Next day at school during lunch Toni rested her head on her arm at the table, she was severely hung over from all the alcohol and dope she smoked last night.
Seth, Josh and Lauren arrived at the lunchroom “there she is” Seth pointed and walked towards her, Josh in tow.
“What.... we don’t have to sit with her” spat Lauren
“Ritchie said keep an eye on her” Josh dragging his leg
Toni’s eyes shut when she jolted awake by people sitting at her table. She looked up and acknowledged the boys and glanced over at Lauren next to her.
Lauren didn’t acknowledge her, just ate her meal
“So tonight” spoke Seth excitedly
“sssshhhhh” hushed Lauren
“We meet at Ritchie’s tonight...... 9pm” said Seth
“What are we doing?” asked Toni
“You will do... what you are told to do” growled Lauren quietly
Toni smirked “are you still sick on me over that punch yesterday”
The boys scoffed and Toni looked around then back to Lauren trying to get a rise from her.
Lauren took a mouthful of her orange juice then poured the remaining contents on Toni’s lunch plate, soaking her food. Lauren got up and left the lunch room
Toni looked at the boys and laughed “I take that as a yes”
Seth and Josh laughed. Toni grabbed Lauren’s plate and ate her remaining lunch
---
The black sedan idled slowly into a street. All Ritchie’s gang were looking, waiting for the go.
“There... stop” ordered Ritchie
Toni got out and Seth went to follow. “I got this one” said Ritchie
They walked over to the car parked in drive way.
Lauren’s eyes narrowed, her eyes flaring with jealously
“Someone’s got a new best friend” teased Josh
Lauren turned around and punched him “shut the fuck up you prick”
Seth tried unsuccessfully to hide his snigger; one glare from Lauren made it happen.
Toni was about to drive her knife into the lock then stopped “shit” she hissed
Ritchie walked up next to her.
“What’s taking them so long?” asked Seth
Lauren gasped when she could see Ritchie leaning into Toni “he wouldn’t fucking dare”
Josh gasped “He’s going to kiss her; right in front of you Lauren... oh poor taste Richie
Ritchie leaned in for a closer look into the car. A red light flashing indicating it was armed with an immobilizer and possible alarm.
“shit shit” spat Toni again
“No problem Toni, give me your flash light”
The group in the black sedan waiting anxiously, Lauren finally breathed sigh relief when Toni handed her flash light to Ritchie, and no kiss became of it.
Both Ritchie and Toni were on the ground. Ritchie moved underneath the car quietly, the light flashing around. “Where is it....aahhh there you are.”
Toni looks around nervously “Ritchie, cmon”
Ritchie slipped out with a small box and wires. “Now you should be right Toni”
---
The silver Nissan skyline raced against the black sedan in game of cat and mouse. Toni tried to overtake Lauren but she kept cutting her off. “Fucking hell” laughs Toni
Ritchie laughs as well “she’s fucking good in bed... and fucking unbelievable on the road.”
Toni smirked at the comment.
Both cars now parked back in Ritchie’s garage and all stood around admiring the silver machine.
“I’ll get 15 grand for her.” Ritchie hits Toni on the back “good job Toni, ok guys let’s get her ready” nodding to the car
Seth and Josh went in separated directions. Toni didn’t know what to do. Ritchie kissed Lauren then faced Toni.
“Number plates..... change them with ones from the back wall.”
Toni walked away while Ritchie and Lauren kissed openly
“You don’t honestly trust her.... do you Ritchie?” asked Lauren
“Hey... she’s good at her craft, she has edge.... cool under pressure”
“So I guess you’ll be screwing her next huh” Lauren went to leave
Ritchie grabbed her roughly “hey... “ points at her “I am not screwing anyone but you baby... and she isn’t my type. Anyway Seth’s keen on her and he can have her.”
Toni grabbed the plates and turned around to have Seth in her face. “So you need a hand” touches her face.
Toni pushed past him abruptly causing him to step back into some paint cans.
Ritchie and Lauren watch the events “and he has a lot of work cut out before that bitch will give it up.”
Lauren kisses Ritchie “so you love me then”
“I let you sleep in my bed, right sweetheart. Now be a good woman and get us our beers.”
Toni was trying to get the number plate off the back of the car. The electric screwdriver would take the screws. She tried again.
“Get out the way” barked Lauren
Toni got up and grabbed her beer that was shoved into her hands “they are locking screws; you have to break them off.”
Lauren gets a large screw driver and hammer. She leans the screwdriver against the screw and smacks it hard twice. The screws snap and the numberplate falls off
“Oh” Toni wasn’t aware of that “ok then”
“Give me the number plate and screws. I don’t want to be here all fucking night.”
