𝐃𝐄𝐉𝐀 𝐕𝐔 :: 𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘱 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴

𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆.

𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑧

MARIO AND MAMA WERE SUPPOSED TO be home by 5, it's way past 8 and i was starting to get nervous. if mario was sleeping over or staying a bit late usually his friends parents would call me to let me know or would ask me to stop by and pick him up, not in this case. i sat down on the couch watching ana finish my writing homework on the floor.

the clock was struck 8:30 and i was about to call the police but i stopped everything when i heard a knock at the door. my mind told me that there was no way it could be mario because he'll either yell at me to open the door when he knows i'm home or he'll use the spare key abuela gave to him the first day we moved in with her.

i ran to the door and saw not just mario but soda standing in front of me.

"what the hell, you literally had me sick!" i yelled at mario when pulling him in for a hug.

"well you would've been really sick if it weren't for soda, he found me in his way home." mario explained.

"we'll come inside, both of you, warm up and explain to me." i ushered them in.

i grabbed two blankets from the small closet by the kitchen, i handed both to mario and soda whose lips were almost purple. mario sat by the heater with ana who was catching him up on their work even though i knew he did his homework before he left the house.

"okay, now explain to me what happened." i demanded while sitting down next to soda on the couch.

"let me explain." soda blurted, "i was walking home from the dx because darry couldn't pick me up and then i found mario sitting on the curb in front of what i assumed was his friend's house."

"it was their neighbor's, i just wanted to sit somewhere close to where i thought my mom would see me." mario interrupted.

"that, and then i sat next to him to see what was going on. he told me something about his mom telling him she was gonna pick him up at 5,mi found him outside at 7:40." soda explained, "i told him i was walking him home and look where we are now."

"mar, you know when mom will be home?" ana asks but i knew exactly where she was.

"no and nor do i care." i said trying to hide my anger.

i got up and stormed to the phone, soda followed me asking a bunch of questions about why i was acting this way but i ignored all of those questions. i dialed a number i knew from memory because of abuela who had to become mama's guard after dialijng that number.

the phone was silent until i heard someone pick up the phone.

"buck's bar, this is buck." buck greets.

"hi, buck? i was just wondering if anyone by the name lisa perez stopped by." i said.

"uh yeah, she was here at 6 but left just now. if you know her and somewhat live with her, please watch yourself, i think she might go nuts." buck laughed.

"well thank you, have a nice night." i mumbled the last part before slamming the phone back in the cradle.

"mar, are you okay?" ana asked.

"yeah, yeah." i closed my eyes then opened them back up, "mario, ana, just get ready for bed, i'll be there with you soon."

mario and ana ran to the hallway while i slid down against the fridge. soda knelt down towards me.

"hey, you're gonna be alright." he reassured me, bringing me into his arms.

"she couldn't stay sober and i knew it, i just didn't say anything." i cried, "abuela defended her so many times but after all, they are my only family and i can't do anything about that."

"don't think it's your fault because it's not, there's never a person to blame in a situation like this." soda says.

the door knob started to rattle, "that's her, just sit on the couch and let me deal with her."

soda went over to the couch while i walked over to door and opened it to reveal a drunk mom who had a lot for just one night.

"what the hell is this gringo doing in my apartment?!" she slurred.

"i don't know, maybe that gringo was the one who walked your damn son home because his mom couldn't pick him up at the right time!" i angrily shouted.

mama went quiet after i said that.

"you can't even say anything because you don't trust yourself," i sobbed, "you promised us you'd be sober forever and what do you do? you break that promise."

        "it wasn't that many drinks, i swear." she lied.

        "but it was enough to make you forget to pick your own children." i scoffed, "i'm not stupid, you had a lot and i know it."

        "fine but it will never happen again." she swore.

        "yeah, say that to abuela when she comes back, i'm sure it will never happen ever again after that." i told her, "just get out, i don't need ana and mario seeing you like this."

        "please, mar." she begged.

        "i don't care, stay at the hospital or something, don't come in here like this when all of your kids are in the same house." i scolded.

        she grabbed her bag and headed out the door like a child, i never thought in a million years that i'd be kicking my own mother out. it felt like a million emotions bursted out of me. i dropped to the ground and sobbed, soda caught me and just held me the entire night, ana and mario were standing by the hall in tears, i held my arms out for them.

        that night we just sat on our living room floor, crying.