She stared at him, hopeful that he could convince her somehow that he wasn’t that bad. He didn’t look like any of those kids on TV—didn’t talk like them. “Because I need to know what I’m getting myself involved in. You said it yourself in your email that hanging with the wrong people could be perilous no matter how much you try to not get involved.”
Tired of looking up at him, she stood up and moved from the bench, sitting on the table next to him. He turned to her. Sitting this close made her heart start fluttering again: a feeling much more welcome than the hollowness she’d begun to feel just moments ago.
“Little by little I’ve shut a lot of people out of my life,” he began, “people that brought nothing but trouble. No matter how many times they got busted, they never learned. Even some of the guys doing the tagging that are out now because they still don’t even know what the outcome of that incident is gonna be, are already getting in trouble for other crap. They don’t learn. I don’t need that shit in my life. I have my brother to think about. For some reason his ass thinks I walk on water. Everything I do he wants to be part of.” He stared at his feet. “Do we really have to talk about this, Rose? I’m not proud of any of the stupid things I’ve done. I’d rather that not be the first real impression you get of me.”
Rose smiled. “You’ve already made an impression on me, Vincent, and it’s not a bad one. Trust me. I get you’ve messed up a few times, but I really would like for us to start off completely honest. If we’re gonna be friends, don’t you think that’s how it should be?”
Vincent didn’t even try to hide his exasperation, but exhaling he conceded. “Yeah, it should. Just promise me that you’ll still be my friend. I’m really not that person anymore.”
The curiosity was killing her now. “I promise.” Though it depended on how bad this was. Only that would determine how often she’d be hanging with him if at all.
“Okay, so I got caught in a stolen car once, but at the time I wasn’t aware the car was stolen. I was just cruising with a friend who claimed he’d borrowed it. Since I wasn’t driving, they let me go and arrested my friend. Me and the other two guys in the car had to walk over fifteen fucking blocks home. Lesson learned. If my friend’s mom wasn’t so hysterical and made such a big deal out of us getting home so late, my parents would’ve never even known about it. The driver is no longer anyone I hang out with.” He stared at her hesitating to continue. “I was…I was at party where a girl was gang-raped.” Rose noticed how he clenched his fist and banged softly his own thigh. “I didn’t even know about it, but when she went to the police, since I was there, I was called in. All my friends were, too. My dad was so scared he called my uncle. You know Sal and his family have a lot of money…lawyers and shit.
“This is probably why Sal is most worried about me hanging out with you. Nothing ever became of it. I wasn’t involved in any way, so they couldn’t prove shit, but I know Sal and the family have always had their doubts.”
He looked away again. Rose saw how hard it was for him to face her when telling her all this, but she was grateful that he was anyway. It obviously wasn’t easy for him.
“I like guns.” He must’ve seen the panic in her eyes; she was suddenly wondering if he was carrying one now. “But not like what you’re thinking, Rose. I like target shooting. It’s like one of the only things me and my dad do together. He’s the one that introduced me to it.” She could tell his eyes were searching hers to see if she’d calmed. She had a little. “When he got me a part-time job at the recycling factory where he works, we started going a few times after work to the shooting range next to the factory. And I’m good at it—like real good. The trainers there, who’ve been doing this for years, say I’m one of the best they’ve seen.”
He smiled for an instant proudly before shaking his head and frowned. “My dad has a gun for protection. It’s registered and everything. But of course, he’s not gonna let me use it for anything else but target practice, and only when he’s with me.” He shrugged looking away. “So, like a dumb-ass, when I heard some dude sold guns out of his car, I bought one. I was stupid. I actually thought my dad might even be okay with finding out if there was any way we could get it registered. Before I got the nerve to tell him about it, my mom found it in my room. She freaked—thought I was using it to mug people or something. But that wasn’t it at all. It was just another stupid plan I didn’t think through. The idea of having my own gun excited me. That was it. But of course she wasn’t buying it. ” He looked back at Rose. “My mom really thinks the worst of me right now, and I can’t say I blame her. I’ve done some pretty stupid shit.”
