Thanks for the review. I really want to speed this story up because I have an idea for another potentially great story. I don't want to start another until this is done. So if I speed things up and it confuses you, my deepest apologies )
Chapter 52-Highlight of Our Lives
No POV
After everything calmed, the crowd went back to what they were previously doing. Some dancing, some trying to get the attention of a chaser. Team Toretto went to their usual positions; Leon at the end of a blocked road to listen to the scanners. Mia, Senia and Letty over talking to some friends, Dom talking with Hector and his boys. Brian was over with Roman and Vince talking to some of Edwin's old friends. Sasha, Diana, and Lillian were introducing Ricky to some of the respectable women at the races. Chrys and Jayden were standing with Jesse over by his Jetta.
"You ready Uncle Jess?" Jesse smiled and nodded to Jayden. It made him happy that she called him 'uncle'.
"You're gonna kick ass right?" Chrys asked him, leaning on the side of the Jetta.
He shut the hood of the Jetta. "I'm gonna try," he said, his usual confidence subsiding.
"What do you mean try? You haven't tried anything since you were ten. You always do Jesse. Just get out there and do your thing man," Leon said, playfully smacking Jesse's head. Jesse laughed and nodded.
"Hey why aren't you on the scanners?" Jesse asked, not noticing Jayden taking his beanie that just happened to match her outfit.
"It's an armed robbery over on Glendale. Hostages taken, all that shit. I figured it'd be going on for a few hours," Leon shrugged, leaning on the car. "Which one of you girls are up first?" Leon asked, pointing to Chrys and Jayden.
"Jay. Wait, Jay what are you gonna race?" Chrys almost screamed, causing Leon and Jesse both to jump.
"Guess we didn't think about that," Jayden said, running her hands through her dark hair.
"You're taking mine," Dom said, approaching the few. Jay and Chrys' eyes bugged out of their heads while Jesse and Leon's jaws were scraping the ground.
"Dom, are you okay? You've been a little off tonight," Jesse said, playfully knocking on Dom's bald head.
"Yeah, but my niece here needs a car to race and I have a free one," Dom said, dropping the keys to the Rx-7 in Jayden's hand.
"You sure you wanna do this?" Jayden asked, cautious to take the precious keys in her hands.
Dom nodded and smiled, "You're up. Car's at the line," Dom said, giving her a playful push. He watched her and Chrys run away, possibly to find a ride down to the line.
Jesse and Leon both stared at Dom in astonishment. He had never offered to let anyone race his car. He didn't even trust Vince racing his car. Jesse smiled and got into his car while Leon ran back to the Skyline. Dom snapped out of his daze and rode shotgun with Jesse down to the line.
Exiting the car, both Mia and Sasha ran over to Dominic. They both had a look of worry and confusion on their face.
"Dom, what the hell is Jayden doing in your car?" Sasha yelled in Dom's face as soon as he got out the Jetta.
"Sasha, calm down. You trained her to race and didn't give her a car to go in. I did," Dom said, walking over to Hector, who was standing on top of an old car.
"Dom, don't just blow this off. This is a fourteen year old girl in YOUR death trap. What if something happens?" Mia's motherly role had taken over.
"Mia, will you cool it? Nothing's gonna go wrong," Dom said, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to listen to Hector talking to him at the same time.
"DOM!" Letty yelled, making her way over to where the other girls were.
"Did you girls forget that Chrys, who is also fourteen, is in Sasha's death trap? That car has more power than mine. Any day," Dom admitted.
"That's true," the girls turned their anger onto Sasha.
"Dom, will you at least ride with her? Just make sure everything goes smoothly," Sasha said, trying to turn the attention back on Dominic.
"You want me to hold her hand too?" Dom asked sarcastically, jumping down from the car he was standing on.
"Quit being a jackass for two seconds Dom and go," Mia yelled, pointing to the revving car on the line.
He started to object, but the scowl on Letty's face decided otherwise for him. Dom rolled his eyes and jogged over to the Rx-7, where Chrys was leaning in the driver side, talking to Jayden.
"Get lost punk," Dom said playfully, rolling the window up. Chrys flipped him off and ran off.
"What are you doing Dom?" Jayden asked.
"Figured you'd like some company," he said nonchalantly, turning on the radio to Spanish rap music.
"No, seriously, what do you want?" she asked, seeing right through him.
"The ladies are worried. Told me to see that you make it to the end of the line in one piece," Dom stepped out and pulled up the passenger seat, turner on the nitrous tanks.
"Thanks," she said, staring straight at the rode.
"No problem," Dom said cheekily, shutting the door.
-x-
"How you doin' Superstar?" Diana asked Jesse as she approached him by the starting line.
"Nervous, but good. How are you?" Jesse asked, pulling Diana to him, her back to his chest.
"Excited. You should be too, you're destined to do this. You wanted to show Dom what you're made of right? Well here's your chance."
"You're right," Jesse replied, kissing Di's neck softly.
"That's why you love me," the kisses were beginning to get to Di when she noticed the start of the race, "Quit that Kid. Look, it's starting," she said, pointing to the line.
