Sara removed a cold bottle from the case and stepped back. She was jostled from behind and knocked forward. She lost her grip, and the plastic bottle crashed to the floor, bouncing slightly but not breaking. The smell of beer and sweat overwhelmed her as the disheveled man she had seen earlier leaned in close.
"Why doncha' watch where you're going?" The man's voice was venomous.
Her stomach tightened. She wanted to tell him to get out of her face, but she also wanted to leave without making any more of a scene than this man already had. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you," she said.
"You don't see much of nothing, do you?" he shouted, standing so close she couldn't get around him.
She had tried to be nice, but sometimes that didn't work with bullies. She'd have to stand up for herself. "There's no reason to make so much out of a little bump. Please let me by, so I can pay my bill and leave."
"Want to turn tail and run, do you? Don't want to take any blame?" The man weaved and caught his balance on a shelf, knocking off a box of candy. The pieces scattered on the floor.
"My boy says you're the one that got him kicked off the basketball team. Ruined his life and didn't give it a second thought."
"Dad!"
Sara looked in the direction of the familiar voice.
Kevin stood at the end of the aisle, his face white. "Come on, Dad. Leave Miss Kramer alone."
"You want to let her get away with what she did?" He straightened his body and stuck out his chin. "I don't." Weaving, he caught hold of a display rack. "Only one to have a decent chance in our family, and she takes it away." His watery eyes shot anger at Sara. "There's gotta be payback."
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