Oscar is 28. Cesar and Celine just turned 15. Monse and Jasmine are 15. Jamal and Ruby are about to turn 15. While my OC Vanessa is 27.

Cesar groans and screams as the silver needle part of the earring goes through his ear. The diamond shines as Jasmine holds up a mirror for him to look at himself.

"See it's really cute," she says smirking. "You should be thanking me. It took me a while to take from my job."

"Can't they fire you," Monse asks with her arms crossed.

"Girl. Claire's ain't paying me enough for them to fire me."

Ruby and Jamal look queasy. "You know," Ruby speaks in an uneasy tone. "I'm just gonna let Cesar have this one."

"No I can't be the only one that gets one," Cesar complains. He snatches the mirror out of Jasmine's hand. "Oscar will whoop me if I'm the only one who gets one."

"And he'll try to whoop the rest of us if we get one too," Jamal stresses. "If Spooky blames us for your idea to get an earring our asses won't be able to sit ever again."

Jasmine rolls her eyes. "Somebody else is getting an ear pierced. I ain't take all these earrings for only Cesar." She looks at Ruby and Jamal. "Monse already has pierced ears. So either choose which ear you want pierced or I'll choose for you." Jasmine points the earring gun between Ruby and Jamal. "So….who's going first." They look at each other and gulp before pointing at the other,

—

Sad Eyes opens his trunk for the beautiful, brown-skinned negrita coming out of grocery store. Her skin glowed in the LA sun. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled and her laugh was the most infectious one on the block. She's wearing her black nursing scrubs and her feet hurt as she pushes the cart to the car. The overnight shift she'd had was more stressful than any of the ones she had done before. Two cystic fibrosis patients had died that night and there was nothing the doctors could do. She was devastated but nobody could tell cause she smiled, laughed and cracked jokes. "You need help Vanessa," Sad Eyes asks her.

She shakes her head as she puts the bags in the car. "I'm fine. Get in the car."

—

Ruby and Cesar walk back to the Diaz house with their hoodies covering their heads. Ruby's heart beats rapidly in his chest. He knew once Oscar found out then Mario would find out and his ass would be toast. His abuelita wouldn't care but Mario…Mario would think this was some kind of rebellious stage he was going through or something.

Cesar walked with a frown on his face. He definitely knew his brother was going to whoop him. Oscar had gotten Cesar out of the Santos as soon as he found out Cesar had gotten jumped in behind his back. Spooky had beat his ass and then beat up the guys who jumped him as well. He never had to go back. But even though Cesar was out didn't mean that Oscar wasn't still in it. Before the summer ended they would be moving to Brentwood. Oscar didn't have to do anything on the streets anymore. He would be in the background giving orders. It's like he would just disappear and everyone but the Santos will forget he ever lived in Freeridge.

Spooky had gotten rid of his teardrop tattoo with the help of laser removal. None of the Santos said anything about but Cesar knew they were all talking.

Cesar holds onto the straps of his bag as he walks with his head high and mind drifting.

"Who's that," he hears Ruby ask in a quiet tone.

Cesar snaps out of his drift and sees a middle-aged man posted up across the street from their house. He wears a tank top, jeans as he smokes a cigarette. The man keeps his eyes on Cesar and Ruby and doesn't look away as they get closer to the house.

"Just keep walking compa," he tells Ruby. As they pass the man, Cesar keeps looking back as to make sure the man isn't tryna start nothing.

When they get to the door Spooky's voice could be heard overpowering Celine, Cesar's twin sister's screams.

"Why can't I just wear whatever the fuck I want?!"

"Because I said so! You do what I say because you're living under my roof and if I gotta tell you again I'm whoopin your ass."

Cesar and Ruby stop at the door when they hear that. But that doesn't stop them from heading inside when Cesar looks over his shoulder and sees the man smoking and staring at them.

"You're such a fucking puto," Celine yells at him. "You never listen to me."

Celine and Spooky stand in the kitchen. Celine's wearing a black bralette with a white crop top and shorts that are so tight that show the bottom of her butt. Oscar's wearing a white tank and jeans held up with a belt. He's ready to take one of his chanclas off and beat her ass.

Oscar grips her arm and before he starts can start spanking her, Cesar comes in the kitchen. "Hey, hey, hey," he says in a rushed tone. "There's some dude posted up outside."

Spooky lets go of Celine to grab the gun on top of a shelf and heads outside. Cesar follows him outside but Oscar pushes him back to the door. "Stay your ass inside." He readies his gun as walks the steps before stopping to scowl at the man across the street from them.

"Who is that," Cesar asks from the porch.

"Our father."
Celine and Ruby peek their heads out the door to get a look at the man.

"You could've knocked on the door like a normal person," Spooky growls at the man.

The Diaz's father drops his cigarette before stepping on it and taking out another one too light. "Didn't know if anyone was home." He takes a puff of the cigarette.

Oscar turns around with his fist clenched. He sees the kids in the doorway with shocked faces. "Get your asses inside," he scowls at them. They turn and head inside. Oscar stops and looks at the man who picks up a black garbage bag and heads towards the front of the house. Oscar glares at him as he slams the door the screen door shut.

Spooky set his gun back up on the high shelf. "All of you go get ready for school," he orders. Ruby, Cesar, and Celine stand there in shock. None of them moving an inch. "Now!" As soon as he says that Ray Diaz walks into the house.

Celine mumbles under her breath and she walks down the hall, "…always a fucking asshole."

Oscar takes his chancla off at throws at Celine hitting her backside. "Ow," she whines rubbing her butt.

