The party was at a great stage of the night. It was around 8 pm now and the Quizeañera had danced her waltz with her court. The mother and uncles and other relatives had given a few words of advice and congratulations. People were eating and dancing and of course drinking. Even Cheeto, Claudia and Sammy and to some extent David were having a good time it was about then that T.J. and some of his guys arrived at the party.

They were considerably drunk and on other things. They were not invited to the party because of their reputation but since word traveled about the party fast and since T.J. was on a mission to welcome the Quizeañera into adulthood he brought along two of his hommies for moral support. They came in with the pleasantries of a flatulent ox and just as smelly. One of the renters saw them coming in and recognized them and knowing the family was not known to keep such company meet them at the entrance.

"Can I help you?"

"Ha-ha yeah we here for the birthday girl. We here to show our respects," said T.J. in a smooth, drawn out manner with his eyelids half open and rubbing his hands together as he spoke and high fiving one of his buddies at the end.

"Uhm, I'm sorry are you on the guest list?" asked the renter knowing there was no actual guest list.

"Guest list!? Check this bitch out talking about a guest list. You know who we are? You want I get Alex here, tell him you don't be showing us no welcome?"

The renter knew at this point better than to get in the way. As the trio made their way in, it was clear they didn't belong. They stud mainly by themselves, as if scoping the scene. They all now had a drink each. T.J. was checking out to see if could find Nicole. The other two were also scoping, trying to find anyone they could get their hands on.

"Hey baby what you doing? I got a drink for you right here," would say one to a girl no older than 14 as she went for a drink.

"Man those pants look tight on you, why don't you come over here so I can take'em off you so you can relax?" said the other to another girl. Each time laughing hysterically and congratulating one another. After a few turns of this people were beginning to notice their presence. At first it was easy to ignore, also to not escalate the trouble. But as they drank more they became more and more aggressive in their cat calling. Eventually one of the young girls ran away crying as one forcefully tried to pull her over to him. Since people knew they were gang affiliated, specifically to the big gang in town nobody wanted to get involved with them so they started to leave.

Cheeto, Claudia and David were sitting and talking when they noticed the trio and started hearing people complain or talk about them.

"Why is there always someone that has ruin it for everyone?' said Claudia.

"Why can't people just get together with friends and family, have a good time and not have to worry about idiots like these?" she continued.

"I'm sorry I can't just sit here, I'm going to say something. It's not right, this family should be able to enjoy themselves."

She was about to get up when Cheeto interrupted her.

"Ah there you go starting drama. These are just the hommies. They don't mean nothing by it. You guys just don't understand us. They my boys, we be kicking it on occasions. I'll go talk to them," he said as he went in her stead.

Claudia didn't know the three guys too well. She'd heard of T.J. and seen him around the center from time to time but she rarely if ever had actually talked to him. He would usually leave as soon as she would be around. She always thought this was peculiar.

Cheeto overestimated his familiarity with them. Being one of the locals he knew exactly who they were, but to say they were acquaintances was a severe overstatement. They liked to make fun of Cheeto and got their kicks making life hard on him and one more than one occasion had used him without his knowing or understanding. He just thought it was being one of the guys. Maybe that was all he wanted to see it as and reasoned it was better than getting on their bad side. Some way, somehow everybody around here needed to find their own way to survive.

"Hey hommies, whats going down? Haha," Cheeto addressing the three young men.

"Look at this fool, man you like a caca-roach, everywhere you look there is your ugly face," said one of the two guys leaving Cheeto hanging as he tried to greet them.

"Serio man, WTF here have some crumbs and go hide in a hole, "said the other as threw chips and other foods at him. All three laughed, Cheeto chuckling as well.

"Oh Chales, easy homs. These are my good threads," said Cheeto as he brushed the food off.

"What bitch? You wanna do something about it? I'll fuck you up," said one the guy's eager to get into a fight.

"Nah, man just saying. I'm trying to look good for the honeys. Ha-ha," replied Cheeto seemingly oblivious to the threat just made to him.

"You, what you even know about being with a girl?"

"You probably aint ever been with a girl."

"How old are you, like thirty-five? And you aint ever been with a girl? Damn son if I was you I'd kill myself,"

"Ha-ha, man if I don't get some every three days I get withdrawals man," said one of the guys.

"I get my shit all backed up man. Watch out! I'm liable to fuck somebody up. Fucking maul your face up like a hungry dog. Wulf wulf!" barked out the guy to Cheeto. If I don't get some every three days I get withdrawals man," said one of the guys.

