Angels Don't Cry

Chapter Thirty-Six

Nicolas

"What are we playing?" Victor called out to Valeria.

"Texas hold em'...straight cash," Valeria called back as she plopped down onto the seat of the big blind placing the minimum bet.

Ricarldo was the small blind sitting to the right of her placing half of that; the rest of the seating went along with Cara, Gigo, Marco, Roman, and I. Marco was the dealer and he dealt every player two cards faced down.

I looked over at Valeria and her face was pretty vague which benefited her since this was poker and you couldn't let people know what you'rethinking or how you were feeling about your particular cards. I looked around the rest of the table and the guys were focusing their eyes on their cards as well as the community cards at the middle of the table.

I brought my attention back to my cars and noted the 7 and 8 red and black cards I had in my hand; it was going to be tough, but it was doable if I played my cards right.

In the pre-flop round, Cara called placing the minimum chips up against the table, Gigo folded and took himself out of the game, Marco raised and set a higher bid and chips up against the table which caused Roman and I to match the bet in order to stay in the game.

Tammy moved all our chips to the middle of the table after we all had placed our bets down and the flop round began. Marco dealt three community cards and set them in the middle of the table where everyone could see.

A king of spades, a jack of clubs, and an 8 of hearts.

"I hope you guys have a lot of money to spend tonight." Cara teased as she sat back in her chair.

Roman shook his head, "Trash talking already, Cara...I would suspect you have matching cards with that comment." He joked.

She flipped him off.

"You all really must not care about saving your homeboy Nicolas's ass, huh?" She said.

"No, not really." Victor stated.

I growled at him.

"Can you blame him, man? We threw him under the bus the minute we got in here." Gigo shrugged indifferently. 

Victor was the first one up since he was the small blind and checked, which meant that he bet nothing and it moved on to Valeria. Her eyes were still as she stared at the end of the poker table, not particularly focusing on her cards or anyone's for that matter, they were trained on the community cards. She cleared her throat and raised the bet up 60 chips, Cara bet the same amount of money, Gigo folded and took himself out of the game, Marco raised 70 chips, Roman bet the same amount, and then so did I.

Tammy slapped Gigo's arm and stuck her tongue out at him. "Who can't play now?" She teased him.

He grumbled something under his breath and ran his hands through his hair as he watched the continuing game.

The turn round, or the third round began with only Valeria, Victor, Cara, Marco, Roman, and I still left in the game; no one seemed to be turning themselves in with their facial expressions although I couldn't help but be a little curious as to the kinds of cards the girls were holding in their decks.

Marco dealt another community card and it turned out to be a 7 of spades. 

Victor folded, Valeria raised the chips up to 80, Cara matched the bet, Marco matched the bet, Roman folded, and I raised the bet to 85. Now it was only Marco, Cara, Valeria, and I. 

Tammy pulled all the bets to the middle of the table in order and the last round began.

The river round. Marco dealt the last community card in the middle of the table and it was a 2 of spades. Now it was time for everyone to show their cards and see who takes it all in the pot.