Starring:
Summary: Meeting Manny, Jane talks racing and movies with him.
Date It Happened: May 9th, 2007
Grieving? Ella Wouldn't Be Grieving…
Outside the Gomez Apartment, Queens, NYC
Unlike what he's probably *supposed* to be doing at this particular moment in time, Manuel Gomez is, in fact, NOT in school…in fact, he's right out in front of his house, underneath his car working on something. The only sign of a presence being that of a pair of black Vans sticking out from the fender of the car and the occasional sound of a socket wrench.
She arrives on foot, her hair tied back into a ponytail and hanging halfway down her back. Jane's got that guitar case she's customarily seen with over one shoulder and her backpack over the other. One hand is occupied with holding a Starbucks carry out container, two cups of something hot and coffeelike in it, with some sort of baked goods from that same location as well. Her clothing is for warm weather; a dark skirt stopping about two inches above her knees, brownish ankle height boots with a two inch heel, and a tank top bearing the image of Pat Benatar across the front. Her voice, a soprano tone, can possibly be heard singing as she approaches. She's getting closer to Manny's location, her voice becomes steadily more audible as do the sounds of her heels on pavement.
"Not here." It's all Manny says, still under his car; the approaching guest to the Gomez home, Manny assumes, is looking for his elder sister, who's already left for her classes for the day, but he's not going out of his way to address anyone. Unlike Manny, who has no intention of going to class, Elena actually, ya know, cares about where she's going in life. The younger Gomez sibling murmurs in Spanish as he works on his car, eventually sliding out from under the front of it and pushing himself to his feet, running a slightly greased hand through his hair.
She stops when the voice addresses her, and turns toward the source of it. Jane doesn't, however, catch whatever he murmured in Spanish. "I should've checked first. Thought I could catch her before class and wish her success on whatever finals she's still got to survive." The woman, a twenty-something brunette of five feet and ten inches with those heels, asks "You're her brother?"
A brief nod, only lasting a second, "Si." He leans back against the hood of his car, looking over at Elena's friend curiously, "She left about fourty-five minutes ago." His hands rest on either side of the actual hood, Manny seated right on the edge of the metal car, "I'll let her know you stopped by…" It's then that Manny realizes he has no clue who this girl is, an eyebrow quirked upward a little.
"Jane Forrest," she replies, stepping forward to offer a hand for shaking. And as he spoke to her in Spanish, she chooses that language herself. The accent isn't bad, but it does bear the signs of being school taught, in that she fails to roll her r's in the right way. "Good to meet you." The items she's carrying switch off to free the right hand as she does so.
Without realizing it, Manny reaches out with the slightly blackened hand, shaking the offered hand, "<Ah, Ella's mentioned you before.>" Manny doesn't seem to know too much more than that, though, and when he realizes he has nothing to say, pushes off the hood of his car and pops it open, "<Like cars?>" Conversation's nice, but Jane's not offering much in the way of it.
She doesn't flinch away from the dirt on his fingers, shaking once and releasing. The grip isn't as limp as some females have, but not overtly strong either. Skin is smooth and soft, but the fingers have calluses which suggest a lot of time spent playing guitar or somesuch. "<I do, but I'm not terribly mechanical, Manny. I'm far, far better with guitars.>" She holds out the baked good and one of the coffee cups, they're not much use without Elena being at home. "<Hungry or thirsty?>" The baked goods are a sort of chocolate infused muffins.
Manuel grins a little bit, gesturing to his car, "<New car; Technically, not supposed to be racin' with it, but…honestly, I can't help it. It's too much fun. Besides, it hasn't been on the track…tunin' it still.>" He laughing a little bit, leaning on the fender of the car and shrugging, "<Could take somethin', if you're offerin'.>" He reaches over and grabs one of the muffins, taking a bite of it and grinning a little.
"<I am>," Jane replies with a grin and looks over the car for a moment. Her eyes go from there to sweeping the neighborhood for a moment, looking for dogs. Dogs sometimes mean dog whistles, and those are bad news in her world. Not seeing any, at least for now, she turns her attention back to him. The eyes take on an appreciative look, an understanding of sorts. "<You've got NASCAR dreams, Manny?>" Food is held out for him to take.
Manuel snorts a little bit, "<NASCAR? Hardly…>" Manny shakes his head quickly, patting his car, "<Not that kinda racing.>" He laughs a little bit, reaching up to shut the hood and nodding contently, he takes another bite of the muffin.
"<What kind of racing are you into?>" Jane asks in reply, setting down the box and taking one of the coffee cups to drink from it. It's not a topic she knows much about, but what she does understand is dreams, passions. "<I can imagine the excitement it brings. When that moment hits and the whole world just isn't there, the focus is that clear. The Zone, they call it.>" The look on her face suggests she's been there, it's a spreading smile from the very thought of finding that spot.
Grinning, Manny explains, "<Take it you don't watch movies, huh?>" Manny grins a little bit, pulling his keys out and spinning them on a finger, "<Take ya for a drive, but she's not exactly runnin' just right yet.>" Nodding at the notion of 'The Zone', Manny grins, "<Best when you watch one o' your rivals eating dirt from your tires.>"
Movies. Yes. "<I do>," Jane answers, sliding the backpack from her shoulders, then the guitar case. That item is picked up into her hands and held as if it were a rocket launcher. "<You probably remember seeing this one.>" While still demonstrating something she saw in Desperado, Jane adds "<Dirt from the tires. Or when the sound just comes from inside me and flows, like a river, so effortless. It's like the guitar, my voice, and me all become one.>"
Manuel nods a little bit, clicking his tongue, "<Well, imagine movie racing. Not NASCAR.>" He shrugs a little bit, patting his car and grinning at the woman, "<Ella should be back soon, if you want to stick around. Can't offer much…Papa's not been to the store in a while.>" Manny's eyes close for a moment, something murmured under his breath for just a moment.
"<It's all good,>" Jane replies, slipping the case back over her shoulder. "<Your sister and I were talking about Banderas once, and the guitar cases filled with weapons. It was just so incredibly cool.>" A moment or three is taken to think, before she adds "<Movie racing, like the one in Grease, or Fast and the Furious. Gone in Sixty Seconds?>"
Grinning, Manny just sort of nods, "<Think more like Fast and the Furious. Except real. And more dangerous than they make it seem.>" He laughs a little bit, stopping to think, "<Next time you get a chance, talk to Ella about what happened last race I was going to be involved in.>" A fond smile passes over Manny's face, shaking his head slowly and laughing to hiself.
"<I'll do that,>" she answers. Jane's thinking a bit about Fast and the Furious while they speak, but there's still the musician in her, always will be. Most of her thoughts are about racing songs, and with the talk about movies, well… Maybe without even realizing it, she's started to sing a tune from the musical Grease. Not one of Olivia's, no, one done by John Travolta and the guys. "Greased lightning, go greased lightning, we're burnin' up the quarter mile…"
Manuel's eyebrow just raises up a little. Shaking his head, Manny just grins. /Don't ask…just don't ask./ He settles back against his car, his phone ringing for a moment. It's a short call…totally in Spanish, and at a fast speed. Just as quickly, though, Manny turns back, "<Have to run. Ella outta be back soon.>"
"<See you, Manny>," Jane replies. "<Don't get hurt or in trouble racing, man. I don't want to have to console your grieving sister or anything, you know?>" Quietly she watches him depart after the phone call.
"<Grieving? Ella wouldn't be grieving…she'd be pissed.>" Manny just laughs and heads off, hands tucking into his pockets.