I spent a lot of time at Rubys house. Mostly because Monse wants me to hang out more with her and Olivia. Plus I agreed to go because it'll help me stop thinking so much about Celia. Ceila has been trying to come in but I would kick her out. Im not trying to be rude but she did hurt me. Imma catch y'all up with some chisme. Cesar and Olivia are dating, Carlos and I aren't dating with you wanted to know, Ruby and I have been closer, I've been helping Jamal with the Rollerworld. After our fight with the fam, I believe we became closer. Sleepover with Olivia, birthdays, and now thanksgiving. Since it was thanksgiving, i went with Jacky's family for dinner and shortly went to Rubys for some leftovers.

"Wait, where's Mario? I was hoping to see him." Jamal asked as we ate some cake.

"He went with his new bougie girlfriend to Nevada." Ruby rolled his eyes and I smirked.

"Instead of coming home?"

"He's in the bone zone." Cesar said.

"True." I said as I pointed my fork at him.

"Can you pass the tres leches?" Olivia asked.

"Oh, okay." We passed the cake to her.

"My mom makes the best tres leches for my birthday." She said as she looked at the cake. She played with it with her fork. "Guess not this year."

"Don't say that. Maybe your folks will be home before your birthday."

"In a week? I don't think so." Olivia gave us a small smile.

"Wait, your quince is in a week? And you didn't tell us?" Ruby nearly jumped out of his seat and yelled to his family. "Mom, Dad, Olivia's quince is in a week!"

"It's not a big deal." Olivia started to look around.

"What? Mija, is that true?" Ruby's mom asked her as she came out from the kitchen. Then abueltia surrounded her.

"Mm-hmm." Olivia hummed. I can tell she didnt want the attention.

"Olivia, don't worry about a thing. I'm gonna get my shifts covered at work and we'll do it here next Saturday." Rubys dad told her and everybody started to clap and cheer. Everyone was starting to talk about the quince. I sat there listening to Ruby talk about what we should get and I saw Olivia leave. I snuck my way out and into her room. I knocked and i went in.

"Hey, why'd you disappear?" Olivia wiped her tears away and smiled at me. I sat down next to her on the bed.

"I just needed to get some air."

"You okay?" I asked her.

"Me? Im okay." She lied. I sighed and i looked at her.

"I know we havent been really that close but, imma tell you something." She looked at me. "I totally get it. You dont want a quince because your parents arent here."

"Its hard you know." She wiped her tears again. "What about you? Your parents? Ive always heard about your brother."

"My dad died when I was young. Someone killed him in cold blood." I nodded.

"Mom?"

"She left us. Okay, this isnt about me, its about you." I grabbed her hands. "My opinion though, if i had an opportunity to have quinceanera , i would have it became i knew my dad would love to see me become a great women he raised me to be." I held in my tears. "I believe you should to. If you have this party, you make your parents proud that you are accepting of becoming a young, beautiful woman that they raised and love." I smiled. Monse and Cesar came in and Monse gave her a hug. She slapped my arm and told me to hug her. I slowly went to hug her and Cesar came in.

"You don't have to do this." Olivia said to us.

"We're not doing anything. This is for me." Monse told her

"And me." Cesar and I said.

"Don't know why, but we both felt the need to hug."

"I can't believe I'm about to have my first birthday without my parents and it's my quince. It's so ironic. I mean, since I was able to walk, my mother has driven me crazy talking about my quinceanera. Trying recipes, cutting magazines, making playlists. And my dad, practicing our waltz so he'd have it down on the day. He's been practicing for years. YEARS!" She started to explain. I started to cry because it was sad that her parents got deported, thats so sad. I cant believe millions of kids lose their parents due to deportation and they may not see they're parents for years. Its just messed up. They came her for a better life and have their kids grow up better than they did.

"That's a lot of dancing." Monse told her.

"Yeah. And he has no rhythm. Like none. So, my feet are all shredded, all in the name of my mother's obsession, which I used to pray would stop. But now that it has - I miss it." I wiped her tear from her cheek and she grabbed my hand. Ruby came in the room.

