- for the refreshing feeling of traveling to a place you have yet been.

✰ ✰ ✰

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018
9:39 AM

I smiled as I read everyone's comments. Two weeks had passed since Tallula's house and things were getting back to normal. Well, not necessarily normal. In the last two weeks I had been doing so many photoshoots and even did a couple of cameos on some popular TV shows. Along with all of it came the followers. I had just reached over 400k on Insta this morning and it was still growing.

A part of that was owed to Tallula and Kalia who had over one hundred and fifty million followers combined and were always posting me when we were together. Nonetheless, I was getting more fans by the minute and everyone's curiosity of who I was and where I came from didn't seem to be fading anytime soon.

Chris told me that a lot of different magazines and entertainment websites wanted to interview me, but I told him I didn't want to do that just yet. I felt like I haven't earned it. It was just the beginning, there would be plenty of time to fill everyone in. I wanted to stay focused on smaller projects. Plus, Kalia said if I keep them waiting more people would follow me, hoping to get a closer look or get some questions answered on their own.

I was sitting in my dressing room, waiting to start my shoot for Aerie when my phone buzzed. I saw it was from Cam in our groupchat.

bad bitches only
iMessage
Saturday, September 29
9:42 AM

cam📷
i drew this
randomly last night.
if i make it who would want it?

tallula🛍
MEEEEEEEEEEE

kalia🎤
I DO

tallula🛍
you snooze, you lose

kalia🎤
shut the fuck up.
i will pay you
sixty thousand
dollars for that
dress cam

tallula🛍
i'll pay you
seventy

i'll pay you in my love
AND i'll buy the snacks
for our next movie night.

cam📷
Sold to one
Ramona Moore!

kalia🎤
BOO YOU
WHORE

tallula🛍
i'm sensing some
nepotism

no, i was just her
friend first so she
favors me more

cam📷
........

kalia🎤
sis.....

what?

tallula🛍
thats what nepotism
means, babe.

cam📷
I didn't wanna be
the one to tell her.

kalia🎤
the south central
public schooling
jumped tf out
right there

tallula🛍
LMAOOOOOOOO

CAM WENT TO THE
SAME EXACT SCHOOL
AS ME!

kalia🎤
that makes it worse
because now there's
no excuse

u know what?
i'm tired of u
rich bitches

tallula🛍
you've made
over 100k in the last
two weeks alone

cam📷
YOU GOT THAT
MUCH MONEY
AND YOU TRYNA
BUY MY DRESS
WITH SOME FUCKIN
CORNER STORE SNACKS?

HOW THE HELL
DO YOU EVEN
KNOW THAT?

tallula🛍
i was early to my
meeting with chris
yesterday and got bored
so i went through his desk.
that man makes BANK lemme
tell y'all.

kalia🎤
that shit is so illegal....
keep it up tallula.
as for u mona, stop
being cheap.

cam📷
The dress goes to the highest
bidder. Tallula, its yours.

tallula🛍
YESSSSSSSSSSS

kalia🎤
oh, this is some
bullshit

u know what?
the dress ain't even
look like all dat anyways

kalia🎤
what she said^

cam📷
and this right here
is why tallula is getting
the dress because
u bitches are disrespectful

tallula🛍
😘😘

I laughed, shaking my head at the girls. They were all so stupidly funny. There was a knock on my door that made me look up from my phone.

"Come in!" I called out.

The door opened and Caroline, one of the PAs, was standing there with her mic and clipboard. "Hello, Miss Moore. We're ready for you now."

I nodded, setting my phone down and standing up from my chair as I followed her to the set.

✰ ✰ ✰

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018
6:08 PM

Just as I walked inside the house my phone rang. I was beyond exhausted from being on set all day. Standing and posing for hours is way more tiring than one would think. I said a quick hello to Shay and Trevor who were sitting in the living room as I walked to my bedroom, taking out my phone. I clicked accept and brought the phone to my ear, sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Hey, Chris," I smiled.

"Hello, Mona!" he greeted, happily. "How are you?"

"Tired," I sighed. "I was at the Aerie photoshoot all day."

"Oh, yes. How did it go?" he asked.

"I think well," I shrugged. "They really liked the pictures. I can't wait to see them."

"Me as well, but listen, I have a question," he foretold. "Do you have a Twitter."

"No," I answered, predicting what he was going to ask me.

"Have you ever had a Twitter?" he asked.

I shook my head, even though he couldn't see me. "No. Just Instagram when I was in high school, but I deleted it the summer before my junior year. I didn't have any other social media inbetween that and the page I have now."

