❝ In
Squad
We
Trust ❞
Monse Finnie is the new girl in Freeridge. She hopes
to start senior year off without a hitch, but she soon realizes that won't be the case.
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❝ I was supposed to get rid of him forever but I didn't. And now you're paying the price ❞
Jamal was still at the hospital, pacing back and forth aimlessly. The doctor's haunting words were playing on a never ending loop inside of his head.
Isabella was dead...what if he came back and said that Ruby was dead too? Jamal's heart would stop beating if he ever heard those words and it would never beat again.
Jamal looked around the area. Everyone was still there except for Cesar and Isabella's mother. Jamal couldn't even fathom how Isabella's mother must be feeling right now. She lost her only reason for living and the way she fell to her knees and cried made Jamal weep.
Isabella was a good girl. She will be missed.
Jamal continued looking around and saw Monse sitting down looking through her phone. He sighed. He shouldn't have argued with Monse earlier but he couldn't help but be upset with her. She was supposed to get rid of Latrelle! For good. That's what the whole plan was for!
And a part of himself couldn't help but think if Monse never moved to Freeridge, would all of this have happened still? But he stopped himself from thinking badly about Monse. She was his friend and she wasn't the only one to blame.
Jamal felt guilty about the whole ordeal. He knew something was off when he saw Latrelle's homies lurking around and when he read that paper in the bathroom. Why didn't he say something sooner?! He probably could've warned everyone and prevented his friends from getting shot!
Jamal frowned at that realization. He let them down.
"Chip?" Mr. Martinez asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.
Jamal turned around and saw the chip bag. "Those are Ruby's favorite."
"I know." Mr. Martinez chuckled. "He usually attacks me when I eat these."
Jamal let out a little laugh and ate a chip.
"I appreciate you being here, Jamal," Mr. Martinez continued. "Ruby will too."
"Of course. I'm going to stay here by Ruby's side for as long as I can," Jamal promised. Mr. Martinez sighed, causing him to grow worried. "What's wrong?"
"I just wish I would've been around for him more, you know? I was always so busy with work. Maybe if I was around more, he wouldn't have felt the need to be in a gang," Mr. Martinez admitted.
Jamal arched an eyebrow. "You think him being a Santo had something to do with him getting shot?"
"No, of course not. He wasn't the intended target." He shrugged sadly. "I just don't want his last thought of me to be that I was an awful dad."
"Last thought?" Jamal spoke seriously. "Mr. Martinez, he's not dead. He's in a coma."