"What's going on?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing." Monse looked at him dead in the eyes. "You just totally and completely devastated Olivia by suggesting she have a quince."

"I'm sorry." Ruby apologized and sat across from us. "I didn't mean to rub salt on the wound."

"It's not your fault. I haven't seen my parents in months and I've barely talked to them.
It's just a nightmare situation."

"Which is why you should have a party!" Ruby told her.

"Ruby, she doesn't want to celebrate." Cesar told him.

"Are you even listening?"

"I actually thought the same thing." I said and Monse looked at me.

"I am. And what I'm hearing is how important this party is to her mom."

"I can't do it without her."

"But that's why you have to. You're not betraying your mom to have a quince if she's not here, but you would be betraying her to not have one because she's not here. Not after all her planning." I added.

"I never thought of it that way." Olivia looked me and Ruby.

"Because I'm good at making people understand the right side of an argument." Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

"Or annoying them into submission."

"Dont push it Ruby." I said.

"So Do you have any ideas about what you want?" Ruby asked her. Olivia bit her lip and smiled.

Next Day

We all met up at Rubys for Olivia's quinceanera planning. I sat down and Ruby passed out binders for us to look at.

"Everyone, please open your e-devices and find the e-mail I sent titled "Winning".
Find it? Good." Because after copious hours of searching through Olivia's quincespirations, I've compiled the best ideas on a Pinterest page on the link below her headshot." I pulled my ipad out of my bag and went to my emails. I scrolled down and saw so many things! Dresses! Invitations! Everything you name it.

"Where's Olivia?" Cesar asked.

The quinceanera doesn't need to be bothered with the details." Ruby got all up in Cesars face. Cesar backed up.

"Now, anyone else have a dumb question? Huh?" Nobody said anything. "Good. And before we really get going, I'd like to remind you that we're not just friends and family, we're damas and chambelanes in Olivia's court de honor, which means being honorable and dedicated." I went on my Instagram and Ruby slams his hands against the table. "You're bringing Carlos as your chambelan? We're kinda out numbered."

"Why cant I just dance with you? Cesar is dancing with Olivia, Monse and Jamal, you and me." Ruby seemed like he forgot something or even regret something.

"I have a partner already."

"Oh." I said. I was kinda wishing we would dance, maybe I would make a move. "I guess i can tell him."

"Okay. So, take a look at our mandatory rehearsal schedule and-" His phone was buzzing. "Excuse me. I need to take this.
Ruby's Fancy Festivities." He answered. "What do you mean?" I texted Carlos about him being a chambelan. Surprisedly he said yes. "Yeah, yeah. I'll take my business elsewhere." Ruby hung up the phone and turned to us. "I'm back.
Sorry. Apparently ordering a goat-drawn carriage is more complicated than I thought.
Who knew there was a goat wranglers union? I kid you not.Pun intended." Jamal groaned.

"Whatever, man." Jamal whispered.

"So, we're gonna need to rethink the carriage, which I'll get to in a moment, unless You all think the twins can pull it?" He looked at us.

"No." I said.

"Fine. Moving on. The following are individual responsibilities-"

"I'll handle music." Cesar announced.

"Great minds think alike, compa. Monse, given your expert penmanship, you're gonna do invitations."

"No." Monse straight up told him.

"Use cardstock." He said as he completely ignored her. "Jamal, you can cater.And by you, I mean your dad."

"How many people?" Jamal asked. I grabbed my water and drank it.

"Well there's us, and then the block, and - Three hundred."

"Three hundred people!?" I nearly spit out my water.

"You're right. Better make it 350."

"Jamal will do the flowers.I will do the food." Abueltia comes in. Then Ruby looks at me.

"How can I forget mi princesa." Made me blush when he said that. Every damn time. "Since you are very organized and very modern, you'll do the centerpieces and I have a special request to tell you."

"Whatever." I told him as i wrote down some ideas i have.

"What do I know about flowers?" Jamal told abueltia.

