Chicago's Furious

Tough Past (Part 2)

Alexa's POV
Next day morning, I take my car and drive to the garage. Once I get there, I get out and when I walk inside, I see Dom and Gabe talking. When they see me, Dom turns to look at me.

Alexa: Morning.

Dom: Morning.

He wraps his hands around my waist and I give him a quick kiss on the lips.

Alexa: Mia was still sleeping when I left. Did I have to wake her up?

Dom:No, it's OK, let her sleep.

I smile and then I turn to Gabe with my hand still on Dom's back.

Alexa : Hey Gabe, what's up?

Gabe: Good.

Alexa: What were you two talking about before I got here?

Dom: About tonight. We thought that someone has to stay behind so can keep an eye on the cops. And, keep an eye on Mia.

Gabe: Yeah, I offered myself...

Dom: But I told him that we need him.

Alexa : Is this some kind of a way to tell me to stay here tonight?

Gabe :Yeah, sorry about that.

Alexa: No, no, it's OK. Besides it's my turn this week. But I can't wait for the week that you are gonna stay here.

I say as I point at Dom.

He smiles and then I look at Gabe who has a small smile on his face while looking at me.

***************************

The day passes really fast. We fix a few cars, grab something to eat and then the guys getting ready to leave. I stay at the house with Mia while the others drive through the streets to LA, trying to catch up on the truck that carries usable stuff that we can take and see and you know, make money. Crazy right?

Me and Mia sit in the kitchen playing cards and talking, while I have next to me a device that I can check the truck, the cops and the team.

Mia: So Alexa... About yesterday?

Alexa: What is it?

I say as i try to find which card I throw

Mia: You know...

I look at her with my head still facing the cards.

Alexa: Look Mia, what happened, between me and Gabe, was nothing. He just confessed that he likes me. And now I'm pretty sure a friendship is ruined.

Mia: Cmon, can't you stay friends?

Alexa: I don't know. I mean, this morning, it was kinda weird.

There's a moment of silence between us like we're thinking of what to say next.

Alexa: You know what? Nevermind. Besides there's nothing going to happen between me and Gabe. I'm with Dom, right?

She nods.

Alexa: And now,...

I throw a card

Alexa: I win, again.

Mia: Oh come on!

She throws her cards on the table and crosses her hands in front of her chest, then she lays back on the chair. I raise my hands up victorious and smile.

Alexa: Now, shall we see a movie?

Mia: Yes. I don't want one more humiliating game.

Alexa: Come on, I wasn't even that tough. It's not my fault you kept loosing.

Mia: Oh really.

Alexa: Oh yes.

We both burst into laughter and lay back in our chairs. Then, after we relax, we head to the living room and open the TV. A little while later, we both fall asleep on the couch.

************************

I wake up at the sound of a door opening and rub my sleepy eyes to see clearer. A sleeping Mia is laid on my shoulder so I gently put her head on the couch. I get up and head to the bathroom, that I believe it's where the sound came from. I get in and see Dom washing his hands.

Alexa: Hey is everything okay?

Once he realizes that I'm standing at the door, he quickly closes the water running and takes a towel to dry his hands. He turns his face to look at me but I see that he is hit on the face and is bleeding.

Alexa: Oh my God! What happened?

I straighten my body and grab some stuff to cover the wound.

Dom: The cops came at us.

He says, while looking at the gaze I'm holding.

Alexa: The cops? But I was checking everything. Oh my, was it while I was asleep?

Dom: No, no. It's not your fault. The device you have, is so you can watch if the cops are coming while we drive, you know, because we can't see. But each one of us have a same device in our cars to make sure no one's coming, but I didn't see anything. It was like they came out of nowhere.

I frown and clench my jaw.

Alexa: Is anyone hurt?

He looks at me with a sympathetic look.

Alexa: What? Tell me! Is it Vince? Gabe? Oh no. It's Jessie.

Dom: It's not Jessie... It's Gabe.

My heart is like has stopped for a while, waiting for what he says.

Dom : He's dead.

Then my heart starts pounding. My face gets paler and I let my hands fall next to me. I can hear my breathing in my ears, 1...2...3 breaths. My eyes start getting watery.

No, he can't be dead. I know that these couple of days, things were weird between us but I knew him since we were little kids. He's like my best friends. It's just... Not possible.

Alexa: What do you... Mean, he's dead?

I stammer through my lips.

Dom: The cops came at us. We tried to avoid them. Get back here but one of the cops shot Gabe's car tire. His car lost cotnrol and he crashed. Last thing I remember is his car catching on fire. Everything happened so fast. We couldn't get back and see if he was alive.

My hand has moved on my mouth and a tear has fallen on my cheek.

Alexa: Oh my God... It's my fault... If I was awake and had checked the device, Gabe would be alive right now.

I keep stammering while trying to realize that I've lost a dear friend.

Dom: No Alexa.

He puts his hands on my shoulders and looks at my watery eyes.

Dom: You couldn't have known. It was... An accident. Now, repeat after me. "It wasn't my fault".

Alexa: It wasn't my fault.

Stammering again.

Dom : Again, until you believe it, "it wasn't my fault"

Alexa: It wasn't my fault.

He nods as he sees that some tears have dried.

Dom :Good.

He hugs me and I wrap my arms around his waist. I lay my head on his chest and let some more tears fall but I relax at Dom's scent and close my eyes as I take deep breaths.