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Speed
Chapter 1
Jason leaned against the silver car checking his cell phone, when suddenly he heard quick footsteps approaching him
"Excuse me, are you the driver?" 17 year old Jocelyn asked.
"I'm by the car aren't I? he replied.
"You don‘t look old enough" she said starring at him. "Well clearly I am since Mr. Garcia hired me." She raised her eyebrows and bit her lower lip.
"What's your name tall dude?"
“Jason” he replied in a flat tone.
“Well nice to meet you Jason.” Jocelyn said
“So where are you from?”
“Not from around here.”
“Cool I got a foreign driver.”
Jason gave her a small smile and returned to his cell phone
"So, how old are you" she asked .
“Twenty-one.” he replied not looking up from his cell phone.
"cool" she said. Jocelyn stood next him, waiting for him to ask her how old she was, but instead he just kept texting. She walked over to the car and leaned against him. Jason looked up and gave a small smile and looked back down again. She rolled her eyes and sighed. Talk to me she thought but then the door of the house opened and out came Jocelyn’s little 9 year old brother Tyler.
"What took you so long?" Jocelyn yelled.
"Hurry up and get in the car" she said as she walked to the car herself. She walked up to the front passenger seat but since her little brother was there, she decided against it and went to the back seat. She didn’t want to give him a reason to shoot off his big mouth and embarrass her
in front of Jason. They both got into their seats while Jason turned on
the engine. As soon as Tyler had buckled his seat-belt he began
talking.
"Are you the new driver person?" he asked in a voice that was much to loud for the morning. Jason looked at him from the rear view mirror and replied in a softer tone.
"Yeah"
"You don't look like one" he replied in his loud voice. Jocelyn laughed to her self when he said that.
"Oh really.” Jason said as he pulled out of the driveway.
"all of the drivers we've gotten are all old fat creepers but you look pretty cool." Jason chuckled to himself
"well I guess that's a good thing."
"I'm Tyler but you can call me Ty"
"That's cool, nice to meet you Ty, I'm Jason."
He eyed Jocelyn from the mirror. She looked out the window, her cheeks turning pink. For the next fifteen minutes Tyler talked mindlessly to Jocelyn about his soccer game and other school stuff of which Jocelyn was not paying attention. She would throw in the occasional ‘huh’ and ‘oh that's ‘cool’, but the whole time she was staring at the back of Jason’s head. As
soon as Jason dropped of Tyler at school, he asked Jocelyn for
directions to her school.
"Before we go I got to get some coffee." she
said.
"Sure, where to?”
"Starbucks."
"Sure thing Miss" he said.
"I like the way you say Miss" she said in a low voice, smiling to herself.
"What was that?" Jason said starring at her from the mirror.
“I said I have to take a p***.” she lied.
“Oh, that’s nice.” he said slightly uncomfortable. A few minutes later he pulled into the parking lot of a starbucks. Jocelyn hopped out of the car and closed the door behind her. She walked over to the drivers window and tapped lightly on it.
"Yes?" Jason asked, rolling down the window.
"You want coffee?" she asked casually.
"Oh, no thanks I don’t drink Starbucks" he said rolling
the window back up.
"ok"
she said embarrassed for getting her offer rejected. Why are you all over him Jocelyn? She asked herself. He doesn’t like you and he is your driver. Stupid she muttered as she walked into the crowed
shop. “That chick’s a little annoying.” Jason thought back inside the car. He shook his head and leaned back in his seat and sighed. New job, new place, new Ely he thought with his eyes closed and his hands behind his head. It's Jason a voice inside his head corrected. Right he thought back. Jason.
A few minutes later Jocelyn walked out with a paper cup and a small pastry. She walked back to the car quickly knowing that she had taken a long time getting herself coffee and food. Fatty next time just go to school she muttered to herself. She reached the car and opened the door to the front passenger seat and hopped in. Jason quickly opened his eyes
and leaned forward in his seat.
"Back so soon?" He said turning on the
engine.
"Duh" she replied as she closed the door.
"What are you doing?" he asked, noticing that she had jumped into the front seat.
