[to build a home - the cinematic orchestra]
______
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE I DON'T FEEL ALONE.
PRESENT DAY
[NOVEMBER 2018]
📍 California
As soon as I stepped outside of the warehouse I wish I didn't.
Bodies were everywhere. They were covered in blood and the pavement I walked on was stained with it. Some bodies had fallen on top of each other in battle. Some still had their eyes open and it felt like they were staring into my soul. I bent down and closed their eyes for them.
All of Cain's men were dead and a few of my father's men had perished. I didn't see any Santos on the ground lifeless and a weight lifted off of my shoulders.
Large groups of men surrounded the warehouse - some on watch and some just talking. However, the biggest group was located in the parking lot in front of the building. I saw the familiar man with a small beard in a suit and I stilled.
I felt Oscar's hand entwine in mine as he took place next to me. I looked up at him and he gave me a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I got you, hermosa."
I took a big breath and nodded before we continued towards the crowd. One of the Santos noticed us approaching and said something to my father, who swiftly turned around. A smile appareared on his face as he walked to me and held out his arms.
Once we got close enough Oscar let go of my hand and my dad engulfed me in a hug. I stood limply in his arms. I didn't want to hug this pathetic excuse of a man.
He noticed my lack of enthusiasm and pulled back, keeping his hands on my arms as he looked at me. "You can't hug your old man who you havent seen in months?"
"One month," I corrected. "And I don't hug deplorable men."
His jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed at me. "What are you talking about, Violetta?"
"Cain told me what you did to his brother - your partner, your friend," I told him and he dropped his hands from my arms. "I know what you did. I remember."
"He was lying, Violetta," he insisted.
I shook my head. "I don't think he was," I said, honestly. I turned to Oscar. "I want to go home."
He nodded. "Okay."
There were trucks everywhere, which made sense considering there were hundreds of Santos and my father's men around. They needed to all get here somehow.
"Ride with me," my father said, grabbing my hand as I tried to walk past him.
I yanked my hand from his grasp and shook my head. "No, thanks. See you at, Oscar's."
I turned around and walked past all the SUVs straight to the red impala I knew belonged to Oscar. I got in and watched my father talk to him from across the parking lot. After a few minutes Oscar came to the car and everyone else began piling into the SUVs. Most of the men stayed behind to what I was guessing clean up everything.
Turns out I was right about still being in California. I was in some desert town at the ends of Modesto. It was a five hour drive back to Freeridge and we spent most of it in silence. We were halfway there when Oscar decided to speak.
"What did Cain say about your dad?" he questioned.
I kept my eyes trained outside of the window as I answered, "He killed his brother. Someone who was basically my dad's brother, too."
"The one you saw when you were little?" he glanced at me from the road.
I connected eyes with him and reluctantly nodded. I sighed, resting my head on the window. "Everything I knew about my dad was a lie. Everything I thought he stood for."
"Maybe Cain didn't tell you the whole story."
"You didn't see his face when he told me, O," I said, lifting my head from the window and looking at him. "He was so pained. Like it physically hurt him to talk about it."
I rested my head on the headrest, looking out at the line of SUVs driving in front of us. "And why lie to a girl you think is about to die?"
Oscar didn't have an answer, so we sat for the last half of the trip in silence. The only time we talked is when Oscar and I stopped to get food when I realized I hadn't eaten in two days and I was certain my stomach was eating itself.
The sun had set by then and after I ate I had fallen asleep. However, I was woken up by loud sirens.
I opened my eyes and looked out the window to see two ambulances zip by. I noticed we were in Freeridge and shrugged it off considering it was nothing new here.
A few minutes later, we pulled into Oscar's driveway as the rest of the cars pulled in the front, taking up parking on almost the entire block.
I climbed out and walked inside, not even bothering to wait for Oscar. As soon as I stepped in I stopped, taking in the interior of the small house that I missed so much. The appreciation was cute short by my name being yelled.
"Violetta!" my mother exclaimed, happily as she wrapped her arms around me.
I reacted the same way I did with my father. I stood limply in her embrace and she reacted the same way as him. They really were the same people.
"You're not happy to see me?" she asked.
"Not the word I'd use, no."
Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion and Sad Eyes came from behind her.
