CHAPTER EIGHT

 

Rose

 

The following weekend Rose had a soccer tournament, and Vincent had said he’d try to make it down if he could switch his days off at work with someone, but so far there’d been no takers.

She walked out into the kitchen where Grace, whose belly looked ready to pop, was packing the small ice chest she always took to Rose’s tournaments. “Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said the new uniforms were short.”

Rose glanced down at her soccer shorts. “They’re ridiculous. If they weren’t loose, I’d look like I was wearing my volleyball shorts.”

Grace laughed. “Well, at least you have great legs. They look good on you.”

Rose smirked, thinking about how often Vincent made her tremble now by running his hands up and down her legs, telling her just how much they drove him crazy. A car honked outside, and she grabbed her soccer backpack. “That’s them. I’m out. I’ll see you at the park.”

Grace gave her the usual “don’t get crazy driving around with your friends” speech, and Rose ran out to meet Alison and Candace, two of her teammates and now closest friends. They’d both also been on the volleyball team last semester and had been best friends since they were kids. Somehow she’d clicked with them, and now they were a threesome. Alison got a boyfriend last semester, so Candace was glad since Alison’s boyfriend hung out with her even at school that she didn’t feel like a third wheel because she had Rose. So it had been perfect timing when Rose came along.

Rose got in the backseat. “Could these shorts be any shorter?” Alison said as soon as Rose was in. “But damn, Rose, you’re rocking them with your long legs.”

“Thanks. I just hope they don’t start riding up my butt when I’m playing. At least our volleyball shorts are made to cling to our legs and not ride up. These aren’t like that.”

Candace was busy applying makeup using the front visor. “You’re so crazy, Candace,” Rose giggled. “How can you wear makeup knowing you’re gonna be sweating up a storm in an hour?”

“Because,” Candace continued to apply her mascara, “the boys are playing this weekend, too, and I think Jeremy is so smoking hot.”

Alison stopped suddenly, making Candace squeal then curse.

“Sorry.” Alison’s remorseful expression made Rose laugh. Alison had only been driving a few months, and she wasn’t the greatest driver.

“Have you gotten pulled over for drunk driving yet even though you don’t drink?” Rose laughed.

This time Candace laughed, too. The last time they’d picked her up, she hit the curb twice pulling up just outside Sal’s house. Sal’s friend Romero had been there, and he was the one that cracked that joke. He said one of his uncles had. They gave him the sobriety test and everything, and he was stone sober.

“Not funny,” Alison said as she stepped on the gas, and all their heads jerked back.

All three of them laughed this time.

“Oh my God.” Candace turned around to look at Rose. “What was that guy’s name at your house that day?”

Rose rolled her eyes smiling. “Romero.”

“He was so hot.” Candace gushed.

“But he’s older.” Alison said scrunching her nose.

“And hello! Married.” Rose reminded them.

“Minor details,” Candace said turning back to continue with her makeup. She wasn’t even done with her thoughts on Romero when she was already gaping out the window as they pulled into the school’s parking lot. “Quivering orgasms!”

“Candace!” Alison laughed as she pulled in very slowly into a parking spot.

Rose laughed, gathering her backpack. Candace was nothing if not boy crazy.

“Who is that?” Candace gushed.

They got out of the car at the same time. Rose was too busy adjusting her ponytail to notice who Candace was drooling over now. She looked up just in time to see who it was and nearly froze in place. “Oh wow, I know him.”

“You do?” Candace was at her side in seconds. “From where?”

Just then Ben saw her. He did a double take then smiled big. Candace gasped as he started toward them.

“I went to prom with him last year. We were good friends until he graduated and we sort of lost touch.” Rose flung her backpack over her back and went to meet him halfway since he was already walking toward them.

“You went to prom with him?” Candace said mouthing the words, “Oh my God,” to Alison.

Before Rose could respond to that, Ben was already there. “Look at you, sexy girl.” He blatantly checked her out from head to toe, slowing his gaze at her legs and her ridiculously short shorts as she and her friends came to a stop. He held his arms open with a smile so big and lustful it made her blush, and he actually groaned. “Bring them hot legs over here, girl. Damn!”