"I wanna listen to the radio" she said innocently. He starred at her for a second, not liking the idea the sighed
"That’s fine I guess." he said
“But just letting you know, I can’t stand pop music " he said as he backed out of the parking lot. “Ok that’s fine" Jocelyn said with a smile. She turned on the radio and started flipping through the channels. Jocelyn flipped through the channels for a couple of minutes until she heard a song that she liked.
"You listen to Spanish music?"
Jason asked.
"Yeah why?"
"Oh I thought you were white" he said.
"No I’m Puerto Rican." she replied. Jason turned to looked at Jocelyn for a brief second making Jocelyn blush.
"Oh" he replied. She smiled knowing he had looked at her. Oh yeah this dude is totally into me, she thought. The rest of the way to school Jocelyn hummed to the song while Jason listened. He'd never listened Spanish music but he liked the way the guitar harmonized with the voice of the singer and the way the whole song sounded. He found himself tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel.
"What's this type of music called?" he asked.
"Bachata, why?" Jocelyn responded.
"Oh, I like it." He said
"Really?" Jocelyn asked surprised
“Yeah.”
“That’s a first.” she said
“What is?” he asked
“A white person who doesn’t speak spanish liking spanish music”
“¿Como sabés que no háblo Español?” he said with a smile
“Wow I’m impressed.” Jocelyn replied
“So who’s the singer?”
"It’s a band and they're called Aventura".
“Adventure?" he asked.
“Yep.” she said happy that she had managed to get a conversation started with her new driver. For the next ten minutes they talked about music and what bands they liked the most. Unfortunately for Jocelyn their conversation was cut short when he pulled into Jocelyn’s high school, The Ravens High.
"alright, well thanks for the ride" Jocelyn said before she opened the door.
"Sure thing" Jason said.
Ohmygosh! she said to herself as she watched Jason drive away. She was so busy day dreaming, she didn’t even notice her best friend walking towards her.
"HEY!" the girl with dirty blond hair who looked like she’d been up all night drinking energy drinks to keep herself awake.
"AH! O my f-ing goodness Chelsea! You nearly made me crap in my pants and spill my coffee!"
"sorry it's just that it's been a long weekend and so much happened
and I can't wait to tell you!" Chelsea said over-enthusiastic.
"That's great now MOVE and tell me during class 'cause were going to be late already."
"Ok let's go!" she said taking Jocelyn by the arm and
dragging her to first period.
Ch2.
Jason pulled into the nearest 7-eleven and walked quickly into the store. He had had a long trip from Florida to California, and had gone without a cigarette for at least forty-eight hours. He grabbed a pack of camels and a cheap coffee. He walked up to the register and stood behind
three people waiting in line. He let his eyes wander before he noticed
a man in dark sunglasses leaning against a car, two parking spaces
away from his own. Stop being so paranoid he thought. No one knows I'm here. I mean they can't he thought. He paid for his stuff and then walked back to the car.
He looked around before he leaned
against the car. The man was gone. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it up taking a long drag from it. He exhaled through his
nostrils like an experienced smoker. A habit he picked up freshman year at college from his roommate Dan. He was actually surprised the stoner hadn't called him in the last 24 hours. But then again Jason had said little about why he was leaving and where he was going. It was better that way. Dan was a good guy and he didn't want him to be involved in his mistakes.
An alarm went of on his watch reminding him
of the time. Sh**! he cursed out loud. I’m gonna be late. He threw the cigarette bud on the asphalt and sprayed some cheap cologne he brought with him to dissimulate the smell of smoke.
With a swift move he got in the car and turned the car engine on. Jason stared at the dashboard with a smile. The car that he was driving was the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S ‘09. It was definitely one of the most expensive cars that he had ever driven. He put on his sunglasses and smirked as he backed out of the parking lot. Across the street, the man with dark sunglasses watched Jason drive away. He threw his own cigarette bud out the car window and picked up his cell phone. He quickly dialed a number and waited for an answer.
“Hey boss, found him, and he ain’t sporting a bad ride either…”
Chapter three
Chelsea (the stupid b****) had spilled coffee all over Jocelyn’s binder and jeans during first period while she was telling her story. She had been flaying her hands wildly and when she whipped one of her hands across the air, she hit the cup that had been sitting on Jocelyn’s desk sending coffee flying everywhere.