"Bring me my chancla," he orders. She picks it up keeping her head down, embarrassed that Oscar did that in front of their father that she has yet to even meet. Oscar holds out his hand and takes the chancel from. He swiftly takes her by the arm and starts to whoop her with his chancla.

Celine squirms and cries as she tries to get out of her brother's grip. The chancla comes down on her ass repeatedly. Oscar doesn't stop until red starts to peak out at the bottom of her shorts. He drops the chancla on the ground, puts it on and turns his sister to face him. "You got one more chance to stop the attitude and the backtalk before I cancel your quinceañera," he tells her sternly. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir," she replies through grinded teeth upset with herself.

"Go change into some jeans and wipe all that damn makeup off your cara. You know I don't al—."

Celine cuts him off, "Can I at least put on mascara and lip gloss?" Tears are still coming down her eyes. Her face is red and she pouting making her look younger than she already does.

Oscar scowls. "Fine manita." He sighs as he cups her faces with his hands and wipes away her tears. "Go get ready for school." Celine nods before walking down the hall to her room and shuts the door.

In Cesar's room, Ruby is rubbing his earlobe with a wince. Both Cesar and Ruby have their hoodies down and while Cesar puts on a different pair of shorts.

"Is it supposed to sting," Ruby questions. His earlobe is an ugly red.

"Stop touching it," Cesar whispers.

"But I think it might be infected," Ruby whines.

"If it's infected then you shouldn't be touching it," Cesar rolls his eyes, taking his notebooks off his bed and putting them into his bag. "Dirty hands could cause it to be way worse. Besides, it's only been an hour. I doubt it could be infected that quickl—."

The door opens and Oscar stands in the threshold. Ruby quickly puts his hood on but Cesar is not quick enough to do so and just keeps his head turned so his brother doesn't see his earring. "You got 10 minutes before you need to get to school," Oscar tells him. "You also know better than to just leave in the middle of the night and not tell anybody where you're going." Oscar walks into the room and holds out this hand. "Give me your phone." Cesar takes the phone from his pocket and hands it to Oscar making sure not to turn his face all the way.

His brother goes onto his phone and turns on his location and shares it indefinitely. "Next time you turn off your location, your phone will be replaced a flip phone and you won't be able to sit for a week. Comprendes?" He hands Cesar back his phone with a scowl and Cesar tries his best to avoid eye contact.

"Yes sir," Cesar movies into a position where his body

Oscar narrows his eyes. He takes a glimpse at Ruby who turns away and holds onto his hoodie. Spooky quickly snatches Cesar's jaw and turns him. Oscar's eyes deepen when he sees the diamond earring in his brother's ear. Cesar's earlobe was he growls out in a low tone, "¿Cuánto tiempo pensaste que podías ocultar esto? ¿Crees que soy estúpido?" (How long did you think you could hide this? Do you think I'm stupid?) Oscar turns his head toward Ruby letting go of Cesar's face. "Take your hoodie off…now!" Ruby quickly takes off his hoodie to show the diamond earring.

"I don't think it's a problem," Cesar began. He lifts his head and bucks up his chest. "Both your ears are pierced."

Oscar wipes his hand over his face in annoyance. "What age did I say you could get your ears pierced Cesar?" Cesar keeps his head up but struggles to keep eye contact. Spooky raises an eyebrow.

"16," Cesar replies looking away but his chest stays bucked up

Spooky nods his head and tightens his lips to not say. In a flash, Cesar is bent over the bed with Oscar's hand on his back. Spooky harshly spanks Cesar around 10 times before he makes a sound. Cesar tries harder to keep from making another noise. His eyes water while his teeth clench and his hands fold into fists as he grabs his sheets in frustration. Suddenly Oscar pulls him and turns Cesar towards him. Cesar wipes at his eyes

"You and Celine just love to not follow rules of this house," Oscar says sternly.

"Sorry," Cesar grits out. Knowing that what he got was just a warmup to the real thing.

"Both of your ears look irritated." Ruby looks upset at that and winces when he touches his ear. "Probably infected." Oscar silently sighs, trying to keep his anger to himself. "We'll talk about this later. Get your asses to school." He walks towards the door but stops and turns to look at Ruby. "I'll be telling Mario and you Abuelita." With that, he walks out of the room and goes into the kitchen.

Ruby flops onto his back and grabs Cesar's pillow to muffle a scream while kicking his legs. "At least you'll be able to sit comfortably through class," Cesar jokes. Ruby throws the pillow at him.

They grab their bookbags and head out of the room. Oscar's sitting next to Celine who changed into some ripped jeans and a black and white striped tee with Adidas. No words are being said and you could feel the tension in the air. Oscar gives Cesar and Celine a look and nods at the door. "But I haven't even asked how—," Celine's cut off by Oscar's stern voice.

"Go before Nessa gets back and chews me out for not getting you guys out the house in time. I want you both home by 3:30 after school."

Celine gets up from the couch with a bratty huff while Cesar rolls his eyes and nods. Before the teens even get to the front door, it opens and Nessa walks in with a few grocery bags.

The first thing Nessa sees is Ray Diaz. "Oscar," she questions. "Why is this man in my house?" She quickly turns into mom mode when she sees Celine, Cesar, and Ruby, "And why aren't you guys on your way to school?" The three quickly head out without saying a word closing the door behind them. Nessa puts the groceries on the kitchen table before turning to look at Oscar. She puts her hand on her hips and says, "You wanna tell me what's going on?"