author’s note

hi!

welcome to ’

His Saint, His Jewel

’. i have been planning, brainstorming, and writing this story for 9 months. i wanted to make sure the whole plot is interesting.

consider this a gay verion of romeo & juliet.

tw: usage of slurs, slight homophobia, and violence.

THIS IS A LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT STORY

this is gonna be a long story (+60 chapters) so buckle in for the ride!

this is a story involving a relationship with two men. this is not a warning! being gay should never be a warning.

kk, enjoy the show!

bye!

i love you all

<3

Prologue

America

1960’s

On the east coast in a small Virginia town located on the waterfront.

Just by driving by you’ll assume it’s any normal small town.

From Sally’s Diner, to the annual Carnival, Moonlight Drive-in theater, and Rochester High School.

But for its inhabitants, it’s anything but normal.

On the East, you’ll find the Jewels. A teenage gang of rich white kids who know that the world will bend over for them. Who splurge on money and know they have more. Who think they’re the best and above the rest.

On the West, live the Saints. A teenage gang of poor Latino-descendant kids. Who have lived the struggles of the slums in their town. But what they lack in money, they make up in the family. They know they aren’t above, but with the gang they do.

The Saints and Jewels have been battling for years. Every gang has members that stand out from the rest. With their own personalities. 

Manuel, leader of the Saints.

Jack, leader of the Jewels.

The two top dogs who’ve been battling for dominance. And with them are their pals.

Everyone envies one another, to the point they wish to kill. Everyone… except for two youngsters.

Antonio Jose Garcia , younger brother of Manuel. Unlike the other Saints, Antonio prefers to stick his nose in a book to go to college. Some may see him as weird, but his poor community see him as their symbol of pride. An example that no matter someone’s circumstance, they can still have drive.

Michael Lexington , heir to the Lexington Corporation. A long time member of the Jewels who has lost interest. Under that hard exterior is a man who just longs for love. He is seen as an idol to the other Jewels. An example that having everything can sometimes make someone feel empty and lonely.

Two very different people with different lives. So how did they meet? And how did they fall in love?

---

LETTTSSSS GOOOOOOOO NEW STORY!!!

BE PREPARED EVERYONE!!

bye! i love you all!

<3

1. Introduction

Antonio’s POV

“Adios, Antonio!” Flaca yelled to me. I walked out of the school and waved at her.

“Any plans, today?” Dina asked me. Dina is my best friend. Since diapers.

“No. I’m going to Ms. Bella’s home. Y tu?” I asked.

“Papa wants me to help around the shop. Does he know how hard it is to make sure the rats don’t come in and eat las tortillas!” Dina complained.

“Just get a cat.” I said. She ruffled my brown curls. She always loves playing with my hair. Claims it’s the softest thing she’s ever touched.

“Hmm. I tried but that man never listens to me!” She groaned. I adjusted my round glasses on my face

“ANTONIO! ESPERATE!” A loud voice came from behind us. I rolled my eyes when Loko and Rafa came out the school doors and ran towards me and Dina.

“Ay, no!” I sighed.

“You can’t escape La Guardia, hermano.” Dina said.

La Guardia, or The Guard, are the bodyguards for our gang. We’re part of Los Santos, or The Saints.

“I need to have a serious talk with Manny.” I said. Manny, Manuel Garcia, is my older brother. Ever since our parents died, Manny has taken the adult role. He’s the leader of the Saints. Though he’s in the gang, I am not. I’d rather focus on my studies and get out of this place.

“There go the spics!” A voice said. Dina and I turned to see Archie and Jack. Jack is the leader of the Jewels. They’re the Saint’s rival gang, the Jewels from the west side. Archie is a member, though he’s not important.

For years, the Saints and Jewels have fought for dominance in Newport City. The Saints control the west side, the Jewels control the east side. Our side is the poorer side. Most people live in slums and barely get by. The Jewels live in rich houses, mansions I should say!

“Back off, Jack!” Rafa said. Jack just laughed and backed away. Rafa is second in command to Manuel. And thus, Rafa treats me like a younger brother.

“Going to Ms. Bella’s again, Mini Manuel?” Rafa asked me.

“Si.” I said. I know my brother cares for me, but I don’t need the Guard to babysit me. I can handle my own! Actually, no I can’t.

We left the school grounds of Rochester High, the only high school in Newport. This place is neutral territory. Other neutral territories include Park Plaza (El Centro), the train tracks which cut through the middle of the city, Sally’s Diner in the north, and the cemetery (though it’s under the control of the Jewels).

Other than those places, the rest is controlled by one group or another.

“I have to leave. Adios, Ant!” Dina said. She waved and left. I continued walking through the streets.

Here’s some more information about our precarious state. There’s a train track that splits through the center of the city. This is the basic layout of territories. There are some places that overlap.

Police in this city is a joke. Officer Spangle, the main sheriff, has a tendency to blame us for crimes we never commit. Saints also get blamed for all the problems and conflict. Rarely do the Jewels get blamed for anything.

“This is your stop. We’ll wait outside for you.” Rafa said.

“Gracias. I’ll be quick.” I said. Rafa patted my back. Loko always had a weird look on his face. There’s a reason his name is Loko. This man has done some crazy stuff. They’re mainly rumors, but just how much truth is in those rumors?

Mini Manuel. I scoff at that nickname. Manuel is literally 20. Yes, he’s the leader of the Saints. But people think I’m also a Saint. Even though I’m not. I’ve never gone through the initiation. I’ve never gone to jump anyone. The only thing that makes me Saint is my tattoo and affiliation to Manny.

I’m just waiting for the moment when I can finally leave this place and go to college. I’ll actually get a degree and earn money the right way. And I’ll be able to get Manny, Dolores, and myself out of this place.

And a part of that help is Ms. Bella.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

2. Ms. Bella

Antonio’s POV

I knocked on the wooden door and waited. Rafa and Loko were outside waiting for me to finish my duties.

“Antonio! Come in, come in!” Ms. Bella said. She let me enter her house. I put down my book bag and turned to face her. The small elderly lady wore a cardigan around herself. He gray hair held up by a bandana.

“Need help with anything, senora?” I asked.

“Yes. I bought this television from a gentleman downtown. But I can’t seem to get the darn thing to work.” She said. She motioned for the television on a stand in the corner of the living room.

“I’ll have a look at it.” I said. I walked over to it and grabbed the instruction manual near it. I flipped through the pages and checked if everything was matched perfectly.

“Anything wrong?” She asked.

“Yes. You forgot to match the yellow cable to the output.” I plugged it in. The space I was in was small. There was no way Ms. Bella would’ve been able to reach this spot. Thank God I’m scrawny and skinny. 

“It’s on! Thank you, Tonio.” Ms. Bella said. I got out of my spot and saw the television was on. 

“No problem.” I said. Ms. Bella walked into her room while I waited for her.

I met Ms. Bella a year ago. It just so happened to be by accident. I was walking through the streets when I saw her beginning to cross. She didn’t see the car that was speeding down the street. In a quick move, I jumped in and pulled Ms. Bella back and saved her.

The car, which was an expensive model (probably someone from the East side) didn’t stop and kept driving. In the process, my glasses fell off and were ran over by the car. Ms. Bella thanked me and asked about my glasses. I told her they were a bit expensive and I wouldn’t be able to buy new ones.

Ms. Bella offered to buy me new glasses. I refused, mentioning that I couldn’t accept her money. Ms. Bella wouldn’t let me turn down her offer. Since then, she’s been funding my studies. I was able to purchase books. Ms. Bella has a lot of money. She owns Sally’s Diner, a popular place many hang out at. She also refuses to give her money to her children.

And within a few months, Ms. Bella has offered to pay my college tuition. 

“I wanted to give you this.” Ms. Bella held a box in her hand. She set it on the table and opened it.

“I can’t take this, ma’am. There’s no way!” I said. I looked down into the box and saw an expensive looking bracelet in it.

“Of course you can. I see potential in you, Antonio. Out of everyone in this neighborhood, you have the best future, mijo. I believe in you.” She held my face.

“Thank you. I’ll cherish this.” I said.

“I know you will. And one day, you’ll give them to someone you love.” She placed a kiss on my forehead.

“Now, run along. I’m sure Manuel is wondering where you are.” Ms. Bella said. I tucked the box of gold in my book bag.

“Manuel is always wondering where I am. It’s getting on my nerves.” I complained.

“He just cares for you, mijo. He feels like he needs to make sure you’re safe.” She chuckled.

“Adios, Ms. Bella!” I said as I walked out of her door.

“Adios, Antonio! Stay safe!” She said.

“Ya terminaste? (Are you finished?)” Rafa asked.

“Mmhmm.” I said. Rafa and Loko proceeded to walk me home. I entered our house and walked in.

“TONIO! ES TU? (Is that you?)” Dolores asked. Dolores is Manuel’s long time girlfriend. 3 years, I think. I’ve overheard Manny talk to Rafa about possibly marrying her soon. I’m fine with it. Dolores treats me like a younger brother rather than a son like Manuel.

“Si.” I responded. I set my book bag down and waited while I drank water. Manuel entered the house and was covered in car grease.

“Es tiempo, ‘mano. (It’s time, little brother)” He patted his hands down onto his dirty pants.

Oh no!

---

bye! i love you all!

< 3

3. Race

Antonio’s POV

“Por qué tengo que ir, Manny? (Why do I have to go, Manny.)” I whined.

“It’s to show off those gringos that we are united as one!” Manny said while he put on his leather jacket. Manny is taller than me. He’s 6’2 and has our dad’s messy hair. He got most of our father’s traits such as facial structure and attitude. Manny is very authoritative. He’s very hot headed and protective of the Saints.

And of me. Though I’ve told him to lean off, I still appreciate how much he cares for me.

“Can’t I stay home?” I pleaded.

“No! Eres mi hermano pequeño (You’re my little brother). The gang sees you as their little brother too! You have to go! No questions asked!” Manny said. I groaned and dressed ready to go.

“If you’re worried about the Jewels, don’t be. Today there is no war. Just a race.” So he says.

Race days occur one every six months. The two sides will race each other in different rounds. The winner gets to control the Park Plaza, or El Centro as we call it. Park Plaza is located right through the center of town. It’s a sought after location since the size allows for large gatherings. Currently, the Saints own it.

“Ya vamonos (Let’s go)!” Manny said. I rolled my eyes and put on my glasses.

“Hola, Tonio!” Dina said. We hopped into Manuel’s rusty blue Chevy Corvette. We drove for a while until we reached a huge dirt parking area. 

We exited the car and heard the sound of music playing. It was almost like a carnival. Except, you can tell by the expressions of everyone that there was tension.

We hopped out of the car and many Saints came up to Manny to greet him. Some greeted me too. I stayed back with Dina. Some East siders walked past us and gave us the stink eye. 

“Come on! They’re about to start!” Dina said. She pulled my arm and led us through the crowd. We reached the basin where the race would take place. 

We walked into the concrete river. It was a sort of quarry, an indent in the ground that was very wide. A river flowed through it but during this time the river is very short. Some benches were set up along the edge for us to sit. There were two sides.

“They’re over there!” Dina said. We head over there and sat next to Manny, Dolores, and Rafa.

“They’re starting!” Dolores cheered.

A huge bell rang and the cars were in their starting positions. First, small buggy cars will go first. Our side had a red buggy. It’s a bit beaten down but I’m sure Damacio, a fellow Saint, was able to make some small tweaks to it.

After the race finished, the Saints came out on top, This was only round one of three. The next round is with much bigger cars like Porsche. And the final round is a two-parter. I don’t know much about it since this is only the second time I’ve been here.

The next round began and this time the Jewels won. Tensions were much higher with a tie on the stage. 

“Intermission. Anyone need to go to the bathroom?” Manuel asked.

“I do!” I said. No one else had to so I went alone. I slipped out and made my way back to the parking lot area. There were port-a-potties there, split of course to pertain to the sides.

The sky at this point was dark. The sun had set. I didn’t even notice the sun had gone down. It was dark and there was rarely anyone here. After waiting to get the courage to use the bathroom. There were small lamp posts which illuminated this area.

“I’LL MEET UP WITH YOU RIGHT NOW!” A loud voice said. I turned but only saw a silhouette of a tall person. I turned to face the port-a-potty when a voice spoke to me.

“I didn’t know anyone was here.” The voice said. It was deep and sent shivers down my spine. 

I turned around and saw the most attractive and sexiest person I’ve ever seen.

Fuck, and he’s white!

---

bye! i love you all!

< 3

4. At First Sight

Michael’s POV

“Don’t flip your wig, dude! It’s only for a few hours!” I groaned at Petey’s words. Honestly, I don’t even know why I’m going to this race. 

Over the past few months, I’ve been losing interest in the Jewels. I’m what you can call Top Dog in the gang. Highly respected and above everyone. Except Jack, who is the leader. Me? I just want to leave. But the Jewels bring notoriety and respect.

“Who’s competing?” I asked. 

“Archie, Bandit, Alonzo, and I think Monty.” He said. I already know who’s going to win the race. 

The Jewels. Let’s just say that Bandit added some “features” to our cars. And by features, I mean literal spikes to pop our opponents tires.

We made it to our seats, directly on the other side of the Saints. I personally have no problems with the Saints. I guess we just hate each other because that’s how it’s always been. 

I wiggled in my seat. It was too small to fit my 6’2 frame. I sat through the first two rounds. It wasn’t until we were allowed a break that I finally got up. Petey followed me.

“I’LL GO GET US SOME SNACKS!” Petey yelled through the crowd after we split.

“I’LL MEET UP WITH YOU RIGHT NOW!” I yelled back. I entered the area where the bathrooms were. 

I saw another guy waiting there. I saw the back of him and knew he’s a Saint. His brown skin and curly hair stand out. 

“I didn’t know anyone was here.” I said. The smaller boy jumped at the sound of my voice. I tried to break the ice and show that I didn’t care about his skin color.

The boy turned around and I met one of the most beautiful of God’s creatures. There he stood, a boy who I’ve rarely seen around the halls and classrooms of our school. He had brown golden skin. He was at least 5’9, smaller than me. He had curly brown on his head. His glasses were round and his face was round but chiseled, giving him an innocent but adult look.

“Hey.” I dropped my voice down a few octaves. I leaned my body on the side of a port-a-potty. Why am I acting like this?

“H-Hello.” He muttered out. He gave a small wave.

“What’s a kid like you doing here?” I asked. I ignored the sounds of the world and only focused on him.

“My brother is the leader of the Saints. I kinda was forced to come.” He said. Then it clicked. No wonder he looks so familiar. 

“Holy crap! You’re Manuel Garcia’s little brother!” I exclaimed. A blush came on his face. 

“That’s me. In all glory.” He said. I chuckled and felt myself blush like a schoolgirl. Everyone knows about Manuel Garcia’s little brother. Everyone knows that he’s not a part of the gang, only tags along because Manuel is a Saint. Antonio is known for that, but also for being incredibly smart.

“I never expected to see you here!” I said.

“What are you implying?” He said.

“I’m just saying. I would imagine you would be at home reading a book.” He chuckled nervously.

“That would be better than this.” He scratched his neck.

“I’m Michael. Michael Lexington.” I extended my hand. If the Jewels saw me doing this I would be jumped in an instant. Antonio stared at my large hands and shook them. I wanted to feel more of him.

“Pleasure to meet you, Michael. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure Saints and Jewels aren’t supposed to be shaking hands…” He said. I laughed.

“It’s just you and me here.” I said. I got closer to him and stood directly in front of him. 

I admired just how beautiful he looked. Every aspect of him is perfect in my eyes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder is false because Antonio is beautiful in everyones’ eyes. Just at first sight, I can tell I have more towards Antonio. And I think he knows this too.

Even though I’ve seen him before, something about tonight is different. Maybe because there’s no one here to stop us. I can freely do what I want. And Antonio is what I want.

“What are you doing?” He asked. I hadn’t noticed that I brought my hand to his face and rubbed his face. God he was so smooth.

“I- I don’t know. But I know I’m liking it.” I whispered.

Slowly, Antonio and I began to lean into each other. His face was close to my face. All it took is a small push and then–

“MICHAEL!”

“ANTONIO!”

---

bye! i love you all!

< 3

5. Dreamy

Michael’s POV

We split apart quickly when we heard our names being called.

Was I seriously about to kiss another boy?

“We should leave!” Antonio said. He had a panicked look on his face.

“Okay. You go first. I’ll stay here and wait a few minutes. It’ll look odd if we both come out at the same time.” I said. He nodded and began to walk away from me. But then he turned around.

“Just so you know, I wouldn’t have minded the kiss.” He blushed.

“Me too.” I said.

“Bye, Mike!” He waved. I blushed at his nickname for me.

“Bye, Ant!” I said back. He walked while I stood there and thought of everything.

The discussion of being gay is never brought up. It’s a taboo subject. Plus, everyone is worried about trying to not kill each other. Am I gay? 

“MICHAEL!” Petey’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Shit! I didn’t even have time to use the bathroom.

“I’m here!” I said. Petey ran up to me.

“Let’s go. The last race is about to begin!” And we walked back to our seats by the river. We sat and looked at the race which began.

During that time. I couldn’t help but look at Antonio. He sat next to a girl, an older girl, and Manuel Garcia himself. Antonio caught me looking at him and sent me a small wave and a huge smile. I smiled myself, something I’ve noticed has been lacking in my life.

Genuine happiness.

“CHINESE FIRE DRILL!” Someone yelled. However, I didn’t care about the race. I only cared about Antonio.

The race ended and the Jewels won. Granted, they cheated using the mentioned spikes to destroy the Saint’s wheels.

“Dude, we’re gonna go and celebrate our victory. You in?” Petey asked when we reached our cars.

“I’m good. You guys go ahead!” I said.

“Come on, man. Don’t be a square. We gotta party tonight!” Petey said.

“I need to sleep, man. I got a big day tomorrow.” I said. Plus, I don’t think cheating warrants a celebration.

“If you say so. Goodnight man!” He said. He walked away and I got into my red Buick and drove home.

I entered my house- mansion I should say. My parents are well off and own a real estate company. This is only a small section of the Lexington Corporation. The rest of my family’s business includes politics, finance, and more. And I will soon take over it.

I called out to my parents but they didn’t respond. I’m guessing they’re off on another business trip. It’s common for them to leave me. They try to compensate by buying me whatever I want. But all I want is for them to spend a day with me.

I changed out of my clothes and laid on my bed in only my boxer briefs. I stared at the ceiling and thought back to Antonio.

He looks so innocent. And cute. And I almost kissed him! And he almost kissed me! God how badly I wanted to lean in and at least give him a small peck.

Deciding to ignore society’s rules, I’ve decided I like Antonio. Even though I only met him a few hours ago (2 I think), I know it’s love at first sight!

You can say what you want about love at first sight! But you won’t understand it until you feel it and experience it yourself.

I slept that night, smiling at the thought of the dreamy boy.

---

bye! i love you all!

< 3

6. My Love

Antonio’s POV

“ESOS PINCHE GRINGOS!” Manny yelled when we got home. 

“Calmate, Manuel. ¡No grites en la casa! (Calm down, Manuel. Don’t yell in the house.)” Dolores said to Manuel.

“¿Cómo puedo calmarme? (How can I calm down?) It’s obvious that the Jewels cheated! Did you see those spikes on their car!” Manny yelled. He tugged off his leather jacket and threw it on the couch.

“Compa, you’re lucky it wasn’t a race for pinks. At least-” Rafa said but Manny cut him off.

“Who cares?! They cheated. Now we’ve lost a valuable area.” Manny seethed. Everyone can feel his anger seeping into the room.

“Only for the next six months! You’ll get a chance back.” Rafa said. 

I didn’t care so I’m going to bed.

“Buenas noches!” Dolores called out to me.

“Buenas noches!” I said back. I entered my room. Well, it’s not really a room. It’s very small. But we’re lucky that I even have my own room. Our home has three very small ones. It’s better than having one.

I entered and turned on the lights. I began to dress out of my clothes and sat on my small desk. I pulled out my journal and detailed my day. 

I mentioned the dead bird I found at school. Ms. Bella and her jewelry. The race and Manny’s anger. And Michael.

I wrote in my journal about everything that happened. From the moment he spoke to the moment we almost kissed and the glances we shared at the race. We would’ve kissed if it wasn’t for Dina who called out for me. 

Michael is a true work of God. His chiseled jaw looked like something out of the cover of Vogue. He stood over me, he was at least 6’2. His eyes, blue as the ocean, swirled with wonder. His hair draped over his forehead and waved in the soft wind. And from the bulges in his shirt, I saw how much muscle he carried on his body.

He could snap me in half. Though I can feel that he would never do that.

Do I love him? It’s too early to say. I’ve known since a year ago there was something wrong with me. I never found any girl attractive. Instead, I gawked at how good-looking the men in Dolores’ magazine were. 

I would steal her magazine and… ruffle my feathers… with them. I hate to admit it, but I don’t like women. In any romantic way.

But I don’t think me liking men is the issue. I think the issue is that Michael is a Jewel.

Manny would kill me if he found out I was falling for a Jewel. But to be fair…

…I’m not a member of the Saints.

Therefore, I stand on neutral ground. But in this city, your side is determined by the color of your skin.

But does the color of my skin really matter? No! Because no matter what, my feelings are valid. 

Why, God! Must you make my love unrequited? You already made me love men. But now I’m starting to like a person that Manny would never approve of. A top Jewel member?

I think I’ll just go to sleep and wake up tomorrow. 

The problem will still be there. But so will Michael…

---

bye! i love you all!

< 3

7. Advice

Antonio’s POV

“COMING THROUGH!” A Jewel said. He ran past us and knocked Pepe and I into the wall. He obviously did that on purpose just to go out of his way to bother us.

Even since on Friday when the Jewels won the race, things at Rochester High have been out of balance. Jewels would walk down the hallway and shove people. The school administration would do nothing because they think it’s harmless playing.

Still, my eyes never left a certain someone’s. 

Michael Lexington.

I could never stop myself from looking at the fine specimen of a man. And he too would look at me. I never noticed we had almost every class together. Which means I got to see him several times a day. It fed my desire and hunger for him.

If only Dina and that other person didn’t interrupt us. Then we would’ve kissed and discovered a new sensation of pleasure and affection. 

School ended and the guard followed me to Ms. Bella’s house. This time, I was joined by Rafa, Loko, Raul, and Yuli. 

“Vamos a ir a la casa de la Señora Bella (We’re going to the home of Ms. Bella).” Rafa told the other two. Manny made it his mission to give me extra protection to ensure the Jewels don’t hurt me.

“Antonio. I heard about the race. How’s Manuel holding up?” Ms. Bella asked when she let me in her home.

“Not too good. He knows that Jewels cheated. I think he’s planning something to get revenge.” I said, recalling the conversation on Sunday night.

“Aye, ese nino!” Ms. Bella huffed. 

I spent a few minutes helping Ms. Bella to fix a broken door in her home. Why is it that there’s always something broken in her house?

“Something’s up with you. What’s got your tongue?” Ms. Bella asked. I set down my glass of water and stared at her.

“Nothing. Why do you ask?” I said.

“You just look like something is conflicting in your mind.” She said. “Who is she?” She asked. I choked on my saliva.

“She?” I asked. I dried my sweaty hands onto my jeans.

“Yes! You look like you’re in love. So who is she?” Ms. Bella asked. 

How do I tell her? How do I tell her that it’s not a she, it’s a he! And he’s a Jewel. A forbidden attraction!

I began to tear up at the thought of Manny getting angry at me for liking a Jewel. I imagined him abandoning me, rejecting me as family and ultimately ending our familial bond. 

“It’s not a she!” I sobbed. “It’s a he!” I said. I hid my face in my hands and sniffled. I heard the chair being moved and turned to see Ms. Bella sitting next to me. She rubbed my back and removed my glasses.

“It’s okay, Antonio. It’ll be okay.” She whispered and enveloped me into a hug.

“How can it be okay? I’m falling for a man. And he’s a Jewel. Mama and papa would be so disappointed in me!” I cried.

“No, they wouldn’t. I’m sure they would be proud of you for being brave to acknowledge your feelings. They would be proud to see their son, a bright smart young man, who is defying the words of everyone to follow in his dreams.” I sniffled and took her words seriously.

“But he’s a man.” I said.

“Yes, he is. But if you think your feelings are valid, I’m sure it doesn’t matter.” She pulled me to face her and I was met with her bright blue eyes. “Your love is what makes you human, Antonio. Don’t ever let anyone take it from you.” She said.

I hugged her tightly.

“Thank you, senora. You do so much for me. I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”

“You can thank me by going to college and showing everyone what your people can do! I know you can do it!” 

I know I can. Because everyone believes in me.

---

bye! i love you all!

< 3

8. Tienes Una Novia?

Antonio’s POV

“I know last week was a humiliating loss. I can’t do anything but applaud our team for working hard.” Manny said.

“Amen!” Someone said. ‘Suck up’ I muttered.

“But, we all know those Jewels cheated. So that’s why we’re planning on getting payback!” Many Saints in the room nodded and agreed.

“We will be playing small pranks on these Jewels just to play with them. No jazzing, just playful hazing. Got that! Loko?!” He asked Loko. Loko nodded but everyone knows he won’t listen and will do something extreme.

We sat in the Hub. The Hub is the headquarters for the Saints. It’s located near our home. This means the close proximity means we have quick access to this place. It’s a house that’s nearing its end. We have a meeting room, kitchen (where Dolores makes the best snacks!), and a medical which comes in handy.

“Meeting dismissed. A casa (Go home)!” Manny said. Everyone dispersed and exited. I stayed behind and waited for Manny to finish his talks with Rafa. 

“¿Por qué te ves tan feliz? (Why do you look so happy?)” Dolores asked me.

“Hmm, on, nada.” I blushed.

“Conozco esa mirada en tu cara. ¡Estás enamorado! (I know that look on your face. You’re in love!)” She teased me. She pinched my cheeks while I playfully slapped her hands away.

“No I’m not!” I said.

“Then what’s with the blushing, hmm? Dime. (Tell me).” She said.

“No, I’m good! I gotta dip! Adios!”

“¡Espere! ¿Tienes una novia? (Wait! Do you have a girlfriend?)” She asked.

‘No, but maybe a boyfriend.’

“No. No tengo uno (No I don’t have one). Now can I leave?” I asked.

“Fine. Be careful!”

“Mhm. Adios!” I said. I walked out of the Hub.

As I walked home, my hands reached up to my lips. I can still feel Michael’s hot breath on my face. They fanned my face in a pleasing manner. 

I wonder how much a kiss costs?

A kiss from Michael could be priceless. 

I wonder when I can see him again without the presence of anyone else. Does he still think of me? I hope he didn’t forget me. Because I sure didn’t. I haven’t been able to think straight for the past few days. All my thoughts are taken up by Michael.

He looked at me yesterday and today with the biggest smile on his face. And who could miss that adoration in his eyes.

Is it that clear that I’m in love? Dolores pointed that out today. Thankfully she didn’t pester on. I probably would’ve spilled the beans with that.

I wonder how Michael is doing with this. Is he freaking out like I am, or is he taking it more smoothly?

---

bye! i love you all!

< 3

9. Rage

Michael’s POV

“THOSE DAMN SPICS!” Jack screamed. I just sat there while my head leaned into my hand thinking about Antonio and his cute glasses.

“THEY RUINED MY HAIR!!” Delilah complained. She pulled chunks of dried green paint from her already split-end hair.

“Why would they do this?!” Bandit asked.

“Isn’t it obvious you ditz!” Jack hit Bandit’s head.

“Ow, jackass! Don’t get your panties in a twist. We just gotta show them Saints who they messin with. It couldn’t be too hard.” Bandit said.

“No. Just Manuel. We gotta show him who the boss of this place is.”

“Right on!” Someone agreed like a stuck up.

I started to zone out at this point. There wouldn’t be any pranks if the Jewels played fairly. If they had to cheat, it’s obvious they felt like they were going to lose. Which only made the Saints look much stronger.

I knew that no one could ever find out about me and Antonio.

Me and Antonio?

What even is there?

We almost kissed once. That’s it. But that moment there, I keep replaying it in my head. And it doesn’t help that Antonio is in almost every class I have.

Which is like a giant ‘fuck you’ given by God. He puts Antonio into my life and makes him be everywhere but knows I can’t have him. Do you know how difficult it is to have something you want so badly but can’t have even though it’s right in front of you?

