Sunday
April 7
I pull up to Oscar's house. The Santos were all posted up. Oscar is sitting on a chair outside his door, smoking a cigarette. I walk up the walkway, feeling everyone's stares on me.
"You've got no business here, leave" Oscar says blowing out smoke. "We need to talk" I say feeling my heart beat faster. "So talk" he says leaning forward resting his forearms on his legs. I look around to the Santos, run my fingers through my hair, "Fine" I say looking up at the sky taking a deep breath, "Friday night didn't go down the way you think," I begin to explain. Oscar stares at me, putting the cigarette to his mouth. "I took a molly and I guess it's been so long, it hit me hard," I place my hand on my forehead. "I don't remember anything that happened that night Oscar, not the pool, not the guy". The Santos began to "ooo", "puta" I hear Leti say behind me.
I stare at Oscar and take a shaky breath, "Oscar you know me, you know I love you and I wouldn't do anything to disrespect you. I swear I didn't know what was going on" I say as a tear falls from my eye. "La actriz!" Leti yells sitting down, all the Santos laugh.
Oscar stands up, flicking the cigarette. Everyone gets quiet. "You done talking" he says furrowing his brows. I look at him as another tear falls from my eye. He grabs his Movado watch and throws it at me, "Leave. You're not welcomed on these streets anymore" he says sternly. "If they catch you here, they're fucking you up on sight" he heads inside his house. "Oscar..." I say stepping towards the steps. 2 Santos block me. I sigh and nod. I turn around and begin heading to my car. "Don't Worry Puta," Leti says, "I'll take care of him" she chuckles. The Santos all laugh.
(Leti)
I put my fingers through the watch band, holding it at my knuckles. I turn around and stand infront of Leti. She smiles, "do something pendeja" she taunts. I swing with my right hand hitting her in her jaw. She spits out blood. "Bitch" she says before she charges at me pushing me to the ground getting on top of me swinging.
I roll us over. I sit ontop of her, grab her head by her hair and punch her with my right hand. "I'm tired of your slick comments" I yell punching her multiple times. Trigger pulls me off of her. I held onto her hair and kick. "Let her go V!" he says and he forcefully opens my hand to release.
"Don't let her go" Oscar orders. He walks towards me as Trigger grabs me by my arms. "You should've left" he whispers glaring down at me. "Leti, handle this" he says in a serious tone. He looks at Trigger, "don't let her go". Leti breathes heavily putting her hair in a bun.
Oscar stares at me, grabs the watch from my hand, and walks away. "You're not going to watch pendejo" I say angrily. "You're not worth my time" he says tossing the watch to Leti. He nods at her and walks away. "I'm sorry V" Trigger whispers as he grips my arms tightly.
Leti approaches me with her set up. She smiles, "preparate" she says. I tense up as Leti delivers her first blow to my jaw. She throws a second punch to the opposite side near my eye. Some of the Santos cheer her on, as she jabs my in the gut, then back at my jaw. She delivers multiple punches to my face alternating between a left and right hook.
Mando runs up and pushes Leti to the floor. "Wtf Mando?!" Leti says about to get up. Mando points a gun at her, "that's enough!" he yells. "Ey Spooky gave the order homes" Joker says telling Mando to relax. "And I gave the order to stop!" he bellows. Trigger sits me on the lawn. Mando yells, "go do your fucking rounds!". The Santos slowly disperse.
Mando kneels infront of me lifts up my face. I have a bruise on the left side of my lower lip. A cut near my right eyebrow with blood dripping down my bruised cheeks. I pull my face away, spit some blood out of my mouth and try to get up. He places a hand on my shoulder, "sientate V" he says in a soft voice. I push his hand away, "Don't. You don't cottle anyone else. Don't do it for me" I say in a loud whisper. "You're not a Santos V," he grabs my hands and pulls me up. He takes his bandana and wipes the blood from my face, "you don't deserve this".
45 minutes later
Mando pulls up to Leah's house driving my car. He helps me get out the passenger side. Leah runs to me touching my face. I wince in pain, gently push her away from me and walk inside. Mando grabs my phone and wallet from my car, turns around coming face to face with Leah. "What happened?!" she snaps. "Look lets clean her up and then we can talk" Mando says moving pass her.
I'm in the bathroom, washing the blood from my face. I pat my face dry. "Fuck que dolor" I think to myself. I take off my shirt and change into the one Leah had left me. I look in the medicine cabinet and see Leah's bottle of 250mg of Naproxen. I take a pill, open the faucet, cupping the water in my hands and drink it. I look at myself in the mirror.
*flash back* "you're not worth my time" Oscar walks away.
A tear falls from my eye. I pop another pill, drinking from the faucet.
