dreaming of you: on my block

gh

"...so cesar's in a gang?" elena asked monse as they sat on a bench separated from the group, and monse nodded.

"only because of his brother. oscar. you know him, right? yeah, you do. he just got out of prison a few weeks before you got here." monse said, and elena hummed, scooping some frescas con crema into her mouth.

"and is cesar okay with that?" elena asked quietly, and monse shrugged. "doesn't matter. he's a santo. always will be." monse mumbled, and elena sighed. "i have a pimple on my arm. is that normal?" monse asked, changing the subject. elena chuckled, shrugging.

"put toothpaste on it," elena hummed, and the two stood to walk back to their friends.

elena was about to join the conversation when her phone rang. she looked down and almost screamed.

"hello?"

"forget about me yet?" aurora said, and elena squealed as she sat at the old bench again. "how could i forget about my best friend?" elena said excitedly, and heard aurora let out a hearty laugh.

"it's so boring here without you. who else am i supposed to try to catch pigeons with?" aurora complained, and elena heard the girl on the other line throw herself back on her bed.

"you have a brother, you know," elena said, twirling a piece of her hair absentmindedly. "oh, of course you remember him. want me to get him?" aurora started, and before elena could tell her no, aurora was screaming her brothers name.

elena looked up to see monse with a raised eyebrow at her, and elena made a pained facial expression. the two laughed, until elena's attention was turned to the low drawl of her name being called from her phone.

"elena?"

"hey-hello, tanner." elena said, clearing her throat after. she heard the older boy laugh, and he asked her how she's doing.

"well, i already made friends. so i guess i can't complain," elena said, looking fondly towards the group of teens who were chasing each other around. "let me know if you need like... toilet paper. or something," tanner said, and elena scoffed.

"how chivalrous of you. how about you just send me good old, regular money instead?" elena said teasingly, and heard tanner laugh. "don't know if my dad would like me sending money to you. to anyone, really." tanner said, and elena hummed.

"shame. now i have no reason to talk to you," elena mused, and heard tanner scoff. "what about my personality?" he said, and elena chuckled. "what about it?" she asked, and heard tanner start to say a comeback when aurora took over.

"can i have my best friend back?" aurora said sharply, and tanner begrudgingly said goodbye to elena and handed aurora the phone back.

"haven't even started high school yet and you have my brother sweating. don't know how to feel about that," aurora said, and elena snorted. "as if. he's already gonna be a sophomore, and i'm barely starting freshmen year." elena stated, and heard aurora scoff.

"yeah, okay. whatever you say, elena." aurora said, and then went to talk about how life was going without elena.

"oh, did you ever find ruby?" aurora suddenly asked, and elena laughed. "yeah. we found each other," elena said, looking at the shorter boy. "that's nice. does he have any friends?" elena laughed at aurora's suggestive question, and cleared her throat.

"yeah, but i think cesar and my friend monse have a thing going on. can't say for sure, but i have a feel. he has a friend named jamal?" elena said, and aurora hummed. "i don't think the long distance would work.." aurora said sadly, and elena chuckled.