"I get my shit all backed up man. Watch out! I'm liable to fuck somebody up. Fucking maul your face up like a hungry dog. Wulf wulf!" barked out the guy to Cheeto. Laughing at him for flinching.

"Yeah man I know how that is," said Cheeto.

"Man, but seriously there aint much to pick from here, we should try some other spot. I heard it be cracking over Adelitas," suggested Cheeto.

"What you talking about fool. There's plenty of grade A meat here."

"Yeah man but most of them are too young," said Cheeto.

"Haha man I aint the liquor store, I don't be checking I'd."

"If they on the rag they can ride," said the other guy.

"Man, I don't know about that, let's try Adelitas" said Cheeto trying to pull the guys with him.

"Man I aint going nowhere till I get mine," said T.J.

"Hey man for reals though, let me ask you something, have you even gotten your whistle wet? You ever gotten it on with a two legged bitch? Not the four legged one, I know you do that every night," said T.J. as the other two laughed.

"Nah man come on," said Cheeto still with a grin on his face.

"Ok but have you ever actually gone balls deep on a girl?" insisted T.J.

"Man you know I be doing alright," tried to convey Cheeto but his conviction was not clearly there.

'Man this bitch is a virgin yo!" said one of the guys.

"Nah man what you talking about, I be getting on the regular," tried to come back Cheeto.

"Yeah on the ass probably," countered the other thug, as they continued to laugh at Cheeto.

"Man you probably wouldn't know what to do if a real fine ass honey snuck up on you. You probably too scared to talk to a real girl. Boo!" yelled out T.J. as Cheeto stepped back and tripped over the feet of the two other guys.

"Ha,Ha,Ha man you some real entertainment," they said to each other.

"Hey!" shouted off a voice quickly approaching.

"Just who the hell do you think you are? What gives you the right to come here, someone else's home, and disrespect everyone here who is trying to have a good time?" shouted off Claudia.

"Ahh shit I know this chick. She's the one that works at the center with the kids," said T.J.

"What's your problem? Why are you guys giving everybody a hard time?" she asked them.

"Nah aint no problem, we just having a good time. We aint bothering nobody," replied T.J.

"Your 'aint' bothering nobody? You are here harassing women, some of which are just girls!" she continued.

"She worried about her-ass-ment," scoffed the one of the guys.

"Excuse me? You think this is a joke. What you are doing is disrespectful and insulting and it is against the law," she exclaimed.

"Hey baby relax, no need to bend out of shape," replied the same guy.

"Don't be getting all jealous, if you fixed yourself up a bit you could get some attention too," said the other guy.

"Is that what you think this is all about? What do you even know about the women you are accosting? You keep trying to get their attention, ok you got my attention what now?" she challenged them.

"Damn boi this chick is pretty desperate for it if she just be throwing herself out like that."

"She probably hasn't been bent out of shape in while too," the two thugs teased.

"Is this it? This is all you want to do? Just start things up, cause trouble for everyone for the fun of it? What kind of men are you?" she said.

"Man this chick is more trouble than she's worth," said one of them.

"Why do you do everyone here a favor and just leave," she continued.

"You kicking us out?" said T.J.

"Nobody wants you guys here. You are clearly drunk and on something, and I know you are not over the legal limit. So yes I think you should go," she said.

"Hahaha check this bitch out. Yeah we drunk and we got the real prty right here," said one of the thugs pulling out three rolled up joints.

"Great, then I call the cops on you," she answered.

T.J. and the other two were become increasing agitated.

"You gonna call the cops on us? What you think they gonna come just like that?" said T.J. as the three began to move in around Claudia.

"Man this bitch is beginning to get on my nerves," said the other thug.

"Hey man chill out she don't mean nothing by it," jumped in Cheeto trying to give her some room.

"Yes I do! They think they can just go around trying to intimidate others and think nobody is going to do anything about it. They are wrong. I am not afraid of them," she said to their face.

"You aint afraid cuz you don't know what to be afraid of," said T.J. as he shoved Cheeto to a side the other two flanking both Cheeto and Claudia.

"You think the cops give damn about you? How fast do you think they can get here before I really hurt," he said showing her a knife in his pocket.

"You wouldn't dare with all these people here," she replied standing her ground.

"You think these people give a shit. I'll cut you wide open and these people won't do nothing. They more afraid of the police than they are of me," replied T.J.

"Is that a threat?" she said.

"It's a promise."

Claudia was standing her ground trying to not show fear or intimidation but inside she felt increasingly nervous and anxious as they kept closing in on her.