Ride For Me (Tommy Egan)

Chapter One

Raquel was sprinting down the pavement, her pink Nike duffel bag swinging against her thighs as she took off past the startled tourist. Her breath was coming out in heavy pants, tan cheeks flushed as she pushed past people.

She was running late; her classes on campus had held her back and the trains decided to act up as she travelled from Queens to Manhattan, now Raquel was sprinting across the busy streets as she rushed to make it to the studio where she worked. She ran across the street into oncoming traffic, a blue 1969 Mustang came close to hitting her and Raquel jumped back as the driver slammed on his brakes before bellowing out the window.

"Ey, what the fuck you think you doing?!"

"Fuck off!" Raquel flipped the bird, not taking a good look at the guy as he slammed on his horn, and continued on. She sprinted through the double doors, sending a quick greeting to Angie at the receptionist desk, before rushing down the hallway and bursting into the dance studio on the left.

"Ladies! Gents, I apologize for being late. The D train decided to be a dick-" She was cut off by laughter as the group of people in the room all turned their attention towards her, and she shot them a smirk as she tugged her black hoodie over her head revealing a purple Champion sports bra.

"You know how it is. I'm assuming you've all stretched?"

Hearing the affirmations throughout the room Raquel hurried to place her things down, throwing her hoodie into her duffle and quickly stripping out of her sweatpants to reveal black spandex biker shorts.

"Turn the speakers on, let's do this!"

Raquel Julietta Romano was a 24 year old Cuban-American living in the Lower East Side. She was a dancer, going to school for her Master's, teaching part time at a studio in Hell's Kitchen while also volunteering twice a week at a high school for an after school program.

She had no family, her father was dead and her mother was in Florida, but they didn't speak to each other. Her mother thought Raquel wasn't being realistic, wasting money on school for dance instead of business or accounting. But, dancing was her passion and it paid the bills just fine.

Raquel did have a older brother though, Julio. He lived in the city too and checked up on her often, but Julio was more into the streets and even though it was never explicitly said, Raquel knew. She didn't agree with it, but she understood. Julio put her first, helping to pay for her tuition, making sure she stayed in school and didn't overwork herself.

She was grateful to him; so, whenever he called or randomly showed up to her house, Raquel didn't ask questions. She cleaned him up, cooked him a meal, and made sure he had a place to sleep.

Nothing much else to be said.

After a three hour hip-hop/contemporary class, Raquel dismissed everyone, saying goodbye to a few and hugging those that approached her.