Ryan raised his glass, and his voice, to be heard over the din of the crowded bar. "To Roni! For having to spend the rest of her life putting up with this guy!"
Eric, Ethan, and Billy laughed and raised their own glasses. and I laughed along with them. Although hanging out at a strip club in the red light district was not my first choice of how to spend my Friday night, it was nice to be out of my parents' place.
Just as I started to get comfortable, one of the girls grabbed Billy's tie and sat in his lap. Ethan and Ryan hooted and applauded, and I just wanted to laugh again. Was this really supposed to be sexy? Why was I celebrating promising the rest of my life to Roni by watching some naked stranger?
Eric slapped me on the back. "We sure have come a long way, haven't we buddy?"
Eric was right, we had come a long way. It felt like just yesterday we were kids hanging out at the park…
June 1997
Clink! Jake's bat made contact with the baseball, sending it flying up in the the air. It seemed to pause right above me at first base before beginning its descent.
"Get it Mig!" Eric called from the pitcher's mound.
"I got this!" I thought to myself, squinting in the blinding sunlight. My dad and I had been working on catching fly balls all weekend and now was my chance. Even better, I was going to have the opportunity to get Jake Ballard out. Jake always thought he was so big just because he was a year older. I turned my wrist and got into a good stance, lining my mitt up with the falling ball. "I got it! I got it! I…"
All of a sudden, I saw Jake inches from me, about to collide. Before I could react, I felt as though I had been plowed into by a truck, knocking me into the dusty ground. We both stood and dusted off. A scrape stung my arm, but I barely had time to notice with Jake looming over me angrily.
"What's the big idea, Castillo? You can't catch a fly ball so you push me down?"
I crossed my arms and glared up at him defiantly. "I didn't push you, Jake. You ran into me!"
"I did not!"
Jake's two brainless friends, Brandon and Todd, came running over from the dugout. It was as though they could smell a good fight a mile away and couldn't resist getting in the middle of it.
"He sure did push you, Jake, I saw it with my own eyes!" Brandon announced, smirking at me.
"Yeah! Lets see how he likes it!" Todd laughed, shoving me backward, causing me to lose my balance.
Hurried footsteps behind me let me know Eric was at my side. "Hey, leave him alone! Pick on someone your own size!"
"Mind your own business, pee-wee!" Todd gave Eric a harder shove, knocking him to the ground.
Brandon ignored Eric and Todd. "Why don't you go running home to your mommy, Castillo? Losers like you aren't supposed to play sports. Go play your dumb violin or whatever other nerdy baby stuff you do!"
"Yeah, you're such a weirdo, just like your dad!" Jake smiled with satisfaction.
"Yeah, his dad really is a weirdo! Remember that crazy stare he gave us when we skateboarded on their lawn?" Brandon asked, causing Jake to laugh hysterically.
"What a psycho! And you're just like him, Miguel… a weird, silent know it all!" Todd agreed, giving Eric another shove as he tried to stand.
His words hit me like a punch in the gut. My dad? A weirdo? I had never heard anyone speak about my father with anything but respect. I knew he was a great cop, and more than that, he was my idol. My eyes stung with tears. I wanted to punch Jake, to hurt him as much as his words hurt me. But I stayed frozen. Frozen and ashamed while Jake and his friends laughed like hyenas.
Just then, something grabbed Jake by the back of his collar, pulling him back and momentarily choking him.
"You leave my brother alone! And don't you dare talk about my dad that way!" An angry voice screeched, and I recognized it right away.
Ali.
"Get off me, you tiny terror!" Jake cried, Ali's nails digging into his back. He moved around like he was doing some sort of crazy dance, trying to shake Ali off. I struggled not to laugh at the sight. Finally, Jake managed to shake her free and grabbed tightly her by the wrist. "You need your baby sister to fight your battles, Castillo? Well, I'll…"
Just as I was about to jump in, Jake let our a sharp, painful scream. Ali had sunk her sharp little teeth into his hand. Jake released Ali and stared at his hand as a red, painful mark began to form. Tears of pain welled up in his eyes as he stared angrily at me. "Let's get outta here! You two are in such big trouble… I'm telling my mom!" He ran off, followed by a terrified-looking Brandon and Todd.
"Wow Ali, that was incredible!" Eric was in awe ad Ali beamed with pride.
"I'm not gonna let those guys push my brother around!" Ali proclaimed.
"Yeah, well, I could have handled those guys myself," I mumbled.
Ali threw her arms around me. "I know, big brother! We both look out for each other!"
