Fate

Chapter 5 - Part 1

Vince

Rose: I'm crying as I write this, but I don't think we can be friends anymore.

Vince shot up to his feet, walking away from the stairs where he'd been sitting with his friends and Lorenzo after reading the text from Rose.

"Where you going?" Lorenzo asked. "You're up next.

"Take my turn for me," Vince said already texting Rose back.

Vince: Why? What did I do?

They'd been playing dice against the stairs of his apartment building. Normally, Vince would never let anyone take his turn when they were playing for money, least of all Lorenzo who sucked at it. Right now, he didn't give a shit about anything except Rose's text.

For weeks, he'd been doing his best to stay out of trouble and in his parents' good graces. He wanted to prove to them that he'd changed and make up for the whole tagging incident. But mostly because once his uncle told his dad he'd get back to him about Vince going out to stay and working for him over the summer, Vince knew he had to be smart about this. He understood why they were apprehensive about him, but now he had a real good reason to behave. He wasn't about to give his uncle or parents any reason to not allow him to go.

Rose had grown on him. Even though their communication consisted of only texts and emails, there was something so sweet about her. Unlike his cousins, she hadn't judged him when he'd emailed her to explain about the tagging incident and some of the other trouble he'd been in during the past few years. He was sure she'd hear about it eventually, and he wanted her to get it straight from him—no one else.

Even though Rose had never been in trouble in her life, she'd had nothing but positive things to say. She even praised his efforts to straighten out. She was funny, had a good head on her shoulders, and was a good girl. Surprisingly, what made him try even harder to be good was that she was proud of him, damn it. He could hardly wait to spend time talking to her again in person, not just texting and emailing. Now that they were so close to summer, she was telling him this? He couldn't imagine what he'd done or what she'd heard that would have her crying about not being able to be his friend.

He took a deep breath when his phone dinged and her message appeared.

Grace and Sal broke up, and she is so devastated it's killing me. I can't be reminding her of him by talking about you. I'm sorry.

Even though it was a relief to know it had nothing to do with something he'd done, it still stung that Rose could so easily dismiss their friendship like that. To him what had been building between them for weeks was like no friendship he'd ever experienced with anyone, let alone a girl. He wasn't even sure if he should respond or if her sorry meant she was cutting him off just like that, but he had to.

I'm sorry to hear about your sister, but I really wish you'd reconsider. Your friendship means a lot to me now. I don't think I can let it go as easily as you can.

Again he held his breath and waited. Her response was immediate and an enormous relief.

You think this is easy for me? It's not!

Feeling a little guilty about the automatic smile that instantly spread on his lips, he took a moment to think about a proper response to that. She was already upset; he didn't want to say anything to make her feel worse. Before he could, she promptly followed up with another text.

Taylor and I just got to his apartment. I haven't talked to her yet, but Taylor said she was so upset he had to give her a pill that would knock her out. I've never seen my sister as upset as he described her. I'm almost afraid to. And on top of that, the guilt is eating me up alive. How could I have secretly wished for this? I'm such a terrible person! I'll text you after I talk to her.