Itwasn't a particularly cold night. The stars were out though I couldbarely see them through the streetlight glare.

'Sooo,I was wondering,' Jack began next to me as I walked a half-stepbehind and beside him. 'Maybe you would like to go for a drivesometime.'

Ididn't look at him but gave myself a sort of twitchy look. 'Didn'twe go for one earlier?' I asked, remembering how he drove on thefreeway.

Pushinghis hands into his jeans' pockets, he erected himself. 'Well, yehbut I meant like metaking youfor a drive.'

Smilingwith a blush, I giggled. 'Haha, I've seen your driving and youdon't seem to know how to do it properly.'

'What?Please,' he said, sounding both taken aback as well as sarcastic.'I've been around cars since I was born. Before that, even.'

'Ohand I suppose that automatically makes you a good driver, does it?'I shrugged my shoulders just as he pushed open a small white gate.

Lookingahead, I noticed his house (I assumed it was his as he went to openthe front door), was near enough identical to Dominic's. There mayhave been a couple more windows here and there but it was the samewhite washed wooden covered walls as up the street. 'You comingin?' I looked at him and mirrored his smile.

Insidewas very homely; it was tidy and clean and smelt of vanilla andjuniper (I guessed from the melted down candles sat on top of a highchest of drawers). There was a long cream sofa in the centre of theliving room with a large flat screen TV set on the far wall. Thestairs were set against the near wall.

'Wheredo you want to kip down?' I heard him say from another room that Ionly assumed was the kitchen as he came back through with two cans oftropical soda.

Takingone off him and popping it open, I said, 'What choices do I have?'

'Whateveryou like.' With a shift of my eyes, he added, 'The sofa, thespare room or my room?'

Idon't know what it was about him but there was something. Maybeit was his eyes, Ithought to myself, or the way he smiled with a hint of something likehe was up to no good. Either way, I was slightly drawn to him.

'Inthe meantime,' he said, interrupting my thoughts. 'I need ashower. So you can pick while I'm in there.' And off he wentupstairs. A few seconds later, I heard a door close and the showerstart up.

Bitingmy lip, I tried to decide. The spare room or his? I mean, if I chosehis then it would totally seem like I was either desperate or tryingtoo hard. And if I chose the spare room, he might think I wasn'tinterested or whatever else. All of a sudden, I thought, whocares what happens and I doubt he does anyway.So, sipping my drink, I made my way up to his room.

Themoon was in a perfect position to light up the room. On each wall waspinned a poster, all of which depicted some car or other inpsychedelic colours. There was a wardrobe in one corner and next toit stood a similar chest of drawers as to downstairs. On top wasplaced two toy cars; a blue Skyline and a black Charger. His bed wasunmade and on the pillow was laid an open car parts catalogue. In thecorner nearest the window was a tall set of shelves. On one of themwas a stack of more catalogues. The shelf above them was for hair andbody stuff; I didn't pay too much attention as I didn't know whathalf of it was for exactly.

Therewas a sudden shuffling noise from behind me. Glancing over myshoulder, I saw Jack looking through a drawer for some pants orsomething. Although he had a towel wrapped around his waist, I notedhow his muscles moved around his shoulder blades. They weren't whatI would have called sculpted but you could tell he worked outprobably about three times a week. Just before he stood up, I turnedmy attention back to the open catalogue on his bed. Sitting myselfdown, I picked it up and rifled through the pages to the engine partssection. The only reason why I was doing this was to take my eyesaway from Jack as he took off his towel and pulled on his underwear.That was when I realised my cheeks began to flush slightly.

Neitherof us said a word as he clambered onto the end of the bed and laid onhis side behind me. His head appeared by my right hip, his handresting on the pillow. We exchanged the quickest of glances andsmiles and then I returned back to searching through the catalogue.To be honest, I could have said one of a million things runningthrough my head but I waited for him to break the immense silentawkwardness of our situation.

Eventually,he did so. 'How late do you usually stay up?'

Mylips formed a thoughtful pout. 'Well, technically I should havegone to sleep ages ago if I was working tomorrow. Why?' I asked,wondering what was on his mind.

Herolled onto his back, his hands behind his head. 'Oh no reason. Iwas merely curious.'

'Don'tyou have work to go to?'

Hischuckling was warm and hearty and I almost gave into a smile yetforced my muscles to remain relaxed. 'Nah, I don't. Dad's gotthat covered.' I didn't quite understand though I did know of agood many rumours that revolved around the Torettos and Brian.

'Still,don't you get bored not doing anything?'

'Tobe honest, I enjoy my freedom. Although, I guess I don't know anydifferent. My life is probably what many people dream of, it would bea shame to waste it.'

Iguess I could see his point, though living the life I had, itsomewhat annoyed me that he could be kind of lazy. 'I see,' Isaid, dubiously. Turning sideways, one leg bent on the bed and thecatalogue forgotten on the floor, I faced him. 'Sooo, how does yourfamily know each other? And how do Rome and Tej fit into thepicture?' I asked, fairly curious about the mix of people I saw atthe barbecue.