“The hell she will.” Vincent’s voice startled Rose. She turned just as he and Lorenzo walked up from behind her. “And her name is Rose.” Slipping his hand in hers, he glared at Ben. “I’m her boyfriend. Who the fuck are you?”

“Vincent!” Rose squeezed his hand at first mortified then alarmed as he stepped in front of her. Lorenzo was right next to him ready to go head to head with not only Ben but the two friends walking up from behind him.

Ben turned around when he saw his friends closing in and held up a hand for them to stop then turned around and smiled at Rose. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend now, Rose.”

“Well, she does.”

That wiped the smile right off Ben’s face, and he glared at Vince. “I was talking to her.”

Vince took a step forward. “I don’t give a shit. I’m talking to you!”

Rose jumped in front of Vincent, remembering all the fights he’d told her he’d been in. As far as she knew, he hadn’t been in any since before last summer.

“He’s my friend, Vincent.” She grabbed a handful of his shirt. “Don’t do this, please.” Vincent’s eyes were still glaring past her at Ben. She turned to Candace who was standing off to the side with Alison then looked at Ben. “Ben, this is Candace; she wanted to meet you. Candace, please go talk to him over there.”

She motioned with her head, and her eyes pleaded as she prayed Candace would have the sense to take him far away.

“I’ll call you,” Ben said as he and Candace walked away.

Vincent flinched in an effort to get away from Rose. “Stop it, Vincent. Please.”

His eyes were finally on Rose, and they were furious. “He’ll call you?”

“Do you want me to go after the asshole?” Lorenzo asked.

“No!” Rose turned to him. “He doesn’t even have my number!” She turned back to Vincent who still looked enraged. “I haven’t seen him since last year before summer.”

She soothed her hand on his chest, feeling how hard his heart thumped. He wasn’t kidding when he’d told her his temper could go from zero to sixty if provoked. Not that Ben had actually provoked him, but that last jab about calling her was stupid.

“Who is he? How come I’ve never heard of this friend?”

“Actually, I did tell you about him,” she said quickly.

Vincent’s brows pinched, and she could almost see his mind racing.

“I’m gonna go stretch with the team,” Alison said.

Rose nodded. “I’ll be there in a minute.” She turned back to Vincent who hadn’t taken his piercing eyes off her. “I went to prom with him. Remember, I told you about that? But that’s how long it’s been since I’ve seen him. He’s not even from around here. He’s from Chula Vista.”

“So what’s he doing here?” Vincent’s stare dug into her unwavering.

“I don’t know. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him.”

Even though Ben was gone now, Vincent was still completely tense, and there wasn’t a trace of that smile that turned her insides to liquid every single time. “How many more of your friends call you sexy girl?”

Rose fought the urge to cringe. If Vincent only knew what a huge flirt Ben could be, and all the other endearing nicknames he’d given her back in high school, and all the times he’d played with her hair or her fingers during class, he’d hate Ben even more than he did now. Ben had asked her to be his girl countless times. Of course, he’d only been playing. The guy couldn’t stay in a monogamous relationship if his life depended on it, and he was the first to admit it. Still, he’d always teased that he’d be willing to give it a go with her.

“None,” she said leaning in and pecking his lips. “He’s just always been that way, but we’ve never been anything more than just friends.” She tugged his hand, thankful that disaster had been averted. “C’mon I can’t be late. My coach will get mad. Wow, talk about an entrance, Vincent,” she said trying to make light of things.

Vincent pulled her to him, and they stopped walking. He held her face in his hands. “I won’t do this much. I promise. But is it okay if I ask you to not talk to that asshole ever again?”

Moments ago, there’d been fire in his eyes; now there was fear. She touched his cheek. “Sweetie, I probably won’t ever see him again. Today was a fluke. I have no idea what he’s doing out here. I’m telling you I hadn’t seen him since he graduated last year.”

“Okay,” he took her hand away from his cheek and kissed it. “Just know that I’m gonna have a serious problem with it if you ever spend any amount of time with this guy, and that includes on the phone. I don’t like him.”

Smiling, she tilted her head. “He doesn’t have my number. He was just saying that to push your buttons. But that’s fine; I don’t care if I ever talk to him again or not.”

