He’d had plenty of opportunities, and Rose probably would’ve never found out, but if there was one thing he’d learned in life, karma was f**king bitch. Not only was he simply not interested in being with anyone else, he’d never do that to Rose. He always knew he wouldn’t, but especially after the day he’d felt like ripping that guy’s face off. After hearing the way that guy spoke to and looked at Rose, Vince wasn’t about to give her reason to do anything he knew might set him off because judging by the way he’d felt that day alone, Vince knew he was now at her mercy. She wouldn’t have to try hard at all to get back at him. Anything he’d witness with her and someone else would set him off, and there’d be no holding him back. And once the dust settled, he’d be in deep, deep shit.
Glad school was over Vince pulled his phone out of his pocket to check his texts as he walked through campus on his way to the parking lot. Someone or something nicked the backpack on his shoulder, and he turned to see it was a guy on a bike that had just flown by him through the crowd. He was showing off, and it was too crowded for that shit. Vince kept walking but kept his eye on the idiot as he nearly hit a few more people.
Vince knew the guy from having a few classes with him throughout the years, but he’d never hung out with his type: the punk type, with black fingernails and piercings on their faces. Vince remembered the guy from back when he actually looked normal. He’d gotten worse and worse every year.
As Vince scrolled through his texts, he kept looking up at the guy who’d already made it to the other side and was on his way back. He was still swerving at the last second to miss hitting people. Vince was about to look down when he saw the guy skid and swerve out of the way just before hitting Anita, but he got her arm with his handlebar. Vince saw her flinch as she held her arm in reaction. The guy didn’t even stop to see if she was okay. He just kept going.
Vince’s eyes went from Anita, who was still rubbing her arm, to the guy who was heading his way again. Vince almost didn’t do it, but when the guy sped up, missing another group of kids by only inches, it pissed him off. As the guy flew by him, Vince kicked his tire. “Slow the f**k down, ass**le.”
To his surprise the guy stopped and jumped off his bike. “You have a problem?”
Vince slid his phone in his pocket and walked toward the guy. “Yeah, I do. You hit someone back there. Did you even notice?”
Ignoring his question, the guy got in Vince’s face. “Don’t you ever touch my bike, you hear me?”
Vince had to laugh. “Oh, you must be high. Get the f**k out of my face.” Vince shoved him back, hoping the idiot would have enough sense to stop now and not keep going on with this.
A crowd was already gathering, and there was some chuckling. “Randy, you’re gonna get your ass kicked,” one guy said.
“Yeah, I’d jump on my little bike and get the hell out of here if I were you.” Another one laughed.
“He’s not worth it, Vince,” Anita said as she pushed her way to the front of the crowd. “Don’t waste your time on this loser.”
“Shut up, bitch,” Randy yelled at Anita.
“Watch your mouth, Randy,” Vince warned.
The heckling from the crowd and the sniggering was getting to Randy. Vince could see it in his eyes. They obviously knew what the outcome of this would be if Randy didn’t back down. Randy’s nostrils flared now, and he glared at Vince. The taunting of the crowd still telling him he was going to get his ass kicked was really riling him up. The thought of missing out on seeing Rose next week was the only thing keeping Vince from ending this now. One or two swings at Randy were all it would take.
Vince recognized one of Randy’s friends as he cautiously made his way to the front of the crowd. But unlike Randy, he didn’t look ready to fight. Randy’s chest puffed a little in reaction to seeing his friend. Vince rolled his eyes. One slug at the three piercings on his friend’s brow would have him bleeding all over the place.
Lorenzo and Alfonso were suddenly at Vince’s side. “I got this, guys.”
Both of them laughed. “Yeah, you do. We’re just here to watch.”
“Oh you got this?” Randy pulled out a blade waving it in front of him, and suddenly the heckling crowd was gasping and dispersed just as fast as it had gathered.
“Run away, Vince!” Anita yelled as she rushed away from Randy who was still waving the blade in front him.
Was she kidding? This wasn’t the first blade he’d ever faced, but it was the first with his brother present. He slid his backpack down his arm until he had a good grip on the strap and swung it at Randy’s hand. The blade flew out of his hand, and the second it took Vince to glance at the blade hitting the ground Randy took advantage, landing what almost felt like a soft blow to Vince’s jaw. It was soft compared to the ones Vince pummeled on Randy next: first, one that instantly had his overly pierced lips bleeding then another that knocked Randy off his feet onto the ground.
Scrambling fast, Randy reached for the blade, but Vince picked up the bike and threw it at him. That tossed the blade out of Randy’s hand again, and Lorenzo reached for it. In the next instant a school security guard had Lorenzo’s arm twisted behind him. “Drop the knife, boy.”
Enraged, Vince charged at him. “Get your f**king hands off my brother. That’s not his knife!”
Before he could take another step, there was an arm wrapped tightly around Vince’s neck. Between another security guard and the dean, he was brought down to the pavement where they held his arms behind him, and one of them dug their knee into his back. “Ga damn it, Moreno!” the dean growled. “You were almost out of here.”