safe || on my block

chapter five

When Mae woke up Oscar Diaz was the first thing she saw. He looked peaceful which was new for the hard cholo she had only seen since she arrived. She knew she should have gotten up and left before having to confront Oscar, but she couldn't help herself as she let her thumb trace along his cheekbone down to his lips. With his eyes still closed he quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her.

Before he could open his eyes, Mae connected their lips once again slowly tasting him one last time. She mentally made a promise to herself to let this be the last time. A farewell.

"Don't start something you don't plan on finishing, reina." He warned his warm brown eyes looking back at her own. Shutting him up again she kissed him as she got on top of him, her bare body straddling him.

Mae definitely kept her promise, but as soon as it was over she fully dressed in her jeans and crop top from the night before and an oversized hoodie she swiped from Oscar's closet. As she walked back to her green jeep she saw Ruby Martinez staring back at her with his eyes wide open with the mouth to match.

"Shit." She mumbled ignoring the boy and quickly getting in the car speeding off before she could think of any thing smarter to do.

* * *

"You did what?' Nadia exclaimed over lunch. They were currently in Nadia's classroom for lunch seeing as Mae needed someone to talk to and the teacher's lounge was full of nosy adults. Mae really needed to tell someone about what she did last night and more specifically with who.

"I know." Mae cried out before taking another drag of the warm cigarette between her fingers blowing the smoke out the window. She was also smoking cigarettes again. "What makes it worse is that Ruby saw me."

"Do you think he'd say anything?" She questioned.

"Maybe. He's friends with Jamal and that boy cannot keep a secret to save his life." She once learned that the hard way. "I don't know if that's something they have in common or if it's just a Jamal thing. Either way I think I need to talk to him before I find out."

"So..." Nadia drew out. "How was it? Everything you expected and more? Or was he a one pump chump?"

"It was different, y'know? We're both a lot older now and more experienced. He was the first person I had sex with and after these past five years I noticed he's learned a lot more. A lot." She emphasized with a giggle.

"But I can't see him again. It was complicated when we were teenagers because of him being a Santo and my dad and friends being Prophets. Now we're adults and I'm starting my career and my dad is still very much a prophet." Mae repeated the words that had been stuck in her head all day. It felt like there was a never ending list of why they couldn't be together. "I'm getting tired of just thinking about it. Imagine if we were together. That's a headache I don't need."

"Who said anything about dating?" Nadia questioned. Mae stopped taking a drag of the cigarette. "Why not have fun? You said you guys liked being around each other, why not just do that. No labels."

"Nadia, that would never-" Mae stopped as she genuinely thought over Nadia's suggestion. The night before did make her realize how much she missed being around him and she was an adult now. She could be responsible enough to make sure things didn't get serious or out of hand. Right? "If we do, I still need to take care of the potential rat that could ruin everything."

***

Mae knocked on the door of the Martinez residence hoping Ruby would be home. Instead of the short Mexican boy being the one to open the door it was none other than Jamal opening the door.

"What are you doing here?" He asked suspiciously. This was the last thing she needed.

"I'm here for Ruby." She peeked over his shoulder to see the short boy stressed out on the couch.