On my block: Monse and Cesar

Chapter Six

"Monse please open the door." Cesar knocks at her front door. "Please just go away!" She cries. "Monse I'm sorry!" Cesar yells. Ruby and Jamal walk by Monse's house and hear Cesar yelling at the door. "So I might've told my mom I'm playing in the game Friday, can you work you magic on coach?" Jamal asks Ruby. "Fims flair up?" Ruby asks and Jamal nods. Ruby bursts out laughing. "I'm beginning you Ruby you're the master." Jamal says. "I did get Cesar promoted without trying." Ruby shrugs. "So you do it?" Jamal asks with excitement. "Hell no!" Ruby yells. "You got two options come clean to your folks or come clean to your folks. Karmas a bitch." Ruby walks away laughing.
Monse opens the door and pushes Cesar out of the way. "I need to go to school." She keeps walking and completely ignores him.
At lunch everything's awkward. Olivia sits next to Cesar and that obviously not the right choice. She moves seats and Ruby says the most iconic words that will ever come out of his mouth. "You chilly?" Ruby asks. "Not really." Olivia answers. "Just thought it might be cool under all that shade." Ruby says and Monse high fives him. "When did you guys stop being mad at each other?" Cesar asks. "Monse may have thrown me under the bus but we both realized that you played both of us. Also Monse's not talking to you." Ruby answers. "We're not in elementary school anymore you can't just ignore me hope I disappear." Cesar says. "You know what, I'm gonna find Jamal even though he knew at least he was trying to be a good friend." Monse leaves.
"Jamal!" She shouts down the hall. "I think I know how to get Ruby to help you." She says and it gets his attention. "Wait, you're not mad at me?" He asks. "No, you were trying to be a good friend I get it." Monse smiles. "So how do I get him to help?" Jamal asks. "Secret for a secret. Ruby can't help himself if something's going on in the group he wants to know, so you kept a secret from him before but what if you trade one with him for a favor? You just need to go to the queens of chisme, Jasmine and Olivia." Monse suggests. "You're a life saver! Bless you Monse!" He says as he walks away quickly. "Wait, where's Olivia?" He asks as he turns back to Monse. "Our table." Monse laughs. Well at least she hasn't lost all her friends.
Jamal walks outside and sees Olivia sitting alone. "Hey girl what's good? What's poppin'? What's shaking?" Jamal says as he's slides next to her. "I think I know something I'm not supposed to know." Olivia sighs. "Oh really, do tell?" Jamal's ready to be on the team and the sooner he has a secret the sooner he can tell Ruby. "Ok so I was thinking, I get why Ruby would be upset but why Monse? So I was thinking about what Jasmine said and about the time I caught them kissing and I realized Monse and Cesar really are together. You can't tell anyone." Olivia blabs. "I promise, not a word. On an unrelated note I need to find Ruby." Jamal gets up.
After fifth period Jamal finally finds Ruby. "I have a secret and it came from Olivia." Jamal says proudly. "Tell me." Ruby begs. "Only if you convince coach." "No, you owe me for not telling me about Cesar and Olivia!" Ruby demands. "Nope, this secret makes the other secret look irrelevant." Jamal isn't giving up. "I'm not talking to the coach!" Ruby yells. "Well, I guess you'll just have to be secret less twice." Jamal shrugs. "At least tell me if it's about me." Ruby tries to persuade Jamal. "Ha, good day." Jamal walks away. "Fine!" Ruby says as he chases after him. "Information manipulation theory." Ruby says. "Pray tell." Jamal says nonchalantly. "Basically I'm going to confuse coach into letting you sit on the bench. Now I think there's some tea that needs to be spilled." Ruby finally gives in. "Well, Olivia thinks Monse and Cesar really did smash!" Jamal exclaims as they walk through the gym. "That's it? That isn't even a secret because you have no idea if it's true!" Ruby starts to get frustrated. "Oh right I forgot. The night Olivia and Cesar kissed, Olivia caught Monse and Cesar making out at the party." Jamal laughs. "So that's why she got so upset, now I feel bad for even being mad at her in the first place." Ruby says as they keep walking.