Yeah, now you understand my problem.

I haven’t told anyone about Antonio. I don’t want anyone to know that I’m some fruit!

But yet, what’s the price to pay for love?

Do I love Antonio Garcia?

“Michaeeeeeelllllll. You there, bud?” Petey waved his hand in my face. I snapped out of my trance.

“What’s the haps?” I asked.

“I’ve decided to give Manuel a little man-to-man talk at the dance.” Jack said slyly. Almost sinisterly

“You better not pound him. The school is neutral territory.” I said.

“Relax, dude. I’m only gonna talk with him. That’s all.” He added.

“How are you even going to enter the dance? You’re not a student anymore.” I asked.

“Hey, how’s Manuel getting in too?” Petey asked.

“I’m getting in thanks to my lovely date, the one from Breeze’s Waterfront. She goes to Rochester.”

“You mean the skirt you scored with last week.” Chester giggled.

“That skirt is a lady!” Jack said. “Manuel is getting in through his dork brother.” Jack scoffed. I clenched my fist at how he talked about Antonio.

“Friday. Make sure you’re all there. Dress nice and walk tall! Show these tamales who they’re messing with.”

I couldn’t help but get a good feeling about this dance. Like something is going to happen with me and a certain angel.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

10. Dance

Antonio’s POV

“Tonio, vamonos!” Manny yelled for me. I put on my light blue blazer and walked out of my room.

“¡Ay que guapo! (Oh how handsome!)” Dolores said. She wore a red dress and Manny had a light red suit on and black pants.

“Te miras como mamá. (You look like mom).” Manny said. I saw the look in his eyes. He misses her. I miss her too. 

“You look fine as wine!” Dina said. She hooked her arm on my arm and we walked to Manny’s car. We drove to the high school for the dance. I’m praying that Manny doesn’t get into a fight with anyone. Lord knows Dolores and I are tired of tending his wounds at night.

Is Michael going to be there? I sure hope so. Maybe I can pull him aside and talk to him.

“Pepe, stick with Tonio. Don’t let him out of your sight.” Manny said to Pepe. Great. I now have a babysitter. This just made my attempts to talk to Mike harder.

We entered the large gym and heard the blast of music. Everyone was mingling with their respective groups. A lot of teens were already loaded, even though the night had just begun.

“Stay close to me. Don’t want any Jewels to hurt you.” Pepe whispered in my ear. 

I waited on the side of the gym and saw everyone dancing with a partner. They all looked to be having an ace time. But I searched the hot and humid room to look for one person in particular. The person who has my heart.

I spotted him across the room, dressed in an elegant and very expensive white suit. His hair was slicked back nicely with his smile bright from every corner of the room. I wished in my head over and over that he would turn and make eye contact with me.

Fuck me, he did!

He turned his head and gave me a smile. I waved at him slightly.

“Who are you waving to?” Pepe asked.

“No one. I have to go to the bathroom.” I said.

“Make sure you come back in five minutes. If not, I’m calling Manuel to look for you.” He said. Oooh, scary…

I began walking through the side of the gym while looking at Michael. He saw what I was doing and began to walk alongside me from the other side of the gym. No one saw what we were doing. We walked until we reached the back of the bleachers. I began to approach him and he met me halfway.

He leaned on the poles of the stand. 

“Finally I can see you again…” Michael said.

“I’ve missed you.” I said.

“We never got to finish before.” He said. He walked closer to me and was practically pinning me to the wall. The waltz music played, the atmosphere now more romantic.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked me. I looked up and nodded. Yes! This is something I want.

He leaned in and kissed me. It was a kiss that I’ve been craving. The dreams and visions I’ve had where I pictured this kiss didn’t prepare me for how magical it actually is. No, this is better than a dream!

“You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to do that.” He said. He rubbed my chin. I brought my hand up to grip his neck softly.

“That was my first kiss.” I said.

“Did you like it?” He asked.

“Mhm. Better than I imagined.” I said. I hugged him and put my head on his hard chest. I heard his heartbeat pick up. He put his chin on the top of my head. We stayed like that, enjoying our warmth and feelings.

“Everyone is going to be pissed if they found out about this.” I said.

“Then we’ll make sure they never find out.” He said. 

I leaned back up and kissed him. I pulled his tie down and gave him a kiss. There was no tongue. Just raw lips.

“So I was thinking that we should-”

“MALDITO IDIOTA!!” Manny screamed.

“I JUST WANT TO TALK!” I think Jack said.

Great, our moment has been ruined once again.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

11. Jazz

Michael’s POV

Antonio and I split apart upon hearing the yells of several people. We began to walk in the opposite direction. 

“WAIT!” I said to him. He turned to see me. “One last kiss?” I asked. 

“Of course.” He said. We ran into each other’s arms and landed our lips together. I don’t know when I’ll be able to kiss him again. So it’s better to kiss now.

“Okay. Now we can go.” I said.

“See you later, Mike.” He waved at me.

“Until then, Ant.” We turned and ran in the opposite direction from under the bleachers. I looked and saw a large group of dancers huddled around while a screaming match went on.

I moved my way into the middle.

“Dude, what’s going on?” I asked Petey who was on his way to the middle.

“Jack got into it with Manuel.” He said. We saw Jack and Manuel screaming at each other, both being held back by their members of their gang.

“Tell your spics to stop harassing us!” Jack screamed.

“Well next time don’t cheat, you fucking Yankee!” Manuel screamed back.

“Why you-” Jack jumped and tried to jump Manuel but I swooped in and quickly grabbed him back. His blonde hair was now tousled and his cheeks red with anger.

“Jack. Pipe down. We’re leaving.” I said. I began to drag Jack while he continued to yell at the Saints. I turned to see Antonio who gave me an approving smile for stopping the attack.

I threw Jack into my red Buick followed by Pete and Bandit. We drove to our hangout and sat to get our shit together.

“Wait, we left Paula!” Jack said, remembering his date.

“Now’s not the time. Why were you at it with Manuel?” I asked.

“Nothing, man! I just asked to keep his beans off our asses!” Jack asserted with a little slur in his voice.

“You have got to stop trying to fight with Manuel. Don’t you remember the rule?” I said to him.

“What rule?” Bandit asked. I forgot he only joined the Jewels last year, so many of the conservative rules put in place years ago are still unknown to him (and frankly to other long-time members).

“The gang leaders are not allowed to fight each other unless an actual duel is settled.” Petey explained.

“But why? Who created that rule?” Bandit asked. 

“To be honest, no one knows. The founders established it when there came an influx of Latinos to the east coast. Gangs were formed and sides were picked. I guess they decided to not make leaders attack because that’s what the Royals are for.” I said.

“Right. I guess that makes sense.” Bandit said.

“So where were you, Michael? I didn’t see you when I got into it with Manuel.” Jack asked me.

‘Oh I was off kissing and falling in love with Manuel’s younger brother, Antonio. Yeah, we like each other.’ is something I DARED not say.

“I-I was in the bathroom.” I stuttered a bit. I could feel my hands sweating so I clenched them. Jack gave me a speculating look.

“If you say so.” He said.

“What does that mean ‘If you say so’?” I asked. 

“Nothing. You don’t have to hide bro.” Jack said. Oh God! They know!

“Um, listen. I can explain!” I said.

“We totally know you were scoring with a dame.” Jack said. I sighed in relief. “Who was she? Peggy? Donna? Delilah?” He kept asking.

None. 

I was kissing Antonio.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

12. Target

Michael’s POV

“Okay, okay, okay. A man does not kiss and tell.” I said to stop Jack from trying to guess who I was with. Hint: it’s not a girl.

“So what’s the plan now? Manuel now knows you’re pissed and probably knows you cheated.” Bandit said. The door to the hangout opened and in walked Archie and Ace.

“Hey guys. What’s going on?” Ace asked. I didn’t fail to notice the love bites on his neck. “Oh, Jack. Paula got home. She got a ride from her gals.” He said.

“Thanks. And we’re planning ways to get revenge on the Saints.” We all sat on the leather sofas.

“I would say retaliate with pranks but that’ll only add fuel to the fire.” Petey said.

“Recon I could bag some of their stores?” Bandit asked. He tossed a knife to a dartboard without a care.

“Perhaps. But I’m thinking we send a message to the Saints. Manuel specifically.” Jack held his chin and began thinking.

“What about Manuel’s little brother? That queer.” Ace said. My attention zoned back into the conversation at the mention of Ant.

“I think his name is Antonio.” Petey said. No one could see my worried expression.

“Who’s Antonio?” Bandit asked.

“Manuel’s little brother. But he’s not a part of the Saints. But Manuel still treats him like one, having the Guard follow him around.” Jack said.

“We should totally pound that candyass!” Ace said, practically jumping in his seat. I think Ace doesn’t like Antonio.

I knew then that I had to do something to protect Antonio. If I couldn’t be there for him all the time, the least I can do is make sure he’s out of harm’s way.

“I don’t think so.” I piped up, my booming voice quieting the discussion.

“Oh yeah? And why not? It’s a perfect plan. Attack the dweeb and let Manuel know not to mess with the Jewels!” Ace defended his plan.

“It does sound fool proof, Michael.” Jack said like a spineless coward.

“I can think of two reasons why not to. One: attacking Antonio won’t calm the Saints down. They see him as a little brother. Hurting him is putting a target on all of our backs and no doubt would lead to a rumble. And two: Antonio is not a Saint. It’s stated in the rules you can only attack Saints. Since Antonio is not a Saint, attacking him could lead to the pigs looking to arrest us.” I said. Sure there have been times when those rules were broken, but rules are made to be broken and only followed when it’s to favor someone.

Everyone began thinking about what I said.

“I’m on Michael’s side. Attacking Antonio is a bad idea.” Petey said, taking my side. I nodded to my best friend to say thank you.

“I don’t know. I still think we should jump him.” Ace is still trying. “I mean, what’s he gonna do? Fight back? Not a chance! You’ve seen that beaner? Fucker small as shit! That wimp would probably not even say anything to his brother. Probably just say he fell down-” Ace said until I spoke up.

“I advise if you want to keep your knees to shut up!” I spoke fiercely at him. “One more word from you and watch what happens.” I cracked my knuckles and made sure my muscles bulged from under my suit. Ace stopped talking and gulped into submission.

“Enough! Both of you! Let me think!” Jack said. He sat for a while, thinking of what to do. I’m just saying, if he dares lay a finger on Antonio I’ll make sure to return the favor to him.

“Alright. Here’s my consensus. We will NOT attack Antonio!” Ace groaned while I smiled. “But we’ll still brainstorm something.” Jack said.

“Right. Well, I’m gonna hit the hay. We’ll reconvene tomorrow.” Petey said while yawning.

“Tomorrow. Yes. Goodnight men. You’re all dismissed.” Jack said. We walked out of the hangout. Ace glared at me. Not my fault I have a bigger influence.

“Dude. You good? Kinda snapped in there.” Petey asked me.

“Yeah man. Guess I’m just tired.” I responded. In reality, I snapped because my Antonio was being threatened for no reason either than for some petty schism. Keeping him out of it is the only way I can ensure he’s safe. But we are in a secret relationship. That in itself is a major target.

“I need a ride home.” Petey said. We walked to my red car and opened the door on the passenger side.

“Hop in.” I said.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

13. Rocks on the Window

Antonio’s POV

The following Monday at school was hectic, like always. Although now, there was a huge tension, larger than normal. And the fights at school proved just how hateful everyone was to each other.

After the confrontation at the gym, Manny was upset. But he knows Jack can’t actually hurt him.

I’m getting fed up with only being allowed to steal glances at Mike. So badly I want to go up to him and give him a nice kiss, like the one at the dance.

That was my first kiss. And his lips still linger on mine. I sigh when I think about it. It was the perfect kiss. And we would’ve had more if we weren’t interrupted.

“Tonito? Oye! Are you there?” Manny snapped his fingers in my face. I dozed off on the couch, day dreaming of Mike.

“Hmm? I’m here!” I perked up.

“It’s Friday night. Don’t got any plans?” Manny asked. He put on his jacket getting ready to leave while Dolores held her hand bag while wearing capri pants and her curly brown hair to her sides.

“Nah. Dina’s busy.” I said.

“You and Dina sure talk a lot.” Manny squinted his eyes.

“Manuel. ¡Déjalo en paz! (Leave him alone!)” Dolores said to him while laughing.

“There’s nothing going on between us!” I said while Manny walked away.

“Okay, hermano. Whatever you say.” He chuckled, obviously not believing me.

“I’m serious! Manny!”

“Don’t stay up too late. Make sure the doors are locked. Buenas noches.” Manny said. He turned and closed the door. I huffed and sat back on the couch bored out of my skull.

After a few minutes, I went to my room, deciding to call it a night. I dressed in shorts and a white tee and layed on my bed. As I was dozing off, I heard taps on my window. At first I thought it was maybe a branch. But the taps were intermittently constant.

I groaned and got up to see what was going on. I opened the window and a small pebble hit me directly in the forehead.

“Ow! The fuck?!” I said.

“Oops! Sorry! Are you okay?” A voice said. I looked down and saw Mike in the flesh. One of his hands held a handful of rocks.

“Mike?” I squinted to see him. “What are you doing here?” I asked. It didn’t matter his excuse because now I have a chance to see him in private.

“I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to see you.” Mike said. He propped himself on a nearby rock and sat. I held out my hand and he grabbed mine.

“Me too. God I missed you so much. Hang on. How did you find where I live?” I asked.

“Uh,” He rubbed his neck. “Ya see. We kinda have a portfolio of where everyone lives. I may or may not have used it to find out where Manuel lives.” The light from my room showed he was blushing.

“That’s kinda sweet. And romantic.” I said.

“I never got to finish what I wanted to say on Saturday.” He said.

“What were you gonna say?” I asked.

“Well, I wanted to know if you wanted to go on a date.” He smiled at me.

“Yes I do! But how would it work? You can’t come to the west side. I can’t go to the east side?” I asked.

“Neutral territory. No one guards those places.” Mike said. I thought about it. There are a few good places where we can go. But even then, we’ll still have to hide.

“Sounds good but we still have to cover ourselves.” I said and kissed Mike’s hand.

“I’ll make sure of it.” Mike said. He stood up and leaned over the window to meet my face directly. This reminds me of something.

“Then consider it a date.” I said as Mike’s face was directly in front of mine. His features are more prominent. His blue eyes completely stun me. His dark eyebrows and eyelashes. His pink lips.

“I wish they didn’t hate each other.” Mike pushed some hair out of my face.

“Me too. It’s so petty. What are they even fighting for?” I asked.

“No one knows. It just started and it’s been like that ever since.” Mike said. He enveloped me in a hug, his arms reaching out and pulling me closer. I took a whiff of his cologne.

“When is the date happening?” I asked. He pulled us apart.

“Mmmm. Tomorrow. 9 pm. I’ll pick you up.” He said.

“But where. You can’t just park in front of the house. Manny’ll flip out.” I said.

“Then down the street. In the alley.”

“Sounds good.” I responded.

“Look out for a red Buick. Bright red.” He said.

“Got it. Red Buick.”

“I’m glad we’re finally doing this.” He said. I smiled genuinely.

“I know this is gonna be a great thing. Now go! Before someone sees you.” I said to Mike. He began to get down and dusted his pants.

“Wait!” He whispered-yelled. “Can I get one last kiss?” He asked. I nodded and he climbed back up to my window.

I leaned over and we exchanged a few simple kisses. I moaned into them, enjoying the butterflies I got from them.

“Good night, Antonio.” He said.

“Good night, Michael.” I responded. He hopped down and gave me one last look before turning and running away. I leaned my head into my folded arm and looked out into the moonlight.

I went off to bed and laid my head onto my pillow. I sighed and clutched my heart to my body. Being with Mike sends small pains into my heart. The good kind of pain.

And tomorrow I would get to have more of him.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

14. Moonlight

Antonio’s POV

I opened the front door slowly, trying to be careful to not wake up anyone. But fuck me, cause the door creaked.

“Antonio? Es tu?” Dolores asked from her and Manny’s room.

“Um, si. I’m going outside for a bit.” I said.

“Make sure you come back before midnight.” She said.

“I will.” I sighed in relief and quickly exited our home. I clutched my jacket over myself, feeling the cold from the night. I walked down the street, passing by cars and closed shops. I reached the alley where I asked Mike to wait.

“Michael?” I whispered into the night. But there was no response. I continued to whisper his name until a set of headlights turned on.

“In here!” He whispered out. I shielded my eyes from the light until they got adjusted to the flash. I saw Mike wearing an expensive looking brown coat standing outside the driver side of his seat. 

I ran towards him and hugged him close. We exchanged a quick kiss. I hopped into his car in the passenger seat and clipped on the seatbelt.

“You look outta sight.” Mike said.

“Thanks.” I blushed. “You too.” I said. My eyes trailed down his body. “Where off to?” I asked. Mike turned on the ignition and began pulling out of the alley. 

“Somewhere I think you’ll like.” He gave me a smile.

“Just hope it’s in neutral territory.” I said. I fiddled with the sleeves of my sweater. 

“Trust me, it is.” Mike said. He drove us farther into town. I saw the surroundings and saw we were partially on the east side. He pulled up to a large parking lot.

I looked up and saw the sign. In bright neon cursive read the words ‘Moonlight Drive-In Theater’. 

“I’ve always wanted to come here!” I said and jumped in my seat.

“How come you’ve never been before?” He asked. He drove and parked away from the main center. 

“Well. Cause no one ever wants to go. This place is neutral but it’s mainly east siders who come here. Manny has always complained about this place.” I said.

“I brought disguises for us.” Mike reached into the back seat. He pulled out a backpack and opened it. “Here. Put this on.” He handed me sunglasses and a Yankee baseball cap. Then he tied a scarf around my neck.

“What about you?” I asked. He pulled out some shades and looked incredibly sexy. 

“How do I look?” He asked and adjusted his jacket.

“Like a God.” He chuckled and began driving to the ticket booth.

“Two tickets please.” He said. I shielded the side of my face away from the booth and looked away.

“$1.50.” The man in the booth said. After a few seconds, the car began driving and made its way to the cinema lot. There were a few other cars around. It is a Saturday afterall. 

“The windows are tinted. As long as we stay here, no one can see it’s you.” Mike said.

“Yeah, but what about food? I’m starving.” I said. 

“I’ll go get us something.” He said. “Stay here and do not move.” Mike opened the car door carefully and looked around. He gave me one last look before walking away.

I did not move a muscle for the next few minutes. I saw many people from school walking around and minding their own business. After a few more minutes, a figure began walking to the car. It was Brad, a Jewel.

“Yo, Michael. You in there?” Brad began knocking on the hood of the car. I began sweating and shaking. Just breathe in and out. As long As I don’t move, nothing will happen.

“Michael!” Brad began knocking harder on the hood. It felt like he might actually break in and see who I am.

“Brad!” Michael’s voice called out. I turned and saw Mike running back to the car with a few snacks in hand. I sighed in relief.

“Michael. You here alone?” Brad asked. I eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Yeah. Figured I needed to get out the house.” 

“Hmm. That’s a lot of snacks for one person.” Brad had a hint of questioning in his voice.

“I’m a big dude. A guy’s hungry.” Mike said. “The movie’s starting. Bye, Brad.” Mike said. Brad said goodbye and walked off. Mike entered the car with the snacks in hand.

“Whew! For a second I thought he was gonna find out.” Mike said. He handed me a tub of popcorn and a Coke bottle.

“My heart dropped. Thank God you came on time.” I said. The screen ahead of us began to play a movie. “What movie is this?” I asked.

“Rebel Without A Cause.” Mike said. I didn’t know what the movie was about, but I figured it could be good.

“Thanks for the snacks.” I said.

“Anything for you.” Mike extended his arm and placed it behind my headrest. He kept his hand there the entire movie.

I would steal occasional glances at Mike. He truly is a God among the living. I have no idea how I fell for him, but he fell for me too. Like we’re a match made in heaven.

“The movie’s over.” Mike said.

“Damn. I was enjoying us being together.” I said. Mike leaned in and gave a kiss on the lips.

“We can still have more dates.” He said, cupping my face.

“I look forward to that.” I said.

We shared another kiss. The kiss deepend and Mike soon started tracing his tongue along my bottom lips. I opened my mouth and our tongues danced with each other. I need more of him.

“I should get you home before Manuel kills me.” He said after we pulled apart. We were both panting from the kiss.

“Certainly don’t want that.” He chuckled. Mike drove me home and we said goodnight. But not before we gave one last kiss. 

I slept that night, smiling so bright the stars couldn’t match.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

15. Ms. Bella Again

Michael’s POV

I normally don’t walk so gleefully, but today is different. After my incredible date with Antonio, it’s like the world is irrelevant. I jumped in my step, a stupid smile on my face.

I knocked on the door of an old family friend. Ever since she moved to the west side, we stopped talking and communication was lost. She was a huge help for my parents in some confidential tasks.

“Michael?” The woman said through the door. She opened the door and I was greeted by a small elderly woman. “Oh, Michael! It’s been years! Come in!” Ms. Bella said. She opened the door wide for me to enter.

“Good morning, Ms. Bella.” I said. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. 

“Such a gentleman.” She cooed. Ms. Bella led me to her kitchen where she made me sit. “Are you hungry?” She asked. “I just finished baking cookies.” Ms. Bella held out a tray of cookies. I nodded my head.

“How’s the west side treating you?” I asked her. Her small body sat in front of me. “I hope they haven’t been hurting you.” I said, putting emphasis on the they.

“Michael!” She gasped. “No! The west has been very kind.” She said. I realized what I had said.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to say that.” I said. I stared at Ms. Bella’s glasses that hung on her neck. They kind of reminded me of Antonio’s glasses the he sometimes wears at school that others make fun of him for.

“What brings you here? You usually ignore the west side unless you’re here to cause some mischief.” She said and squinted her eyes at me.

“No mischief. I’m just here to catch up with you.” I said.

“Hmm.” Ms. Bella said. She looked like she was thinking of something.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. I began to sweat a bit feeling nervous.

“I can’t put my finger on it,” Ms. Bella leaned forward to get a closer look at me. “But you’re acting very differently.” She began to suck her teeth.

“Differently? How?” I asked and tried not to give myself away.

“I just can’t figure it out.” Her glare began to burn into me. “You never come to the west side willingly. Always following that fool Jack!”

After a tension filled atmosphere, she jolted up.

“You’re in love!” Her face lit up. “So who is she?” Ms. Bella asked. For a moment I thought she may have caught me. But I guess nope, cause she even saw my hesitation.

“Who is he?” She stated simply. I choked on my food.

“He? What makes you say that?!” I asked. No doubt my face was red, not making my case any better.

“Come on, Michael. I watched you grow up. I knew that you never enjoyed being a Jewel. You hated it. I babysat you for many nights while your parents had to travel. I know you.” She said.

I planted my head on the table. More like slammed my head. I sighed and tried not to cry.

“I thought I could keep it a secret.” I muttered.

“Michael, look at me.” She said. I slowly looked up at her. “I don’t care who you like. I always believed love is love. But I want you to be safe out there.” She moved and sat next to me. She rubbed my back softly which calmed me.

“It gets worse, ma’am.” I sighed out. 

“How so?” Her soft voice calmed me.

“He’s a west sider.” 

“Is it Antonio?” She asked. I perked up and stared at her.

“Y-Yes. How did you know?” I asked.

“Antonio came to me too a few days ago. Poor thing broke down because he didn’t want either of you to get hurt.” Ms. Bella comforted me. 

“What do I do? I know I love him but no one will understand I don’t even think they care about me being queer. But the fact that he’s a Saint.” I said. A somber feeling overtook me.

“My advice, Michael,” She shifted and sat closer to me. “Hold onto him. Don’t let go. I have never seen you care for someone so much before. I can tell this boy makes you feel these great things. So, don’t let him go.” She said.

“I promise, ma’am.”

“Your love can overcome anything. Just make sure you stay cautious. Not just for you but for Antonio.” She said. I nodded, determined to keep her words.

“And Michael.” Her voice sounded very serious. “Don’t you dare hurt Antonio.” She warned me.

“I would never hurt him.” Because Lord knows I wouldn’t.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

16. Wrong Side

Antonio’s POV

“Dina!” I yelled at the Chicana to wait for me.

“Que?” She turned and waited for me to catch up. Once I did, we waited for me to catch my breath.

“Where’re we going?” I asked her. Dina just rolled her eyes and giggled. She’s always been my closest friend since birth. Our parents were friends who came here together. And after my parents died, Dina’s parents have made sure Manny and I are well taken care of.

I’m not sure why Manny thinks Dina and I are dating. I see us as friends. So has Dina. No. I’m in love with someone else.

“I’m going to la tiendita. Papa wants Advil.” She said. 

“I’ll come with!” I perked up. We both began walking.

“Oh, it’s closed.” She said when we reached the store.

“There’s another pharmacy close by.” I said. 

“Donde? (Where?)” She asked. I cringed when I realized where it was located. I rubbed the back of my neck, knowing Dina wouldn’t agree to it because of where it’s at.

“Right across the tracks.” I muttered.

“Uh-uh. Hell no! Can you imagine what the Royals would do to us! BAM!” Dina pretended to punch my jaw. I jumped back.

“Well, we can walk 10 blocks and the Ruins to go to the nearest store; or just cross the tracks.” I said, pointing to the area near the tracks with broken down houses from before the war. “Besides, I’m sure we’ll be fine.” I said. 

“FINE! But if I get killed, I’m coming back from Hell and haunting your ass!” Dina said. 

We walked up to the tracks. We scoped the area and made sure there were no Jewels scouting the area. Once we saw the coast was clear, we ran and hid behind a wall.

“You sure about this?” Dina asked. Her quivering breath indicated she was nervous.

“No. But we’re already here.” We got from our position and walked to the road.

“I met someone.” I said.

“Hold up! What!” She almost shrieked. “Who is it?! C’mon man, tell me!” Her attention was now hyper. I haven’t seen her this excited ever since, well, yesterday. This girl is always happy.

“I can’t tell you. I wish I could.” I played with my fingers.

Sometimes it’s best to shut up.

“Aww, come on! Who is she? Flaca? No, she’s too annoying. Bella? Nah,” Dina took a look down at me, “Not your type.”

Dina went on naming several girls from our side. When I kept saying no to each one, she suspected it may be an East sider girl. 

“Could it be a gu-” Dina was interrupted when we heard yelling from behind us. We stopped in our tracks and turned to see a group of about 5 Jewels coming up to us. 

“RUN!” I said to Dina. Adrenaline coursed through our blood as we ran fast, away from the guys who also began running. The sound of their footsteps got closer.

“In here!” I said, pointing to an alley that was ahead of us. We almost made it until we were grabbed by hands.

“Got the spic!” One of them yelled. They laughed as Dina yelled at them to let us go.

“What are these beans doing on this side of town?” One of them said. I struggled in the arms of one of the guys who held my arms back. I kicked all over the place.

“LET US GO!” I yelled, thrashing and trying to pry myself away from the hard grip on my wrists.

“Shut up.” One of them said. He balled his fist and punched me in my stomach. The wind was knocked out of me. I coughed to regain my breath. Dina was pleading for someone to help us. But everyone who walked by either ignored us or gave the Jewels a thumbs up.

“Tell Manuel this is a warning if he ever messes with us again.” The Jewel with red-hair said. 

I spat in his face. He growled and wiped it off his face. 

He punched my face, knocking me to the ground. I was soon surrounded by 4 of the 5 Jewels. One of the Jewels was holding Dina as she screamed bloody murder.

“¡DÉJALO EN PAZ! (LEAVE HIM ALONE!)” She screamed.

I covered my head and shielded my chest away from their kicks and punches. My glasses were definitely broken at this point. My nose and mouth seeped blood.

A kick was placed on my head. An eerie ring was in my ears. 

That’s when I heard the sound of tires screeching. A booming voice was yelling.

“HEY!” The voice said. The kicks and punches stopped. But my body was losing consciousness. My vision blackened right before I caught a glimpse of a red Buick.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

17. Attacked

Michael’s POV

Getting my dry cleaning, I drove off to the direction of home. Though, I was a bit hungry. Maybe a little food wouldn’t hurt.

I drove around the neighborhood which had your standard nuclear family homes. I’m pretty sure that probably 10 years ago, this place didn’t exist. But my parents, being real estate agents (and more), funded the building of new properties only on the east side. 