“You stupid s*** are you still drunk from yesterday!?” Jocelyn yelled from the counter where she was frantically trying to clean out the stains on her jeans.
“I said I was sorry!” Chelsea said while she handed Jocelyn paper towels from the dispenser. Jocelyn stopped foe a second to calm down and sighed.
“I’m sorry, I know it was an accident but I’m just sort of frustrated with myself.
“Oh its ok I’ve been called worse before.” Jocelyn gave her a smile and walked over to the trash can to throw away the paper towels.
“Is the stain still noticeable?”
“No not really, thank goodness your wearing dark jeans.” Jocelyn rolled her eyes and gathered her stuff from the counter and walked into the sun light of the courtyard. They had missed the first 10 minutes of Nutrition and Health, which was just a fancy name for the break they get every morning in between classes.
“So you never finished telling me the story.” Jocelyn said as her and Chelsea walked out of the bathroom to go sit on their favorite bench.
“Ooh that’s right!, well anyway the party was in a rich dudes house, I’m telling you this thing was legit. And that’s where I met him!” Chelsea said returning to her enthusiastic self.
“Meet who?”
“Joss!, well he was kinda drunk but his name is Ryder and he was all over me the whole night.”
“Mhm” Jocelyn said in an accusing tone
“What?” Chelsea said
“Well how old is he?” Jocelyn asked
“Who cares he is hot!” Jocelyn frowned as she sat down at a bench facing the school’s main stair case.
“He sounds like trash.”
“Oh shut up your just jealous ‘cause you haven’t gone out with anyone since freshman year.”
“Chelsea you know all the guys here are dumba**es who just want to get in a girl’s pants.”
“Um I think that goes both ways, tons of girls are like that too.” Chelsea said rolling her eyes.
“Yeah well I’m not like that, I want to go out with a guy and have a relationship then do it, when I’m married.”
“Uhg your so old fashion, that’s no fun.”
“Whatever”
“Whatever. But OMG he was soo hot.” Jocelyn rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Chelsea I really don’t think you should be going to all these parties with all those sketchy drunk guys that you don’t even know. Trust me one of these days your going to get raped and then what?”
“Wow, relax, you know I always go with Kelsey and Audrina. We always stick together and call a cab to go home.”
“Yeah but still. I just get worried, I mean c’mon we’ve been best friends since third grade.”
“Yeah I know but don’t worry I don’t do anything that they offer me, drug wise, but I am a sucker for alcohol.”
“Ok if you say so.” Jocelyn was apparently never going to make Chelsea understand that her crazy partying could end up badly.
“Oh hey there’s Wes!” Chelsea said loudly
“Oh god where? Please don’t tell me he saw me or you.” Jocelyn said
“Why not?” asked Chelsea.
“Cause I can’t stand his constant hitting on me, its so annoying and he just doesn’t get tired of me rejecting him every single friken day.”
“Well then stop rejecting. He’s tall and handsome. Now go tap that.”
“Are you crazy? He is such a womanizer! Now lets go he saw me and gave me that creepy pedophile wink of his.”
“Ok, but I’m just saying the boy ain’t bad.”. Unfortunately for Jocelyn the courtyard where they had nutrition every morning was beyond crowded, and just to go five paces was a hassle. But Wes managed to weave through the crowds and get to Jocelyn and Chelsea before they could leave the area of the bench.
“Hey sexy, what’s up?”
“Nothing much” Chelsea responded. Wes looked at Chelsea with raised eyebrows.
“Jay Kay.” she said in the girlish voice imaginable “Hey Wes, sorry were kinda in a hurry.” Jocelyn said.
“Oh yeah? Where you running of to?”
“The, restroom, because, Chelsea is on her period!”
“I am? I thought you were.”
“We both are now come on!” she said pulling her forward and away from Wes.
“Byee!” Chelsea said as they left.
Ch.4
The black Maserati slowed to a stop in front of the stairs that lead to the mahogany doors of the mansion. Jason swiftly got out and placed his Ray Bans in the inside pocket of his leather jacket. He walked up the stair where he gave a mock salute to the security guy who was standing by his door with his hands clasped in front of him.
