Street Cred |On My Block|

12. Compromise

With every santo inside of the house and no place for me to slip out, I can't get Latrelle's side of the story, I know I shouldn't be so quick to believe him after he put a gun in Cesar's face, but he's my cousin and I know that he's innocent, Oscar won't let me leave either, he's only took me off to school to pick up missing work, better than Cesar's case. I walked into Cesar's room and shut it behind me, Cesar laid on his bed throwing up a tennis ball "I can't breathe in here" I whispered "at least you got out for a ride" he told me, "with like eight santos in a coupe" I told him, which stretched a grin across his face, good that I've got him laughing, what's next might change the atmosphere. "I know that it's too much to ask, especially in this situation but, I really need to see Latrelle" I told him, he stopped the ball and sat up. "Aaliyah, he pulled up on me" Cesar reminded me, "I know, and I know he's wrong, I just have to find out why" I explained "because he's a prophet" Cesar answered through clinched teeth, "this could be my fault, when I stabbed JJ I could've started something, and the santos won't tell us anything but Latrelle will, he's been filling me in, until he went to juive" I told him, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, Cesar took a deep breath and turned away towards the window, I have to keep Latrelle sounding trustworthy at least a little bit.

"JJ once put a gun to head, and Latrelle thought it was a joke, but that was just JJ putting fear in my heart so that the next time I seen it, I couldn't do anything, and that's exactly how it played out, but Latrelle saved me, when I was overpowered Latrelle fought so hard because he finally gets that it's not a joke, he listens to JJ but he's loyal to me, he's not a gangster, he's just like you" I can tell my convincing worked because Cesar turned around and looked me in the eye with sympathy.

"Fine, but I'm coming too" he compromised "it's not safe for you" I told him, "it's not safe for you either" he said, "I've done this before, and I'm not a santo, and Oscar would rip my head off" I debated "then no, prison changes people and I don't know what mindset Latrelle has" Cesar forbade me "you're not my boss, I will talk to my cousin" I assured "and I'll make sure Oscar's knows" he threatened, if I listen to him, maybe he'll actually think he has some type of authority over me "okay fine, I won't go today, or tomorrow, but one day, I will find out" I told him, I allowed a tear to leave my eye. "Will it help if I say we're going to school" he asked, "how" I asked, he opened the window and grabbed his book bag.

We started walking towards Olivia, Monse and Ruby, "the pull up is all over IG" I heard Monse say, "I'm fine" he told them, "what are you doing here" Olivia yelled "I have a math test" he told us, "you have a green light on you" Monse reminded him "I'm spooky's brother I've always got a green light on me" he brushed it off "but this is worst, what if something happens to you" Olivia started to panic "I'm going to be okay, I'm just in and out for the test, don't worry about me, worry about your quince" Cesar's reassured, Olivia gave him once last hug before departing.

I followed her "you have absolutely nothing to worry about" I told her "thank you, this is a brand new territory for and I don't know what to do" she told me "it's new for me to, I'm just trying to go with the flow and make the best decision" I consulted "what do you think the best decision is for me" she asked "listen to Cesar" I advised.

I felt a tug at my arm, as fast as I could think I snatched myself away and turned towards my attacker... which ended up being Cesar, "we have to go" he told me, his urgent and angry sounding voice explained why we had to leave "no, I can't handle Oscar yelling at me" I told him "me neither but we gotta" he grabbed my arm again and kept pulling me to the back, every step I felt a rising tension "Cesar, you don't get it" I yelled causing him to stop "I can't handle angry men, I feel vulnerable all over again" I started to feel an involuntary release, I just couldn't help the words spewing out my mouth, because if I held them in I was going to explode, "just tell him I went to Monse's, that's what I'll do, I have no where else to go, my parents, my cousin, everyone is gone and it's all my fault" I wailed "I'm sorry Aaliyah" he told me, "don't call me Aaliyah, I don't feel like Aaliyah, Aaliyah is confident, brave, and happy but I'm just done" I whined "as soon as you see the car leave, go to Monse's, I'll handle Oscar" he told me, I nodded and wiped the river of tears from my face. Hook, line, and sinker. Everything was true, I just had to use it for my own reason, not because I had to cry and I wasn't scared of Oscar, but I need Latrelle.