Rose stared at him hoping that was it. She didn’t know how much she could hear without running away. But there was more.
“The worst was the drugs because I have no excuse for that. I thought it through, and I did that willingly. It was easy money—too easy—even the strongest of wills would have a hard time passing it up. I’d make an easy couple of hundred just making a few drops a day.”
Rose stared at him, her heart beating for an altogether reason now. “You dealt drugs?”
“I wasn’t the dealer, but they paid me to deliver. I knew it was illegal and dangerous, but I did it anyway.”
Rose couldn’t pull her eyes away from him, and he stared right back at her. He was putting it out there and making no excuses. She asked for a full disclosure, and he was giving it to her. She almost regretted asking for one now, but she continued to listen silently as his words began to sound angry.
“I never took Enzo with me, but they could’ve followed me home. They could’ve broken in my apartment and hurt my family members just to get to the drugs. I hadn’t even thought of that until my dad found my stash. He’s the one that opened my fucking eyes about it. I’d heard about that kind of shit happening in my neighborhood all the time, but the money blinded me. I felt invincible. Even after my dad told me off, took my stash, and threatened to turn me into the cops if he ever found out I was doing it again, I still snuck around and did it here and there when I needed extra cash. Then it happened.”
He’d been looking everywhere but at her the whole time, and now his eyes stopped on hers. He didn’t even attempt to hide the anger now like he had earlier. “I got jumped. Enzo was with me. They wanted the drugs. It had gotten around that I delivered, and though I was only doing it when I needed to, not full time like before, not everyone knew this. And of course, the one time I got jumped for it, I didn’t have shit on me. Between me and Enzo, we managed to fight them off. They were fucking little wusses who only fought in groups. One on one I would’ve beaten each and every one of them till they were barely breathing, but there were five of them and only two of us.” He winced and looked away. “Enzo had to have stitches, and my mom blamed me again, and she was absolutely right. That’s when I decided never again.”
Rose had listened the entire time without saying a word or changing her expression. The very thought of someone hurting Grace because of something Rose had done made her shudder. She understood why Vincent seemed so angry at himself. Suddenly Vincent seemed nervous. “Rose, please don’t let this scare you into not wanting to be my friend…or more. I’m not like that anymore. I have a job still with my dad, and I’d be there now, but my dad wanted me away from the neighborhood for a while after the whole tagging thing. At first I didn’t want to. I know what the family thinks of me. I didn’t want to be scrutinized all summer, but after meeting you at the shower and then getting to know you better over texting, I could hardly wait. They can scrutinize all they want; it’s totally worth it. I’m straight now. I swear. No more of any of that shit for me ever, especially because my uncle and Sal have already warned me if I screw up, I’m gone.”
Rose gulped, feeling the steady beat of her heart strong. She was anxious but at the same time strangely excited. The touch of his fingers against hers sent shivers up her spine, his words making her insides liquid. Had she heard him correctly? Or more? What those two little word
s did to her was unreal. But if Grace knew everything he’d been in trouble for, guns, drug dealing? She didn’t care what he called it—delivering—selling. It was still drug dealing, and her sister would surely forbid so much as even a friendship.
Their eyes met, and his were so piercing, so full of remorse that Rose instantly caved. He did say it was all in the past. She inhaled deeply. “Is that it?”
For the first time in a while, he smiled. “Yeah, that’s it. I told you everything else in the email. And most of this was from way back, Rose. I swear.”
“Why do you get into so many fights? You said you’ve been in fights, but you didn’t elaborate just said lots.” She smiled nervously.
His smile morphed into a forced smirk. “In my neighborhood, it’s just like that.”
Rose frowned. She wouldn’t let him off the hook so easy. “Vincent, look around. I’m not exactly in La Jolla here. El Paso wasn’t much better either, and I’ve never been in a fight in my life.”