I drove into Mulberry Street and drove down it. That’s when I saw a group of Jewels jumping someone. 

I was going to ignore the pounding someone was getting when I saw Bandit holding back a girl. But she was brown, not white. 

Immediately, I began to think something was off about this.

The girl was screaming for them to stop.

I caught a glimpse of the boy getting jumped. Squinting my eyes, my heart stopped.

When I met Antonio, I promised to make sure to protect him. But to protect him, I need to do it by not making it obvious. The first time was when I convinced Jack to not attack Antonio.

Now’s the time to do it again.

I fastened the car and parked unevenly on the sidewalk. I ran out of the car to where the attack was.

“HEY!” I yelled. The Jewels all turned to look at me. Bandit’s eyes bulged out their sockets. He let go of the girl who ran to Antonio’s side.

My poor baby looked beaten up. His face had blood and his clothes were a bit torn. I turned up to look at Archie, who had the most blood on his fist.

“You five,” I spoke in a threatening voice. “Who do you think you are to abuse your power!” I yelled. “You all better split before I slam my fist into your faces! Got that!” I yelled. They all nodded their heads and turned to run away.

“If I see you doing this again, you’ll have to deal with me!” I said to Archie, the one who stayed a bit behind. He too cowered and ran off.

Once they were far enough and rounded the corner, I approached Antonio.

I couldn’t actually hurt the Jewels if I wanted to. I mean, I could, but that would be a bit suspicious if they saw that I was punching a Jewel and protecting a Saint. It’s better that I scare them off 

I got a closer look at Antonio’s face. There was a bit of swelling on his face. His cheeks were bruised. His lips that I kissed a few days ago were bloodied. And his glasses were broken on the sidewalk.

I kneeled down next to Antonio and touched his face.

“What are you doing?” The girl asked. She tried to pry off my hands from Antonio.

“We have to get him home!” I frantically yelled to the girl. I noticed that her blouse she was wearing was also torn and the back side was getting ripped open to expose her back.

“Huh?” She asked, confused at a Jewel being nice to her. 

“Come on! Let’s go!” I said urgently. I picked up Antonio’s body, carrying him bridal style towards my car. “Open the back seat!” I yelled at the girl. She opened it and moved out of the way for me. I placed Antonio’s unconscious body laying down on the back seats.

“Get in with him! Don’t let him roll over!” I yelled to the girl, who was standing there questioning what was going on.

The girl entered the back seat, lifting Antonio’s legs and placing them on her lap. I closed the door hastily and got into the driver’s seat and hit the gas.

“Is he still breathing!?” I asked the girl.

My mind was racing with several thoughts. But I knew one thing; we have to get Antonio home and help him. 

Antonio is the only person I love. I couldn’t imagine losing him just when I found him. My heart shuddered at the thought of losing Antonio. My foot hit the gas and began driving even faster.

“His house is at-” The girl tried speaking before I turned a corner. She yelped and almost fell off her seat.

“I know where it’s at!” I said. I checked my rearview mirror. Antonio was still knocked out cold. 

I saw the look on the girl’s face. She was probably wondering why I knew the location of Antonios’ home. 

As we entered the west side, my heart raced with urgency.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

18. Scandal

Dina’s POV

“Manuel isn’t home.” I told the erratic Jewel guy. I have no idea why he’s helping out. I’ve seen this guy around. He’s a high ranking Jewel. Jack’s right-hand man. Although I’ve never seen Michael do any crimes, by association he’s guilty.

“Open the door!” Michael frantically yelled at me. He parked his car in front of the Garcia’s house. I got out and opened the door to allow Michael to carry an unconscious Antonio. 

“Right here!” I pointed to the couch. Michael set Antonio on the couch. I moved to add a pillow on the back of his head. I stared down and went to get some wet towels to clean the blood.

“He’s gonna need more than that.” Michael said. I almost forgot he was here. His face was worried. Which was weird because why is a Jewel so concerned about a Saint. I agreed that Antonio would need more. Bandages maybe and stitches.

“I can go get some supplies.” I said, standing up and heading to the exit.

“I’ll- I’ll stay here.” Michael replied. He took a stool and sat next to Antonio.

“Good idea. Don’t move!” I said. I exited the house and made sure to close the door. I looked around to see if any Saints were around. So far, nothing. Although I’m sure the bright red expensive car would give away that something weird going on. 

I raced to the Hub where I knew we had a medic room with many supplies. I looked around and grabbed anything I could. Everyone here was distracted so I ran home. Michael’s car was still there, meaning he hasn’t left yet. 

I entered the house but stopped at the door.

I saw Michael rubbing Antonio’s head and looking like he was on the verge of tears.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there sooner.” Michael softly spoke. I remained standing there, shocked at whatever was going on. Why was Michael being so kind to Antonio?

Something is going on…

Then Michael leaned in and kissed Antonio’s forehead.

I so badly wanted to drop my items but that would make noise. Maybe I’m just seeing things. Michael held onto Antonio’s hand gripping it tightly. 

For fuck’s sake! Stop being a chismosa and go and help Antonio who is bleeding out!

I left temporarily and made my way back to the house making as much noise to alert Michael I’m coming. When I entered, Michael was sitting next to Antonio, like he wasn’t just holding his hand and kissing him a few seconds ago.

“I got supplies.” I set the stuff on the table and got everything set.

“Will this be enough?” Michael asked, subtly wiping his tears.

“Mmhmm. I think he’s just got surface bruises.” I grabbed some alcohol and poured it on his wounds. As I was working, Michael just stood back and watched as I helped his… lover? 

I know damn well I’m going to press Antonio about this.

“How do you know so much about this?” Michael asked. 

“You kinda learn how to fix wounds when living in a war zone. Fixed my cousin’s bullet wound one time.” I said. 

Truth is, everyone here learns to heal basic wounds. Medical care is way too expensive. I still recall my prima Rosita who went to the hospital and was charged $35 for a bandage! 

“Okay. So he’s bandaged up. But he’ll need a few days to heal.” I said.

“BERNADINA! DONDE ESTAS?” A loud voice said from outside.

“Shit! It’s my dad!” I turned to look at Michael. “You have to go, now!” I said. Michael mumbled something and gave one last look at Antonio before running out and hopping in his car. I watched from the window as his car sped down the street and turned the corner to enter the other side. 

“Bernadina!” Dad entered the house and saw me. He took a look at Antonio, worry littering his face. “Que pasó a Antonio? (What happened to Antonio?)” Dad asked.

“Uhhh.” I tired thinking of an excuse. “It was los Jewels. They attacked Antonio and I helped him.” I said.

“Mija. I told you not to get involved with this silly gang business! ¿Cuándo vas a entender?! (When will you understand?!)” Dad asked me. 

I’m not a Saint. I never joined the Saints. I never will! But Antonio is sadly involved by association.

“Papa. Antonio was hurt. This isn’t gang business. He was hurt.” I yelled at him. The adults don’t understand what we have to struggle through. These Jewels are evil and dangerous.

Dad groaned. “I’ll stay here until Manuel comes home. Then we’re going home!” Dad sat at the table while I tended to Antonio and waited until everyone came home.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

19. Discovering a Secret

Antonio’s POV

A glow of light from my eyes came through. I shut my eyes tighter to ignore the blinding light which hurt my head. I slowly adjusted my eyes to the artificial light. My head was on a soft pillow. My hand was holding another hand. Their nails were sharp, most likely a girl.

Groaning, I stood up and rubbed my eyes.

“You’re awake!” A voice, knowing it was Dina, perked up next to me.

“Wh-what happened.” I rubbed the back of my head and tried to get off the couch, in my house. Not sure how I got here.

“Papa, can you get some water? Por favor?” Dina asked. I turned and saw the burly man who nodded and left for the kitchen.

“So what happened?” I asked. I looked down at my arm and saw stitches and bandages. The coffee table had some towels that had way too much blood. I almost wanted to faint. You would expect me, brother of Manuel, leader of the Saints, to be used to blood.

“We were going to get medicine for papa. Some Jewels came and attacked you and you passed out.” Dina said. That still didn’t explain how she managed to get me home. She’s a bit smaller than me.

“So how’d I get here?” I asked. The pain really began to settle in. I can only imagine how angry Manny would be when he gets home.

He’s the type to wage war just for me.

“Well… um. Someone came to help us.” Dina was flustered, her cheeks pink from her brown skin. She began to twirl her black hair.

“Who was it?” I asked. Blurs of memories came and I remembered the loud booming voice and a red car.

“It was Michael. That tall guy from the Jewels.” Dina said. I stopped breathing temporarily. I hope Mike didn’t do anything that would’ve revealed our relationship. “He pulled up out of nowhere and told los Jewels to stop. They ran and he gave us a ride home and helped me.” She said. Though from the look in her eyes, there may have been more.

“I wonder what he was doing here?” I asked, trying to sound as if I’ve never seen Michael. God! Why am I blushing!?

“Yeah. Me too.” She squinted her eyes at me.

“Aqui esta tu agua. (Here is your water.)” Dina’s father came in with a cup of water. The man gave me an angry glare, like it was my fault I got jumped.

To be fair, I was the one who told Dina we should cross over to the east side.

“Papa, can you give us a minute?” Dina asked her father. He simply nodded and stepped outside the house.

“Is it Michael?” Dina turned and stared right into my eyes.

“Umm, what?” I asked, my voice breaking. Dina didn’t look away from me. I looked around the room, anything to avoid her eyes. Dina sat next to me on the couch. Her hand was placed on my shoulder.

“Is Michael the one you’re dating?” She asked. Her fingers dug into my shoulder. It’s no use. She knows. I didn’t expect my secret to be discovered so quickly. Who else knows? Panic set in.

“Fine! Yes! It’s Michael.” I said. I was expecting Dina to call me disgusting or a queer. I sobbed, wondering why I was born like this.

“You idiot!” Dina almost yelled. She got off the couch and slapped me on the cheek. “Do you know how stupid you are?! Not only is he a Jewel, but he’s a HE!” Dina walked away from the couch and walked back and forth in the living room. I watched her with quivering eyes.

“I’m sorry, Dina. I can’t control who I fall for.” I looked at the floor, feeling like a huge disappointment.

“No, you can’t!” Dina seethed. She stopped pacing the room and calmed down. She took a deep breath in and kneeled next to me. “Tonio. I’m not mad that you’re gay or dating a Jewel. I always kinda knew you were gay cause you were never like those other idiots.” Dina placed her hand on my knee. I stopped crying and looked at her.

“So why are you mad?” I sobbed out.

“Cause I don’t want anything to happen to you. What would happen if Manuel found out. If los Saints found out. Or even the Jewels. I can’t imagine losing you, Antonio. I’m mad cause I was able to discover this by accident. Imagine if anyone would’ve discovered this on purpose?” She said. I calmed down when her anger wasn’t exactly directed at me.

“But Dina!” I said. “All I want to do is be with Michael without any problems! Is that so hard to do!” I pleaded. Dina was filled with empathy.

“I know it’s hard, Antonio. But either you break off this relationship with Michael or try your hardest to make sure no one else finds out.” Dina said. I nodded.

“Are you gonna tell anyone?” I asked her.

“I would never! You’re my best friend. Mi hermano. Your secret’s safe with me.” She said. Her father called her name from outside. Then I heard the sound of Manny and Dolores’ voices from outside.

“Shit! What do we say happened!” I turned to Dina.

“Tell them what happened but leave out Michael! We’ll say that you passed out on the couch!” She said. We agreed on what to say.

“And Antonio.” Dina grabbed my hand tightly. “Stay safe with him. I hope he’s not using you.” She said.

“He’s not. I promise you that.” I said. Then, the door opened and Manny and Dolores walked in. They stopped laughing when they caught sight of me. A bloody kid covered in bandages and stitches.

“¿Qué diablos pasó aquí? (What the hell happened here?!)” Manny yelled. The house shook.

This isn’t going to be good.

---

i’m a little scared to upload chapters now that there are more people here… but i’ll do my best!

bye! i love you all soooooo much!

<3

20. Birthday Boy

Antonio’s POV

You’ve ever seen someone so angry that you almost think they’re a different person.

That’s how it was right now.

It’s been a hectic week since I was attacked. Manny went insane, asking us what happened and who did it. Of course we said it was the Jewels. But like Dina said, we left out Michael coming to save us.

My hero.

I guess now Dina knows about us. I was scared at first that she might say something. I’ve never seen her angrier before. But I can trust her. I know she’ll keep my secret. I grew up with her. We’re basically siblings.

Also, it’s my birthday. October 3rd. I’m officially 17 years old. Which in my family, is basically an adult.

I woke up to my back hurting. I haven’t been sleeping that well lately. With the whole Dina knowing about us and the whole relationship in general possibly killing us, yeah, it’s a lot of stress.

I got out of bed and put some socks on before exiting my room. The house was eerily quiet. I slowly walked into the living room. 

“¡Feliz cumpleaños!” Everyone cheered when I walked in. They threw confetti (someone’s going to clean that up) and began to sing happy birthday in Spanish. Manny, Dolores, Rafa, Dina, and a few others that aren’t really my friends but are Manny’s friends were here.

“Come on! We have pan y cafe.” Dina came and hugged me. I smiled that people care about my birthday.

“Happy birthday hermanito!” Manny gave me a tight hug. When he pulled us apart, he looked at me and ruffled my hair. “You look so much like mama.” He said, his voice full of melancholy. 

Manny got dad’s traits while I got mom’s traits. Manny was tall, with broad shoulders and dark hair. Meanwhile I got mom’s softer features such as bright pink lips and curly brown hair. 

“Mama and papa would love to be here right now.” Manny tried not to let any tears fall but one escaped. That’s how I knew he was getting emotional. There was a breach of emotions.

“What do you want to do later?” Dolores asked, breaking the somber atmosphere.

“Just a small gathering. Bring a few people over. That’s all I want.” I said. We ate breakfast and I thought about Michael. Would he get me something for my birthday?

School started. Which is always the worst thing. Having your birthday on a school day. A lot of people told me happy birthday, though. 

And a particular person gave me a special gift.

I walked into the empty bathroom and made sure no one was here. I washed my hands to get rid of any germs when the door opened. In walked Michael, the person I’ve been waiting to see.

“You never told me it was your birthday.” He said. His eyes held a bit of sadness. I could tell he was looking at my stitches on my face. However, it didn’t seem to bother him. No, it was almost like he fell in love with me more.

“I didn’t think it would’ve been important.” I said.

“Are you kidding?! I love you! I could’ve gotten you a gift!” Michael stepped closer to me. I pulled him down and gave him a huge kiss on the lips. I savored his taste and pulled apart, looking at him.

“There. Now I got my gift.” I said. Mike blushed.

“I still want to get you something. ‘Cause you deserve it.” He said.

“I do indeed.” I said. “Fine. If you want to get me a gift, I won’t object.” I said.

“Jack is meeting with Manuel today. Did you know that?” Mike asked. Manny didn’t mention anything about a meeting. He seemed all happy this morning. Though, I guess that was a sign that something was off. He’s never happy in the morning.

“No I didn’t. What is the meeting about?” I asked. Mike is one of those high ranking Jewels. He could know something.

“Not sure. Just some issues the Jewels are having with the Saints after the race. Guess we’ll find out later.” He said.

I panicked a bit. I hope that nothing bad happens to Manny. I can only pray that when I get home, he’s gonna be there breathing and fine.

“I’m sure it’s fine. Don’t let this distract you from YOUR day.” Mike said. I hugged him, thankful to have such a tall softie who loves me.

When I got home, Dolores told me we had a meeting at the Hub. I expected this after Mike informed me of the meeting between Manny and Jack. 

Entering the Hub, I sat in one of the side seats. I never felt like I should sit at the actual table seeing as how I never contribute to the gang. So I just sat there eating a bag of chips while people said happy birthday to me.

A few minutes later, Manny walked in with Rafa by his side. The whole gang stood up like dogs and sat when Manny sat. So professional.

“I called this meeting because I had a talk with Jack, leader of the Jewels. We agreed to determine who should be the top dog in town and put this fighting aside.” Manny talked, using his strict voice that he never uses on me. “And Jack wants to challenge me to a duel.” He said.

“No way!” I accidentally said out loud. Everyone turned to me while I blushed and looked down.

“¿Qué dijiste? (What did you say?)” Manny asked.

“I don’t want you to fight! Can’t you just talk it out?” I said. Some people laughed and rolled their eyes.

“‘Manito. I don’t work like that. Sometimes violence IS the answer.” He said.

“But-” I tried saying.

“Enough! Let the grown ups talk.” He said.

Grownups?! That’s the problem. Manny is 22 and is out here fighting with high schoolers! Adults should be seen, not heard!

I slumped in my seat, angry that Manny is willing to put his life on the line just for some petty argument.

But deep down, I know it goes more than that. This is about respect and the want for us to be treated like any other American.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

21. Let Them Eat Cake

Michael’s POV

It’s Ant’s birthday today. I’m a bit upset that he didn’t tell me, but I easily forgave him when he kissed me on the cheek. The bruises on his face, while painful, made him look sexier. Is that possible? Injuries making someone look hotter? Cause if it is, that’s what happened to Ant. Especially that stitch on his upper cheek.

Okay, step one: get a card for him. I could either go with a store bought one or a hand written one. Maybe I could buy a nice one and then write a note in it. Second: get a cake. I know of a good bakery that makes the best German chocolate cake. And third: get another kiss.

I drove home but stopped by Jack’s just to see him. I’ve kinda been slacking on my “duties”. I entered his home, one of the smaller homes in our region. I entered and he set down his cigarette. 

“Wanna bum a smoke?” He asked.

“Nah. What’s the occasion? You never smoke.” I said. Which is true. The only times I’ve seen him smoke is when he’s stressed.

“Talked with Manuel earlier today.” He said. He lit another and inhaled the toxic smoke. “We agreed that we should both fight. Loser has to step down. Winner gets control of Newport.” He said. 

“Shouldn’t you be training?” I remarked.

“Shouldn’t you be doing your role as second in command!?” He snapped back. I was startled by his tone. He never raises his voice at me.

“Jack?” I warned him.

“Sorry man. It’s just… it seems like recently you’ve been keeping to yourself more. Do you even want to be in the Jewels anymore?” He asked.

“Of course I do!” I lied. Jack sighed. Obviously stressed.

“Alright.” He responded.

“I gotta bounce. I’ll see you at the next meeting.” I said but Jack fell asleep. I put a blanket on him.

I left and got the stuff I needed. I got the birthday card and wrote a note on it. Then I went to Miss Swiss, a fine and expensive Switzerland based bakery for the cake. I’m fine with splurging extra on my Ant.

I already know where he lives. Last time I was here, I was carrying a bloody Ant into his home. I hope his friend didn’t see me kissin him.

Pulling up into a dark alley, I exited the car and carried everything with me. I snuck towards his window where I grabbed a handful of pebbles and threw them at his window.

The window opened and I accidentally hit him in the face with a rock. I laughed and he turned red in humiliation.

“I missed you.” He said, leaning his head on his palm looking down at me.

“We saw each other earlier.” I said.

“Wasn’t enough time. I need more of you.” He said. He looked down at the box I had.

“I brought you gifts.” I said. I hopped onto the large rock near the window and stood on top of it. “I got you a card and a cake.” I put the stuff on the edge of the window.

“Mike! You shouldn’t have!” He said. “How much was this cake?” He asked.

“Price doesn’t matter. Besides,” I leaned into the window and brushed my lips against his. “You deserve it.” I whispered. Ant kissed me.

I reached forward and pulled his face closer to my face. My tongue slipped into his mouth. He groaned and let my tongue in. He also wanted some action and flicked his tongue into my mouth.

“ANTONIO!” A voice yelled from outside.

“Shit!” Ant said when he pulled us apart. I was busy panting from our kiss to care about whoever called him

“Do you have to go?” I whined.

“Do you really want Manny to come in here and see you at my window?” He asked.

“I just want to have an hour with you. An hour with no one else to bother us.” I said. Can’t a guy just kiss his boyfriend in peace?

“I want that too. Tell you what, I’ll try to get Manny to leave someday. Then you can come over.” He grinned.

“That would be nice.” I smiled at him.

“Antonio!” The voice called out.

“I’ll leave you to it.” I said. I kissed him again. “Happy birthday, Ant.” I said.

“Thank you. Thanks for the stuff.” He hugged me and kissed my face with several pecks.

“Bye, Ant.” I said.

“Buenas noches, Mike.” He said. I hopped down the rock and began running to my car. I turned and gave him one last smile before running away.

Just a few minutes. A day. A week. Forever is all I want.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

22. Fall’s Day

Antonio’s POV

Shit! How do I walk into the kitchen with a whole cake? I clearly didn’t think this through. I put the card Mike gave me under my pillow. I’ll read it at night and imagine him writing it. So that just left me with the cake in hand. It smelled heavenly. I think I remember this bakery once when Ms. Bella bought some croissants from there. From my memory, they’re really good.

Think! What can I say to make up an excuse as to why I have a cake in my room. Ms. Bella! I can just say that Ms. Bella gave me the cake and I put it in my room cause then someone would’ve eaten it. Still angry at Rafa for eating my pan dulce when he came over one time.

“Antonio!” Manny entered my room. “Everyone is waiting for you.” He said. He looked at the pink box in my hand. “¿De dónde sacaste ese pastel? (Where did you get that cake from?)” He asked. He raised an eyebrow and kept looking at the box like I was holding a bomb.

“Uh, Ms. Bella gave it to me earlier.” I told him, lying through my teeth.

“And why is it in your room?” He asked, clearly not wanting to let this go.

“Cause you or Rafa would’ve eaten it!” I snapped. 

“O-Okay. Vamos. They’re waiting for us at the kitchen.” Manny said. He took the cake in his hand and we walked to see everyone who came for me.

No one questioned that I just brought out a cake from my room. We all just ate. Later that night, I read the card and cried a bit at the words. Mike really loves me. I can feel his emotions through the card. His words danced in black ink. I’d rather not say what the card said. Some things are better left unheard.

A few days later, fall was in full swing. You can feel it from the cool breeze blowing through the town. The leaves were now painted in orange, red, and yellow. And one of Newport’s best attractions, the apple orchard, had now opened. 

It recently opened but entry is expensive. And Manny refuses to go because he can just go to the store and buy apples there. It’s not about the apples! It’s the experience! 

At school, I zipped up my jacket and entered the bathroom. I went inside one of the stalls and waited for my lover. It’s kind of a tradition that Mike and I meet in the bathroom when no one is here and have small talks and kisses. 

The bathroom door opened and the lock turned.

“Ant?” His sexy voice whispered. I got out of the stall and saw him standing there. He ran towards me and picked me up in a tight hug. “That sweater looks so adorable on you!” He said and gave me a tight hug.

“Ya think? It was my dad’s.” I said. 

“Yes. And you’ll need it again soon.” He told me, with an ounce of excitement in his voice. This man has something up his sleeve. “For the orchard. I wanna take you.” He assured me. 

“You sure? Aren’t there going to be people there?” I asked. He chuckled a bit.

“My love, you forget that I can buy the whole orchard if I wanted to. Trust me,” He leaned closer again. “No one will be there.” He said.

“What time?” I asked, excited for a once in a lifetime experience. This is going to be epic!

“¿A dónde vas? (Where are you going?)” Manny asked when I was getting ready to meet Mike. I was putting on my sweater and exiting the house. I didn’t expect to see Manny on the couch. I was betting on him being at the Hub or in his room.

“I promised Senora Bella that I would her with her… toaster!” I quickly lied. Manny just returned to tying a bandage around his palm. I would ask but it’s not the first time I’ve seen him covered in blood.

“That lady…” He sneered. “Alright. Be back before sunset. Or I’m sending a search party.” He said. I guess I’m not getting any guards since right now it seems that gang activity has been down because of the upcoming fight. 

I looked around, making sure no one was following me. None. So I walked down and entered the alley where Mike’s car is. I hopped in his red Buick and kissed Mike.

“Ready?” He asked.

“Always.” I said. I put on some shades and a hat to cover myself.

We reached a fairly rural area within town limits. Mike and I talked, where I asked him about the fight. He said Jack told him about it but doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Both Mike and I agreed that we’ll try to find ways to stop the fight. It sounds optimistic, but really, we don’t want anyone to die or worse.

“Apples!” I pointed out. We passed several orchards. Red balls hung from the branches.

“Ready to go apple picking?” Mike asked. I nodded and we both exited the car. True to his words, the whole orchard was empty. We made sure to walk the long way to the edge of the field and picked apples there. 

I wish I had a camera on me. It would be great to have these memories solidified for me to remember. If I ever lose Mike, I want to remember what he gave me.

“Are we allowed to eat these right now?” I asked. I held a really huge and plump apple in my hands.

“I don’t see why not.” Mike said. I bit the apple and reached it out to him. He bit it and we began to kiss with tongue. 

We dropped our baskets and just enveloped each other into a kiss. Mike’s hands began to roam my body. We’ve only ever exchanged kisses. His hands are melting my skin, in a good way, and radiating a haze of warmth.

His hands were cautious when he reached my buttocks. Like he was hesitant to touch me. I grabbed his right hand that was behind me and gripped it tight.

“Stop being a gentleman.” I said and planted his hand on my ass. I went back to kissing him and he began to grip my ass. I groaned and moaned and wondered about this newfound lust.

“We need to get home.” Mike was flustered from grabbing me. 

“That was fun.” I panted and caught my breath from the heated make out. I carried our apples in my hand. We got a lot. I bet I can ask Dolores to make something with these.

“I guess this was our second date.” He said. He began to drive the car.

“Best second date.” I said.

Mike dropped me off at home. I walked into the living room to Manny and Dolores talking. They stopped when I walked in. 

“¿De dónde sacaste esas manzanas? (Where did you get those apples from?)” Manny asked, crossing his arms over his chest and watched my every move.

“Ms. Bella.” I lied again. I quickly ran to my room and laid in bed. I feel guilty for lying to Manny about my whereabouts. If I’m ever hurt or killed, he wouldn’t know because I lied about where I am. Is this who I am? A liar. Am I being selfish for being ignorant of Mike’s and I’s impossible love?

If so, I know they’ll be consequences to my actions. I just hope they’ll be tame.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

23. Profess

Antonio’s POV

“¿Estás listo Rafa? (Are you ready, Rafa?)” Manny asked. I sat on the couch and was engrossed in a book. 

“Where are you going?” I asked Manny. I picked up my apple and ate it. 

“A war council. I’ll be back in a few hours. Don’t stay up.” Manny said.

“Can I come?” I asked. I want to make sure that Manny doesn’t say anything quixotic or insane that would most likely hurt him.

“After last time when you suggested we talk it out, hell no!” Manny kind of yelled at me. I don’t understand. Manny never raises his voice at me. Rafa and Dolores noticed this too based off their shocked expression.

“Sorry for not wanting you to get killed.” I said under my breath.

“¿Por qué levantaste tu voz? (Why did you raise your voice?)” Dolores asked Manny softly. 

“Lo siento, hermanito. (I’m sorry, little brother.)” Manny said to me. “It’s just a lot going on. Don’t put yourself in this business. Just study and get the hell out of here. Okay?” he asked. I nodded and he messed up my already messy hair.

They left after that. So I was home alone. Again. I tried to do something but everything was boring. 

So I called it a night and went to my room. I yawned and was about to fall asleep when the familiar tapping on my window that fully awoke me. 

“Mike!” I called out to him.

“Is Manuel here?” He asked.

“They left a while ago.” I said.

“Perfect.” He said. He climbed the window edge and admired me like I was his prized possession. “I have something to tell you.” He said.

“Talk away.” I said. 

“Alright.” He said. “You know I love you, Antonio Jose Garcia. I’ve never felt this way for anyone. When I wake up, it’s you I think of. And before I sleep, I smile with the thought of you. I wish things were different and I could easily kiss you whenever I want. But I can’t. Instead, I’m forced into these small moments with you. But every moment is cherished.” He said. 

“I wish we could have more time together.” I said.

“I love you, Antonio. I’m a little scared because I’ve never felt this way about anyone. You’re a guy, afterall. And you’re supposed to be my enemy. But I don’t see it as that. No, Ant. I see you as my boyfriend. My life. Tonight, Ant, I just want to say that no matter what happens in the future, I won’t stop loving you. Not today, not tomorrow, not in a year. I’ll always love you.” Mike said.

