New on the block

Black Spray Paint

"Finally, it feels like I've been waiting forever to get out." Monse says as she transfers into a wheelchair slowly. "Is this even necessary?" Monse asks. "Hospital policy. I know if it was up to you, you'd be dancing out of this room." The nurse laugh. "We have everything set up at the house, your clothes, all your medical supplies, and of course a couple thousand books so you don't get bored." Cesar says as they make their way to Oscar's car. "All you have to do is rest." Cesar smiles. "And not get shot again." Monse jokes. "What, too soon?" She asks when no one laughs. "Just a little, try again when you're fully recovered and not just leaving the hospital." Cesar says. "Ok bye, I better not see you back here anytime soon." The nurse laughs. Monse nods and gets in the front seat of Oscar's car since it'd be too hard for her to climb in the back. "Fucking Freeridge, they can't fix these damn potholes." Oscar mutters under his breath. Monse winces in pain but she acts like she's fine. "It's ok, it doesn't hurt that bad." Monse lies. "I've been shot before I know it doesn't take a couple days for it to feel better." Oscar says. Monse just nods as she tries not to show her pain. They get to the Diaz house and Oscar helps Monse out of the car while Cesar climbs out from behind the driver's seat. "Take it slow, you don't want to make it worse." Oscar says. "I can't move any slower than this." Monse laughs. "Cesar, come be a real man and carry your girlfriend." Oscar demands. Monse just rolls her eyes as Cesar picks her up out of the car. They go into the house and Cesar lays Monse on the couch. "We got some stuff to do but we'll be near by so if you need anything call me." Cesar says as he kisses Monse goodbye. "Please be careful." Monse pleads. "Don't worry about me Monse it's nothing serious." Cesar smiles. Cesar and Oscar walk outside and as soon as they drive off Monse calls Ruby and asks him to come over. A few minutes later Ruby, Jamal and Olivia walk in. "You two are so cute." Monse says when she notices Ruby and Olivia holding hands. "Thanks, how are you? First day out pretty exciting." Ruby says. "Good, happy to be out. I'm not happy that I can't do anything for another couple of weeks though." Monse groans. "Same this sling is the most annoying thing ever." Ruby rolls his eyes as he slumps down on a chair. "You guys are so brave, I wouldn't be anywhere near this house if I was the one who got shot." Olivia says dramatically. "Yeah but what am I supposed to do stay away from my boyfriend?" Monse asks. "That's not what I meant, it's just they're dangerous and you know I'm going to stop talking now... Jamal you haven't said the wrong thing in a while, anything you wanna add?" Olivia says in one quick breath. "Can I talk to Monse alone?" Jamal spits out. "Umm, ok we'll be in the kitchen." Ruby shrugs. Jamal watches them walk into the kitchen and then he sits on the floor by Monse. "I found it." Jamal says. "Don't joke with me like that Jamal." Monse says as she pushes herself up. "I'm serious, I found it when you got shot and I didn't want to say anything until you got out. Do you understand how hard it was to keep quiet about this for so long?" Jamal admits. "Did you count it?" Monse asks. "Yup, every morning and every night... and maybe five times every hour. It's two hundred thousand." Jamal says excitedly. "Are you sure?"
Monse gets more curious every time he opens his mouth. "Yup, unless I've been wrong every single time I count it." Jamal says. "Can we go back now?" Olivia asks. "One second." Monse shouts. "Now all we have to do is find out how we get Cesar out of here without being suspicious." Jamal says. "You're amazing." Monse smiles. "You did all this, none of them believed you and you're still thinking about them first." Monse wants to hug Jamal but she's in too much pain. "As soon as we come up with a plan he's getting as far away as he can. I'll miss him but he's going to have a whole future ahead of him." Suddenly it hits Monse that soon her boyfriend that she loves so much will be leaving her and maybe for good. "But what if we never see him again?" Monse asks but before Jamal can answer Olivia and Ruby walk back into the room. "Turns out their kitchen is not as interesting as we thought. So, what were you guys talking about?" Olivia asks. "Nothing." Jamal and Monse say quickly and in unison. "Oh now I really have to know!" Olivia keeps pushing. "Princesa, maybe we shouldn't bother Monse too much, she's been through a lot these last few days." Ruby tells Olivia. "I was just joking, the most gossip I've gotten was from Jasmine. She said she heard her cousin say Cesar was going in deeper with the Santos." Olivia blabs. "She always has some random chisme, I'm sure it's not true." Ruby tries to assure Monse. "Yeah, he would've told me, he's my best friend." Monse nods but she has a bad feeling about all of this. "Maybe I should call him just to see if he's ok." Monse picks up her phone and calls Cesar but after it rings once it goes to voicemail.

*Cesar and Oscar on Prophet territory*
Cesar's phone goes off and Oscar shoots him a look so Cesar shuts it off. "Sorry, it was Monse I told her to call if she needed me." Cesar whispers as he finishes tagging a Santos' cross on the side of a fence. "If it's really important she'll call Ruby, we can't go back yet." Oscar says. They turn the corner and they get to a huge mural. "When the truce was still on we promised not to go anywhere near it, but they shot your girlfriend, your best friend... show them not to mess with a Santo." Oscar says as he takes a step back. This was it, if Cesar tagged this mural the truce was officially over and the horrible shit from a few years ago would start again. He shakes a can of black spray paint and gets to work.