"Nothing, which is why you need to go to Mr.
Greenthumb. Mr. Greenthumb will help you." She eyed us. Ooooh yeah! The knew lead that Jamal told me about!

"Oh, Mr. Greenthumb." Everyone went back home and started to do their homework. Ruby pulls me to the side.

"Lets talk about the special surprise."

"Okay, what is it."

"Can you do a cardboard cut out Olivias parents? You know since her parents can't be here." I loved the way Ruby thought about that. It was sweet and thoughtful.

"Have a picture?" Ruby pulls out his phone and sends it to me. "Thanks."

"Remember the dance practice is at 6! Bring Carlos!" He yelled as I walked away from him. A few hours later, Carlos and I arrived at Rubys.

"Welcome Carlos." Ruby said as we walked towards Monse, Olivia and Cesar.

"Hey Ruby."

"Don't screw this up." He said as he played the music.

"You're right, He's a little bit excited for the quince." I rolled my eyes.

"He's basically a quincecabra." I whispered to him. Ruby then stops the music and looked at us.

"Monse, you're consistently failing with your face." Monse was offended. "See what I'm doing?" As he broke into dancing mode. "It's body.Uh-huh. Uh-huh.Then face." He popped up in place.  "If people are looking at your face, they can't tell how much you suck."

"Sorry I'm late." Jamal said as he walked in. "Oh hey Carlos!"

"Whats up Jamal!" They gave each other a handshake.

"Silencio!" Carlos jumped. "No one wants to hear your excuses. Look at Cesar." We all looked to see him on his phone. "Or don't.
The point is, he takes time in life and death situations to be prompt and you don't. Everybody, again, from the top." Ruby starts the music. We started to dance in place. Or stumble in place. "It's a square, people. It's a square." Ruby was showing us. The beat of the music changes and we started to do our own thing. Monse, Jamal danced and I was hitting that woah really good. "Turn. And down.
And one, and two, and three, and Guys!" Ruby then stops the music and looked at us. "No.No. You're not even trying."

"Ruby, you're a natural, we're not." I told him.

"We need an easier routine." Olivias told him.

"Or no routine." Monse coughs.

"Nonsense! You just need some practice. And I have some backup. She should be here any minute." Ruby looks at the door.

"Who?" Monse asked. The door slams and Jasmin came in.

"The talent, bitches." All of our eyes popped. "Hey!" She waved at Carlos. Carlos awkwardly waved. Ruby played the music and they started to dance. We watched as Jasmin made faces. Then the beat dropped and they went hard, like really hard. The music stopped and she shoved Ruby.

"Ow!" Ruby yelled.

"And that's just a taste." She pulled put her inhaler. "Yeah, I got you shook. You see, I'm like a Tootsie Pop. You got to keep licking to get to the surprise."

"Is that my dress?" Olivia pointed out. It really was. The blue dress she tried on.

"Nope. Maybe. Yeah. Don't get worked up. It's just on loan."

"But now there's a big hole in the back." Olivia told her.

"Yeah, where you stabbed me in that 'Everybody kill Jasmine" game. I shouldn't even be here right now, - but I have a heart."

"Heart." Ruby whispers.

"Plus it's your quince and I don't wanna regret not being one of your damas when we live together in our twenties." Olivia looked at us and she shook her head. "Now let's get to work." She demanded.

"Music to my ears. Everybody, grab your partners. Olivia and Cesar, Jamal and Monse, Carlos and Val, me and Jasmine." So that was his person. Oh. I kinda gotten sad.

"That's music to my ears." Jasmin grabbed Rubys face.

"On second thought, better pair the good with the bad. You go work with Jamal." He shoved her to jamal. The music started to play again. Carlos and I started to dance.

"Im not really a good dancer." Carlos told me.

"Yeah I can tell."

"You can?"

"Yeah because your stepping on my feet." He looked down and stepped down. I laughed. He puts his hands on my waist and and laughed. I looked back and saw Ruby look at me and was kinda sad as he turned back. I looked at Carlos with a sad face.

"Whats wrong?"

"Dont worry about it."