CHOLA CLUB ( oscar diaz. )

UNO

PARTE UNO

to most people, freeridge is a dangerous town, abundant in thugs and violence. the richer, more upper-class people from inner city los angeles think that every person living there is a minority apart of gang, with neck tattoos and a semi-automatic in their pocket.

to others, it's just a place lacking opportunities, that they want to move away from as soon as possible.

but to me, freeridge is my home.

after 8 months spent in mexico with my family, i had finally returned to the town i had grew up in for the new school year.

the air was filled with the strong scent of booze and pot, the loud EDM music coming from the one house at the end of the block. i stood next to my best friend isabel, examining the house on the other side of the street. cars were parked all along the road, and the porch was filled with people drinking, dancing and making out.

"domina and flaca should be inside." isabel told me, grabbing my wrist to pull me across the road toward the party.

it didnt take long to find our crew. domina was sitting on the kitchen counter, her legs crossed and an almost empty red solo cup in her hand. she was talking to a girl that i'm pretty sure i recognized, but couldn't exactly think of her name. flaca was talking to a guy that i definitely recognized. i remember juano for two reasons. one being that he was flaca's new fling before i went to mexico, and the second being that he was apart of the santo gang. a gang i was all too familiar with. before i left freeridge, i got into some trouble with a santo. specifically oscar diaz, and rumor has it that i was the reason he got sent to jail.

"yesenia!" domina shrieked, jumping off the counter and engulfing me in a hug. "oh my god i didn't know you were coming back today." i wrapped my arms around the girl, breathing in her odd but familiar scent that i had grown to miss - roses mixed with tobacco. flaca was next to greet me. we hadn't exactly left on great terms, but by now we were closer than ever.

she pulled away from her boy toy, bringing me into a tight embrace. "qué onda wey?" she chuckled, patting me on the back.

"been a while." i replied, grinning at her. her signature silver-dyed hair hung over her shoulders in perfectly curled ringlets. i turned to look at the tattooed guy that had flaca on his arm.

juano had his head shaved clean, just like all of the other santos. "sup yesenia. get yourself a nice looking cabrón in mexico?" he joked, earning a slap from flaca. "you know spooky's still lookin for you." he took a long sip from the bottle of beer in his hand. just the mention of his name made me feel sick. even flaca scoffed.

"qué sabes juano?" isabel retorted, defending me. isabel doesn't know the real reason oscar went to jail, but she does know that it's something so bad that i even have to keep it from her.

i shook my head, frowning at the guy in front of me. "wait, you mean oscar's out of jail?" even the thought of it was enough for me to start to panic.

"got out six weeks ago homie. in fact, a little birdy told me he's here tonight." juano's smirk intensified, locking eyes with me as he sips his beer once more. flaca shook her head at him, walking away to fill up her cup. he chuckled to himself, leaving our group to join a few of his fellow santo members.

"you really gotta stop messing around with santos." isabel hissed at flaca, who was on the other side of the counter pouring herself a drink.

flaca sighed, running her finger along the rim of her cup. "it's not like i'm gonna marry him isa." isabel rolled her eyes at flaca's response, placing her cup of vodka down and pulling me away.

"we should go." she mutters quickly, beginning to walk quickly through the crowd of intoxicated people toward the doorway. i grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"what? why?" i give her a confused frown, and she cautiously looks around before leaning in so close i could smell the alcohol on her breath.

isabel looks me dead in the eye. "you heard juano. oscar is here right now and it's a matter of time before he finds you. i'm not sure what will happen when you two find eachother but i know sure as hell that someone's going to end up dead tonight."

while isabel had a point, i wasn't about to do the right thing. i was going to do what i wanted to do ever since i last saw him. "you're right. that someone is gonna be him. you can leave but i'm not coming with you." i told her sternly. she looked frightened. i knew i was crazy to think i stood a chance up against oscar, but it was definitely worth a shot. for all the shit he put me through last year, i wasn't going down without a fight. "stay with the crew. you ain't getting hurt cause of me." i told her, leaving her before she could say anything.

the first person i could find was oscar's brother cesar.

i approached the 14 year old, who was leaning against the back door with another santo. while cesar was affiliated with the gang, he wasn't apart of it. "where's spooky?" i commanded, balling my hands into fists. cesar turned to look at me, frowning as if to say "why should i tell you?". i took a deep breath. "cesar, i'm not in the mood for this, just tell me where he is and no one gets hurt."

"where who is?"

my stomach dropped as i heard the voice from behind me. the cocky, annoying voice i hadn't heard in a long time. i slowly turned to face him. i had spent too long wishing to never run into him again and it was time i did what was needed to be done. he didn't look any different from before. his facial hair made up for the lack of hair on his head, with a few tattoos here and there. most importantly, a tear drop right by his eye.

"ah. if it isn't the loca de mierda that sent me to jail."