He entered the foyer which reminded him of an art museum, cold and uninviting. The only thing that reminded him that it was a house were the pictures mounted on the walls of Jocelyn and her mom and brother. He stopped briefly to look at a picture in which Jocelyn was smiling, curly chocolate hair spilling over her shoulders. He stared at the picture a little longer than he should have before walking up the stairs to the office of Mr. Felix Garcia, Jocelyn’s dad.
Mr. Garcia’s office was a big room surrounded by tall, glass walls which overlooked the Santa Monica beach. There were plush sofas on either side of the door and a framed picture of his wife and daughters on his desk. Jason knocked softly on the open door.
“You’re late.” Mr. Garcia said not looking up from his computer screen.
“Sorry I got lost on my way back from dropping of your daughter.” he said regretting his stop at the seven eleven.
“Uhuh. That car has GPS installed in it, doesn’t it?” Mr. Garcia said looking up at Jason. His green eyes bore Jason down.
“Um.” Jason said nervously. Mr. Garcia sighed and looked down at the paper work mess on his desk. He whipped out a résumé and set it top of the pile of papers.
“Says here you applied for the driving position and put in a note that you can go, really, really, fast.” Mr. Garcia set the résumé on the table again, and looked up at Jason with a raised eyebrow.
“Hehe, that was a joke sir, but I’m a pretty good race car driver a---.”
“Race car driver? What are you talking about.” Mr. Garcia said interrupting him.
“Well, don’t you own your own racing team?” Jason asked. “
Oh, oh you mean…” Mr. Garcia said chuckling at mid-sentence
“You mean you applied to be in my racing team? Jason, I hand pick those drivers, the don’t just apply like the rest of the help at the house.” Jason stood silent taken by surprise.
“Jason I hired you to be my daughter’s chauffer, not a race car driver.”
“But Mr. Garcia---” Jason stammered.
“I’m sorry Jason but I’m not going to have an amateur, who can’t even get to work on time, on my team.” Jason tried to think of something to say that might change Mr. Garcia’s mind but instead he just stood there looking like an idiot with nothing else to say.
“You can leave now, oh, and don’t be late picking up my daughter from school since that’s all I’m paying you to do.”
Jason walked down the front stairs angrily and cursed his way out the front doors. He walked down the stairs and headed for the fountain that was in front of the house. He pulled out a cigarette and lighter with trembling fingers, which were a result of too much coffee combined with the smoking of cigarettes.
“Stupid Fu***r, I didn’t apply to be just a dumba** driver for some little rich girl.” He took a long drag from his cigarette and looked down at the soil in his shoes.
“Mind if I take a hit?” a female voice asked next to him. He turned around and looked at the girl that was now sitting next to him.
“Melrose?” he said surprised.
“Sup.” she said taking the cigarette from his shaky hands and putting it between her lips.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Oh you don’t know?” she said sarcastically.
“Felix Garcia is my uncle, and my boss.” Jason starred at her with a frown. For the first time he noticed how much she looked liked Jocelyn, with her curly brown hair and green eyes.
“Since when do you work for your uncle?”
“Since I heard you were moving to work for him.” “What?” Jason said, his face turning white. “Relax Big Stud, Dan told me, after I did him a few favors of course.” Jason raise his eyebrows.
“Sounds like Dan.” he said pulling out another cigarette from his pocket.
“So are you having fun driving my cousin around?” she said with a smirk.
“Haha.” he said
“You know I’m surprised your not on his team and I am.”
“What?” he said dropping his cigarette on the wet ground.
“Yep.” Melrose said with another smirk. Jason glared at her and reached for his pocket for anther cigarette.
“What you didn’t think I meant working for my uncle as a maid, did you?”
“No, but why would he put you in his team when you’re not that great of a driver?”
“Well I got much better during the summer, and hello, he’s my uncle, obviously he gave a shot.”
“Well can’t you get him to give me a shot too?”
“Mhm let me think..”
“Melrose please, I saved you’re a** so many times, now its your turn to help me out.” Melrose looked at the pleading Jason and sighed. “Fine, only ‘cause your hot.” she said with a smile.
“I knew that counted for something.” he said smiling back.
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