Gabriella stepped out of the house as the summer air hit her in the face. It was summer finally, the salt filled the air. It was her favorite time of the year. People came all over the world to Los Angeles for one reason and one reason only. Race Wars. She took a deep breath in as she sat down on the steps with the popsicle in her hand. You would think a girl like her she would stay cooped up in the house all day. Not leaving. Why? Her life had been nothing but a rollercoaster since the day her father died. But yet here she was enjoying life as much as a nineteen year old could. She loved her life, she really did but there were things she wished she could take back. Just have one more day with the people she had lost. The ones dead and the ones forgotten. She found herself often thinking of the times spent as a child with her father in the garage. She hated him for the longest time. She really did. To her he had sold his soul just like everyone else who had let her down. He was a part of Yakuza and she never once knew it. She looked out across the yard as little kids were playing in the street. She smiled to herself. She was still a teenager but boy did she feel old. She felt the sting of death too early in life but yet it kept striking. She lost two people in her life that meant the world to her. Her father and her best friend. Two months ago, her world was rocked. She heard a scream knocking her out her thoughts she jerked her head up. The kids were laughing. She smiled as she looked over at them playing with each other. Innocence. What she would do to be that innocent again. Two months was all it took to take any innocence she had left away from her. Her hand trembled as she looked over at the driveway when she heard the sound of an engine starting. Dom was leaving for the garage that morning, he told her to stay home. Panic attacks had become a regular thing. She would wake up in the middle of the night screaming and sometimes she would find herself under the desk as the garage trying to figure out how to get herself to breathe again. Two months. She never thought in two months, she would be hated so bad by the one person she thought would love her the rest of her life.
"Hey." Jesse whispered sitting down next to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist bringing her close. "That popsicle good?"
"He told me to stay home today."
"He is just worried about you."
"I'm fine Jesse."
"I don't believe it." He stared up at the sky. "You've changed and I don't think it's been for the good."
"What do you expect from me?"
"I expect you to tell me what is going on in that head of yours. I am you boyfriend, I should know."
"Nothing goes on in my head. I try not to think about what happened."
"That's your problem I think you think too much about it. All these panic attacks are brought on by something more than just not thinking about it."
"I made a decision in a time of need and I acted on it. The consequence is something I have to live with for the rest of my life. I know that…"
"Vince thinks you need to go see a counselor or something."
"Vince can go see a counselor. I am going to the diner." She stood up and dropped the popsicle on the ground before heading into the house. She let the door slam behind her as she stomped up the stairs. "Where are you going?" Vince grabbed her arm stopping her.
"The diner." She pulled away from him before walking into her room. She tried to shut the door but he caught it with his hand.
"No." He replied.
"I'm sorry?"
"I said no. Dom said you were to stay here today."
"Just because I have had a few panic…"
"A few?" Vince yelled. "No, it hasn't been a few. It's been one almost every day. You go pale and your eyes become huge, then you don't respond to us. It's like one day, you just aren't going to be there anymore."
She shook her head. "What do you want me to say to you Vince?"
"Tell me that you are okay. Tell me that I have nothing to worry about."
There was silence. She shook her head at him. "I can't." She whispered.
"You should have never been there. You should have never been involved."
"I agree with you. I do. But I did this Vince. I am the one who pulled the trigger. So let me deal with this the way that I know how."
"No!" He yelled. "The way that you deal with things is shutting them out and I refuse to let you do that. Jake Hou is dead and yes you killed him, but he was going to kill you first."
The cops were gone. Before they could even close the door good Gabriella slid to the floor. Dom slowly walked over to her picking her up and setting up onto of the desk. "You did good." He soothed the back of her head.
"I'm ready to go home okay. I know we need to get ready."
"Sure let me close up." He let her go and walked outside. She put her hands on her face shaking her head. This could possibly be the worst day. She slowly climbed off the desk and walked outside letting the sun hit her in the face. "Gab, can you give me a hand real quick!" Dom yelled from inside the garage. Gabriella looked out at the street before turning to walk back in. "I can't seem to get…"
"Do you smell that?" Gabriella stopped him.