She wouldn’t mention that Grace had been in quite a few when they first moved to El Paso. But that was different. She was bullied because of her accent. There’s only so much you can take before fighting back.
“It’s different for girls, Rosie. When you’re a guy there’s a lot that’s so hard to let go.”
Rose was still recovering from hearing him call her Rosie, but she shook it off. “Like what?”
He stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets and kicked a few rocks on the ground. “Like seeing others get picked on, girls disrespected, your buddies getting wailed on. You don’t just walk away from those things. My brother…sometimes he has a smart mouth and shit.” He shrugged. “He’s just a funny dude, but sometimes people don’t like it, and I’ll be damned if anyone’s gonna fuck with him. They go through me, first, and…over the years, that’s happened a lot.” He looked up from staring at the rocks he was kicking and flashed a hopeful smile. “Can we talk about something else now? Please?”
She was sure he used the sweet expression to gain her sympathy; instead, it made her knees weak. How could she say no? “Okay,” she smiled back, “but just one more thing.” His expression went hard again.” It’s not so much about you but about your dad. I’m just curious.”
Now he looked curious. “My dad?”
“Yeah, Grace told me about how Sal’s grandpa started the business way back with a taco truck, and then Sal’s dad got involved, and they made the restaurants what they are now. Sal’s dad and yours are brothers right? Why didn’t he join the business? I mean, how did you guys end up in La Puente?” She hoped he wouldn’t be insulted, but from all the stuff he just told her about Sal’s family and then his own, their families were like night and day.
Rose was surprised to see a little humor in Vince’s eyes. “Grandpa Moreno got busy after Grandma Moreno passed away and didn’t tell anyone.” He smiled at Rose’s raised eyebrows. “Yep. And then I don’t know why, but my grandma never told anyone either. My dad didn’t even know he had a brother until he was already married and had moved to La Puente near my mom’s sister. Then my dad found out my grandpa never even knew about him. My grandpa tried to make up for the lost time and even offered to let him come work for him at the restaurant, but my mom said my dad was too proud. He already had a gig.” Vince frowned shaking his head. “I was such a dick to my dad when I was younger. My mom would tell me he was working up north, but like an idiot I didn’t buy it.”
“Why not?”
“In my neighborhood, ‘Your dad’s going away for a while to work’ was code for a lot of things—going to jail, carrying off a job for the mob, going to live with his other woman; you name it. It was never anything good. So here I acted like a total asshole when he’d get back from ‘work’ and the whole time he’d been up north working his ass off as a field worker to support his family.” He winced shaking his head again. “Now can we talk about something else?”
Rose felt bad that Vincent felt so guilty, but she didn’t blame him. She was almost sorry she’d made him tell her, so she quickly agreed to change the subject. “What do you wanna talk about?”
That twinkle she’d seen too many times at the baby shower was back in his eyes, and she couldn’t wipe what she knew was a big silly smile on her own face now, too.
“You.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Vince
Vince could tell he made Rose a little nervous like now that he’d turned the conversation onto her. As cute as it was, he didn’t particularly like making her nervous. He wanted her to relax and enjoy his company, the way he did hers. Well, except for when she was grilling him about his past. But it was cute the way she tried to play off the fact that she wasn’t squirming.
“There’s not a whole lot to tell,” Rose said brushing away a strand of hair from her forehead. “My past or present aren’t quite as colorful as yours.”
“You ever have a boyfriend?”
There she went again; her body language was so telling no matter how hard she tried to hide her nerves.
“No.”
“Really?” Vince smiled. “Almost sixteen and never had a boyfriend. Interesting. That’s unheard of in my neighborhood.”
Rose finally eased up and laughed. “You speak of your neighborhood as if it were on another planet. It’s just two hours away, and in case you hadn’t noticed we are living in the same day and age. Lots of girls my age in my school have had boyfriends already. I just haven’t.” Her eyes teased him. “It’s not because of where I live, Vincent. I’ve just been busy doing other things.”
