"We have a guest."

Willy announces as he opened the door to my room. I sat up, pushing up my glasses, closing my textbook. Cesar appears behind him.

"Hey." Cesar waves.

"Umm, I know I shouldn't even keep you here, but I cant imagine you being outside and nowhere to go." Willy started. Since he's a Santos, best friends with Oscar, its forbidden. "Just try to keep it on the low okay?" We both nodded. I let Cesar in, dropping his bag by the door.

"Come sit." I patted the empty spot on my bed. "Welcome to the Zapata casa." I moved my textbook to the floor. Cesar chuckled. "You should've asked you know. I got you, you're like a brother to me."

"The prophet$ knew I was at Jamals, then Monse came home, Ruby's mom didn't want me there, I dont blame her. Then when Monses dad came to talk to to Willy, and he accepted." He huffs. "Thanks." I patted his arm.

"No problem." We spent the night catching up on homework. When we finished, we got to catch up on stuff.

"So, how are things with Ruby?" He asked as I put on a mask on him.

"Going great actually. I never knew being together would bring us closer. He is such an amazing guy. Whenever im with Ruby, he makes me feel like im in heaven." I smiled to myself.

"Im glad, you always eyed him. I was gonna say when you both were gonna be together." I laughed. I didn't want to bring up Monse. He didn't deserve to say what he said to her at the dance. "What does this do?" He points at the mask.

"Get rid of your blackheads." I said as I peeled mine off. "You got a lot." He smirks. It was time for bed. I took Cesar to my dads room.

"Your dads?" He said as he picked up a photo frame of him and us as kids.

"Yeah. You can make yourself at home." I said as i closed the door. "Good night Cesar."

"Night Val."

Next Day

There was gonna be a crew meeting. I decided to have it in my room since Willy and Jacky left for the day. Ruby and Jamal came.

"Hey." They said. They look at Cesar as he came out of my dads room.

"You slept here?" Ruby said with a sassy tone.

"Willy said I could stay." Cesar smiled.

"He slept in my dads room." I whispered to him. I lead them to my room. More space for us than the living room. Monse then came.

"Why is this here! You are the keeper!" Jamal yelled at Monse as she came with the money.

"Im also a girl who's currently staying alone and hiding 200 grand. I cant keep it."

"That's true." I agreed with Monse.

"Just so we're all clear, this money might be cursed." Jamal pointed out.

"Hmm, interesting. So the naysayer becomes the yeasayer." Ruby hummed.

"I didn't believe it at first, but now il coming around."

"Hold on. Explain." Cesar spoke out. The man is always lost.

"So as it turns out, it seems that everybody who's touched this money had a bad twist of fate. First, we have the guys that stole the money. Benito and Frankie were murdered in jail. Chico was shot in cold blood, in this creepy, and maybe haunted house." I looked at Jamal. This house isnt haunted. "Then, lil Ricky prematurely died in a seemingly mysterious way. And then, the night I found the money, Olivia and Ruby are shot."

"Um, that didn't happen to you." Ruby told him.

"Dont trivialize my sympathy pain."

"Then Abueltias hands got messed up and she couldnt work." Cesar joined in. Oh my, it might be cursed.

"You're drinking this fool-aid?" Monse tells Cesar.

"Im just following the timeline." He looks at her.

"So we take Abueltia to the curandera to heal her hands, and the crazy lady tells us that something in that house does not belong."

"Cesar." Monse whispers.

"Listen, girl. Stay with me. This is before Cesar got there, when Abueltia had the dough. Then Ruby breaks the truce, cause the money was still in the house. And then we take the money to Brentwood. And its not in Monse's possession for more than 8 hours when everything goes to shit." Jamal then looks at me. I looked behind me, what was he looking at? "And Val! You believe in me! Did anything happen to you?" Everyone had eyes on me. I gulped. I didn't even have to think.

"My moms back, shes trying to take me into child services." Everyone gasps. It was probably time to tell them. "I thought it was gonna be a one time thing."

"AH HA!" Jamal points.

"Celia?" Cesar said. I nodded. Hr knew about what happened to my mother since his father and my father were friends.

"The Rollerworld money isnt cursed. Val isn't going to CPS. All money is cursed. You saw what it did to my mom and its making you crazy too." Jamal gasps from the burn Monse gave him. "And as for the truce ending and our friends getting shot and those gangbangers meeting their early demise? This is Freeridge. Shit happens."

"Yeah, and im still alive. Im gonna focus on the good." Ruby said as he held my hand. Hes so cute.

"Me too. This moneys gonna do a lot of good for a lot of people. So if there is a curse, we're about to reverse it." Cesar smiles at Monse. Thinking to myself, what can I do with the money. I can give it to Celia, so she can leave us alone. No, that money will go to Willy, he can find us a new home, so she wont find us.

"Okay youre right. Theres no curse. And im gonna go fill up my glass. Literally. Because im parched. This has been a very lively debate. Thank you guys for the realignment." Jamal walks up and goes to my kitchen. We heard a knock on my door. We went out and I saw Amber.

"Hey Amber." I said.

"Hi!" She smiles. "Um, your assistant Jasmine said that she-" she was looking for Ruby. Jasmine comes from behind.

"And the baby's godmother." She looks at me. "I mean, Vals godmother. Hehe."

"Anyways, she wants to go over the menu."

"Okay! Bye!" Amber leaves and Jasmine stays. I went to kitchen and grabbed sodas for us. Jasmine and Ruby left to plan the party for tomorrow. Monse, Cesar went to the back and I went to my room.

