On my block: Monse and Cesar

Chapter 3: part 2

*next morning at Ruby's*
"Guys my abuela want us to help her make tamales." Ruby says as he walks into the living room. Cesar and Monse are sitting on the couch with Jamal and Olivia. "How many?" Olivia asks. "Somewhere in between a big family and a small village." Ruby says. "Hurry up these tamales aren't going to make themselves!" Abuela yells from the kitchen. They all get up and go to the kitchen everything's laid out in stations. "Olivia can you watch the twins while we cook. They like you better than Ruby." Abuela says. "Yeah no problem." Olivia smiles and goes into the twins and Ruby's room. "There's five of us but only four jobs." Monse says. "No no no, you and Cesar are both working with the masa." Abuela says. "Ok." Monse and Cesar say simultaneously. "I can't even remember the last time your Abuela made us help out with the tamales." Monse says. "I can... the great tamale war of 2k16. Masa and corn husks up to our knees." Jamal says. "I completely forgot about that. I had nightmares for like a week." Ruby says as he shivers. "We never hangout as a group anymore. It's also Monse and Cesar, Ruby and Olivia, and Jamal and rollerworld." Jamal says. "We hangout, we've just been really busy." Cesar says. "You're still a Santo?" Abuela asks. "Ruby!" Monse yells. "I didn't say anything." He says as he raises his arms quickly. "You guys talk loud in the middle of my house and think I won't be listening to all the chisme you say." Abuela laughs and shakes her head. "Yeah, I'm a Santo." Cesar says. That's the first time he ever admitted it like that. He was being so open about it. "I won't get them involved don't worry." Cesar says. "Meh, I'm not worried you always keep them safe." Abuela says. They go back to the lighter topic of tamales, and reminiscing on the good old days. "Who are we making all these tamales for?" Jamal asks. "Remember Amada López? Her family is coming from San Juan." Ruby says. "Is she the one who watched us after school?" Cesar asks. "No that was ms. Cruz, right?" Monse says. "Isn't Amada the one with four dogs?" Jamal asks. "Yeah, remember when her chihuahua bit you and you thought it gave you rabies?" Monse says. Jamal just rolls his eyes. Cesar looks at Monse and smiles then he puts one of his hands on hers. Monse just smiles at him and Jamal and Ruby give them weird looks. "Do you guys always need to stare at each other it makes me miss when I had rabies." Jamal says. "Thought, you had rabies." Monse clarifies. "Same difference." Jamal says. They finish the tamales and deliver them to ms. López's house. "Gracias, gracias. It's been so long since I've seen you all." She says as she takes the tamales. "Monse you look very different." She says. "Puberty." Cesar says as he playfully elbows her. "Aye no! She's happier." Ms. López smiles at Monse. "Yeah it's been a pretty good year so far." Monse says. "Thank you again for all the tamales, Ruby tell your Abuela that we're on for poker on Saturday." She says. "Ok got it ms. López." Ruby gives her a uncomfortable look. The crew turns around and walk back to Ruby's. "Where'd you guys go?" Olivia asks as she gets up from the couch. "We had to drop off the tamales. You didn't miss much." Ruby says as he smiles at her. Something about Olivia makes his stomach do cartwheels. At first it was more of a 'she's a pretty girl and I'm a horny teenage boy ' thing but now it was different. "Cool, What do you guys wanna do now?" Olivia asks. "I'm gonna walk Monse home." Cesar says. "Oh but I barely got to see you guys today." Olivia complains. "I don't need to go-" Monse starts talking but Cesar gives her a look. "Oh right, I actually do have to go." Monse corrects herself. "This is what I meant when I said they're never here." Jamal says as Cesar and Monse leave. "Did you hear that? What Jamal said? We hang out with them all the time!" Monse tries to defend the fact that they aren't around as much. "Come on Monse, we can't tell them so the only time we can be a couple is when we're alone. What are we supposed to do?" Cesar asks. Monse thinks for a second and then she comes up with a plan. "No more cutting into our time with our friends, we need to find time in between. That means no more leaving when we hangout to go have sex." Monse says. "Woah hold on." Cesar grabs Monse's shoulders and stands in front of her. "I don't want you to think that's all this is. I wanted to be able to hold your hand and look at you without one of them saying that we're acting weird. I want to be able to call you my girlfriend and actually show you all my love without our friends finding out because you think they'll get mad or something." He says he looks so deeply in Monse's eyes it's like he's trying to read her mind. "I don't think that's all this is. I'm just saying that we leave them a lot to go do our own thing." Monse says. Cesar grabs her hand when they start to walk. Monse tries to pull her hand away and Cesar gives her a very upset look. "What this isn't our friends' time?" He says with a sly smile. "But they could see us." Monse says. "Wait." She freezes. "Did you say show me all your love?" Monse asks. "Yeah, I guess. That was like two minutes ago though." Cesar says. "That's a lot Cesar." Monse says wide eyed as she opens her front door. "I'm not saying I love you I mean I have love for you. Oh God please don't freak out." He says. She closes the door and gives him a hug. "I know what you mean." She says. He smiles and gives her a kiss.