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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2009 19:37:22 GMT 2
Mia checked her watch. She still had another 45 minutes before her lunch break was over and she had to return back to work. She bit her bottom lip, trying to think of what she could do to kill the time. Brian was working, Letty and Jack were at his house, Dom was in prison... it was too early to go to the bar and visit V...
Mia stopped in her tracks outside the coffee shop, frown bursting into a grin. This should kill some time... She walked inside, surprised to find the place nearly empty. There was a young couple in the back, a few old men at a table up front, but that was it. She decided that since she had time to kill, she might as well sit down and enjoy herself.
She ordered a large carmel macchiato and sat at a table in the front of the building, with her back to the window. The sun on her back combined with the calming music put her at ease quickly. What a way to kill time...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 1:33:17 GMT 2
He had been walking past the doorway when he saw her. She was.... perfection to say the least. Angel couldn't help but do a double take as she smiled at the barista as she was handed the drink she had order. He watched her as she went outside and took a seat, looking oh so dainty. The way she walked, held herself... the way she was- it was making him curious.
What was this girl doing in Echo Park? And why hadn't they crossed paths before?
Angel exited the back room of the coffee shop and leaned against the counter, watching her through the window. His cousin, Joey, emerged from the backroom behind him, a grin on his face. Joey was the manager and part owner of the coffee shop. This came in handy for both of them. Joey paid Angel and his crew money for protection and Angel used his business to launder small amounts of money through it. It was a beneficial relationship for both of them.
Joey slapped Angel on his shoulder and nodded towards the window. "She's a good looking hyna, brother," he said. Angel cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah? You know her?"
"Na.. not personally. But she comes in here every so often. She seems nice. I think she might work around here. I know I wouldn't mind seeing more of her around here," Joey replied.
Angel's face dropped and he glared at his cousin. "Hey! You watch what you say about my future hyna. Treat her with respect," he said, as he smoothed out his shirt and walked towards the door. He drew in a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst.
Most of the girls he approached were from around the hood. He wasn't really interested in receiving anything more than some sex from them and they just wanted to be able to say that they had slept with someone like him. Once again, another beneficial relationship.
But this girl, she seemed to be out of his league. She apparently had a job and the coffee shop staff thought highly of her. How the hell would a thug like him fit into her world?
Angel shrugged, opening the door and stepping out onto the street. He walked over to her and smiled, sliding into the seat across from her. "Hey. I'm sorry to approach you like this, but I couldn't help myself. I'm Angel and I am more than honored to be sitting at your table, although uninvited," he blurted out.
He blushed, knowing that his line was corny. He never had to work hard at relationship, girls just sort of fell into his bed and landed with their legs open. But this time, he had decided to put some effort into it.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 1:41:54 GMT 2
Mia was completely in her own world, thinking of Dom and Brian and Letty and everything else that was circling around in her life right now. She didn't hear the footsteps, didn't hear him approach, and barely acknowledged that he was sitting across from her until he spoke.
Mia jumped, nearly spilling coffee all over her. "Shit!" she whispered, quickly wiping the little spill up with the napkins she had thought to grab. She looked up wildly, unsure of who could have snuck up on her when she wasn't paying attention.
Angel, the man had said his name was. Dark skin, dark eyes, killer smile. One look and Mia knew he was bad news- from the pick up line to his body language. She couldn't remember ever meeting him, but everything about him reminded her of the "no good" racers and gangsters she was used to hanging around.
She narrowed her eyes but managed a smile for the man. It wasn't everyday she was approached by men, espically around this part of town. She always got Dom's dumbass friends who wanted nothing more than a roll in the hay. Well, and Brian, but he didn't count.
"I'm Mia." She said, hoping she didn't sound too confused.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 1:47:20 GMT 2
"Shit," Angel said, helping her clean up the spill. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that. Just trying to be smooth, but as you can see I'm not well versed in that area."
Mia. Simple and sweet. Kind of what he thought she would be. Angel felt like kicking himself in the head. Without knowing it, he had already conjured up some idea of what she was like. He would hate to have put her on a pedestal and than have her fall short, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't happen.
"Nice to meet you, Mia. I've never seen you around here before. Did you grow up in Echo Park?"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 1:57:53 GMT 2
He was just trying to be smooth, eh? At least it was over coffee this time and not those stupid tuna sandwiches without the crusts. "Don't apologize. I should have been paying attention." Mia shot him a smile, hoping to ease him a little bit.
