The crowd cheers as the racers flash by. All of the drivers were highly respected and it was shaping up to be a great race. My best friend Letty and I are right in the front making fools of our selves while the guys laugh.
I'm Beaut by the way, or Beauty as my mother put on my birth certificate. Let's not get into that. I'm fourteen and I've lived in L.A. my whole life. Anyways we are at the track today because my uncle Richard is racing. He's not my real uncle, of course, my dad and he are best friends and we've lived on the same street all of my life.
" Don't get too close Beaut. We don't want you to faint from the fumes. " My dad jokes making everyone laugh.
Everyone including Dominic. " Yeah, I don't want to have to carry you again. " He says, which causes another round of laughter.
A blush is clear on my face. " Whatever. "
Letty nudges me in the side. " Don't listen to them I'll carry you on my back like a monkey. " She jokes making me smile.
BFF! This girl always has my back. " Thanks Let. "
God, I fainted one time and I'll never hear the end of it.
A girl can never get a break around here. " Hey, dad? Me and Letty are going to get some nachos. " I say eyeing her.
He reaches into his pocket and hands me ten dollars. " Get your food and drinks for everyone okay? " He asks before looking towards Dom. " Will you go with them and help carry everything back? "
I have to fight the urge to smack my lips. Dom has been mean to me all day and I was trying to get away from him. He's seventeen and treats me like I'm five. I'll be fourteen in two months this is getting old.
" Sure I gotta make sure the baby get back okay. " He says pinching my cheek like a douche.
Rolling my eyes, me and Letty walk ahead of him.
" Asshole. " Letty mutters under her breath.
He catches up and puts his arm around my shoulders. " God you are fast. "
" Eww get off. " I say shrugging him off of me.
Leaning his head on my shoulder he says," oh come on, you know you love me. "
" With every bullet. " I say under my breath.
He laughs a big throaty laugh. " I love you too, Beauty. "
" Don't EVER call me that again. " I say through gritted teeth.
Pulling me closer he says, " aww the baby doesn't like her name ".
That's it! I elbow him in the side and catch up to Letty. " He's such a douchebag. "
" At least he talks to you. He barely notices me. " She grumbles.
This girl. " You have Jose remember?
" Jose is a boy... Dom is a man. " She whispers in my ear making me giggle uncontrollably.
I lean in and whisper back, " eww, he is such a scrub ".
" A fine scrub. " She whispers back.
Eww no. Dom is such a guy. All he cares about is food, cars, and girls. Nothing else really pops into his puny little brain. It's pathetic.
" What are you two whispering about? " Dom asks as we get to the snack stand.
Not turning around I reply maturely with, " mind your own beeswax. "
" Next in line! " That's us.
We walk up to the counter looking at everything they have to offer." Can we have a large nacho and five cokes? "
" Sure thing. " The boy behind the counter says with a smile.
Letty stills and growls under her breath. " Look who's here. "
I look over where she's staring and glare. Ling Tran. I can't stand her what is she doing here? " Just ignore her. "
We get our food and Dom carries most of the drinks for us. I guess he's good for something after all.
" Hey Dom! " Ling says in her shrill, nails on chalk board voice.
He's trying to keep balance of the drinks so he doesn't even look at her. " Hey Ling we're kind of busy but I'll see you later. "
" Okay, I'll see you at school! " She says running off to whatever hole she crawled out of.
Smacing my lips I mock, " I'll see you at school ".
He laughs as we make our way back to our seats. Everyone gets a coke and we dig into our nachos while watching the race. Of course, uncle Richard is in the lead with Kenny Linder coming up behind him fast. We were gone so long that we're seeing the final turn for the win and it looks like uncle Richard has it in the bag.
...
In one split second Linder's car clips Uncle Richards sending him flying into the wall horrendously. Everything starts happening so fast. Dom runs out on the track before being held back from the accident. People are everywhere with fire extinguishers trying to put the flames out and all I can do is watch in horror.
Dom is screaming over and over but I can't see him. All I can see is the destruction. My dad pulls me and Letty away and thinks finally slow down and I can focus.
" Go back to the car and wait for me. " He yells over the crowd seeing that Dom is still screaming in shock. " Vince! Get the girls home I'll take care of Dom. "
Vince has to drag me away by my arm with Letty right behind in order to tear us away.
The ride home is silent. I feel numb. Uncle Richard has to be okay right? He was going really fast but he just has to be okay. He's all Dom and Mia have.
The funeral has been hard on everyone. Dom is seventeen and suddenly the man of the house. He has to keep the garage open and take care of Mia. She's a year younger than me and Letty and I. Even though we don't have much in common I still feel for her.
After the service, everyone comes back to the Toretto house where all the food my mom and I cooked the night before will be served. Everyone pulls Dom and Mia in for hugs and keeps telling them that their dad was a good man and that they will be fine.
It has to be getting old. I send Dom a sympathetic look. He looks so down. Angry almost.
Today is a very bad day indeed. But not as bad as what happens a few days later...
Just as we're sitting down for dinner my dad gets a call from Dom in jail. He said he didn't mean to, but he saw Linder and went apeshit on him with a torque wrench. He's tried as an adult and gets sentenced to four years in Lompoc with the possibility of early parole.
My dad went nuts on him before hanging the phone up. The kid he watched grow up is now heading to prison for attempting to murder the man who he saw as the one that killed his dad. It was a very bad day indeed.