I didn’t expect all these emotions to come from him. His promises to always love me filled my heart with the drug it’s been wanting and craves now.

“I love you too, Mike. I can’t possibly put it into words, but I hope you understand that I’ll love you. Even after death, I’ll still love you.” I said.

‘You only met a month ago.’ Some would say. But when you truly meet the one, you’ll see that you’ll refuse to let them go. 

“Can I come in?” Mike asked.

“Yeah! Come on!” I said. Just as Mike was hopping into the window, Manny’s voice called from the outside of my door.

“Antonio. Why is your door locked? Abreme. (Open me.)” Manny said as he shook the doorknob. The rattling startled both Mike and I. 

“Shit! You have to leave.” I whispered to him.

“One day, we’ll have all the time in the world to be together. No one to bother us.” He whispered to me. I gave him a kiss before he hopped down the window. 

“Buenas noches.” Mike said in Spanish. 

“Goodnight.” I said back. He ran just as I went to unlock the door for Manny.

“Who were you talking to?” Manny asked. He looked outside the window.

“To myself.” I responded.

“Estos niños son raros. (These kids are weird.)” He muttered to himself and walked out the room. “Go to sleep.” Manny ordered me.

“How was the council?” I asked as Manny walked down the hall to his and Dolores’ bedroom.

“I’ll tell you tomorrow. Buenas noches!” He yelled before I turned off the light and closed my door.

Mike’s words stuck with me. Even in my unconscious state, I dreamt of a place where Mike and I can be free.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

24. War Council

Michael’s POV

I cried inside my car for a while. My profession of love to Ant was something I held in me for so long. I just needed to tell someone before I blew my brain. Sure I’ve told him I loved him so many times, but three words aren’t enough. He deserves all the beautiful words because they perfectly describe him. I’ve never met someone who makes me feel loved.

I returned to my empty home and just wished Ant was here to spend time with me. My parents are always gone for business trips and don’t even remember they have a son who will take over their empire soon. I think they’re in Europe right now. Why the hell are they even there? Why can’t they be here with me? I guess the absence of my parents made me ingore my feelings. I became closed off a few years ago when I realized my parents didn’t really care about me.

But when I met Ant, it’s like a switch flipped and it was the universe giving me another chance to experience love. There’s no way I’m letting go of him. He came into my life just like I came into his.

“Mike! Jack wants to talk!” Petey said when he came up to me when I was walking home. I rolled my eyes, tired of Jack’s shit.

“Lead the way.” I boredly said.

“What’s got you so happy?” Petey asked. I haven’t told my best friend about Ant.

“All I can say is I’ve found a new happiness.” I told him.

We arrived at Park Plaza, a plaza located in the cross section of our town. Here, both east and west sides meet. The parking lot is where war councils take place. It’s supposed to be a civilized location. However there’s nothing civilized about discussing how to and how not to hit each other.

Everyone was here. Jack on his side and Manuel on his side. Each had people on their sides. I walked and stood next to Jack. I looked and made eye contact with Manuel. He doesn’t know I’m in love with his brother.

“We need to discuss what weapons we’ll be using for the fight.” Jack said.

“Let’s jump into it. Knives?” Manuel suggested.

“Preferred weapon of you spics, huh?” Archie sneered. Some Jewels laughed.

“Very well. Rocks?” Manuel asked.

“The hell are we? Cavemen?” Jack said, annoyed by Manuel’s suggestions but not making any himself.

“Él actúa como uno. (He acts like one.)” Manuel said in Spanish to his friends. All the Saints laughed at what he said.

“Slingshots?” A Saint said.

“Tasers?” A Jewel said.

“Go all in with guns.” Jack said. Everyone was quiet and turned to look at the psychotic guy.

I thought back to Ant’s and I’s conversation at the window, where we both agreed that we would try to stop the fight. And if we couldn’t, then make sure no one was killed.

“If you guys think you’re so badass, why not skin it out?” I piped up.

“What are you implying, Michael?” Bandit asked.

“I’m just saying. The true alpha should be able to knock someone out without any weapons.” I said. I played with the collar of my varsity jacket, showing that this conversation has no implications on me.

“What the hell are you doing?” Jack said, grabbing my shoulder and whispering into my ear. He tried threatening me. But I simply glared at him. He let go.

“I’m giving you a fair chance.” I glared at him. I turned to Manuel. “What do you say? Fists?” I asked.

“Deal.” Manuel said. I’m smiling in my head, knowing I prevented the usage of harmful weapons. Ant would be proud that I protected his brother from major harm. Though, I don’t know how hard Jack fights.

“Shake on it.” I said to Manuel and Jack. Jack hesitantly stuck out his hand and they agreed.

“We’ll fight in a few weeks. This will give time for us to prepare.” Manuel said.

“I could knock your ass right now if I wanted to.” Jack snarkily said.

“Hold your tongue. We’ll see who’s the top dog in a few weeks.” Manuel sneered back.

I know I did something good. The fight will still happen but with fists.

Ant, I did it. I promised I would make sure Jack and Manuel don’t get badly injured.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

25. Carnival in Town

A

ntonio’s POV

“Manny?” I asked when I walked in the house. Manny was busy punching a punching bag as sweat ran down his chiseled body. 

“Que, Tonito?” He asked, grunting as he punched the bag aggressively. 

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Baking a cake. What does it look like I’m doing?!” He said. He stopped and drank some water. “Training for the fight.” He said. 

“Oh good! At least you won’t be using any weapons.” I said, grateful that Mike had some influence.

“You sound just like that Yankee, Michael.” Manny sneered.

“Is that a bad thing?” I asked, a bit annoyed that Manny is thinking that my consideration of his safety is a bad thing and should be compared to his worst enemy.

“Why are you siding with him?!” Manny snapped.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt, Manny! What if you guys agreed on guns? Do you understand how I would feel if I lost you?” I said, tears coming to my eyes.

“Go to bed! Ahora!” Manny yelled. He clearly doesn’t want to deal with me right now.

“It’s 4 o’clock right now!” I yelled back.

“I don’t care. Go to your room!” He yelled. He stepped in front of me and began pushing me to my room. I flicked his hand away and stomped away.

I huffed when I sat on my bed. Who does Manny think he is? Mi jefe? Constantly trying to control every aspect of my life. Making me get escorted home everday! I’m feeling a bit rebellious right now. But the last time I tried to be rebellious, Manny was able to catch me before I even left the house. Instead, I’ll just manifest for Mike to come and kidnap me and he could take me somewhere.

Thankfully, it’s a Friday. I have nothing to do besides breathe which gets broing after a while.

Dina can’t hang out tonight because she’s been working at her parent’s store. Everyone else is Manny’s friend and only see me as if I was the president to protect.

A few hours later, as the sun was setting, the all too familiar rocks on the window excited my heart. Endorphins filled me quickly, giving me a drug-free high. I ran towards the window and slid up the window. A gust of cold wind hit me first. I looked down and saw my love standing there with a huge smile on his face. It’s nice to know that besides my family, there’s someone else out there who I can make smile like that.

“You picked the perfect time to come.” I said to Mike who almost slipped on the rock.

“Why? Is everything okay?” He asked. I love it when he gets worried about me.

“I got into an argument with Manny. I defended your decision for them to fight with their fists. Thought I was siding with you.” I said.

“I know what’ll make you feel better.” Mike said. He hopped up the rock and was face to face with me.

“Anything could make me feel better.” I said.

“The carnival is back in town. I was thinking of taking you.” He told me with a glint in his eyes. 

“As long as I can get a candy apple!” I jumped.

“You know it, baby.” He said. 

“Alright!” I giggled. “I’ll write a note telling Manny I went out.” I said.. I grabbed a paper and wrote that I went to Ms. Bella’s to calm down. “I’m comin out.” I said. I crawled out the window slowly and slipped. I fell but Mike caught me in his arms. 

“Damn. You just keep falling for me.” He said. I grabbed his neck, pulled him down, and kissed him.

“Carnival. Now.” I ordered. 

We ran secretly to the car and entered it. We put on our disguises and Mike drove to the east side in the southern part of that side. I would point things out and we would joke and laugh together. I never want these moments to end. Or at least we could have more of these small pockets of nothing but happiness. Away from the

Mike pulled up to the parking lot. The field in front of us was littered with huge flashing lights of games and booths. I put on my shades and hat and turned to Mike.

“Ready, Mike?” I said. I lowered my shades and looked at him with a smirk. 

“Ready, Ant.” He responded. I felt like a secret spy with my partner crime. We exited the car and paid for the entry fee. I insisted on paying for my ticket but Mike refused, saying he wanted to spoil me. Can’t argue with that.

“Ooh! Look!” I pointed to the large teddy bear hanging from a booth. It was big! Huge! And I need it!

“Don’t worry darling, I’ll get it for you.” He said. He rolled up his sleeves and approached the booth. It was a ball throwing game and I witnessed Mike’s arm flex with every launch of a ball. He got three in a row and the guy grabbed the bear and handed it to him. I pretended I was a friend of his until we slipped into a dark corner of the carnival.

“I won this for you.” He said. He handed me the bear. I hugged it and planted a kiss on Mike’s cheek.

“You spoil me, Mike.” I said. 

“If I could, I would spoil you even more.” He softly told me. We kissed and I heard a very faint sound, like a click, from somewhere. I turned and saw it was probably just one of the rides creaking.

“Did you hear something?” Mike asked.

“Probably nothing.” I said. I gave Mike a tongue kiss. “Hurry. I saw a goldfish I wanted.” I began to tug him.

“You’re gonna run me dry.” Mike chuckled.

“But you love me.” I gripped his palm.

“Let’s go get that goldfish of yours.” He said. 

By the end, my arms were full of stuffed animals, snacks, and a fish now. 

“You thinking what I’m thinking.” He said. We looked up at the ferris wheel. Flashes of purple, blue, pink, and yellow lights flooded the wheel as it spun slowly and carefully.

“Hell yeah!” I whispered back

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

26. City-wide View

Antonio’s POV

Unfortunately I had to leave my prizes at the bottom of the ferris wheel because I had too much stuff. No worries, because Mike promised that if anything is stolen, he’ll replace it with double stuff.

The ride operator fastened our seatbelt tightly. Thankfully it seems that the operator doesn’t care that two different people who are both males are getting on a ride together. He probably doesn’t get paid enough to care either way. The ride started slowly as the cheap carnival ride made its way to the top where I could see the town.

“You okay, Ant. You look scared.” Mike said as he held my hand. My heart rate slowed down as his touch calmed me. 

“I’m a little scared of heights.” I told him. I carefully looked around us. The ride continued to turn and we finally passed the top curve and made our way down. “Quick! Let go of my hand!” I said. Mike let go of my hand as we passed the bottom portion of the ride so no one saw us. 

“Can I grab your hand again?” Mike asked when the reached to a higher elevation. I nodded and he held it tight when I saw how high we were.

“If I fall, are you gonna catch me?” I asked out of the blue.

“I’d fall first and let you land on me.” He said. I leaned my head on his hard shoulder and breathed in his scent. He smells of pine and wood. A masculine scent but it has a tone of lavender with it. 

“The town looks beautiful from here.” I said, looking over at the city which shined a bit at night time. The east side of town was mostly bright. Mainly from the 24/7 bars and clubs. Meanwhile the west side was mostly dark since everyone was asleep and resting for another day of work tomorrow. 

“Not as beautiful as you.” Mike said. I giggled when he tickled my sides a bit. 

“I love you, Mike.” I said.

“You too, Ant. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met.” He said. As we kissed, my stomach rumbled. “Was caramel apples and popcorn not enough?” He joked. 

“Sorry, Mike. I guess I’m still hungry.” I said. The ride finished and we got off. Luckily, none of my gifts were stolen. Though, I wouldn’t have minded Mike buying me more. 

“When do you have to be home?” Mike asked when we got to his car. I put the stuff in the back seats.

“Probably an hour left. Why?” I asked. We got into the car and drove out. Mike began driving north of the city. Somewhere I’ve never been before.

“Have you heard of Sally’s Diner?” He asked. The name quickly rang a bell. It’s Ms. Bella’s diner. The one she opened a long time ago!

“Yes! Ms. Bella always talks about that place!” I jumped in my seat.

“You know Ms. Bella?” He asked, sounding a bit shocked.

“Yeah. Do you?” I asked.

“She’s a family friend. I’ve known her for a few years.” Mike began to pull up to the diner. The beautiful diner with neon lights was very fitting for the time. 

“I may have talked about you to her.” I blushed.

“It’s fine.” Mike opened the door. Before he got out, he turned to me. “Because I may have talked about you to her too.” So I guess we both talked about each other to Ms. Bella. That woman knows our business because we can’t shut up about each other.

The inside of the diner was lit up with glowy lights. Only a few people were in. One table had a senior couple who were drinking a milkshake together. Imagine that. Growing old with the person you love. A paragon of relationships. And it’s something I truly want for myself. 

The table, upon sitting on it, was cold on my ass. I shivered, probably regretting putting on light jeans rather than thicker ones. The plastic laminated menu at the center of the table had a bit of stains from the years of use. That probably just means that this place is so good that they never have to change the menu. 

“Mike. Please, let me pay.” I pleaded to the man in front of me. He set the menu down.

“Ant. How many times do I have to say this?” He said. He got up and sat next to me. “I will always pay for us. It’s not up for discussion.” He said. I nudged him.

“One day I’ll pay for something, Mike.” I finished saying just as a woman with a bright pink uniform with a white apron walked up to our table. She held a booklet and pencil, her frizzy blonde hair pushed back in a messy bun. No doubt she’s had a long day.

“What can I get you two fellas?” She asked in a voice that’s a little too cheery for it to almost be midnight. 

“Can I get a cheeseburger and onion rings?” Mike said.

“And I’ll get a chicken burger with a vanilla milkshake.” I said. She nodded and left while we put the menus in the center of the table. The Bee Gees were playing from the jukebox. A few patrons at the bar were drinking beers while flirting with the waitresses. That old couple at the table began to leave. I watched from the window as the man opened the door for his wife and both got in.

“What’s on your mind?” Mike asked. I turned to face him with lovey-dovey eyes. 

“Ever wondered who you’d marry?” I asked, looking deep in his eyes. “And if you want to grow old with them?” I asked. Mike’s face was silent.

“The thought of marriage never intrigued me.” He said. I stayed quiet. I just realized I never really thought about marriage. Because, you know, I don’t like women. “But recently, I’ve thought differently.” Mike added. His hand grabbed mine and his finger began to rub on my ring finger.

“Could we possibly get married?” I whispered to him, my optimistic and love-sick brain wondering this question for a while.

“I-” Mike said but the waitress came with our food. We thanked her before she left to probably take a smoke break. 

“Shit!” Mike muttered. I turned to him once he put a napkin on his lap.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I didn’t order a drink.” He said. I looked at my milkshake. I have an idea.

“We can share if you want. You did pay for it after all.” I said. I slid the milkshake over to him. “And it doesn’t matter if we use the same straw.” Mike accepted the drink.

“Oh and would you look at that. I also wanted the chicken burger.” Mike said.

“Except that. I’m not sharing that.” I said. We dug into our food. I just noticed that maybe it’s not a good idea to sit near the window where people can easily see us sitting together. 

Once we ate and left, we finished the drive home. I almost fell asleep because of the amazing day I had with Mike. Even if it was for a few hours, it feels like a month.

“I’d say this was a great third date.” Mike said while I struggled to hold the stuffed animals in my arms. 

“What am I gonna do about these animals!” I said while drowning in stuffing.

“You said you went to Ms. Bella’s? Just tell Manuel she gave them to you.” Mike said. 

“You’re turning me into a liar, Mike.” I glared at him jokingly.

“And you’re turning me into a whore.” He responded. 

“Good night, Mike.” I began to walk until Mike turned me around and planted a kiss on my lips. 

“I’m a whore for you only, Ant. I love you.” He said. I refused to let him go. 

“And I too, Mike. Buenas noches, mi amor.” I said. 

“Buenas noches, Ant.” He responded. I gave him a final look before exiting the alley and walking down the street. Mike honked his car horn and drove past me. He gave a final wave before driving off into the night. I sighed in happiness.

I entered the house to be met with an angry Manny sitting on the couch. He was seething and breathing heavily while Dolores tried to calm him down.

“¿Qué está pasando? (What’s going on?)” I asked. Manny stood up and made me drop all my gifts. “What the hell, Manny?!” I yelled at him. My gifts! They’re all over the floor!

“Imagine my surprise when I enter your room and see that you aren’t there! And the window is open! Then I find a note saying you went to Ms. Bellas!” He held the note in his hand.

“Well, that’s where I said I was. What’s it to you?” I said and started to pick up the prizes.

“I went to her house! You weren’t there! I thought someone took you, cabrón! (idiot!)” He yelled.

“Cálmate querido. (Calm down, dear.)” Dolores tried to relax him as she rubbed his tensed shoulders.

“No! Where the hell were you!” He snapped at me. 

“I was with Dina! We went on a date!” I said the first thing in my head. It’s a lie I’ve fabricated in my head for a while when I knew something like this would happen.

“Oh. Well. Next time at least tell me, ‘manito!” He said. His tone then changed and he finally calmed down a bit. I just hope that vein on his forehead doesn’t pop soon.

“Sorry, Manny. But I’m almost an adult. I should be able to go out without having to tell you everything.” I picked up the last of the toys and clutched them so they didn’t fall.

“Perdóname, Antonio. (Forgive me, Antonio.) I’m just worried about you. Okay?” Manny said. I nodded and decided to accept his apology. He’s one of the few people that truly care about me without being forced to.

“I accept your apology, Manny. But next time, don’t just yell at me. I’m an equal member in this house.” I said.

“Deal! Buenas noches, Tonito.” Manny said. 

“¡Tan feliz de que ustedes dos se hayan reconciliado! (I’m so happy you two made up!)” Dolores cheered. She kissed Manny’s cheek. He whispered in her ear and made her giggle. She said something to him which made him blush. The only person who’s made him blush. They both walked to their room, leaving me there to not try to imagine what they’re going to do. 

I walked to my room and put the bigger stuffed animals on my bed. I changed into my night clothes and hopped into bed while cuddling the animals, imagining it’s Mike with me tonight.

---

bye! i love you all!

<3

27. Sinister

Michael’s POV

It’s almost Halloween. A holiday I used to enjoy back when I was younger. My parents would buy me a costume to which Ms. Bella, my babysitter, would dress me up. I went to school wearing one of the best outfits of all. And when nightfall came, that’s when my pranking would start.

With the help of others, we would go around and leash hell onto the east side, our side. It started with throwing eggs and TP but we moved on to much more diabolical ways. Such as throwing paint and burning lawns. 

Our antics went up when we joined the Saint vs. Jewel war. Since then, our pranks have shifted to the west side. From then, our pranks were borderline crimes like breaking their cars or burning their stores.

However, I plan on not doing that this year. Ever since Antonio, it’s like I have no desire to harm the residents of the west. Mainly because if I were to ever attack another brown kid, I would imagine it’s Antonio. This year, it’s just dressing up, going to the dance, and getting my weekly kiss.

This whole week has been full of nerves. Halloween lands on a Friday this year. And thus the dance will be on a Friday, a perfect transition for the weekend. While some will be getting candy, the rest will be getting drunk in the gym and hooking up on the dance floor. Can’t say I’m not guilty of that last part.

Gym class had just ended. Nobody did anything since it started raining and the ground was wet. From one side of the gym, I lightly waved to Ant. The girl next to him- the one who was with him when he got attacked- gave me a glare. Ant just rolled his eyes and pushed her away. As the class exited the gym for lunch, I signaled Ant to under the bleachers. I stayed back and waited until the gym was cleared.

“Sorry for her. She’s been on my ass since she found out about us.” Ant said when he met me under the bleachers. I took his hand and held the soft porcelain.

“It’s understandable. Listen, I have a question.” I said to him. I leaned on the metal rods holding up the seats. “Are you going to the dance?” I asked.

Ant was standing there thinking about it. “Gee. I don’t know. Dances have never been my thing.” He said. 

“If you don’t want to go, it’s fine. But it would be nice for you to go.” I said. Ant stayed silent, probably thinking about going.

“Manny’s most likely going to put protection on me again.” 

“True. But we always find a way to be in each other’s arms, Ant. Just think about it.” I said. 

“I’ll go! Just for you, Mike.” He tiptoed up and kissed me. 

“Can I ask what your costume will be?” I asked.

“I want that to be a surprise.” He said. 

“Then I’ll see you soon, my angel.” I said. He giggled and we spent a while longer talking and hugging. His hugs are a prescription that I need a few times a week. And I would gladly overdose on them. 

When I was walking home with Petey, he talked about his possible new girlfriend. I wish I could talk about my love life to him like he does. 

“You’re happier.” Petey said, stopping in his tracks to look at me.

“What?” I asked. I just need him to walk so we can get home.

“I said you’re happier. And it’s obviously not from drugs. And you haven’t jumped anyone. And your parents haven’t returned from their trip. Which only means one thing: You met someone!” He pointed out.

I began to walk away. “You’re crazy, Peter Noah James!” I yelled back to him. He started speeding up to catch up to me.

“Come on, man! I know that smile! You gave that same smile when Tammy kissed you under the slide in second grade!” He said. I just laughed at his assumption.

“She kissed the entire second grade class. My smile means nothing to you.” 

“Really, dude? Cause you’re practically skipping at this point.” I stopped walking. Surely I haven’t shown that much, right? “So, Mike?” He had me cornered. His eyebrow was raised at me. He’s not letting this go.

“Fine. I met someone.” Emphasis on the ‘someone’. 

“There ya go! Who is she?” He asked.

“No one that you need to know of.” Is all I said.

“At least tell me if she’s Darcy! You know I have a thing for her!” He yelled when I began to walk away.

“Trust me, Petey! It’s definitely not her!” I yelled back. I kept a calm demeanor on the outside but inside I panicked. I seriously need to do better at hiding myself.

Petey ran and caught up with me. He stood in front of me panting. “Have you at least…” He made a small thrusting motion with his hips, his hands placed as if he was pinning someone down. If he wasn’t my best friend, I probably would’ve laughed at him and thrown him on the floor.

“No, Petey. We haven’t knotted yet.” I said. I don’t think I’ve thought of sex with Ant. It’s more so romantic love. No lust. Though, I’ll probably think of it soon and try to imagine how it would work. Because I’m pretty sure men only have one hole. And that would be painful. Now I’m imagining how it would work!

“You’re gonna join us and haze the west side this year?” He asked.

“Not this year. I have other things.” I said.

“But it’s tradition, Mike!”

I stared at Petey, thinking he was insane. “Just cause it’s tradition doesn’t mean it’s a good one. Maybe it should end.” I said. 

“Mike. This tradition has been around for years. You’re one of the people who revived it! Do you really want to stop?” Petey’s voice laced with concern.

“I’m sure. I just don’t want to be an asshole anymore.” I began to walk away.

“Understandable. Kinda might sit this one out as well.” He said, switching his stance now. 

“Great! We can go to my house and get dressed for tonight’s dance.”

As we walked home, we passed by Petey’s house to get his stuff. While he grabbed his stuff, I looked at his backyard and admired the garden. I wonder if I can sneak into Petey’s house and steal some of his flowers for Ant.

“What are you dressing up as this year?” Petey asked. He set his stuff on my bed while I stared at my outfit on my desk.

A black leather sleeveless jacket, black pants, red paint, horns, and a pointed tail.

“Have you painted someone’s body?” I asked Petey.

“Uh, no? Need help?” He asked. I looked down at the outfit and nodded.

Tonight’s dance is gonna be… hellish.

---

bye! thank you all!

<3

28. Angel & Demon

Antonio’s POV

Today has been a heavenly day! Nothing special happened. I’m just waiting for the dance later tonight. Speaking of the dance, I need to find a costume. Despite everything, I don’t have a costume yet. I’ve sort of been stupid and put that off until the very day that I need it.

“Manny!” I yelled as soon as I got home. Rafa and Juan entered the home after following me from school.

Manny entered from his room quickly, probably thinking I was in danger. But when he just saw me standing there excitedly, he calmed down. “Que, ’manito?” He asked.

“Are you going to the dance?” I asked.

“The dance?” He looked puzzled. Usually I don’t willingly go to dances or social events. It’s kind of a miracle whenever I go. “¿Quieres ir al baile? (You want to go to the dance?)” He asked.

“Si! What time are we leaving?” I asked. He looked towards Rafa. Rafa just shrugged like he doesn’t know where my excitement is coming from.

“A las 7:30.” He responded. Perfect. I have at least 4 hours to come up with something. Any costume would be nice. But I want a perfect one for Mike.

I rushed into my room and looked through my dresser to find anything that could inspire me. There was nothing. Not only was this effort useless but now my room was a mess. Then an earlier conversation with my boyfriend popped up in my head.

‘Then I’ll see you soon, my angel.’

Angel. Oh that sounds perfect! I think Dolores has a white sweater I can wear. And I can use some pillow feathers and glue to make the wings. Everything’s coming together. I feel like I’m going to explode. So I got to crafting. Putting all the items together. I found some of my baptism white jeans and shoes!

I looked into the mirror at my costume. I look… perfect. The wings are about a foot long and are connected by me gluing them onto a belt that is attached under the sweater. I had to make some holes in the sweater. I hope Dolores doesn’t mind. My hair is styled back but left it a bit curly. And I used pipe cleaners to make a halo.

Now the scary part: Showing my family my costume.

“Tonito! Come out here!” Dina yelled. I guess she’s coming with us.

I exited my room and walked past Dolores putting on a white dress and adjusting her hair. She whistled when I walked past her. “Que guapo!” She said.

Dina immediately turned to me and squealed at my outfit. She lunged for a hug but stopped when she saw the wings. “EEH! You look so adorable!”

“Thanks. Took me a while to make.” I said. Manny walked up behind me and patted my shoulder.

“You’re a crafty kid. Just like mama.” He said. Which is true. I remember mama making our costumes growing up. I just never got to try my gift because I wasn’t tall enough to reach the scissors.

“What about me?” Dina said. We turned to see her short curly hair. She twirled, her lavender dress twirling and ruffles under.

“Who are you supposed to be?” I asked.

“Anita. From West Side Story. Rita Morena. Who won an Oscar?” She asked. I began thinking.

“Oh yeah. Her.” I said. Dina huffed and decided not to say anything.

The time to leave was here. The four of us piled into the car and Manny drove to the dance. Our car almost got hit by eggs but Manny made sure to almost run them over. This will be the first time I go to the Halloween dance. Am I nervous? Sure. Do I fear for my life right now? Always. But tonight I get to see Mike again.

Loud music. Strobing lights. Screams of those girls that try too hard to get boys to like them. All mixed together to form the dance.

“I’m freezing!” Dina said when we exited the car. She rubbed her arms with her hands to try and get some warmth.

“Should’ve brought a sweater, pendeja.” I said. She glared at me and was ready to pounce. “I’m sure the inside will be warm.” I added.

Inside the gym was decorated nicely. Orange and black streamers hung from the ceiling. A table with snacks and spiked punch was on one of the walls. This table was socially split in half with both sides claiming one (A bit sad because the Jewels side had mooncakes).

“Rafa. Watch over him.” Manny said. I groaned and was about to tell Manny to let me be on my own but he walked away to talk with other people. That left Dina, Rafa, and me to be standing against the walls.

“Do you see him yet?” I asked Dina.

“No, I haven’t seen your boyfriend.” She whispered back to me. That word boyfriend still sends tingles.

“What are you two whispering about?” Rafa asked.

Dina snapped. “None of your business!” To which Rafa shut up and didn’t turn to us.

Like a God entering a room, the gym doors opened and in walked the man of the hour. He stood with his friend next to him.

I’ve never seen how Mike’s body looked before. I only imagined it based on Dolores’ magazines. But all those thoughts never prepared me for how he actually looked.

Mike wore black pants and shoes. He had an unbuttoned sleeveless leather jacket. And best of all, nothing underneath. Instead, his chiseled body was painted red. Meanwhile his face was left the same with a little black smeared under his eyes. Atop his head were two red plastic horns.

The paint was dry on his body but gave off an iridescent glow to his chest. I can imagine my fingers running through his muscles and feeling the soft skin.

Mike’s eyes scoured the gym, looking for his prey. When his eyes landed on mine, a blush came on his face. Now he was entirely red.

