you said you were going to the garage?"
"Yeah."
"Well the garage is the other way so where are we going?"
"I figured we'd go get some lunch first with Mia first." Nyssa replied as she turned her car into Toretto's café.
"Sounds like a good idea." Vince agreed as his stomach growled.
"Yeah, I don't know how you went all day without eating after listening to your team talk about how much you eat on any other given day. How is it you stay in shape?" Nyssa smirked as she gave him a head to toe glance. He was certainly not looking like he over ate.
"I find ways to work out." Vince answered with a smirk of his own, looking at Nyssa to see what her reaction would be.
"I bet. Let's get that lunch." Nyssa walked into the building and sat on a stool. "Hey Mia!"
"Hey Nyssa. How you livin?" Mia smiled and left her text book to lean on the counter in front of Nyssa.
"Good. But I'm hungry and Vince thinks since he didn't eat yesterday he might start to waste away."
Mia laughed.
"I'll make you some sandwiches. I know V likes the turkey, what would you like?"
"Ham if you have it."
"Yep."
Mia started the sandwiches and as she was finishing them up Brian arrived in the store's F150 Lightening. He sat down and ordered the tuna. Again.
Vince got a recalcitrant look on his face. Nyssa could tell he was thinking of starting something with Brian. She didn't know what they'd do to stop the two from killing each other. Nyssa and Mia both knew there was no way they could separate the two headstrong men. They'd have to call Dom and the other boys to come and help them and by then either Vince or Brian could be beaten to a pulp. Nyssa shared a look with Mia and it was clear she was just as worried about that situation.
Brian had held his own against Vince in the first fight the two had had and that had been when Vince had been a hundred percent. With his dominant right hand out of order Nyssa didn't know how well he'd fair against the smaller but equally pugnacious Brian.
Just as Vince turned to go at Brian Nyssa finished her sandwich.
"That was great Mia, thanks but we gotta go now. Don't we V, V, baby, hello? You in there?" She knocked on his head; he gave her the dirtiest look. "Dom's waiting for us after all." Nyssa put a hand on his arm and took his hand. Vince had yet to do anything more then look at her like she would have quite the set down coming her way over making him look weak in front of Brian just as soon as they were alone. "This looks much better already V. Would hate to see you pull a stitch out." Vince brought his other hand up behind her head and gently grabbed her ponytail and tipped her head back. He looked in her eyes and she knew he knew why she said that. He wasn't happy that she reminded him of his weakness, even if it was just a temporary one. He let go of her hair and she stood up and looked down at him. She leaned over and pressed her forehead against Vince's. "You ready Vince? We gotta go."
"Yea, I'm ready. Let's go see Dom." He stood up and with his arms locked under her butt picked her up so her forehead and his stayed pressed together. Just to prove he wasn't weak. She kissed him and he set her down, looking embarrassed to be kissed in front of Mia and Brian.
Just then Mia saw the red car. "Who owns the red Mustang?"
"I do." Nyssa stated. "My dad bought her for me on my 16th but my mom made me leave her behind when my dad went to jail and my mom decided she couldn't live with the fact that everything he ever bought us was likely bought with his 'dirty money'. I on the other hand couldn't care less so when I found out he never got anyone to sell the house and everything was just how we left it I went and go it. I don't want to always be taking V's car to school. He might get too attached to mine."
Brian couldn't help it. He asked her "You're still in school? Where do you go?"
"I go to Mission Street high."
"You're only in high school? How old are you?" Brian was worried she was underage and he knew Vince had to be 24 or so. If the girl was only 17 that would make for statutory rape against Vince. Brian wasn't sure he could just let that go.
"I'm 19, I know I should be done of school but I was held back the year my older brother died."
"Oh ok. Didn't want to be nosy but you seem way too mature to be a high school student."
"Thanks Brian. That's nice to hear. Well we really do have to jet. See you two later."
They got in the car and Vince bitched about Brian the whole way to the garage.
