Street Love (An Interracial Love Story)

Chapter 22

Tony's POV

My phone buzzes during first period and a I sneak a look at it.

All Pandilla meet at the clubhouse in 30 minutes. The text is from Smiley. This is important.

I panic a little and look around the room. The rest of the class is writing. I look at Evie and her hand and pen are moving quickly. Mr. Smith is typing on his keyboard.

I throw my pen and paper into my backpack and slowly walk to the the front of the classroom.

"Excuse me?"

Mr. Smith looks at me, disgusted.

"What?"

"Um. I need to use the restroom."

"With your backpack?"

"Yeah."

"Just be back in five minutes or you get a zero for the day."

"Thanks."

I open the door to the classroom and Evie looks up at me.

Where are you going? She mouths.

I'll be back at lunch.

I close the door behind me and start jogging down the street towards the Pandilla meeting place.

When I get there, there are at least 70 people there. I look around and see guys I didn't even know were in the gang. The oldest person is about 50 and the youngest, maybe 13.

For some reason, I always assumed everyone in Pandilla was Mexican. But there's white guys, black guys and even a couple Asians.

Smiley stands at the balcony above the main room and quiets all of us.

"As many of you know, our brother Juan was shot last week."

Everybody bows their head.

"Just so you know," Smiley continues. "He's alive and well. We moved him out of East Side though. For his personal safety."

Personal safety?

"Juan's shooting was the start of a gang war."

The room is so quiet. You could hear a pin drop.

"That's right," Smiley continues. "We're in a gang war. It's us against Mundo. Many of you know that Mundo is a North Side gang that we've never had problems with. However, the city of St. Monica destroyed most of their drug territory to build a new family development. That means less money for them. That also means they're gonna try and take our territory."

So what the hell does that mean?

"We have to protect our territory by any means necessary. Every single one of you is gonna start packing heat."

A gun? I don't do guns.

"All of you need to line up by the side door." Smiley points to his left.

The heard of people start to line up and I fall in line behind this skinny white kid with tattoo sleeves.

"We're all gettin' handguns," the kid slurs. His breath smells like alcohol. Usually I would start craving a drink after smelling it, but I think the AA meetings have been helping.

"Really?"

"Yeah." The kid nods. "A few years ago we got into a drug war with the Crips and we all had to pack heat for two months."

"Damn." I guess I don't really have that much of a problem carrying a gun but where would I put it when I'm going to bed? What if my mom found it? Or even worse, Emily?

"Yeah. Couple guys died in the last war a few years ago. Just gotta be aware of your surroundings cause the other gang is gonna be looking for any chance to take you out. And make sure you ain't never take the same route home. You don't want them knowing where you live. I heard Mundo has a bunch of little kids working as scouts."

We're almost to the front of the line when I get a text. I sneak a look at my phone to see its from Evie.

Where are you? Lunch is gonna start any minute.

Crap. I really hate lying to her, but I can't let her know where I really am.

Had to help out the guy I work for. He had an emergency. Be back soon.

As soon as I hit send, I'm at the front of the line.

"Aye Tony." Smiley gives me a nod of approval and reaches into the box on the ground. "This is one of the newest ones we got esé. I know it'll be perfect for you."

I take the gun and weigh it in my hand. Its not too heavy. I throw up the gang sign as Smiley hands me a pack of bullets. "Use them wisely. You ain't got that many."

I nod and head to a back corner of the room. I really don't want the gun so I tuck it into a bush. I throw my backpack over my shoulder and head out of the clubhouse and down Hamilton back towards school.

I manage to sneak inside the cafeteria through a side door and spot Evie throwing away her trash. She's probably going to the library to study for that TSA thing she keeps talking about.

"Hey Evie." I slide my arms around her waist and kiss her on the cheek.

"Don't 'Hey Evie' me." She pushes my arms off of her and turns around to face me. "You've been gone for two hours Tony."

I can't help it. She looks so cute all pissed at me that I start smiling.

"Tony! This isn't funny!" Evie smacks my arm and starts walking away from me down the hallway.

"Ow. Okay, okay. Slow down negrita." I start walking beside her. "Didn't you get my text?"

"Yes I got your text. Your incredibly cryptic text about your boss having an emergency." Evie starts walking faster and finally I just pull her to the side into a more empty hallway.

"I'm supposed to be going to the library." Evie avoids my eyes and looks past me.

"Evie. My boss had an emergency and I had to go make sure everything was okay. You know how important it is for me to keep this job. My mom is already struggling as it is." I tilt her chin up so she looks at me. "I need this job. For Emily, for you, for Donny. So can you chill with the 21 questions?"

"I guess. I just get worried about you when you leave like that."

I kiss the top of her head. "I know, and I love you for that mamas but you don't gotta worry all the time. I'm fine. Okay?"

"Mhmm. I still gotta go study though. You should come with me!" Evie's face lights up as she looks at me.

"Uhhh."

"Pleaseeeee Tony. Pleaseeeee." My mind goes back to the first time she did this when we were at Westside Mall and I give in.

"Fine."

The rest of the day goes by smoothly and I go with Evie to pick up Donny and Emily after school.

"Tony!" Donny runs up to me as soon as the final bell rings for the elementary school.

"What a pleasant surprise," he says, smiling. Evie and I laugh at his word choice then wait a few minutes for Emily.

She comes out holding a giant cage with a rat-looking thing inside.

"What is that Emily?" I ask her quietly.

"It's a chinchilla." She smiles.

"Why do you have it?"

Donny walks toward Emi and looks at the animal with wide eyes.

"It's my turn to take Peanut home. I get to keep her for the whole weekend."

"Aye." I rub my head and close my eyes for a quick second. "You got food for that thing?"

"Yup." Emily starts walking past us and Donny follows her. "It's in my backpack."

I look at Evie and she shrugs. I shake my head again and we start walking home.

It's gonna be a long weekend.