The coincidence then clicked in my head. He was a demon. And I was an angel. We accidentally made a couple’s costume. The stars were aligned when these ideas were put in my head. It’s the universe’s way of telling us we’re meant to be.

Mike went on to lean against the wall opposite of us. His line of sight made it so I was facing him and he was facing me. Dina wasn’t afraid to nudge me and gush about how adorable our costumes are.

Along the way, many girls would flirt with Mike. Some girls came up and tried to touch him but he brushed them off. I can vaguely see him mouth ‘Sorry’ whenever someone touches him.

A painful 30 minutes passed by when everyone was on the dance floor. Rafa was flirting with a girl which could probably give me a chance to escape. Seeing as there’s a major dance, the school set up porta potties outside for students to use. This means that the bathrooms in the gym are in rare use.

“Dina. I’m gonna go to the bathroom with Mike. Do you mind…” Dina nodded, knowing what I was planning on doing.

“Yeah, Toni. I’ll keep a watch.” She said. I felt bad because she came to the dance in her lavender dress and won’t get to dance. “Don’t sweat it. I don’t plan on dancing. Go have fun and I’ll stand here looking pretty.” She said. I thanked her and began to walk towards the bathrooms. I stayed right next to the wall, never daring to enter the pit of dancers. Mike saw this and also followed me, staying on his side of the gym.

Every step was a step closer to love. Nobody seemed to care that a demon and angel were walking towards the same place. Two beings not meant to be together.

I looked to my left and right and checked if anyone was looking. When the coast was clear, I opened the heavy door and slipped in. I walked down the barely lit hallway and skipped the bathrooms. There’s a teachers’ lounge next and they have really good couches.

Waiting for Mike, my heart was beating faster than ever. The stress, fear, and anxiety of someone finding us controlled my legs and made them shake. When the lounge door opened, my heart skipped a beat. But then the look of a sexy demon entering calmed all that fear I had.

“Sorry I took a while. I thought you were in the bathroom.” He said. I ignored that and jumped to him. He was caught off guard but caught me and leaned down to kiss me.

“Mmm.” I moaned. “I needed that kiss.” I said. My hand slipped from his neck and traveled down to his chest. Mike didn’t say anything, but just stood there watching me with wide eyes. His cheeks were turning red. “Beautiful.” I said when my fingers traced the lines of his abs. If only I could see him without the red paint.

“Thank you. Been working on them for a while.” He grabbed my wrist and placed my open palm on his pec. There was slight hair on it. But that isn’t what attracted me. It was his heart rate beating quickly.

“Is that because of me?” I asked, referring to his increased heart beat.

“Yeah. There’s also something else but I’m not sure I should go there.” He said which caught me off guard.

“You’ve already touched my ass, Mike. I don’t mind.” I said. He gulped, a single drop of sweat rolling down his neck, reaching the spot where the red paint and his normal white skin met. His Adam’s apple bobbed up as he swallowed thickly.

“I-I guess if you want to.” He responded, his breathing becoming faster. I gulped and let my hand trail down his chest. I felt his treasure trail from his belly button until I reached to his waist.

“Only for you, Mike.”

I reached my hand down and rubbed my hand over his bulge. He let out a moan while I fondled it. Words cannot express how excited I am and impressed by its size. And it’s for me. He’s excited for me.

Just when I was about to reach my hand under his pants, the door opened. And in walked an annoying girl. Dina.

“Am I interrupting something?” She smugly asked. She didn’t even care that I was about to do something major with my boyfriend. Mike blushed harder. I moved my hand away from his crotch quickly. But the speed made me rub against him harder and he let out a moan.

Dina just stared wide eyed. “Guess I was.”

“What do you want, Dina?” I asked, upset that my moment was gone. Mike rubbed my back in a comforting way.

“Manny says we’re leaving.” I whined. The one time I want to stay at a social event longer is when I have to cut it short.

“I’ll catch up. Tell him I’m in the bathroom.” I sait to her. Dina nodded and walked away after giving making a circle with one hand and the other her finger going in and out. Esta nina, she’s so annoying but I love her.

“So that happened.” Mike said, laughing a bit.

“Sorry about this. We’ll get our chance soon, Mike. I promise.” I said. Mike planted several kisses on my face. “Mike! I need to leave.” I giggled.

“Wait!” He placed a few more kisses before he was finally satisfied. The final kiss was on my lips and lasted the perfect amount of time. “There. Now you’re good to go.”

“Goodbye, Mike. I’ll see you soon!” I said.

“Bye, Ant. I love you!” He said back.

“I love you too.” I waved and walked out the room. I looked down and realized I too was sporting a hard on. I thought about my math teacher’s ugly shoes before it finally went down.

I walked out and into the gym. I looked around and spotted Manny. I walked up to him. He touched my hair and smiled before turning and letting us follow him. I checked the clock on the wall, we were here for two hours! How long did we spend in the teacher’s lounge

Tonight might’ve been the night I lost my virginity. But… maybe soon.

---

kk. bye! i love you all!

<3

29. Home Alone

Antonio’s POV

The sky was cloudy. There’s something about rain that absolutely makes me feel comfortable. The cold and pelting of rain while at the same time getting the chance to huddle up with warmth.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Dolores put on her coat and hoped I would change my mind.

“Nah. I’m good. You guys go. I’ll hold the fort down.” I said, trying hard not to smile because of my true intentions.

Manny told me that he’s taking Dolores to meet our extended family that lives south of us in another city. He wants to “show her off” and also secretly tell them that he plans on marrying her. This got me excited. I consider Dolores to be kinda like another mom. She came into our lives a year after mama and papa died. She’ll never replace my real mama, but at least she’s a positive influence on my life.

She met Manny when he protected her from an attack from the Jewels. Since then, they’ve been together. Of course, I sometimes wish they would get another house because I can’t stand their special nights.

“Antonio!” Manny called for me. I entered their room and saw him put on dad’s coat. He looks so much like him. Manny turned to me and handed me a $20 bill. “Use this only for emergencies.” He said. I took the dollar, planning on not doing that.

“Are you really planning on marrying her?” I whispered to him. He looked down the hall. I joined too and we saw Dolores carrying a wrench and fixing the door.

“She’s my amor, ’manito. Of course I will. Y un día, encontrarás una nina chingona para casarte. (And one day, you’ll find a badass girl to marry.)” He turned and put on some cologne. If only he knew.

“Can you tell the Guard not to look after me?” I asked. Manny wants the Guard to constantly check up on me when I told him I want to stay home alone.

“Antonio. You know I can’t do that. With the fight coming up, it’s too dangerous.” He tried to reason.

“Por favor, Manny. I promise if anything happens I’ll run to the Hub and use the gun there.”

“How do you know about the gun?” He asked. He forgets that I’m sometimes in his meetings too. “Very well. If you want to be alone, I’ll do it. But I’ll be sending Rafa to check on you every few hours. Okay?” He asked

Seems like a reasonable deal. “I understand.”

“Adios, Toni!” They yelled from the car. I waved at them as they drove down the street. I’ll be seeing them in about a week.

There’s a much bigger reason why I wanted to stay home. I told Manny I wanted to stay home because I have a ton of school work and needed to visit Ms. Bella. However, while those are true, there’s a bigger reason.

Did you guess it? It’s Mike. With Manny and Dolores gone and the Guard not watching me 24/7, Mike could come over. I told him everything. All he has to do is finish his daily tasks and then he’ll come over.

Rafa is going to be coming over occasionally. I’ll just have to hide Mike when he does come over. And pray no one finds him

As soon as they left, I rushed inside and closed the door. I locked the windows and ran around the house to fix everything. I adjusted the blankets and used a damn feather duster. I know Mike comes from money. The Lexington family has a long line of having money and power.

But sometimes, Mike talks about wanting to have a normal dinner with his family. Instead, they make up for lost time by giving him free reign of their money. Hence why he is able to buy so much stuff and spoil me.

I’m just a little glad that he has someone else to give his attention and love to besides himself. I can’t make up for his parents, but I can love him and be there with him. Even if we have to hide, I’ll hold his hand from a distance.

I still get small shivers when I think back to the Halloween dance. When my hand was sliding down his body and I was so close to touching him in new places. And Mike was a willing participant, allowing me to do what I badly wanted to do. I am a bit grateful that Dina walked in because I don’t think I want to have my first where my art teacher eats last night’s meatloaf.

An hour went by and already I’m bored. Rafa came by just to see me quickly. I had nothing to hide so the check in went smoothly. But then I got hungry. I ate breakfast only two hours before they left. Being bored just makes me hungry.

Dolores cooked some food for me to eat for lunch and dinner but I decided I’ll make some myself and save that for later. I figured I could cook something from Dolores’ cook book. I searched through and saw a fairly easy recipe for lasagna.

It took a while for the pasta dough to be made. I never knew it was this hard. And I almost cut my finger off when I was cutting vegetables. Cooking is literally killing me!

As I passed by the bathroom, I heard the all too familiar taps on the window. Happiness swept through me. I ran into my room and opened the window and was met with Mike looking up at me with a huge smile on his face.

“Mike!” I excitedly said to him. He climbed the rock and was face to face with me.

“Ant!” He said back with the same enthusiasm. We exchanged a kiss before I stepped aside and let him come into my room for the first time.

“Is this where you sleep?” He asked, pointing to my bed.

“Every night.” I responded. He looked around my room. There was no judgment from his exploration. He knows he comes from money and knows I don’t have money. Thankfully, it seems like he’s enjoying looking at my stuff.

He picked up my books and scanned the pages. “It makes sense you have so many books in here.” He said.

“What can I say, I like to read.”

He then laid on my bed and stared at the ceiling. “Mmm. Comfy.” He sighed. Just then, the oven dinged. Mike jumped at the sound.

“Ooh! The lasagna’s ready!” I made my way to the door before I remembered about my boyfriend. “Wanna join me?” I asked.

“I am pretty hungry.” He stood up and I grabbed his hand and led him to the kitchen table. I sat him where Manny sits. If Manny could see who’s in his chair, he would flip his ass off.

I set us both a plate and utensils. The lasagna was, I would say, perfect. I just hope it tastes good for Mike. It’s no five-star meal but it’s home cooked with love.

“Dinner’s here.” I came to the table and set a piece for Mike.

“Thanks, honey.” He responded. His hand trailed down to my ass and he lightly grabbed it. It’s almost like we’re wife and husband.

“Mike! Eat your food!” I said before I served myself. I said a small prayer before we ate and dove into our food.

Dinner was perfect. After going on three dates with Mike in different places, it’s nice for us to finally have a moment in a location of comfort. I can show Mike the home I grew up in. The memories I have here. The times I ran down the hall refusing to go to the doctor. The couch where I found out my parent’s died. And the room where I grew up in (and was birthed in).

“If things were different, I would’ve enjoyed eating your cooking everyday.” Mike reached out for my hand across the table.

“Your touchiness is something I enjoy.” I said to him. “Would you like to watch a movie?” I asked. He nodded yes, thankful I get some cuddles from him.

We sat together on the couch. It’s not the best place to sit, but better than the floor. I felt the rain begin to hit the window outside. It started with light taps but really began to pour within a few seconds.

I let Mike choose the movie since he was the guest. It didn’t matter as long as Mike’s huge frame gets to hug me from behind. He snuggled into him. His arm extended and hugged my waist, bringing me closer to his chest. He sniffed my hair, his breath tickling my head.

“That tickles.” I giggled. His hands began to roam my body.

“You’re so perfect.” He said. His lips traveled to my neck leaving small pecks.

“I sometimes feel like you’re deprived of emotional contact.” I joked.

“A little, but I get my fixes from you.” He responded. I felt his hand begin to slip under my shirt. He’s hesitant to go further. I turned to my left and nodded a yes. His warm hand slipped and touched my skin.

“Mmm.” I moaned. It’s a hot trail he leaves behind on my skin. He circled his fingers in some spots.

His palm then planted on my abs. He left them there. “I wanna watch this scene.” He said. I couldn’t concentrate because of the fact that his palm is touching my bare chest. My body began to get excited.

Thank God Manny and Dolores are gone. Maybe I can get lucky this day.

---

bye bye!

<3

30. Outage

cw: sexual scene

Antonio’s POV

Mike kept his palm on my bare skin. I sunk further into him, his hand providing all the heat in the room. The sound of thunder cracked outside. Rain pelted on the windows. A movie was on the television. And Mike was here. It’s perfect.

The screen on the TV suddenly went black. The power had shut off and we were in complete silence and darkness.

“Aww shit!” I yelled. I sat up, Mike’s hand leaving my skin and his warmth from his body dissipated away from the loss of contact. My eyes scoured the dark home and was set on the drawer in the kitchen that held candles and matches. Blackouts during storms are common in our area since the power grids aren’t up to code. 

The candles are new so luckily we’ll have a long time. I’ll just ask Rafa to fix the power when he comes later once the storm calms down. Lighting up the candles, I set them on the table. Mike came up behind and hugged me from my waist. He rested his chiseled chin on my shoulder. 

“This is very romantic.” He stared at the candle. I turned my head to meet his. 

“How about we cuddle in my room. That’ll be nice.” I said. He hid his head on my shoulder and suddenly picked me up bridal style. “MIKE!” I yelped. He gave my cheek a huge kiss.

“Mine.” He said. We laughed as he carried me to my room. He set me down on the bed on my back. He climbed on top of me and stared deep into my eyes. 

“Remember Halloween when you let me touch you?” I asked. His cheeks turned a shade of red.

“I’ve been thinking about that moment every day.” He responded. I moved my knee to brush on his groin.

“I-” I said but stopped, thinking if I should say this. Manny always warned me about having sex. He didn’t want me knocking up some girl. He said that if I was to ever get a girl pregnant, he would force me to care for the baby and be a father to it. But he never warned me about having sex with men.

“Antonio?” He asked, wondering where my mind went.

I looked up at him. It’s Mike. I want Mike. “I want us to go further.” I let out. Mike’s eyes widened.

“Ant. Are you sure? I mean, I’ve only done it with girls. I have some experience, but not with men.” He responded. That is true. Mike was known as a bit of a stud. He hasn’t had any hookups since we met at the race. Meanwhile I’ve been a virgin all my life. 

“I’ve thought about it for a long time. Truth is, I don’t think I’ll ever want to be with a woman. You’re the one I love Mike. I want you.” I said. Mike laid down next to me and put his arm under my neck.

“I want you too. So badly. If we both want it, then…”

“Let’s do it. Here. Right now. No one will bother us. It’s now or never.” I eagerly responded. Mike thought about it. He stood up and got off my bed. I thought he was going to leave until he slid off his belt.

I stared at him while he held his belt. “Ant. If we’re gonna do this, I think the first step is to remove our clothes. Don’t you think?” He said. I blushed and got off the bed.

I faced him head on. He put his belt on my desk. I had no belt so I took off my socks. He bent down and removed his shoes and then sock. He looked at my eyes with hunger. Next, I grabbed the hem of my shirt and slowly tugged it up. I removed it and dropped it on the floor. Mike’s eyes widened and his face turned red when his eyes roamed my body. His eyes stopped at my cross-shaped tattoo on my left pec. 

Mike then followed what I did. He eagerly took off his shirt and threw it on the floor. Finally I can see him without the red paint. He was muscular. And from here, I can tell he had a slight tan. He twitched his pecs, earning a giggle from me. 

I hooked my fingers on the side of the shorts and slid them down. I stepped out of them and slid them away. I was growing a semi and it was easy to see. Mike spent a while admiring my body. His hands would sometimes lunge forward, wanting to touch me. But he controlled himself. He did the same, pulling down his pants before getting out of them. There was his friend that I touched a few days ago, becoming harder by the minute. 

Now was the final piece of clothing. “Should we do this at the same time?” He asked. I nodded, nervous of speaking. Sweat ran down my face. I’m terrified at this moment.

Both Mike and I put our fingers on our boxers. We both signed each other and began to slide them down slowly. We bent down so at first I didn’t see anything. But when we stood back up, that’s when it was all on display. 

It hung down and was thick. And hairy. And scary. It was like it was watching me. He was looking at mine too. I noticed he was a bit bigger than me. He is taller after all. And his size was beginning to scare me.

“How does this work?” I nervously asked. Mike stood there until an answer came.

“Well, with the past girls I’ve done this with, it usually starts with a blowjob. Do you know what that is?” He asked. I have indeed heard of it and made the mistake of witnessing it at school.

“Mmhmm. But I’ll need help.” I said. 

“Okay. First, go on your knees.” He instructed. I listened and got down on my knees. They shook as they came into contact with the carpet floor. Mike slowly walked towards me inch by inch until his buddy was near my face. “First. You need to grab it by the base. Then you open your mouth.” He said. 

My hand reached out and I grasped it in my hands. It was warm to the touch. Thick. The outside skin was soft but still felt hard. Mike gasped and moaned loudly. I think I’m doing something right. “Mmm. Yeah. Like that.” He grunted. I opened my mouth. “Now stick out your tongue a bit.” He said. I did as told.

“Perfect. Mmm. Now, put the tip in your mouth. It’s okay to go slow. Just… mmm… take your time.” He kept grunting in between. I did exactly that and took my time with him. He moaned loudly. The taste is something words cannot describe. But think of a flavor you’ve never tried but it’s your favorite.

Mike made sure to warn me about teeth, because apparently it hurts. I accidentally grazed my teeth a few times and apologized but Mike said not to worry. My ego skyrocketed since the entire time I was on my knees, Mike let out some of the loudest moans. “That was the best blow I’ve ever got.” He said.

I looked up at him and blushed. He pulled me up and told me to get on the bed. “What next?” I asked. Both of us sat next to each other, bare with nothing on, wondering what we would do next.

“Well, next we have actual sex.” He said. The word sex fascinated me because of how off-putting is sounds. I know what sex is, I’m not an idiot. But how would it work between two men? That’s when I looked down and realized.

“Oh.” Is all I said. “You’re gonna go…” I lowered my voice. “…In there?” Mike simply blushed. Sweat was running down his face. We’re both scared. But now I find out I’m taking it up there. 

“That’s how it works. Do you have any sort of lube?” He asked. I had lotion in my room so I got up and walked past discarded clothes and got it off my dresser. “Just so you know, I think your ass is perfect.” Mike said. I turned around and forgot I was naked and he was looking at me. I quickly made my way back to the bed and handed the bottle to him.

“I think this should work.” I said. He inspected the bottle and nodded. He squirted some onto his finger and smelled the cherry blossom scent. 

“You need to lay down on your back.” He said. I obliged and laid back, my head resting on my pillow. Mike crawled up onto the bed and was in between my legs. It’s a sight to see. The man I’m in love with in between my legs getting me ready. He’s even more beautiful now because I can see all of him. “Ant.” He called my name. 

I turned all my attention to him. My chest was heaving up and down. My private was beginning to harden. “I have to stretch you out before we begin.” He said. I saw he put more lotion on his fingers. I nodded and watched as his fingers lowered and reached my taint. 

He circled around and slowly put one finger in. It was one of the most painful things I’ve felt. I groaned while Mike kept telling me to breathe. Easy for him to say! I’m the one with a finger in my ass!

About thirty minutes passed and he managed to stretch me to the point he thought I was ready. I said before that his hands are huge. So are his fingers. Yeah. It was a lot. But the best part was when his fingers brushed across an area in me that sent me into overdrive. 

“This is it.” I said. Mike was on top of me and looking down at me. His hair was now messy and draped over his face. Our breaths mixed. It began to feel like a sauna here. Mike adjusted himself so that his dick was pointing towards my hole. All he would need to do is slide in.

“Ant. I just want you to know. I love you. I would never hurt you. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and I’ll stop.” 

“Don’t worry, Mike, I will. I love you too.” I responded. He then sat up a bit and grabbed himself and traced around my hole. He looked at me and nodded. I nodded back. He slipped in slowly. I let out the loudest grunt ever. 

“Shit! Are you okay, baby?” He asked. I nodded but it’s obvious I was not. “Should I stop?” He asked.

“Mm. Shit! No! Just keep going! I’ll get used to it!” I grunted out. Mike tried protesting but I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him in. This caused more pain to shoot out. Why the hell did I do that?! I was stretched beyond relief. Part of me wanted to die but the other wanted to face the storm and wait for the rainbow at the end.

Within a few more painful minutes, Mike was fully in me. He stayed in that position for a long time, waiting for me to catch my breath. “Fuck me, Mike.” I said. If only I knew the wave of sensations that would send me into. Mike started with small thrusts. He didn’t pull out all the way, just enough to where I was able to feel something. 

I draped my hands on his neck and brought him closer to me. We kissed while slowly he pulled out more and slammed back in. Everytime he slammed in, my toes curled and my fingers scratched his back. The pain turned to pleasure. He hit the spot again over and over. He wants me to go over the edge.

“Mike! Mmm!” I moaned out. By now, everything in the world was irrelevant. All my focus was on Mike, the handsome man above me giving me the best sensation ever. 

“I’m! Almost! There!” Mike moaned out. His tempo sped up. He was killing me inside, he was that fast. The final minutes were almost like an ecstasy blend that felt out of touch with reality. Part of me wonders did I really feel that or was I that delusional I made it up.

I came first, a loud moan coming out. A few seconds later, Mike pulled out and came on my chest. His high came down and gone was the grunts and moans and slippery sounds replaced with sighs of relief. 

Mike fell face first to my right, directly on the pillow. I got up from the bed, almost collapsing from the pain my ass felt. I waddled my way to get my boxer-briefs and wiped away everything on me. I laid back next to Mike. I need to change these sheets later because now they have so much fluid on them. How gross.

Silence filled with nothing but heavy panting. Two incredibly sweaty guys, naked in bed, together. It’s easy to see to anyone what we just did.

“Mike?” I asked my handsome boyfriend. He turned to face me, tears in his eyes.

“That was amazing, Ant. Absolutely perfect.” He said. I hugged him close to me. I’m not the only one who’s beginning to realize how deep this is. His nakedness no longer scares me. I’m used to him now. All of him. Every inch and hair and scar. 

“I’m not a virgin anymore!” I said in a cheery voice. Mike chuckled and touched my damp curls. He twirled them in his fingers. He better not ask how I get these curls. They’re a gift from my mother.

Mike’s fingers traced down until he reached my left pec and traced over my tattoo. “I never knew you had one of these.” He said.

“I got it last year. Manny didn’t want me to get it because he was afraid it would put a target on me. But no one’s noticed it.” I said. He brought his lips and kissed my pec.

“We have all week to do this, Ant.” He said. Thank God we have a week off since someone poured toxic waste all over the halls. It was part of a plan by the Jewels against the Saints. Maybe the only good prank I like cause we get no school.

“Then let’s take every moment for granted.” I said. I jumped up and sat on Mike’s lap. He laughed and told me to get off but I planted myself firmly until he agreed to another round.

All week.

---

bye!!!!!!!!

<3

31. One Week

Michael’s POV

“Mike! Can you remove the blankets off the couch, please?” My honey said to me from the kitchen. I picked up my boxers to put on. Then I bent down to grab the dirty blankets and took them to the bathroom laundry basket. I added it to the other blankets Ant and I have ruined during the week.

“Hey, Ant? Can I go into Manuel’s room?” I asked. I purposefully said this because Ant told me not to go in there. I turned to see Ant walk down the hallway urgently. I just wanted to see him limp his way in here, knowing I did that to him.

I chuckled when he almost slipped on the floor while wearing nothing. “Don’t go in!” He yelled. I helped him stand up and let my fingers touch his ass. I gave it a small slap, earning a small squeal from him and a red face.

“Just a small look!” I said. Ant sighed and gave me permission while he left to put something on.

I entered the room of my enemy and saw just how homey it was. It kind of looks like Ant’s room only there’s a large closet with dresses in there, belonging to his girlfriend. I looked around and felt the soft fabric of the shag carpet on my bare feet. I passed by the mirror and decided to flex and look at myself. That’s when Ant entered the room and chose to wear one of my shirts that reached far enough to cover him.

“How do I look?” I asked and flexed my arms. Ant stood next to me and reached up to grab my bicep. His other hand trailed down and cupped my bulge.

“Like the most delectable snack.” I like how Ant is becoming more open with me. A few weeks ago he wouldn’t have said that. Now he’s groping me in his brother’s room wearing only an oversized shirt.

I looked at Manuel’s bed and turned to Ant. “What if we had sex on their bed.” I smirked. Ant slapped my pecs.

“Mike! Don’t say that!” He gasped when I picked him and kissed him. I dropped him on Manuel’s bed on his back and climbed on top. I kissed him and jerked his dick. “Mike!” He pushed me away, blushing hard. “Not here.”

I got off him and continued my investigation. I noticed a small compartment in the dresser and pulled it out. It was a box and I decided to open it. There was a shiny ring.

“Is Manuel planning on proposing to his girlfriend?” I asked. Ant got off the bed and draped the shirt over his hard-on that was poking out.

“Mmhmm. But don’t tell anyone. He wants it to be a surprise.” He said. I looked at the ring closer. It’s very cute. Not sure if it’s a family heirloom or Manuel bought it.

Then I began thinking of me putting a ring on Ant’s small fingers. I would take Ant on a romantic date and take him on a cliff that overlooks the Atlantic and get on one knee. I would ask him the question, he would say yes. And we would have a ceremony just for ourselves. However people react will not be our business.

“When is Manuel arriving?” I asked.

“Later tonight. We only have a few more hours.” He responded. I smirked down at him and knew what we could do.

“I know we won’t have time later. Might as well take advantage of every minute.” I put the ring back where it was and turned to Ant. I picked him up and tossed him over my shoulder. He tried to get me to put him down but I slapped his ass making him moan.

This side of Ant is one of the most interesting sides. The weeks of pent up sexual frustration was released when Ant allowed me to go further. In those moments I seriously began to think about my future with him. No matter what happens, in 5 years, 10, 30, 50, I know that Antonio will be remembered as my first love.

If only people accepted us. But we’re just kids in love. Though our love has proven time and time again that it exceeds the odds.

I looked down at Ant. He was moaning my name loudly and sweating all over. I know to thank every god and shooting star for giving me Ant.

The last few hours were some of the most intense moments. The weeks before were already exciting. I guess that idea that we might not get to do this again any time soon sent us into overdrive to make up for everything.

The first time, Ant struggled to walk for a while. I can hear the giggles of me laughing when he was crawling on the floor to get me to carry him to the kitchen. Him telling me to treat him like a king, which I was happy to do. I haven’t worn my normal clothes for a week.

Ant would go out and buy groceries with the money I gave him. And whenever someone came to check on him, I hid under his bed.

Manuel had called Ant to tell him they were on their way home. I put my clothes on after fucking Ant one last time.

“Promise me we’ll do this again!” The little eager one said.

“Of course! This was the best week of my life.” Which is true. Spending it with my boyfriend who cooked for me while I handled the finance.

“You mean that?” He asked. I looked down at him.

“Mmhmm. Everything with you is amazing.” I said.

We both shot to full attention when a loud motor was heard from outside.

“Shit!” Ant yelled. “You have to go.” Ant said. His eyes filled with tears. I pulled him in and kissed him on his lips.

“I’ll be leaving but I won’t be gone forever.” I said.

“Thanks for this week. You really did a lot.” He chuckled. I grabbed his ass.

“I certainly did.” He blushed before we walked towards the window.

“Adios, Mike!” He said.

“Adios, Ant.” I responded. I climbed down while Ant stared out at me with lovey dovey eyes. I’m gonna miss him but I’ll see him soon.

Thank God we had a week long break. And now that school is back, I’ll get to see Ant at school. I’ll just have to figure out a new way to see Ant.

I’ll find a way. Love always finds a way.

---

bye now!!!! see you later!

<3

32. Secret Keeper

Michael’s POV

A smile was on my face for the entire week. I think some people noticed but didn’t say anything. I couldn’t tell them why I was so happy. But in case you aren’t up to date, Ant and I finally had sex. It was out of this world. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

All Jack has been talking about this week is the fight. He’s been training like crazy and anyone can see that he’s very determined on beating Manuel. I just hope Manuel isn’t too hurt so he can still look normal for his engagement with his girlfriend.

All my life I’ve imagined myself marrying a nice woman with the desire to have children and take over the family business. Now, not so much. I don’t want to marry a woman but someone else. Antonio is my perfect match.

My parents would kill me if I told them I was gay, let alone already dating a guy.

I was smiling in bed until my bedroom door opened.

