LOCA POR TI ✗ On My Block

DIEZ

"estás bien? no te ves bien," esperanza said, walking next to a sick looking cesar.

"i'm fine," cesar replied, not telling the girl about his nightmare, rubbing his temples as jamal walked up.

"what's up?" the lanky boy asked, "you look fried," jamal said, looking at the boy with his uncovered eye.

"couldn't sleep last night," cesar said.

"i'd seriously consider tempur-pedic pillows. changed my life,"  jamal said nonchalantly, as cesar nodded.

"uh, hey. i'll be back in like tres minutos," espy said as she looked at the two boys and gave them a smile as she walked to her next class.

⌑

strolling back to where esperanza saw the two boys, she saw jamal throw cesar's phone, which cause it to break.

picking up his now broken phone, espy's voice rang through cesar's ears, "i'm back,"

grabbing cesar by his wrist, she brought them to a nearby table to talk.

"lo siento. i shouldn't have called you, like, everyday," esperanza apologized, as cesar took a seat next to her, "i just wasn't sure who to talk to. i didn't want to bother eva or derek. plus i just wanted to hear your voice,"

"it's okay, but, i need you to hear me out," cesar started, "something's been weighing on me,"

"i know,"

"you do?"

"of course. and i'm ready for us to take things to the next level. no puedo mantener esto en secreto. it's killing me,"

"i feel you,"

"so, we got to find a way to tell the others so they won't get enojado," esperanza finished, as she bit her lip, as a person had walked up to the table.

"oh, hey," espy said.

"what's up?" olivia asked, standing.

"nothing. nothing's up," cesar replied as he forced a smile on his face.

"can i borrow esperanza for a sec?" olivia asked, motioning at espy, who had smiled and moved to get up.

"no!" cesar shouted, making the two chicas look at him, "no need to borrow her. she's all yours," softly hitting espy on her arm.

"okay. so, today after school, monse and i are going to hang out and wanted to know if you'd wanna come also," olivia asked.

"yeah, i can. i got no plans," esperanza said, crossing her arms as she looked back at cesar.

"oh, i almost forgot. jasmine's going to be there too. bye!" olivia said, making esperanza let out a puff of air as she walked back over to cesar.

"everything cool?" cesar asked.

"no!" esperanza raised her voice a little.

"we good?"

"i've been played," espy said, as the boy had a speechless look on his face, "jasmine suckered olivia and monse into hanging out after school and olivia just suckered me. can you fucking believe that? i basically got triple suckered,"

"that sucks," cesar chuckled as he shook his head at the distressed girl.

⌑

sitting on olivia's bed, esperanza was on her phone scrolling through twitter. finally getting off of her phone, she looked up to see jasmine putting deodorant on, as all three girls in the bed looked, olivia spoke up, "i didn't say you could do that,"

without a response, jasmine started to invade olivia's closet. spotting something on the ground, jasmine let out a "yes", which made monse, olivia and esperanza look at each other.

"yo, what size are you?" jasmine asked, holding up a pair of olivia's panties.

"oh, honey, no," olivia said, shaking her head at the thought.

"well, excuse me for touching the cherished chonies," jasmine said, sarcastically.

"i'm pretty sure that it's normal for people to not want you to touch their chonies," esperanza stated the obvious.

"well, not of you're besties," jasmine replied, "esperanza, monse, i thought this botch was gonna cramp our style, but jasmosoliza has a really nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"i take no responsibility for this. you were properly warned weeks ago," monse said, rubbing her temple as olivia said, "everyone deserves a second chance,"

panting was heard before jasmine said, "mira, mira!"

looking over, the three girls sitting saw that jasmine had put in one of olivia's dresses, taking a puff of her inhaler before smiling, "yes, right? it's good, right?"

"yas, kween," olivia said, going along with what jasmine, "your body, your choice,"

"i think it might be a little tight," monse said, being honest with the girl in the dress.

"monse, you are the last person who should be giving out fashion advice," jasmine said, "i mean, look at you... in that doo-doo outfit. girl, why you trying to be comfortable all the time? sometimes it's okay to leave your dignity at home,"

"and this is where i leave the room," esperanza announced, getting off the bed and leaving the room, closing the door after her.

strolling to ruby's kitchen, esperanza opened the fridge, looking for a snack, only for it to be empty of treats. sighing, she walked back over to olivia's room, walking over jasmine who had fallen from god knows what.

"i'm – im sorry," jasmine apologized as she stood back up, and olivia closed the door in her face.

"i'm scared for ruby," olivia said, her hand still on the doorknob.

"ruby would appreciate that," monse said, leaning against a cajón.

"and maybe also a handy," esperanza added, "no pressure, but if you ever find yourself with time on your hands –"

"ah... moving on," olivia said, a look of disgust on her face.

"okay, so if not ruby, then who would you be into?" monse asked, as the two sat on the bed, while esperanza sat on the ground.

"yeah, olivia. anyone caught your eye yet?" esperanza added to monse's question.

"i don't know. what about you?" olivia asked esperanza and monse.

"no one," monse replied.

"yeah, same. there's no one," esperanza said, picking at her nails.

"i doubt that," olivia said, rolling her eyes at the latina who sat criss-crossed.

"i mean, maybe there's this one niño," esperanza said, trying to hide the smile that started to form on her face.

⌑