She really didn’t. Ben had been a friend way back, and he’d done wonders for her ego. But ever since Vincent showed up last summer, he’d pretty much consumed her every thought. Then when she moved in with Grace, Sal had added her onto their cell phone plan and got her a new phone along with a new number. She’d lost her entire contact list. Even back then she knew better than to add Ben back onto her list.

Vincent had made no secret about this side of him. Via texts it was always fun especially because it was usually her just playing with him. He’d get all riled up anyway, but seeing it in person had been almost scary. She’d known even back in the beginning that Ben was not someone Vincent would be crazy about her being friends with, so she hadn’t bothered trying to get his number or reconnecting. She could’ve easily done so through Facebook.

Vincent and Lorenzo went and sat in the bleachers where they were joined by Grace, Sal, Sal’s youngest brother Angel, and his wife Sarah. They often came to watch her games. Having both played sports all through high school and college, they said they missed those days and liked watching her play. Sal had even printed out her schedule for them.

The first game of the tournament went well with them shutting out the other team. Vincent said he loved watching her play. He said for such a sweet girl, she was a badass on the field. She had to be. She played sweeper. If the ball got past her, the other team would likely score.

They were nearing the end of the first game and were up one to zero. All they had to do was shut them out, and they had the first game in the tournament won. Rose had been playing sweeper since she was seven. The other team’s forward was fast, but Rose was not only faster she was taller, and after knocking this chick on her ass twice already, Rose knew she’d intimidated her.

Wincing when she saw her last defender get beat and the opposing team’s forward heading for the goal, Rose turned it on going at her full speed. Running side by side, Rose did what she did best and used her body to push the girl toward the sideline away from the goal. She could hear everyone screaming for her to get in front of her, and when she got the chance, she did. She stepped in front of her and stopped dead in her tracks making the girl flop off her back.

Rose lifted her hands in the air when she heard the girl hit the floor with a grunt. She continued dribbling the ball away from the girl she’d just slammed on the floor, glancing at the ref to make sure he wasn’t going to call a foul. What she’d done was completely fair, but sometimes these girls flopped so hard and really turned up the dramatics that the ref called it. When he didn’t, she turned and kicked the ball, clearing it all the way to the other side of the field as the sidelines cheered.

“That’s how you do it, Rose!” Caleb, a guy she knew from the boys’ soccer team yelled, loudly clapping his hands on the sidelines as she held her hips catching her breath. “Way to use that body!”

She smiled, taking a quick peek up at the stands. Sure enough Vincent was watching the guy but continued to clap, while Lorenzo placed his fingers in his lips and whistled.

After the game while the coach gave the in between-games pep talk, Rose checked her phone. Sal had spared no expense. It was one of the fancy ones that had everything including Internet, and she saw she had a few updates on her Facebook page.

She clicked as her coach recounted the few mistakes they had made in the first game and what else they needed to work on since the next school they were playing would be tougher.

Her heart nearly dropped when she saw a picture of her and Ben at the prom on her Facebook wall. It wasn’t the formal picture Grace had hung in the front room of their old apartment either. Even that would’ve been bad because it was obvious why Ben posted it on her wall. He was being jerk.

That alone would’ve set Vincent off. But this was so much worse. It was one of them dancing a slow song, but since Ben and his friends had always been such clowns, the friend taking the picture had asked Ben to dip her. He did, and when Rose let her head fall back for an even more dramatic effect, Ben had kissed her neck. His friend snapped the picture at that very moment. It was all in fun, and she’d laughed at the time, but now here it was on her Facebook wall for the entire world to see, including Vincent, with a caption that read, “We have to do this again. I’ll call you.”

She couldn’t believe he was doing this now. He’d never been this type of guy. Vincent had obviously pissed him off good, but to want to cause her problems? How could he? He had to know she had no control over Vincent’s reaction, and he saw her try to calm Vincent. It wasn’t like she’d enjoyed it the way some stupid girls did who actually tried making their boyfriends jealous and fight for them. She’d never enjoy seeing Vincent as upset as he’d been today.

The coach finished, and for the life of her she could not figure out how to delete the post from her wall. At home it was easy enough, but there were so many things on her phone she couldn’t do like she could on her laptop.

