Burnout | Fast and Furious | Book 3

[23]

𝗦𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆, 𝗜 𝘂𝗵... 𝗜 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝗺 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴.

I spend the next few days grumbling to myself and giving everyone (except Elle and Reiko) the silent but deadly stare treatment, as I try to fix the Mona before killing anyone.

Han had taken in his new stray as the Texan got comfortable in our lives, spending more time in the garage, not meeting my eye.

As much as I wanted to kick his ass, I couldn't; underneath that cocky exterior, I saw what Han did in the kid. He was lost; we knew how it felt to clutch at air, trying to find a corner of the world to call your own.

These kids were making me soft. It's annoying.

I knew Han had taken Sean under his wing, given him one of the cars, and sent him out on some jobs, which made me wonder whether he really saw something in the kid or if he just liked fixing damaged goods.

The garage doors were cracked open, letting in the night air. The sounds of the nightclub next door were pulsating through the walls and floor. Han was off at a meeting with Takashi, and Sean was loitering in the garage like a wounded animal.

"So... you're American?" I hear Sean ask as he looks over the Nissan. I stop tinkering and give him a slight glare, "Sorry, I uh... I suck at apologizing. That's what I'm doing. Apologizing."

With a short sigh, I continue to work on the car, "Yeah, I'm American. California."

Sean seems less tense as I answer. I can only imagine what Twinkie and Han have told him about me; the kid looks like he's afraid I'm going to eat him alive.

"Alabama... but I uh got moved around a lot." He says, clearly trying to keep up the conversation, but I already knew everything about him that I needed to.

I may have done a full background on him when Han welcomed him into our lives.

"Yeah. Alabama, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona. Japan must be completely out of your depth, huh?" I stare at him to see how he reacts to my knowledge of his previous 'homes'.

Sean falters as he glances at me before a half grin appears on his face. "Mm. It's like... alien to me. But it's slowly getting better." He says as if not shocked by my words, "So uh.. what's a Gaijin?"

I snort a soft laugh at his question, his face twisted into dopey confusion. "It's a word for foreigners and non-Japanese citizens in Japan. Some use it as discrimination, others use it more... affectionately, I guess. Depends on the context."

The Texan nods, clearly realizing that in his case, 'Gaijin' was the former, since Takashi and Morimoto both used it in a negative context, whereas with me it's neutral, or in Morimoto's case, flirtation.

"My best advice to you would have been to just keep your head down and stay away from them, but that's not an option now," I say to him, not only because he's offended DK but also because of his infatuation with that Neela girl.

Sean just looks at me, and we both know I'm right.

"So new advice. Learn the life, keep out of back alleys, and practice. Also, if you don't want me to kick your ass, don't race in one of my cars again until you can drift as good as you can breathe." My words were joking but serious; this kid was way out of his depth in Japan.

My phone beeps as Sean asks me questions, but I wasn't listening, seeing the message on my screen. My stomach dropped at the message 'From Elle: SOS!'.

"Kid, shut up," I snap at Sean for a moment as I try to call Elle, but she doesn't answer. I open up my GPS app and see her in the apartment, but she's not replying. "I gotta go."

He tries to talk to me at my apparent rush, but I just grab my jacket, keys, and speed out of the lot. I try calling her and Han as I drive, but neither answers; it was the worst feeling I've had in a while.

Stopping my car not far from the market, I lock it and speed walk toward the apartment, glancing all around me. Checking for soldiers or anything out of place.

Brushing past tourists and vendors, I take out my keys as I rush up to the small apartment and brandish my pistol. Listening in for a moment, I hear nothing before rushing into the place, weapon high.

"Elle!" I call out upon seeing no dangers in the apartment.

"Rose!" Her cry comes from the small bathroom off the kitchen. I quickly rush over and push the door open, and breathe, seeing her crying as she sits on the toilet. "I'm bleeding!"

—✗✗✗—

After a very awkward translation between a shopkeeper and me, I managed to get the necessary items and get back to the apartment, wondering how I got to this point.

Waiting outside the bathroom, I pace. "Elle? Did you do it?" I ask softly at the closed door, "Just follow the pictures and-" the door opens as she comes out, her shoulders tense.

Before I could say anything, she was cuddled into my chest. I freeze before wrapping my arms around her. "It's okay."

"No, it's not." She mumbles into me as I let out a soft sigh, knowing she probably feels lost and wants a mother who is no longer around. I just stroked her hair softly.

"Yes, it is. You're growing up, these things happen." My words were soft as I wondered how my own menstruation happened since I have no memory of it.

With a house full of guys and only Letty and Mia, I probably didn't want to know who was the first to learn that I had 'become a woman'.

"I got you some chocolate. Not sure what kind it is, but I saw the word Chokorēto and just grabbed a few." Leading her to the couch, I hand her the blanket, warming pad, and the bars of chocolate that I panic-bought.

Elle sighs, lying against me as the room is quiet; the only sounds are the market outside and the hustle of tourists.

"Hey, at least it was me and not Han," I joke to her as she lets out a small giggle, wrapping her arms around me. I glance down at the girl, glad that this was just a period emergency, and slightly humbled that she called for me.

I eyed my gun sitting on the table, thankful that I didn't have to use it, that we could still have 'emergencies' that could end with a cuddle and chocolate.