Toni looked up at the clock 10.40pm. She grins to herself and hands her the plate. Lauren without looking puts it in place, screws it down without a second look then stands up.
“Doesn’t take a graduate to do something like this” mocks Lauren
Toni puts a hand over her mouth to cover her smirk. She looks at Josh and Seth and nods them over.
Lauren grabs her beer and hears the chorus of laughter. She faces them “what”
Lauren hated it when Toni smirked and stormed over. She looked at the number plate, it had been screwed on upside down “what the fuck”
“I ummm think it’s upside down” says Toni as seriously as possible
The boys were sniggering
“You fucking handed it to me that way... you stupid bitch”
“Takes one graduate to know one I guess. I’ll just rearrange it for you... and Ritchie won’t even have to know” she continues on with the taunting.
Lauren explodes, smashes her beer bottle and holds it to Toni’s neck.
The boys back away “Shit Lauren. It was just a bit of fun” says Josh
“Yeh calm down” added Seth
Ritchie came out from his tool room to see the commotion
“what the fucks going on”
Lauren’s eyes bored into Toni’s, she never lowered the jagged bottle from Toni’s throat. Toni swallowed nervously, she didn’t doubt Lauren would have sliced her throat if Ritchie hadn’t come out.
Ritchie storms over and grabs the broken bottle from Lauren tossing it aside “fuck sake stop acting like idiots and get this car ready.”
The Skyline was all but done when Toni looked at the nice set of mag wheels on the Skyline and that of Lauren’s black sedan. “hey.... why don’t we put these wheels from this car onto Lauren’s, there ‘bout the same” yelled out Toni
Ritchie looked at it and thought about it “huh... ummmm hey baby you want new set mags for your car.”
Lauren nodded
“Ok it’s your birthday present.”
“My birthday was 2 weeks ago”
“Yeh and I said I will get you a present, and now I have.
Seth and Toni changed all the wheels and within half an hour Lauren’s car had sparkling new set of mags.
“Sweet” spoke Seth
“yeh... she looks fully-sick now” commented Toni. She smiles at Lauren.
Lauren just turned her back and walks away.
Seth leaned in “I wouldn’t wait for a thank you.”
It was after 11pm, the gang had been smoking dope and drinking. Seth tried to kiss Toni, but she just pushed him away. “Oh come on babe”
The next attempt he scored a kiss, Toni then pushed him away harder and he fell back laughing.
Lauren came from the bedroom dressing. She grabbed her keys and headed to the door.
“Can I jag a ride with you?” asked Toni
Lauren looked at her “get your own way home”
Toni nodded
“Lauren” growled Ritchie in the door way
“what.... I’m not a fucking taxi service Ritchie”
“fucking hell Lauren she bloody well changed your wheels, least you could do is drop her home.”
Lauren looked at Toni “fine”
Toni was pissed and stoned. She fell against Lauren’s car, finding it difficult to open the door. Lauren got out and shoves her aside and opens if for her.
“Get in dickhead” she growled
Toni watched Lauren drive
Lauren looked over “what.... stop fucking staring at me”
Toni laughed “I can’t help it..... you’re just so funny when you’re angry”
“Shut up” warns Lauren
“and how hot does your ride look with these new wheels.” She whistles
Lauren shook her head not wanting to listen to the rants of a stoned idiot
“Are you still angry with me Lauren?” whines Toni in small voice “you still can’t be”
Lauren looked at her passenger “just shut the fuck up”
Toni put hand over her mouth.... “Ok” she muffled “not another word, promise” talking into her hand
Lauren was trying really hard to stay mad. She was about to growl at her again when she notice Toni had fallen asleep. A smile had crept to Lauren’s face.
Toni was being pushed “wake up..... isn’t this your street”
Toni opened her eyes “huh.... oh yeh”
“Toni.... get out”
Toni yawns “ok ok”
Lauren not happy that Toni was not moving quick enough, leaned over and opened the door.
Lauren looked at her and Toni sneered “hey Lauren”
Lauren looked at her “what” and cringed when she saw Toni’s fist come at her.
Toni softly punched Lauren in the arm. Lauren scoffed “is that the best you can do” smiling for the first time
“Well the second punch you landed was a tad on the soft side, only fitting I give it back as soft.”
“Oh really, time you left” pushes Toni hard and she fell out of the car. Toni closed the door.
Lauren drove off laughing.
Toni went inside when mother called out “Toni where have you been.....”
Toni rolled her eyes “school project mum”
“ok” was her reply not wanting an explanation for her daughter being home near 1am.
Toni headed down the hallway to her room and closed the door. She collapsed on the bed smiling. She had broken through with Lauren and her parents still didn’t give a fuck about her. She was happy with her new criminal family.