Amaya's POV

I woke up with Lupe's cold, sandy feet on my exposed back. Checking my phone I was late getting ready for the homecoming game.

I raced home barefoot and still a little drunk.

My sisters and mom were waiting for me but I was still gross. I smelled like old food, booze and ocean water.

"AJ we need to go!"

"Mami, lay out an outfit and I'll meet you there in twenty!" I yelled back at her.

I heard her shuffle into my closet and then walk down the stairs.

The water was cold but I needed to go. I was chaperoning tonight with Coach and Jamal.

Coach and Jamal had some kind of punishment going on from Jamal's freshman year. I couldn't wait to hear the gossip.

My hair was going to be a mess and stress me out. 

The only girl in this family with curly hair. It was unfair. I had to spend hundreds of dollars trying to tame my mane.

That was some bullshit.

Just as I promised I was ready and at the school in twenty minutes.

The dress my mom picked made me feel too exposed. My hair was wet from the quick wash and I didn't dry my body enough because there were wet spots all over my dress.

It was shorter than what I wanted to be wearing to a dance wear I was chaperoning.

Coach was giving us our orders when Jamal made me look off over his shoulder.

Oscar appeared and then disappeared.

All the rage I had from the night before came back. I might not remember everything Lupe told me but the cholo life was definitely not going to be affecting me any longer.

The game started and flew by but I was focused on getting into the gym and away from any Santos.

When it was time to crown the new homecoming King and Queen it gave me a chance to slip away from the game.

Or so I thought.

Oscar was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me.

"Can we talk?"

"No."

"No?"

"No, you wanna hear it in Spanish? Noh!" That made him laugh. "What do you want?"

"To talk." 

I put my hand up. "How about we not? And you leave me alone. For like ever. Okay? Great."

"Not gonna happen."

I reached in my purse and grabbed the envelope I had prepared for when I needed to pay someone off.

"How about you take this? And I bounce." I thrusted the cash filled envelope at him forcing him to take it, giving me a chance to walk off.

I got to the curb when someone grabbed my shoulder.

"I don't want this." He tried handing it back to me.

"Give it to Cuchillos. Stop the widow packages. Get out of my life."

"Not gonna happen." He repeats.

"Serious dude? I'm not going over to the Prophet$'s side and I'm not going to ever hang out with another Santo again." He scoffed.

He fucking scoffed at me.

Just as I was about to kill every little fucking remark this asshole had, my favorite Oldsmobile pulled up.

"Ms. Jackson? Are you Ms. Jackson? Because I am for real!"

Raf.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Heard a certain little Mexican was in need of the Raf man."

"Lupe." We both said at the same time.

"Who's this?" Oscar's voice had a level of annoyance in it.

"My novio."

"Novio? Amaya more like esposo. Hey man, I'm Rafael." I shrugged at his statement, it was wicked awkward right now.

No one said anything for a solid thirty seconds.

Then Oscar cleared his throat and took off back into the bleachers behind us.

"What has his panties in a bunch?"

"Me. Whatcha doing here?"

"Lupe called, said you need help uncovering the mess you call a life."

"You know you're better than any therapist."

"That's why you paid me chica."

Rafael was my therapist right after my grand heist from Freeridge. While I was staying in Portland, I found him. He too was escaping a life here in California not far from Freeridge in Compton.

Rafael specialized in hypnotherapy. I slept for the first time in his office and then we continued because it was the only time I felt safe to sleep.

"Get in girl! Where else you gotta be dressed like that?"

"Chaperoning a homecoming dance tonight."

"Oh, I love high school dances. I was Prom King." I rolled my eyes and got into his car.

"Wanna go see my house?"

"That's why I'm here. When do you have to be back?"

"In like an hour."

"That's enough time."

We sped off out of the high school grounds and towards my house.

If I was going to open Pandora's box I might as well have an emotional support system already sitting there.

Oscar's POV

Novio? 

Esposo?

She was too willing to get away from me. He wasn't her anything.

I stomped my way back up the stairs to find Jamal. He was sitting with a bunch of kids his age. When I stood in front of him, he always got nervous. 

I was glad. Being nervous meant that I was powerful just being in front of someone.

"Can I help you?"

"I need you to do a job." His eyes widened.

"I want you to watch Amaya tonight. Report back to me after the dance."

"That all?" I nodded and ran back up to the boys.

Sad Eyes gave me a look and I shook my head. Lupe shuffled up the bleachers swearing and trying to hide her face. Lil' Frankie was right behind her.

"Rough night?" I commented. 

Lupe dropped the sunglasses so she could show me she was rolling her eyes.

"Rough night?" She mocked back.

"Rough life." I responded.

The newly revealed couple sat down in front of me and Sad Eyes. 

The third and then forth quarters were going by really slowly. Nothing interesting happening. They hadn't done an 'all fall down' all game.

All of a sudden Jasmine, the most annoying human ever came running up the stairs towards Señora Sanchez. They spoke quietly at first and then Señora Sanchez turned towards me.

Jasmine came up a few more stairs to tell me what she just told her teacher.

"You know my cousin Berto? Well he was walking by Mrs. Sanchez's house and he told me that Ms. Jackson just dropped a Prophet outside on the curb. It doesn't look pretty."

The girl showed me her phone. The screen had a photo of a Prophet with a bloody nose bent over on the sidewalk, AJ in the background yelling at the person and AJ's novio standing behind her not doing anything.

"Homes, that's Darius."

"I know." I sat back.

"What are we gonna do?" I shrugged.

Jasmine got distracted and ran over to Ruby. That photo didn't look great. Everything in my body told me to move, get up and go see if she was alright. But something was stopping me from doing just that.

"Compa, they're gonna greenlight her."

"Yup."

"We're not gonna help her?"

"Cuchillos won't like it." Sad Eyes gave me a look. "She just paid Cuchillos off. They ain't gonna help her now."

Señora Sanchez looked back at me and I shook my head. 

There was no way I could help her unless she wants me to help her. She could always handle herself in a fight when we were kids. So, what would be different now? Nothing.

The rest of the game went by, then there appeared Amaya and the hombre she was with earlier. The dude dipped when Señora Sanchez started whisper yelling at her daughter. 

"Adonde fuiste?" (Where did you go?)

"Quien es ese?" (Who is that?)

Quick, sharp questions.

"Por que esta sangrando la rodilla?" (Why is your knee bleeding?)

Amaya's dress had a little blood at the skirt, knee was bleeding down her leg.

"I beat the shit out of Darius. He's got a broken nose and I got a bloody knee. Win-win. I did ruin Lilia's shoes though. Bloody everywhere."

"You didn't answer my questions, AJ."

"I went home and that's Raf. Okay? I gotta go tame my hair before helping set up. I'll be back to pick up the twins at 7."

"Que voy a hacer contigo?" (What am I going to do with you?) Her mom said louder.

"Déjame vivir mi vida!" Amaya shouted at her mother and stormed off into the school.

Señora Sanchez turned around to see me.

"Mijo, what am I gonna do about her?"

"Nothing. Can't help someone who doesn't want it."

"What are you gonna do about D?"

"Nothing, she clearly took care of that. Señora, I gotta go. Negocios." I lied, walking faster so she couldn't grill me.

This was her problem not mine. Time to leave her alone.