'Oh,that goes way back. To be honest, I forget most of it.' He had athink for a moment; after a minute or two, he spoke. 'Well, UncleDom knew Letty for years. She lived down the street from what I know.Brian came onto the scene when they were probably around their latetwenties. He was an undercover cop but gained Dom's trust afterletting him escape arrest.' He paused to think of something else.'Dad and Rome knew each other years before that, so far as I know.They haven't really told me much beyond that. Dad and Tej met againa year or so after letting my uncle go. He owned a mechanic'sgarage and dad kipped out in a cot there. Tej is kinda like thetechnical guy round here so if you have problems with an ECU orcomputer or something, he's the guy to go to. We have other friendsdotted here and there but dad and Dom don't keep in touch with themunless it's an emergency,' he informed me with a wink. I instantlysmiled. 'So what about you?'

Icrossed my hands over my lap. 'What about me?'

'Well,you know a lot about me already yet I know nothing about you beyondyour name, age and what you drive.'

'Andwhere I live though I still can't figure out how you knew theSubaru was mine.' I gave him a momentary suspicious glare. 'Oh,and my real name is Michelle, just everyone calls me Ella for short.What do you wanna know then?' I added quickly.

'Howdid you end up working at Carl's? Let's start there.'

'Isort of just fell into it. There was a job going so I took it.'

'Tookit?'

'LikeI asked what was involved and since it seemed pretty simple, with abit of training, I said I'd do it. I guess since Carl seemeddesperate for a Sales person, he took me on.'

Hisexpression was one of slight confusion. 'Are you from around herethen?'

Itilted my head. 'Yeh, sort of. I'm from Silver Lake North West.'

'Ah,I've been to the lake a few times. It's... relaxing.'

'Ilike it up in Elysian Park.'

'Andyour obsession with cars comes from...?'

Ichuckled. 'I knew you'd get to that at some point. I don'treally know. I guess because, when I could drive, it meant I couldget out of the house. Plus dad used to race now and again.' Oncemore, his expression changed; this time it was both of worry andcuriosity. 'My dad became...' I hesitated.

'Abusive?'he offered kindly.

Ishook my head. 'An alcoholic. My mum left when I was thirteen. Ileft as soon as I had money for a room somewhere. That's why I livein an apartment. The landlord understood and he understands if I'mlate on a month's rent.'

'Aren'tyou pissed your mum left you there?'

'Tobe honest, I never cared. I don't know why. Probably because Iwouldn't be who I am now if she had took me. I think she was soscared of dad she just wanted to get away quick. Dad never hurt melike, he just sat passed out on the couch most of the day.' I feltmy chest tighten up as the memories flooded back into my head; Itried so hard never to dwell on them but Jack had asked nicely so Ifelt obliged to tell him the basics.

'Don'tbe upset. I didn't think you'd tell me this much.' Placing areassuring hand on my knee, I looked at him with a blank face.

Iwiped my eyes from the forming tears and pulled my hair back awayfrom my face. 'I don't mind. I just haven't told people aboutmy past. I barely look back on it myself.' I must have missed atear as one fell down my cheek and dripped onto my hand. 'Sorry,'I said, apologising for crying which seemed ridiculous. The nextsecond I found his lips pressed to mine. I didn't kiss him back butwaited for him to pull away which happened sooner rather than later.'What was that for?' I asked, utterly bewildered. I suppose Ishould have pushed him off or slapped him but he hadn't doneanything overly pushy.

'Ithought it might help,' he bluntly explained.

'Right.'

'Didit?'

'Notreally, if I'm honest.' Half of me was annoyed that he had doneit and the other half was relieved that he had; relieved that thestrange awkward sexual tension that was there had now beenextinguished. I knew I was attracted to him but it was more like anafterthought whenever I finished saying something. It totallyconfused me and yet it didn't hinder my ability to talk to him likea normal person and not like a teenager who has a crush on a collegeguy. I began to wonder how long we would stay awake for whilstchatting away; after all, I didn't come up here expecting him toshag me. I came up here for the warming company he gave me, of whichI wanted more. Mostly what I was worried about was what he was or hadbeen expecting and what he thought of my choice. It was both easybeing around him and hard, particularly when I couldn't read him soeasy as I could my friends.

'Weshould sleep.'

Ihalf smiled. 'Yes, we should.'

'Wouldyou mind turning the light off? I'm all comfy now.'

Witha roll of my eyes, I got up and switched the light off. This gave methe perfect chance to slip my bra off from under my top (it was souncomfortable to sleep with it still on). All I had to do now wasfeel my way back to the bed. I found it easy enough as it was only afew straight steps from the light switch only, somehow, today justwasn't playing fair. As I put my left knee on the edge of the bed,my right foot (which was half on top of the catalogue) put too muchweight down and slid from under me, my head planting itself firmlyinto Jack's stomach. It wouldn't have hurt my head so much if hehadn't had a toned body but he did and my head made a very dullthud as it landed.

'Ow,'I said shortly.

'Yes,ow. You head-butted me.'

'Wellit's not like I intended it, is it?' I asked rhetorically as Iineptly shuffled onto my side without making too much noise.'Besides, I can't see in the dark.'

Afterletting me settle down, Jack whispered to me. 'I didn't want tosee you upset. That's why I kissed you.'

 Placingmy head on his shoulder (his arm was under me) and my arm over hischest, I whispered back. 'It doesn't bother me.'