*later at the football game*
"How did you even manage to get him in the game." Monse asks. "Never doubt how good I am at confusing people." Ruby answers. "Great." Monse looks over and sees Cesar and Olivia. "We got this, just act like they're not here." Ruby says as he buys his ticket. "You're right this is Jamal's time." They start to walking to the bleachers but Cesar stops Monse. "Can we please just talk?" Cesar pulls her to the side and Ruby follows. "Haven't you done enough talking?" Ruby says. "I'm just trying to work things out with her Ruby." Cesar says. "Mm-hmm, if you need me I'll be right over there." Ruby tells Monse. "It didn't mean anything it was just a stupid kiss." Cesar explains. "You could've told me and I wouldn't have been mad but you decided to keep it from me." Monse pushes Cesar out of the way and her and Ruby go sit down. Olivia and Cesar go to sit next to them so Ruby switches seats with Monse. He doesn't even want to sit with them he can't imagine how Monse feel. "Look he's right there!" Olivia exclaims as she points at Jamal who's waving at them.
The crew doesn't speak until fourth quarter and even then it's out of hate. "Why didn't you just tell me and Monse?" Ruby blurts out. "I was going to tell you, both of you, one on one but Monse heard us talking." Cesar says. "You had time to tell us that's just an excuse." Monse says as she rolls her eyes. "I said I'm sorry like a million times!" Cesar yells. "It wasn't even his fault, I kissed him." Olivia explains. "That's even worse!" Ruby says. "How is that worse?" Cesar asks. "Because you could've told us right away and we would've just been mad at Olivia!" Monse reply's. "Oh so it's ok for you guys to be mad at me?" Olivia asks. "You're the one who kissed him!" Ruby and Monse say in unison. "Monse I'm sorry, I know I should've-" Ruby cuts him off. "They're putting Jamal in, why are they putting Jamal in?" He asks. "There was a fight on the field and now they need the Turner classic!" Jamal's mom cheers. "Can you two keep your mouths shut long enough so we can watch Jamal... who am I kidding of course you can you did it for weeks." Ruby laughs. "How are we the ones who kept a secret Monse lied to everyone about her and Cesar! If I had known I wouldn't have kissed him." Olivia says without thinking. "I have to go." Monse gets up and walks away and Cesar follows her. "I swear I didn't tell her anything." Cesar says. "How can I trust you? You're the one who ruined everything." Monse says. "I was waiting for the right time." Cesar says. "Well now I have to do damage control thanks a lot." Monse leans against the fence and watches the game. "Behind the bleachers now!" Monse yells and she waves for Ruby and Olivia to follow them. "Let's get a few things straight ok. I did lie... to everyone and I need to come clean." Monse says and Cesar looks at her. "You don't have to do this." He says. "I do. I liked Cesar, before I went to my writing camp I told him. He didn't feel the same way. He only to Oscar we smashed to protect me. When you caught us kissing we were drunk and we both made up an excuse so that we wouldn't look stupid. But that's it that's all that happened because he's not into me." Monse explains. "But that's not true!" Cesar says. "Stop, you don't need to keep protecting me. I was just jealous that's the only reason I was upset. You two should go for it, I'm fine." Monse says and Cesar looks at her sadly. Ruby and Olivia look at Monse with pity. The crowd starts cheering. "What the hell is going on?" Ruby asks. They go back to the field and see Jamal running. "Oh my God, he has the ball." Ruby says. They all smile and cheer as he gets the winning touchdown.
After the game Cesar stops Monse. "Your feelings aren't one sided, you could've told the truth!" He exclaims. "You saw how one kiss blew up the whole crew." Monse explains. "Yeah a kiss that didn't mean anything!" "Or maybe it did." Monse says. "It didn't." Cesar objects. "Then why did you kiss her?" Monse asks sadly and Cesar doesn't say a word. "Even if it didn't that doesn't make it any better. If I told them it would be so much more than just one stupid kiss and shit definitely would've gotten real." Monse says and Cesar just stares at her. "We weren't meant to be more than friends." Monse looks down at her feet. "No, all I have to do is be honest and explained why you couldn't." Cesar says. "Then what? They'll know I lied and be even more upset." Monse says. "They won't be mad if we just come clean I don't understand why you don't want to!" Cesar says. "You're not a girl Cesar. For you screwing me gives you street cred but if people find out about us then I have a reputation as a whore." Monse explains. "Not if we're together." Cesar leans in to kiss her and Monse wants to let him but she can't. "No because then I'm just your bitch and you're only with me for one thing!" Monse pushes him away. "Who cares if that's what other people think it's not true and we both know it! I want to be with you Monse!" Cesar says. "And I want to be with you too, but we can't." Monse says. "Why?" "If we're together it'll break the family up." Monse says. "You don't know that." "And you don't know what's gonna happen if we do date. I was serious earlier, you and Olivia should try to be together." Monse walks away crying.