my boo - jamal turner

Caught Out

Lani pov

I walked into school wearing one of Oscar's shirts, paired with leggings, a messy bun, and oversized sunglasses, exuding an energy that practically screamed, "Please don't speak to me." I hadn't engaged much with anyone lately, but today, I had a particular agenda – I needed to check on Monse. Despite our differences, no girl should be treated the way she was.

I spotted Monse, who seemed visibly upset until she noticed me. "She's dating Cesar," Monse cried on my shoulder. My heart ached for her; I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger when I considered how I would react in her shoes. "Hold my stuff," I instructed Monse, pushing my bag into her chest. I spotted Olivia waiting at Cesar's locker and approached her.

"Excuse me," I said sharply. Olivia merely rolled her eyes. "Look, Monse said there was nothing going on, so I went for it." I chuckled, not buying her story. "Sure, because no two people who have been seeing each other since preschool have 'nothing going on.'" Her eye twitched as I got under her skin. She smirked, "Cesar said he hates you and the life you live with Santos and only pities you. Oh, and before you come for my relationship, it's not my fault Jamal doesn't want you," she spat.

I could feel the anger boiling within me, an inferno of betrayal and frustration. Before I even knew what I was doing, my fist crashed into her jaw over and over again. I grabbed her hair, forcefully pulling her down, and continued to deliver relentless blows until someone managed to pull me off.

As the haze of anger began to lift, I saw Cesar, his face twisted with shock and disbelief. "Lani, what the fuck?" he screamed. Tears streamed down my face, fueled by a deep-seated rage. "No, fuck you. You abandon Monse for this and have the audacity to say you hate me? Who the hell does that?" I shoved him away from me, the pain of betrayal cutting through my words like a blade. "I thought I needed you, Cesar," I said, walking toward him with a seething intensity, "but I don't want any part of you, none at all." I pushed past him, leaving him in the back of my mind.

I walked home to see Oscar, his back turned as he seemed preoccupied. I quickly put my hood up to conceal the bruises Cesar had caused when he pulled me off Olivia. "Why did the school call me?" Oscar asked without turning around. I mumbled, "I dunno, I just walked out." When he finally faced me, he looked at me strangely as I stood there in a giant hoodie. "Hoodie off now," he demanded as he approached. I complied, only for Oscar to lunge at me upon seeing the bruises. "Who put these bruises on you? I swear to god I'll kill them!" he screamed. Ignoring his protest, I explained, "Cesar said he hates me to Olivia and said some other shit. It doesn't matter; she looks worse than I do." I walked off, leaving Oscar in a state of anger, grabbing his keys and slamming the door.

The Martinez family lived a house over, allowing me to overhear everything as I sat on the phone with Monse, filling her in on the rest of my day. Our conversation was abruptly cut short when I saw Oscar next door, signaling Monse to hush on the phone so we could both listen. I watched Oscar kiss Mrs. Martinez on the cheek—she had raised us like her own when Oscar couldn't. I heard her ask, "What brings you here?" and Oscar replied quietly, "Olivia," prompting an eye roll from her.

As I continued to observe, I relayed the details to Monse over the phone. Oscar took a seat at the table, and Monse asked, "You guys live so close; won't he be able to see you?" I chuckled, "Not a chance." Suddenly, Oscar appeared in front of the window, making me gasp and quickly hang up the phone. I urgently told myself, "Get your ass over to Mrs. Martinez now."

I quickly ran out the front door, following behind Oscar. As we walked, he turned to me and said, "You know you're not a good whisper or an eavesdropper. I saw you straight away. Sit down at the table and quietly let me talk first."

The door creaked open as Oscar and I sat in the adjacent room, concealed yet attentive. Olivia began weaving her distorted version of events, each word grating on our nerves. Rolling our eyes, frustration simmered beneath the surface as we anticipated the embellished tale Mrs. Martinez was about to hear.

As Olivia recounted her fabricated narrative, Mrs. Martinez listened attentively. She offered Olivia a comforting hug, a gesture that only fueled the mounting tension in the room. With a pointed look, Mrs. Martinez then motioned for us to step into view.

Olivia's voice, laced with a carefully crafted victimhood, filled the room, "Lani came over and just started punching me for dating Cesar. She said Oscar would kill me, and she'll shoot me to make Cesar dump me. She even claimed that Monse is cheating on me with Cesar."

Oscar's patience wore thin, his voice cutting through the tension with a potent blend of anger and disappointment, "That's not what happened, and you damn well know it. Maybe if you kept to yourself and didn't take something that wasn't yours, you'd be welcome here. But currently, right now, you're not, and I won't hesitate to do something if you come on my property. So, keep away from my family, especially my bub." He lit his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of frustration, and walked out, with me trailing behind him.

As we left, I couldn't shake the disbelief at Olivia's audacity and the drama it had brought to our doorstep.