"I'm gonna watch." I said getting into the fight.

"Ill even get in on it." Monse said as well.

"Enough! Estás actuando como un grupo de niños. Si alguien dice una cosa más, ¡te voy a pagar en la boca!" Olivia yelled at us and we all stopped. "All of you, behind the bleachers. Now!" We all walked out and didnt even dare to look at each other. "Look, despite what may or may not have happened, you love each other. You are each other's family. And now you've become my family. So, whether or not you want to work this out, you need to, because every day that you have together is precious. Trust me. I know. So, I'm sorry. This is my fault. I'm the one that kissed Cesar. So, if you're gonna be mad at anyone be mad at me." Olivia had a good point. We love each other.

"Stop." I told her. "You don't have to be sorry.
And no one is mad at you."

"I had no idea one kiss would cause so much damage."

"This isn't on you. It's on me. I've been lying to everyone. And I need to come clean." Monse said.

"You don't have to do this." Cesar told her.

"I do. So, here's the truth. I was into Cesar.
I had a big crush on him. And before I went to my writing camp I I told him. And he didn't feel the same way." Oh damn. I felt really guilty.

"Say no more." I told her.

"We get it."

"You don't, so let me make it clear. After I told Cesar how I felt, I bounced for the summer.
And Cesar told Oscar's homies that we smashed to protect me. He claimed me to keep me safe. But that's it, that's all. Nothing ever happened. Cause he's not into me." She looked at Cesar with pain in her eyes.

"Monse."

"Not like I was into him. And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you and that I blurted out that you kissed. I was jealous and I reacted badly. But it was fleeting, and it's over. So, can we move on? Can I stop embarrassing myself? 'Cause this hole that I've dug is starting to feel pretty deep." Ruby turns to me.

"Sorry I called you a puta." He looked at me with a shy smile.

"Appreciate that, pendejo." I smiled. "Im sorry I never told you guys."

"You're amazing." Olivia steps in.

"No, you are." She gave us a hug and for the first time, in a long time, that hug was all I needed. The crowd was cheering and we pulled back.

"What the hell's going on out there?" Ruby said as we ran back to the field. We saw Jamal running with the ball and made a touchdown! Wait Jamal? Touchdown?! JAMAL MADE A TOUCHDOWN!

"Yes! Yeah!"

"All fall down! All fall down! All fall down! All fall down!" We all started to chant. We all went our ways and I walked home. I was supposed to hang with the crew but Willy wanted me home as soon a possible.

"You will never guess what happened! Jamal scored! Plus the crew is-" I said as I walked in the house. I saw Willy stood up.

"Val." My eyes soften.

"Mommy?" I saw her in front of me.

"Hola Valeria." She waved. I shook my head.

"What are you doing here?"

"Val dont be rude!" My mother walks to me.

"Its okay Wilfredo." She looks at me. "Look at you. Just like me when i was young."

"You're drunk." I laughed. "I mean when werent you." I stood there.

"Val, moms gonna stay here now." My head snapped.

"What?" This couldnt be happening.

"Im gonna be here now." She smiles. She touched me but i smacked her arm.

"I dont even know you." I saw two kids running out of my room. My jaw dropped.

"This is Juan and Margarita." I slowly backed up. "Your brother and sister." I shook my head.

"I cant believe you." I whispered. "8 years ago you left us and you come back with kids who arent even dads?" i looked at the kids and then at her. "Do you even know how much pain you left us? You left dad!"

"I know mija-"

"You dont get to call me mija, Celia." I started to get heated.

"I know but im their mama-"

"You were my mom too!" Thats when I broke down. Willy grabbed Celia.

"Shes changed Val, shes gonna stay for good."  I had to put Wilfredo in his place. His was still believing that my mom would come back.

"She never loved us!" I yelled at him.

"I dont know what you're talking about Valeria!?" He flung his arms up. "She loves us!"

"Im sorry that was love? Leaving your family was for love? If she loved us so much, why wasn't she here?!"

"She tried."

"She wasnt here! She was never fricken here! She left! I was 9! 9, and was taking care of your dumbass." I started to yell at him, not caring if anyone can hear us. "I was 9 when i had to hear that you joined the Santos. I was nine taking care of you and dad! I was in 3rd grade, dragging your ass half dead, off the alleys so you wont bleed to death. I had to put my savings into dads funeral because you were in jail! I was the one that bailed you out! I had to hear when she walked out on all us, it was because of me." He stood there shocked. "She never loved me." I said in a stern voice.  I looked at the woman who had left me.

"Valeria-"

"No! You cant show up here after 8 years of nothing! I did great without you! So, if you want, take Wilfredo, i can stay here, i can take care of myself. I dont need you nor you. I did great without you, im planning do that for the rest of my life."

"Valeria you need to hear me out! Why i left!"

"You left because you didnt want to be marry to a santo, you didnt want a son who was a santo, you definitely didnt want a daughter from the start. I never needed you then, im sure as hell dont need you now." I walked back to my room.

"Val, where are you going?"

"Just go away!" I locked the door and cried into my pillow. I heard the door closed. I didnt even want to see if Willy actually left me. I wiped my tears and went on my phone. I heard a tap on my window. I made my way and saw Ruby.

"Hey." I said as I opened the window.

"Hi." He climbed into my room. We sat in my bed. "I heard the yelling. Are you okay?"

"My moms back." He nodded.

"She missed out on how great you turned out." I was gonna start crying again.

"Thanks." We sat there in the room, silently. "Are you good?" I had to ask since we did fight and hadn't talked since then.

"Yeah."

"Are we good? Any weirdness in the air we should clear?"

"Nope. Totally clear. You're in the santos. And you like Carlos. I'm cool with it." He was hurt.

"I never wanted to hurt you." I looked at him.

"You're not." He scoffs.

"You sure?"

"You see, there's something called the long game, and that's what I'm playing. So, fly along, baby girl. You know, test the waters. Enjoy your Carlos asada, and I mean that. Because nothing is gonna taste as good as this Ruben." I chuckled as he looked me. "And you may not know it yet, but I'm gonna be the love of your life." My heart fluttered, he does like me. "So, good night, mi Princesa. Sleep well, and dream about our wedding colors, 'cause I'm down with anything but beige." He smiled at me and jumped out my window. I sat there a while a thought. I ran back to my window.

"Yellow with a hint of blue." I smiled. He stopped and let out a chuckle." I went to bed and thought about Ruby.