"You really need to get over it Vince. I mean, do you think that Brian's going to just go away because you don't like him? It won't change the fact that Mia likes him and Dom does too. Brian's here to stay."
"Over my dead body!" Vince growled.
"You might want to be careful what you say. I think I hear the thunder rollin in." Nyssa giggled.
"You mark my words. He's a cop." Vince sat back in his seat in a huff. "You'll all see someday and I'll be the one saying 'I told you so'."
"Ok Vince, say I believe you that he's a cop. What then? You've tried to convince Dom he is and Dom's not havin it. I guess I'm just sayin for the sanity of all concerned you're gonna have to let it go." Nyssa made her point but Vince just harrumphed.
They arrived at DT around 12pm and she just pulled the car into the open garage door. Jesse and Letty walked over.
"Where'd you get that?" Letty asked as Jesse popped the hood.
"It was mine from before so I went and got it." Nyssa answered them.
Dom came out of his office and looked Vince over. He was happy to note that Vince was looking more like his old self.
"Who's car?" Dom asked.
"Mine." Nyssa replied. "It's been sitting at my dad's house for the last two years so I imagine it needs some work."
"No doubt. Letty and Jess will take a look." Dom went to move back to his office.
"Yo Dom!" Vince called. "Buster's hangin around the store again."
"Jesus Vince, he likes Mia." Dom made his statement in a tone like he was addressing a three year old. "You need to let it go Vince. He isn't a damn cop."
"We'll see." Vince growled.
"Yeah well, I want you to leave him alone V. Mia likes him and it was time she got to go out with a guy she liked. She never gets any time for herself and we're going to let her have her fun with Brian. Got it?"
Vince only scowled in reply. Dom dragged him out of earshot of the rest of the crew.
"Vince, you gotta get over Mia and move on Man. You have Nyssa now. She's one down ass girl. She's gonna fit right in once you get her ready to race. Unless of course you don't want her to? Maybe you want her to stay domestic and take care of the house and you huh? But look at her and Letty. How close those two are already is scaring me. You know how Letty is normally slow to warm up to new people, but the two of them are great friends already and you know how they're already startin shit. Mia's my sister and you're my best friend V, the two of you were never gonna click."
"I am over Mia but damn Dawg, I put in the wrench time with Mia for 5 years and the fact that she fell for Spilner so quick is a blow you know? I'm not sure about me and Nyssa. I think I want her but I owe it to both of us to be sure this time. If she was a skank it would be different." Vince laughed. "Will you listen to me? When did I go soft? Why do I have to be sure? The old Vince wouldn't need to be sure. He would just take what he wanted. Even you still take what you want, if you get me."
"Ya and someday I'm gonna lose her over it. Be sure. I wanna stop doing that to her but it just never works out that way. Look at her Vince. She's my life and I'm gonna fuck that up and lose her over some skank I just couldn't say no to." Dom was looking at Letty, who was laughing with Nyssa over something Jesse said. The two dark beauties were watching Jesse drain the coolant. It was a slow day and he decided to just flush out everything. Dom continued. "Be sure you are ready for a relationship before you start one Man or you'll regret it. Listen to both of us, all deep an shit. Maybe we're both goin soft." They both laughed at that. Each was the only one the other could say this stuff to. They had been like brothers for so long that the sometimes felt able to drop the tough guy exteriors for a few minutes and talk about things they were not supposed to care about like feelings.
Jesse was telling Nyssa about all the stuff he could do to the car to make it faster. She laughed at his exuberance.