Dom looked up at her before sticking his nose in the air and breathing in. "Smoke."
"From where?"
All of the sudden glass broke all around them as fire consumed inside the garage. Gabriella screamed covering herself from the flying shards of glass. She ran over to Dom as he grabbed the fire extinguisher.
"DOM!" Gabriella screamed pointing to the fire that was blazing by the door. "We are trapped in here!"
The sound of the extinguisher caught her attention. He began spraying the fire as Gabriella moved beside him. She covered her mouth trying not to breathe in too much smoke. "Dom we need to get out of here!"
"Go!" He yelled to her. "Go get help!"
"I'm not leaving you!"
"I said go!" He shoved her towards the door quickly spraying the fire. She went running out the door looking back at the burning garage. Her father's garage. It was slowly going away. Her eyes burned. She didn't know if it was from the tears or from the smoke, but they were on fire. She turned away and took off running down the street. By the time she made it to the driveway she was crying. "VINCE!" She screamed. "VINCE!"
Vince was the first out the door followed by Leon and Jesse. "Gabriella! What is it?"
"Dom…garage!" She couldn't breathe. She bent over and pointed in the direction of the garage. "Fire."
"Fire?" Leon yelled.
"Get inside, don't come out for anyone!"Vince yelled. Gabriella nodded her head as she moved aside. They all three took off running down the street.
"Gabby!" Mia yelled running over to her grabbing her shoulders.
"The garage is on fire. Dom's still inside." Gabriella cried.
"What?" Letty yelled. "I have to go!" She took off running before anyone could stop her. Gabriella grabbed Mia's arm stopping her.
"Gabby, we have to go!"
"Vince said to stay here!"
"We have to go!" Mia let go of her sister and took off running towards the garage. Gabriella looked around as she stood there by herself in front of her house. She put her hand to her chest as she looked up the street. The black navigator was sitting there. Her heart stopped beating. "Shit." She whispered. She immediately took off running towards the garage praying there was a garage left.
Everyone was running around when Gabriella arrived back at the garage. Dom was out but he was covered in black soot. She breathed a sigh of relief. He was okay. She put her hand to her chest as her knees slowly gave out of her and she fell down to the ground. No one seemed to notice the navigator that pulled up behind her. She didn't notice until it was too late. She felt arms wrap around her neck as she was jerked to her feet. She struggled to break free but he was too strong. "DOM!" She screamed. Everyone stopped. Guns were drawn. Guns. When did they get guns?
"No!" Vince yelled running forward but Dom grabbed him.
"I don't think so." Jake pointed a gun at them. Gabriella jerked her elbow into his stomach. He jerked her head throwing her to the ground behind him. "Watch her!"
Gabriella was jerked from the ground. Brianna came into view. Gabriella snarled spitting directly into Brianna's face. "You stupid bitch!" Gabriella growled. Brianna began to laugh as she wiped her face before backing handing Gabriella. She groaned as she hit the ground.
"This looks all too familiar to me." Brianna replied walking over to her.
"Oh yeah…" Gabriella leaned up wiping her mouth from the blood. "This time you're going to lose." She jumped up running straight into Brianna knocking her to the ground. "Get up!" Gabriella screamed. Brianna laughed as she stood to her feet. Gabriella reared back her fist punched the girl square in the face. Gabriella wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around her but she heard the commotion. Everyone was fighting. She grabbed Brianna by the hair throwing her to the ground and kicking her repeatedly in the stomach.
"GABRIELLA!" Dom screamed she turned around just in time for the gun to knock her right in the face. Her nose broke instantly. She bent over holding her nose just as Jake grabbed her by the hair.
"I will put a bullet in her head. Everyone stop what you doing right now!" He held the gun to the side of Gabriella's head as she looked up at Dom. "What are you going to do big brother? Huh?"
"Let her go." Dom was calm. Gabriella tried to jerk away from him but he tightened his grip.
"Let me kill that stupid bitch!" Brianna growled.
"You're a sorry excuse for a human being Brianna. I would just lay back down since that's the only thing you are good at. You became someone's bitch, how classy of you."