"Nice to have you back, Santuario," he smiled, engulfing me in a hug. I laughed, hugging him back.
"Her name is Violetta," my mother butted in.
I pulled back and turned to her, annoyed. "Who are you to tell me what my name is?"
"To think you were getting better with your attitude," my father commented, walking inside the house next to Oscar.
"To think I thought you were loyal," I shot back.
He shook his head. "Not this again," he laughed dryly. He turned and walked back outside but I ran after him.
"You know, I thought I was the one who ran from my problems and the truth," I called after him, stopping in the middle of the lawn. "Looks like we have something in common."
"I'm tired of listening to your mouth!" he shouted, turning to face me. He began closing the space between us. "Get your stuff. We're going home."
♪♪
My face instantly fell as I whispered, "What?"
"Pack your stuff. We're going back to Cuba," he said. "Cain is dead, so it's safe for you to come back home." He turned back around and headed to one of the trucks.
I had forgotten the real reason I was here. I was sent to Oscar's so I could have protection while they went on a hunt for Cain, but now that he was dead there was no reason for me to be here anymore. This realization hit me harder than I could have imagined.
I was left breathless as I looked around.
I scanned up and down the block that I had gotten so used to. The block I knew like the back of my hand now. I knew who lived in every house. I knew which spots in the sidewalk were uneven. I knew which alleyways to take when I was trying to avoid Jasmine.
I thought of the kids. Ruby, Monse, Jamal, Cesar and even Olivia. I thought of how they were little geniuses and how funny they were when they got together. I thought of Cat. The girl I was introduced to as Sangria, but how everyone called her Catalina now. I thought of their smiles and their laughs and their unique quirks.
Like how Jamal couldn't keep secrets and never let his faith dim in something he believed in.
How Olivia was just a girl who lost her parents and was sent to live with strangers - like I was sent to do.
How Ruby was always so practical unless it came to her - then all his sense flew out the window.
How Monse would fight for her friends and valued nothing more than them.
How Cesar always looked at the brighter side and didn't let being part of a gang make him give up on his dreams.
And how Cat was just some crazy bitch who showed up at the Santos house every week yelling, but then she turned out to be this strong, beautiful woman and now the whole neighborhood knew it.
I looked around to see the Santos staring at me, sadly. And I realized I loved them, too. Even if all they did was sit around and smoke and drink all day.
These people were my family.
My mind went back to the letter from Marisa. She said I deserved to have a family that loved me unconditionally. She hoped I found them in whatever way, shape or form and I had found them.
My family came in the form of a group of bright kids trying to make it out of their low income neighborhood, a girl who had recently found her voice and her worth, a gang and their handsome leader.
And I couldn't leave them or this town behind.
I looked back at the house and saw my mother and Oscar standing on the porch, a few Santos members behind them. Oscar's eyes were glossed over, but he managed a small smile as he nodded at me.
He was telling me I could go. That it was okay if I left him here.
I felt warm streaks slide down my cheeks and realized I was crying. I shook my head at him before turning back to my father.
"I'm staying here," I said, standing tall.
My father slowly turned around, glaring at me. "Violetta Acosta. Get. Your. Stuff. Now," he bit out through clenched teeth. "We're going home."
"This is my home."
I heard my mother laugh and I quickly turned around. She walked down the stairs and stopped in front of me. "This is your home?" she asked, amused as she gestured around. "Before you came here you were complaining. What did you call this place that you claim is your home?" She pretended to think before putting a finger in the air. "I remember. You said, word for word, 'a gang infested, low class, inner Los Angeles city'."
"I know better now," I replied, ashamed of what I once thought about the people I now consider family. "I'm safe here. Oscar, he'll protect me."
"Like he protected you two days ago when you got kidnapped?" my father piped up, joining my mother's side.
I made eye contact with Oscar, who looked even more ashamed than me. I shook my head. "That wasn't his fault-"
"You don't have to stick up for me," Oscar interjected, walking down the stairs. He strolled over to me, looking me in the eyes. "I didn't do my job and you got hurt because of it. Your father is right."
