All Fall Down | j. turner

uno: high school

The music was booming as the group of 4 teens peaked over the brick wall dividing them from the party. They weren't allowed inside because it was the annual "End of the Year" party for seniors, but Cesar had managed to sneak in, hopefully, to get some beer for the group. Except for Chanel. She had beer once and refused to have it again, so Cesar was getting her soda.

"Do you see him? I don't see him."

"Something bad is happening, I can feel it." Jamal stated in panic. "I knew this was a dumb idea."

Ruby rolled his eyes and slightly bounced on his toes as he too searched for Cesar. "Pop a xannie, J. We can't see him because he's being stealth."

"No doubt."

Chanel Irons nodded with Monse and Ruby, agreeing that Jamal was being overdramatic. "Yeah, when has Cesar ever disappointed?"

Jamal turned to his group of friends and started his claims. "4th grade? Kickball tourney? We lost."

"That's because your athletic ability is very low." Chanel stated, earning a pinch from Jamal before she punched him and had him doubling over in pain.

"We only lost because I picked the kid with no skill, and I'd do it again. Loyalty trumps victory, compa." Cesar commented. The group looking over the wall turned around to him as he walked up and handed everyone their drinks. "You sure you don't want beer? Maybe you just didn't like the brand."

Chanel shook her head and cracked open the can of sprite that Cesar brought for her. "I'd rather not."

Cesar shrugged and, in almost perfect synchronization, the group turned around and faced the senior party in front of them. "Take it all in. This is about to be us. This is high school." Everyone cracked open their cans and took a sip of their drinks. Everyone drinking the beer scrunched up their faces, completely disgusted by the taste of the beer while Chanel contently drank her soda.

"Ruby, you think your brother's going to marry Angelica?" Chanel asked the shortest of the group.

"No idea. Mario tells me jack."

At his response, Jamal laughed and asked "What about that time he said Angelica has a dangler?"

Scrunching her face up, Chanel looked over to the couple in the middle of the dance floor and cringed. "Gross."

The gang continued looking over the brick wall, watching all the seniors dance in the barely-lit backyard. "Chanel, Monse, if you guys were girls—"

"We are girls." Both girls said simultaneously.

"But if you were a girl like that, would you wear underwear?"

Monse looked to Ruby is disgust and Chanel shook her head in disappointment. "Yes, because going commando is—"

"You killed the mood." Ruby sighed.

"What mood? It was dead before it started."

Chanel pursed her lips, causing Ruby to shake his head before turning back to the party. Jamal went on about football again, Monse trying to make some sense with him, but it didn't seem to be working.

"Jamal, CTE is not in your future."

Chanel nodded her head and followed the rest of the group in helping Jamal catch his breath before he had a panic attack.

"Guys, check out my game. Huerita just gave me the nod." Ruby smirked. That was quickly wiped off of his face when a cholo came over and gripped Ruby's neck, putting pressure in the spots that could make him pass out.

"Are you eyeing my girl, cabrón?"

Chanel stepped back, despite being a good distance away, and stared with wide eyes as one of her best friends was being choked.

"No. God, no. I'm not into blondes." Chanel assumed that Ruby's intentions were to get the guy to let go and walk away since he wasn't interested, but it fif the opposite and made the cholo tighten his grip.

"Easy, he does your mom's taxes. Mrs. Guzman, right?" Both Ruby and the cholo nodded, and Ruby started off listing too much information.

Ruby felt like his throat was closing up, but choked out his words to possibly dave his life. "$3,000 refund. Schedule C, line 30, home office deduction."

"Seriously, Ruby?" Chanel asked.

Another bald cholo popped over the wall and grabbed, Ruby's shoulder before noticing 4 other kids were on the ground. "Yo, what are you doing, ese? That's Spooky's little bro, dawg." The cholo immediately let go of Ruby's neck and Chanel let out an "oof" when he came down because he ran into her.

"I didn't realize it was you, homie. Hey, listen. Tell Spooky Sad Eyes sends respects, alright." The cholo, Sad Eyes, said. Cesar nodded, but Chanel was trying to get Ruby to stop choking.

Seconds later, a gunshot went off and screams from inside the party were heard. Everyone, except Cesar, ducked and the entire group ran away, trying to get to Ruby's house as fast as possible since his place was the closest. Most kidd memerize nursery rhymes, but Freeridge kids? They remembered the sound out gunshots.

"That was a .38."

"No, it was a .45."

Chanel shook her head and continued running down the street with her best friends. "Both of you are wrong." Chanel sang.

Another gunshot echoed down the block, making the group duck as they ran. ".357!" They laughed. Strangely enough, moments like these made them happy. Maybe it was the exhilaration or adrenaline, but all they knew is that they had each other.

Ruby's house wasn't too far. In fact, it was only about 2 streets down from where the party was. "I call the bathroom!" Chanel shouted, bursting into the house and closing the bathroom door before anyone else could go in.

"Damnit."

Chanel did her business and looked at her self in the mirror.  It was something she was guilty of where she picked out her flaws and put herself down for it, but lately her mom has been getting her confidence up.  Instead of complaining about how she had braces, she embraced the fact that she was blessed with clear skin.  Instead of putting herself down for her skin being "too dark" she though about how her skin helped her ancestors during summers and how her family was proud of their culture.

Chanel sent herself one last smile and skipped out if the bathroom.  Everyone was on the couch looking at Mario cry, so she sat down with them.  "Is Mario high again?"  Chanel asked Cesar since she walked in on him yelling at the group about playing a game.

"Yes he's high.  On life, memories, and some seriously good indo."  Mario responded to her.  Chanel put her hands up in defense, not expecting him to hear her.  "What I was saying was: work hard, put your heart out there.  Even if it's broken by some bitch that you've known since Mr. Estrada's 7th grade social studies."  Mario looked up, taking a breath to calm himself down.  I thought being high made you happy? "Anyways, as I was saying, and you may want to write his down, don't go into high school without backup.  You guys need to stick together to survive."  Mario emphasized, earning strange looks from Chanel alone.  Out of nowhere, Mario cheered and the whole squad flinched at his sudden outburst.  "I'm going to college mofos!  Now kiss my class ring."

Chanel shook her head frantically and watched hesitantly stand to kiss Mario's hand.  Mario walked out, and the gang didn't waste any time before talking amongst themselves.  "I think your brother's a crackhead, did you see him?  Could not be me."  Chanel whispered, her words flying out even though no one heard what each other was saying.

Mario walker back into the room all authoritative and said, "Oh and one last thing.  Don't bone Chanel or Monse."  Without another word, he left the room again and after a few seconds of processing, the squad busted out laughing and Chanel fell off the couch to start rolling on the floor.

"Why would anyone want to do that?"

Back on my bullshit.  what's good hoes???  Im HYPE bc our manz Jamal is always getting love but no one ever puts him in a story with love so I said "aight boom" and gave birth to this bitch