"Well, you're about to experience something new, then," he told me.

"Let me guess," I smirked. "You want me to make a Twitter?"

"You're correct!" he confirmed and I laughed. "Do you know how it works? Can you do it?"

"I know the basics, but I'll figure it out," I said.

"Great! Twitter and Instagram are both used to share your life, but Instagram is more memories while Twitter shares your thoughts - so it's essential to have both in this business. Twitter helps create a bond with your fans and with your following growing, you'll want that because if they don't feel a connection with you then they'll be gone as fast as you got them," he lectured.

"Okay, I'll make one tonight," I assured him.

"Perfect and make sure you constantly tweet!" he reminded me.

"I will. See you later."

"Have a nice evening, love," he said before the line went dead.

I immediately went to the app store and downloaded it. Once the download completed, I made my account and followed some people - including Tallula and Kalia. Cam didn't have a Twitter and neither did any of the fam.

Once I did all of my following for the moment I made my first tweet. I posted about my new account on my Instagram and within an hour thousands of followers had already rolled over.

I had been playing around on it, retweeting stuff and quoting stuff when I heard the front door open and slam.

"THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!" RaRa's voice echoed through the house and I quickly hopped off of my my bed and ran to the end of the hall.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Trevor asked, looking back at her from his spot on the couch.

"My first high school dance is tonight and I don't have anything to wear!" she shrieked, pacing back and forth in the living room. "Mona, do you have something I can wear?"

I nodded. "Yeah, come on. You can look through my closet," I ushered her to follow me and she ran past me into my room before I could even turn around. I walked in and saw her sifting through my clothes in high speed.

I laughed as I laid on my bed and watched her change into countless outfits. "Is it really that big of a deal?" I asked, aimlessly braiding a piece of my hair as I saw her twirl in my mirror.

"OF COURSE IT IS!" she yelled, scowling at me. "All the girls were in protest earlier today, but we just decided on going an hour ago and we're meeting at the school in less than two hours! That's not enough time to pick an outfit, do my hair and my makeup!"

"I mean, you're only fourteen," I reminded her. "It's the first dance, you'll have plenty of other dances to go all out."

"Are you kidding?" she asked, disgusted with my opinion. "First impressions matter, Mona!"

"Someone's taking that speech Mario gave when he was high pretty seriously," I chuckled.

"Yes, he might've been lit, but he made good points!" she defended, stripping the dress and putting on another. "All of these are too ugly!"

"Ouch," I mumbled, offended.

"Sorry, but they're just not working!" she groaned, sitting on the bed next to me, defeated. After a second or two she perked up and looked at me. "Hey, do you think Cam has a gorgeous gown laying around that I could wear like she did for you?"

"You're not wearing a gown to a high school dance, RaRa," I told her, monotone.

"You're so fake!" she stated, angrily.

"How am I fake! You just came in here, asked to use my clothes and then proceeded to call them ugly!" I argued.

"You're just sitting there! You're not helping me!"

"What do you want me to do? Slide the damn dresses up your body?" I yelled.

It quickly turned into a screaming match as she accused me of not caring about her life and I was yelling at her about how ungrateful she was. It went on like that for a few minutes before there was a knock on the door and Shay walked in.

"Girls!" she yelled, but we continued bickering. "GIRLS!" We finally stopped, looking towards the doorway. She turned to me. "You have to stop your screaming match for a second because Ramona, you have a guest."

I sighed, getting off the bed and shooting one last glare at RaRa before exiting my room. I walked with Shay down the hallway and stopped a few steps inside the living room, seeing who it was.

"Kalia?" I asked, confused.

She looked up from the couch where she was conversing with Trevor and smiled at me. "Hey, Mona!"

"What are you doing here?" I questioned.

"What? I can't visit a friend?" she wondered and I was still speechless. I did not expect to ever see her in Freeridge.

"Ramona! I found it! I found the perfect dress!" Zahra exclaimed happily, running out of the room and standing next to me. She twirled around in the dark blue sundress, stopping when she caught sight of Kalia on the couch.

Her eyes went wide and she pointed towards her. "You-You're..."

Kalia smiled, standing up and walking over to her. She held her hand out. "Hey, I'm Kalia. You must be Zahra. It's nice to meet you."

Zahra stared up at her in awe, completely frozen. She went to speak again, but nothing came out. Then, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fell to the floor. I caught her in my arms and Trevor and Shay ran towards me.

"Is she okay?" Kalia asked, staring down at her unconscious figure.

"Yeah, she was just shocked. She's a big fan," I told her, feeling her forehead. "Trevor, take her to her room."

