My Spooky // On My Block

Seventeen

I woke up the next morning to my phone going off. Cesar was calling for a ride to Freeridge, and Geny was calling to see if I was going with her and the kids to church. That message was followed up by another one of Mario asking the same thing. The next message was Geny again, asking me to check on Ruby at some point today.

I groaned and got up to see that I was already alone in bed. I changed into my clothes from last night and went downstairs.

Mateo was on the phone having a heated discussion with someone. I noticed the plate of pancakes behind him and went over to grab a few.

"I needed that done yesterday, don't call me again if it's not done." He said before ending the call. He turned his attention towards me and I gave him a smile.

"Good morning. Everything okay?" I asked. He nodded and rested his head on his hand as he watched me.

"Yeah, just work you know." He shrugged. "Everything okay with you?" He asked. I nodded.

"Yeah I just gotta get some things done today. I need to get my car out my dads garage. I can't keep having you or Oscar drive me around. Then I have to check on a few things and I have to get Princess some new clothes before she goes back to school because she's been growing two times bigger over night."

He chuckled softly.

"You're gonna have that problem for a while." He said. "They don't ever stop growing." He said.

"I have a feeling you have kids." I said.

He smiled and nodded.

"Yeah just one. Very few people know about him. I like to keep it that way."

"Why tell me?"

"Because I'm starting to trust you. You still haven't grasped that concept yet?" He asked. I chuckled softly.

"Everyday it's gonna be something new with you. Why not get everything out in the open?"

"What's the fun in that?" He smiled. "Come on let's get you home. I'll give you a ride to Freeridge." He said.

"If you don't mind, Cesar needs to be dropped off too. After today I'm done having you as a chauffeur." He chuckled softly and grabbed his keys.

"Alright let's go." He said bye to his dog and we were on our way.

***

I got home and took a quick shower. I brushed my teeth quickly and tied my hair up before meeting Cesar and Mateo in the car.

"Sorry."

"We're good. Jamal hasn't started blowing my phone up yet so I have time." Cesar said.

"What is he up to anyway?"

"He says he found the roller world money but his mom accidentally donated the bag it was in so now we're going with him to get it out, and to see if it's actually there."

"No way, he actually found it?"

"That's what he said." He shrugged.

"Then he found it. You know how determined he was, plus Jamal couldn't keep that information to himself even if he tried."

The rest of the ride was pretty quiet. Cesar and I were dropped off at Jamal's. I told him to call me when he was done, before I walked to the garage.

I was hoping just my uncle would be here so I could be in and out, but I guess that was too much to ask. I noticed a few cars parked outside, one of them belonging to Jerome.

I walked inside and found my uncle sitting at a table watching a fight with a beer in hand.

"What're you doing here girl?" He asked once he noticed me come in.