“We need to talk!” Petey entered my room. I sat up quickly and turned to him as he sat on my desk chair. He looked at me intensely.

“About?” I asked. He seemed to stare at me longer.

“I’ve seen you look happier. Especially this week. No more bullshit! Just tell me the truth!” Judging by how adamant he is, I’m guessing Petey has been thinking about this for a long time. I have to be honest with my best friend. No more secrets.

“Can you keep a secret?” I asked.

“Buddy, you know I can. You can tell me anything.” He said. I know I can trust him. He was the one who comforted me when I was 10 after my parents left me on Christmas. His family took me in and I got to celebrate with them.

“Umm,” I gulped and fidgeted with my fingers. “You know how I told you I was dating someone?”

“Yeah. But you never told me who the chick was.”

“Yeah. Umm. It’s not a girl.” Petey was holding a cup of pens and dropped them. His face went ghost white. His fingers started twitching.

“I- I- I-” He keeps stuttering.

“I have a boyfriend.” I told him.

“So, are you a fag?” He asked. I laughed at the use of that word.

“Well, I prefer gay, but yeah, I guess.” I shrugged. Petey stood up and began pacing back and forth in my room muttering to himself.

“When did you find out?” He asked.

“I don’t know, like two months ago.” I responded.

“So you kept this from me for that long!? I thought we were best friends?!” His voice sounded hurt. I admit I probably should’ve told him. But it’s my secret. I should be allowed when/if people find out.

“Listen man. I was scared, okay!? It’s not exactly a good thing to be gay right now! And besides, I’m still a little confused myself! I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but you’ve got to understand me!”

Petey sat down and thought about it for a moment. “Sorry, Mike. I knew you had a secret, but I didn’t expect THAT!” He chuckled a bit.

“What did you think I was hiding?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe you got a bun in the oven and was expecting a baby?” We both laughed hard. I miss these moments with Petey where we can ignore all gang responsibilities and just hang out together.

“Nah, I doubt I’ll get someone pregnant soon.”

“But I’ve gotta say, who is your um… boyfriend?” He asked. Petey originally joined the Jewels because I joined. I joined because Jack asked me to be his right-hand man. But just like me, Petey doesn’t enjoy being in the gang. He just enjoys the notoriety.

“That’s where the problem starts.” I said.

“He’s already a guy, how can it possibly get worse?” He asked.

“Umm, he’s Antonio Garcia. You know…” Petey sat up.

“Holy shit! Manuel’s little brother!? Michael?! What the hell?!” Petey exclaimed. He stood up and slapped the back of my head. “Idiot! You’re in the thick of it now!”

“I didn’t ask to fall in love with him!”

“Fall in love? What, are you two going to run away and get married? Have kids? Hmm?”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” I sighed. I’m confused if Petey is fine with me and Ant being together.

“Despite everything, Mike, I’m happy for you. I truly am. I don’t know what it’s like to be in love yet, but I’ll stand by your side.” Petey said.

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” I hugged him. I can always count on him.

“I’m just worried about you two. While I’m fine with it, some others won’t. Just promise me you two will be safe.”

“I promise, Petey.”

“So… have you two done it?” He asked. A blush came on my face. He pointed and laughed. “No way! You gotta tell me about it! How does it work? Is it the same? Can he get pregnant?” He jumped in his seat.

“A man does not kiss and tell. But I will tell you this.” I leaned in and he did too. “It’s tighter than a girl’s.” I whispered. He gasped and seemed to look at me in a new light.

“Since we’re telling secrets, might as well come forward.” He said. “Remember when you came to my house and saw the flowers?” He asked. I nodded and remembered how pretty they were. “Well, I’m into gardening.”

“Seriously? That’s awesome!”

“Yeah. Mom got me into it. But dad doesn’t like it because it’s not manly enough. I don’t know. But I’m not stopping anytime soon.” He said. I held my hand out for a handshake.

“Keep our secrets?” I asked. He clapped his hand with mine and shook it.

“Keep our secrets!” He responded.

Petey sat back on the desk chair and started to throw a ball into the air and catch it.

“So, how’d you meet him?” He asked.

I eagerly told him because it’s a story I’ve wanted to tell for so long.

---

bye!

goodbye!!

<3

33. Paranoid

Antonio’s POV

The week started with me limping everywhere I went. Manny asked me what was wrong with me, but I couldn’t tell him I got fucked. So I just said I did some stretching exercises. He seemed to buy it. He also asked why there were so many used blankets. Once again, I lied and said that I spilled something on them. 

Manny explained to me how the trip was. According to him, our family fell in love with Dolores. She won them over when she was able to chug three beers in a row and recite the pledge of allegiance, backwards. Yeah, she’s awesome.

Now Manny is waiting for the right moment to propose. He explained to me that he wants to do it after his fight with Jack. He says this because he knows he’s going to be injured during this fight and wants to propose to Dolores while he’s being taken care of.

What else has happened this week? College application season is almost here. I originally wasn’t going to apply to anything but Ms. Bella said she was going to pay for my tuition. So maybe I’ll apply to some places and hope I get into something good.

Oh, and I gave Mike a blowjob in the bathroom at school on Thursday. We met there and he said how he missed me. I considered it his weekly gift from me. I just realized, this could be the way I could pay back Mike for everything he’s given me. Though I think it’s on the borderline of prostitution in some sort of way. 

But we love each other. I’ll whore myself to him because that’s how much I love him. Now we have to wait for any free day when we can hook up.

“ANTONIO!” Manny yelled out for me. I was enjoying laying in bed and doing nothing but now I have to get up on a Saturday. I got out of bed and passed over the stray clothes on the floor. It’s a Saturday, I’m not gonna do chores. That’s for later.

“Que?” I groaned out. I could tell my hair was messy. I had a nice dream about Mike last night. I slept in, probably too long.

Manny held a large orange envelope. You know, the ones that people take when someone gets sued. “Te vino esto para ti. (This came for you.)” He said. He handed me the envelope. Sure enough, my name was written in red pen on the top corner. 

Something told me I shouldn’t open this here. “Kay, thanks!” I ran to my room and clutched the envelope tightly. I put it on the bed and stared at it for a while. Even though the envelope isn’t a living thing, it’s like it’s taunting me, laughing at me.

I ripped open the flap and checked inside. At first, it looked like a stack of paper. But then I pulled them out and dropped them on the floor.

It’s pictures.

Of Mike and I. 

Together. 

The first one is of our date at the carnival. The next is Halloween night when Mike and I snuck away to make out. But the one that scared me the most was taken from my window. This picture was not only taken the week when Manny was gone, but Mike and I were naked and kissing. 

Whoever took these photos had scratched out our privates but anyone can tell that we had nothing on. Someone was watching us during OUR moment together. 

I felt sick and wanted to throw up. I didn’t want to touch those pictures. That whole week has now been ruined and tainted with the thought that someone else was here.

And now, someone out there has these pictures. They can decide if they want to destroy our lives. They can destroy not only my and Michael’s lives, but Manny’s and Jack’s and anyone who is associated with us. Plus the ensuing war that could happen. Manny will not take this lightly if he finds out.

I thought back to that day at the carnival when I heard those click noises that I brushed off. It makes sense now. It wasn’t the creaking of the ride. But someone taking a picture of us. How’d they even know where we were? Was it a coincidence? 

Perhaps this person first saw us at the carnival and since then has been watching us. 

I have to tell Mike about this!  He needs to know that he’s in danger and someone knows.

Keeping this a secret was difficult during the weekend. I had to hide these pictures under the floorboard under my bed, where I also have the ring Ms. Bella gave me. When I was sleeping for the next two nights, I could feel the sinister energy the pictures let out. 

I had nightmares of people finding out. Manny kicking me out. Me getting jumped. Mike getting jumped. But all those led to us being split apart.

Mike and I did our weekly locked bathroom meetings. While I wish I could do something romantic today, we have a huge problem.

“Ant. You don’t look good. Did you eat today?” Mike asked. I started hyperventilating. I haven’t been able to really panic around anyone else because then I’ll have to explain why I’m upset. 

“Mike! Someone knows!” I let out. 

“What do you mean, someone knows? Calm down, my love!” Mike put his hands on my shoulder. While his touch made me feel better, the panic had already set in.

“Someone took pictures of us! They know we’re dating and that we had sex, Mike! I’m scared!” I sobbed into Mike’s chest. I feel selfish because Mike has to look after me and be the strong one while I just cry into him.

“Shh. It’s okay, Ant. We’ll figure something out. They’re probably trying to scare you.” Mike rubbed my back softly. Slowly my cries calmed down until it was just sniffles.

“What if they release them? I don’t even want to imagine what would happen!”

“I know one thing that won’t happen. I won’t leave you. If those pictures are released, I’ll be by your side and defend your honor, Ant. I swear to you.” He kissed my forehead.

“We need to figure out if it was a Jewel or a Saint that took these photos.” I said.

“What pictures do they have?” He asked.

“The carnival one, a Halloween one, and from my window when we had sex.” I told him. Mike pondered for a moment.

“The first two don’t give us anything. Anyone could’ve followed us and taken those. But I think I have an idea of which side it might’ve been.” Mike said. 

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Think about it. Whoever took the last picture must’ve known I was gonna come over. Meaning that they must’ve known that Manuel was leaving town and you would be staying home alone.” Mike said. Then I began to piece it together.

“Right! And only a Saint could’ve known that info. Manny made an announcement to the Saints that he was leaving and I was to be staying alone. Of course. It makes sense now!”

“Which means that now you’ll have to try and see which Saint member acts suspicious. I’m sure we can trickle down to a suspect.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best. And then we’ll confront them!”

“And I’ll pay them off! Any price. I’ll give them millions to not tell anyone.” Mike’s words made me blush.

“It’s gonna be fine, right?” I asked.

“Mhm. It will, love. I’ll make sure of it.” He said. “Also, Petey knows about us.” Mike added.

“Wha- how?”

“I had to tell him. He’s my best friend.”

“Well now three people know. Dina, Petey, and Ms. Bella. We really gotta be careful from now on.” I said. Mike clutched me close to him and didn’t let me go for a while.

“Would it be wrong if I asked for a copy of those photos, just to keep them?” He asked.

“I’ll send you a copy. Just make sure no one ever sees them.”

“Only my eyes.”

Mike and I spent a while in the bathroom. No one bothered us in our heavenly paradise. I just hope our stalker doesn’t decide to do anything evil any time soon.

---

byeeee!!!

<3

34. Fear

Michaels’ POV

The entire day, I felt like I was being watched. I would look over my shoulder at any brown person that walked past me. It sounds racist, I know. But after my talk with Ant in the bathroom, it makes sense that a Saint is responsible for the pictures. 

I also watched Ant from far away. And I would look around and check if anyone was looking at him suspiciously. 

A daydream had me marching up to Ant and hugging him and kissing him in front of everyone and telling them that if they mess with him I’ll kill them. Of course I can’t do that. I could, but that’s social suicide. Ant and I aren’t taking that chance.

I feel a bit uncomfortable with the fact that someone watched Ant and I making love. That’s supposed to be something that only the two of us should know because it’s OUR love and not meant to be seen by others. Whoever this person is, they’re in for trouble.

“Yo, Mike. You’re distancing again. What’s up?” Petey asked. I parked my car in the driveway and got out. Petey followed me and we sat at the kitchen table. Mom and dad still aren’t home from their trip.

“Someone’s been taking pictures of us and sending them to Ant.” I said. Petey sat in front of me.

“Shit! Well, how’s the little man taking it? Is he alright?” Petey asked. It felt nice that my best friend was worried about my boyfriend.

“He was freaking out for a bit but I calmed him down.” I said. My hands were shaking. What if this person starts to follow me? 

“Any idea of who it might be?”

“We came to the conclusion that it had to have been a Saint. There’s circumstances that places a Saint at the scene of the crime.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, are any of these pictures raunchy?” He asked. I couldn’t look him in the eye.

“Yeah, there’s one they took when Ant and I had sex. Our junks were scratched out. But I’m scared that they caught us in that moment.” Panic set in. Earlier I had to put on a brave face for Ant and comfort him while he cried in my arms.

“Can’t imagine going through that. I honestly don’t even know what to say.” Petey stood up and got us some water. I gulped it down and hydrated my dry throat.

“I don’t even feel safe knowing that Ant is at home and someone could be watching his every move! It drives me insane that I’m not there to protect him!” 

“Mike, please calm down.” Petey was able to calm me down before I snapped and threw something. “First we should focus on your safety. Luckily I don’t think a Saint could be able to sneak into the east side so I’m sure you’re safe.”

“All I care about is Antonio. He was so distraught earlier. Beside me, he only has two other people who he can rely on. It’s not like he can talk to his brother about this.”

I sat there letting my anger seethe. This is all too much just for two guys who love each other. What the hell am I supposed to do?

“Mike, there may be one way to stop all of this.” Petey said, though his face gave the impression that he shouldn’t say it.

“How so?” I asked.

“You can break up with him and just forget about him.”

“The hell I will! I’m not breaking up with Ant! I love him! And I will never forget him!” I yelled at him for suggesting such barbaric idea.

Petey put his hands up in defense. “Alright then, not that!”

“I could break up with him if I wanted to. I could just ignore him and move on with my life. Tell mom and dad to send me to boarding school in New England.” I said. Petey could tell that this is a subject that’s become very sensitive to me.

“You don’t want that, Mike. Just as you said. You love Antonio and want to protect him. So do that. If you leave, he’ll have no one. He’ll be devastated.”

“True. I don’t want to leave him. I guess I’ll just have to pray and hope that nothing goes wrong within the next few months. We just have to make it to the end of senior year and then we can transition into our lives.” I imagined a future now.

“I just hope I’m invited to the wedding.”

“Dude, you’ll be my best man!” We laughed together.

Despite the pictures, I’m sure I can find a way to bring some good from this. Look at me. I’m joking around with Petey. I don’t have my parents with me for now. All I have are the people who love me. Such as Ant and Petey. But there’s a lingering fear that I might lose one of them. Someone knows about us. Ant and I are both in danger.

---

bye!

<3

35. Second Opinion

Antonio’s POV

I kept looking down at the pictures that were scattered on my desk. Since I found I’ve been getting stalked, I put up some curtains on my window and keep them closed all the time. Now it’s dark in my room all the time. Dolores complains that I’m going to damage my eyes.

With the insight of Mike, it just makes sense that a Saint is responsible. You’re telling me that a random person with a camera just randomly decided to come to my house and Manny happened to be gone and Mike happened to be over?

I’ve been looking at every person who walks by me that is from the west side. And I get the sudden feeling that everyone is watching me. Like they know that Mike and I are committing a sin and they’ve seen us have sex. I closed my eyes and rubbed out the stress tears forming in my eyes.

I would kill someone to have Mike back here again and hug me and tell me it’s gonna be okay.

There’s only one other person who I could ask for wisdom. No, not Dina. I can’t tell her about this yet. I know she’ll flip out and slap me for being so careless. Which is understandable because Mike and I haven’t been as careful as we used to.

After finding out I was in love with Mike, I asked Ms. Bella what I should do. Her advice was amazing and told me that I should go ahead and love him. Best advice ever.

“Manny, I’m going out!” I yelled. I had put on my coat.

“Come back soon!” He yelled back. I heard Dolores giggling before closing their bedroom door. I should probably leave right now.

I ran to Ms. Bella’s house and knocked on her door urgently. The sweet woman opened the door to see me catching my breath on her doorstep.

“Antonio? Ev’rything alright?” She asked. I caught my breath until I looked up at her.

“I need to talk to you, senora. Right now!” Ms. Bella could see how urgent this was and let me in her home. I sat on the couch and she handed me a cup of water.

“What’s bothering you, Antonio? You look like hell.” She laughed.

I explained to her the photos and everything and Mike and I worried. “I thought we were discreet. Now I don’t know what to do.”

“This is the one thing I didn’t want to happen.” Ms. Bella sighed and stood up. She moved to her pictures on top of her fireplace and touched them. She pulled one of the pictures down and looked at it before putting it back.

“What do I do? I can’t ignore this.” I said.

“Well, your safety is top priority. No matter what happens, you need to make sure that you and Mike are not hurt.”

“Mhm. That’s what I was thinking too.” I responded.

“This is going to get out of hand soon, Antonio. How long do you expect to keep this a secret?” She asked a very valid question.

“I was thinking until the end of senior year. But now…”

“Now what?” She asked. She took a seat next to me to wait for my response.

“Now I want to tell Manny about us. I can’t live on knowing that I have this huge secret.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, mijo. Manny would be crushed.” Ms. Bella said.

“I know. But keeping the love of my life a secret will crush me. Whatever Manny decides to do, accept me or kick me out or even kill me, at least he’ll know about me.”

“And what about Michael? Will he also agree to out himself?” She asked.

“I think so. He always says that he wants to provide for me. I think if I get kicked out, I’ll be okay.” I said. Ms. Bella chuckled a bit.

“Ever since Michael met you, it’s almost like he’s becoming a better person. I’ve never seen him care for someone as much as he does to you.” She cupped my left cheek and made me look up at her. “Don’t take love for granted, Antonio. Love is the best thing we can have.”

She rubbed his fingers on my cheek. “I won’t. I love him too.”

“When do you plan on telling Manuel about you and Mike?” She asked.

“I think after the fight. He’s got a lot on his plate. Him having a fag brother should be the last of his worries.”

“Antonio! Don’t say that to yourself! You are just as worthy of love as anyone else.” Ms. Bella stood up and walked to the kitchen. She brought cookies. She always has snacks reay.

“Sorry, ma’am. I won’t say it again.”

“Good!” She set the plate down before turning to me. “We need to discuss your college tuition.” She said.

“Are you sure, senora? You don’t have to do that.”

“I’m doing it because I don’t want to give my lazy children anything. You deserve it. Now, what colleges are you applying to?” She asked.

“I was thinking of the Ivies and the UC’s.” I responded.

“Great choices. I also recommend USC, MIT, and Stanford.”

“Are you sure I can get in those?” I asked. Truth is, despite being top of my class, I always feel like I have a disadvantage because many other kids who get into the top school come from money. Not saying they paid their way in, but being rich is certainly an advantage.

“I know you can. Just apply to them and we’ll see how it goes.” I nodded in response. I hope she’s right.

College application season, the upcoming fight, someone stalking me, and the possibility that my biggest secret might get revealed. Can my life get any more complicated?

---

bye bye!!

<3

36. Carefree

Antonio’s POV

How exactly would I tell Manny about Mike? I can’t just say “Hey, Manny. You know that Jewel that you hate? Michael? We’ll, I’m dating him. And I’m gay. Surprise!” No, I can’t just bring it out of the blue. 

I need to bring it up in an organized setting. Perhaps after the fight when Manny is exhausted I’ll sit him down and tell him. He probably won’t have enough energy to kick my ass. It’s a great plan.

Tap. Tap tap…

I know those taps from anywhere. And he’s here just in time for me to tell him my idea. Of course, if Mike isn’t comfortable with the idea, then I won’t mention him in my confession. I’ll just say that I’m gay and move on with life. 

Pulling the curtain apart, I was met with Mike standing by the edge of the window looking into my room. “HI!” I loudly said. I threw my arms around Mike.

“Woah! Take it easy. I’m standing on a rock here!” He gripped his hands on the window seal to maintain balance. Once everything was calm, he pulled me in for a kiss.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. He didn’t tell me he was coming over. Usually he tells me the day before that he’s coming over so I can distract everyone at home. Also it’s still bright outside. Anyone can see him.

“I had to see you! I just couldn’t wait so long!” I stepped aside and let him come into my room and closed the curtains. I then locked my door.

“I need to tell you something.” I said.

“You’re pregnant?” He joked. We started laughing.

“No, silly!” I sat next to him and took his hand in mine. “I want to tell Manny.”

“About us?” He asked.

“Mhm. After the fight. And if you don’t want him to know about us, I at least want to tell him I’m gay.” I told him. He thought about it for a while. I was worried that he was gonna snap and tell me not to.

“I’ll do it too!” He turned to me. “I’ll tell Jack about us. I don’t care what they do to us. I just want to be with you.” He said.

“Are you sure? Mike, you don’t have to do this. You can stay hidden if you want.”

“Uh-uh! No way! We promised to do this together. If you’re coming out, so am I.” Mike was so adamant on coming out too. 

“Then I guess we either both get accepted together, or go down together.” I said. I leaned my head on his shoulder and took in his smell.

You know you’ve found the one when you can sit with them is silence and fall more in love with them. There’s just something about having the love of your life next to you that brings you up.

“I’m tired.” I yawned. 

“Go to sleep. I’ll keep watch.” Mike said. He moved us so we were laying on my bed. He hugged me, my face in his pecs.

“There’s nothing to keep watch for.” I replied.

“I’m allowed to protect my treasure.” He replied. I snuggled into him. He didn’t move at all and waited for me to sleep.

Then I faintly heard him say, “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

I luckily went to sleep. Whenever I sleep with Mike, they’re always the ones with the best dreams. 

I’m guessing Mike went to sleep too because we both awoke to heavy knocks on my locked door.

“ANTONIO! OPEN THE DOOR!” The sound of Dolores’ voice was heard from the other side. 

“SHIT!” I scrambled out of bed. I looked at Mike and saw he wasn’t wearing a shit. “Why don’t you have a shirt?” I asked, He blushed and bent down off the bed to get his shirt.

“I uh, it was hot.” He stuttered out. I was fine with it. I don’t mind him losing more clothes.

“ANTONIO!” Dolores’ voice was now angrier. “¡SI NO ABRES ESTA PUERTA…! (IF YOU DON’T OPEN THIS DOOR…!)” Shit! She never gets angry at me.

“You have to go! Right now!” I started to push him towards the window. He stopped at the window and turned to kiss me.

“Can’t leave without a kiss.” He said. He jumped out the window like a ninja and sprinted away. It was probably noon right now. We slept for a while. Great, now I won’t be able to sleep later.

“ANTONIO!” Now it was Manny’s voice.

I quickly ran to my door and unlocked it. Manny walked in holding a bat in his hand and Dolores started to look outside my window.

“What’s going on here!?” Manny asked, looking around. 

“Why are you in my room?” I asked back, not answering his question.

“Why is your door locked?” He asked me. 

“Why do you care?” I asked.

“Jesus, boys! Stop! You’re gonna give me a migraña.” Dolores said. We stopped arguing. Manny put down the bat.

“Tonito, we were scared. Don’t lock your door.” He said.

“Manny! I’m a teenage boy. I need my privacy!” I said.

“Why would you need privacy- OOOOHHH!” Manny gasped. Dolores turned to him wondering what he was on.

“What?” She asked. 

“Maybe we should leave, amor. Tonito is…” He signaled with his hand that I was jerking off. 

“IT’S NOT LIKE THAT!” I screamed while the two started laughing to each other. 

“Okay pues. Umm. We’ll leave you alone, Tonio.” Dolores waved at me and both she and Manny walked out of my room. Dolores made sure to lock my door before she left. They still kept giggling as they walked away.

I slumped on my bed and silently yelled into the sheets. 

Great! Now they think I spend all day jerking off! Not that I do! Only rarely! I swear! I haven’t been doing it ever since Mike and I began to hook up.

I’m lying through my teeth.

---

bye!

<3

37. Crossing

Michael’s POV

I know it was weird of me to take off my shirt while Ant was sleeping, but I couldn’t help it. He was touching my chest so much so I figured I might as well let him touch them. I watched him until I fell asleep too. I’m no stranger to sleeping in his house. And it was still the best sleep I ever got. 

I ran out his room with a Goddamn hard on.

I came by his his the next day just because I have something planned for us that’ll take up the whole day. He’ll probably be hesitant to do it, but we’ve gone to the drive-in by ourselves and no one noticed anything.

His window was open today. I peaked in and saw Ant laying in bed sleeping. I know it’s morning but I didn’t care. I was all dressed up for our day. I watched my sleeping beauty. His chest rising up and down. Deciding not to wake him, I sat on his desk chair and watched him until he woke up.

“Jesus! When did you get in here?!” He was startled. His bed hair is to adorable!

“Your window was open. I climbed in.” I smiled at him. 

“I-I guess.” He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and got off his bed. 

“Get dressed. We’re going out today.” I said. 

“Wha- says who?” He asked. He didn’t protest and began looking for clothes.  Once he gathered everything, led us to his window.

“What about your brother?”  I asked.

“We have all day.” He waved his head. He leaned in closer. “They got so drunk last night so we have all day to do whatever we want.” He said. I got excited. I have Ant for the entire day.

We went to my car and entered it. He put on his disguise and so did I. “We’re gonna have a fun day, Ant.” I said to him.

“Knowing you, I expect something risky.” He said. I started the car and drove us into the east side. I noticed Ant becoming scared and so he leaned back into his seat. 

“Wait, where are the Jewels?! Aren’t they gonna see us?” He searched through all the windows for enemies.

“Nah. They’re at the Park Plaza. We won’t run into any of them today.” He sighed in relief. 

I parked my car at a parking lot located in a shopping district in our town. Since it’s Sunday and people are at church, the streets are a bit empty. But many of these snobby cunts don’t pay attention so they won’t care about a white and brown guy walking together.

“Come on, first I wanna get you some gifts!” I said. 

“I don’t know about this, Mike. What if people see us?” He was shaking a bit. I grabbed his hand and kissed it.

“Ant. I promise, nothing will happen. If anyone tries to do something to us, I’ll defend you.”

“Alright. Let’s go shopping.” He said. We both exited the car and entered the promenade. So far, nothing out of the ordinary. Though, you can never let your guard down.

We passed by a jewelry shop and saw a nice necklace that would be amazing on Ant. “Wait! I wanna buy something here!” I told Ant. He looked at the necklace I was looking at. 

“Nuh-uh! You are not buying me that. I understand cake and carnival games. But not this!” He shook his head.

“Please! Just something for you to remember me by.”

“I already have something to remember you by. Pancho.” 

“The stuffed bear I won for you?” I asked.

“Yeah. His name is Pancho.” He smiled. He’s so adorable. How did I not see him sooner?

“Consider this necklace as Pancho Jr.” I said. He rolled his eyes. I know he wants to kiss me but we’re in public. We won’t kiss in public. Not yet.

“Fine! But I’m waiting out here.” He said. I told him that if he sees anyone from school, to immediately come into the shop and hide.

Little did he know, I’m not just buying him one necklace. But three. And a ring. A special ring that I had ordered ahead of time with our family seal. This seal is so powerful you can show it to the White House and they’ll let you in to have brunch with the president.

It’s not a symbol given out lightly. 

Ant’s face was shell shocked when I handed him the bag with the several boxes, except for the ring. I’ll give that to him later. When he was going to protest, I pointed to the no refunds sign on the front door.

“What else do you want, my dear?” I asked. He blushed and looked around the promenade. He pointed to a designer store.

“Can I buy a coat from there? Just a coat! Please?” He asked. I can’t say no to him. So we went in and looked around until he found what he was looking for. I paid and we walked out like we owned the place.

“Anyways, so I started hitting Manny because I wanted to eat the cake but it was ruined because he pushed my face into it.” Ant was telling me a story.

“Why did he push your face into the cake?” I asked.

“It’s a cultural thing. Anyways, I reached for the knife and- HOLY SHIT!” Ant said. I turned to what, or who, he was looking at. I looked ahead and saw Archie and Avalon making their way to us. 

“Quick! In there!” I yelled. Ant ran into the department store to the left of us but before I could walk in, I heard Archie call out to me.

“Hey, Michael!” He said. I hate this guy so much for what he did to my baby Ant. It takes me so much self strength to not give him the same treatment. I turned my head and put on a stoic face. I just want to get back to my date.

“Hey, Archie. Avalon.” I nodded to the blonde girl. I’m actually peaceful with her. She’s one of the few girls who doesn’t hit on me. I sort of see her as family. Considering her family is also a bit powerful. Our parents are on good terms.

“What’re you doing here? Jack is hosting a killer mixer at the Park.” He said.

“Nah. Had some things to do. What about you two? Is this a date?” I asked. Avalon flushed and hid her blushing face.

“Something like that. Well, we have reservations. See you around.” He said. The two walked away.

“Asshole.” I muttered. When the coast was clear, Ant walked out of the department store.

“Are they gone?” He asked.

“Yeah. But we should get out of here. I think more people are coming.” I said. We quickly walked back to the car and put our shopping into the back trunk.

