LOCA POR TI ✗ On My Block

CUATRO

sitting next to cesar, esperanza listened to the trio infront of them rambling about binders or some idea that they schemed. getting anxious, esperanza looked at the three then at cesar, as he looked at her confused.

"yo! one at a time, we're not following," shutting los tres up before ruby raised his hand, making esperanza nod her head.

"sorry, its excitement. but we've been chewing on this the last two weeks. and it's finally time to move forward with a plan,"

"a plan? para que?" espy asked.

"getting both of you out of the gang," monse said, like it was obvious, the two boys next to her nodding.

looking at each other, cesar and esperanza began laughing at the statement, making ruby and monse stop smiling.

"you're serious?" cesar questioned, the three nodding their heads.

"hay dios. no, no, no," esperanza began, cesar cutting her short.

"there is no out. you guys are being naïve. once you're jumped in, you can't get out. unless you get jumped out, and that's not, ya know, an option," esperanza sighed, knowing that the boy to her left was right. once you're in, you're in, there's no going back.

"why not?" jamal asked, curiosity taking over.

"because they'll kill you," espy answered, already knowing the consequences.

"oh, i see your dilemma," jamal stated.

"yeah," esperanza replied as she remembered her father and how he had just told her that when she got back from mexico, he would still be there.

"death isn't the only option. ruby?" monse said, changing the topic, knowing it was a hard thing for esperanza.

"so, after copious amounts of research," ruby began as he stood up from his chair, "i've formulated a theory at all great things come in threes: the holy trinity, primary colors, destiny's child.."

"d.c. started with four members," jamal acknowledged.

"but they weren't big until they were three. which is why there are three common denominators to end amy and all hostile situations. i call them the three m's. money, murder, manipulation," ruby claimed as esperanza gave a quizzical stare as he handed out binders.

handing espy the binder, she opened it and looked at the tabs with 'the three m's' – as ruby put it. since she was smaller than cesar, he looked on over her shoulder, causing the tip of esperanza's ears to get warm at the closeness.

"clearly, murder's off the table. the irony would be too much," monse said, making some arm gestures.

"there's no way we can hustle up enough cash with a car wash to make it worth oscar's while," began the shortest of the crew.

"unless..." jamal started.

"jamal, don't. please don't say it," monse's voice spoke, clearly agitated at what jamal was applying.

"getting a lot of cash isn't outside the realm of possibility," this time, jamal stood up and sat by cesar and esperanza.