The pretzels were good. The conversation was better.
Pete, John, and Nick had found a bench near the food court, clowning each other, bringing up the dress situation for the third time when it happened.
Nick looked up mid-laugh and his whole face changed.
Not in a good way.
Coming out of Bath and Body Works, shopping bag on her arm, was Latanya. She spotted him at the exact same second.
The vibe shifted immediately.
Latanya was fine, no question about that, but her expression went cold the moment her eyes landed on Nick.
She switched her bag to the other arm and walked directly toward them like she had something to say and had been waiting for the right opportunity.
And this was that opportunity.
“I don’t know why your cheap ass even in here,” she said, stopping right in front of them. “It’s Valentine Day and you don’t have no woman. What your broke ass in the mall shopping for?”
Nick said nothing. Just looked at her.
Pete and John both glanced at each other and did what they always did in awkward situations.
They smiled and spoke at the exact same time.
“What’s up Latanya.”
She cut her eyes at both of them.
“Whatever.”
Nick opened his mouth and was about to say something that was probably going to make the whole situation worse when a figure appeared behind Latanya and put his hand on the small of her back.
Darius.
A six foot big black tatted up guy wearing a jacket with the price tag hanging looking like it doesn’t cost what the price tag says. And a smirk that needed to be removed from his face immediately.
Nick recognized him instantly. The recognition was mutual and neither one of them was happy about it.
“You fucking with this clown now?” Nick said, not even blinking.
Darius tilted his head and let out a short laugh.
“Yeah. She fucking with a real man now.” He looked Nick up and down slow. “You wouldn’t know nothing about that. Little boy.”
That struck a nerve Nick stepped up Darius and looked him in his eyes.
“I bet this little boy could whip your ass,” Nick said, his voice dropping an octave. “And just so you know little boy you got my leftovers homie. Enjoy the plate.”
Latanya smacked her lips.
“Nick—”
Darius stepped forward and Pete immediately moved between them, one hand out toward Darius’s chest to create distance.
Darius slapped Pete’s hand down hard.
“Boy don’t touch me.”
That was the wrong move.
Pete pushed him. Not a shove. A real push. Two hands, full extension, and Darius stumbled back two steps into a trash can that got knocked to the floor.
The food court noise dropped about thirty percent. People turned. A kid at the pretzel stand stopped mid-chew.
Before it could go any further a large man in a grey security shirt appeared out of nowhere like he had been watching the whole thing from across the mall.
He stepped directly between all of them with his arms out.
“Not today. Not in here. Everybody separate. Right now.”
There was a tense moment where nobody moved and everybody was still locked in.
Then Latanya grabbed Darius by the arm and pulled. Darius let himself be pulled but he pointed past the security guard, eyes fixed on Pete and Nick.
“It’s not over.”
“Nobody’s scared,” Nick said calmly.
Darius kept walking backward, still pointing, until Latanya turned him around and they disappeared toward the exit.
The security guard looked at Pete, John, and Nick with tired eyes.
“I’m going to need you three to move along. Different direction.”
“We good,” Pete said, straightening his jacket.
They walked the opposite way in silence for about thirty seconds.
Then John spoke.
“Pete got him with two hands.”
“I seen it,” Nick said.
“That trash can was not ready,” Pete added without any expression at all.
All three of them started laughing at the same time and didn’t stop until they were halfway to the other end of the mall.
To be continued…