┏━━━━✶ ࣪˖࿐ *━━━━┓

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER

ELLA TURNER WAS PROBABLY THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO OSCAR DIAZ.

She was everything he wasn't: she came from a good family, she was well-liked just by being herself, and she was an open book. Her no-bullshit attitude was just another way of showing her compassion for others, always wanting to get things done. 

And while it should've made him the most envious person in the whole damn world, it made him obsessed, instead.

At first, it was more of a curiosity of how someone could be so perfect in his eyes. Then, once he got a taste of the type of friendship that only the Turner girl could provide, he knew he was done for.

He had zero idea why the likes of Ella would want to be associated with him, or even befriend him, but he wasn't going to complain. No, he'd never complain. She was his idol growing up. She made him believe he was worth something.

Somewhere along the way, when high school kicked up and he finally got to see her around the halls, the friendship he felt for her crept into a different type of territory altogether. He denied it to himself and to those who liked to be nosey time and time again, but even he couldn't shake the churning of his gut nor the anger rising to his head whenever Aaron Moore so much as spoke to the girl.

One could think it was jealousy, but Oscar chalked it up to a protectiveness he always felt over Ella. He liked being the shadow behind her that people feared, because if they messed with her, they messed with Spooky.

It was clear that the Turner girl would never feel the same, and he was quite content with that. Sure, he was never all that thrilled whenever she spoke of other boys at school or when he caught her blushing over Ronny, of all people, but he could deal with it.

Their friendship meant more to him than some silly little feelings that would go away with time— that much he thought knew for certain.

Oscar could remember the exact day where he'd gone and screwed that all up, because in his mind, his plan would be worth it. For once in his life, he would be doing the right thing— he would be doing right by Ella.

The Diaz boy's destiny was in Freeridge, and that was something that became blatantly apparent in high school when the Santos had him by the neck like a shock collar. Ella was different, had a bright future that raised a middle-finger to Freeridge as a whole.

Because of who she was at her core, Oscar knew that she would've stayed back for him, to worry for him, to care for him. He was born into that sort of life, but like hell he'd make Ella, who was so good, suffer that fate. Not when she was designated for something greater.

And that was exactly why he pushed her to get him out of her life, because without him, there would've been no reason for her to stay back.

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"You been thinking about college yet?" Oscar asked, lowering the cigarette in his hand and blowing the smoke in the opposite direction of her figure. A purposeful action as of late.

"A little," she shrugged, like she was trying to be nonchalant, "but I've got time. What about you?"

Oscar hated that question, had been trying to avoid it ever since his teachers kept bringing up college essays and admission fees. He wasn't bound for that life, and he would've thought his teachers knew that.

He shrugged in response, scratching mindlessly at his head. "Not yet," was his bland answer; an attempt to bore Ella enough so that she could drop it entirely.

Though, Ella Turner was a persistent girl. It was a trait he loved, no matter how it could grate on his nerves whenever she wanted to discuss his future. So, he shouldn't have been surprised when she took his comment and ran with it.

"I doubt I'd go out of state," she mused as she looked at the rolling waves, but she didn't sound entirely thrilled by that, "and even then, I have half a mind to follow you and look out for your dumb ass."

That had gotten Oscar's attention, his head snapping in her direction. She'd made a few comments about wanting to get out, and that little statement about sticking around was rubbing him the wrong way. He knew this was coming, and he'd prepared himself for what he needed to do.

"Hey." His voice was lowered, his hand reaching out to her jaw to make her face him again. He plastered a serious look on his face, hoping it wouldn't come across as sheer desperation— because that was what it really was. "You don't gotta worry about me."

She scoffed lightly, an expected reaction. "That kinda comes with the territory of being your friend, Oscar."

He wasn't amused. "You got a chance at something real, Ella," he said, unrelenting on the idea that she had a bright future. It was something she was so clearly taking for granted, and that was pissing him off on her behalf.

She swatted his hand away. "So do you!" she fought back with a familiar sort of exasperation. "You should be the one applying to colleges right now."

Oscar's hand flexed as he tore his gaze away from her, settling on the ocean as she'd just been doing. "I'm not," he confessed after a beat of silence.

"You're not what?"

"I'm not applying... I'm staying here. Someone's gotta take care of Cesar." It was a cheap shot, using Cesar as his excuse, but it was true. At least with him around, he could protect his brother when no one else could.

In his own peripheral, Ella's lip was immediately pulled between her teeth. "I don't wanna watch you throw your life away."

She just didn't know when to let it go.

"Well no one's asking you to!" he shouted, pushing an unfamiliar amount of venom into his tone.

It was silent for more than a moment, and all that could be heard were the rolling waves crashing into the shoreline a few feet ahead of them. All he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat, jackrabbiting in his chest as he did the unthinkable.

He dared to look at her, his chest heaving, and his stomach dropped at the way she was staring at him, tears bubbling up in her waterline. Evidently, he hadn't thought his plan through enough— but a part of him knew she'd never walk away. He had to make her.

"You can do whatever the hell you want, Oscar. It's your life," she grit out, pushing herself to stand, "but I'm not sticking around to watch."

Having Ella hate him was a necessary price he had to pay, was something he could learn to deal with even though his stomach twisted with something ugly.

But having his Ella cry because of him? That was something he didn't think he could ever get out of his mind. It was a sort of pain he never thought he'd experience.

He told himself it was for the better, anyway.

✶ ࣪˖࿐ *

[ wyn's note ]

revelations!!! :(

hope y'all liked this double update, and thanks for 4K!! xo