Vincent had a Facebook page, and though he didn’t use it nearly as often as she used hers, Lorenzo did. They were friends on Facebook, too, and he often liked and even commented on her posts. Thankfully, neither of them had phones with Internet. She just prayed she’d get home in time to delete it before anyone who might get the word back to Vincent would see it.

After Rose won her second game, Sal invited everyone back to their place for a celebratory dinner. Grace had already prepared something ahead of time. All they had to do when they got home was heat it in the oven.

Vincent was still acting kind of weird on the drive back. There were too many quiet moments. She had a feeling she knew why, too. This was the first time he’d attended one of her high school games. Unlike her club games which were always on weekends, her high school games were mostly during the week. That’s why he’d never been to any of them. This was one of only two high school tournaments she had scheduled on the weekend the whole season.

Her club games were different. Aside from Alison, who was also on her club team, there was no one else from school there. Rose wasn’t sure if it was because of the way things had started off today and she was just being paranoid, but it seemed in every direction she turned there was a guy she knew smiling at her, just being friendly or even saying something silly. As harmless as it was since they were just school friends, Rose got the distinct feeling Vincent was bothered by it.

Because Rose and Vincent made it a point to not make their affection too obvious in front of Grace and Sal, they didn’t even hold hands in front of them yet even though it was obvious something was going on between them. Why else would Vincent drive down so often to see her? They still made a very conscious decision to not let any of the adults know just how serious things had gotten for them. Rose hadn’t even told Grace she was in love. They were both afraid they’d be watched even closer, or worse their time together would be cut down. So during the games while she’d continued to get attention from guys yelling out to her, she knew Vincent had been watching closely.

Today hadn’t been as pleasant as most of the times she’d spent with him. She was sure it was because of the way the day had started and because she still had that damn Facebook picture on her mind.

As soon as she got home, she excused herself to go change out of her uniform in her room and told Vincent she’d take a very quick shower. He and Lorenzo went out back where everyone was already setting up to eat in the back patio.

The second she was behind her locked bedroom door, she jumped on her bed and powered up her laptop. Of course it felt like it took an eternity to start up. Her heart was beating faster, and the hurt set in even more now. She really thought Ben was her friend. She would’ve never thought he’d purposely put her in a position like this. It made her sad that she would probably have to not only unfriend him but block him as well. She just hoped doing so wouldn’t make things get ugly.

When her computer finally powered up, her fingers typed away frantically, and she signed on to Facebook. To her surprise and enormous relief the picture and post were gone. But she had a private message from Ben. She opened it and read:

 

Rosie, I’m not sure if you saw it or not, but in case you did I want to apologize. It was stupid and immature of me to do that. I was worked up, and after mentioning to my friends that I should do it, they egged me on. Like an idiot I gave into peer pressure and did but felt like a dick almost as soon as I did. It was only up for a few minutes (a picture of me and you at prom last year, in case you don’t know what I’m talking about) I hope your boyfriend didn’t see it. If he did and he’s mad, I’m truly very, VERY sorry. I promise I won’t do anything like that again. Am I forgiven?

 

Ben

 

Rose smiled, so relieved that she wouldn’t have to block or even unfriend him. This was the Ben she remembered.

Her response was quick, short and to the point:

 

Yes, I saw it, and thank you for removing it. As long as you’re promising it won’t happen again, you’re forgiven. I wasn’t just angry, Ben. I was hurt because we both knew what your intentions were. Please never do something like that again. I’d hate to have to block you.

 

With the weight off her chest she showered in a much better mood and walked out to meet Vincent. He met her just outside in the hallway. Glancing back once, he pulled her to him then took a few steps forward, pinning her against the wall and kissing her deeply. Stunned, Rose pushed her hands against his chest. “Vincent, did you forget where we’re at?”

“They’re all outside eating,” he said quickly. “You love me, right, Rosie?”

“Of course.” She stared at his eyes. They had that hint of worry she’d seen in them earlier.

“Why? Why do you love me?”

He searched her eyes. Rose could see it his; he wasn’t just asking, he really wanted to—needed to know.

She caressed his face with her hand as he waited intently, still staring deep into hers. “You make me happier than I’ve ever been in my life. Do you know that feeling in your stomach? That craziness you felt the day you first held my hand?” Vince nodded, his eyes brightening. “Then again when you first kissed me?”

