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"So you never told uy I as actually no, but he didn’t win He and his best friend are like the uys in school Everybody kneould be one of them, and his best friend won I don’t knohat the vote count was, but I’uy in school, huh?" Vince stared straight ahead not wanting her to notice howhim?"

"Nope, we just had a lot of the same classes Since I took a lot of dual-credit classes that ripped the chains on his swing even tighter reradually If this guy was a good friend, that’s how it started right? He turned just as she swung those jaw-dropping legs in the air and remembered what Romero had said earlier at the restaurant--jailbait

She’d already said she wasn’t seeing the guy They were just friends, and ould she have begged to hang out with him if she was interested in Mr Popular? But obviously Mr Popular was interested in her Why else would he have asked her to the pro hionna have your hands full, fighting off older guys

Fighting--even that could get his ass hauled back to La Puente prematurely But da and he was already uy’s ass

He ju her shoes as she held theled when he pushed a little too hard, and it uy was so popular, ould he ask you? I mean he’s a senior and you’re what, a sophoer than rade I was a sht about that for a ain, he wished he could also push away the thoughts that this older guy took Rose, a fifteen-year-old clearly innocent girl, to the proht

"But still, he could’ve taken souy isn’t blind, but you said you’re just friends, so ouldn’t he ask soot lucky"

Vince grabbed her two feet with one hand stopping herevery muscle in his arrew open as understanding sunk in "Not with"What do you led her feet trying to get loose, but Vince held theo to the after parties, Vincent He droppedlike all the other seniors I never got the gory details or anything, but it was all over Facebook the very next day who ended up hoo of her, and at that veryto be a lot harder than he thought His fuse had never been very long to begin with, but he’d never felt his temper flare that fast in his life, not even when someone messed with Lorenzo He knew his brother could hold his own in a fight pretty well But the thought of soe of sweet Rosie had his happened in the coether, and Vince couldn’t have been happier He was beginning to feel like a real cruot about Grace fro a real chance letting his sixteen-year-old, barely licensed cousin drive to and from Chula Vista, but he’d made the conditions very clear

At first Vince had been a little worried that his wheels would be taken away because Sal had ht for Grace But they didn’t just get back together, Grace was pregnant now, and they were getting e rock he got her, was a brand new SUV

For weeks Vince remained on his best behavior, and it paid off He and Rose spent ot theo Zoo, and Disneyland the week of their birthdays It was an awesoun to feel a bond with Rose like he’d only ever felt with his brother The need to protect her and be there for her was ever present now

After hearing her mention more than once about her fondness for teddy bears and the collection her father had started for her before passing ahen she was very young, Vince wanted to add to the collection He’d asked her what her favorite bear of all tile Book, but she only had a so to Disneyland, he was deter to buy her one; he was going to show his shooting skills in the gaiant Baloo

Disneyland was the first of the theh he made it clear by his actions that he cared about her, he’d yet to openly express his feelings or do anythingin their just friends’ status They hadn’t even held hands Walking through the crowded theed that At first he made it seem like a simple act of protectiveness He didn’t want to lose her in the crowd, so he’d reached his hand out to her, and she took it