Who really killed Wanda Day! - Wedding Bells (DAY! Series Book 2)

Chapter 13 - Betrayal, A Burden, And Broken Hearts

Vincent Cooper's grand entrance into the world was nothing short of a street-side spectacle. Born on May 17, 1988, in the bustling heart of New York City, he decided to make his debut a little earlier than expected. His mother, who thought she had a bit more time to spare, found herself in a race against the clock, making a mad dash across the street only to end up delivering her sixth child right next to a hot dog stand. The poor salesman, caught off guard by this impromptu birthing performance, was so flustered that he felt the only appropriate response was to reward the new mom with a complimentary hot dog.

As the years passed, young Vincent blossomed into a cheerful and spirited child. While his family may not have been rolling in the dough, they certainly weren't scraping the bottom of the barrel either. But there was one key factor that set them apart - their skin color. This meant Vincent had to don his boxing gloves and enter the ring against the heavyweight champion of the world: racism. However, the tides turned when the family decided to trade in the concrete jungle of New York for the sunny shores of Florida, just as Vincent was seven years, four months, and three days on this earth.

Touching down in the vibrant city of Miami, the family stumbled upon a neighborhood that was about as diverse as a United Nations meeting. It was a veritable melting pot of cultures, where racism was about as welcome as a vegan at a barbecue. Young Vincent wasted no time in making himself right at home, quickly befriending a fellow student named Dahkil. The two were like peas in a pod, joined at the hip until the final bell rang on the last day of school before spring break in their freshman year.

On that fateful day, Dahkil started acting as slippery as a greased eel and asked Vincent if they could meet up at the old hut on the beach that afternoon. Vinnie, ever the loyal friend, readily agreed, no questions asked. When the clock struck 4:12 pm, there was Vinnie, right on time and ready to go, standing in front of the dilapidated structure. Once upon a time, it had been a humble fisherman's abode, then later a lifeguard's headquarters, and then had been abandoned to its own devices. These days, it was primarily occupied by amorous teenagers looking for a make-out spot.

As Vincent stepped into the rickety old hut, he found Dahkil already waiting for him, hands trembling like a leaf in the wind. Confused but intrigued, Vincent accepted the letter Dahkil thrust into his hands. Unfolding the paper, he began to read, only to discover that his dear friend had poured his heart out on the page - Dahkil was head over heels in love with Vincent. Well, Vincent was surprised - and relieved - because the feeling was entirely mutual! In fact, he'd been harboring those same butterflies-in-the-stomach emotions for a full year, one month, and seventeen days.

And so, on that fateful day, the two young men shared their very first kiss, the first of many more to come. Outwardly, they kept their blossoming romance under wraps, knowing full well that their parents would likely not approve of their relationship. But since Vincent and Dahkil were already joined at the hip, with everyone assuming they were 'just best friends,' no one was the wiser about their secret love affair.

For the first four glorious months, the young lovebirds managed to keep their relationship under wraps, maintaining a respectable distance in public. But when they were behind closed doors, all bets were off - these two couldn't keep their hands off each other. It was like they were making up for lost time, experiencing all sorts of 'first times' together.

Vincent and Dahkil were enjoying a cozy afternoon in their little beach cabin when the unthinkable happened - the door flew open and in walked Gregory, the last person they wanted to see at that particular moment. The look of sheer horror on Gregory's face as he caught them in a rather compromising position, Vinnie leaning against the wall, and Dahkil on his knees, was priceless, but just when they thought things couldn't get any more awkward, a sly grin spread across his face. "You're faggots. Absolutely disgusting faggots, I KNEW IT," he sneered, unleashing a barrage of colorful homophobic insults.