Baby Shower Day

"Heres the gift." Jacky said as she gives the card as I stepped into the kitchen.

"Thanks." I turned to Willy. "Aren't you gonna go? Marios like your best friend." Willy turns to me as he fed Luis.

"I helped with the crib. Plus, I dont think I should be there." Hes right. Mrs. Martinez won't like that. She still cares about him but since hes a Santo, we're not taking chances here.

"Have fun." Jacky smiles. I waved goodbye and left. I walked in, the house was filled by so many people. I was surprised that Ruby pulled this. Ruby was so busy but once he saw me, he was so calm.

"Hi." I said as I was about to kiss him.

"Sorry mami pero im working." He blocks my kiss. I crossed my arms.

"Oh really?" I hummed.

"Maybe for later tonight." I shook my head with a smile. Just as I was gonna leave, Ruby grabs my arm. "You're on twin duty."

"Twin duty?"

"You're gonna look after the twins in the bounce house." He smiles. My jaw dropped. Seriously? Jasmine comes in.

"Get!" She smacks my ass and I walked away. I sat there, looking at Luis and Luisa. How did they get me into this? I didnt even agreed. Rubys mom comes and swearing with a salior.

"Control your boyfriend mija." She said as she slams the door back. Luisa and Luis came to me crying. They bumped heads.

"Que paso!" I said as i dropped everything, inspecting if they had any blood. They were just sobbing. I grabbed their hands and walked back inside.

Rubys POV

I looked up, as I finished angrily writing down my checklist. Val came, holding the twins hands. God she looks so cute with kids. Just imagine, me and her, little Rubys and little Vals, playing around in yard with a playground I built, maybe a dog, we would definitely get a big house. Just wow.

"Ruby!" She snaps me out of my daydream. I hummed. "The twins got hurt." I looks down to the sobbing, moco, twins. "Ruby!"

"Just give them a juice box." She groans and walks away. I saw her grabbing two ice packs and placing them on their foreheads. She carried Luisa in her arms and she grabbed Luis by the hand, back outside. She would be a great mom.

"Valeria!" Jasmine yells at her.

Vals POV

I stomped away as Jasmine tells me im off twin duty. I got to relax, eating some apps. I was so hungry.
I turned around as Ruby's mom falls down. She was drunk.

"Let me help." I said as I walked up to Ruby.

"I got this." He groans. I went back to eating. I was starving. I was so bored and I went to a room, Monse Jasmine, Ruby and Amber was in the room.

"I need a break from that bloodbath." I shook my head. As I looked up, I saw Jasmine under Ambers dress. "What the f-"

"Shes in labor!" I gasped. Its happening. Amber and Jasmine walked out. The three of us walked out and saw Jamal, Mario and Mrs. Martinez.

"I am so sorry I forgot how flexible I am." She tells Jamal, who was so badly hurt.

"I got him." I told Mario. I set Jamal down but Jamal went away.

"I know those bills. What the hell are you doing?"

"Using against my 25%. Its permitted in the bylaws." Ruby tells Jamal as he was giving the cash to people.

"There are no bylaws!"

"There are bylaws!" They started to argue. Jamal snatched the cash and we jumped in to stop it.

"Let it go!" I said as I pulled Ruby.

"No!"

"Stop it!"

"Give it!"

"An ambulance is on its way! The baby is coming now!" Mrs Martinez shouted to us. We all stopped. "Everyone needs to pray!" She then storms off.

"Guys! Guys! Its the curse. Dont you see? This is all building to something. I found the money and Olivia died. Now we're back at the scene of the crime, money in hand and which means-"

"Someone else is gonna die." Monse said. We all looked at each other. Dios mio!

"The baby!" We looked at the money.

"We have to get rid of it."

"Hold up. Technically we just gave a bunch of cursed money to all of those extras."

"They're actors. No one is gonna miss them. Lets go!"

"Wait! We dont know how to get rid of a curse! Okay? Curses have rules. We cant just throw it away. Abueltia! The money is cursed! How do we destroy it?" Jamal asks her as she walks with towels.

"Burn it! Burn the money!" She yells. We ran outside and tossed the cash in the trash.

"Youve torm our neighborhood apart, you've ruined our relationships, and stolen out youth. But it's over." I handed over Jamal the last of the bills. "Curse, be gone!" He set the cash on fire.

"Stop! Stop! Jamal! Dont burn the money!" Abueltia yells as she ran to us. "The moneys not the thing that doesnt belong in this house!" She throws the cash to the ground. "The moneys not cursed!" So it turns out that the baby wasn't Marios. Hilarious. We went back inside and has some cake. We laughed.

"Oh, not gonna lie. This cake is good!" I said as I shoved a piece into my mouth.

"It just should've been chocolate." Jamal shades. We all laughed again. What a roast.

"Too soon man." Mario smiles.

"Mario... i want you to know that if that beautiful baby was yours, i wouldve loved it. But woo! Thank god youre not gonna be a daddy just yet." We all smiled.

"You dodged a bullet."

"We all did."

"That girl really didnt know and that was big ass bun, fully risen. Okay." Jasmine said

"The truth always comes out." Abueltia spoke. Yeah it does. No matter if it hurts you. Ruby looks at me. I kissed him.

"What was that for?" He asked me.

"I owe you." I smiled. He busted out laughing. Mrs Martinez went to the door. "What!"

"You got blue teeth!" He laughed.

"So do you!" I smeared cream on his face. He did the same.

"Stop it you two!" Mario laughs. We started to crack jokes.