He bent down and picked her up, walking her to her room. Shay ran into the kitchen to probably get her some water. I turned back to Kalia. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to visit you," she shrugged. "To see how rough it is in the south."

I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "Well, you missed the gunshots from twenty minutes ago, but don't worry, there'll be more soon."

"Can't wait."

"Here, we can chill in my room," I nodded for her to follow me and walked her to my room. When she walked in I closed the door behind us and sat on my bed.

"Wow, it's so small in here," she noted, looking around.

"Everything is over here, but we're used to it," I shrugged.

She started walking around, slowly taking everything in. I could feel her judging the hell out of me. "Your family seems sweet," she commented, picking up a snow globe and shaking it.

"Yeah. Trevor's not here much because he's a truck driver, so it's usually just me, my sister and my cousin," I said, watching as she slowly moved around the room.

"Your cousin does hair, right?" she asked, glancing at me. I nodded.

I stopped being surprised a long time ago about how much Kalia knew about me. The girl seemed to know everything about everyone. It was a little weird, but the interesting kind of weird.

"Is this your mom?" she asked, walking over to the side of my bed and picking up the picture frame from my bedside table. I swallowed the lump in my throat, nodding. She noticed my apprehension and raised her eyebrows. "Touchy topic, I see." She set the picture back down and began wandering around again. "It would be a touchy topic for me too if I didn't hate my mom."

My eyebrows crinkled. "You don't like your mom?"

"Fuck no," she cursed. "I don't like my dad's bitch ass, either."

"Why?"

She finally turned completely towards me, taking a seat in the chair in the corner of my room. "What reason would you like to hear about first?" she chuckled. "Your choices are: caring about money more than their child, being emotionally and physically abusive or never letting me experience a real childhood."

"They cared about money more than your well being?" I asked, surprised.

She nodded, avoiding eye contact. "I started doing kids commercials at three and once they got a taste of the money that made them I never stopped. It went from commercials, to modeling, to music, to acting. I never got a break. I always had something to do, so they could keep making money to pay for their big mansion and fancy cars. While they were on vacation with the money I earned, I was stuck in the studio writing music for a new album they would make even more money off of."

I couldn't imagine the life she lived. I always complained about not having a childhood, but at least I had friends and sleepovers like a normal kid. Kalia was a prime example that no matter how much money you had, it didn't make you happy. Not if that wasn't the life you wanted. Not if you didn't have free will along with it.

"When they died I was happy and I'm not even guilty for feeling that way. For the first time in my entire life I didn't have someone breathing down my neck, making me do stuff," she continued. "I could do what I wanted when I wanted. I could be who I wanted. I could sing and nothing else."

"So, all the movies you've been in..."

"I was forced to do them," she finished. "I'm just really good at everything I do, so I ended up winning an Oscar."

"I'm sorry that was the life you had to live, Kalia," I said, sadly.

She smiled at me. "You better not cry, KKK. I don't fuck with that emotional shit."

I laughed. "No tears, I promise."

It was silent for a moment before she spoke up. "I'm sorry about your mother," she apologized. I looked up at her and I could tell her words were genuine. "I might not have loved my mom, but I know you loved yours."

I had to force the tears to stay down as I gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Kalia." Silence permeated the air once again and I really wanted to ask her something, but I didn't know how she'd react. It was Kalia - it could go any damn direction. Fuck it. "Were," I took a breath, looking up at her. "The fire that your parents.... Did you? You can tell me, I won't tell anyone. I know you know I won't tell."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "No, I didn't set the fire, Ramona," she said and I nodded. "I wish I did though. I could've started being who I really was earlier if I did."

"You can be who are now. That's all that matters."

"Yeah, I guess so." She took a big breath, standing up. "But I didn't come here to talk about past traumas, I came here to see some hood shit."

"What kind of hood shit?" I laughed.

"Like people getting shot or robbed. People doing crack in an alleyway. Maybe even some guys knife fighting on the side of the street over a dollar they found on the sidewalk!" she exclaimed, excitedly. "Point me in the direction of that kind of shit."

"Well, that shit happens here for sure, but it's not like it's an everyday thing," I explained and her shoulders slumped, disappointedly. "Maybe once in awhile-"

My bedroom door flying open cut me off and I saw Cam running inside, out of breath. Her hair was messy and she was holding her high heels in her hands. "Some Santos are fighting in front of Oscar's house! Come on, we gotta go!"

"Fighting over what?" I asked, standing up.

"I don't know, come on!" she said, running back outside.

