Fighter

Chapter Four - Return of Queen of the Streets

As I walked into the garage, I skipped over my baby, and went to the giant cloth covering something I haven't touched since last year. I gripped the edges, took a deep breath, and pulled it off. There, still shiny as ever, was the first car I owned; my racer. A black and white, 9FF GT9-R with a 4.0 Liter flat-6 Twin-Turbo Engine and 1120 horsepower. I chuckled low when I remembered the look on Zakk's when I talked about just my everyday car, I wondered what he'd say or react if he saw this. Oh, that'd be something worth recording. I grabbed my helmet, leather jacket, and I changed out of my 'good girl' outfit into my streets wear. My helmet's visor was blacked out, along with my car's windows so no one could see who I really was. They know I'm a girl, my nickname, after never losing a race, is Queen of the Streets. I haven't been in awhile but I'm really feeling the need to drive and to drive fast.

"I thought you were giving that up." Right before I stepped into my car, I heard a voice that I never wanted to hear again. My ex best friend's. I straightened up, and turned so my back was to him.

"I was, but like you, I can't seem to stop myself." I knew I would piss him off by saying that. I heard him sigh, and walk towards me; I turned around and glared at him, warning him with my eyes to stay away.

"Judging by that look, you don't want me here. However, I've come to make it up to you." He stated like he knew I was going to like it.

"Oh yea? You can't make it up to me. You locked me in the car, with you driving drunk off your ass, and you caused an accident. I was in the hospital for weeks, some of it in a coma, but you walked right out of the hospital that day without a scratch. You only got parole, yet you killed two little boys, and severely injured a little girl. That little girl will never walk again, she won't remember her brothers who died protecting her, she'll never be a normal kid because her brain is jelly. She's all her parents have left, and she's not going to make it. You caused that! I visit them everyday, telling them that it'll be okay when I know it's not, and you knew how I felt about lying. But yet, you make me lie everyday. You can't make that up to me. Ever." I turned back around, jumped into my car, and drove off towards the track.

---

Once I got the track, I pulled my helmet on, making sure my hair was all inside of it, and climbed out of the car. The crowd was silent but lost it as soon as they saw who I was.

"THE QUEEN OF THE STREETS IS BACK!! LET'S ALL WELCOME HER BACK!" I heard Dan, my mechanic, yell through the speakers right before the crowd burst into a loud roar of cheering. Just to get them wound up, I threw a fist in the air and danced around in the circle the crowd made around me. The cheered me on until I stopped as I notice three new faces at my track, staring at me. I parted the crowd and stood against my car as I asked them who they were; the crowd immediately silenced.

"I was going to ask you the same question, but it seems you're already known here. You're the one everyone's been talking about the past months." The first one said, looking like he was talking to my car instead of me.

"One, I'm right here, not three feet to my left, and I may be a girl but I can still kick your ass. Two, I've been known here for years, and I know everything that happens at this track. However, you three, are new. I'll say again, who are you?" I punctuated in between the last three words, making it seem like I was annoyed. The first one looked at me, then stepped forward.

"I'm Zakk Knight, I just started racing here four months ago." He took off his helmet, and stuck out his hand.

"Darlin', you've been racing here for four months and you still haven't heard that I don't do handshakes? Not to mention, this ain't the good boy track, this track is made for real racers. You up for it?" I nodded to the track behind me as I talked. If he'd been racing here for four months then he still hasn't raced my track.

"I've already raced this track eight times. I've been up to it. Same with my friends." He stated, throwing a thumb over the shoulder at them.

"You also don't seem to know that there are no such things as friends here, we're all enemies to each other the moment we step outta our cars. Now, the other two, who are they?" I impatiently asked. I just wanted to get back in my car and feed them the dust off my bumper. The other two stepped up, and pulled off their helmets, also.

"I'm Dillon Jones, or DJ. This here is my brother, Peter or PJ." Peter seemed like the timid one of the group, like the other ones dragged him into this. I laughed out of the irony.

"Peter, you and I are gonna make great friends in the future. These two though, I think the only thing they respect is the car, not the girl driving the car. Unlike you, you're the type that respects girls, aren't you?" I walked closer to him, noticing him fiddling with his fingers, as if nervous, and his brother glared at me. Peter nodded, and slightly glanced at me. He looked terrified. I sighed, of course that's what it is. I've seen this before. The older brother wants to race and the younger brother doesn't, but the older brother drags him into because in his mind it's how to keep him 'safe.' Peter wants nothing to do with this.

"Peter do you have your own car?" He shook his head, and pointed to his brother. He rides with his brother.

"Good, you're not riding with your brother tonight, you're riding with me." He looked up, shocked, the same as everyone around. I've never offered to let anyone ride with me. His brother started to protest, but I threw a quick jab into his stomach to shut him up. Peter walked over to me, and together we walked back to my car. He got in through the passenger window, classic way to show off, and I simply opened my door and got in. As soon as I got in, I locked to windows, put the shades up, and looked at Peter.

"I guess in order to trust me, you have to know who I am, huh?" He shrugged, as if he didn't know how to answer. I took off my helmet, and shook my hair. When I was done, he was looking at me shocked.

"You're the new girl!" He said shocked. I just smiled.

"I'm AJ. From now on, you're riding with me