"You know, girl's shouldn't fight. It's unnatural."
"It's also unnatural for a man to be as stupid as he is tall, but there you are."
Rachel Lorton didn't think that she would fall for one of the guys that follow her brother, but there she was, fall...
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RJ always loved dancing, even when she was little, she couldn't help but dance. When they were young, Riff would let her stand on his toes and he would dance around the room when their mother would sing, they called it 'twin time'. After their mother died, they didn't do that often, but every once in a while, when one of them was sad, they dance in their living room like no one was watching. With the dance coming up, she got the opportunity to dress up and dance the night away. She may not like to wear dresses all the time, but she has to admit, they did look nice on her. The dance at the gym was the next day and she had the perfect dress picked out. It was emerald green with three-quarter length sleeves. It was collared around the neck but was cut low enough to see just the right amount of cleavage. It was just below the knees on her, and it flowed beautifully when she would turn. They don't have enough money to get her a beautiful, new dress, but Valentina let her pick up a couple shifts at Doc's so she could get a thrifted one. Valentina always took care of the girl, even though RJ's twin wasn't her favorite, she couldn't help but have a soft spot for RJ. Valentina even taught her Spanish on occasion, but she would never tell Riff that. Valentina was the first-person RJ showed her dress to and the older woman couldn't stop the tears that built up in her eyes when she saw how grown-up RJ had become.
"I love it, mi nieta." Valentina said, her voice thick with emotion and her Puerto Rican accent.
"Oh Valentina, don't cry. You're gonna make me cry." RJ responds with tears building up.
"Ay lo siento, sweet girl. I just can't help it; you are all grown up." The older woman said, cupping the younger one's cheeks in her frail palms.
"Abuela Valentina, I've been to dances before." She pointed out with a raised eyebrow. "I know, lo sé. But you've never bought your own dress before, and you've never had a date before either. You just grow up so fast." Valentina says as she makes her way behind the counter to stock the rest of the countertop items. RJ looks at her confused.
"Wait, wait, wait, who said I have a date? I don't have a date, no one asked me." She said as she leans against the counter on her elbows. Valentina looks at her with a brow raised and a smirk.
"So, you're trying to tell me that the boy that makes you nervioso every time you walk into my store hasn't asked you yet?" she asks as RJ turns bright red in the face. She puts her head down to hide her red face, but also the underlying disappointment because Diesel has, in fact, not asked her to the dance.
"No Valentina, he hasn't asked me." She states walking to sit down at one of the booths. "He hasn't even hinted at it." She says exasperatedly as she throws herself onto the booth seat.
"Rachel." Valentina says firmly. RJ sits up straight so fast she could've gotten whiplash. Valentina never said her full name unless it was serious. Valentina makes her way around the counter and stands in front of RJ.
"If I have taught you anything your whole life, it is that you don't need a boy to ask you to a dance. If you want him, go ask him yourself." She leans in front of RJ and cups her face in her hands. "Mi niña, you are a beautiful, strong, young woman, you don't need him to ask you. And I have no doubt that if you ask him, he will say yes." She points out smiling softly. She pats RJ's cheeks softly and stands up straight to go back to the counter. RJ sits still in a daze; will he really say yes? she thinks to herself. She looks over at Valentina and see her already smiling at her. She can't help the smile that spreads on her face as she jumps up and runs over to Valentina. She embraces the shorter woman and rocks back and forth.
"Gracias abuela Valentina." She whispers as she pulls away.
"De nada, mi corazón." Valentina responds with a smile. "Now go. Ask that boy or I won't give you any more free Milky Ways." RJ smiles and runs out of the store, not before throwing a smile over her shoulder at Valentina.
She didn't know where she was running to because Riff didn't tell her what the boys were doing today, but she ran. She was going to check everywhere they hang around because she was going to find him. She was going to find Diesel and ask him to that dance, and no one could stop her.
a/n: just a little filler chapter showing the relationship between RJ and Valentina
