Switching Lanes
by Amastre

Feedback:  Constructive criticism wanted!  Amastre_1981@gmx.de
Disclaimer:  Most of these characters aren't mine and I'm just borrowing them for a while, so they can do those things all the others don't let them do.
Summary: AUFic, Katie is a street racer and Jessie the girlfriend of her newest rival Tad. They meet and suddenly Jessie thinks about "switching lanes"... while Katie and Tad prepare for a return race.
Author's Note: This story just popped into my mind, when I listened to the "2 Fast 2 Furious" -Soundtrack... I suppose it's not a high quality story *g*, but writing it was fun... ;-) Even if no one likes it, I will finish it... just because I don't like unfinished work. So: Enjoy reading! *g* Or not...

**********

Katie leaned over the counter. Her hands were still dirty from oil and grease.

"Do you think 60/40 will do it?"

The man shrugged his shoulders and watched her. She would make such a beautiful girl, if she wasn't wearing this garage-outfit all the time. But she was a great driver... and an even better mechanic... so: Who cares about outfit?

"I don't know. I mean, you had it lower, didn't you? Why do you want to change the springs?"

"Because I can't drive over a simple grade crossing. I ruined the rear bumper in the last race."

The man grins. Her eyes... it's her eyes...

"So, you're telling me, you need a new rear bumper, too?"

"Definitely and a wide body kit," she smiles mischievously, "but not today, I'm sorry. Only 60/40 springs... Apex, please... now!" 

Katie realised he was staring at her. All guys are staring at her after a while, until now she hadn't figured out, why they were doing it. Maybe because she didn't do her hair or... she looked down and checked the buttons of her shirt... all closed. Maybe she should open a few, so he'll give her some discount. Katie grinned and turned around.

The man behind the counter disappeared to get Katie's new springs.

The shop wasn't too crowded. After a while she discovered a couple standing next to the rims. She had seen this guy before... where do I know him from? Yes... damn... that's Tad, the guy who lost his last race... against me... she grinned.

"You can't afford Enkeis after your last race, Tad!"  She shouted.

Tad turned around and recognized Katie immediately. He smiled politely, but in the same moment he held the hand of his girl a bit tighter. Not because he was afraid of Katie or her remarks... but he had the fear that Katie would take his girl as merciless as she took his money. There were some rumours about Katie concerning her weak spot for blonde girls... and considering this: Jessie was kind of fitting in Katie's prey system.

"You're right... I can't. But to be honest: They would fit my Dodge... but they would look kinda ridiculous on your Japanese rice bowl."

Katie grinned. A quick-witty guy with a... oh, my... she frowned... with a cute girlfriend.

"It's not a Japanese rice bowl... it's a Mazda RX-7 and I would never degrade it with Enkei rims. They're not my style."

Katie tried hard not to take her gaze from Tad, but she felt that someone was watching her... closely.

"You've Racing Hart Wheels, haven't you?"

Nodding, Katie sensed a completely unknown tingling on her skin. These glances were forcing her hard to return their looks.

"Yes, I painted my brake callipers  black and most of the Enkei rims didn't fit, because with them no one could see the painted callipers."

Tad smiles widely.

"I always thought... painted callipers are a bit excessive."

"That's what I think of muffler tips... bit I suppose guys like you need them."

"Touché!"  Tad's smile faded and he turned to his girlfriend.

I can't stand it! I can't stand it any longer. Damn! I knew it! She's staring at me. Katie didn't really know what to think of this smile she saw. Tad's girlfriend smiled at her... but why? There was just one possible reason, the reason why all straight girl that look like her smile at her: Complete happiness, because girls like Katie will never be competition... dirty... wearing dungarees... no make up, no hair do... the only thing boys look at, when they see her is her... ok, leave it! Katie returned the smile, trying to be polite and not showing that she has to fight hard against the forces that begin to feel attracted to this girl. Tad's girl.

The man reappeared behind the counter with the new springs. He grinned, when he recognized that Katie and this girl on the other side of the shop were staring at each other.

He cleared his throat: "Do you need a new radiator mascot?"

Katie felt her cheeks getting warm... great, absolutely wonderful... she's embarrassed... he caught her... in the act... somehow... well, ok... it's not that she tried to make a pass at this girl, is it? She turned around and faked a smile.

"Thanks, no. My springs?"

"Your springs when you've paid... Apex 60/40 for a Mazda RX-7... and ahm... by the way: She would look great on your front-passenger seat, honey."

Katie paid, looked at the guy and stated: "Probably, but I think she's not the type of girl who would exchange an American classic car and a cute, football playing boyfriend for... how did he call it... a Japanese rice bowl and a girlfriend with an English accent... even supposing that my car is a lot faster and that I'm better in bed... probably... and by the way: I resold the camshaft you sold me last week... it was rubbish."