"STOP!" Jake yelled.
"It's nice of you to join us Jake. We have been looking for you." Vince replied.
"I'm right here."Jake snarled. "Put down the guns…"
"No…Leave my sister out of this. You have caused enough damage to her."
"Have I?" Jake smiled looking down at Gabriella. Where was Johnny? "Here!" He jerked her forward before throwing her over to him. She wrapped her arms around Johnny's waist. "Have fun with her JT. Do what you want, I don't need her anymore. You see these, these right here are the papers that I am allowed to do whatever I want with the garage. It was never in writing from my father to yours, so technically its mine. I decided to rebuild. Out with the old in with the new."
"NO!" Gabriella screamed.
"I won't let that happen. I am through with your threats. Right here right now, we end this."
"Someone might die." Jake smirked.
"So be it."
Thoughts were running through Gabriella's mind as Johnny held on to her. Her nose was broken and dripping blood all down her to her mouth as she looked up at him. "You okay?" He whispered.
"Just do it Johnny."
"I'm not going to hurt you." He rubbed his hand down her head.
"Johnny, you have to help us. I know you didn't know it was Haley. I know that, and I forgive you. I want your help right now."
He nodded his head not saying a word. "Brianna has got to go."
"I know…." He paused. "There is a gun in my back pocket. Get it. Use it if you have to."
She gasped. What was he saying? She nodded her head. "Play along with me Gab. I will get you out of this."
"This is it Johnny, you can't come around anymore if you do this. You will be leader. They will look up to you." She leaned her head up looking at him.
"I have always loved you and always will."
She nodded her head at him before pulling the gun from his pants and shoving him backwards. "Jake!" Brianna yelled. Gabriella backed away aiming the gun at Brianna. "You going to shoot me Gab? I don't think you have it in you."
"No?" Gabriella glared. "I think I do." She pulled the trigger. Brianna hit the ground. Gabriella tried to keep it together as she pointed the gun at Jake. "Put the gun down Jake."
"Gabby!" Vince yelled.
"Gabriella put down the gun!" Dom told her.
"I would listen to them Gab. Things would end badly for you if you kill me."
"Things have already ended bad Jake. They really have…"
"Gab, don't do this. I will end this, I promise you that." Dom begged her. Tears began to flow down her cheeks as she nodded her head lowering the gun. She shook her head as she let the gun fall to her side.
"Wrong move bitch!"
"NO!" Dom screamed. Gabriella's head shot up just as Jake was moving towards her. She lifted her gun. BANG! BANG! BANG!
She had pulled the trigger three times killing Jake instantly. Johnny walked away that day. He knew what he did and he was going to pay the price. He had to hate her. He had to hate her forever. Brianna didn't die that day. Gabriella wished she had but instead will be spending her time in prison for grand arson. There were times afterwards she could still see Jake's blood on her face. She would scratch herself trying to get it off. Panic attacks weren't common to her before. Her first one she really didn't know what was happening to her. She found herself waking up from a bad dream trying to catch her breath but it wouldn't come to her. She felt like she was still dreaming and couldn't wake herself up. The feeling of drowning took over her as she knocked her lamp off the table trying to cut it on. It shattered. Dom was the first in her room followed by Letty and Mia. They began to happen almost every night causing her to not sleep at all. Two months later, she barely had them. They would come and go, but there were times she would sleep straight through the night. She was forced to talk to someone, who then prescribed her with anxiety medicine. She looked down at her side table where the pills sat. She shook her head. This was what was causing all her problems. Dom didn't trust her, Vince didn't trust, and Jesse thought she was going to fall apart at any minute. She stormed over to her table jerked the pills of the table and rushed to her bathroom.
"Gabby!" Vince yelled but she slammed the door before he could get to her. She opened the bottle pouring all the pills into the toilet and flushed it. This was it. This was the beginning of a new story. She was closing that book all together and starting over. No more drama. No more pain. And certainly no more death. Be prepared because the new Gabriella has just arrived.
AN: whatttt? This was just a filler chapter just so i can move on with the story. I hope you guys enjoyed in. Brian will be in the next chapter :) REVIEW!