Kalia smirked at me. "Maybe once in awhile my ass."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring her as we ran outside. We ran the few blocks to the Diaz household and as expected, two of them were fighting. Oscar was trying to pull a newer member named Alejandro back while Sad Eyes was trying to pull Julio back. The rest of the guys were crowded around, laughing and pointing. They were all yelling and talking in Spanish, so I couldn't understand them.

"Dejarme ir!" Julio yelled, fighting to get out of Sad Eyes' grip. "Quería follar a mi chica y luego mentir a mi cara. Te mataré a ti y a tu familia, puto!"

"How about you stop talking and be about it, then?" Alejandro challenged, smugly. "Sacar tu pistola!"

Julio stopped struggling and his hand went to his waistband. I saw the piece of familiar metal in a blur as Julio pointed it towards Alejandro's face. Oscar immediately threw Alejandro to the side, quickly knocking the gun out of Julio's hand. A shot rang out and everyone dove to the ground. The gun landed on the sidewalk and slid next to me. As everyone rose back up and it was certain everyone was okay Oscar turned towards Julio, a glare on his face.

"What the fuck, Julio!" he screamed, pushing him back. "Are you fucking stupid?"

"Jodió a mi chica!" Julio defended, pointing at Alejandro who stood back.

"Yo se, pero podemos manejar esa mierda detrás de puertas cerradas!" Oscar yelled. "No fuera en el abierto en amplios maldito día! You been a Santo long enough to know this not how we handle our shit!"

"Lo siento, Spooky," Julio apologized, looking down, clearly embarrassed.

Oscar stared down at him, towering and stoic. His chest was heaving and his jaw was clenched as he glared out Julio. He nodded, "Yeah, I know you're fucking sorry. Next time think with your head!" Oscar ordered, pushing his head back roughly. He turned towards Alejandro. "I'll deal with your ass later, but remember this - somos hermanos. Tomamos la lealtad seriamente. Si no puedes ser leal, no puedes ser un Santo. Entiendes?"

Alejandro nodded vigorously and Oscar pushed his head back just like he did with Julio. "Both of you, get out of my face. I don't want to see either of your dumb asses right now." They both quickly did as he said. Julio got in his car and drove off and Alejandro disappeared down the block.

When I looked back from Alejandro's disappearing figure I was met with Oscar's eyes. They weren't filled with fire like a few seconds ago when he was yelling - they were much softer now. We just stared at each other, our eyes speaking their own language. I miss you, they said. I miss you so much.

I was pulled out of our trance by Kalia, who moved out of the corner of my eye. She bent down and picked up the gun sitting by my feet. She walked over to the group of men and held the gun out to the nearest member. His name was Mateo.

"Aquí está la pistola," she said, giving him a flirtatious look. He took it from her, looking her up and down. Their hands brushed as she handed it over and when she pulled her hand back she winked at him. Is she really doing what I think she's doing? "Me llamo es Kalia, por cierto."

"Mateo," he introduced and she smiled.

"Where do I know you from?" Sad Eyes asked, looking at her skeptically.

Her eyes peeled away from Mateo and she shrugged. "Hell if I know. I'm just a regular girl from Freeridge."

I rolled my eyes and ran up next to her. "No, she's not. She's Kalia King. Two time Grammy and one time Oscar winner."

"Who?" Fuego, another member asked from behind Oscar.

"OH SHIT!" Manuel screamed and all the guys looked at him. "Your album, Roses on my Grave, is my shit!"

He noticed all the guys' stares and he put his hands up, confused. "What? It's my jam." Still blank stares and Kalia chuckled. "You guys telling me you don't listen to her?" Even more blank stares. "Well you mofos are missing out. Her music is bomb."

Kalia laughed. "Thanks. What's your name?" she asked.

"Manuel, but they call me Canine," he smiled.

"Are dogs your favorite animal or something?" she asked.

"No, it's because I rip people's necks out with my teeth."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh, nice. I'll be sure to autograph something for you."

"I think it's time for us to go," Cam interjected, still from the sidewalk.

I looked back at her and nodded, grabbing Kalia's arm. "I think so, too. Let's go Kalia," I ushered her away.

Oscar turned towards Benito, an older Santo. "Since Alejandro and Julio are out for the day I'm sending you on the money pickup. I'll text Cesar and tell him to go with you."

Benito nodded. "You got it, Spooky."

"Oh, you're Spooky!" Kalia exclaimed, pushing my hand from her arm and running back over to stand in front of him.

"Yeah," Oscar answered, skeptically looking her up and down.

"Tu sabes, haces Mona triste," she said. I recognized my name and ran back up to her, gripping her arm again.