"No, yeah. I've lived around here all my life. Can't say I've ever run into you, though; we must run in different crowds." Mia snorted at the thought. Sure, they ran in different crowds- if you weren't a street racer, Mia didn't know you. "I work at the Hospital down the street usually. Nurse." She clarified, feeling like a nervous thirteen-year-old again.
She cleared her throat. "You from around here, Angel?"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 2:09:58 GMT 2
"Not really, but I have a lot family and friends out here," he replied. Angel smiled to himself, she was warming up to him. Maybe he did have a chance after all.
"A nurse, huh? Your family must be proud of you. Saving lives every day. That must be an exciting job. Always on the go. How do you wind down?"
What he really wanted to know was what she liked. Maybe he could take her out to some place, show her that he was a nice guy. Well.. that atleast with her he could be.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 2:17:01 GMT 2
"Yeah, my family..."
Mia's voice drifted off and she stared down at the coffee cup in her hand. It was still so hard to think about her family with Dom in jail; the thought had never even occurred to her to tell him about her new job. Had Brian told him? Probably not. With all the running around those two had been doing before Dom was arrested, he probably didn't know.
Mia bit her lip, forcing a fake smile. "Yeah, they're real proud."
She smirked, glad for the change of subject. "Wind down? I go to coffee shops and wait for guys to show up and hit on me. You?" She teased, gripping the coffee with both hands before she took a sip.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 2:26:28 GMT 2
He noticed the change in her and realized that family must be a sore topic for her. Hell, it sure was with him. His family was hectic as shit to say the least, but it was his family to take of. One that would always be there for him.
"I pick up girls at coffee shops and take them home to cook dinner for them," he said, stared intently into her eyes as he said this, making sure that she understand that he was dead serious about this.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 2:31:43 GMT 2
For a moment, Mia was sure he was joking. Then she looked up and met his eyes, shocked to find him dead serious. It was actually surprising he had moved from mindless flirting to this so quickly. She blushed deeply, hoping she could talk herself out of this one.
"I work late tonight. And besides, I'm the one at my house usually doing all the cooking for my friends...not the other way around."
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 2:51:32 GMT 2
He smiled. She was humble and hard working. He liked that.
"Come on. I'll pick you up after your shift. I'll take you home and make you a nice dinner. My mom and my thousand cousins will probably be there, so there's no need to worry. And who doesn't like a nice dinner with a crazy family where lots of alcohol is involved," he said.
Angel cocked his head to the side and blushed thinking about the idea of taking her home to meet his mother... and the crazy ass family.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 3:02:33 GMT 2
She really shouldn't. She kept telling herself that over and over, but her heart leapt at the idea.
Brian wouldn't be able to do anything tonight, most of her family was still getting ready for Dom's trial in a few days.
It would just be his family and him like he said. Besides, she knew her way home and she had Brian's cell number if things got too weird. It wasn't like she wasn't used to being surrounded in a house full of spanish speaking drunkards usually anyway- it sounded just like her home used to be. The thought made her sad and happy all at once.
She really shouldn't...
"You know what. Sure. I get off at 6, and I wouldn't mind having dinner at a friend's house." Mia grinned over her coffee cup and finished the last sip. "You just have to do one thing for me first. Walk me back to the hospital? I got some more time to kill before my shift and I should probably learn a little more about you before I let you drag me off somewhere."
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 3:09:39 GMT 2
Angel blushed and stood up, holding out a hand for her. "I would love to walk you to work and get to know you. Plus, I have a feeling I should get to know the way," he said, hinting at the prospect of being able to walk her to work on a daily basis.
But in the back of his mind, he was already trying to conjure up the perfect dinner.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 3:14:20 GMT 2
Mia laughed out loud, taking the offer up and heading off down the street to the hospital. "So, alright, Angel. That's a pretty name, by the way." She chattered nervously, mentally kicking herself. She was getting nervous again. And here she thought Brian was the only one who could make her like this.
"Let's start with something simple. What's your last name?" She sighed at the realization that she had no clue who this guy was and she had already agreed to meet up with him after work. God, this was embaressing...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 3:31:46 GMT 2
He blushed once again. Angel wasn't one to blush. He was the one that would nod and keep it moving, but Mia seemed to have struck a cord within him.
"Martinez, it's my mother's maiden name. The clan hails from Mexico and even though my mother promises to visit each year, we pretty much stick to this side of the river. What about you? What's your last name and who can I thank for something so beautiful?"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 3:39:24 GMT 2
"Martinez." Mia repeated, smiling. "I like it. Angel Martinez."
