Journals ❦ m. finnie

3. of slow dances and gun fights

Flashback

BENNY WAS WALKING to school on his first Monday at Freeridge high. Ruby and Olivia left too early for him, so he had to walk alone.

Walking slowly, taking a look around everything he hadn't seen before was nice. The calmness he felt in this moment didn't save him from being ambushed by Monse though.

"How did you know," Monse said, a finger jabbing into his chest, "No one is supposed to know."

He could tell she had to move faster to catch up with him. Her flushed cheeks and heavy breaths did nothing to make him take her seriously.

"It was obvious," he teased, "you guys aren't exactly subtle."

"What do you mean subtle? We haven't done anything that would make it obvious for anyone else to know!"

"Beside coming from outside Cesar's front door at 9 o'clock in the morning," he pointed behind her to Cesar's front door, which had been left open.

She rolled her eyes as he continued.

"You'd think since you're so hellbent on it being a secret, you'd do better to keep it a secret. Like not making out in front of the whole neighborhood."

"Fine. We could do better to keep it a secret, but promise you won't tell anyone," she raises her pinky to him.

"Are you seven," he teases.

"No. I'm fourteen and as far as I know the most effective way to insure a promise is kept is by swearing on your pinkies."

"Fine," he twisted his pinky with hers.

She squeezed his finger with hers and his heart skipped a beat as she smiled and said, "Now, if you tell anyone—I can bring unimaginable pain into your life."

He was feigning shock, but was really only seconds from laughing.

"Hey Monse," Cesar said.

Quickly, they moved away from each other, giving Cesar the space to step in close to Monse and smile at her.

"Hey Benny," he said absentmindedly, barely taking any notice as he moved in close to Monse.

In response, Benny gave a small, "Hi."

Benny looked at the way they were with each other, flirty and quiet. Right in front of him.

It's not like they didn't have to right to be affectionate with each other, but the bit about bringing unimaginable pain into his life seemed all the more real as they walked away from him.

_____

Over the course of the three weeks, Benny has slowly started to understand the ways of his new living situation.

He learned that the Martinez's was the main hang out spot for the group and they usually got roped into doing chores like they lived there.

Ruby didn't like him.

The late night shuffling was usually Marisol heading to the garage with her pipe.

The twins were misbehaved in a way that Geny barely ever had the time or energy to deal with.

Geny barely ever had the time or energy to deal with anything but cooking and cleaning before and after work.

Ruben Sr. was quiet, but odd in his own way. Like if something were to happen, he would most likely let Geny handle it and nod along to whatever it was she said that ended the matter.