Loving the Buster//Brian O'Conner

Eleven

We pull up in front of Tej's garage.

"She was into it, man. What's that about?" Rome asks. "And you seen the way she grabbed the dude's head."

"She had to, man. He was testing her," Brian insists. "You gotta remember, her ass is on the line, just like ours."

"You feelin' this girl way too much. She just like that crazy-ass trailer-raff from back-in-the-day, Tonya," Rome says.

"Tonya?" Brian laughs. "Man, you went out with her after I did."

"I mean, I couldn't let her go to waste," Rome reasons.

Jimmy, Suki, Tej, and another girl are sitting around a table playing cards.

"I got you, I got you, I got you," Jimmy says.

"Is that right?" Tej asks.

"Hey, Suki," I greet.

"What's up, Cruz?" Suki says.

"See, we can race for cash, but when I step on the gas, my nitrous go blast, leave your ass in the past. And, Tej, you about to lose your garage," Jimmy taunts.

"Whatever, man," Tej says.

Jimmy continues to rap, "I'm a low-budget mechanic, but I overcharge." He throws his cards down on the table. "Pay me! Let's go, man! Pay me my money. I told you, man."

"You a happy man. I'm so glad. This is my garage, boy." Tej throws his cards down on the table. "Royal flush!" He grabs the money from Jimmy. "Give me this, man."

"Holler, huh! Yes!" Rome says.

Tej and Rome shake hands. "Did I talk to him? Talk to him."

"Damn," Suki remarks. "You can't play a player. Put that money back on the table. You know it's my next hand."

"Jimmy, how you ever gonna pay me back if you keep losing to Tej?" I tease. "How you doin."

"Aight, Cruz," Jimmy tells me.

Brian bumps Tej. "I'm gonna crash, Tej. I'll catch you tomorrow."

"A'ight, boy," Tej tells him.

I stand in the doorway of Brian's room. "What are we really getting ourselves into?"

Brian shakes his head. "Nothing good."

I roll my eyes. "Thank you for that. Really cleared everything up."

"You gettin' cold feet?" Brian asks.

I shrug my shoulders. "I'm really not trying to get my stomach eaten by a rat. I can think of about a hundred better ways to die."

Brian stands up and walks towards me. "Hey. Nothing's gonna happen to you."

I nod my head. "I trust you, Brian." Brian smiles ever so slightly. "I've missed you."

"I'm right here," Brian tells me.

I shake my head. "That's not what I meant."

"Is that why you were trying to make me jealous all night?" Brian asks.

"Me?" I question.

"Yeah. You were all over Rome," Brian insists.

"And you were all over Monica," I counter.

"I wasn't all over her," Brian insists.

"Sure," I remark.

"I don't want Monica." Brian puts his hands on my hips. "All I want is you, Maricruz. It's been you since I walked into the cafe."