*flash back* Cuchillos holds my face "do your job or I'll kill you".
I pop another pill.
*flash back* "Ay Spooky" Leti moans, "no pares".
Tears run down my cheeks and I take 2 more pills.
*flash back* "Johnny B smacks me and grabs my face, "he's a Santos! You will never come before that. Even if he comes back, I'll find you".
I take the last 3 pills, drink some more water and look at myself in the mirror. "Fuck it" I say walking to Leah's bed. I lay down, close my eyes and dose off.
Leahs POV
"Look! you see!" I say showing Mando V's hospital discharge papers from the day before. "She had traces of Ecstacy in her system, high amounts". Mando looks over the paperwork. "She was unconscious by the time the ambulance came and was severely dehydrated" I explained. "Then you guys go and beat her up!" I yell waving my arms in the air.
Mando looks up at me, "I wasn't there Leah! I stopped the fight as soon as I saw it happening" Mando argues scratching his head. "I'ma go talk to her" he says. I place my hand on his chest. "Just go Mando! You guys have caused us enough damage," I grab my phone and order a Lyft. "She'll reach out if she wants to talk to you" I say calmly looking at his big brown eyes.
Mando looks at me with soft eyes, grabs my hand, "what about you?" he says hurt. I swallow hard, pull my hand away, "Goodbye Mando" I whisper sadly.
Mando nods then walks towards the door. He looks back, opens his mouth to say something, but sighs and just walks out. I close the door behind him, resting my head against it, taking a deep breath.
I head to my room to check on V. I see her laying down face up on my bed. "Atleast she's getting some rest" I think, as I walk to the bathroom to grab V's bloody shirt that's on the counter. I notice the medicine cabinet door is open. I quickly scan my pills and look over at V closing the cabinet door. "V?" I call out walking towards her.
I see a prescription bottle cupped in her left hand. I gasp and grab it. It's empty. "Oh fuck!" I say grabbing my phone, dialing 9-1-1. I run outside to get Mando but the Lyft already picked him up. I run back in.
"Yes yes, I think my friend OD on my prescription pills! I'm at uh 732 Rose St., hurry please!". "The ambulance is on the way ma'am, what's your name?" the dispatcher asks. "L-Leah. My name is Leah" I says putting the phone on speaker placing it on the night stand. I sit on the edge of the bed and cradle V in my arms, her head resting against my chest.
"Ok Leah can you tell me if you can feel their pulse?" I grab her hand, placing a thumb on her wrist. "I-I-I don't know... a little bit" I stutter. "Is your friend breathing?" I look down at V and place my finger under her nose. My heart sinks to my stomach, the tears roll down my cheeks as I sob. "She's not breathing! she's not breathing! Please just hurry!" I yell holding V closer, rocking us back and forth.
"They're almost there Leah, just stay with me, one more question it's important. What kind of pills did she take?" "Naproxen 250 mg, I take them for my period cramps" "Do you know how many she took?" "I had like half a bottle left, like 10 maybe" There's a banging at the front door. "I think they're here!" I yell, laying V down, running to open it.
The EMTS come in with medical bags and a stretcher. "She's here!" I say running down the hall to my room. The EMT'S begin to check V's vitals. "Is she alive?!" I asks hugging myself. One of the EMTS approach me, "yes, but she's very weak, what happened to her face?" he asks. "She was in a fight earlier today and I guess she took my pills to numb the pain" I explained.
"We're ready to go!" one of the EMTS said. "Can I come?!" I ask. The EMT nods his head. I grab our wallets and phones. Lock my house and hop in the ambulance.
Later at the Hospital
Leah's POV
The doctor steps out of the room. I look at V, holding her hand and stroking her hair. "It just hurt so bad babe, I wanted to make the pain go away" she whispered weakly. "I know honey but you know pills take time to work" I gently caress her bruised up face. She rolls to her side, facing away from me. "Not my face Leah, my heart" She explains sobbing. I sit on the bed, lean down and hug her until she fell asleep.
I kissed the top of her head and step outside the hospital room to call Mando. "Leah, I didn't think I'd hear from you again" Mando says relieved. "You won't after this call, is Spooky there?!" Mando sighs and hands the phone to Oscar, "what?" he says annoyed. I feel my face flushed with anger, "I just want you to know, that you're a real piece of shit for hurting V the way you did," I pause, "she tried killing herself Oscar" a tear sheds from my eye. "You and the Santos just stay the hell away from us, or I swear Oscar I'll kill you myself!" I threaten hanging up. I place the phone to my chest, slide down the wall until I'm sitting on the floor and begin to cry.
***A bit intense. I'm sorry if the fighting scene seems off, I've never actually been in a fight so I tried making it as real as possible. Hope you guys are enjoying it.***