Drive [h.f-t. & j.l.] (COMPLETED)

Chapter 6 - Cross My Mind

cross my mind - a r i z o n a
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josephine's pov

Checking my phone, I see it's already past midnight and I anxiously bite my nails as we drive to the garage in Tanaka's Bristol Roadster. A thousand thoughts are rushing through my mind as I try to process the realization about Hero and Tanaka. I feel the need to scream in frustration. Of course I finally meet someone who can show me the real world.. and he's one of the criminals my Dad, of all people, is looking for. I glance over at Hero, who had a small smile on his face, looking so carefree. I try to push my worries to the back of my mind, they can't find out my dad's a cop. Trying to concentrate on the streetlights passing by, a dozen of different varations of how bad this could end flash through my mind. No, there's no way the can find out. No them, not my dad.

"Josephine?" A voice pulls me out of my thoughts and I snap my head to Hero who chuckles at my confused expression. "We're here." He continues and I look back out the window as Tanaka slows and we approach the neon-bathed entrance of Tanaka Autobody of Gramercy Park.

"Home sweet home." Tanaka says as he pulls in and I notice Hero staring at me oddly.

"Hey... you feeling' alright?" He asks and I swallow hard, forcing myself to give him a smile to mask my whirlwind of thoughts in my head, nodding.

"Yeah, I'm just nervous to meet your, uh, friends." I say as Tanaka slows down the car.

"First think to know is, they're not my friends. More like, co-workers I get along with." Hero says.

"I still want them to like me." Hero chuckles at my words and I make a mental note to myself to ask him about this. Why would he talk about his crew like that? Maybe he wasn't a full part of them? Only passing through? No, I had a feeling that wasn't true.

"I couldn't care less about what anybody else thinks about you. I've got my own mind made up." He says, his sweet words a hint of sharpness to them that I wasn't sure what to feel about. A tall woman pulls up the rolling door to the loading bay, her dark hair in a tight ponytail and a smile on her face as she waved toward us.

"Welcome back, boss." She calls out and Tanaka parks and I get out of the car with Hero. Looking around, I see the garage is full of diffrents types of cars , some intact, some half-dismantled. As I take in my surroundings I notice this looks like a real body shop. Is it just a front?

"This is where you work?" I ask Hero and he shrugs, pushing his hands in the pockets of his jackets.

"Sorta. I'll do some odds and ends. Repair work, tune-ups, transmission. I know my way around an engine." He says and I can't help but smile as I see the twinkle in his eyes as he looks around. As if this is home. Tanaka immediately disappears into the back office and the tall, gorgeous woman approaches, hoisting a heavy wrench. She looks me up and down, her brown eyes staring at me. She lifts one eyebrow after a few moments, turning to Hero.

"Well, Hero? Gonna introduce her or what?"

"Emilia, this is Josephine." He says, gesturing toward me, locking eyes with me when he says the next part. "A friend." Emilia laughs, shaking her head, her ponytail swinging behind her.

"You made a friend?"

"Don't tell me you're jealous." Hero laughs and Emilia steps even closer to me and I try to stand up straighter. I lift my hand to offer a handshake but she knocks my hand aside.

"I don't do handshakes." She says sharply and I open m mouth, stammering.

"I'm sorry, I-" I start but Emilia almost plows me over, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug, squeezing me tightly. "There. That's better."