Vince liked her easing up and speaking more freely. “Oh yeah, your sports keep you too busy for love?”
She rolled her eyes. “Seriously, what do kids our age know about love? Too many of the kids at my school switch partners like I do my gym shoes. That’s not love. Call me old fashioned.” She stood up and stretched side to side like he’d seen so many athletes do at his school. Painfully, he had to keep his eyes on hers and nowhere else since she was looking right at him. “Or a realist, but I don’t believe in love at first sight. I believe love is something that grows gradually. You have to really know someone to fall in love with them. It’s so ridiculous when I hear girls at school saying, ‘Oh my God, I’m so in love with him.’ And they’ve barely even spoken to the guy.”
Vince had to laugh. He’d heard it enough to agree. Girls said it to him all the time or left notes in his locker saying so: girls he’d never even talked to in some cases. Some he’d messed around with a few times, but talking wasn’t what he’d done with them.
She lifted her leg on to the bench and stretched it. She wore shorts, and he tried the entire time to keep his eyes off what he already knew would be his biggest temptation—those legs. They were amazing, and he did his best not to gawk, but it felt impossible.
“What? Are you going for a run?” He smiled, his eyes nearly burning a hole through her evenly tanned, perfectly toned legs.
“No it’s a habit. I stretch so much for practices and games that when I don’t stretch for too long, I feel like I need to.” She brought her leg down and pointed at the swings in the playground. “Let’s go sit on them. It’s rare that we have them all to ourselves.”
As they walked to the swings, he thought about what she said. Love is something that grows gradually. He’d never given much thought to love. That’s not even how he meant it when he teased her about it. The way he and his friends used the word love was a whole lot different than what she’d thought he was implying. He was actually relieved now that she’d misinterpreted what he meant. When his friends asked if he’d gotten some love after a party for example, they weren’t talking about the warm fuzzy feelings he knew Rose was talking about.
“Well, it’s good to know you’re gonna give me a chance to be your friend even after all you know about me now.”
She eyed him playfully as they sat on the swings next to each other. “You did say all that is in the past, right?” Her expression went a little m
ore serious. “Your cousin’s warnings weighed pretty heavily on Grace, you know? I practically begged her to trust my judgment in choosing friends so that she’d let me hang out with you this summer.”
The irritation of hearing about Sal’s warnings again was snuffed when he heard what followed. “You begged?” Vince stopped swinging and looked at her feeling the big goofy grin plaster his face. “For me?”
To his surprise, she didn’t appear embarrassed by this. “Sure,” she said continuing to swing lifting her long legs in the air to pick up speed. “I’ve enjoyed your texts and emails so much. I figure it’d be even more fun hanging with you. As long as your bad-boy days are over, Grace has to be reasonable about letting my new friend come around, and she is.”
Vince couldn’t remember ever feeling so satisfied. He began swinging again. That’s all he needed to know. He could almost see the glow of the halo forming over his head. He’d be on his best behavior if it meant his being able to be around Rose more. The whole way there, he’d contemplated whether or not he’d try anything with Rose today. Now that he knew how she felt about love and friendship and that she not only wanted him around she’d begged her sister to give him a chance, he wasn’t blowing this. There was no way he would try anything now—not this soon anyway.
But there was something he had to know: that damn prom date. When she’d mentioned it a few weeks ago, he hadn’t asked much, except only what mattered at the time and that was if she was seeing the guy. She said she wasn’t, and he hadn’t asked more, but now he was curious. It irritated the hell out of him that she had to beg just to hang out with Vince, and yet her sister was okay with her going to the prom with a senior.
“So you never told me. How did prom go?”
“It was nice. The guy I went with was actually nominated for prom king, but he didn’t win. He and his best friend are like the most popular guys in school. Everybody knew it would be one of them, and his best friend won. I don’t know what the vote count was, but I’m sure it was really close.”