Present Day
I smiled at the memory of all those years ago. Billy was right, we had grown a lot, but Ali was right that day, we still looked out for one another. But damnit, I had failed her ten years ago when it really counted- the night she was attacked by Esteban Calderone. I tried to shake the memory, God knows Ali would smack me and roll her eyes if she knew I were thinking about that tonight. Maybe alcohol was the answer. While Ryan, Ethan, Billy and Eric were occupied with the stripper, I slipped away to the bar to grab another drink.
"What can I get ya, pal?"
"Cuba Libre please."
The bartender had his back to me as he neatly stacked glasses in front of a mirror behind the bar, but he quickly spun around. When he looked up, his eyes met mine and I recognized him as soon as he recognized me. "Miguel? Miguel Castillo?"
"Jake Ballard?" I asked in disbelief.
"How the hell have you been man, what you been up to?"
Even after ten years, I was still wary of Jake. Time seemed to mean nothing- as soon as I saw Jake I felt I was no longer Miguel Castillo, Assistant District Attorney. I was back to being some sixteen year old nerd that the football players liked to push around. I eyed him with suspicion as he poured rum into a glass and stirred it around. "I'm good Jake. I'm working for Miami Dade County in the DA's office. How about you? Last I heard you were off to the University Georgia on a football scholarship."
His face fell. "My football scholarship kinda fell through after I busted my knee. I ended up dropping out, and, well, the rest is history." I sensed some deep regret in his voice. "Surprised I haven't seen you in this place before!"
"Well, I'm not really into strip clubs. But those guys insisted on having little bachelor party for me." I indicated the table in the back where Ryan, Ethan, Billy and Eric were still being rowdy and cheering for the woman dancing on the table.
Jake raised an eyebrow as he set the drink in front of me. "You're getting married?"
"Yeah, next week. Roni and I are finally tying the knot!" I replied proudly.
Jake raised an eyebrow. "Man, you're a lawyer and marrying Veronica Tubbs? You are one lucky guy!" He resumed wiping the wooden bar top with a rag. "Always knew you'd do well, you and Ali. You know Miguel, all these years I've wanted to tell you that I'm real sorry. You and Ali never deserved the way Alicia and I treated you both."
I was shocked. Was Jake really apologizing to me? All those years of throwing my glasses in the girl's locker room, the sprained wrist, calling my sister and I every name in the book… could Jake really feel remorse? I tried to push it aside. "Don't worry about it, that was a long time ago. Water under the bridge and all."
Jake leaned against the bar. "No, I mean it, Miguel. I guess I just got sucked in with Britt and Alicia, but it's no excuse."
"Thanks Jake, I appreciate it." I really did too, but I was anxious to change the subject. "Hey, Billy's here with us. I'm surprised he didn't tell you we were coming?"
"Oh, my family and I aren't what you would call… speaking… these days. They're not too fond of my relationship with Britt."
"You and Britt are together? How is she these days?" Heck, if Jake could change, maybe Britt had turned it around too.
"We've been kinda on and off ever since high school. Mostly off. When she's not being a complete bitch, things are great. And I'm not gonna lie, the sex is amazing," (I tried to hide my look of disgust at hearing that). "But then she inevitably cheats on me, tells me what loser I am, and runs off with some other guy. And she eventually gets sick of him and comes running back and the cycle starts all over again."
I nodded. Same old Britt. I set a $20 bill on the bar and stood up. "Well Jake, it was good seeing you."
He pushed the bill back toward me. "Nah, this one's on me, buddy. You take care of Roni, okay? She's a sweet girl."
I smiled. "Thanks, Jake. I will."
As I walked back to the guys, I started to feel more relaxed. The alcohol was loosening me up just enough, and having old wounds somewhat healed helped too. When I took my place at the table next to Ryan, I didn't even notice Britt walking up to the bar.
"Britt, I'm working." Jake warned, not looking in her direction as she sat at the bar.
"C'mon baby, you know you can't resist me." She batted her eyelashes and leaned back, surveying the room. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Jake! It's that weird Castillo kid over there! The one with the slut of a sister! And he's with Ryan Rivera!"
"Yeah, so what? They're having a bachelor party. Miguel and Roni Tubbs are getting married next week. And leave them alone, Britt. You're almost 30! Can't you let the past go?"
"Have you forgotten how that little tease Roni rejected you to be with him? And how his trampy sister stole Ryan from Alicia?"
"What difference does it make? They've been together all these years, maybe it was meant to be. And Ali never stole Ryan from anyone. They didn't even start dating until three years after he and Alicia broke up!"
"You believe that little tramp?" Britt looked in my direction. Stealthily, she pulled out her cell phone and snapped a few well-timed photographs, smiling evilly.