white-passing- jamal turner

nine

Life continued on as it normally would. We alternated from my house to Ruby's all the time, and Cesar and Olivia started dating. I had a whole talk with Monse about it. At first, she acted like she was ok, but then I got her to tell me her true feelings about it. What hurt the most was that she was self-sabotaging. 

Cesar wanted to be with Monse. I knew he did, and Monse wanted to be with Cesar, but she knew it was for the better that they didn't. She worried too much about what the boys would think, how Olivia would react, and how it would affect her life as Cesar got deeper into the gang. 

I didn't understand her reasoning. Why was she worrying about the well-being of everyone but herself? 

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"Can you pass the tres leches?" Olivia said.

I raised my eyebrows, "Can you say the name of that dessert again?!"

"My mom makes the best tres leches for my birthday," she said, making me cringe again. Her Spanish was TERRIBLE. 

"Guess not this year."

"Don't say that. Maybe your folks will be home before your birthday," Monse said. 

"In a week? I don't think so."

"Wait?" Ruby said, "Your quince is in a week?! And you didn't tell us? Mom, Dad, Olivia's quince is in a week!"

I wasn't planning on having a quince. Izabel didn't have one, so neither would I. It wasn't because we were half-Brazilian, but that we weren't Mexican and it's usually a Mexican tradition. 

Ruby's parents came in, and we all became super excited. The idea of planning a quince sounded like so much fun. 

Jamal and I talked to Abuelita about Rollerworld. I decided to help with this because honestly, well, I don't know why I was helping him. However, we found out Lil Ricky's dead. Died less than two years after the heist. We showed her the pictures of his grave, and Abuelita zoomed in, and found an address on one of the gnomes on Ricky's grave. We had a new lead. 

________________________________________________________________________

"Everyone," Ruby said, "Open your e-devices and open the email I sent titled Winning. There's a Pinterest board I compiled on the link below her headshot."'

"Where's Olivia?" Cesar said.

"The princesa doesn't need to be bothered with the details," Ruby said intensely. 

"Ruby, yes she does. It's her quince. Why don't we just let her pick some stuff out?" I said.

Ruby looked at me before laughing and then stopping, "Oh you're serious? Ok, any more stupid questions?"

I glared at him. I listened to Ruby yapping on and on until he took a call. After Ruby came back, he gave us responsibilities. 

"AJ, can you check to make sure Izabel's free to do hair, nails, and makeup?"

"Uhhhh, can't guarantee anything," I said. 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, my sister's a busy woman and she owns a business. I can't ask her to drop in for a quince for someone she barely knows," I said.

"Well, make it work!" Ruby said, "Jamal, you're in charge of catering. And by you, I mean, your dad."

"How many people?"