Mia seemed to like dropping bombshells on Cale when they were studying. It had become the hallmark of their friendship. Two days after being invited over to meet Dom and study, Mia invited Cale over for dinner. Dinner turned out to include just Cale and the Toretto's and no extended-street-racer family. It wasn't as awkward as Cale thought it would be, and she and Mia had gone upstairs after they had cleaned up to crack open the books.

This had become something of a regular occurrence, and Cale spent at least two nights a week studying at Mia's. Dom kept trying to get Cale to come over more often, stating his sister needed more focus on her studies. Cale ignored him.

So it came as a complete shock when, as Cale and her best friend, Mackenzie, Mackenzie's brother, Chris, and their friend Justin, were nosing through books at the library, Mia plopped down in an empty seat next to Chris and invited Cale over for the weekend.

"It'll be great! Just head home after you leave here and grab whatever you need. I mean, you're coming over anyway to study, so you may as well stay the weekend."

It took several minutes before Cale could answer, sharing a look with Justin and Chris. She liked Mia, really she did. But the more time she spent with Mia, the greater her chances of...but no. Cale had determined that she was safe from anything that had to do with her own past in the presence of Dom and his team that first night she had been there. So, after getting what could it hurt? looks from the boys, she found herself smiling and answering, "Sure. Why not?"

------

And so Cale found herself dropping her duffle bag in Mia's room before heading back downstairs for dinner. She almost stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Leon, Vince, Letty and Jesse sitting around the table with Dom and Mia. She rolled with it nicely, however, smiling at them and taking her seat.

Letty didn't look too happy to have her there, and sitting next to Dom, no less. Cale ignored her. It was the only seat left and probably at Dom's insistence. He seemed to dictate enough of their lives that seating arrangements seemed only natural. Despite the visual-daggers being thrown her way, Cale enjoyed that meal. She missed being part of a team this size.

Cale helped Mia clear the table and wash the dishes as the others disappeared into the family room. "So, I figure we should be able to get through the next chapter tonight..."

"Oh, we aren't studying tonight," Mia said, nonchalantly.

"We aren't?" Cale was genuinely puzzled. "Then what...?"

"We're all going out. There's a meet tonight."

Cale nearly dropped the plate she was drying. Of course Mia would go with her brother when he headed off to race. Why wouldn't she?

"Besides," Mia continued. "We'll have all day to study tomorrow."

Sure we will. We'll study as we all nurse hangovers from the after-race partying. Brilliant... Cale smiled weakly. What else could she say, except, "Sounds like fun."