PROMISE ME (OSCAR DIAZ x OC)

Chapter Twenty-Seven (Alana)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Alana

May

Oscar had worked on his car all day. By the time he came inside I finished making dinner and of course he had to give his input on what he would have done different. How he would have even plated the damn shit.

But I knew he was being this way only because he went at it with Ray earlier. He's been tense and aggravated and I understand why. I know I'll never fully get the feeling because I was fortunate enough to have really good parents. Something that Oscar will also never understand about me.

Mami and Papi have loved having Oscar around and even though he is who he is on the streets they finally have started to see him the way I see him. Which is all I ever wanted. But Ray?

Ray sees him as the child he was when he left him behind to go to prison. The child he didn't think twice about when he had the cuffs put on his wrists. The child he left in the care of a woman who didn't give a single fuck about him or Cesar.

If you ask Cesar who his parents are he'll tell you it's me and Oscar. If you ask Oscar who his parents are he just stands there silently. I will never be able to fully put myself in his shoes because of how different it was for us growing up. And yet.. Here we are.

Cesar came home after his shift and Ray trailed in behind him. I had finished cleaning up dinner and Oscar was helping me with the dishes as the two walked in. Oscar cut the water to the sink off and glared at Ray as he yet again used a cup I was drinking from to put out his cigarette.

"I'm going to lay down some rules." Oscar grit out at Ray.

Instinctively, I gripped onto my cross around my neck. The way I've soothed myself since the day Oscar put it onto me. The day he officially called me his girl. Letting the world know I was his and he was mine. Running my index finger over the top of it while clutching it. It's not my place to step in and say anything. Not unless Oscar asks me to.

"No more smoking in the house." Oscar points to the door. "You want to smoke? Go outside."

"Sorry, mijo. I won't smoke inside no more." He puts the entire cigarette or least what's left of it into my cup. I blink and look at Oscar who's even more tense now. "Smoking outside only. Got it."

"And quit using Alana's drinks as your personal ashtray if you do find yourself smoking in the house." He snatches the cup and dumps it down the sink. Running the garbage disposal for a moment and then rinsing the cup under the water. "You pick up after yourself while you're here. I know you're gone in a few days but-"

"Actually." Ray says softly. "Cesar got me a job over at Dwayne's. So, I'll be here a little longer than expected. I'm still going to go to Bakersfield but I don't want to go with nothing."

Cesar sneaks toward his room and Oscar just stand there. The water shutting off again but the glass in his hand gets thrown so hard into the sink it shatters. Glass flies up and thankfully I move out of dodge.

Grabbing the broom in a quick swoop and Oscar just doubles over the sink and breathes heavily. I can tell he's battling wanting to kill Ray in this moment and causing a giant scene over this. Or just letting it go and looking toward the future like I had asked him to do earlier.

"I won't be a bother." Ray says quietly. His tone reminds me of Cesar's especially when something is wrong.

When I finish sweeping the kitchen of glass, I go to the closet where I had stored the pillows and blankets for Ray for his stay on the sofa. I hand them to him while Oscar goes into Cesar's room. Probably chewing him up for getting Ray a job.

"Here." I say without looking at him. "If you need anything else just ask. But don't ask Oscar- ask me or Cesar."

He nods. "You look just like Geny at that age. She was always a nice girl even though all the bad boys wanted her. She had her time partying but never did she give in to her surroundings. That's how she ended up with a guy like your old man."

"My father is great." I tell him. "My father never missed anything in any of our lives. He went to every dance recital, every baseball game, every football game, every math competition, everything that all of us kids had going on. He was our biggest fan and still is. And I think him and Mami have a good time when they cut loose."

Ray puts his hands up in surrender. "Aye, I'm just saying... I tried to holler at Geny once or twice and she wanted nothing to do with me. Smart girl. Must be where you get it from. I heard Oscar telling one of his friends today how you're graduating in a week. Top of your class... Impressive."

I nod. "Yeah," I don't really know what else to say to him. "Oscar is really great. He's brilliant and talented. It's a shame you missed out on him. And Cesar too. Cesar struggles with math but I helped him a lot with it. He passed because of me."

"He's learned a lot from you." Ray adds. "Cesar doesn't shut up about you. Even called you his mother."

"In every way that I can be without having pushed him from my body, I am." I say proudly. "Just like in every way possible.. Oscar is his father. Not you."

"You really care about Oscar?"

"Yes." I say quickly before any other thought can even come to my mind. It's an easy question for me to answer. Of course I truly care about Oscar. "I love him more than life itself."

"Then get him on a better path." Ray says. "Get him away from Cuchillos.. She's nothing but bad news. Do you hear me, mija? Cuchillos will ruin his life and ruin yours."

"I've never-"

"Everything alright out here?" Oscar says as he reaches onto the dining table for his pack of smokes and struts toward the door.

I nod. "Yeah. Fine. Want me to come outside with you?"

"No." He says before disappearing through the door, slamming it behind him.

Ray puts the pillows and blankets down onto the couch and then looks up at me. "Someday he'll know the truth but right now he won't want to hear it from me. Just promise me that when it comes out you'll be there for him."

"I'm always there for him." I reply as I turn away and head down the hall toward Cesar's room.

Cesar is sitting on his bed on his phone when I knock on the frame of the doorway. He looks up at me and relief comes over his face.

"You're not mad at me too, right?"

I shake my head and walk into the room. Sitting on the edge of his bed. "No, not mad at you. Not for that at least. I'm more upset with the fact that you've been putting aside your responsibilities for other things. Dwayne said you were still late today? He texted me. Then texted me to inform me that you were late because you were waiting on Ray to go there so you could hook him up with a job? Then you took forever talking to Jamal and barely did anything? Cesar, you need to get your priorities in check."

"I was talking to Jamal about the whole Lil' Ricky thing. You know the severity of this." Cesar explains and there's a sense of fear in his eyes. "And Ruby has been trying to help us with it but there's shit going on at home-"

"What?" Shocked, I turn more toward him. "What do you mean? There's shit going on at home? I was just visiting Abuelita yesterday and no one said anything to me."

Cesar swallows hard. "Well... I guess your Dad is sharing a room with Ruby now. And money is tight-"

"I'll handle it." I don't mean to cut Cesar off or even say that to him but I do. "I need you to just keep your mind on school and work. When you're not doing either just.. Be a teenager. I was your age and raising you and I'm not complaining I'm just saying.. Don't take it for granted. It's hard having to grow up fast and Oscar is giving you a second chance. God is giving you a second chance. Be a kid like you should be."

"And what about you?" Cesar asks. "You're only 18, you should be having fun too."

I shake my head. "I've got other things to worry about right now. Like you and Oscar."