-x-
Hector gave Leon an 'okay' in the talkie and shook his arms. The two cars, Jayden in the Rx-7 and Summer in the Honda S2000, revved their engine. Hector tossed back his arms, the cars responding by switching gears. Once his hands were dropped, both cars sped off the line.
"Okay Jay, just take it nice and-" Dom started as Jayden sped down the quarter-mile strip.
"Dom, with all due respect, will you shut the hell up please?!" Jayden yelled, shifting gears to catch up with Summer, who was half a cars length ahead.
Surprised by her outburst, Dom only smiled and leaned back in the seat. Jayden punched down on the gas pedal as the Mazda jumped forward, sending the car flying to the side of the Honda. Dom gripped the seatbelt tightly as the car ran smoothly as it gained speeds close to 125 MPH. Summer turned to look at her competitor, only to be faced with Dom Toretto, who wiggled his eyebrows playfully at her. She frowned as Jayden's car went speeding past hers and over the finish line.
Jayden cheered as she turned the car around and sped back to the starting line, where the rest of the Team was waiting for her. Vince picked her up over his shoulders. Jesse snatched his beanie back from her head and ruffled her hair.
"You're the new Kid now," was all he said before walking over to the car to inspect it.
"See, she didn't even need me," Dom said to Letty, picking her up over his head. He let her slide down slowly as he kissed her.
"That's only one race. I win the next two, those little girlies are mine," Poncho said, walking by the Team. Dom scoffed as he walked away.
Summer approached and slapped a grand down in Jayden's hand. Jay's eyes bugged with astonishment as the sight of ten one-hundred dollar bills in her hand. She hadn't seen that much money in all of her life. At least not at once. She split the cash in her hands, holding one out to Vince and the other to Dom.
"Because you let me use your car," she said to Dom, "and because you're taking me in. Giving me a family," Jayden spoke.
"No, no that's your money. You won it fair and square. It's yours," Dominic said, pushing the money away.
"He's right Jay. You earned it. You kicked ass out there, so it's yours. Do what you please with it," Vince said, his arm around Sasha's shoulder.
"Let's get ready for the second race before the cops come!" Leon yelled through his talkie.
Everyone went to their positions once more. Sasha drove the Porsche to the front line and waited for Chrystal. Both Ricky and Chrys appeared next to the car, scaring the piss out of Sasha.
"Got damnit you two! Don't do that," Sasha yelled, stepping out of her car.
"Nervous much?" Ricky asked sarcastically, leaning on the driver door.
"Look, Chrys I know you can do this. But please, please, please try not to wreck her. She's my pride and joy," Sasha said, giving the car one last glance over.
"I thought I was your pride and joy?" Vince asked, coming over to the few.
"Looks like you've been replaced," Ricky joked, poking her head in the car to talk to her sister.
"Is that so?" Vince asked, mocked-hurt. Sasha turned to him and smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Yep, but you're good in bed if it counts for anything," Sasha replied sarcastically.
"Oh, yeah, that counts for everything," V replied in the same tone, smiling like a buffoon.
"Yo, cops are all over Glendale. We're good to roll. Let's race," Leon said in the walkie. Vince and Sasha heard the announcement from a close-by talkie.
"Alright Ricky, the race is about to start. But Chrys, please, don't wreck my baby. Oh and do good too," Sasha winked, walking over to the crowd. Ricky and Vince followed.
-x-
"You want me to sit with her too?" Dom questioned Letty mordantly.
"Shut up and watch the race," Letty replied, pulling Dom's arms around her waist.
In the Porsche 911 GT2, Chrys slipped in her latest Snoop Dogg purchase. The crowd cheered with her choice of music. Memorizing where Sasha said her tanks were, Chrystal lifted the passenger seat and turned this on. She strapped in her harness and looked over at her competition. Meeka, a petite, Asian girl from Poncho's team, sat in a Honda Civic Type-R. She looked confident, but Chrys was the Queen of Over-Confidence. She'd give ole Dom a run for his money.
"Ready," Hector tossed his hands up, shaking them in the air. The girls revved their engines, preparing for a battle.
"Set," Hector pulled his hands back, receiving a gear-shift from the girls.
"GO!" he yelled, dropping his hands to the floor.
Meeka pulled out ahead of Chrystal, leaving her behind almost two car lengths.
"Fuck!" Chrys mumbled, shifting gears to speed up to Meeka. She crept up, lowering the gap between the two. Chrys noticed her NOS meter blinking and jerked the car to the lane opposite of Meeka's Honda. Taking a deep breath, she lifted the safety and pushed the little red button, her car shooting ahead of Meeka's. The adrenaline had her shaking in her seat. As quick as the NOS came, it was also gone. Meeka's pressed on her nitrous as soon as Chrys got ahead of her and her Honda sped across the finish line first, leaving Chrystal behind and pissed off.
"Got damnit Chrystal Lynette Jenkins! Can't you do anything right?!" she yelled at herself while turning the car around.
The Team waited as she slowly got out the car, a scowl on her face. Dom put a grand in her hand to give to her opponent. She walked over to Meeka and gave her the cash. She wanted to congratulate her on a good race, but decided her pride was too much.
