Neighborhood Music

Suga Suga

The next time Cesar saw his friends was when Monse stepped in front of Spooky's car the Saturday before school started. Internally he panicked. He wasn't sure if Jamal and Ruby had said anything to her. He wasn't ready to see her yet, and he sure as hell was not prepared for the fact that she'd... filled out. 

The part of him that was still VERY much a teenaged boy needed to be subdued. His mind tried to think of anything gross to keep his excitement at bay as he watched her walk over to the diver's side of the car. 

'God her ass.' his mind groaned. 

"I just wanted to let Cesar know I was back in town." She said awkwardly

Cesar kept his eyes staring straight ahead.

"And looking like a fine ass hyna" Oscar drawled. 

His fists clenched tightly. If Oscar was about to try to get at Monse right in front of him, he was going to lose it. 

"An underage hyna." Monse bit back

Cesar had to fight the smirk that was threatening to play on his face then. 

'There's my girl' he thought

Oscar took her in for a moment before replying, "Not for some." 

'Fuck' Cesar thought, 'she's going to know I said something'.

"It's all good, you just look a little different," Oscar continued, "what is it?" 

Monse looked unamused, "My boobs." she deadpanned 

"Nah, you got your braces off." Oscar laughed before driving off.

Cesar felt the tension in his body release a little. His first encounter with Monse didn't go the way he'd imagined. But she didn't try to kill him, which meant that for whatever reason, Jamal and Ruby hadn't told her about what he said. Which, in turn, meant that he had an opportunity to be the one to tell her. 

The rest of the ride he sat in silence, coming up with a plan. After his brother and Letty went to bed, he could sneak out to go see her. He'd go to her window, in case her dad was home, and they could talk. If he explained to her what had happened, she wouldn't be happy, but there was a chance she wouldn't hate him. That was something, it was more hope than he'd had for anything else in a while. He'd lost his future that summer, his freedom, his ability to chose the life he wanted. If there was a chance that he didn't have to lose Monse, he was going to take it. 

Unfortunately, life never goes as planned. Cesar learned this just a few hours later when Monse strolled confidently across his front lawn to talk to him. He'd skipped orientation, but it was obvious that she'd gone and come back. Clearly she also had a bone to pick with him. 

'Fuck' he thought as they locked eyes. 'This is going to be a mess.'

"I need to talk to you." She said, once she was standing right in front of him

Cesar nodded at her, "I'm listening" he said

'God please don't make me do this' he silently prayed

Monse didn't seem impressed, "Privately," she snapped 

He sighed, "We can go inside." 

He needed to get her away from Oscar and his friends, but this was not going to be easy. Maybe, if he could get her alone he could still salvage the situation. 

But then he heard Oscar's cough.

'Pinche puto.' he thought

With out missing a beat, he continued,