“Can we please go to the beach? Please please please?” He asked.

“That’s a great idea! Let’s go!” I said. The whole way, Ant jumped in his seat. He’s never seen the beach before. And he’s dreamed of seeing it.

“Oh my God! It’s so beautiful!” He awed at the beach.

“Yeah, it is.” I stared at Ant. He hopped out of the car as soon as I parked. He ran into the sand and quickly took off his shoes and socks and rolled up his pants. I followed behind and did the same.

I joined him in the water. He splashed me and I splashed back. He would squeal when the cold water touched him. I didn’t even care that my $500 shirt was getting soaked. It’s the fun of it. And with the sun set at noon, a glow was reflected on the water.

It amazes me that out of all the cities, out of all the states, out of all the countries. Every planet and galaxy. Every universe and timeline. And I managed to exist at the same time as Antonio Jose Garica, who happened to combat all those odds too and be born at the same time too. 

This is how I knew we were meant to be. Otherwise, we would’ve never been together in the first place.

When we were both exhausted, we layed in the sand and looked at the clouds. The birds that flew by along with the cloud. I tasted the salty air blowing our hair in every direction.

“This was an amazing day, Mike.” Ant said, sighing into my chest.

“You’re welcome. You deserve it.” I responded. Ant clearly had something on his mind. So I asked him what was up.

“Can we do one more thing before I go back home?” He asked.

“What is it?”

“I want to visit my parents.” He said.

His parents. The ones who are dead. I knew exactly where he wanted to go.

---

adios!!!

<3

38. Hello, Mama & Papa

Antonio’s POV

I asked Michael if we could get some flowers before we went to the cemetery. I asked for red and white roses. Red was my dad’s favorite and mom loved white. She was so pretty in white dresses.

Mike understood the weight of all this. He didn’t joke around or gave me lustful kisses. He would hold my hand and drive with one hand to the cemetery. He pulled in and parked the car. Roses in hand, I walked towards the grave stones. I have a faint memory of where it’s at. It’s been years since I’ve come here. My memory tried to forget the day mama and papa were buried but it’ll always be with me.

Then I saw it. The granite gravestone with a cross on top of it. Both were buried together because mama and papa were together their whole lives and died together. And I saw the names that confirmed it was them.

In Loving Memory of

Aleida Garcia-Lorenzo & Antonio Jose Garcia Lopez

I broke down crying then and there. I dropped to my knees and wailed. Mike got down and rubbed my back. At least I’m not alone grieving. And when I stopped crying, I set the flowers down.

“Hi, mama. Hi papa.” I softly said. At least the graves were still clean. “It’s been a while. I miss you.”

Mike, who was still rubbing my back, asked me a question. “If you don’t mind, how did they die?” He asked.

“It was a car accident. The road had been blocked. It had just finished raining and the road they usually take home was closed off because they wanted to build a mall there.” I recalled that area, which is now occupied by high end stores. “Apparently they swerved and crashed into a telephone pole.” I said.

I still remember that night. I think I was 11 at the time and Manny was around 16. I was busy drawing something for class when the police were outside. I didn’t hear what was said, but I saw Manny break down crying. He turned to me and gave me a lop-sided broken smile. He told me he has to go somewhere with the police and that Rafa will look after me.

I continued drawing and Rafa kept asking me if I was okay. My naive self said “Yup!” but I didn’t know that Manny was at the hospital crying his eyes out. I slept that night, the last time I ever had a normal sleep. And later that morning, I woke up to a lot of our close family and friends crying. Everyone looked at me when I walked into the living space with a smile on my face.

I asked what was wrong and Manny explained to me what happened. I knew the concept of death at that point. My cousin was killed from a fight. Death meant to me that a person’s living body is gone and their soul is dissipated. When Manny explained that mama and papa died, I collapsed on the floor and cried my eyes out.

Everything was a blur afterwards. Funeral preparations. Grieving. Anger. Everything was given to Manny and he was given custody of me. Manny, despite being 16, was considered old enough to look after himself and me. Mama and papa were very liked in our community. They didn’t hesitate to stop what they were doing and help out others. I remember the taste of casseroles since that’s what everyone brought us to eat. Now I can’t stand casseroles.

They were buried in the summer. It hit me that I’ll never see them again. Occasionally I hear stories of my parents and how amazing they were. Manny still remembers them. He tells me that I look so much like mama but I was given papa’s name. Manny looks so much like papa. I’ve seen pictures and we’re like carbon copies of them.

“Ya’know, my parents came here when they were 25. Originally they lived in California but moved east because of the zoot riots. They heard from a family friend of Newport and an already established Latino community.” I cried and rubbed my fingers on the cold stone.

“I can’t even imagine that pain. They sound like amazing people.” Mike said.

“They would’ve loved you, Mike. I didn’t really talk to people back then. If only they could see the person that opened me up more.”

Mike was silent until he turned to their graves. “Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Michael Lexington. And I’m dating your son, Antonio. You’ve raised an amazing young man.” He said. I laughed softly.

“Excuse, Mr. Garcia. But I wanted to ask if I could marry Antonio. I love him. Would that be alright?” He asked.

“Mike! You can’t ask that!” I chuckled lightly.

“But why not? Don’t I need permission to court you?” He asked.

“Maybe in a year. When we’re 18. We’ll come back here and then you can ask permission.” I said.

“How come you’ve never visited them in the past?” Mike asked.

“Cause of the Jewels. They’re set up here.” I said.

“But the cemetery is neutral territory.” He explained.

“True. But not the surrounding area. I’ve heard some of my friends tell me that they’ve tried to visit their dead ones but are chased away. We can’t even visit our dead ones.” I explained to him.

“Geeze. I’ll talk to Jack about this. It’s not fair!” He said. I kissed his cheek.

“Thank you, Mike.” I turned to my parent’s grave. A few tears would come down. But years of healing has made the damage hurt less.

“Tell me a story about them.” Mike said.

“Alright. Well, when Manny was first born, mama and papa had money struggles. The only way they could make money was by selling food in front of the elementary school. Mama would set up while papa would take care of Manny. When Manny was hungry, papa would get a t-shirt and wave it like a flag to signal my mom. The two would switch. Papa would sell food while mama fed Manny. They continued this for a few months until papa got a better job.” I remember Manny told me that story because mama would tell him that story all the time.

“They were hard workers, I bet.” Mike said.

“They didn’t want us to struggle. We still did but never complained. Sometimes they wouldn’t eat and would let Manny and I eat.” I said.

“Do you have anything else to say to them?” Mike asked.

I looked down and breathed in and out. “Mama. Papa. I’m doing great. I still miss you. And Manny is doing pretty good. He’s in charge of the Saints. I know you said for him not to get involved, but he had to for us. Don’t worry, he treats me good. He can be overprotecting but I know he’s following what you told him to do. He has a girlfriend, Dolores Cardenas. And he plans on marrying her. And I’m going to university. The first one in our family.” I said. I turned to Mike who was looking at the graves.

“And I met someone. Mike. I hope you aren’t disappointed that he’s a man. But I love him. I want to have a love like you two had. I miss you. I’ll never forget you.” I cried. Mike hugged me. I cried into his chest. I want them back. God it hurts so fucking much!

But being here, finally getting to talk to them, brings closure. That guilt I had for not visiting them is gone. And now they can have an update on our lives.

“Adios, mama and papa. I hope I’ll see you soon.” I said. I stood up and Mike did too.

“Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Garcia. I promise I’ll look after your son.” He said. We both kissed and walked away from the gravestone.

I feel better now. At least I can say that my boyfriend met my parents.

---

adios!

<3

39. Slow Dance

Antonio’s POV

Midday and Mike and I were exhausted. Shopping, going to the beach, and seeing my parents’ grave. But I can’t say it wasn’t a nice day. For the first time in 6 years I got to visit my parents and talk to them. I cried and reminisced about my childhood. Though, I could tell those tears were from years of healing. It hurt to see their stones, knowing underneath was their bodies. However, it felt like they were spiritually here, next to me. So in a way, it felt like I was actually talking to them.

I yawned in my seat when Mike turned to me in his car. “Hey, how about we go to my house. I live close by. We can sit and take a break.” He said.

“That sounds nice. I could finally see where you live after coming to my house.” I said. Mike sped to his house. The homes around us went from medium sized homes to much larger ones.

“Okay. Don’t freak. But my house is kinda big. So… just be prepared.” He said. I shrugged it off until he pulled up to a gated place. At first I assumed it was a large private community. But then it hit me. This place isn’t a community, it’s his whole house!

“Holy shit!” I gasped when his home came into view. Mike was enjoying my shocked expression. “You live here?!” I asked.

“Yup! 24/7/365.” 

“What about your parents?” I asked.

“They’re out most of the time. On business trips. So that means I have the house to myself.” He said. 

“Doesn’t it get lonely?” I asked. Mike’s face dropped but then a small smile came back.

“Sometimes. That’s kinda why I got to your house. Then, I won’t be so alone.”

We exited his car and made our way to the grand front door. Must be mahogany. He opened the unlocked door and showed me inside. It was modern for the time with lots of brown and fabrics. White leather couches, huge panel windows, marble. Unlike my home which is small and has memorabilias everywhere, this home is clean and slick. Makes you wonder if people live here or if it’s always vacant. Kinda like a zombie home. Not quite alive, not quite dead.

“Welcome to my house. Make yourself home.” Mike said. Standing in the foyer, I looked up to the high end ceiling. This place alone is bigger than my house.

“Let’s go to your room!” I said. 

“Alright. But you’ll have to follow me. If you can catch up.” He smirked and suddenly ran up the stairs. I chased behind but he’s too fast. 

“Wait! Slow down!” I laughed out loud. My legs went into overdrive. Mike opened a large door and quickly went in and left it open. I sprinted inside and was then caught and hugged close by Mike who was waiting by the door. 

“Gotcha!” He yelled. He lifted me up and put me on his bed. It’s so soft. I already want to sleep in it. This must be how clouds feel.

“Stop! No!” Mike brought his fingers up and started tickling me. 

Almost choking, I laughed so hard my stomach clenched itself. He didn’t stop, nor did I want him to. As long as his hands are on me, it doesn’t matter. Still can’t believe he was with me when I saw my parents. Now it feels like he’s closer to my family. 

“Hey, you wanna dance?” Mike asked. He sat up from his bed and moved to his radio.

“Dance? What for?” I asked.

“I’m just saying. We didn’t get to dance at the mixer nor at the Halloween dance. Why not do it here? No one will see us.” He turned on the radio, something the radio and I have in common. “Join me.” He said. I got off his bed and grabbed his hand.

A nice bumpy song was playing on the radio. “How do you dance this?” I asked.

“So, this is called Tutti Frutti. I’ll show you, but you’ll have to catch up.” He said. He positioned me in front of him. “Alright, first, position your feet like this.” He spread his legs and bent his right knee inwards. I did the same. “Now do the opposite with the other leg.” He straightened his right leg and now bent his left knee inwards. 

“Like this?” I asked. I followed what I did. 

“Exactly. You’re gonna keep doing this over and over again. That’s the dance for this song.” He did it and I followed. It took a while to get used to the constant knee movement. But after a few tries, you get used to the burn.

Tutti Frutti was playing in the background while Mike and I did the dance but also jumped around his room for no reason. We found that his bed is a great place to jump off of. Thank God no one is here or else they would’ve heard the ruckus of us. I doubt anyone could hear us because no one is home and his property his huge in every direction.

The atmosphere slowed when a slow song played. I forget the song, but not what Mike did. He grabbed me by the hand and placed my hand on his shoulder while his free hand went to my waist. I stared deep into his eyes. Those pupils that captivated me those months ago underneath a yellow glow near the toilets.  They always find a way to meet my eyes.

“Imagine our lives like this.” He sighed into my hair.

“Slow dancing all day? I couldn’t imagine a better life.” I laid my head on his hard chest. We swayed to the music. His bigger body warmed mine up. I fit in him perfectly. I hope I never lose my match.

“Ant?” He said.

“Hmm?”

“Thanks for introducing me to your parents. I know how much that means to you.”

“They would’ve loved you. Mama and papa were never involved with the whole Saints vs. Jewels thing. They thought it was stupid.” I said.

“So why is Manny in it?” He asked. I ignored him calling Manny the nickname I gave him. Despite them hating each other, I still know that they both respect each other. They’re both gentlemen who care for the people they love. AKA, me.

“Well, after my parents died, Manny wanted to ensure my safety. The only way to do that was to become head of the Saints and protect me. He’s in it just because of me.”

“You sure do have a lot of people protecting you.” He said.

“What can I say? I need a knight in shining armor to defend me from danger.” I gasped when Mike leaned me back and nuzzled my nose with his and giggled. 

He kissed me deeply. His tongue slipped in my mouth while his right hand went down to grab my buttocks.

We didn’t hear the sound of the door opening at first. But we heard the sound of someone gasping. 

“HOLY SHIT!” A girl yelled. We both turned. Mike dropped me on the floor. I grunted when my back made contact with the carpeted floor. I caught a glimpse of the girl. She was the one that was with Archie earlier. Avalon, I think.

Avalon passes out on the floor. Mike, with a worried look on his face, panics and rushes to her.

Well, looks like someone else now knows about our secret.

---

bye!!

<3

40. Family Friend

Avalon

’s POV

Weird things have been happening in Newport for a few months. There’s a weird atmosphere that has covered the city in a blanket of fog that’s been blinding us all and preventing us from seeing what’s truly here.

It’s a gut feeling. I’ve talked to some people about this. Everyone just chalks it up to me being worried about the upcoming battle of the leaders. However, that’s not it. 

For example, Petey has been giving his girlfriend tulips! TULIPS! There’s no florist that sells tulips. People grow them, sure. But where is Petey getting these tulips from? 

Also, Mike. Mike is currently an enigma. I’m not the only one who’s noticed this. It’s the talk among the girls. We all think that he’s found a girlfriend. It would explain why he’s been so happy recently and always smiling. I like that he’s found someone. It used to be so bad back then. He hooked up with several girls and never talked to them back. He was quite the heartbreaker.

Now, his hook ups have stopped. And so have his Jewel duties. I’ve noticed he doesn’t participate in meetings anymore. He’s off doing something else. I hope he leaves the gang. He has too much to live for. 

“Hey, babe.” Archie said to me. I sat next to him in Jack’s home, he was smoking a blunt. “Can you do me a favor?” He put his hand on my shoulder. I shivered. I’m only with him because his father sells boats and I want to get a discount for my dad.

“Yeah, Archie?” With his red ass hair. Looking like Archie Andrews from the comic. Whoever named him Archie knew what they were doing.

“Can you go to Mike’s and get him here? Jack says we have a meeting coming up.” He said. He wasn’t gonna do it because he’s high. 

It was odd to run into Mike earlier. We’ve known each other since diapers. And I can confidently say that Mike in the shopping district is off. The only store he goes into is my parents’ clothing store. I think he’s home right now. Where else would he be on a Sunday? 

I got a taxi and made it to his front gates. I knew the password and entered. The hidden key was hidden inside a flower pot. I entered the living room but something felt off. It’s too quiet. And the halls were echoing a silent song.

I climbed the stairs, careful to not make any loud noise. I stood outside Mike’s door and heard small giggles and a song playing. 

I opened the door and was met with a terrifying sight. There was Mike holding hands with someone and tilting them back, kissing them. Wait… That’s a guy! Wait. That’s Antonio Garcia!

“HOLY SHIT!” I yelled. They both turned to look at me and gasped. Mike ended up dropping Antonio while I fell back and blacked out.

My eyes opened to a worried Mike looking down at me. His blue eyes got wider when he noticed I was waking up.

“Avalon! Shit! Are you okay?” I sat up and rubbed the back of my head. I was laying on his bed and had a wet cloth on my forehead. Mike sat on a chair next to me, panicking about me.

“Mike! I had the strangest dream! I saw you kissing and dancing with Antonio. You know? Manuel’s younger brother.” Right as I said that, in walked the man of the hour.

“Mike! How is she? I made tea!” Both Antonio and I looked at each.

“It wasn’t a dream…” I muttered to myself. Antonio stood there with a tray of tea while Mike was observing what I was going to do. 

“Avalon… let us explain-” Mike tried saying before I slapped him.

“What the hell, Mike!? What’s wrong with you?! You date, out of all people, HIM?!” I signaled to Antonio who had put the tray down on a shelf. 

“Avalon. Please, just give me a minute-”

“A minute to what?! Explain that you’ve been sucking it up with a dude! A fucking Saint?! And here I thought you had a girlfriend! No, you have a fucking boyfriend!” I yelled at Mike.

“Can I please explain, Avalon?” Mike said. Once I was done seething, I calmed down and sat, waiting for him.

“Please do. Start off when this happened.” I said.

“It was on the race day. I saw Ant there and fell for him.” He looked at Antonio. Yup, there’s something between them. I know that look because I see my parents giving it to each other all the time.

“Just like that?! Not even a date?! You just knew he was the one!?” 

“Yeah. Exactly. It’s just one of those things, ya’know.” Mike got up and gave Antonio a side hug and clutched him close. 

“Wait? Are you two actually in love? Like, dating?” I began laughing. There’s no way they’re actually together! That’s insane. It’s suicide! When I saw the two of them not laughing. It was all catching up to me now. “No. Way. NO WAY! You can’t be dating! WHY, MIKE?! WHY?!” I yelled.

“I can’t choose who I fall in love with, Avalon. You have to understand!” Mike said. I stared at the two, giving a lop-sided look. This is bad. I knew something was up. Just didn’t know it was THIS BAD.

“This is bad, Mike. Very very very bad! Do you understand the consequences of this?! No, you don’t! Imagine the war that would ensue if people found out?! Are you two willing to get blood on your hands just for a relationship?!!” I yelled. Then Mike said something that shocked me.

“Yes. I’m willing to do whatever to be with him.” He said. Antonio stood there the entire time just red-faced. He couldn’t look at me. He either looked at the floor at at Mike.

“I can’t believe you, Mike! What the hell has gotten into you?!” I asked.

“I fell in love, Ava. That’s what happened. Just promise me you won’t tell anyone. Especially Jack. Please, Ava.” He pleaded.

“Mike. I can’t do that! I have to tell Jack! He needs to know that you’re sleeping with the enemy.” I started to get off the bed and make my way to the exit until Mike blocked the door.

“Please Ava. Do this for me. We’ve been friends for a long time! I never ask for anything. I was there for you when Delilah pushed you down the slide. I was there when John put gum in your hair. And I was there when your parents were fighting and we had a sleepover with your little sister.” Mike said. He recalled all those past memories that did indeed show that he was there for me. 

Now my mind was in a conflict. On the one hand, I can tell Jack so this doesn’t last any longer and cause a firestorm. People need to know about this because it’s unacceptable. But on the other, I’ve never seen Mike so in love. Antonio really has this man in a chokehold. And Mike was there for me several times and never asked for anything back.

Keeping his secret is the least I can do.

“Fine! I won’t tell anyone.” Mike thanked me and gave me a tight hug. “But I also won’t deny it if anyone gets suspicious. Got that!” I said.

“Yes! Yes! Got it! Oh, thank you, Ava!” He hugged me again. I turned to Antonio, who, during this whole time, has been watching us. “And you!” I pointed to him. He jumped back. “Don’t do anything stupid! That goes for both of you!”

“Yes, Avalon. I understand!” Antonio said. Now that I see it, he is really adorable. I can totally see why Mike fell in love with him.

“Oh, by the way. Mike. You’re wanted at Jack’s. Are you going or…” I looked at both of them. “…do you have other stuff to do?” I asked.

“Uhh, I’ll be there soon.” Mike said, blushing hard.

“Mmhmm. Alright. Well. I’ll be leaving now. At least wait two minutes before doing anything. Kay?”

“Yeah. 2 minutes.” Mike responded.

“Alright. Bye! I hope to never see you two in the same room together.” I said. I left the room and made my way to the exit. 

Well, that was an interesting visit. Never pegged Mike to be gay. Antonio… well, kinda. There’s rumors of him. Some guy even tried to say that he caught Antonio giving a guy a blowjob. But no one believed him. I didn’t. At first. Now I’m wondering if that was Mike.

We all really are blind to what’s happening under our noses.

---

bye!

<3

41. Day Set

Michael’s POV

As soon as I heard the front door close after Avalon left, I turned to Antonio and we bursted out laughing. We collapsed on the floor, wheezing and clutching our stomachs. Ant’s face was red and I’m sure mine was as well.

“Did that really happen?!” Ant laughed out.

“She just had to walk in when I kissed you!” I caught my breath before I was able to pass out. When our laughter calmed down, all that was left was our pants.

“Do we have to cut our day short?” Ant asked, his adorable eyes looking deep into my soul.

“Unfortunately, my love. Duty calls. But I promise we’ll have another day.” I kissed his forehead and we cuddled for a while on the bed.

The way to the car was with Ant on my back while I stumbled my way to the front entrance. The emotional attachment was welcomed. Since I won’t be seeing him soon, I’ll take as much of him as I can. It’s been an amazing day with Ant. Shopping, meeting his parents, and inviting him to my home. I can feel us getting closer.

I listened to Ant and dropped him near the alley where we meet sometimes. His small hands carried all the stuff I bought him. Despite his objections, I need to spoil him. Otherwise, what kind of boyfriend am I?

Driving through the city, I looked hard and deep for the lines. The lines and territory that has Jack’s or Manuel’s name. Any place that says ‘This belongs to the Jewels’ or ‘Property of the Saints’. But, there was no place. Not even the gangs own it. My parents own a large part of it because that’s part of their job. The rest is owned by the City of Newport. So really, who owns this town?

From the outside, Jack’s was already full of people entering inside to get a good seat. I took my time to park since I know they’ll be a seat inside for me. I slapped myself in the face a bit to wake myself up, preparing for how boring this’ll be.

“Hey, Michael! Long time no see!” Brian yelled.

“Yeah! Where you’ve been?! We thought you were gonna flake again!” Ricky yelled to me. I just ignored them and walked past them to my seat near the front of the room. Petey was already there, next to my seat.

“Any idea why we’re here?” I asked him.

“Nah. I wasn’t code red or yellow. I think it’s just an announcement.” Petey responded. I swear, unless someone died or Elvis is performing, there’s no reason for such a meeting to happen. Especially since I had to cut my day with Ant short.

“Jack couldn’t have horned us?” I asked.

“My man.” Petey chuckled and patted my back and leaned into my ear. “I bet you wouldn’t have heard while you were getting a quickie with Antonio, huh?” I coughed loudly and pretended something was stuck in my throat.

“Dude!” I whispered back at him. “What the fuck?!” I said. Petey chuckled. The door to the left opened up and Jack walked in with a ciggie in his mouth, taking his seat in front of the room.

“Jack! Why were we called?!” Someone yelled.

“Who died?! Was it Rex? I fucking knew it!” Another yelled out from the crowd.

“I’m right fucking here, dumbass!” I’m guessing that was Rex who yelled back. The whole room went into a frenzy as everyone began shouting. Either asking Jack why we’re here or just wanting to pick a fight.

“QUIET!” Jack yelled. Everyone stopped talking and sat back in their seats.

“How have we not killed each other yet?” Petey rhetorically whispered to me. I held in my laughter by digging my nails into my skin.

I cleared my throat and stood up. “Jack. What’s the meaning of this meeting?” I asked. I sat back down and let Jack get himself together.

“I just wanted to inform you all that Manuel and I have settled a date for the match.” He said. The room broke into murmurs, people guessing when the day would be.

“Well? When is it?” Archie asked. I rolled my eyes. Something about his voice just screams try hard. I saw Avalon make eye contact with me. She pretended as if she was zipping up her lips and throwing the zipper away. Thank God she’s decided to keep her mouth shut.

“The end of November. Right before the holidays. Get the fight out of the way and go and celebrate with your families.” Jack said.

“Is that it?” I decided to ask. Jack turned to me, wondering why I was challenging his decision to call us here. I’m just pissed that Ant had to leave early.

“Yes. Figured you all wanted to know as a whole. You may all leave!” Jack said and people quickly began filling out the room.

“Mike! Wanna come over?” Petey asked.

“Actually, I have to talk to Jack about something.” I responded. Petey left while I ran after Jack. “Jack!” I yelled at him. He turned around to see me running after him.

“Michael. What do you need?” He asked. I pretended not to hear his sass.

“Can I talk to you about something?” I asked.

“About?” He crossed his arms over his chest and watched me.

“It’s about the graveyard. Can we make it neutral?” I asked.

“Graveyard’s already neutral.”

“Yeah, but not the surrounding area. I was thinking we could leave that area neutral.” I said. Jack thought about it.

“And why, pray tell, are you asking me this now?” He asked.

“I was just thinking. We should allow the west siders to visit their loved ones, right? It’ll be cruel to not let them.” Jack thought about it.

“You know what, fine! I’ll let the Jewels know to evade that space. Is that all?” Jack seemed cold today. I’d rather not get into why.

“No. That’s it.” Jack just huffed and walked away. What’s his deal?

But at least I can tell Ant that I was able to get the graveyard cleared. Now he and Manuel can see their parents, along with the others.

---

hi!!

<3

42. Revelation

Antonio’s POV

Mike had dropped me off at the alley and I made my way home, carrying the gifts in hand. At this point, I’ve pretty much blamed all my gifts onto Ms. Bella to avoid speculations. Which Manny seems to believe but I know it’ll get to a point where he’ll wonder if she’s actually giving me these gifts.

Upon walking in, I was met with Manny punching a punching bag that was hanging in our living room. He completely forgot that I existed. I just walked past him hoping he wouldn’t see me carrying my gifts. Luckily, Manny was enamored with his training so I was able to escape his grasp.

I made sure to hide my gifts under my bed. A few years ago I discovered that I had a piece of my wall missing under my bed so I sometimes would put things in there when I had to hide something of value.

Once everything was settled, I walked into the living room and this time Manny noticed that I was here.

“When did you come in?” He asked. He stopped punching the bag and walked to the kitchen to get a sip of water.

“I was here an hour ago.” I lied. Just so he didn’t know how long I was out.

“Mmhmm. Well, Dolores needs help setting the new curtains in our room. Go help her.” He stepped past me and went back to the punching bag.

“Why are you training so hard?” I asked. Manny stopped his punches and turned to me, his hair falling over his face. He does look like dad so much.

“You don’t know?” I shook my head. “Pues, my fight with Jack is at the end of the month. Only got a few weeks left to train.” He went back to throwing punches.

“Are you sure you want to do that?” I asked. Rather than stopping, he kept punching.

“Shut… up… Tonio… and… mind… you… business!” He grunted between every punch.

“I’m going to Dina’s. You stay here and train or whatever…” I began to walk towards the front door before he stepped in front of me.

“Are you actually going to Dina’s?” He asked. He looked a bit annoyed.

“Yeah, I am. Why?” I asked.

“Because you’ve been acting weird! And I feel like you’re lying to me everyday!” He argued.

“I’m not lying!” I said while lying. “I promise, I’m going to Dina’s. I’ll even call you from their home phone. Will that make you feel better?” Manny huffed, running his fingers through his sweaty hair.

“Go then.” He stepped aside. “But come back before the sun sets. I don’t want you being out too long.”

“Okay. Adios!” I yelled and opened the door. I have at least three hours before nightfall comes. So I ran to Dina’s, hoping her dad wasn’t there.

“Tonio?” She said, opening her door. “¿Qué estás haciendo aquí? (What are you doing here?)” She asked. I caught my breath.

“I need to talk to you about something.” I said. She opened her door all the way and snuck me into her room. Luckily, I think only her mom was home.

Dina sat on her bed while I sat on the floor. “Well?” She asked.

“Oh, right! So, Mike and I have decided to announce our relationship after the fight between Manny and Jack.” I said. Dina started to laugh and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was a small chuckle. “What? What’s funny?” I asked.

“Oh, Antonio.” She sounded like a mom comforting her toddler. Then her attitude changed to anger. “Do you have any idea how stupid that is?!” She lashed out at me.

“Wha- we both just figured we might as well tell them before it gets out of hand.” I tried to convey my reasoning but Dina wasn’t having it.

“Tonio! You do realize what will happen after the fight, right?” She asked.

“Uhh, not really. I just know that whoever loses has to disband their gang.” I responded.

“Correct! But, the resentment from the aftermath will be so bad. No matter who wins, one side will get angry. Who knows, there might even be a pseudo-war!” Dina explained to me. Then it clicked.

