***YESSSSSS BRING ON THE NO-SCHOOL-FOR-2-MONTHS-I-CAN-FINALLY-SLEEP-IN-AND-FOCUS-ON-WRITING-AND-PAYING-COLLEGE-BILLS LIFEEEEEEEEE!

Okay, that is all.***

Title: Fast Car (based on Tracy Chapman's song "Fast Car")

Ships: ...Jaya

Main characters:

Nya Smith - An eighteen-year-old girl who lives with her drunk brother. He's had a horrible time since their parents died. He's drinking himself into a hole, and she can't stand it anymore. She has to get out of that house and go somewhere new - she needs to start a new life.

Jay Walker - The nineteen-year-old son of a movie star. He's headed nowhere in particular with his life, but he knows he hates the way his dad lives. He doesn't want to be sucked in by that. Can you figure out that he's the one with the fast car yet?

Song -

https://youtu.be/M4zCOHFrLVY

Okay, so the video above is a really great cover. But here's the original.

https://youtu.be/DwrHwZyFN7M

Snippet from this AU:

***(Nya's POV)***

I grab a sports drink from the gas station refrigerator, unable to check the bitterness welling up in me.

Life since mom and dad died has been...less than stellar. My brother Kai is a depressed drunk, and I pick up the tab. I wonder sometimes what would happen to him if I didn't pay our bills and supply his drinking habit. Would he continue to drink himself into a hole until the city took our house? Or would he get a grip, find a job, and take care of himself?

I'm too much of a pushover to find out.

I slam the refrigerator door shut, walking up to the front counter. Margie, the same woman who's always worked the register - from the time I was in diapers to now - pops a bubblegum bubble at me, her eyes gleaming. She's just ready to spread some juicy gossip about Kai Smith's Friday night shenanigans, I'm sure.

"Hey, sweetie," she grins, yellow teeth flashing at me. She takes the sports drink that I put on the counter, quickly types in its product number, and rings me up for a dollar fifty.

I fish around in my back pocket, retrieving the tip money I received at work last night. I'm a waitress and bartender at the local weekend joint, and I make money cleaning houses when business is slow during the week. Is it illegal for me to work at a bar at eighteen? Yes, but no one in Ignacia cares.

I hand the woman the money, ignoring her occasional comments about Kai meant only to bait me. She knows she can get a reaction out of me if she hits just the right chord. I don't like it when people talk smack about my brother - only I can do that.

The woman suddenly stops mid-sentence, and that catches my attention. The only thing that could make Margie stop baiting me is...juicier gossip.

I glance up to see her mesmerized expression. I turn to see what she's looking at, and that's when my eyes bug, too.

It's movie star Cliff Gordon's son. He's not a star himself, but he's kind of cute.

And he's in Ignacia.

He clears his throat, setting a bag of chips and pack of red licorice down on the counter. "Did she already ring you up?" he asks, directing his gaze at me.

I grasp for words. "I...yes." I grab my sports drink and shoot him a smile, glad he saved me from any more of Margie's verbal torture.

He gives me a tired smile back, placing a few bills down on the front counter to pay for his items. He doesn't even wait for Margie to give him his change.

Holey moley, that's kind of hot.

I stand stock-still as he passes by me, food in hand. He pushes open the gas station door, and the bell above it rings, snapping me out of my trance.

I rush to follow behind him, just to see where he goes. Why is he in Ignacia? Where is he headed?

Also, how in Ninjago does he stay in shape by eating potato chips and candy?

I balk when I get out the door, seeing him climb into a pale blue sports car in excellent condition.

My mouth drops open as a million thoughts assault me at once.

If I had a car like that, I'd either sell it for a butt-ton of money or...

I'd get away from here.

Freedom.

***I'm strangely attracted to this one. I might make the ending a little happier than the song's, though.***