I ran to Monse's house, through the alleyways, and backyards, quicker than the street. I climbed through her bedroom window, "dad" I called out, after not getting a response I walked out into the living room and waited for the knocks. I opened the door to see Oscar, "I'm not here to yell, I just need to know you're safe, don't leave" he told me with a soft caring voice, I nodded, he wrapped his arms around me tightly "you sure you don't wanna come with lil spooky and I" he asked "no thank you" I denied, he pulled away from the hug and looked at his feet, "does this have something to do with me scaring you" he asked, I slowly nodded, "okay" he said then walked out. I waited for the car, then a whole minute after for me to leave the house.

I arrived in the back of my aunts house, I could hear the engines and rowdy people in the front of the house, I was trying to spot Latrelles voice but I couldn't, I looked inside his window and seen nothing, I pushed my hands a against the glass and moved the window sideways enough for me to climb through, I closed the window and rolled under his bed.

I heard the door open, "man you on the top of the world, once we murk that nigga, we gon' take that bitch ass block and name it after you" I heard a boyish voice, trying to sound "hard", "nah, imma name that shit Brendon" Latrelle joked "that's some white shit" the boyish voice laughed "nah that's just some stupid shit" Latrelle laughed along, I know what that meant to him. After a while of them just talking about hoes and money, I felt my eyes drooping again, I'm trying to keep reminding myself to not get comfortable, the light in the room was starting to dim, which means time was being wasted and I have no idea where Oscar and Cesar are, they could be looking for me, then I heard that greatest words from Latrelle's mouth "aight man, imma see you later, that lean about to take me out".

As soon as I heard the door close, and the bed press down closer to me I rolled out and jumped up, I placed my hand on Latrelle mouth when his eyes shot open. He sat up, "how long have you been there" he asked "too long, now you tell me immediately why you pulled up on Cesar " I whisper-yelled, "I'm sorry but I had to" he told me "no you didn't" I told him, "I did and I wasn't gonna shoot" he told me "yeah cause Monse was there" I sternly spoke, I couldn't have him pulling one over me, "no, look, the santos crest was on the knife you stabbed JJ with, JJ assumed it was Cesar's cause he seen you with him that one time, I didn't do anything and they was calling me soft because it involved you, so I got in a fight and got locked up" he told me "what else" I asked "when I got out, they was saying they was gonna ice you, I said that a santo got in your head, but I didn't name names, they just guessed it was Cesar because of what JJ saw, if it was another prophet they would've killed him, I know it had to be me, I had to make sure he got out alive, and I needed that streetcred" he explained "but it wasn't Cesar's knife" I told him "it don't matter, the prophet leader is here, he just needs to here it was a santo, and that's war" he told me "but it's not an official war is it" I asked "not yet, we waiting for them to strike after what I did" he told me, "never put another gun in your hands again promise me" I said "I promise" he even held his hand on his heart, "they're only keeping Cesar safe, this'll blow over, prophets got the win" I told him "aw shit, I gotta pick Mayah up" he told me, "can I come" I asked "yeah, just wear this" he said throwing me a black hoodie.

We sat at the park bench, "can you just hide a little" he asked "why" I questioned "somebody needs to pick something up, they can't see you" he told me "a drug trade, Latrelle are you serious" I sneered "it's business, no guns" he tried to appeal to me "so you know what it took just for me to see you, I love you, I am attached to you, you're my only family" I whined, "it's not easy, I do this to survive, there's no other way" he told me, "I will get you a way, I will get money out of my parents and we're leaving together, we'll make it on our own, no more guns, gangs, drugs, or pretending" I started to sob, "I'm sorry" he told me.

I walked around and sat behind the trash can as he sat on the picnic table, "I love you too Aaliyah, get me out" he mumbled. I seen feet walk by, "was that it" I asked "yeah, now we just waiting for Mayah" he told me "I don't think she should see me, I don't want her accidentally saying something" I explained "yeah I got it, where can we meet up next" he asked "we'll meet here, tomorrow, same time" I told him "what if someone sees" he worried "I'm a drug addict, compromising" I told him, "okay" he agreed. "There goes the little princess" I heard him chime, as soon as he walked by I stood up to see him carrying her like a baby, he never chose this life, if my mom never pushed him away, he would've been a Brendon.