Thanks again to those who reviewed! Keep em coming please! It might take me awhile to get chapters up every now and then cuz I'm moving. But everytime I get a chance, I'll add another chapter.

--Kita--

Well, here's chapter 12.

Chapter 12-Room for One More?

"Get back down here. We gotta talk." She yelled at me. I've never heard my mom raise her voice. This was scary and surprising at the same time. I trailed back down the stairs, and stood my ground in front of Maria. "What are you thinking mija? You can't keep getting in trouble like this!" She yelled.

"I'm sorry Ma. Joseph started it! He was starting shit with my friend--" I started but she cut me off.

"I don't care who started it. It's not your job to finish it. I'm tired of turning the other cheek Sasha! I want you to straighten your shit up or you're out of here!" She screamed again.

"Put me out! I don't give a fuck! I said it wasn't my fault now if you don't believe me then FUCK YOU! Mila hit me first and I beat her ass. I wasn't gonna take no ass-whooping from now one." I yelled obscenities to my mother. My own mother for Christ sakes. But she pissed me off. She was threatening to put her own daughter out on the streets. Then the unexpected happened -- she hit me. "I'm outta here." was all I said when I turned and headed for upstairs.

I grabbed two of the biggest duffel bags I could get and stuff them with everything I could get too. I grabbed my stash of money I kept in a box under my mattress and I stomped down the stairs. I saved up about a grand over the past five years. I kissed Anthony on the cheek and whispered to him "I'll be back sooner or later. Keep this." I handed him two hundred dollars of my money. I walked out the door and headed to Diana's house. I knew she wasn't home but she left me the keys to the slug bug. She figured I'd need it more then she did.

XXX

"Aye Toretto, got room for one more?" I said into the phone. I figured I'd take Dominic up on his offer since I didn't have anywhere else to stay.

"Where you at? I'll send someone from the team to get you." He responed from the other end of the phone.

"I'm at a pay phone. But don't worry, I got Diana's bug. She won't be back until Thursday." I filled him in on Di's absence.

"Well come on over. You can explain everything when you get here. Dinner is almost done." Dom replied.

"On my way." I said before hanging up the phone.

XXX

"Jesse get the door!" I heard someone yell from inside the house. The door swung open and the sadest face stood in front of me. It was Jesse with a black eye, a cut about his right eye, and a swollen lip.

"Oh. It's you." He said rudely, stepping out the way, letting me enter the house.

"Whatever. Where's Dominic?" I asked in the same tone, dropping my bags at the door.

"Right here." I heard Dom answer walking into the living room. "So sit down and tell me what happened today. Jesse, take a seat." He said pointing to the couch.

"Okay well we got into a fight at school, me and my mom got into it, told me to get my shit together or leave, so I left." I answered, making the story short.

"No no no. Tell me everything." He demanded, folding his arms against his massive chest.

So I went into detail, telling him everything that had happened. I told him about how Jesse and Joseph were arguing and when I went to defend him, I got bumrushed. I told him how Jason jumped in and helped with everything. I filled him in on my suspension and the whole fight with my mom. When I was done, his eyebrows were flying threw the roof.

"Well come join us for dinner then you and Jesse can make up. Remember that guest room I told you about? It's all yours tonight. C'mon, let's go eat." Dominic waved us towards the kitchen.

XXX

We were all waiting at the dinner table. I don't know what for. It was Dom at the head, Mia on is right, Brian next to her, and Jesse next to her. Letty was next to Dom on his left, Leon was next to her, me next to Leon, and Vince was at the other end of the table.

Everyone just sat. Watching each other. Eventually I got hungry and tired of waiting, so I started digging in. I went to grab me a piece of chicken when Dom interrupted.

"We have a rule here. Since you were the first one to reach into the food, you say grace." He said smiling at me.

Got damnit. That's what they were waiting for. They knew I'd reach for the food. Ugh, I might as well get it over with, I thought to myself.

"Thank you Lord for this meal you've provided for us tonight. Thank you for sending me this group of angels who have taken me in at my time of need. Hopefully I will grow on them like they've grown on me these past 2 weeks. Amen." I prayed as quickly as I could. I hoped that none of them understood what I had said.

After I finished praying, everyone began digging in for food. They were like a wild back of wolves. I could see why they called Vince the Coyote. He could eat for everyone in the room, and still be hungry.

"So why don't you have a car of your own Sasha?" Letty asked me during dinner.

"Cause my parents don't think I'm responsible enough to have a car. Plus, they think I'd have a horrible case of road rage." I replied, causing everyone to crack up with laughter.

"That's something else you two have in common." Leon added.

XXX

After dinner, I called Jesse in the living room so we could work everything out. He was a really cool guy and I didn't want him hating me.

"Look, Jesse I'm sorry about getting you suspended. It kinda comes with the territory. But I was just looking out for you. I didn't think things would take the turn they did." I apologized again to him.

"It's okay. I just hate when I get in trouble, Dominic is always on my case about it." He replied, looking down at the floor.

"Yeah. Well I'll try to talk to Dominic if I can about letting up some." I responded, trying to help out.

"Letting up about what?" Jesse's ADD kicking in.

"Nothing bro. Let's call it a night." I laughed, getting up from the couch and walking up to my room.

I stripped down to my PJ's and jumped in the bed. It felt good to finally be asleep.