"Hey, you can't win 'em all right?" Brian said, tossing his arm around Chrys. He had taken a liken to both Chrystal and Ricky and didn't mind their company at all. Chrys kept him laughing at her crazy antics.
"Yeah well it was my first and I lost. That freakin' sucked man," she replied, pouting like a toddler.
"Say gang, how 'bout we do the sorry shit later, eh? We only have a few minutes before the cops catch on. Let's go!" Leon yelled at the gang, running back over to his car.
"Leon's right, get going Jess," Dominic said, pushing his younger 'brother' forward. Jesse nodded and jumped in the Jetta, speeding off towards the line. The whole Team jumped in nearby cars and followed him, wanting to few up close the final match of the night.
At the line, Jesse popped in his favorite Slipknot, the song Duality, blaring through his speakers. Jesse reached behind and turned on his tanks. Looking over, he saw Poncho smoking (what he presumed) marijuana in his Subaru Impreza WRX STi. He rolled down the windows, smoke filling the already-muggy air.
"Now honestly, you think that'll make you race better?" Jesse asked, leaning over to be heard.
"Oh no, but it'll make me feel a helluva lot better when I win," Poncho replied, rolling the window back up.
"Nevermind him Jesse," Leon approached his brother's car, "Visualize th-" Leon began, remembering those were the words of the painful day he watched his brother speed off after losing to Tran.
"Just, just win alright Jesse. Take your time, not literally, and just win," Leon struggled to find the words, considering his Words of Advice before races always had been 'Visualize the Win'.
"Leon, chill out bro. I-I'm gonna win this alright? Quit being such a girl for once," Jesse winked and rolled his window up before Le could retaliate.
-x-
"Hec, looks like we got luck on our side tonight, dawg. No cops around. Let's race!" Leon yelled, checking over the scanners once more.
"Why'd you let him race?" Letty asked Dom as they sat together on the hood of the Mazda, which was parked next to the starting line.
"Because. I know that's the true reason he left. He wanted more of a name for himself," Dom answered.
"So if you let him make his name here, he won't want to leave again. You really love the kid don't you Dom?" Letty asked, all sincere curiosity in her voice.
"Too much Letty. He's my little brother. But shh, no more talking," Dom said, placing one finger against her lips.
Jesse gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. He wasn't nervous, anxious more so. He practically bore a hole in Hector, waiting for his arms to give the slightest flinch to signal the go. When he did, Jesse jumped off the line like a bat out of hell. The crowd cheered as he easily gained the lead, leaving Poncho struggling to drive off the line. As he gained his momentum, Poncho sped up in the opposing lane of the Jetta, pulling up side-by-side with the car. Stuck in his adrenaline rush, Jesse could hear the faint beeping of his nitrous meter. His A.D.D kicked in and he almost died trying to keep his finger off the button. No Jess, that fucked you over last time, he thought to himself.
"He's hesitating. He's panicking," Dominic said to himself, looking through the binoculars at Jesse, who's car look to be slowing.
Jesse shifted, his car taking the upper-hand on the race. The finish was just a few mere seconds away. All he had to do was wait it out. If Poncho hit the NOS before Jesse did, he would win. Jesse needed to be a little closer. He shifted once more, pulling his car in front of Poncho's Impreza. He looked down at his speedometer, which read 156 MPH. He knew he car could go faster.
"Fuck it," he said out loud, his black fingernail pushed down on the nitrous, sending his car charging with a growl across the finish line. The crowd roared even louder as Jesse turned the car around and pulled it back to the start.
"You did it Kid. You finally fuckin' did it Kid!" Vince yelled, pulling Jesse into a headlock as he exited the winning car. Straightening his beanie on his head, Jesse was bum rushed with hugs from the ladies of the Team.
"I need to win more often," he said to himself, oblivious to his wife standing behind him.
"Oh yeah, for what?" she asked, a smirk on her face.
"For our own private party, that's what," Jesse replied smartly, pulling her into a deep embrace. Diana crushed her lips passionately against Jesse's causing the crowd to 'ooh' and 'awe'. Without speaking to anyone, Poncho slapped down the two grand Jesse won in his hand and stormed off.
"Enough of the mushy shit, we got cops! Cops! Go!" Leon yelled, the adrenaline rushing through his body. Though he'd never admit it, this was his favorite part about the races; the scramble. He loved proving week after week that the cops couldn't stop his Team no matter what.
People scattered like mice, all unsure where to go. The party was usually at the Toretto house, but no one was sure if it had changed.
"Ayo Leon, tell Hector the party's still going down!" Dominic yelled in his walkie, grabbing Jayden as he ran to his car. He pushed her to the passenger side and yelled for her to get in. Chrys jumped in the car with Ricky and Vince.
"This is the highlight of my fuckin' life!" Chrys yelled in the back of the car.
"Honey, this is the highlight of ALL of our lives! WooHoo!" Vince yelled, swerving his car around a sharp corner.
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I stayed up until 2:00 A.M to get this chapter up. Tomorrow (hopefully) I can have another one come up. My birthday's on the 27th so I'm not sure if I'll be doing any writing that day, but I'll try. Please Read & Review.
-Kita