My Baby O. Diaz

-3-

Faith POV

I walked to school with Santi, enjoying the brief ride and the playful banter we shared. As he dropped me off, I kissed his cheek, grateful for his presence in my life. But as I stepped out of the car, I caught sight of Lena holding her phone toward me, a sneer on her lips. I rolled my eyes, already tired of her antics.

"I'm gonna crack that bitch one day," Santi chuckled, tousling my hair affectionately. "I'll see you at home. Stay safe." With that, he drove off, leaving me to navigate the halls of school on my own.

"Yo, Faith!" Oscar's voice called out, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned to see him approaching, a smile spreading across my face. "Can we not tell anyone what happened? Me and Faith are, uh, kinda serious," he said, his tone laced with urgency. I forced a smile, nodding in agreement. "Of course," I replied before turning to head to class.

But before I could get far, Oscar grabbed my arm, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through me. "You aren't mad, are you?" he asked, his eyes searching mine for reassurance. I shook my head, trying to suppress the turmoil of emotions swirling inside me. "I gotta get to class. I'll see you at lunch," I said quickly, pulling away and hurrying off before he could see the tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

I sat down next to Kehlani, trying to distract myself from the chaos of my thoughts. But when she showed me a picture of me and Santi together, claiming that Lena had spread rumors about us dating, I couldn't help but laugh. "Is she serious? That's my brother," I said incredulously, shaking my head at Lena's absurdity.

As we made our way to lunch, I could feel tension in the air, amplified by the knowing glances and hushed whispers that followed me wherever I went. Oscar was already there when we arrived, his expression dark and brooding. Tony smirked at me as I approached, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for the role I had inadvertently played in all of this.

But when Lena confronted me with her accusations, I couldn't contain my frustration any longer. "Do you have proof?" I demanded, my voice tinged with exasperation. Lena nodded triumphantly, pulling out her phone to reveal a picture that supposedly proved her claims. But as everyone erupted into laughter at the absurdity of it all, I felt a surge of anger bubbling up inside me.

"Oscar, I'm gonna go," I announced, my voice trembling with emotion. "But let me know when you think your dad would ever let me date a Santo without killing them. Or Santi, you should know," I added bitterly before storming out of the cafeteria, desperate to escape the suffocating weight of it all.

I wandered aimlessly through the halls, lost in a whirlwind of emotions as tears threatened to spill from my eyes. "Keep away from my boyfriend, bitch," Lena's voice echoed in my mind, fueling the fire of my anger and frustration. But as I rounded a corner, my foot caught on something and I stumbled, my lunch tumbling from my hands and splattering across the floor.

"Fuck you, Oscar. Fuck your stupid girlfriend. Just leave me alone," I muttered under my breath, the tears finally breaking free as I collapsed against the wall, overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

Santiago POV

I sat outside Diego's house, my patience wearing thin as I waited for Oscar to arrive. When he finally pulled up with Cesar in tow, I wasted no time in confronting him about what had happened. "You fucked up, Oscar. Faith's at home crying over you," I growled, my anger simmering just beneath the surface.

Oscar's expression turned sheepish as he tried to explain himself, but I wasn't interested in his excuses. "Where's this lovely girlfriend of yours?" I demanded, my tone laced with sarcasm. When Oscar confessed that he had broken up with her, I felt a surge of relief wash over me. But it was quickly replaced by a sense of disappointment as I realized just how deeply Oscar had hurt Faith.

"You hurt her one more time, and I don't care who you are. I'm gonna fuck you up," I warned, my voice dripping with menace. Oscar nodded in understanding before rushing off, leaving me to stew in my frustration and worry for my baby sister.