The Block Is Hot | Oscar Diaz

18

"And in conclusion, I know that it's not right to abandon my family, or my friends. But at the same time I should be able to chase a dream at my age. I'm eighteen, so I'm an adult. I should do adult things, but... this is my responsibility." I explained.

"Umm... Miss. Salonia-"

"Mia." I interrupted.

"Mia, you do realize that you didn't have to come all the way here to explain this to me. You easily could've emailed or called."

I was sitting in front of the Dean of students at Duke University, but after driving for miles and miles to come here, this man has made me feel like an absolute idiot.

"It's a shame though." He said, going through a stack of paper. "You have impeccable grades, nothing under a 90 since elementary."

I nervously smiled. "Yeah, division was not my strongest suit when I was younger."

"So because of these family members and associates, you're giving up on an opportunity to be here?"

I nodded. "Yeah, my brother is a baby. And he doesn't have any parents in his life. He's called me "mama" before, and when I just thought more about I realized it was messed up. But I was an idiot to think that staying away from him was the solution. My aunt decided to take him in for awhile, and it was so hard to leave him with her."

"Is that why you have him now?" The Dean asked.

I looked down at Mason, he was sitting in the stroller right next to my chair. I smiled at him. "Yes, that's exactly why."

~~~~~

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Ruby is with Hamal, Hamal is with his girlfriend, I let the kids do what they want. I don't care." Abuelita answered.

"Umm, "Hamal"?" I asked.

"Hamal!" Abuelita raised her tone. "The one with the efectivo."

So she means Jamal, but in a Spanish accent. "Okay." I responded. "Do you know where they are?"

Abuelita started ranting in Spanish. I groaned and left, Mason on my back.

I seen a green car roll by. Prophets.

"Mia?" I heard a voice call.

I groaned as I seen my stepdad, Mason's dad. "You've got to be effin-"

"Is that Mason?" He interrupted.

I kneeled down so Mason could climb off of me, and then covered him with my whole body.

"What do you want?" I questioned.

"I just want to see my son."

I scoffed. "Now you want to see him? How about the past year and a half of his life when he needed you?"

He walked out of the passenger side of the car. "Mia I'm-"

The front door to Ruby's house creaked open. I turned to see Mario. "You good, Mia?" He asked.

I picked up Mason and walked over to Mario. "Take him. Close the door. Lock it."

With a nod, Mario took my baby brother out of my arms and walked back in the house, doing just as I said.

"There." I began. "You seen him. Now what do you want?"

"We were just about to pick up Latrelle, you wanna roll with us?" My stepdad asked.

"Latrelle's back in town?" I asked.

"Yeah. So tell your little Cesar friend that he might want to find a better hiding spot. We know he's living with Turner's boy."

My heart had completely dropped. I could feel my stomach turn. Whatever happened to the Prophets? How they said "if you don't do your job, get your kill, don't bother coming back home".

They don't give a shit now.

They don't care that they've took a beautiful, innocent girl out of this world.

I quickly walked up to my stepdad, so close that we were probably inches away from each other. I could smell the weed and the alcohol on him.

"You might want to back up a little." The Prophet driving said as I heard his gun cocking back. I didn't even look to see if it was pointed at me. I just knew it was.

My stepdad grabbed a piece of my hair. "You took your streak out." He said, looking at the now black piece of hair that used to be green. He smirked. "So what are you now, Mia? A Santo. That's an odd twist."

I flipped my hair out of the way. "Don't touch me. And I'm grown. I get to do what I want. And if you don't like it, get your homeboy to pull that trigger. See how much your son will respect you for that when he grows up. He barely even knows you now anyway."

At this moment I couldn't breathe. At this moment I couldn't think about anything but the little boy in the house right behind me. He didn't grow up with a real father. His mom abandoned him.

And if this man is a real gangster, as much as he brags about it, he will grow up without a sister, too.

"Take care of my son, Mia." He said, walking back in the car. "Let's go." He told the driver, and they left.

I started tearing up. "Shit." I whispered with a gasp and looked at the sky. "Shit. Shit. Shit."

"Mario!" I yelled as I walked into the Martinez house.

Mason was sitting next to him and watching Nascar. "I'm surprised he's not crying right now." Mario said.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Babies don't like me. Ruby always gave me a death stare for months after he was born." Mario explained.

"What about your son?" I questioned.

"Umm, the baby came out black." Mario answered.

...

"Say what now?" I asked.