"Kalia, what are you doing?" I scolded, trying to pull her away, but she wouldn't budge.

Oscar looked at her, amused. "Yeah? Por que?"

"Porque no la amabas bastante esforzarse más," she answered, simply. Oscar's face changed in an instant from amused to a frown as he stared down at her. He looked over at me, a sad expression on his face.

I couldn't look at him anymore. I had more of him today than I ever counted on having in the future and it was becoming too much. When I left his house a month ago I didn't think I'd ever have to come face to face with him again. I gave up on us and I was slowly coming to terms with the fact we wouldn't get our dream house and dream family. I was slowly letting him go. I shouldn't have followed Cam here because I felt like I was spiraling again.

"It's time to go," I said, yanking Kalia back towards the sidewalk.

"Ugh, you're such a party pooper," she groaned as we joined Cam on the sidewalk and made the walk back to my house.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you knew Spanish?" I asked, angrily.

"I didn't think it mattered," she shrugged. "I know French, too since you wanna be all in my business."

"Me in your business?" I questioned, incredulously. "You just marched right into my home and disrupted my peace. You stuck your nose in my business and now everything with him is fucked again when after years I finally had it handled."

"Everything with him had always been fucked," she countered, "You just made yourself believe it wasn't so you could live in ignorance."

"Cam, tell her she's being crazy," I instructed, becoming fed up. Cam avoided eye contact, staying silent. I looked at her in disbelief. "You agree with her? Are you serious, Cam?"

"I'm sorry, but she's right!" Cam apologized. "After that night, you just ignored Oscar. You refuse to drive by his house, you go the other way home. You don't even say his name, but every time someone else says it your entire body and face just... droops. You think ignoring him and pretending he doesn't exist means you were getting over him, but it doesn't mean that at all. You both clearly still have some stuff to talk about. And even when you do, I'm afraid complete closure between you guys is just impossible. There's always going to be something there that just won't go away. I hate to admit it because you know I'm not the biggest fan of Oscar, but it's the truth."

I knew deep down she was right. I may have gotten over my blind, lovesick fool phase with him, but there was this pure, genuine love for him that I still had that I knew in all my years of living would never go away. Even after all he's done to me (and all he hasn't done). We were connected and that connection would never fade. There's just some bonds that you can't break no matter how hard you try and if I thought I could do it with Oscar I was just being foolish.

We would always be fused together in one way or another. No matter the distance or the circumstance. We were destined to live our lives with a little piece of each other inside each of us. It was destined to be this way since that day he comforted me in the school hallway.

"I believe you both will figure it out soon," Kalia said as we crossed the street to my house.

"Yeah, especially since you just started some new shit," I huffed and she smiled, proudly. "What did you tell him, anyways?"

"The truth," she answered, unlocking her car as we stood in the street watching her open the door. She turned to us before hopping inside, a big smile on her face. "I like it over here. It's fun. I'll be sure to come back soon."

"Please, don't-" the sound of the car door slamming shut cut me off. I groaned, tilting my head back in annoyance. The car engine started up and Kalia pulled out of her spot, honking goodbye as she drove off.

Please, I am begging all of the Gods out there right now - do not let her come back to Freeridge.

∰

Translations:

• Dejarme ir!Quería follar a mi chica y luego mentir a mi cara. Te mataré a ti y a tu familia, puto! → Let me go! He wanted to fuck my girl and then lie to my face! I'll kill you and your family, bitch!

• Sacar tu pistola!→ Take out your gun!

• Jodió a mi chica! → He fucked my girl!

• Yo se, pero podemos manejar esa mierda detrás de puertas cerradas!" Oscar yelled. "No fuera en el abierto en amplios maldito día! → I know, but we handle this shit behind closed doors! Not out in the open in broad fucking day!

• Lo siento, Spooky → I'm sorry, Spooky

• ... somos hermanos. Tomamos la lealtad seriamente. Si no puedes ser leal, no puedes ser un Santo. Entiendes? →   We're brothers. We take loyalty seriously. If you can't be loyal, you can't be a Saint. You understand?

• Aquí está la pistola → Here is the gun.

• Me llamo Kalia, por cierto → My name is Kalia, by the way

•Tu sabes, haces Mona triste →   You know, you make Mona sad

• Por que → Why?

• Porque no la amabas bastante esforzarse más  → Because you didn't love her to try harder

----

do u guys agree with cam? do u think kalia is right about ramona and oscar?

more importantly, did u find kalia's visit to freeridge amusing?

  ↓ ramona everytime the santos speak spanish around her ↓

↓   kalia arriving in freeridge ↓

↓   zahra when she met kalia ↓