Neighborhood Music

Soldier

Monse hurried to school, and waited for Olivia, Ruby, and Jamal by the front steps. Olivia and Ruby rolled up a few minutes later and immediately they began chopping it up about Letrell pulling up on Cesar. 

"It's all over IG" Monse said as they walked down the hall

Olivia cringed, "I'm really stressed, we've barely talked in the last two days." 

Monse eyed her friend, she knew it was at least partly her fault that Olivia and Cesar weren't connecting. She thought back to the previous night and was hit with a strong wave of guilt. She couldn't imagine how upset Olivia was going to be when she found out. 

"With all the Santos at his crib, it's like a safe house," Ruby assured them, "As long as he lays low, and doesn't show, he's all good." 

Just then Cesar walked up to them. 

"I am all good." He said 

Ruby was shocked, "What are you doing here?" 

"Yeah! You shouldn't be here!" Monse agreed

Cesar gave her a knowing look, "I have a math test." 

"Cesar, you have a green light on you" Olivia argued

Cesar squinted at her, "I'm Spooky's brother, I have a green light on me every day."

"And if something happens to you?" Olivia asked, stepping into his arms

Cesar looked dead at her, "I'm fine. I'm gonna be in and out. I'm just here for the test, ok?" 

Monse resisted the urge to get upset at Cesar for holding Olivia. After all, it was Monse who had no claim to him. Olivia had every right. 

"Don't worry about me," Cesar continued, "Worry about your quince. You're dress is coming today, right?"

Olivia nodded, 

"Trust me, I'll be good." Cesar assured her

Olivia walked off to class, but Monse's eyes were locked on Cesar. She was worried for him. How was he going to get home without any Prophet$ rolling up on him. She was also jealous. Olivia didn't know the half of what Cesar was facing, but she got to be comforted by him. Monse had real cause to worry, but she couldn't ask Cesar to hold her, or to comfort her. Not there or then. 

Cesar turned back to Ruby and Monse, "Take Olivia's mind off of me today. Get her to focus on her quince." 

"We can do that." Ruby nodded

Cesar continued, "Go straight home after school. The block is hot and I need you guys to stay safe." 

Monse had been quiet long enough. 

"But what about you?" She demanded, "How do we make sure you're safe?" 

Cesar's phone rang, so he pulled it out of his pocket and frowned. 

"Shit," he cursed, "I gotta go. Tell Ms. Blanchard I'm sick or something." 

He turned immediately and stalked off, leaving a very worried Monse, and a confused Ruby in his wake. 

School rolled by in a blur, Monse barely paid attention in any of her classes. She was zoned out, worrying about where Cesar was, and what he was doing. When three o'clock rolled around, she was so ready to leave it was ridiculous. She caught Ruby and Olivia in the parking lot, and together the three went back to Ruby's house. 

Monse contemplated lying and saying that her father was home so that she could run over to Cesar's and check on him, but seeing the Prophet's lurking around outside school put her off that idea pretty quickly. 

They were sitting on Ruby's couch, doing their homework and talking when Olivia asked her about what happened the night before. 

"Monse, Cesar said you were with him during the Latrell thing, can you please tell me what happened." 

Monse was caught off guard. She had no idea why Cesar would tell Olivia anything, or how she managed to get in contact with him, but she knew it was best for her to keep her mouth shut. 

'Because you betrayed your only girl friend.'  She thought to herself

"I don't want to think about it." She replied, flashing back to her and Cesar in his room the night before. 

Thankfully, Ruby saved the day with Olivia's dress dilemma, and Monse took the opportunity to dip out and check on Cesar. 

She walked quickly down the block, her head swiveling on the lookout for trouble and her ears straining to hear if a car was coming. She jogged across Cesar's driveway and ducked behind the overgrown trees that covered the side of the house where Cesar's bedroom was. Monse frowned when she saw that the room was dark and empty. Heading back to the street, she was startled to see a bunch of Oscar's homies rolling up.

"Aye, what were you doing back there." A large, heavily tattooed man asked 

Monse stammered, "I was just... I-I am a f-friend, a friend of Cesar's"

"Aye, I know that hyna, you're with Cesar." Another one called

 Monse recognized him, she was pretty sure he was called Lucky. She nodded and he clapped the larger man on the shoulder. 

"You shouldn't be here girl. Not safe when the kid has a green light on him." Lucky told her

Monse nodded, "I know, I was just hoping that he'd be here. He wasn't in school today, and I was worried." 

"Lil Spooky's all good. He's with his brother." Lucky replied 

Monse knew it was her dismissal. "Ok. Thanks." 

She hurried up the street to her front door. She locked and chained it so quick she was pretty sure she had broken a world record or something. It wasn't until she set her bag down and collapsed on the floor that she realized her hands had been shaking.