Suck it

Mo 2

My step mother was home and nagging me before I could get out of the restaurant. She made me clean up my room and then do other pointless chores till dinner. I did my best to stay clear of her the yesterday since she's particularly up my ass on game days. I think she really just wanted to have a cheerleader as a daughter and instead she got me. At least I attended the games. I mean someone has to take pictures for the newspaper, right?

But I had a plan. I go to the game, I say hi to the parentals and sneak out. If I leave at 7:30-ish I should be good. 

I pulled into the parking lot and started setting up my camera. My dad had gotten me a Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR last year for christmas. It was my favorite thing in the word besides my jeep. 

I was about to put a new SD card in when a loud bang on my window scared me. I turned and saw Brooks smiling like he had just won a million bucks. I rolled down the window and nearly strangled him.

"What the hell is with you?" He ignored my tone and laughed, reaching in and moving the hair out of my face.

"Mo, I may have gotten her back" oh no. Here it comes. "IM THE GODDAMN KING OF THE WORLD." 

"Almost?"  I questioned.

"Well if we win then she agreed to go out tonight, so basically." I rolled my eyes in amusement. 

"Well what are you doing talk to me? Shouldn't you be warming up or something?" I said. His eyes grew wide and he nodded. He ran from my car towards the locker room.

"Thanks Mo!" He called out.

I sat in my car for another 15 minutes and finally went in the stadium. Being a part of the school and county newspaper allows me to get access to each sporting, theatre, and art event for free. Yippie.

I stood at the metal fence on the opposing side by the opening to get shots of the team running out. As much as I hated high school, there was something about football games that appealed to me. You clearly had the sport playing, but you also had the marching band at halftime, you had all the different grades chanting together, you had different generations on the bleachers in their vintage school garments, and the little kids who gave water to the players, admiring them, waiting for their turn to play in 10 years.

That fact that a group of smelly, horny teenage boys could bring a whole damn community together amazed me.

I took a few shots of the team, their cheering section, and the coaches before I snuck out. 

It didn't take long to get to Freddy's. And since it was a Friday night, most of the town was at the football game so I was able to get a good parking spot. I walked down the sidewalk and noticed the motorcycles lined up next to the diner. I felt the pit in my stomach grow with each step. I shook my arms a little, cleared my throat and walked in.

The diner seemed to be only occupied by the Infernum members, everybody else was probably at the game.

"Table for one or would you like the counter?" I turned my attention from the corner of the diner to the counter and saw a youngish man with a red shirt of holding a menu. 

"I'm actually not staying, I just need to talk to someone." I say, my voice cracking a little. Who was I kidding, I was super nervous. Not only am I here alone but also I'm giving up all of my savings. Not that I wouldn't want to help Ollie, but now I really do need a job.

"Someone in particular?" He asks confused. I nod my head and point to the guys standing around talking. He gave me another puzzled look but shrugged.

"Your death bed." Jeez. Thanks.

I walked over closer, hoping to see Santiago, the one usually responsible for beating up Ollie. I spot Marco Bishop laughing, beer in one hand, the other draped around another member. He had always been so quiet and shy, I would have never imagined him joining one of the scariest gangs in Belver T. We use to have a small fling, but it never panned out.

"Marco!" I say sweetly, running up and giving him a hug. He's hesitant to hug me back but he does. I can feel all of the guys around us looking at me. "Can I talk to you for a second?" I ask, batting my eyelashes at him. I hear some whistle and some other small laughter. He nods and leads me outside.

" Don't tell me you're into to criminals now," he teases, smiling shyly at me. I gasp and playfully punch his shoulder.

"Uh no, Marco! I need you help," I say, trying to sound as adult and serious as I can. His face hardens.

"Jesus, with what? I don't want you mixed up with any of them," He says, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Oh stop it. I just want to talk to Santiago and then I'll be gone! I just don't know what exactly he looks like or where to find him."

"You want to talk to one of the most powerful guys in this damn town and you don't even know what he looks like? Are you out of your mind?"

"No." I say, crossing my arms. He groans and shakes his head.

"You better know what you're fucking doing Mo." His cursing catches me off guards and motions for me to go back in.

When we walk back to his-uh- friends, I guess, they are look at him with smirks, nodding their heads. They act like he's never had a girlfriend before. I mean he hasn't, and I'm not his but still.

"Hey, Jimmy, is Santiago still on the phone?" Marco asks to a rather husky, young man guarding the door behind him. He has his fully tattooed arms crossed and is in no way trying to hide the gun tucked in the hem of his pants.

"Nope, head on in," He says kindly, surprising me. Marco nods and gently pushes my lower back as he takes me in the back room. 

We walked past the door and went down a couple steps until we reached a little holding area. There were two black doors or either side of the small room. Marco lead me into the one on the right.

Instead of the dark green tiled walls in the diner, this room has brick walls fills with bullet holes, scratches, a few Playboy posters,  and graffiti. There were some guys by the billiards table, some watching a football game, and some by a bar. They all seemed to be entertained by a few women in crop tops and low jeans, all showing off tan skin and belly button rings. I had no idea this was connected to the diner.

"Santiago helped pay for the diner when Freddy first wanted to open it, his only condition was to have a hang out spot for his guys when they didn't feel like going into bars and to have his own personal office." Marco explained and we stayed by the door. He scanned the place, looking for Santiago I suppose.

"How old is he?" I asked, looking around at all of the guys in the room. They all looked pretty young, not as young as Marco but definitely not 30s.

"He's only 25. I mean he's been apart of the gang since he was a kid with his grandfather starting it and all. Are you sure you want to talk to him?" He asks, he doesn't look at me, his gaze is on a young, latino sitting at the bar, laughing with one of the girls. He has a buzz cut and a goatee unlike the others around him who have no facial hair. He has jeans on, a white t-shirt and a black flannel with the sleeves rolled up.

"Yes" I whisper, failing to not sound nervous.

"Like are you in trouble or something Mo? Cause I can talk to him for you, I'd rather you not talk to him directly." He says, turning towards me. I shake my head.

"As much as I would love you to do that, I need to talk to him myself. Thank you though." He stares at me, waiting for me to change my mind. When I don't, he gives a quick nod and leads me to Santiago.