Chapter 6

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Tony’s POV

After saying bye to Evie and Donovan, I lock the door behind me and crash on the couch. My head was still pounding after all the alcohol and I figured I would get a nap in before Emily realized I was home.

I'm out for less than fifteen minutes when I feel something rub up against my face.

I open my eyes to see Emi smiling at me with her gap tooth grin.

"Hi TT!" She practically screams in my ear and my headache gets worse.

"Keep it down hermanita. I don't feel good."

"You never feel good." Emily crosses her arms and pokes out her bottom lip. "I'm hungry TT! Mami left for work foreeverrrr ago and she said you would make me dinner. Come awnnnn."

Emily climbs on top of the couch and starts shaking me, then she grabs my hat and smacks my arm.

 "Get..up!"

"Okay. Okay! I'm up!" I sit up and check the time on my watch. It's only 7:30. My mom must have left for her night job ten minutes ago. I know she hates working two jobs, but it's the only way to keep food on the table.

Emi follows me into the kitchen and climbs up into a chair to watch me cook.

"Whaddya wanna eat Emi?"

"Mmmm... ¿Me puede hacer espaguetis?” She bounces up and down in her seat out of excitement. "Puh-leaseeee TT? I love your spaghetti."

"Sure Emi," I say, trying not to yawn. "Whatever you want." 

"Yay!!" She claps her hands twice and scoots her chair closer to watch me chop up the ingredients.

I know I may not look like it, but I actually love to cook. I had to learn early on how to take care of myself since my mom was always working. We used to live with mi abuelita in San Jose before she passed and she taught me everything I know.

I put the spaghetti in the boiling water to cook and then start working on the sauce.

"¿Quieres albóndigas, Emi?" I look up at her and she nods before getting back to her coloring book.

I'm done with the food in no time and get us both a plate from the cabinet. I notice that the door is nearly coming off the hinges and can't help thinking about Pandilla and the extra money it would give us.

"Okay Emily. Cena está lista."

"Thanks TT!" She grabs a fork and starts eating as soon as I put her plate in front of her. 

When we're done, I wash our plates and help her with her homework. When she's finished she watches TV and I attempt to get homework done for Physical Science. After blankly staring at a page for 20 minutes watching the words and numbers swim on the page, I check my watch and realize it's almost Emi's bedtime.

"Okay hermanita, it's 8:45. You gotta get ready for bed."

"Awwww come awn Tony." She pouts again, sticking her bottom lip out as far as it will go. "Can I just have five more minutes?"

"Go brush your teeth and then put on your PJs and I'll come hangout with you in your room. How about that hermanita?"

"Okay!" She jumps off the couch and rushes to the bathroom.

I watch her run off and chuckle to myself. Little kids have no worries man.

"Okayyyy TT! I'm doneeeee!" I walk to her room and get in her bed with her. I used to do this a lot more often but I stopped when I started drinking at night and coming home later.

"So what's up Emi?"

"Well, today I made a new friend! Her name is Hayley and she's got hair like mine but her eyes look like that." She points to her teddy bear who has eyes the color of chocolate.

“Oh. I see” I nodd. “You like her?”

“Yeah.” Emi yawns. “She’s really nice. She said she’s chinese and she ate this weird fish for lunch. But I really like her.”

“She’s chinese and she lives in East Side?” I run my hand through Emily’s hair.

“Yeah. She said her parents went bankrupt.” Emi pauses. “What’s bankrupt TT?”

“I honestly don’t really know,” I say. "I'll look it up tomorrow though."

“And what’s up with you TT?” Emi smiles.

"I actually made a new friend too. His name is Donovan and he's a little older than you but he's really nice. We're all gonna go to Westgate mall soon. Is that cool with you pequeña?"

"Mhmm." Her eyes are getting heavier and I slowly get up and walk towards her door.

"Love you TT." She says sleepily.

"Love you too." I close the door behind me and walk back over to my homework. After 5 minutes of trying to read one particular paragraph, I give up again and slam the book shut. 

I've never been good at school. Letters and numbers always seem to mix up and look the wrong way to me so I gave up reading years ago. I honestly have no idea how I pass my classes, but I always do. My schools could never afford to have people kept behind or to have summer school so my teachers always passed me with a C.

I can't tell if it's the alcohol or if I'm getting sick but my headache just won't go away. Trying to do my homework just made it worse.

I kick off my shoes and channel surf until I stop on MTV and watch whatever's on.

"Tony! Despertarse!"

My mom is standing over me, looking exhausted. What is with me today? I can't stay awake to save my life. 

I sit up and rub my eyes. "Hola mamí. I must've fell asleep.  No siento bien."

Her eyes narrow. "You were drinking again, weren't you?" She paces back and forth in the living room. "I work two jobs so you and Emily can go to school and get an educación. Not so you can drink away your teenage years pendejo!" 

She stops in front of me. "Si no quieres ir a la escuela, you could at least get a job!"

I stand up and face her. "You want me to get a job? Fine. I'll get the stupid job mamí!"

I grab my jacket and head towards the front door.

"¿Adónde vas?" My mom is yelling now.

"Don't worry about it!" I slam the door and walk out of my complex and down Quinton Ave.

I don't stop walking until I reach Smiley's hideout.

I take a deep breath and walk inside. After I've said the codeword to Smiley's thugs, they let me in to see him.

"Tony! My man! What brings you here?" Smiley welcomes me with a smile and waves me over to a chair near him. The air in the room is thick with weed and the smell of beer. 

I waste no words with what I say. "I want to join Pandilla. I'm ready."

Smiley's face gets a more serious look and he eyes me warily. "You sure about this esé? Pandilla is the real deal. We don't play games around here."

"I'm sure."

"Perfect." He leans back in his chair. "We’ll start now. Paulo!" Smiley whistles back at a big guy that must weigh at least 300 pounds. “Escort Antonio here to the back.”

I try to relax as Paulo grips my shoulder and escorts me to the back of the club. Tonight should be interesting.

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