Mi Amor - Oscar 'Spooky' Diaz/On my block Story

15

It wasn't my plan to meet up with my friends; that was merely an excuse to slip away from my parents. But as I wandered the streets for half an hour, the idea of saying a quick hello began to feel less like a burden and more like a lifeline. Ruby had texted me yesterday, saying everyone would be at his place, so that's where I was headed.

I rang the doorbell, and Monse opened it with an expression of pure delight.

"Elly! Oh my God, you're back! Come inside!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a warm embrace.

As I stepped inside, a wave of familiarity washed over me. Everyone greeted me with friendly smiles, and we exchanged small talk, laughter hanging in the air like confetti. But beneath the jovial surface, an uncomfortable knot twisted in my stomach. This was my first return since the shooting—the first time back in a place that held so many bittersweet memories, the last place I had seen Olivia alive.

Just as I began to slip back into those haunting thoughts, Ms. Martinez's voice cut through the noise. "Elly, you're very welcome to stay for dinner and the countdown," she offered, her warmth genuine yet tinged with the heavy undercurrent of loss.

"I would love to," I replied, but the words felt like a lie. "But I think I should head home soon. My whole family's probably waiting for me."

"Family's so important," Ms. Martinez echoed, her gaze shifting to Mario with a hint of frustration. "Except if they don't wear a condom and bring back a pregnant white girl. Not that it's a bad thing she's white. It's not. If she would be a white girl like you, that would be fine. But shes that kind of white girl." 

She sighed, shaking her head. "Anyway, Im spiraling. It's nice to have you back. Ruby told me he stayed in contact with you since you left. Please tell your parents they're always welcome here, and I would love to meet them."

"Thank you. I'll tell them," I promised, forcing a smile as I made my way over to my friends. "Guys, I'm going to head out. Let's catch up in the next few days."

Once outside, I was met with the reality of what to do next. Wandering aimlessly felt all too familiar, but it was all I could think to do.

I passed some people on my walk, but I didn't know any of them and they all left me in peace. Just when I passed a group of young woman a little older than me, someone talked to me.

"Hey!"

I turned around, unsure if she was speaking to me. When I looked in her direction, a girl with bright eyes smiled at me.

"Hi," I replied, my heart racing.

"You Spooky's girl?" she asked, and the familiar nickname sent a chill down my spine.

I sighed, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. I had come out here to forget him, not to be reminded. "No."

"Come on, I saw you two together some time before," she insisted, her tone teasing.

"Exactly. Some time before. We're nothing now," I shot back, my irritation rising.

Another girl chimed in, her voice dripping with disdain. "Riiight, he's back with his old bitch. But don't worry, girl, you're better off without him. A man who changes a queen like you for some damn hoe needs to be an asshole."

I couldn't help but chuckle, the absurdity of it all making me feel a little lighter. "Amen to that."

"Hey, if you're sick of these men, you came to the right place," Keisha said, her smile infectious.

"Do you have plans tonight? Are you headed somewhere?" Tanja asked, her eyes glimmering with mischief.

"Nah, just walking around, trying to get out of my head," I admitted, a hint of vulnerability seeping through.