“And every kiss after that,” he whispered.

She smiled, nodding glad that he got it, too. “Exactly, I love that I feel that way all the time now especially when I’m with you but even when you’re not around. Even when I’m just thinking of you or my phone beeps or rings and I know it’s you. And it’s such a good feeling. It’s like that feeling of being in heaven never goes away,” she said, leaning into him and kissing him softly. “And not just because you turn me on either, okay?” She smirked. “But because since day one you’ve always made me feel like a princess. I never even knew that I’d love that, but I do. You always treat me as if I’m something so special. I almost believe it sometimes.”

“Believe it, Rosie. You are special,” he kissed her lips softly, “very special.”

She tilted her head with that intense feeling inside that only he could make her feel even stronger now. “Oh yeah? So tell me why am I so special?”

“I think you were born that way, and anyone that doesn’t see it is insane and not worth your time.” He moved her wet hair away from her face. He hadn’t said it, but she knew what he meant—her mother. “I want you to know something, Rose. I’ve never tried so hard in my life to change, to prove to myself or to anyone that I’m better than this, not until I met you. It’s not just because I don’t wanna chance getting in trouble and not be able to see you. That would be reason enough, but there’s an even bigger reason. The most important reason is I want to…for you. I wanna be worthy of you.”

Rose shook her head ready to protest. He was worthy of her—completely. But before she could he went on with conviction. “You deserve better, Rose, not some lowlife thug, selling drugs and tagging up walls.”

“But you’re not that guy anymore.”

“Only because of you. Yeah, I’d started to make an effort before I met you, but obviously not a big enough one.” He pulled her closer as if her body already pressing against his wasn’t close enough. Raising his eyebrows and looking very serious again, he asked, “Wanna know why I love you?”

She nodded, already feeling the lump in her throat.

“Before you my future didn’t matter to me. I’d never given it much thought at all.” He shrugged. “I’d get a job somewhere or continue to work at the factory with my dad. I’d play it by ear. Who cared? Ever since I met you, all that’s changed. All I ever think about is my future now—our future, and I’m excited about it. You inspire me, Rosie. Inspire me to shoot for more—so much more, to be that man you deserve.” The conviction in his eyes suddenly fell, and he looked troubled again. “I just worry, you know?”

“About what?” She thought she’d seen the worry and felt it in the car on their drive home. Now he was confirming it. “You have nothing to worry about, Vincent. I promise you.”

“I trust you, Rose. I do. But I don’t trust myself.”

She pulled back, not understanding exactly what he was saying, but hoping she was missing something here. “What do you mean you trust me but not yourself?”

Vince pulled her back. “No, not like that. God, not like that.” He hugged her with so much emotion it made her nervous. Then he pulled back and stared straight in her eyes. “What I felt today, Rose, just seeing you with your friend Ben…the disgusting way he looked at you, groaning like an animal, and the disrespectful way he spoke to you…” He squeezed his eyes shut. “And then he wanted to touch you? I wanted to rip him apart.”

Exhaling in relief, Rose nodded, “I know.”

“No.” He shook his head. “You don’t know. You have no idea. If it weren’t for the fact that I don’t wanna screw everything up, I would’ve beaten his fucking head into the ground. I was so close to blowing it—too close.”

That should’ve scared her. Instead it made her feel for him. She’d known he’d been upset, but she hadn’t realized how bad. She ran her hand up and down his arm. It seemed each time she saw him, his arms got even bigger and harder. “But you didn’t because you’re not that guy anymore, remember? You don’t do stuff like that anymore. Nothing’s worth it.”

“You’re worth it.”

Shaking her head again, she stopped her hand on his forearm and squeezed. “I’m worth going to jail for? What good would that do if we couldn’t be together anymore?” He didn’t respond, and now she was eternally grateful to Ben for realizing the picture thing on her wall was a shitty thing to do. “I believe in you, Vincent. If you believe in me and trust that I would never let anything happen that would make you crazy, then you have nothing to worry about.”

Staring at her for a moment, his body finally eased up, and he pressed it against hers, kissing her until they heard the backdoor open.