"No, I'm right," I insisted, turning to my father. "You don't get to talk about Oscar like that. Don't think I didn't notice you aren't covered in an inch of blood. You had your people save me, your daughter, while you just stood back and waited. Oscar's more of a man than you'll ever be."
"Oh, just admit you want to stay here so you can keep fucking him," my mother spat. My head snapped in her direction as I looked at her, disgusted. "Yeah, your father and I know what you've been doing here. Just like we know about what really happened with you and Marisa."
That was the breaking point for me. I couldn't even be surprised that they knew what really happened between us, I was too angry. My hand went for the gun that was sitting in Oscar's waistband. I pulled it out and aimed it at my mother's head. I heard gasps from all around and some of my father's men started to move in, but he held up his hand for them to stop.
"Keep her name out of your fucking mouth!" I ordered. "You don't even deserve to have her name on your tongue."
My mother stared at me, nodding knowingly. "I figured that would get you."
"This entire time you knew and you didn't say anything to me?" I asked, my voice breaking. "You didn't check up on me or ask me how I was feeling. You just sat at that stupid kitchen table applying your lipstick and reading that stupid newspaper!"
"Violetta, baby. Put the gun down," Oscar tried to reason with me.
"You didn't want us to know. That's why you didn't tell us, so we kept it that way," my father said.
I shook my head. "You know what, you guys aren't my family," I whispered, tears falling from my cheeks. "I've gotten more love and understanding and support from the people in this town than I've gotten from you guys my entire life."
"I think you're being dramatic, doll," my father laughed.
"Like always," my mother added.
"You wanna know what I think?" I asked, not waiting for an answer. I connected eyes with my dad, "I think you're the devil," I looked at my mom, "And I think you're the serpent."
"De qué hablas?" my mom questioned, rolling her eyes.
"I know what you did. Cain told me," I said.
She scoffed. "You're going to listen to him?"
It sounded crazy. I was listening to a guy who was about to kill me. But even after everything, somehow, I felt like my parents were worse than him. Like they were the real bad guys of my story.
Cain was just trying to avenge his brother's death, and I understood that. There was no excuse for what he did to Cat, but I got what he was trying to do in the warehouse.
He wanted justice.
And sometimes to get it, you have to do wicked things.
But what my parents did to his brother - that wasn't in anyway justice. It was greed and it was evil.
♪♪
"Por qué no dices a todos aquí quién eres realmente?" I began, wiping the tears from my eyes and cheeks with my free hand. They just stared at me. "No? Okay," I nodded, shrugging. I put the gun down and walked away, facing the surrounding crowd of gang members and henchmen. "I'm going to say this in English so everyone understands me!" I yell.
"Violetta, think about what you're getting ready to say," Oscar said, pulling me back by my arm.
I yanked my arm out of his grip and continued, "I know you all look up to them. They're your bosses and you hold them on a pedestal. But my parents are liars!" I yelled. I kept yelling as I circled around the crowd, making sure I locked eyes with everyone. "My father killed a man he once considered his brother because they didn't agree on something. And my mother gave him the idea and pushed him to do it!" They all looked around, surprised. "My father gives you these rules. He says you're family and he says you must be loyal to each other, but he doesn't even listen to his own teachings! They're both disgraces."
"Violetta, cállate la puta boca!" my father ordered, but I didn't listen.
"I watched him do it. I watched him kill him! I watched as he left him on the ground, laying in his own pool of blood. And he didn't bat an eye!" I screamed. "How does it feel knowing that if any of you had any sort of disagreement he wouldn't hesitate shooting you in the head? Is that the kind of leader you want?"
I looked around at their angry expressions. They whispered among each other or stood in silence, thinking and pondering and wondering.
I turned back to my parents who were glaring at me. "My entire life I've been quiet. I've shut up when you asked me to. I spent months at a time alone in that mansion, crying and wondering why my parents didn't love me or didn't want to spend time with me," I began to cry again. "One time, when I was eleven, eleven," I emphasized, angrily. "I prayed to a God I didn't even think was real. It was the only time I had ever prayed in my life and do you wanna know what I prayed for?" I asked, but they didn't answer. They just kept glaring. "I prayed that one day I could come home to something other than silence. Something other than nannies, and butlers and maids. I prayed to come home to a family."
