Then & Now [OMB || Cesar Diaz]

then - 8

Layla was walking down the street to Danna's house to hang out while also mindlessly texting on her phone, trying to get a hold of Cesar. She understood he was trying to keep a low profile lately, but it didn't take much to text her back an "I'm fine".

She stepped out into the street to cross, eyes still stuck on her phone when she heard a loud car horn honk, making her look up. Before she knew it, she was already being yanked backwards on to the sidewalk, the car quickly passing the spot she was just standing in moment ago.

She fell on the ground with whoever just saved her falling right beside her. "Thank you so much-" she stopped short when she was face to face with Latrelle. "Oh hell no!" she exclaimed, yanking her arm out of his grip.

"Keep your voice down! Is that how you thank someone that just saved to ass from getting flatten like a pancake?" He hisses.

He looked different from before. Like more hardened, with a face tat and grillz in his mouth. He definitely looked more like a gang member and less like a wannabe like he did a year ago.

"Get away from me before-"

"Before what? You call your Santos boyfriend? You ain't cross the street yet sweetheart. Remember that this our territory," he retorts.

"I️ was gonna say "call the cops"," she says bitterly.

Latrelle stopped speaking a for a moment. "Look, alright I️ don't got any beef with you and I️ want to keep it that way," he admits. "But don't call the cops or the Santos if you know what's good for you," it almost sounded like a warning, his tone slightly pleading. "We already got a green light on Cesar and you lucky you live on our side, or else the rest of the Prophets would've-" he was quickly cut off but the approach of a little girl running towards them both.

"Trelly, you're back!" She states excitedly,  jumping into his arms.

"Ayee, Keisha baby," he greets warmly Layla watches. "Yeah of course I'm back."

"Grandma says since you left without saying goodbye, you can bye me ice cream," Keisha says, putting him in the spot. Layla almost giggled at this, catching the girls attention with her stifled laughter. "Who's your friend Trelly?" She asked.

"Oh we're not..."

"She's not really my friend Kiki," he tells her.

"Oh," Keisha said before breaking out in a smile. "She's your girllllfriendddd."

Layla was horrified at the thought of her getting involved with him. "I️'d rather count grass-"

Latrelle quickly covered her mouth and laughs, pulling her closer to him. "Yeah, that's right Kiki. She's my girlfriend," he lies, making her look at him in confusion. "She just likes to pretend we're not. It's a joke," he explains.

"So now you can buy us both ice cream!" Keisha exclaims excitedly. She runs up to Layla and holds her hand. "You're really pretty. What's your favorite flavor?" She asks as she pulls her in the direction of their local frozen yogurt shop.

"Uh...." she looks up at Latrelle with burning hate. "Strawberry," she goes, not having the heart to tell a six year old that she had a murderer for a cousin.