"Jesse this car has won awards for being perfectly stock and completely unmodified. It's not a race car. I like it the way it is." Jesse obviously didn't get it. She laughed at the look on his face; he was confused over why anyone would own a car that they didn't want to race. "Why do you think I need two race cars anyway? You all seem to think my Skyline is so great, what would I want with the Mustang to race too? I need a car I can just drive." Jesse just looked at her like she had two heads. Letty and Nyssa looked at each other and cracked up. Jesse went on with the car; he closed the rad stopcock and started to fill it back up. Letty was bent over the engine, they didn't see too many classic cars here, they mostly worked on neighbourhood cars and import race cars. Dom was known across the whole state and often people who had heard of him would drive miles to have him build their racing engines. Nyssa was also bent over the engine staring in at it intently.
Dom saw the devilish look on Vince's face and wondered what he was going to do. He started to sneak around behind Nyssa. He was going to grab her for sure. This was a side of Vince they had rarely seen, this playful, attentive side of him.
Nyssa and Letty were talking about the differences between import and domestic cars when Vince grabbed Nyssa and picked her up in the air. She screamed then laughed when she realized what had happened.
"Crazy boy, set me down." He did with a laugh. She was enjoying this side of Vince. Maybe he really was starting to care for her after all.
"Since they don't really need your help why don't we go home and take your Skyline out huh?" Nyssa agreed and followed Vince out of the garage.
She hadn't seen the skyline in days. She just hadn't looked for it. She was always driving Vince's car or the Mustang.
Letty gave them a lift back to the house. As they walked up to the Skyline Nyssa saw that the windows were all tinted out. She figured Vince must have gotten it done while she was at school one day.
"When did the windows get tinted?"
"The day I cut my hand. I wasn't really cutting wires I was cutting out the tint and the knife slipped. It was just one of those breakaway knives I found in the barn so I really have no idea where it was used before either."
"Well, thanks all the same. It looks great, really sharp. I like how you can't see inside it anymore. I think it'll make me happier driving it." The black tint complimented the dark purple color of the car perfectly.
She was much more comfortable with the car in every sense now then she had been. Soon he was going to have to take two cars and start her doing mock races. She could shift now and drive on the streets in traffic well. Not perfect and not totally confident but she was doing much better now. They just drove around for about an hour and then headed to see how the mustang was doing. Jesse had it all done and sitting out front. He was talking to some girl. She had brought her MX-6 down because it was making some sort of noise in the engine and Jesse was looking it over for her. Nyssa thought they made a cute couple. She could never believe Jesse was older then she was. He seemed so young. He was so smart with engines and cars. She hoped that girl was nice.
They all went home around 5pm and Nyssa helped Mia cook supper. She told Vince to go sit down for awhile because he looked tired. They ate then Nyssa went to call her cousin and see what she missed. Manda gave her the rundown of what she had missed in class that day and then asked where she had been. Nyssa filled her in on the Vince situation and told her she had to stay home to take care of him. Nyssa hung up soon after and then went downstairs to do her homework. She normally would have done it with Mia but Mia and Brian had gone to a movie. She had a lot to catch up on after just one missed day so she got a start at it.
Vince went to bed at 12 and when he entered his room Nyssa was asleep on her tummy, face in a book, still wearing all her clothes. She had obviously fallen asleep while doing her homework. She was such a hard worker. He wouldn't have cared that he missed stuff and worried about getting caught up, he would have just asked the next day what he had missed. He smiled down at her; she made quite a sight asleep on her text book. He almost called the guys in to see then decided he wanted to save the sight for himself. Vince packed all her stuff into her backpack and then picked her up. He held her up while he turned the covers back and then set her down on the bed. He undressed her and pulled her favorite night dress down over her head and turned out the light. He didn't want to think of her being uncomfortable in her clothes all night. Plus she had taken care of him when he needed it. He wondered what was wrong with him. Was he going soft for real? After all, why did he care? It was a question he would have to answer soon. He set the alarm and went to be himself.
The next day was Thursday. Nyssa woke up early since she went to bed early. She wondered how she got into her nightdress and into bed. She didn't remember getting changed. Last thing she remembered she was working on math. Oh well. She got up and got dressed and headed out. She took the skyline and headed by Manda's. She picked up her cousin, who had only seen the car once before when Danny drove it. Manda was impressed. They went to school and other then explaining her absence to all her teachers she had an uneventful day.
