stay ➵ OSCAR DIAZ [1]

chapter zero.

[lowercase intended for prologue only]

it's march. spring break is just beginning, flowers are blooming, and nineteen year old oscar diaz just got his second strike.

being booked on possession and aggravated assault doesn't carry a light sentence. oscar had spent almost two months in the packed county jail before his sentence was determined and he was transferred to corcoran. six years is what the judge decided to give him. it was less than what oscar was initially expecting, but still a complete hell for the person who had to wait for him on the other side of the bars.

melina is eighteen. she's inching towards the three month mark in her pregnancy. her bump is barely noticeable, but even then she still feels the need to hide it with big shirts and oscar's black hoodie that reaches down to her knees.

her mom is disappointed in her for getting knocked up by a gangbanger at her age, but she can't say she's surprised - she's walked in on enough to know it would happen. she kicked her out after finding a pregnancy test in the bathroom, telling her she "can go live with the pendejo" in a moment of rage. and melina did.

theresa heard oscar got arrested, and again, she wasn't surprised. she welcomed her daughter back with open arms because despite wanting to pull her hair out at any mention of oscar, she loves her daughter too much to throw her out on the streets like some of the viejitas at work did with their own.

besides, freeridge isn't safe to be alone without some sort of protection. oscar knew that, which is why he didn't want her staying at the diaz house alone. he insisted that she goes back to her mom's til something is figured out and ordered some santos to keep a close eye on her and cesar in the meantime. the block was still hot and melina was the leader's pregnant and vulnerable girlfriend. the possibility of her being taken for collateral was too real, especially when the other gangs had nothing to lose.

melina is sitting on her mom's couch with the thickest blanket she could find wrapped tightly around her. she's trying to mimic an embrace, but nothing could replicate oscar's warmth. she's white knuckling the house phone with one hand and drawing random shapes on her leg while oscar talks. he sounds tired, out of it. his voice is low and melina can hear a jumble of voices in the back.

"it's not that long, meli," oscar spoke in to the prison phone, arm resting against the top of the metal box.

"yeah, you would know, right? second strike and all."

"you really wanna argue right now?"

melina blinked away tears she didn't realize were forming.

"no," she sighed. oscar could hear the frown on her face, chest feeling heavy at her voice cracking the slightest bit. "i just...i miss you."

"i miss you too, princesa. when you gon' come and visit me?"

"soon, hopefully. i'm just waiting for a response about the application now."