𝐕𝐔𝐋𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 - 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘻, 𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳

𝐒𝐈𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

"You must be in the anger stage." Oscar smiles, sipping on his beer.

"Oscar." Marianna mutters his name disapprovingly.

"What?" He shrugs. "You two are coming with me."

"No." Ruby says immediately.

"Yes." Oscar stands over him intimidatingly.

Ruby looks at his sister for help, but she only smiles at him. "Fine." He sighs.

†

"How many times can I say I'm sorry? I know I stepped out of line, but I really don't have time to be your valet." Ruby says as he carries a basket for Oscar's groceries.

"We need to grab a few nopales." Oscar ignores him.

"We need a cart. This is getting heavy." Ruby tells him. "Why can't Marianna carry this?"

"Do you ever not complain?" Oscar asks. "And Marianna doesn't need to carry it. So, don't ask her again."

"Well, no one told you to bring me." Ruby states as he glares at his sister, but she only smiles.

"So, what else don't you like about me?" Oscar asks the teen.

"Nope." Ruby shakes his head. "I'm not falling for that."

"It's not a debate." Oscar tells him, handing Marianna one of her favorite snacks from the convenience store, causing her to smile. "What else don't you like?"

"Is this like Queen For a Day sitch?" Ruby questions him, causing him to abruptly stop. "It's a legal expression whereby someone can say anything they want and their words can't be used against them."

"Speak, queen." Oscar tells him.

"Well... first off, I don't like how you forced my sister to be with you—"

"Ruby." She glares at him.

"Damn, let me finish." He rolls his eyes. "But she seems really happy, so I forgive it. Next, you guys call yourself "the Santos," the Saints, and yet you hurt people. So what's the point of you, really?"

"You coming at me!" Oscar shouts at him, barely leaving an inch in between the two.

"Oscar..." Marianna puts a hand on his arm, causing him to back away slightly. "Thank you."

"But I didn't start this war." Oscar tells him.

"Yeah, said the complicit one." Ruby looks him up and down in disgust, causing Marianna to groan.

"You like history?" Oscar asks him.

"World or American?" Ruby questions.

"Freeridge." He answers. "Doesn't get more American than that. Back in the day, the pinches Prophets terrorized Freeridge. Didn't matter who you were. Paletero trying to make a living. Viejita coming home from church. You were a target. They went to the cops. But you know how that goes. 'Til finally, Lil' Ricky said, "No más." This neighborhood is his familia, and you don't mess with family. He started Santos to protect the hood."

"Great." Ruby speaks up. "So then you had two groups terrorizing the neighborhood."

Oscar wiped a hand down his face angrily. "Terrorizing? You mean, protecting."