She got home and ran into Dom in the driveway. She asked him what was up. He told her not much, no one was home; they were all working at DT because it got incredibly busy that day. She told him that was fine because she had a ton of work to get caught up on. Dom headed back to the garage and Nyssa went in the house. She was working at the kitchen table when Mia got home from University. They studied for awhile together then they fixed dinner. They knew the guys would be hungry when they got home. They made spaghetti and garlic bread and salad. They just set the table when the guys came in the back door, rowdy and loud as ever.
Vince grabbed Nyssa and spun her around.
"So you took the Skyline on your own today eh?"
"Yep."
"How'd that go?"
"Fine, good really. I like the fact that no one can see in anymore. Thanks for doing that for me."
"No problem. What did you ladies make for supper, it smells good."
"Food, you guys go clean up a bit then we can eat."
The guys all went and did that then they sat down and ate. After dinner they all watched some TV. They were going to races that night so everyone was just chillen for awhile before they went to get ready.
Around 9 Nyssa went to get ready. She went and showered and straightened her hair. She went back to the bedroom and put on some tunes. She did her makeup and tried to pick out an outfit. She didn't have to drive so she could wear whatever she wanted. She never knew what to wear to races because she always knew she would have to walk the fine line between looking good and looking like a slut. She picked a pair of black flair bottom pants with rhinestones on the seams on the outsides. She paired it with a silver tube top. She stood back and looked at herself. She guessed she'd do. She was about to leave when Vince walked into the room.
He looked a Nyssa and then looked again.
"That what you're wearin tonight?" For some reason he wasn't thrilled about the idea. The sliver top set off her dark skin and her hair was framing her whole upper body in long silken waves.
"Yeah, it is. Why?"
"Just curious." He mumbled and started looking for some clean clothes for himself. He pulled off his dirty tee shirt and before the temptation could become too much Nyssa switched off the stereo and headed upstairs. She ran into the girls and asked Mia and Letty if there was anything wrong with her outfit.
"No girl, it's fine." Mia answered, happy to have another girl who cared how she looked around.
"You're lookin good." Letty reassured Nyssa. Letty thought Nyssa was a little dressed up for her taste but she still looked good.
"Well good. I think I wanna take the Skyline to races tonight just for the hell of it. If what everyone says is right it's gonna make quite the splash."
"Yeah it will but you better ask Vince first." Mia replied, looking a bit concerned. "You never know what he has planned and I hate to see how he gets when he's in a mood."
"Yeah, but it's not good to let him think he runs the whole show, he won't be fit to live with." Letty added.
"Well, you know, it's my car." Nyssa didn't really care what he thought of it to be honest. She thought maybe she should ask Dominic. Vince came up the stairs just then and saw the girls talking. It never boded well for him when Letty and Nyssa got to talking. He walked up to them and asked what was up.
"I'm thinking about taking the Skyline down tonight." Nyssa answered, looking at Vince out of the corner of her eye.
"Well if you want to we'll take it instead of my car tonight, but I don't want you driving any car on your own yet."
She was doing well with the car and was kind of annoyed at this answer. "Why can't I just take my own car?" Her upset he didn't think she was doing as well as she thought she was coloured her answer.
"I just don't think you're comfortable enough with the car to get away from the cops on your own if you had to. If they chased you specifically do you think you could get away?" Vince knew she was upset with him and he didn't want to piss her off worse. He wasn't trying to hurt her feelings, he just wanted to keep her safe.
"I guess not." Nyssa had to admit he had a point so she decided she'd let it go. "We'll both ride in my car but I'm driving on the way down."
"That's cool." Vince agreed.
They headed down to the alley. They all pulled in and Dom was again swarmed by skanks. Letty surprisingly walked over to where Nyssa and Mia were standing and turned her back on the scene.
