Mas Adelante | Ruby Martinez

Mas Adelante - Chapter Five

"I can't believe that girls pregnant," Jamal shook his head, "at sixteen."

"Yeah." Ruby chuckled, "I mean who wants a lifetime of commitment at our age?"

"Obviously not you." They all spun around, watching Lola push Ruby. "You told my brother we had sex?" She yelled, shoving him. "do you know the kind of trouble you can get in with Spooky? He'll chop off your dick and glue it to your nose for just looking at me!"

"No! Why would I do that!" He backed up, trying not to trip on his own feet.

Monse and Jamal looked at each other, completely stunned. When they came to: they rushed at Lola, pulling her away from Ruby.

"I trusted you and the first thing you did was rat me out?" She struggled in Jamal's arms, "you're a puto just like everybody else!"

"Jamal?" Monse raised her eyebrow, holding Ruby in place.

"I got her." He nodded, picking her up in one swift movement.

"Jamal, I will punch the shit out of you if you don't put me down."

"Lola I'm taking you home." He said, walking in the opposite direction. "I don't know what's going on between you and Ruby but you need to speak to your brother. It can't be more important than that."

She huffed, rolling her eyes. "How do you even know about that?"

"When Monse told Cesar about you and Angelo he told us you and Oscar had a disagreement last night and that that was the reason you left home."

"Wait hold up, put me down for a sec!" She scrambled around, trying to get down. Jamal let her go and she landed on her feet. She stared at him for a second until he shrugged. "That was about Angelo?"

He nodded, "yeah, we talked to him this morning, he told us you guys are indeed together and are having sex. By the way?" He said, "he made it very clear you two were having sex and lots of it."

"Oh my god." She gasped, covering her mouth for a second, "so Ruby didn't... oh my god, poor Ruby I can't believe I just did that to him."

"Wait are you and Ruby–"

"No!" She shouted, "no, no, no. Absolutely not!"

"Okay." He chuckled, "I get it Lola."

She made 'up' hands at him and he picked her up again, throwing her over his shoulder.

"I just thought he was making up rumors." She sighed, "now I have to apologize."

"And you will." He nodded, "but first on the agenda; you apologize to Spooky, because we can't have an angry gang leader running around Freeridge." She stayed quiet and Jamal shook her. "You still alive back there?"

"Yeah." She mumbled, "I don't know what I'm gonna say to Oscar."

"Just be honest with him." He hummed, "so girl talk to me about Angelo."

"I'd rather not." She said, "then you'll tell Monse and her big ass mouth will tell Cesar and Cesar's stupid ass will tell Oscar."

"Okay." Jamal set her down, "well maybe you can tell him yourself."

They stood a couple of houses down from her house, Jamal set his hands on his hips waiting for her to walk away.

"I didn't carry you all the way here for nothing," he pushed her, "shoo now, go on." She rolled her eyes, talking a couple of steps before turning around to look at Jamal. He gave her two thumbs up. "You got this!"

She smiled, Jamal had always been a good friend to her, he would always give her piggy back rides on their way home from school.

She stepped onto the grass and Oscar looked up, flaring his nostrils.

She took a big forward step and he stood up, setting his forty ounce down onto the concrete. Then she continued walking until she was in front of him.

He stared down at her, his eyebrows pulling together when she hugged him. "I'm so sorry Hermano," she said. "Please don't send me away again."

He sighed, motioning his head for the homies to leave. He wrapped his arms around her small frame.

"I didn't send you away Lola." He rubbed his hand down her back, "you're my blood, my hermanita." He kissed her head. "You just like to test my limits."

"I won't anymore I promise." She pulled away, "and," she sniffled, "I don't even want a stupid quince anymore."

Oscar shook his head, "it's not that I don't want to give you one princesa, I just can't afford it right now."

"Then I don't want one!" She hugged him again, "let me come home please. I promise I'll never leave again."

Oscar frowned, he knew that's what she wanted and even more so because before their mom died that's all they talked about.

"You know what?" She looked up at him, her eyelashes coated in tears. "We're gonna figure it out okay? Now it might not be tomorrow." He chuckled, "but you're gonna have that quince hermanita, I promise."

She smiled softly, sniffling. "You promise?"

He nodded with a smile on his face, when she hugged him, it disappeared.

He had no idea how he was going to do it.