She rolled her eyes at his obvious flirt but couldn't hide the bright smile that followed it. "Well, actually, I'm somewhat Italian. I don't know how many generations it goes back, but I know conversational. Never been there... Toretto. Mia Toretto."
The moment she said it, she wished she could take it back. Who didn't know of Dom Toretto and his racing around these parts? Who didn't know about his track record and how dangerous he was? Who didn't know he was in jail? She hoped that Angel wouldn't hold it against her, but she knew better than to hope he wouldn't know.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 3:46:44 GMT 2
"Ahhh... Toretto," he said. He felt his heart speed up at the mention of his name and the fact that she was related to Dom. Everyone knew who Dom was and he knew better than anyone.
Part of him wanted to run down the street and get away as fast as he could. Another part of him wanted to get her closer to him. And another part just wanted something normal and perfect in his life.
So he chose to change the subject and get her mind off of her brother. Better yet, he wanted to get his mind off of him and back onto her.
"He's cool cat. Don't really know him but I know of him. My mother would like you. She thinks all Europeans are exotic and what not. She'd prolly put a shrine of you in the living room. Right next to the saint of the month and the picture of my dead grandfather," he said, jokingly.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 3:54:23 GMT 2
Mia laughed with him, grinning at the change in subject. This guy was a lot sweeter than he looked; like a biker who was actually a teddy bear inside. She winced at the image and smiled at the mention of his mother again. "I'm not exotic, but I think I'm going to like your mother..."
"So, you know I'm a nurse. What do you do that pays the bills and the coffee you need to pick up European chicks?" She regretted that the hospital was close by. Already they were getting close, but she still had a few moments to spare. She really was enjoying getting to know this guy.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 6:14:54 GMT 2
"Me- I'm a simple guy. I stick to what I know and that's construction. Been taking care of the house ever since my dad split and I sorta picked up a knack for it. My uncle owns a construction business and I'm sort of the manager," he said.
He thought about the questions she was asking and he wasn't gonna lie. He did do construction jobs with his uncle. It wasn't his only source of income, but it was legit. And since she wasn't asking if he participated in murder-for-hire or if he was gang related, he technically wasn't lying. He felt bad for justifying his lies that way, but it put his mind at ease.
"And when I'm not at the construction site, you can find me at home. We have a full house and we like it that way. The house is never empty no matter how hard you try, but at least you can say you have someone to come home to or someone to lean on. What about you? I hope you like the idea of kid toys strewn everywhere."
He was stating the information simply as a matter of knowing whether or not he should let her in on the fact that he had a daughter. For most, it was a deal breaker and for others it wasn't. But it seemed to be going good so far and he thought that maybe she wouldn't mind a kid in his life.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 16:49:47 GMT 2
Construction? Mia must have sighed outloud in relief. For once to have someone around with a normal job like hers, without the hassle of racing and money and drugs... it felt nice. "Manager at a Construction firm? How..." She searched for the right word, smiling back at him. "...legit?"
The way he described his home made Mia's heart hurt- she wanted nothing more than to rush to his house and meet everyone and feel like a group again. It was something she'd missed out on for nearly six years. Tonight was going to be like a vacation from the normal, lonely life she was getting used to back at the Fort.
"Strewn around toys?" She laughed, thinking of her yard, strewn about with beer cans. It was a big difference... Of course, most kids around the neighborhood stayed away from the Toretto house unless they had some business with Dom. She was just used to immature adults. "I hope you don't mind me playing with them? I love kids..."
Mia glanced at her watch and cursed. "I'm out of time, but I'll see you tonight? Oh shoot." The thought occurred to her, and she reached quickly into her purse and pulled out a pen, grabbing his hand and quickly writing her cell number down on the back of his hand. She wrote her name above it. "There. Hope you don't mind, but I don't exactly have a business card on me." She joked, "That's my cell, if you ever need to call me for some reason. You know, construction can be pretty dangerous sometimes..." She teased, backing towards the door. "So, I'll see you at six?"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 17:45:31 GMT 2
Angel knew he must've looked like a 15 year old school boy that just saw snuck a look underneath a classmates skirt. He couldn't help the shit-eating grin that climbed onto his face as Mia scribbled her number on his hand. Part of him wanted to giggle but instead he cleared his throat and nodded.
"I'll be here at 5:59 on the dot," he said. He felt kinda down because any moment now she would be disappearing into the hospital. But alas, he had many things to do before 6 rolled around.
He had some unfinished business to take care of, bodies to shove into the closet and a dinner to plan.
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