stay ➵ OSCAR DIAZ [1]

chapter two.

MELINA WAS SEEING RED.

When Cesar stumbled through the door one Tuesday night, clutching his torso and fresh, scattered bruises littering his body like purple constellations, Melina knew what had happened.

At first, she rushed over to the teenage boy like a worried mother, frantically examining him for something like a stab or bullet wound - typical Freeridge things.

Cesar winced at her touch, pulling back and shaking his head. His attempt to cover the visible pain was obvious as he let out a deep breath and forced a smile on once he realized Junior was watching from the couch. "It's okay, I'm fine."

Melina wanted to smack him for even attempting to downplay his situation. She wanted to yell, wanted to scream, but instead, she got tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. "No you're not, Cesar. Come here."

She tried to take another step to figure out the severity of his injuries, but he backed away instantly. She took a good look at his clean face through glossy eyes, somewhat grateful that he at least knows how to cover it.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal. Oscar had promised her years ago that Cesar wouldn't have to go through any of this, but she knew she should have taken it with a grain of salt. She knew nothing she could say or do would reverse anything that has happened and that probably hurt her the most. She was too late in protecting him, or she didn't try hard enough, and now, a teenage boy is a member of one of the deadliest gangs in Freeridge.

The front door swung open, and Melina's pity party turned into an anger fest. Oscar strolled in the house, phone up to his ear, speaking fast in low spanish. Cesar took the opportunity to leave to his room the moment he was out of Melina's sight.

Oscar slipped out the door to the backyard, a fuming Melina hot on his trail. She shut the door rather loudly, gaining his attention.

"Hang up," she demanded.

She earned a confused look and head shake from him. He tried to motion to her that he was on a call, but Melina couldn't care less. She grabbed the phone and hung it up for him, tossing it somewhere on the dead grass.

"What the hell, man? What's your problem?"

"You lying to me is my problem. Why did you jump Cesar in?"

Oscar's features turned cold like the night. He smoothed a hand down his face, saying, "Don't worry about it."

Melina let out a scoff of disbelief. "Don't worry about it?! You jumped a child in to a gang and you don't want me to worry about it?"

Her voice was gaining its momentum, the pure anger threatening to completely boil over any second now.

Oscar looked down, cupping his hand under her chin and making her look at him. If looks could kill, both would surely be dead. "Yes. It doesn't involve you, Melina, so déjalo."

Melina smacked his hand away. "Fuck you. Whatever involves Cesar involves me."

Oscar retorted with a snort. "Yeah? Since when? You're not his mom."

"No, but I raised him and our son on my own for the past four years because of some stupid shit you did. If you think I'm gonna shut up and watch him turn out like you, then you're an idiot, Oscar."

"You better watch who you're talking to like that, ruca." He warned, backing Melina up against the cement wall. Their chests were pressed together, breath fanning each other's faces as they continued to argue.

"It doesn't matter if I'm talking to Oscar or Spooky, you're both pieces of shit." She spat, pushing him away from her. Before she could reach the door knob to go inside, Oscar pulled her back.

"Why you being like this, huh? Acting like you didn't know what you were getting in to with me."

Melina took a sharp breath, glancing towards the window to try and calm herself down so she doesn't go all barbaric on him. Something in her came undone, though, when she saw her son doing something as simple as watching cartoons.

"That's...not it, Oscar. I tried to keep him safe. You promised me you would keep him safe..."

His clenched jaw and flared nostrils faltered at the sound of her voice cracking. He immediately regretted every single bad choice he's made in his life up until that moment. When the tears began to spill, he gently wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry in to his chest.

"I am keeping him safe, baby," Oscar tried to soothe. "Him joining the Santos is the only way to make sure he has protection when I'm not around."

"He's fourteen. What protection from the streets could he need right now?"

He pulled back, making sure she was looking him in the eye when he explained. "The block is hot and I ain't risking shit. Him being my brother already makes him more of a target. It's done, okay? Let it go."

Melina's shoulders fell in defeat. She wasn't going to get anywhere with Oscar on this topic and it's not like he could reverse the jump in, anyway.

"And what about Junior? Is he next in line too o que? Because if he is, then I swear-"

"Aye, c'mon, don't talk like that," Oscar dismissed. He pulled her closer so her face was snug in the crook of his neck. He slipped his hand under her shirt and rubbed circles on the small of her back. "He's not gonna have to go through any of that, of this."

"You say that now.."

"And I'm gonna keep saying it," he reassures. With their foreheads pressed together, Oscar caught her lips in a quick kiss. "I'ma keep Junior safe. I'ma keep all of you safe. I promise."

She hopes he'll keep it this time.