New on the block

First Day

Cesar's POV:
I cross the street and Monty let's me in. "You claimed my daughter and didn't think I deserved to know?" He screams. "Sorry but it was for her protection and besides we're dating anyways so it doesn't matter." I say as I walk towards Monse's room. "Hey princesa, ready for the first day of school?" I ask as I wrap my hands around her waist. She's staring at herself in the mirror trying to clip back her hair and I just smile. "No I'm definitely not ready." She sighs. "Relax you have classes with me, or Ruby, or Jamal all day you'll be fine. We all have the same lunch so don't stress." I kiss her cheek and she grabs her bag. Once we finally get to school I see Latrelle he doesn't do anything he just nods. "That was weird." Monse says. I wrap my arm around her and we walk to our first class with Jamal and Ruby. "Thought we were walking together!" Jamal says. "We we're running late, sorry." Monse says with a smile. "Well don't be late tomorrow we saw... Latrelle." Ruby whispers his name.  "We did too he didn't do anything." I whisper back. "Hey Jamal." Two football players say as the walk go their seats. "My dad and the coach played varsity together. If I quit my dad will know." Jamal explains. "Hey Jamal." A cheerleader I've never seen before says from the back of the class. "Nice." Ruby says and they fist bump. "You two are losers." Monse laughs.

Monse's POV:
"I bet you'd look really good in one of those cheerleading skirts." Cesar laughs and I punch him in the shoulder. The day was uneventful until fifth period with Jasmine. I talked to her a few times over summer and she's intense to say the least. "Monse! I heard about you and Cesar!" She yells from the back of the room. "Shh!" I say as I walk quickly to her. "So tell me all the chisme! Is he down with the freaky, 'cause you know I'm down to make that twosome into a threesome." She elbows me and I almost throw up. "There's no chisme to tell we've been dating for a little while and that's gross Jasmine." I roll my eyes. "Ok, ok but seriously how do I get a vato like that?" She says as she points at Ruby. He turns to run out of the class but our teacher stops him. "Try being calm for like 5 minutes." I shrug. "¿Pero cómo? I am the calmest person! Maybe you're the one who needs to calm down... I see what you mean." The rest of the class she talks me about the miracle that is Ruby. I usually wouldn't sit with her but I didn't need people in my business. After school I see Cesar talking to Latrelle and I walk right back into the school. "Where are you going?" Jamal asks. "Not over there." I point out at Cesar. "I'm with you." Jamal says as he follows me. "What, don't leave me I can't be a witness if something happens!" Ruby chases after us. We sit down in the hallway and I feel like I just go beat up all over again. "Other than that, how was your first day of school?" Ruby asks as he puts his hand on my shoulder. "Jasmine is so in love with you I almost dropped out just to get away from her." I inform him and he nods knowingly. "Sadly we're very familiar with this." Jamal nods vigorously. "Who's gonna check if they're done talking?" I ask. No one says a word and five minutes later Cesar texts us in the group chat asking if we left. We all walk out and see him standing there. "You think he killed Latrelle and hit him in the bushes?" Jamal asks. Ruby and I both just stare at him. "What? Oh right murders a sensitive topic." Jamal nods. Sometimes I wonder if he knows what he's going to say before he says... or while he's saying it. "Should we go over there or make a run for it? We can be in Florida in a few days if we take the train." I say. "What's in Florida?" Cesar asks as he walks towards us. "What you didn't know? My other boyfriend lives there." I joke so I don't have to talk to him about it because I'm done talking about Latrelle. "Mmm ok. Let's see if you still want your other boyfriend after tonight." He whispers while he traces circles on my hip. I push him back and I see Jamal and Ruby staring in disgust. "Come on let's start walking you guys took forever." Cesar grabs my hand and basically forces me to walk. "Why don't we hangout together tonight like all of us? I have some work to do and I know Jamal has "practice" later but still." I can't think of anything better than 'but still' and I thought I was supposed to be good with words. "Can't my mom said she needs to talk to me about some after school." Ruby says. "I'll be dead after practice." Jamal says and he's probably right. "I'm free." Cesar smiles. "Sorry I just remembered I'm busy." I smile back at him. "I don't think so." He says as he kisses my cheek. Shit why does he always have to do this. "I do have stuff to do though so you can come by in a few hours." I say as I cross the street to my house. "Bye guys." I get in my house and I drop my bag. "Dad, you home?" I say as I look around. "Yeah, how was your first day?" He asks. "Good, I wanted to talk to you about taking over for you when I'm older." I say quickly. "Ok, but that means you working with the prophets and I think that's a conflict of interest since you're dating a Santo." My dad's basically saying if I take over I can't be with Cesar. "Whatever it takes, when you're done shit'll hit the fan unless someone takes over." There is no way I'm dumping Cesar to do gang stuff. "Ok you can start helping out whenever you're ready, it's a lot of work and I can't teach you in the next fifteen minutes." He says. "Fifteen?" I ask. "Yeah I have something to take care of back in Inglewood but I'll see you in a few days." He says like it's no big deal that he's just leaving. "Does Cesar know you want this?" He asks. "No but it's the only way I can watch out for myself." I tell him. I know Cesar won't want me involved but what am I supposed to do? I'm not asking him for permission to take over for my dad. "Ok, I just don't want any problems with the Santos and neither do you." This is already a lot of pressure but I can handle it.