"I'm sorry, who are you supposed to be?" I ask, not knowing the homeless man's name.
"Watch the car man!" He yelled at us.
"Just leave the dork alone." The blonde guy instructs us.
"What is he talking about?" Kyler shot Brucks a confused look.
"You see this guy? Eating his dinner at the mini-mart like a bum?" One of Kyler's cronies taunted.
I got the feeling that this guy wasn't your typical homeless person.
"Wait, I think I know this guy. He's the jerk off who cleaned my dad's septic tank." Kyler said mockingly and everyone laughs.
"Oh! That explains why he smells like shit." Brucks said dramatically while waving his arm and holding his nose.
"You really don't want to piss me off. I'm not in a good mood." The blonde guy threatened. All he wanted was to be left alone.
"Really?" Kyler taunted him.
"Really." The blonde responded.
Kyler then made a stupid move.
"Get the hell out of here, loser." He shoved the blonde-haired man.
He responded by leaping into the air and kicking Kyler in the face. He crumples to the ground in a heap and the rest of us were stunned into silence. I want nothing to do with these morons.
"Let's get him." The blonde-haired man was charged and then shoved his attacker away.
I stood there flabbergasted.
Brucks charged next and was punched in the face for his trouble before kicking Rory. Kyler gets up and charges him with a yell before getting kicked in the chest. The hobo then sweeps the other guy's leg and kicks the last member of the gang. Brucks tackles him as I look on.
I felt it necessary to step in at some point if the situation demands it.
"Nice job." I compliment the man. "Oh and before you ask these guys aren't my friends."
"Holy shit how did you-" The Hispanic kid begins to say with the Pepto stuck in his head as Kyler tackled him to the ground and punched him in the ribs. Kyler then put him in a headlock.
"What's the matter, having trouble breathing?" Kyler asked through gritted teeth.
This was the point I force Kyler to let go before he's seriously hurt.
The blonde guy isn't aware that I'm helping him.
"Relax." I hold my arms up to prevent him from attacking me. It didn't work as I was elbowed in the nose. I was then kicked in the ribs making me take a step back, then punched in the jaw knocking me down. The landing knocked the wind out of me and I pass out.
When I woke up, my attacker had been taken away by the police.
The Hispanic kid was walking towards his bike. A cop car pulled away with the homeless-looking man in the back. Kyler's jeep drove away.
"Hold on a second." I call out to the Hispanic kid.
"What the hell do you want? Your friends already left." He sneered.
"Those punks aren't my friends." I glare at him.
"Is that a fact." He sarcastically responded.
"Yeah. Kyler introduced himself to me earlier after we pulled into our new driveway." I explain.
He sighed and then glanced down at his clothes covered in Pepto.
"Want me to get you a new shirt?" I ask.
"It's fine." He turned the offer down.
"What's your name anyway?" I question.
"Miguel Diaz. I just moved here from Riverside." Miguel introduced himself.
"Dylan Rodriguez. I'm originally from Del Ray Beach." I reply.
"Who's the guy that beat me down not that long ago?" I ask.
"He's my neighbor. He's pretty rude. He called me "immigrant" and "minuto" when I introduced myself, but he just saved my ass so..." Miguel answered.
"In all fairness I shouldn't have gotten involved with his fight."
"Yeah." Miguel said.
"After what just happened, I want nothing to do with Kyler and his gang. If I knew how to fight like that guy, they wouldn't have dumped the Pepto Bismol on you."
"Me too. Thanks for stepping in, by the way."
"I wouldn't be surprised if there were more bullies."
"You're taller than I am, so you don't have much to worry about." He said, looking at me.
"Bullies tend to work in groups from my experience." I point out.
"Now time to get some more Pepto Bismol for your grandma. And I have no intention of pouring it on your head."
"Yeah." Miguel joked.
We head back into the convenience store and I purchase some Pepto Bismol as well as a bottle of soda.
"Dude. You didn't need to pay for that." Miguel told me as we sat on the curb.
"I owe you. So you're stuck with it." I respond.
"Well, I shouldn't have called them out." Miguel said, shrugging as he opened a Coke bottle.
"That really wasn't a smart move." I opened the 20oz Mountain Dew bottle I bought earlier.
"Well, time for me to get back home. My grandma needs the Pepto Bismol." Miguel said, getting to his feet.
"See ya." I wave to him, holding a motorcycle helmet in my left hand.
"Later bro. Oh yeah, what's your number?" Miguel asked.
"Here you go." I show Miguel my phone number.
With all that said and done, I lower the visor on my helmet and take off. It was now 11:47 pm and I needed to get home.