white-passing- jamal turner

two

I wasn't even mad at Jamal. I just didn't want Monse to do anything that would get her hurt or in trouble. 

Monse left to go home and Jamal and I went inside to call Ruby. With Monse on the line.

"So, what exactly was the context when Cesar said he hit it with Monse?" Jamal said.

"He didn't say he hit it, he said he smashed, really hard," Ruby said, "But who cares about context?"

"I care!" Monse said. 

"Dude! You can't keep one secret!"

"It was going to come out anyway!" I said in defense of Jamal. 

"Can we just meet up tomorrow?" Monse said.

"Can't," I said, "Jamal and I have one more shift at the joint before school starts."

Ultimately, Monse just decided for us all to meet the next day at five. After she hung up, I got a text from Izabel.

Come home soon. Dinner's ready and Mom made feijoada. 

I sighed, "Alright. I gotta go. See ya tomorrow."

The next day came around, and Ruby didn't show up. Monse grew impatient and ended up leaving to go find Ruby.

An hour later, after business calmed down, Jamal and I talked for a while.

"Hey, Jamal," I said, "What if Cesar wasn't lying?"

"What makes you say that?"

I shrugged, "Well, for one, Monse's pissed and keeps on asking for detail, and two, what other reason would he say it? Oscar wasn't even there, so it's not like he had anyone to impress by saying it to us."

"AJ, when have you ever known Monse to let things go?" Jamal said, "And I don't know. Maybe he thought he was trying to prove something to us."

My phone rang, and it was Ruby.

"Yo."

"Get to Cesar's as soon as you can. Monse just left to go kick his ass."

"Fuck," I said, "Ok, we'll be right there."

I hung up and looked at Jamal, "We have to go. Now."

We ran to Cesar's and saw Monse beating Cesar as we pulled her off.

"This is why we didn't want to tell you!" I said.

"Because you're going crazy!" Jamal said.

"I'm crazy? I'm crazy?"

"Calm down. Breathe," Ruby said.

"Don't you patronize me!" Monse said, "I don't need you. Any of you. I was just trying to keep our crew together but since I'm the only one that cares, you're all dead to me. I'll survive on my own."

Her saying I didn't care made me angry, and I was about to go after her when Jamal held me back.

"Fuck her," I said, "Let's go."

___________________________

The next morning, we saw Jasmine and Monse hanging together, and Monse looked miserable.

"All we were doing was trying to be friends, and now we're not friends anymore," Ruby said.

"Yo, bitches be bonkers!" Jamal said as I gave him a look.

"Do you ever think before you speak?"

Jamal started talking about Rollerworld, this fake money that was buried in our neighborhood when Monse came over.

"I'm cool if you're cool."

"I'm cool," the boys said.

"AJ?"

"I'm cool," I said, "But don't say that I don't care because I do care and I love you."

She nodded. 

That night, Izabel helped me pick out an outfit for my first day of high school. A red flannel with black jean shorts and a purple top.

"You're going to look so good tomorrow," she said, smiling.

"Thanks, sis," I said.

"Just do me a favor," Izabel said, "Don't go after assholes. Find a sweet guy, someone like Jamal."

I snorted, "Jamal?"

"Oh, come on," she said, "I've seen the way that kid looks at you. He totally likes you."

"We're just friends," I said.

She laughed, "Yeah. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

We all walked to school the next morning and past Cesar's house. None of us expected him to come with us, but he did. 

"I can't do this. I can't keep secrets!" Jamal said, talking about football.

"There's something I need to tell you," Monse said when a gun went off, ".44!"

We all said it at the same time, causing us to laugh as Spooky's car pulled up. Reluctantly, Cesar got in and they drove off.

"What were you gonna say?"

"Cesar. We need to save him."