La Vida Loca

Ch.12 Decisions

GIA'S POV.

Ever since that fight I had with Manny we've really turned into a good brother sister relationship.

I told him all about my miscarriage and what I went through.

I believed an accepted his apologies and I just have to move on from the past and worry about the present and the future.

Starting with today.

My tio Danny is having a kickback BBQ at his house for his son/my cousin David's birthday.

He's turning 14.

He's his youngest son he has with his girlfriend/my Tia Jackie.

The second kid they have together is Maximiliano.

But everyone just calls him Max cause that is a fucking mouthful. He's 16.

Then he has one more boy but with another baby momma, Xavier.

But everyone in the hood calls him Vandal. He's 18.

And just by my luck, they're ALL just like my big brothers.

Overprotective.

But anyways, my mom and Jose are gonna be there.

I haven't really talked to my mom or seen her.

She just texts me how I'm doing and shit like that.

The last time I saw her was the day we had the argument that caused me to move out.

When I went to the house to get the last of my things she wasn't there so I haven't see her.

So I just hope her and Jose don't cause any drama in front of our whole family.

I start getting ready so we can head over there.

I curl my hair into tight curls and do my makeup.

Then I put on a long black strapless dress and sandals to match even though you won't even be able to really see them.

I grab my phone and go downstairs.

"Manny let's go!" I yell as I look through my purse that's sitting on the counter for my keys.

"Manny!" I yell again. "Calm down I'm coming" he says going down the stairs.

We go outside to my car and drive to my tio's house.

When we get there the party is already started so we walk up the driveway, through the garage, and into the backyard.

We say hi to everyone and my tio's and my mom comes outside from the house.

"Hi mijo!" She says to Manny as she gives him a hug then me.

"Can I talk to you two for a minute?" She asks. We nod and follow her inside to the living room.

"How's it been living in the new house?" She asks. "I like it" Manny says.

I nod.

"Me too" I agree.

"Look, mija, I know where we left off last time we saw each other wasn't good but, I want you to come home, I talked to Jose, everything will be better this time" she says.

Me and Manny look at each other.

"No mom, I wanna live with Manny" I tell her. I'm looking straight at her but I see Manny look at me and smile from the corner of my eye.

"Gia you're not even 18 yet, you're suppose to be living with me I'm suppose to be the one taking care of you not Manny" she says.

Funny of her to say that.

She hasn't taken real care of me since I was 10.

Danny and Carlos always gave her money to take care of me.

But once they found out that money was only going to her boyfriends and drugs they stopped giving her money.

THEY just bought ME everything I needed.

"But I'm gonna be 18, Manny just looks out for me and gives me curfew and rules and shit, I take care of myself" I tell her.

She purses her lips then makes a half smile.

I think she had forgotten how stubborn I am and just remembered.

"I'll tell you what, I'll just let you think about it and I'll call you in a couple days" she says.

I just sigh and nod.

I ain't changing my mind.

Jose and fucking different or gonna change shit.

I know how this works.

"Come on, let's just have some fun" Manny says rubbing my shoulder.

I nod and we go outside and start drinking.

As the night comes out I get more and more buzzed.

So does my cousin Giselle.

When I'm drunk and having a good time I just stay laughing.

But if you fuck with me, I get CRAZY. Like I will fuck somebody up.

But in this case, I'm laughing.

Just down the sidewalk from my tio Danny's house there's a park.

So we stumble our drunk asses down there.

"Go play bitch!" I say to Giselle then push her down in the sand and she falls face first and I just start laughing my ass off.

After messing around we sit on the curb and smoke a blunt and just chill.

"If your dad knew I was smoking you out right now he'd kill me" I say as I pass her the blunt.

She jut laughs.

"Have you talked to Anthony?" She asks. I sigh.

"Nah" I say wrapping my arms around my knees.

"You dumb as fuck" she says with a small laugh. I look at her. "Why??" I ask.

"Girl, Anthony is the sexiest mother fucker to walk this earth, and he tried kissing you, he wants you, but y-you don't want him, what *burp* what kind of sense that, does that make?" Her drunk ass slurs.

I may be drunk but I comprehend everything she tells me.

Even if I let Anthony kiss me, that doesn't mean I'd go for him.

"I'm tired of all the fake guys that just wanna fuck you" I tell her.

She smacks her lips.

"But you d-don't even know if he's like that! You- that's why you gotta TALK to him or- and make that clear- what you want clear" she says.

I laugh and shake my head.

"I guess" I say taking a hit of the blunt. "Stop living in the past bitch!" She says standing up.

I suck in my lips.

If I'm gonna get my life straight and make it better, I have to just live in the moment. Stop overthinking shit.

Anthony ain't gonna wait for me forever.

You live and you learn.