She left the shop without saying anything else... even though the man behind the counter tried to answer something.

**********

Did that really come out of my mouth? Katie walked to her car, carrying the heavy package with the springs on a shopping cart. When did I become so superficial? My car is faster and I'm better in bed... that's disgusting... that's not me... Leave it, Singer! That's the poser who's driving the car every night and the driver who's winning... She grinned. The races have started to change her. I start to act like one of the other guys... conceited... arrogant... lecherous... somehow.

"Kat? Wait a second!" 

She closed the door of her car again and turned around. Tad and his girlfriend came out of the shop.

"What?"

"Return match? Tomorrow night, on the old airport."  Tad extended his hand.

Katie shrugged her shoulders.

"Why? You lost."

"Yes, I lost, but not because I'm not fast enough, but because I flew out of a bend. I'll get a new limited slip differential... I suppose that'll raise my chances to win."

The answer took Katie a while. She looked behind Tad, where his girlfriend was standing a bit bored. She had her hands hid deep in the pockets of her jeans, her light top moved a bit with the breeze that was blowing over the parking lot.

She shrugged her shoulders again.

"I don't think it's a good idea. You'll loose again... your car is no competition for mine."

He shook his head.

"I won't. I've got the new differential and I'm a happy guy now," he nodded towards his girlfriend, "she'll help me win."

Katie looked again over his shoulder and shook her head.

"I suppose, if you don't care for her a bit more and leave her standing there like she is now a bit more, than you won't stay as happy as you're now. Or is she just a new radiator mascot?"

Tad quickly turned around and Jessie shot an angry glare at him. He told her, they will quickly look for some new rims and then he'll drive her to the library, she has a mid-term next week... but now... this turns out to be a longer street-racing-discussion, which she's not interested in at all... except for, Jessie suppressed a smile, this girl. Something she hadn't told Tad until now... that she wasn't as straight as he thought and... that she liked him... and that she's still waiting for... liking him more than she's now. He told her he loved her twice a day... but she can't... because it's not love, but... physical attraction... somehow... Jessie didn't realize that she had started staring at Katie... but the words radiator mascot woke her up.

"I'm not a radiator mascot!"

Katie swallowed the wrong way and cleared her throat before she said: "That's not what I said. I asked him, whether he thinks you are."

"Of course not!" Tad shouted.

"If you say so."  Katie smiled at the girl and the smile was gladly returned.

There was something... call it chemistry... electricity... whatever... but there was something between them, when they looked at each other.
Jessie stepped forward and extended her hand.

"I'm Jessie." 

"Katie, hi!"

Jessie eyed Katie... cute, really cute... even in dungarees. And this smile... maybe there's a chance... to... wait a minute! I'm with Tad! But...

Katie sensed that Tad would explode from jealousy, if they continued looking at each other the way they did, so she turned to him and said.

"Okay, then the old airport it is. But don't tell me, I haven't warned you, ok?"

Then she opened the car again and started to put the package with the springs inside.

"You won't win, Kat! Never. You won't get my money and you definitely won't get my girl!"  Tad grinned proudly and fully convinced of what he was saying.

Katie closed the door and walked to the other side of the car. Before she got in, she looked at him for a last time and smirked:

"If you say so."

The door of her car fell in its lock and Katie started the engine.

**********

When Katie's silver car disappeared behind the next corner, Tad turned to Jessie and gasped for air... and for words...

"I... I... Jess... I can't... I can't believe you flirted with her!"

"I didn't. I never would."  ...not openly to be precise. Jessie thought to herself.

She wasn't so sure about this thing that was called her sexuality, so she definitely wouldn't flirt with a girl she didn't know.

"'I'm Jessie.' Of course you flirted. You practically allowed her to make a pass at you!"

Oh, my god! Was it so obvious? Jessie tried hard not to show that she was embarrassed. Suddenly she realized that a small part of her didn't care... this small, very extrovert part of her enjoyed the thought that Katie probably understood her behaviour... She eyed Tad. He was definitely a nice guy, very caring and sweet... smart... but why is she still thinking about Katie?

"I didn't and if I did..."

"What if you did?"  Tad couldn't believe what he just heard.

What is Jessie saying? What does she mean? He thought he conquered the heart of an innocent freshman... and now? This girl is telling him, that she won't mind flirting with a girl... he hid a smile: Yes, he likes girl-on-girl action, but only on TV... he certainly doesn't like his girlfriend being into other girls. 

"Katie is the gayest street-racer I know,"  this special part of Jessie suddenly screams silently from joy, "she would probably eventually fall upon you, if she knew that you wouldn't mind."

All of a sudden Jessie started to grin. This situation was ridiculous. She likes Tad, but that's all... she has to accept it. At the moment he behaves like she's cheating on him... and in fact: She would cheat on him. Not because she had a bad upbringing, but because she doesn't look at them as a couple... she would lie to herself, if she tried to keep up this relationship. Katie isn't the reason! She told herself. But she could be and that wouldn't be fair.

