New on the block

Mexico: part 1

Cesar's POV:
We're driving through Mexico and apparently we won't be there for a few more hours. "Hey, is it ok if I fall asleep? I'm kinda nauseous." Monse asks everyone. "Yeah please do, I don't wanna spend all the rollerworld money on cleaning your vomit out of a car." Jamal laughs. She grabs my arm and leans her head on my shoulder. Even in her sleep I can see her wince in pain when we hit a pot hole or the car jumps. "She's going to get better, she doesn't blame you for any of it." Olivia tells me. "What?" "You've been staring at her sleeping for the last like ten minutes." Ruby says. I look away from Monse and notice that they're all watching me. "I did this, how can she not blame me." I sigh. "You didn't do this you're just part of why it happened. No one blames you." Ruby says. "You think she'd be happier if we weren't together?" I ask. Suddenly Abuelita pulls over and slams on the breaks which wakes up Monse. "You guys need to stop with this back and forth all the time! You're all young and have seen enough pain to last a life time so stop making each other suffer. You need each other!" She yells. "What the hell." Monse groans. "This one is still feeling guilty and crying like a baby about how you'd be better off alone." Jamal says as he points at me. "I did not say that! I said better off without me." I explain but somehow it just doesn't sound right. "Ok this is private all of you turn the other way!" Monse insists and Abuelita starts driving again. "You gave me a Santo cross yesterday and I didn't even hesitate to put it on. You and your brother have become my family and I don't care about any stupid gang shit." Monse whispers. "You getting shot was not some stupid gang shit." "We can't keep going back to this I already made my decision I'm staying with you because even though you're Lil' Spooky you were Cesar first." Monse smiles. "Ok but now that your reppin' los Santos you gotta watch out. If anyone finds out... it could end up a lot worse than last time." She kisses me and I can feel myself calming down. "You don't have to worry about me, worry about him." She whispers as she looks at Ruby. He's laughing and smiling with Olivia and I can already see how devastated he's going to be when we leave.

*Olivia's aunt's house*

Olivia's POV:

"You made it! Who are all of them?" My aunt asks. "These are my friends." I tell her as she squishes me in a tight hug. "Is it her?" My mom asks as she walks to the door with my dad. "Mamá, papá! I've missed you guys so much." This isn't a lie I have missed them I just don't want to stay with them in Mexico. "I'm so happy your here mija, it wasn't safe over there." My dad has tears in his eyes which is so weird 'cause I've never seen him cry. "Which one's Cesar, we've been so um... we've been wanting to meet your first real boyfriend." My mom smiles as she plays with my hair. "Your mom has, I've been waiting to kick his ass. Especially when I heard what happened." My dad rolls his eyes. "Right, last time we talked that was still a thing. That's Cesar, that's his girlfriend Monse, that's Jamal, and this is Ruby... my boyfriend." I say as I hold his hand. "We know Ruby! We've been wanting to shake your hand since we heard what you did for our daughter. Come inside." They wave us all in. Ruby's Abuelita and my aunt walk in to the kitchen and catch up on the latest gossip while the rest of us sit in the living room. "So how have you all been?" My mom asks. "Good, we're really going to miss Olivia though." Cesar says and my parents don't even look at him. "Yeah, Olivia's been such a good friend and she's super understanding I don't know how I'll get on without her." Monse says sweetly. My parents look at her and I can see the second they notice her Santo cross. "Yes, well we just want her to be as far away from the Santos as possible." My dad says. "The Santos aren't the problem it's the prophets." I stand up for Monse and Cesar. "Oh mija, I know you wouldn't understand but being around people who-" "Who what? Who protect me, who forgive me after I'm horrible to them for months, who keep secrets for me when I mess up, who stay by my side even when I barely made an effort to talk to them." "That's me." Jamal says. "So what he's in a gang and she wears a Santo cross. They made sure I was safe after you guys told me to go to Freeridge instead of coming here with you guys." I stand up and now I know why they wanted to plan this out so badly. "I'm safe you guys, safer with them in Freeridge than I could ever be here. Maybe you need to reconsider making me leave." I say. I hate being mad at them after not seeing them all this time but I think they're judging too quickly. "You can't stay over there. What if you had been the one who got shot?" My dad asks. "That's the thing, they got my back." "And her side!" Jamal cheers and we all stare at him. "What? Monse got shot on the side of her stomach." He says with a straight face. "We look out for each other, they made a trip to Mexico just to convince you guys to let me stay." I point out. "We just want what's best for you." My mom says as she hugs me. "Then let me stay in Freeridge. That's the best thing for me at least right now it is." I tell them.