"And ten years later, my prayers were answered," I smiled, glancing at Oscar who was beaming at me. "I'm done jumping when you tell me to jump. I'm finally free of that gate and those never-ending walls and marble floors. I'm free from you two."
I had never felt more free in my life than I did at that moment. I hadn't realized it then, but the day I arrived in Los Angeles and saw Oscar leaning against his red impala (that I had grown to love - even if it didn't have air conditioning) on the airport tarmac was the first day of the rest of my life. It was the beginning of my new life.
Upon being here, I learned that even with the gunshots and never-ending sirens, I was more at peace here than in my silent mansion.
My mother laughed. "Do you realize who you're telling this story to? People who have had it way worse in life. They don't see you or little you on your knees praying to God, they see a spoiled rich girl complaining about a life they would love to have had."
I shook my head, looking around at everyone. "No, I think they see me."
"Boo hoo, you lived a bad life in a mansion with butlers and maids and chefs on hand. That's so sad, Violetta," my dad fake pouted.
"Do you even hear yourselves right now?" I snapped, appalled. "You guys are fucking sociopaths."
"You think your little sob story is going to change anyone's minds about us?" my mom asked.
"Maybe not," I shrugged. "But it's my truth and it deserves to be told."
"The truth is you're a spoiled, selfish, ungrateful bitch!" my mom spat.
"What should I be grateful for?" I asked. "A roof and food on the table? It takes more to be a parent. Where was the time, and love and attention and understanding? Putting a roof over my head and food on the table isn't enough. It's the bare minimum - especially for people as rich as you two."
"And millions of dollars at the tip of your fingers still isn't enough?" my mother asked, crossing her arms.
I stared at her, completely revolted. I put my hands up, the gun still in my grip. "That's what you're worried about? The money? Take it! Take my credit cards and take the cash from my wallet. Empty all the money in my bank account! If you're so pressed about that you can have it all back. I don't want it if it's from you."
"Violetta Acosta with no money? This is going to be a sight to see," my dad joked.
"You won't get to see it," I said, dropping my arms back to my side. "I don't want to see either of you again. Take your money and go."
"Oh, I'll take it," my father said, "Along with the Santos' monthly allowance."
My mouth parted, instantly regretting what I said. I didn't even think it through. I just fucked up where Oscar and the guys got most of their funding. I fucked everything up - like I always do.
"You can keep that shit," Sad Eyes spoke up from his place at the top of the stairs. Everyone's attention turned to him. "We don't need it or you. We just need Violetta."
I smiled and mouthed 'thank you' to him. He nodded at me, smiling back.
"What he said," Oscar said, stepping beside me. "All I need is mi Santuario. We'll manage without you."
All the Santos began to silently step out from their positions and walk over, standing beside and behind me. The fact all of the Santos would willingly give up the money they got from my dad for me almost brought me to tears. I could feel my heart swell with love and I was so grateful for all of them.
"If you guys say so," my mother shrugged, pointing at Oscar, "It's the end of your gang."
"I don't think so," Oscar shrugged, "I think it's just the beginning."
He entwined his hand with mine and I smiled at him, happily. The blood he was covered in was now dry and was giving off a bitter smell, but I didn't mind.
"See you in a month when you come begging for us to take you back," my father said, turning to leave. "Raquel, let's go."
His second in command stood in his spot, tall and stern. "No, sir. I don't think I can."
"What the fuck did you just say?" my father gritted out.
"I said I don't take orders from you anymore," he shot back, looking him in the eye. He looked to my mom behind him. "Or you."
"So who do you take orders from, then?" my father asked, angrily.
Raquel looked at me. "Violetta."
My eyebrows crinkled together in confusion as he walked into the middle of the lawn where I previously stood, turning to face his people that filled the streets and yard. "I refuse to take orders from the dishonest and disloyal. A true leader is supposed to lead with compassion and smarts. They have heart, they care and have morals that they actually uphold. Neither of them have any of those qualities, but Violetta does."
"She has integrity. She has the capability of growing as a person. She has passion and she is honest. She's shown these things to us tonight. She has inspired me," he said, connecting eyes with me. "And that is what I want in a leader. And you should, too. I'm loyal to Violetta Acosta. Who are you all loyal to? Those disgraceful human beings standing over there? I'm not, not anymore."
