On my block: Monse and Cesar

Chapter 7 part 2

"Ruby is not crazy." Cesar laughs. "The dude ordered a horse. A horse!" Monse laughs. "What does Laura Diaz think?" Cesar asks with a smirk. Monse gives him a look as she tries to hide her smile. "But seriously did Laura ever get a response?" Cesar asks. "Her friend request was accepted." Monse smiles. "Holy shit! Well what'd you find out?" Cesar asks and he sounds really excited which makes Monse laugh. "Nothing, I haven't started digging yet. Ruby's been keeping us pretty busy." Monse shrugs. "Well let's do it now." Cesar sounds more prepared than Monse does. "Maybe I should just do it on my own, just in case." Monse shrugs. "Oh come on, you're my best friend I want to be there when you find out who your maybe mom is." Cesar says. Monse just smiles and nods. "I'm here for you, I'm still your friend." Cesar says in a less pushy tone. "I know." Monse starts explaining one of the lady's books and she touches Cesar's arm he's paying attention but in the back of his mind he's thinking how when Monse touches his arm for a second it makes him feel more than when Olivia kisses him. "I can't do this." Cesar says out of nowhere. "What?" "Pretend we're just friends. I can't stop thinking about you... about us." Monse looks at him with sadness in her eyes. "Please don't, Cesar." It hurts her too much to talk about them, especially with him. "I can't help it. I'm with Olivia but I'm not happy. The fam might look ok but I know it hurts Ruby just as much as it hurts us. I think about you all the time, do you ever think about me?" Cesar is so desperate for an answer that those few seconds it takes her to respond feel like an eternity. Monse nods her head and says, "All the time." At this moment they both know what they want to do. They don't need words or to think things through, they just take a step closer and lean in. As soon as there lips touch everything disappears. The kiss only lasts a second before Latrelle pulls up but it was all they needed to know that everything between them was still there. "Aye yo. Hey what's up with you ma'? Aye you looking good, let me get that ass on pimp lane. Monse why you still hanging out with these broke ass Santos?" Latrelle says. Cesar usually doesn't like being violent but in this moment he just wants to beat the shit out of Latrelle. "So you go to juvy and now you think you're ballin' Latrelle?" Cesar asks as he tries to keep himself from doing something stupid. "Yeah, why you think I knocked off a bunch of you're punk ass homies? Ask about me, go ahead!" Latrelle yells. Cesar throws his can of Red Bull but Monse tries to push him back. "Hey, hey let's just go." Monse sounds scared and worried but if he left he knew Latrelle would never leave her alone. "Screw you Santo and your dead homies!" Latrelle says. "Aye you know what side you're on?! This is our block, feel me? They call me lil' Spooky and I'll blast on your ass!" Cesar screams, Monse's never seen this side of him and she's shocked. She knew the type of stuff he did but she never witnessed it first hand. He tries walking up to his car but there's no way Monse would let that happen, she pushes him back and tries to keep him safe but she knows she can't.. "Please! Cesar." She cries. "I don't care what side I'm on!" Latrelle pulls a gun on them and without thinking Cesar pushes Monse behind him. Monse looks at Latrelle, terrified, and his face expression changes. "You lucky your bitch is here, 'cause if I catch you slippin' next time Ima put a hole in you!" Latrelle threatens. Monse doesn't let go of Cesar's arm until Latrelle is completely out of sight. "I'm calling Oscar he can come get us, we can't walk home." Cesar says and Monse just nods, still in shock. Oscar pulls up not even two minutes later. "Monse, where are you staying tonight 'cause you can't stay alone?" Oscar asks. "I don't have anywhere to go." She admits. "I'll stay with her." Cesar doesn't hesitate. "Ok, if anything happens you call me, comprende?" Oscar asks. "Yeah." Cesar nods. They get to Monse's house and she can still barely process what just happened. They get inside, she locks the door and goes straight to bed. "I'm sorry Monse I never wanted you to see that or see me like that." Cesar says as he looks at his shoes. "I just want to go to bed." She mumbles. She climbs under the covers and Cesar grabs a pillow and lays on the floor next to her. "What are you doing?" She asks. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable." He says. "Come up here, please." She says. He doesn't say a word he just gets in bed and hold her close. "We can't tell anyone we kissed, especially after how I reacted when you kissed Olivia." Monse says eve. Though that's the least of her worries at the moment. "I know. How are you?" He asks, full of concern. "Tired, stressed, worried but I'm ok. We're safe for now and that's all that matters." Monse tries to smile. "Don't lie to me, Monse. I know you're not ok. Maybe it's a good thing we broke up, I don't want to put you in danger like that again." Monse doesn't know what to say but she does know that if she kisses him it will say everything she needs to say. She lifts her head from his chest, she looks at his lips and she kisses him. "How do you not hate me? I hate me." Cesar rests his forehead on Monse's. "I don't hate you because it's not your fault, none of this is. We just need to figure out how to get you out of here." Monse says. They lay in silence and slowly drift off to sleep.