Someone To Love

Friday.

"Someone's got a crush.." Letty murmured, grinning towards Jesse as he pulled on his beanie.

"I do not. Why do you say that?" He demanded, never taking his eyes off the rear view mirror.

Letty leaned down, resting her elbows on the window frame. "You never brush your hair before putting that hat on, this girls special." She teased, pushing herself away from the car with a laugh.

"I can't even talk to a girl without bring attracted to her, can I?" Jesse muttered, as Leon and Vince began laughing with Letty.

"Yo, Jess!" Dom yelled from the garage, grabbing his attention. Pushing himself up from behind the wheel of his car, Jesse narrowed his eyes at the others, flipping them off as he walked towards the building.

"What's up, Dom?"

Dominic was knelt in front of the Charger, inspecting it for the last time before the big night.

"This car, its perfection. It's going to blow the competition off the streets!" Dom grinned. "Take a last look under the hood for me, man. Make sure everything is still connected..no problems, alright?"

Jesse nodded.

~

Lora stared at herself in the long mirror, glancing at the pile of clothes on her bed. After trying on everything she owned, twice - she had decided on a dark pair of flared blue jeans and a sleeveless tan top that clung to her like a second skin. It was simple and sexy. Sitting on her bed, she laced up her black leather boots and grabbed the car keys laying on the nightstand.

Mia glanced down at her watch as Lora pulled into the driveway, cutting the motor to her car off.

"Hey, Mia." She called, stepping out of her Supra.

"Hey." Mia said, with a smile. "The other's are in the garage doing some last minute detailing. I was sent out here to watch for your car, Jess was afraid you'd get lost."

"How come you don't race? The way Jesse was talking it's the hottest thing around this place."

Lora asked, sitting down beside Mia.

"You know how it is, Dom's big into racing but its way to dangerous for his little sister." Mia answered, watching the rest of the team slowly emerge one by one from the garage.

"Yeah, I know all about that." Lora assured, smiling sympathetically.

"Hey, girl. 'Bout time you showed up." Vince greeted her, "Yeah, Jesse's been goin' half-crazy in there." Leon joked, grinning as Jesse walked out of the garage, looking up to meet Lora’s eyes.

"Hey.' He said, smiling. "Hi."

Lora stood up from her seat and watched as everyone went to their respected cars, Mia and Letty, Leon, Vince, Dom her and Jesse.

"You ready for this?" Jesse asked, revving the engine a few times before pulling out behind Vince.

"As I'll ever be." Lora assured with a smile. "What should I expect?"

~

She was taken back by the crowd of people on the street, girls dancing and guys behind the wheels of their expensive souped up cars waiting for the races to start. Dom stepped out of the Charger and the crowd roared with approval

"Wow." Lora murmured, glancing at Jesse as he parked his Mustang on the side of the road.

"Told you it was big." He assured with a grin.

Lora scanned the crowd slowly as she emerged from the car, walking over to stand beside Jesse and Mia. "Yo, Einstein!" Jesse looked up at his nickname, spotting Dom in the middle of a crowd.

"Come on," He took Lora's hand and guided her through the crowd of people.

"Yo, Hector. This is Lora, Lora - Hector." He introduced, shaking the mans hand.

"What's up, chica?" Hector asked, looking Lora over and giving Jesse an approving grin.

"The Charger giving you trouble already?" Jesse asked Dom, making his way to the car. "No, I want you to look at this. Some new guy wants to race this Eclipse, pop the hood." Dom ordered, watching as Jesse obeyed and lifted the red hood to peer into the engine.

"No worries, Dom. Trust me." He assured after a few minutes, closing the hood quickly.

"Alright, let's get this race started." Dom instructed through the crowd, getting back into his car. Lora crossed her arms in front of her, smiling over at Jesse as they watched the four racers get into line.

~

"I told you! I told you!" Jesse yelled, slapping Dom's hand in a handshake once he walked up to them.

Lora smiled, "Nice motor skills, Dom." She assured, and he smiled at her.

"Was there ever any doubt?" He asked, hugging Letty tightly.

"Fuck, yo. Jess, Cops!!"

Leon yelled from the radio in Jesse's pocket - causing a panic to wash over the crowd, people running to get to their cars and get the hell out of there.

"Shit." Dom cursed, going back to the Charger; squealing wheels as he pulled out onto the main street.

"Go! Go, go!" Jesse yelled, running behind Lora as they sped towards his car. He had his hand linked with hers, dodging people as they ran.

"Get in!" He cried, leaping into the Mustang and revving the engine as they followed Leon out of the street as fast as the Ford would go.

"I think were safe." Lora assured after a few minutes, looking out the rear window again. Jesse's eyes darted from the rear view to the side mirror as he cut down Dom's street,

"Does that happen often?"

"Sometimes, let's just hope everyone made it back to Dom's or there's going to be hell to pay."

Jesse told her, swiftly turning the car into the driveway before sprinting to the passenger's side and opening the door for her.

"Thanks." Lora said gratefully, watching as Jesse fidgeted with the handle.

"Excited?" He questioned, walking with her up to the party.

~

"So, what's your story?" Lora asked, taking the beer Jesse offered her before sitting down on the curb outside of the house.

After making sure that everyone had got back from the race without being locked up they had made their way outside where it was less noisy.

Jesse studied her for a moment before taking the offered seat beside her,

"It's complicated."

He answered, opening his beer. Lora grinned, glancing at her wrist.

"I've got time."

"Alright, the short version.. about a year ago, the team went to race wars and I raced slips against Dom's rival... and lost." Jesse started, glancing over at Lora who was lost in the conversation.

"Wow, what happened?" She wondered, softly.

"..panic set in and I bailed, causing a big mess with the rest of the team.. the guy came around the next day and shot up the house, my dad's car and me."

Lora's eyes went wide with disbelief.

"I spent the next few months in and out of hospitals.. and all that other shit. It's over now."

Lora nodded,

"What about you? What brought Lora Williams to Los Angeles?" Jesse asked, after she had taken his story in.

"I don't have one." She lied, trying to change the subject now.

"Everyone's got a story." He muttered, taking another long drink from his Corona.

"I lived in Sacramento for a few years. I raced once or twice for slips - won the Supra that way and enough cash to get out of there. Now I'm here, with you. I live my life a day at a time."

Lora assured, with a sweet smile.

Jesse nodded,

"I know what you mean. You want to go inside and dance, or something?"
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