He walked up to stand right in front of me. He looked me in the eyes before kneeling. One by one, my father's henchmen dropped to their knees. I didn't even know what to say. It was happening so fast and before I knew it the streets and lawn were filled with men and women bowing to me.
"You all are fools!" my mother spat, "How is she going to help any of you? She has no money to fund your gangs. She hasn't led anyone a day in her life."
One of the men on the lawn stood up and I recognized him. He was always at our house in Cuba. He was somewhat of a bookkeeper and accountant, but the dirty kind. He could hack into bank accounts and would made fraud tax paperwork. He pulled out his phone and began clicking.
"Alejandro, qué haces?" my father questioned, quickly becoming concerned.
With a few more clicks he shoved the phone back in his pocket. "Money isn't a problem anymore," he said, "Violetta, you should check the balance of your account. Victor and Aurora, no need to check yours - you have zero dollars."
"You fucking bastard," my father yelled, lunging for him. More men shot up and grabbed him, holding him back.
"Transfer the money back right now, Alejandro!" my mother ordered.
"Sorry, I don't take orders from you. Not anymore."
"Give them ten million," I ordered. "It's enough to live off for the rest of their lives. They just have to sell the mansion and move into a smaller house."
"You bitch!" my mother yelled, charging towards me. A female that was kneeling stood up and knocked her out. The men had my father in a chokehold and he soon passed out from lack of air.
"Violetta! Violetta!" I hear a female voice yell.
I looked up to see Cat running through the kneeling crowd. A few quickly stood up and held her back.
"No! Let her pass!" I ordered.
They let go and she continued to run towards me, engulfing me in a hug. "I'm so sorry!" she cried into my shoulder. "I didn't know!"
"I don't blame you, Cat. It's okay," I reassured her, pulling back.
She nodded, wiping away her tears. She began looking around, confused at the scene before her. "You know what, I'll ask about it later. We have to go to the hospital!"
"What? Why?"
"Latrelle pulled up to Olivia's quince," she informed me, her voice breaking. "He shot Ruby and Olivia."
All of a sudden the high I was on diminished and I was at an all time low. My world stopped spinning and I could only concentrate on Cat.
"Latrelle is dead. What the fuck do you mean he shot Olivia and Ruby?" Oscar butted in, not wanting to believe his ears.
Cat shook her head. "He isn't. Cesar let him go and he came back."
"I give that kid one fucking thing to do and he can't even go through with it!" Oscar yelled, furiously. He closed his eyes and stroked his forehead, clearly stressed.
A weight had lifted off my shoulders knowing Cesar didn't actually kill anyone. I had been so caught up in everything I forgot about the task he was given that had me so heated at Oscar in the first place.
I knew he was mad Cesar didnt follow his orders, but fuck his orders. Cesar had no blood on his hands and that was amazing news.
That is if Ruby and Olivia made it.
"What hospital are they going to?" I asked, snapping back to reality.
"The one by the school."
"We're going there now, meet you?"
She nodded and took off back towards Ruby's house to what I'm guessing was go get her car. I was about to run to Oscar's impala before noticing the giant crowd that was still staring at me. I looked around and down at my knocked out parents laying on the grass.
"I'll take care of everything, Violetta," Raquel said, promisingly. "Go to your friends."
I ran and engulfed him in a hug, pressing a quick peck to his cheek before whispering, "Thank you."
I ran to Oscar's car and he followed behind me, hopping into the drivers side. He started it up and everyone quickly got out of the street as we started towards the hospital. It was silent and I could feel the anger radiating off of Oscar.
"I get why you're upset, Oscar. But please try to see it from Cesar's point of view," I reasoned.
"He lied to me, Violetta. He lied to me, he lied to the gang-" I cut him off.
"He's a kid, O! You can't blame him for not being able to kill someone."
"I gave him direct orders!" he spat, angrily pointing forward.
"You're his brother! Not a fucking drill sergeant!" I yelled, turning to him. He didn't answer and just clenched his jaw. I sighed and leaned back again, looking out at the empty road. "I don't want to argue with you. I just want to know if Ruby and Olivia will be okay."
A minute of silence passed before I spoke again.
