Another Lifetime

Chapter Twenty-five:

Monse's POV:
"Why would you do that?" I ask Jasmine through the dressing room curtain. "He was being a dick. You sure you're ok?" She asks. "Yeah I'm fine." I lie while I look at the cut around the back and side of my neck. Wearing this stupid chain was a mistake. "Honestly I might be a genius." Jasmine says when I walk out. "What are you gonna do with your hair?" She asks and I shrug. "Probably just straighten it." I tell her. "Or you could just style it! Curly hair is cute as hell." Jasmine tries to style it and I step away quickly. She can't see what Latrelle did. The Santos don't get that he wasn't like this before but now I'm not his girlfriend, I'm a threat. "Sorry." I smile awkwardly. "It's cool, I hate when people fuck up my hair." Jasmine says. "Right." I nod. "Anyways, I guess I'll get this one." I say while I check the price tag. "I'm not letting you pay a hundred dollars for my homecoming dress." I tell Jasmine. "The Santos give us a good cut. I'll make it back in five seconds." She smiles. "Ok well I owe you now." I say. "You Can make it up to me by covering that ugly ass tattoo and not wearing those doo doo outfits." She says seriously. "Deal." I laugh. I go back to the dressing room and she stops me. "And don't worry, I won't tell Cesar Latrelle did that to you." She looks at my neck and I pull my hair in front of it. "Thanks." Whenever I saw Jasmine around I always thought she was crazy but I guess I was wrong... kinda. "Ready to go?" She asks and we go pay for the dress. All I wanna do is head back to her house so I don't have to see Cesar. He's obviously gonna realize something happened.
When turn the corner and start heading down the block I make Jasmine stop. "That's Venom." I tell her. "Maybe Cesar finally said he'd meet with her." Jasmine says. "That's not Cesar." I say when we see Spooky walk outside. He looks around and kisses her. "What just happened?" I ask Jasmine. "You just saw the same thing I did! Pretty sure Spooky and Venom are the new you and lil Spooky." She tells me. "Yeah and you saw how well that worked out for me. I literally got disowned by the Prophets." I remind her. Once she's gone and Spooky goes back inside we drive to the house. "Hey." I make awkward eye contact with him. "Why is she always acting weird?" Spooky asks Cesar. "Anything to annoy you." I smile sarcastically. "So, can I see the dress?" Cesar walks over to me from the table. "No! It's a surprise." Jasmine takes the dress from me. "You should probably keep it at your place then 'cause I know he'll look." I tell Jasmine. "You coming back tonight?" She asks me. "Yeah." I respond a little too quick. "Was he really that bad?" Spooky laughs from the couch. "Your room's next door, I think you know the answer to that." Cesar says and I punch his arm. "I didn't need to know that." Jasmine says. "Trust me, I didn't need to hear it." Spooky looks grossed out and I try to hide my face. "Y'all are embarrassing as hell, that's why I'm going back tonight." I tell them. "It's cool, we got all day." Cesar says and they both look at him with a grossed out face. "And that's my cue." Jasmine gets up. "Thanks for the dress, sorry for the creep. I'll see you later." I give her a hug. "I gotta go too. Sad Eyes finally did the drop." Spooky says but I know where he's really going. "What's up?" Cesar sits on the couch and I just stand in front of him, awkwardly. "Nothing." I shrug. "I can tell something's bothering you." He raises his brows. I'm about to confess when he starts talking again. "You heard about Spooky and Venom." He assumes. "Yup. Kinda, I saw them making out in front of your house. How are you not mad? Dating another gang's leader is kind of a big deal." I sit with him. "Spooky was cool about us being together. I told them as long as she doesn't try to kidnap my girlfriend and they keep it on the down low, it's fine with me." He explains. "I got in the car voluntarily, plus she saved my ass 'cause Latrelle rolled up like a second later." I say. It takes me a minute but when I process his words I change the subject. "So I'm your girlfriend?" I ask. "If you wanna be." He runs my thigh. "I do but I didn't think you'd wanna be officially since the I can't say that whole thing." I avoid the words. "Since you can't say you love me?" He laughs. "I want you to be my girlfriend and I'm not gonna make you say something you don't feel." Cesar kisses me. "I'm getting there." I smile against his lips. "I know." He says before kissing me again. I lean back and furrow my brow. "What? It's hard not to love me." Cesar laughs and I roll my eyes. I see his expression change and I know what he's gonna ask. "What happened to your neck?" He asks. "If I tell you, you can't get mad." I tell Cesar and he nods. "When we were out shopping, I ran into Latrelle. He saw me and he pulled you chain. I tried to move back and your chain kind of dug into my neck. It doesn't hurt and Jasmine handled it." I explain and he just gets up and walks out. "Cesar." I grab his hand. "That's it, he's dead." He sound way too calm and I can tell he already made up his mind. "He's not worth-" I lower my voice when I notice the cops across the street. "Latrelle isn't worth going to jail!" I whisper this time. "No but keeping you safe is worth it." He says. The cops start walking our way and I try to get him back in. "Everything ok?" One of them asks me before he turns off his body cam. "Cesar we gotta go, this is how they get away with killing us." I whisper. "It's fine, Hammel. Latrelle's just starting shit again." Cesar acts so casual and I've never been more confused. "Want us to take him off your hands for a few days?" The other cop asks. "How about forever?" Cesar suggests. "Wait, I know you." I glare at Hammel. "You were on my block everyday ever since I was a little kid. You arrested me once." I explain. "Does this ass hole work for you?" I ask Cesar.