Then & Now [OMB || Cesar Diaz]

then - 6

"How was party planning at Ruby's?" Layla asked as they both left the bodega where they first met. Cesar asked if they could hang out and although it was kinda late, she couldn't say no to him. So she told her dad that she was sleeping over at Danna's house for the weekend.

Cesar let out an exasperated sigh. "Ruby's going crazy," he complains.

Layla giggled at his reaction. "Ruby's not crazy," she assured him.

"The dude ordered a horse, Layla. A horse," he replies. "But I️ at least can't wait to slow dance with you," he takes her hand and playfully spins her around before dipping her, making her laugh in delight just as a car pulls up besides them.

"Hey, yo!" A voice calls out, startling them both. Latrelle, a neighborhood gangbanger from Layla's street, hangs out the side of the car. She only knew of him because they used to go to elementary school together. "Hey, what's good with you, ma? You're looking good," he compliments her, ignoring Cesar's arm around her and him glaring at him. "I️ see you grew up fine as hell. Let me get that ass at Pimp Lane," he boldly states.

Layla uncomfortably looks back up at Cesar, watching for his reaction. "As if," she huffs, further pressing herself into Cesar's side.

"Yo, Layla, why you still hanging out with these broke-ass Santos?" Latrelle taunts.

"Oh, you spent time in juvie, now you think you're balling?" Cesar scoffs.

"Yeah, where do you think I knocked off a bunch of your punk ass homies?" He laughs.

"You got a lot of fucking nerve hitting on my girl in front of me," he throws the cab of soda he was drinking against the ground. "You're lucky I️ don't just beat your ass right now!" He barks, stepping up to him.

"Hey! Stop!" Layla quickly steps in front of him to push him back.

"Fuck the Santos and your dead homies," Latrelle teases, further angering him.

"You know what side you on?! This is our block, feel me?!" Cesar threatens.

"I don't care what side I'm on," Latrelle states, pulling out a shiny pistol from the side of the car door. Layla gasps as Cesar quickly shoves her behind him. Latrelle eyes her up and down one more time before speaking. "You're lucky your bitch is here. Cause when I catch
you slippin' next time, I'm gonna put a hole in you," he promises before driving off.

"Shit," Cesar whispers. "I️ can't stay on this side but I️ don't want you walking home alone..."

"I'm staying at Danna's this weekend anyways," she quickly tells him. He grabs her hand and they quickly hurry over to Danna's house. "Cesar, wait-"

"Look, I️ know you don't understand the whole gang thing but here's what just happened," he quickly tells her as they arrive over to Danna's house. "Latrelle just threatened me, alright? Meaning now there's a green light on me."

"Green...light?" She asks, slightly breathless from having to keep up with him and still slightly shaken by what just happened. "What...?"

She's never had a gun pulled on her before.

"It means I️ got a hit out on me," he tells her simply.

"A hit?" She squealed in disbelief. "But you didn't even do anything-"

"That doesn't matter. Look, you can't come see me until I say it's safe, alright?" He asked her.

She blinked up at him, not believing what was happening. "What's gonna happen to you?" She asked him.

"I️ don't know...and I️ don't want you around to find out," he swallows. "Look just promise me you won't be out here alone. I️ don't want anymore Prophets coming for you cause of your connection to me, alright?" He said. "Layla?" He asked again.

"Yeah, okay," she says. He leans forward and presses a kiss on her lips. "Text me!" She yells behind him before heading into Danna's house.

                             * * * *

"The video of you two getting rolled up on is blowing up on Twitter," Danna reports as they walk side by side to lunch.

"I'm so stressed. We've barely talked the last couple of days. He just texts me to let me know he's still alive but..." Layla trails off slightly. "Girl, is this what dating a gang member is? Always worrying about whether today might be his last day?" She tells her.

Danna frowns. "You really like him don't you?" She asks.

"More than you and I️ even know," she sighs. "I️ just hope he's okay-"

"I️ am okay," Cesar answers behind them, startling them both.

"Ay dios, Cesar," Danna scolds in Spanish. "What are you doing here? You're like a dead man walking," she points out.

Layla throws her arms around him but then back up when she realizes that Danna was right. "You're supposed to be home," Layla scolds him lightly.

" I have a math test," he simply explained, making her frown.

"Cesar...I️ get it, education is important but you have a green light on you. You told me every Santos member was at your house guarding you," she touched him. "You're much safer there than here."

Cesar sighs. "I️ know. Look, I'm just gonna be in and out. I'll take the test and then I'll leave, alright?"

"Promise?" She asks.

He then leans in for a kiss. "Does that answer your question?" He asks.

She giggles a bit. "No but it was nice," she hugs him. Before she could leave, he pulls her back into him.

"Remember to go straight home after alright? I️ need you to stay safe too," he whispers and she nods along. Suddenly his phone chimes in his pocket and he picks it up to read it and curses to himself. "Shit, I️ gotta go," he tells her. "I'll text you," he says before rushing off.

Danna and her look at each other before heading off to lunch to meet with Monse, Ruby and Jamal. She had to admit, it was pretty funny watching Danna and Ruby bicker, mostly cause she was a sarcastic asshole and he was comically serious about things most people their age wouldn't really worry about, like planning Olivia's quince.

"Hey, since I️ don't have many friends in Freeridge, and you two are the closet to female friends I️ have next to Monse, would you like to be my damas?" She wondered.

"Oh! I️ was Danna's dama for her quince. I'd be honored!" Layla smiles. "Thanks Olivia."

"It's not like she had much of a choice," Danna jokes, making Layla playfully roll her eyes.

They continued their day but Layla didn't see Cesar after lunch. She did what he said, and went straight home after school, even going as far as getting Danna's older sister to drop her off, just in case. She spends the entire afternoon doing homework and then eating pizza for dinner with her dad once night hit.

She and her dad turned in for the night around 9, and just as she was about to go to sleep, her phone buzzed, since it was on silent. She picked it up and answered as soon as she saw it was Cesar. "Hey, what's wrong?" She asked him.

"Come to your window," was all he said before hanging up. Confused, she got up and headed over to her window, pulled back the curtains and saw that Cesar was on the other side. She quickly (but also quietly) opened the window to let him through.

"Oh my god, what are you doing here?" She whispered. "You can't be here on this side! What if someone sees you?!" She whisper-yelled at him as he came through. She quickly locked her bedroom door and shut off the lights to make it seem like she was already asleep. She then realized the upset look on his face. "Cesar are you okay-"

He quickly tackles her in a hug, catching her off guard. "Hey...what's wrong?" She asked him, hugging him back.

He then pulls away and takes her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers into a bruising kiss. But she pulled away, sensing something wrong. "Cesar..." she looked up at him now. "You're worrying me." Cesar let out a deep sigh before speaking.

"I️ have to kill him. I️ have to kill Latrelle."
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Dun dun dunnnnnn!

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