Are You Ready? /// The Fast and the Furious /// Book One

New Life

Now - 2001

Anna was almost grown now. She was 16, with naturally light tan skin, light green eyes and brunette hair. She was driving down the street alone, racing in a blue 2001 Mazda RX-8, drifting around corners and speeding into the parking lot of Toretto's, parking nearby a group of racers just like herself. She got out of the car, smirking.

Leon, Jesse, Letty and Vince were in the group.

Jesse whistled. "Look at the wheels on you."

"Bite me, Jesse," Anna told him, walking around the car toward Letty.

Letty smirked.

The boys chuckled, walking inside Toretto's.

"You trying to be one of the big guys now that you're not a little kid anymore?" Letty asked. "You're still a little lady."

Anna feigned curiosity, pointing at Letty. "How old are you again?"

"Shut up," Letty told her. "Come on. You got some people who wanna say hi." They walked inside Toretto's to join the boys, Dom, Brian and Mia. Letty looked toward Dom. "Hey, Dom. Want something to drink?"

Dom had his back to everybody else, raising his can of beer without looking back.

Vince sat next to Brian at the counter, glaring at him suspiciously.

Jesse put his sunglasses on, looking at Anna. "Beautiful."

"In your dreams," Anna told him.

"Oh, I am dreaming, baby," Jesse told her.

Anna took a pair of sunglasses off the rack on the counter, putting them on.

Vince was still glaring at Brian.

"Vince," Mia told him. Vince ignored her. "Vince!"

Vince looked at Mia. "What?"

"Can I get you anything?" Mia asked.

Vince nodded, looking Mia over. "You look good."

Brian seemed irritated, standing, putting money out on the counter. "Well, thanks a lot, Mia. See you tomorrow."

"Sure," Mia told him.

Brian walked out, leaving.

Vince whispered to himself. "Tomorrow?"

Leon looked at Jesse. "I love this part."

Vince stood, turning after Brian. "Yo." Brian turned to face him. "Try Fatburger from now on. Get yourself a Double Cheese with fries for $2.95, faggot."

"I like the tuna here," Brian told him.

"Bullshit," Vince told him. "No one likes the tuna here."

"Yeah, well, I do," Brian told him.

Vince pushed Brian into the red truck behind him. Brian punched Vince in the face. Vince ran toward him, grabbing him around the waist, pushing him against the truck.

Letty, Mia and Anna watched from inside.

Dom still had his back to everyone.

Mia turned to her brother. "Jesus Christ, Dom, get out there, please. I'm sick of this shit." Dom didn't answer. "I'm not kidding, Dom. Get out there!"

Dom stood, turning to watch the fight outside, looking at Mia. "What did you put in that sandwich?"

"That's really funny," Mia told him sarcastically.

"Dom!" Letty told him, nodding outside.

"All right," Dom told them, walking past them.

Outside, Vince had Brian pinned to the ground, punching him in the face.

Dom walked outside.

Jesse and Leon were right behind him.

Vince pushed Brian into a blue car outside.

Anna walked outside.

Vince and Brian continued to struggle with each other. Brian pinned Vince to the ground, punching him in the face.

Dom pulled Brian off of him, pushing him into another car. 

Brian held his hands up in a harmless gesture. "Hey, man, he was in my face."

"I'm in your face," Dom told him. Vince tried to go after Brian. Dom held Vince back. "Relax! Don't push it! You embarrass me!"

Leon pushed Vince back. "Get over there!"

Jesse picked up a dropped wallet from the ground.

"Jesse, give me the wallet," Dom told him. Jesse handed it over. Dom read from the license in the wallet. "Brian Earl Spilner." He looked at Brian. "Sounds like a serial killer name." He held the wallet toward him. "Is that what you are?"

"No, man," Brian answered.

Dom pointed at him. "Don't come around here again."

Brian took the wallet, calling after Dom as he started to walk away. "Hey, man, you know this is bullshit."

Dom turned back to Brian. "You work for Harry, right?" 

"Yeah, I just started," Brian answered.

"You were just fired," Dom told him, walking inside.

Brian was breathless and confused, angry.

Everyone else was either amused, angry or indifferent, if not all of the above.