"Cesar couldn't kill Latrelle just like I couldn't kill Cain," I began. "And you took the gun out of my hands and did it for me. Why couldn't you do that for Cesar?"
I looked at him for an answer, but he remained silent.
"My point exactly. Now stop picking favorites and be there for your brother when you see him."
"Violetta?" he asked, quietly.
"Hmm?" I hummed, closing my eyes. I was so damn tired.
"Who's Marisa?"
My eyes shot open and my head snapped his way. "Qué?"
"Who's Marisa?" he repeated, taking his eyes off the road and finally looking at me. "On the phone back at the warehouse when," he gulped, struggling to say the words, "when you told me you had accepted dying, you said it was okay because you could be with Marisa now. And when your mom just said her name you pulled a gun on her. Who is she?"
It's not that I didn't want to tell him. I wanted to tell him everything, but just not now. Too much was already going on.
"A story for another day," I answered, softly as I looked straight ahead again. I felt him take his eyes off me and put them back on the road.
I could see him nod his head out of the corner of my eye. "Okay, mi alma."
A single tear fell from my eye at the nickname she used to call me.
And then more began to fall as the streetlights blurred by and we got closer to the hospital. As I realized what was waiting for me back home. What I had gotten myself into.
Thousands of people were looking at me as their leader now - to make the hard decisions, to make their gangs great and to give them hope.
This new responsibility instantly began to weigh heavily on my head as my heart was breaking for the two kids unconscious in the operation room. And suddenly I wanted to stay at the hospital forever instead of going home to my new responsibilities.
I was supposed to make decisions in their best interest.
I was supposed to help their gangs I knew nothing about.
I was supposed to give them hope.
But how was I supposed to do that when I barely had any hope left?
I glanced at Oscar who was concentrating on the road and I became even more scared because I knew not even he could get me out of this.
I'll figure out how to be a good leader, I told myself.
I had no other choice.
∭
Translations:
• De qué hablas? → What are you talking about?
• Por qué no dices a todos aquí quién eres realmente? → Why don't you tell them who you really are?
• cállate la puta boca! → shut your fucking mouth!
• Alejandro, qué haces? → Alejandro, what are you doing?
• Qué? → What?
________
↓ violetta at her parents this entire chapter ↓
↓ violetta when them two ambulances passed by & she didnt know who was in them ↓
aurora: mari-
violetta:
violetta: im mentally scarred from my childhood & its because you guys never really cared about me!
victor and aurora:
↓raquel & the rest of the gang taking away victor and aurora's leadership roles↓
↓violetta when raquel was signing her up for shit she aint ask for ↓
↓ that kneeling scene went a lil somethin' like.... ↓
[violetta the new daenerys targaryen up in this bitch!]
sad eyes: we just need violetta, take ya damn money!
↓ fernando transfering the millions of dollars from victor's and aurora's accounts to violetta's account ↓
↓ cat looking around at everyone kneeling like... ↓
i cant believe we've reached the end omg
i just want to thank you guys for all the love and support you have given me & this book. the reads, comments and votes are more than i ever expected when i posted the first chapter of this book tbh and to know you guys continued reading after the mess that was the first chapter i cant thank you enough (the shit was so damn dramatic & extra lmaoo)
you all have made this book reach so many different rankings
and those are just the few that i screenshotted, i didnt even scroll down the entire list! so seriously thank you all! your support and comments and votes pushed me to finish this book, so the reason we're here right now is because of you guys (and me staying up until five in the morning to finish chapters but thats beside the point)
now, i know what you guys wanna know, i can see the comments now:
"ArE YoU WrItInG A NeW OsCaR FiC?"
and the answer is yes i did. swipe to the next chapter to read!
onto the questions!
1. what do you guys think will happen to violetta's parents?
2. how do you think violetta will be as a leader - do you think she'll handle it well and be a good one or completely suck?
3. what do you guys think about violetta's character development and her changing opinion towards freeridge and the people who live there?
4. what do you think oscar's reaction will be when she finally tells him about marisa?
5. and lastly, what do you think will happen to ruby and olivia?
once again, thank you for all the love!❣️
i can't wait to see what happens in omb and continue violetta's story. see you all in season two!