"Tad, just stop please! I really won't mind, I should have told you earlier... and... well... I don't think this... something we have isn't a good idea... I'm sorry..."

Ooh! Dumb, Jess! Really dumb! You'll have to walk home. Damn!

Tads eyes dilated.

"What? You're breaking up with me? Here? On a parking lot?"

"I'm sorry!" Jessie stammered, eventually regretting what she did, walking home wasn't something she was looking forward to.

"I... I... can't believe it... I... have to think about this,"  he started laughing, "I didn't see that coming."

"You don't seem to be very angry." 

"Oh, I'm very angry, but I'm too shocked at the moment... so... ahm... come on, I'll drive you to the library."

What?

"Do you really want to?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Why not? I can be mad at you later. I suppose we'll make good friends... even though I still... well, there's still this tiny notion, that I'm in love with you... I would prefer a bit distance after I brought you to the library... but... later... sooner... somehow... ah, forget it! Never call me again!" 

He shook his head and walked to his car.

"So I have to walk?"

"Yes, honey! But come to the race tomorrow, I'll make Katie a poor woman..."  He shouted and got into his car.

What was that? A quarrel? A fight? Did they just split up? Jessie watched Tad leaving the parking lot. Ok, this was as quick as the relationship started... it started after two hours, it lasted about a week and it ended after two minutes talking. And it didn't hurt. What now? Walking home? Walking to the library? Both was too far away, it would take her hours.

**********

Katie couldn't wait, as soon as she had parked her car in the garage she started working on the new springs. She walked to her stereo, switched it on and grabbed the package. Unpacking new parts for her car was like Christmas.

The sun had started to burn, it was almost midday and Katie became aware of the close air in her garage. She opened the windows and got rid of her shirt. An undershirt would do it here... besides no one will care here.

That's it! Start the work! She smiled to herself and began preparing the car for its new springs. Tad was going to loose, that was for sure.

**********

When Jessie came closer she heard the loud basses of hiphop-music and someone singing... a bit wrong, obviously not really sure about the lyrics.
She made her way on the backyard. The doors of the garage were wide open and Jessie could see the silver Mazda on a car lift. There was no one to be seen, but someone was still singing, so someone had to be there... She must be crazy. Where did the idea to come here come from? To her own astonishment she wasn't nervous, not even excited. She felt as if she had done this a couple of times before... but in fact: She doesn't know her.
Suddenly someone appeared next to the car, clearly not aware of Jessie's presence.
Katie was dancing around the car, swinging her hips to the rhythm of the song.

"Wooho... every little thing that we do... should be between me and you... the freaky things that we do... woohoo..."

She seemed to have fun and she didn't seemed to be very serious about the car and the racing... she just enjoyed it. Jessie didn't expect that, she had thought, Katie was a very tough driver... and an even more talented mechanic. But at the moment she just appeared like a hyperactive 14-year-old, who was currying her favourite horse. Jessie grinned and waited. Some time or other she would notice her.

"It's hot... so hot in here... oohh... a little bit of..."

The next song started and Katie eventually joined in, adjusting the movements of her body to the new beat. Suddenly she had this weird feeling, that someone was watching her. Who would watch her? A pervert? There were living a lot of strange people around... and... oh, my god! I'm dancing around my car dressed in an undershirt... She stopped dead and armed herself with a big monkey-wrench, the only thing that was close enough to reach without acting too suspiciously.

When Katie turned around to face the person who she thought was standing behind her, no one was there. Jessie had already taken to her heels, running to the street as fast as her legs could carry her. What the hell made her do this? What made her visit this girl... she must have been out of her mind. This had never been her style and it never will be her style. And what did she expect to happen? To be honest, she hadn't even known what to say. About what do you talk with someone you absolutely don't know? Jessie started to feel dizzy from running, she couldn't explain what happened so the day could develop the way it did. The only thing she could say for sure was, that she wanted to get to know this girl... whatever it takes to achieve this, she was going to get to know her.

Katie shook her head in disbelief, she had been sure she heard something... someone... whatever... maybe her brain was fooling around with her. Nope! Definitely not! She smiled to herself. Okay, maybe... she was lacking a bit of her concentration at the moment, her thoughts were otherwise occupied... Jessie. Damn, it was long ago that she had seen someone like her... and there was this weird premonitions, that they had potential, even though she obviously was dating Tad. Well: That was a reason, but it wasn't an obstacle. Oh, Katie! What are you thinking? You don't even know her, you've just seen her once and talked about two sentences with her. That couldn't be enough.

"But it's enough to be attracted and enough to want to get to know her better... damn it! I'm old enough to judge this." She said aloud and turned back to her car.

She sighed. There was still so much to do...

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