Neighborhood Music

So What

Cesar was frustrated. For two weeks he'd been trying to get Monse off of trying to get him out of the Santos, but she was like a dog with a bone. Absolutely nothing he said made any difference to her. She even had Jamal and Ruby scheming to talk to Oscar. It didn't help that she didn't seem interested in his new favorite extracurricular activity. He'd tried to no avail to entice her, but it was no use.

"We need to get him out before he puts in work" he heard Monse say

He was walking down the hallway at school when he spotted his friends and went to catch up with them, he didn't intend to overhear their conversation, but it frustrated him when he did.

"Who's putting in work?" He asked, "Are you guys still with that?" 

Monse and Ruby shook their heads, "Nobody. No!" they both replied

Cesar knew they were full of it. 

Slinging an arm over Jamal's shoulder, he leaned into him a bit, "Jamal?" he asked

Just like that Jamal cracked, "We're still with it." 

Cesar huffed, "This isn't funny anymore! Trying to reason with my brother is straight up stupid! You gotta promise me you're going to drop this!"

"You're over reacting..." Monse argued

But Cesar wasn't hearing it, "Especially you, promise!" he demanded

Monse sighed, "I promise" 

"Ok good. I'll see you after class." He said 

He walked off certain that Monse wasn't going to let this go easily. 

'Damn it' he thought, 'she doesn't get it. She needs to stay the hell away from Oscar. The less he sees of her the better.'

Of course Monse caught up to him to finish their argument when he got out of class. He entertained her for a while, until she suggested he disappear right then. 

"And go where huh?" He asked, his voice low, "and do what? I'm in. It's done. I don't want to live the rest of my life thinking about dying. So I'm just going to live." 

The moment he finished his rant, he regretted it. She looked slightly afraid of him, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Ok, I'm sorry." She relented, "I didn't mean to rev up the pressure, I was just trying to help."

He sighed, "I know, I appreciate it" 

Monse nodded a bit, and Cesar took the opening to steer the conversation far away from the Santos.

"There is something that you can do." He whispered

She nodded again, "Anything" 

"If you really want to help de-rev the pressure, meet me after school. Your room. Clothing's optional" 

Monse rolled her eyes at him, but was interrupted by Jasmine and her big ass mouth. It was a downward spiral from there. Monse was pissed Jasmine overheard her, and left in a huff after claiming that Cesar only lasted three minutes, which was alarming in it's own right, and Cesar was left even more certain that Monse and the boys were not going to drop this gang rescue mission. 

After school, Lucky picked him up and took him to see Sad Eyes and his brother at his Tio Rafael's auto shop. Tio Raf was an OG, and didn't have to put in much work anymore, but his body shop was a good place to clean cash, and it was where Oscar did most of the work on his Chevy. 

"How was school Mijo?" Tio asked him

Cesar shrugged, "Ok. Still getting used to all the new classes and stuff." He responded.