Chapter 7
We wobbled off the plane and to the baggage claim to get our bags, when we got outside it took me seconds to see the man we were both waiting to see. "Dominic Toretto, looking as good as ever." I say walking up to him. He greets me with a hug and Pharux with a bro hug before Pharux scurries off to pick up the car he ordered. "Now where's this surprise you spoke of?" Dom chuckles as Pharux pulls up in his car behind Dom. "Get in and I'll take you to it." He opens the door for me and I crawl in. it took us a while but we finally stopped and he led us up some steps and into a dark and dimly lit garage. "There's no more room in the house you don't mind do you?" Pharux and I shrug as we put our bags down. "Now what's the surprise?" I demand. Dom sighs before telling me, "Han's here to, he doesn't know I called you guys to help." I sit down on the beat up sofa stunned. Suddenly his voice floated in from outside, "Hey, Dom. What took you so long?" Han walks in and looks around his gaze stops at me on the sofa and he drops his bag of snacks. I sat there looking down at my hands in horror as he said my name unsure if he was dreaming or not, "L…Lizzy?" I started shaking and I jumped to my feet and started running. I ran out the door and down the steps turning and running down the street, I needed out of there I couldn't handle it. I hadn't noticed that Pharux flew down the steps after me and Han after him.
I ran for miles and stopped on the side of the road after 3 miles, it was dark. I sat on the ground and then heard the rhythmic foot fall of someone running. I look up and Han approaches me and stops panting a little from the run. I look at the ground hugging my knees close to me. My phone in my pocket then proceeds to vibrate, I pull it out of my pocket, "Moshi Moshi." Pharux's voice comes through. "Um sis, we have a problem, Eric." I look down the road and see the dark figure in the car. I jump up and grab Han's hand without thinking as I bolt dragging him along with me while still pressing the phone to my ear. "Tell Dom, Eric's here." I yell into the phone, as I hear a vehicle moving behind me. Eric's car suddenly blocks us and I shove my phone in my pocket as I try to redirect Han and I, but Eric jumps out of his car pinning me to the ground knocking Han on his ass. Eric starts beating me until someone pulls him off me and picks me up putting me in a car on someone's lap. I'm shaking violently from fear of being hit again I flinch as a hand touches my back trying to comfort me. I look up and see Han's eyes full of worry as he pulls me closer and rubs my back. I look out the window to find Eric on the ground and Dom and Pharux beating him up before coming back to the car.
The drive back was silent, Han was still trying to get me to calm down and stop shaking. When we got back Han carried me to the garage and sat me on his lap on the sofa, I clung to him. We sat there for hours and I started dosing off nothing was said. I fell into a peaceful sleep only to wake up snuggled next to Han lying on the sofa. I try to get up without waking him but I did not secede, he pulled me closer before saying, "You're not going anywhere." I froze afraid of what was to come. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes looking at me. "You honestly scared me last night, don't do that again." I simply nodded, hugging him tight. We got up and got ready for the day I was hiding under another long sleeved shirt and jeans. Han looked at me and shook his head, "How are you not dying from the heat wearing that?" I shrug as Han heads out to talk to someone. Dom comes in and sits on the sofa patting it for me to set down. I sit next to Dom and he asks if I'm alright. I just nod then he sighs, "Han started drinking a lot after you left and sleeping around, he was trying to forget you." I bite my lip before saying, "Dom. Pharux and I only have a month and a half before we have to leave again." Dom nods in understanding, "When you go to leave I want you to tell him, don't leave him like you did last time." I nod and fiddle with my sleeve. "Dom, he wasn't the only one who had a really hard time. I did to after I got to Tokyo." I revealed my arm covered in cuts and needle spots. Dom looks at me in surprise; I quickly recover my arm as Dom shakes his head looking a little disappointed. Dom gets up off the sofa, "You need to tell Han about that soon." "Tell me what?" Han says as he walks in the door. Dom takes Han by the shoulders and sits him next to me, "You both need to talk about the past, and your drinking habit." Dom proceeds to leave and Han sits looking at me. I stare at the ground and sigh before speaking, "You weren't the only one who had it rough." I glance at the table next to me and find my letter to Han still in the envelope. I lean over and grab it Han looks at me questioningly. "This letter was supposed to be given to you a long time ago." I handed him the letter and let him read it. Han sighs after reading it, he puts the letter away. "I tried to drink you away thinking you would never come back, I tried forgetting you but you always haunted my dreams." I look at him, "Promise you won't get mad." He nods saying, "Promise." I took a deep breath and started, "We stayed in Miami for a month or to and then we ended up in Tokyo. We were all happy, to a point I was. Then my memories of you kept haunting me and.." I trailed off rolling up my sleeve. Han sighs and shakes his head, "Lizzy." When Dom called me I stopped everything I guess I was just really hoping you would be here." Han suddenly pulled me close, "Tell me about Tokyo, what are the races like?" I smile, "They don't race they do this crazy shit they call drifting, I'll have to teach you. I hope to go back someday. But the city is beautiful but there is a drug and crime organization like our mafia called the Yakuza." Han smiles at me, "Someday we should meet up in Tokyo." I nod in agreement.
Through the time we were prepping for the gas truck heists I taught Han to drift, and one day Han had convinced Dom to let us have a day to ourselves. Han drove, I sat in the passenger side seat watching the scenery Pharux in the car behind us, and Han wouldn't tell me where we were headed just to wear my swimsuit. Soon enough we were at a beach, I smiled at him and he leaned over and kissed me. We spent the rest of the day on the beach, after a few hours Pharux left. Han and I enjoyed ourselves until the sun started to set. Getting back in the car I sat on Han's lap as he drove cuddled up to him. We slept on the sofa that night and I had wonderful dreams.
The next day was the first gas heist I helped Han with the latch, which was my job it was simple. We pulled a few more before I told Dom the night before that it was time, Dom nodded and called the whole team over so I could tell them all. We were all seated around a campfire I stood up making a toast, "To the family and friends I've made here I thank you all for accepting Pharux and I as we are. But I have some sad news, your fun with us is drawing to an end, tomorrow we must leave. But I'm always a phone call away." I sat next to Han who looked a little sad, "So this is it you're leaving again?" I stared into the fire, "Yea, I wish I didn't have to but at least I'm not leaving without saying goodbye." Han hugged me and kissed my cheek. Han and I partied for hours and went to bed on our sofa, I didn't sleep well. When I woke up Han wasn't there I walked outside and everyone was waiting they all wanted to see me and Pharux off. At the airport Han kissed me goodbye before saying, "I'll meet you in Tokyo." I hurried off to my plane but stopped a few feet from Han, "In Tokyo we will find out who is the better drifter." Then I continue to my plane and on the plane Pharux handed me a memory card which I stuck in my computer and looked at. They were pictures of Han and me, "I gave one to Han." I hugged my best friend and fell asleep on the nine hour flight to London dreaming of my fun in the sun.