“So, if we were to reveal our relationship, then either Mike or I would be in danger.” I came to that realization.

“Exactly! If the Saints win, you’ll be a target from the Jewels who want revenge. If the Jewels win, Michael will become a target from the Saints. No matter what, both of you are in danger.” Dina said. I sat and thought for a while. She makes a lot of sense. Not to mention, some may accuse us of feeding information to the other.

“Yeah, I get it. Shit! Now I’m not sure if I want to come out.” I groaned and rubbed my face.

“Was Michael on board with you coming out?” She asked.

“Mmhmm. He agreed to it and said we’d both come out. But the thought that we might be injured…”

“Or worse.” Dina added.

“Yeah, maybe. I guess I’ll just have to think about it. I still have over a month to come up with another plan.” I said.

“Unless someone decides to expose you two. Don’t forget about the pictures. You still need to figure out who it is. I suggest you focus on that before coming up.” Dina was giving me good ideas.

“You think Manny would get mad if he found out I was gay from someone else and not from me?” I asked.

“Duh! He’s your brother! You don’t have to tell him everything, but if he needs to know something, you’ll have to be the one to tell him.” Wise words from Dina.

A lot is coming up now. I’ll have to talk with Mike about my revelation. Whatever we decide to do will be both of our plans.

Later that week, Mike asked me to tell Manny that I was having a sleepover at Dina’s house. In reality, Mike said we would be sleeping at his house. Our day when he took me shopping and to see my parents was so amazing to him that he wants another day like it as soon as possible. I guess I’ll start packing my bags..

Because this weekend feels like something will happen. Something fantastic.

---

bye!

<3

43. Sleepover

Antonio’s POV

“Manny! Tonight’s the sleepover!” I yelled out to my brother while packing all my clothes in a bag. Manny knocked on my door and opened it and came in.

“Can I ask you something?” Manny asked. 

“Shoot.” I said. I reached deeper and hid the small box in a private compartment in my bag.

“Are you and Dina dating?” He asked. I bursted out laughing. I even slapped my knee.

“What?! You can’t be serious!” I wiped some tears away.

“I’m serious, hermano! You two went to the dance together. You’re always hanging out together. Is there anything going on?” He asked. I stared at him blankly, saying nothing.

“No.” I said before walking past him and reaching the front door. “I’m gonna leave now. I’ll see you tomorrow, Manny.” I said.

“Wait!” Manny yelled. He proceeded to bless me by moving his hand onto my forehead, then to my chest, left and right shoulder, and to my lips to kiss. “Que Dios te bendiga.” He said.

“Gracias, Manny. I’ll call you later.” I said. 

“Adios!” He yelled as I walked out the house. I headed my way to the alley where Mike picks me up. I hope no one sees anything weird about a kid with a bag of clothes entering a sketchy place. 

“MIKE!” I yelled when I saw him leaning against his red Buick. I ran to him and jumped into his arms. He gladly grabbed me and lifted me up, spinning me and giving me a kiss.

“Can’t believe you’re staying at my house! I can’t wait for us to have some alone time.” He seductively said. His hand went to grab my ass. It’s been so long since we’ve done it. The pain will be surreal but the pleasure will be worth it.

“Let’s go then! The night isn’t getting any younger!” I said to him. He put me down and we both got in his car. 

“I just realized, do you know how to drive?” Mike asked.

“Uh, kinda? Manny tried to teach me but I almost crashed into a school.” I laughed a bit remembering that day.

“Good to know. I was thinking of letting you drive my car. Now I know not to.” He laughed out loud. I blushed and slapped his shoulder lightly. 

“What do we have planned?” I asked. 

“Do you want me to be honest?” Mike asked back. 

“Yeah!”

“Well, it’ll involve you, me, and little to no clothes.” Mike put his hand on the inside of my thigh and started rubbing it with his fingers. I coughed and looked outside the window to see the sun beginning to set.

“Anyway…” I said. Mike returned his hand to the steering wheel, though he does look sexy driving with one hand. He kept driving, passing the railroad tracks that split our city. When the houses began to get bigger and there were no broken down buildings, I knew we’d reach the rich section. 

Mike pulled into the gates and drove up the large gardens to reach the front entrance. This is my second time coming here, but even then, everything looks new. He has all this space but would rather prefer to sleep in my crappy ass room which doesn’t even have a lockable window. Mike, being the gentleman he is, carried my bag for me inside his home.

“You remember everything, right?” He asked.

“Duh! I was here last week!” I started to run ahead to his room like a child. A house so large you can run down the halls back and forth and get a good workout in. I opened Mike’s room and was met with the sheets a dark velvet color. A few candles were on his desk, providing light. The room itself was dark but the illuminating candles were all that was needed for light.

“Mike.” I gasped. “This is beautiful!” I stepped into the room and went to the bed to touch the soft sheets. 

“Took a while to set up. I just want to make sure it looks nice for you.” He said. Mike set my bag on the floor. I hugged him tightly.

“Anything you do is perfect for me. I love you so much!” I snuggled into his chest. Mike bent down to kiss me, my right hand touching his right cheek. My left hand went to the seam of his shirt and began to tug it off. 

“Woah!” He stopped kissing me and split away. “Let’s eat first. Then we’ll get down to business.” He said.

“But can you at least take it off. My eyes are hungry too.” I began to pull up his shirt. He obliged and swiftly took it off with one hand. There again was his pecs and abs that were so beautiful. I’ve had dreams about them. My hand went to touch them. His voice shivered at the contact of my warm hand.

“Come help me cook.” He managed to say as my hand went lower and lower, following his treasure trail.

“What’s for dinner?” I asked.

“Whatever you want.” He responded. He turned around, still shirtless, and walked down the hall towards the kitchen. I followed close behind. Before we started cooking, Mike went around and closed all the windows. “Gotta make sure no one can see inside.” He said. 

Mike’s kitchen was… big. Really big. A lot about Mike is big. It’s a pattern. 

“Did you hear that the fight is happening at the end of November?” I said. I stood next to him cutting vegetables. Mike was peeling potatoes.

“Yeah. It’s why Avalon came by last week. Jack ordered a meeting to tell us about it.” He responded.

“What else did you guys talk about?” I asked.

“I brought up the issue with the cemetery. Asked Jack if we can declare the outer area neutral. He agreed.” Mike said. I leaned my head onto his shoulder.

“You’re an amazing boyfriend.” I said. Mike turned his head to plant a kiss on my curly hair. I sighed in content. This is the life I want. Being next to Mike while we both do things together.

“So how’s that friend of yours, Dina?” Mike asked.

“She’s doing good. We both just sent in our applications to USC last week.” I said.

“Right… college.” Mike chuckled awkwardly.

“What’s wrong? Are you going to college?” I asked him. 

“It’s not that. I am going. But, I don’t want to lose you. There’s a high chance we both go to different schools.” Mike cut the potatoes slower now.

“Well, what school do you plan on going to?” I asked.

“I have a guaranteed spot at Harvard and Yale, cause my father has connections and makes donations to those schools.” Mike said. He saw my sad look. “But I bet they’ll accept you! You’re on track to being valedictorian. You almost have a 5.0 GPA. There’s no way they’ll reject you.” Mike said. I guess he’s right. But for many of those schools, having good grades isn’t enough. Sometimes you need money. Lots of it.

“I’ll just hope and pray.” I said. 

Mike started doing the cooking by himself when I cut my finger. He didn’t want me to get anymore hurt so he insisted I sit and just look cute. I didn’t mind sitting and watching Mike work like he was my husband. Even when we both turn 18, we can’t marry because our marriage would be illegal. Maybe one day two guys and two girls can get married. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

After dinner, which was amazing because Mike knew what he was doing, we sat and watched a movie. I didn’t  pay too much attention. I kept on poking Mike’s nipples. At one point, I lightly pinched them which caused Mike to let out a small moan. I’ll make sure to remember that later.

You can probably guess what we did after dinner. We did the deed. Surprisingly, the velvet sheets felt amazing on my bare skin. All these sensations were brought back with every touch of Mike’s skin on mine. By the end of it, we were a pile of sweat, panting for air from an opened window. The candles had dimmed and only then the moonlight’s shine glowed on our skin. Mike looked like he was made of porcelain, delicate, fragile, and beautiful porcelain.

Sleep came quickly as my eyes shut. I was transported to a dream where Mike and I were walking down a beach, holding hands. In this dream, Mike looked older. He had a beard and dressed professionally. We talked nonsense, swinging our hands back and forth. 

The shining sun meant it was noon. It was like heaven. Then, the sun was dimmed by dark clouds. A gust of wind blew by us, almost knocking us off our feet and attempting to split us apart. 

“ANT!” Mike yelled. I looked down and saw that my hand was holding nothing. I turned to the sea and saw Mike getting swept away by the ocean as he tried to maintain afloat. “ANT!!” He yelled even louder.

“MIKE!” I began crying and started running into the ocean. I don’t know how to swim but at this moment, my pent up aggression and desire to get Mike back kicked in. I was paddling but the ocean combated my efforts.

“ANT!!!” He yelled. By this point, he was far gone. I didn’t stop paddling. But my efforts were in vain when I was starting to get pushed towards the shore. I was dropped and was gasping for air. No matter what I did, it seems that this is set in stone.

“MIKE!!”  I cried out. But I couldn’t see him anywhere. “DON’T LEAVE ME!!” I yelled over and over again. Everytime I yelled, my voice got more strained. To the point where my voice was gone. My raspy voice didn’t allow me to say anything. I couldn’t move. My feet had sunken into the sand.

It’s a nightmare. Losing Mike. It’s my biggest fear. Not someone finding out I’m a queer. Not dying. But losing Mike. It’s a fate worse than death. Because I’ll be fully aware of it and I’ll suffer everyday for it.

The last strained words I managed to say was “I love you, Mike.” before I collapsed on the sand and was covered in black.

---

<3 love y’all!!

44. Forever

Michael’s POV

I was having the most amazing dream. I was at Harvard University, in my dorm, and my roommate was Antonio. I turned to him and gave him the biggest smile.

“We did it! We’re here together!” He squealed. 

“I know, right! Who would’ve thought!” I responded.

“I just hope Manny will be okay with me gone.” His expression turned a bit upset.

“Don’t sweat it! I’m sure he’s proud that you’re here. It’s just four years, then we’ll be off with our lives.” I said. His smile returned but then his body went limp. His body fell onto his bed, with his eyes closed. It was almost like he went to sleep.

“Ant?” I said. I tried laughing, thinking he was joking. But he didn’t respond. “Ant?” I asked again. I got off my bed and ran towards his bed. “ANT!” I yelled.

Ant’s body was limp and cold. Like he’s been dead for hours, or days. I kept shaking him in my arms but he didn’t wake up. I cried and called for help but the door was gone. There stood a wall. No way to get in, no way to get out. And the windows were dark. 

“ANT! WAKE UP!” I started to shake his body. Blood began to come out of his nose. I screamed for someone and his body began to disappear in my very arms. The room was now dark and cold. I don’t know where Ant went, but I have to save him. With no other choice, I jumped out the window and began falling. 

Before I hit the ground, I jolted awake. I was panting and covered in sweat. I felt movement next to me. I turned and saw Ant. I sighed in relief knowing he wasn’t gone. But that comfort turned to panic when I noticed Ant was tossing and turning in his sleep and crying.

“Don’t leave me, Mike!” He muttered in his sleep. I started to shake Ant but that didn’t seem to wake him. He kept saying that phrase over and over again. I feared that he might hurt himself if I don’t do something.

“ANT!” I yelled and shook him so aggressively he almost fell off the bed. Ant jolted up quickly, panting for air like it would be his last breath. He looked around the room and came to his senses in where he was.

I grabbed his hand and Ant turned to me and his eyes filled with tears. He jumped onto me and hugged me, crying into my shoulder.

“Don’t ever leave me!” He cried out. My tears began to fall out too. I guess we both had the same type of dream. I hugged Ant back and cried into him too. 

“I’m here, Ant. I’ll always be here.” I sobbed quietly to him. 

“How can we be sure nothing bad’ll happen? Ever since we’ve found each other, the world has tried to get us apart. Are we sure we’re doing the right thing?” He asked. I positioned us so we laid back, my left arm extended to cuddle Ant’s head. I didn’t even care that we had no clothes on. 

“As far as I know, loving hasn’t ever been wrong. We can do it together or do it apart. But I just hope you understand that if we part, I don’t think I could live with myself.” I said. Ant snuggled himself closer to my pecs, wiping his tears away.

“I don’t plan on leaving you. If given the chance, I would be by your side, stuck onto you like glue. But the gangs would never let us. No matter what happens after the fight, we’ll never be safe.” Ant’s fingers began tracing over my skin. 

“I’ll always be with you. Even if the whole world hates us, I’ll never let you go. I didn’t know how to love until I met you. There’s no way I’m giving you up that easily.” I responded.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” He lightly chuckled, though his voice was strained from his crying.

“It must’ve been something holy. I’m honestly shocked you even gave me a chance. That night, when we met at the race, you didn’t run from me. Why?” I asked.

“Because I didn’t see Michael Lexington, top-dog of the Jewels from a rich family. I saw Mike, a hot guy who was nice to me from the get. If you were able to treat me like a human being, why couldn’t I do the same.” He responded.

“You truly are a gift from God. My precious.” I said. I hugged Ant close to me and planted a kiss on his forehead.

“I’m not sure I want to come out. It might not be the best plan.” He said.

“I understand. Maybe this’ll be a thing between us and anyone who matters.” I said. I squeezed Ant’s ass. “Go to sleep, baby. I’ll be here in the morning.” I cooed at him.

“Buenas noches, Mike.” He snuggled himself into me. 

I watched down and saw as he fell asleep. I’m worried. Because this beautiful creature in my arms might get hurt just because we love each other. He doesn’t deserve this. He deserves to be alive during a time when he could be accepted. And the love of his life doesn’t have to be his sworn enemy.

The fact that Ant had a nightmare, where he was obviously in distress, all because of us. It’s making me wonder if I want to continue to put him in danger. We have an invisible target on us. A ticking time bomb waiting to explode. 

I kept thinking these thoughts. But in the end, I love Ant. I would never break his heart. That’s the last thing. I promise to be by his side, forever. 

Looking down at the sleeping boy, his small snores and his arm hugging my torso just above my dick, I’m reminded of why I’m here. I vowed my life to him. To protect him in anyway. 

That’s when I realized I was falling in love with Antonio all over again. 

I hugged him tighter. He sighed, happy about our new position. We hugged each other inward. A few tears escaped my eyes as I thought about our future lives.

“I swear Ant, nothing’s gonna hurt you.” I said softly and kissed the top of his head. He doesn’t have to hear it, because I’ll show him with my actions.

After placing a kiss, Ant had a small smile on his face. I wasn’t sure if he was awake or had grown accustomed to my kisses that he could feel them. Either way, he knows that I love him. Sometimes I think back to the race day when we met. I’ll never forget the shy kid that kept blushing when I spoke. 

He’s my other half. It sounds cliche. But he is. He completes my entire self. I’ve found the one I need. All I have to do now is keep him safe.

---

<3

45. Fabrics

Michael’s POV

Stretching my arms, I groaned at the sudden pain in my neck. I shook it off and sighed. Ant was still asleep next to me. The glow from the morning sun added a gold tone to his brown skin. I brushed some of his curls behind his ear and admired his face. He had prettier eyelashes than most girls I know.

I needed to make us breakfast so I carefully split away from Ant. I picked up my underwear from the floor and put it on. My bare feet hit the cold floor, but the carpet lessened the chills. The en suite bathroom was to the opposite corner of where my bed was at. I walked in and used the bathroom and brushed my teeth. 

When I exited, I put a spare toothbrush on the desk near Ant with a note that I’ll be downstairs. I yawned the entire way down. I have no idea what we’ll do today but I’m sure we’ll think of something. But I needed to find a way to give Ant the ring I’d bought him a few days ago. It’ll be a way for me to tell him that I’m serious about us.

Deciding to make pancakes, I got the ingredients and began mixing everything. As I was flipping the fourth batch (we don’t talk about the first one), some soft hands came around my waist and hugged my torso.

“Morning.” Ant said. I could feel his face on my back.

“Good morning! I made breakfast.” I said. I turned around and leaned down to kiss him.

“I can see.” He said. He kissed my biceps and leaned into me, watching while I worked. I looked down and saw he was wearing only underwear too. 

“Wanna talk about it?” I asked. His face showed he was thinking about it. I can tell it’s a painful topic.

“I just want us to be safe. Dina, Petey, Ms. Bella, and Avalon know about us. We said no one was gonna find out.” Ant said. I reached up and grabbed some plates and utensils and true

“At least the people who do know don’t seem to hate us and have sworn to keep our secret.” I walked to the large dining table with a view of the gardens and set our plates down next to each other. Maybe I should make Ant sit on my lap.

“I dreamed about losing you.” Ant said from behind me. I turned around, a sympathetic look on my face. “We were at a beach, I think we were older, and everything turned dark. I turned and you were gone.” Ant started to sniffle by this point. I went over to him and held him in my arms. 

I led us to the table where we sat in our seats. “I’m still here, Ant. I’m not leaving.” I comforted him.

“It was the fact that I tried everything I could but it still wasn’t enough to save you.”

“You save me everyday from myself, Ant, without trying. Trust me, you’re doing an amazing job.” I said to him, hugging him into my chest.

Ant calmed himself down enough and we were finally able to eat in peace. I know what it’s like to be in a dream where you’re useless because the same happened to me last night. Could have it been a warning? The two of us having a similar dream of losing each other?

“What’s the plan for today?” Ant asked after eating his pancakes.

“Hmm. I don’t really know.” I pondered the idea. There isn’t much we can do. It’s a Saturday meaning we’ll probably be seeing others from school if we go out somewhere like the plaza. 

“Ya’know, now that I think of it, I do need some new clothes.” Ant said.

“Perfect! We’ll go get you some clothes.” I said. 

After breakfast and a quickie in the shower, we were ready to go shopping. However, that’s when the issue came up. Where would we go? Everywhere else is busy. Then I remembered that Avalon’s parents own a clothing store. And her parents are out of town so it’s probably empty. 

I phoned Avalon. “Avalon!” I quickly said.

“Good morning to you too, Mike.” She said.

“I need a small favor.” I said. I heard her groan. 

“Sure. What do you need?” She asked.

“Well, Ant is staying over at my house for the weekend.” I said.

“Mike…” Her voice became stern. “I don’t want anything to do with this! Look, I’m happy you found someone, but it’s dangerous!” 

“I know, Ava! But I need a small favor! I promise to pay you back and more! Please!” I said into the phone.

“What is it?” She asked.

“Ant needs clothes. Could we shop at your parents’ store? I know it’s closed but we can’t shop in public.” 

Ava sighed. “Fine! But I expect double pay.” I know Avalon enough that the extra money she’ll pocket for herself.

“Thank you thank you thank you!” I said into the phone. 

“Drive past my house to get the keys. I’m not leaving my house for you.”

“Perfect! I’ll see you soon.” I hung up the phone and regretted not saying a farewell. I ran to Ant and told him the news. He expressed that he’ll need to make Avalon something as a way to say thank you. My Ant, caring for others.

We drove to Ava’s house where she handed me the keys.

“If anyone finds out…” She held the keys away from me. “…I’ll tell everyone that you stole them. Got it?” She asked. 

“Mmhmm. Got it.” She handed me the keys. I understand her refusal to help. It’s like getting involved with the mafia (which my parents made that mistake once). 

We reached the department store and I parked in the employee parking lot. It’s located near the business district. Since it’s a weekend, the business center is somewhat empty. 

“Close your eyes, there’s poor people.” I jokingly said.

“Mike, I’m poor.” He pointed out. 

“Oh. Then just look at me.” I said. Ant turned away from me, causing me to whine like a child for him to look at me. The entrance came into view. I acted like a secret spy, opening the door and ushering Ant to come in.

“It’s dark.” Ant said. I walked to the back and managed to find the light switch. It came on and the whole store lit up. Different sections have signs displaying what type of clothes were sold.

“Shall we start?” I asked.

“Where do we even begin?” He asked. I looked around and saw the men’s section. I grabbed his hand and raced us through the store. 

I picked up a light blue button up shirt and held it up. “This’ll look good on you.” I said.

“Ya think?” He asked. He held it up and turned to a mirror next to us and saw how it looked. “Yeah, it does.” He said. I came up behind him and leaned down. He saw what I was doing and leaned up to kiss me. I felt him smile into the kiss.

We spent the next hour picking clothes. The cycle went Ant looking at things, me choosing, him looking, me looking, us kissing. We had a small intermission where we just joked around and put on random things.

Rather than go home immediately, we decided to stay in the store. It was cool here and we have privacy to do whatever we want. I suggested we do it here in the store but Ant doesn’t want carpet burns. 

I’ll keep trying my luck, though. He’s bound to say yes. But if not, we’ll do it when we get home. I’m a patient person…

---

bye bye!!!

<3

46. Wedding

Antonio’s POV

Mike followed behind me as I made my way through the store. We spent most of the time in the adults section and we didn’t get a chance to explore the rest of the other departments. $40 for a baby onesie?! Who are these people?!

“Would you look at that!” Mike said. He was looking ahead of us. I turned to see what he was looking at. Displayed were several large white gowns and tuxedo suits. I looked up to see what section this was.

“Wedding Department?” I asked.

“Come on! Let’s check it out!” He said. He walked while I followed close behind. The whole area had wedding dresses of any type you can think of with every type of fabric. Cotton, wool, cashmere, chiffon, the works. I checked the price tag on some of them. They cost more than me!

“Do people actually spend this much for a dress?” I asked.

“Yep! My mom spent almost half a million for hers.” Mike said. I dropped the veil I was holding and picked it back up quickly.

“Seriously? Why that much?!” I asked.

“Cause she had hers made by a French lady who added thousands of pearls on them. She still has it somewhere.”

“I could’ve bought a house with that money.” I muttered to myself. Rich people will buy anything.

“Yeah but it’s a wedding. You should go all out! I plan on spending a million on mine.” Mike held up a black tie to the mirror and was putting it on. He was struggling so I walked up to him and put my hands on the tie.

Gently, my hands worked the tie and fastened it to his neck. Mike didn’t stop smiling down at me. While I was fixing his tie, Mike had gotten a hold of a white veil and began placing it on my head.

“How would your ideal wedding be?” I asked, still looking down and placing my hand on his chest.

“Hmm. Haven’t thought of this before. Uhh, I guess it would be a summer wedding. Maybe in Hawaii. I would rent an entire city just for the occasion. Flowers everywhere. Everyone I love. I’ve always wanted doves.” Mike brought my face up to look at him. “And I want you with me.” He said. I looked away and blushed.

“That fact that I know you aren’t joking just makes it more romantic.” I said.

“Would you take my last name or do I take yours?” He asked, adding to my blushing.

“W-we can hyphen it. I’d like to keep mine, please.” I stuttered out. I coughed to remove the lump in my throat.

“Mr. Garcia-Lexington. I don’t think people will like that.” Mike softly said.

“I can think of something else they won’t like about our relationship. Two, actually.” I said.

“But Virginia was forced to repeal that ban. We can be together despite being of different races.”

“Mike.” I sternly said. “We’re both men.”

Mike’s face dropped when the realization came to him. “Sorry. I guess that went over my head that we can never get married.”

I looked around the wedding area and saw a small display that was meant to look like a small church with an altar. I reached my hand into my pocket and had the ring Ms. Bella gave to me a few weeks ago.

“I have an idea!” I jumped and grabbed Mike’s hand and dragged him to the display. I showed him the small chapel. His face lit up.

“Let’s do it!” He cheered.

Mike walked around the section and found a black blazer to put over. I decided not to put on a dress but a white blazer just like Mike. I found a decorative bouquet of flowers for me to hold.

“I’m ready.” I said as I put the veil over my face.

“Me too.” He responded. I was facing away from him so he didn’t see me. I stood at the end of the aisle while he stood at the altar.

I turned around, flowers in hand, and saw Mike at the end of the aisle waiting for me. I fixed my posture, standing up straight while my eyes couldn’t look away from my love. I walked down the aisle slowly, letting Mike take a good look at me. I think his eyes were tearing up.

I reached the small steps and walked up to them. Turning to Mike, my assumptions were correct. He was tearing up.

“Sorry.” He sniffled. “I guess I’m just overwhelmed.” He said. I reached my left hand and grabbed his right hand.

“I know. But I’m here with you.” I responded.

Mike wiped away a loose tear. “I’m just realizing that we’ll never get the chance to do this. Have our own wedding.”

“We’re having one now. I think we should take advantage of what we have. Yeah?” I asked. Mike nodded his head.

None of us said anything. We stood in silence just looking at each other. I can’t believe this man is with me. My first and only (hopefully) love.

“I, Michael Nathaniel Edmund Lexington, take thee, Antonio Jose Garica, as my love. To hold and have from this day forward. The joy of my life, the light of my life, my reason to live. I promise to hold you close, even in the end. Thank you for loving me the way I am. Even after death, my love will not cease. I hope to joy more in our future lives. I love you, Ant.”

I cried a bit. I didn’t know that was his full name. I tried not to wipe the tears from the veil because it’s not mine.

“And I, Antonio Jose Garcia, take thee, Michael Nathaniel Edmund Lexington, as my forever love. To join you for an unexpected future full of laughter and love. Though we may not know what tomorrow holds, I know that I want you by my side. Even if this marriage is unofficial, in my eyes, our love is more official than any I’ve ever seen. I love you too, Mike.”

From my pocket, I pulled out the ring Ms. Bella gave me. At the same time, Mike reached into his pockets and pulled out a ring.

“Were you planning this all along?” I asked because of our coincidence in bringing rings.

“No. But all I knew was that I wanted to give this too.” He grabbed my left hand and brought it to his chest and slid the ring on. I awed at how shiny it was with the Lexington family seal. I grabbed his left hand and brought it to me and put my ring on his.

“Someone important gave me this. I figure you’re special enough to deserve it.” I said to Mike.

“Do you really mean that?” He excitedly asked.

“Of course, Mike!” He tried to lean in to kiss me but I stopped him. “You’re forgetting something.” I said.

“Oh, right!” He leaned back and cleared his throat. “You may now kiss your husband.” He went and lifted the veil from my face. I was met with his sexy face.

Mike pulled me in and we kissed at the altar like it was a real wedding. He spun me around and leaned me back, still keeping his hand on my back so I wouldn’t fall.

“I can hear the bells.” I muttered to him.

“And I can hear our family cheering.” He kissed me as we imagined an actual wedding happening.

Mike grabbed my hand and led me down the aisle as we giggled to ourselves in the empty store.

“So, my handsome husband, where shall we go for our honeymoon?” I asked.

“I know a place.” He responded. “But first, I think we should put all this back” We looked around and saw we made quite the mess. “And we have to pay for the clothes.” He also added.

“Then let’s get to it! Then we’ll have our honeymoon!”

That alone set us into overdrive to get everything packed and leave this place as a newlywedded couple.

---

<3<3

47. Honeymoon

Antonio’s POV

The ocean air is something I’ve grown accustomed to within the past week. The slight salt air that opens your lungs, making one feel like a new person, is incredibly addicting. Breathe in and out. Someone once told me that’s what you do when life is stressful. Something to do when you need to calm down. But they don’t tell you just how amazing taking that breath is when everything in life is perfect. 

“That was perfect.” Mike said as he put on his pants. “Guess you can say we consummated our marriage.” He joked.

“Mike!” I gasped at him. I reached over to get my shirt and put it on. “It hasn’t even been 3 hours since we got married.”

“We fell in love at first sight. I think time is irrelevant to us.” 

“That’s true.” I began to look around. My torso and below was covered by a blanket. “Did we have to do it in your backyard? People can see us out here.” 

“Nah, they won’t. Besides, the view is amazing.” Mike laid back down and snuggled up next to me. We looked over at the sunset. It’s beautiful. I’ve seen many amazing things. Sunsets and Michael Lexington will be one of my favorites.

I moved my body closer to Mike’s larger one. I snuggled into his side and took in his warmth.

“I think the wedding was beautiful.” I said.

“Me too. But one day, Ant, I’ll give you a real wedding. I don’t care how long I have to wait. But one day it’ll happen.” Mike kissed my hair.

“I don’t know, Mike. That wedding we had earlier seemed real to me. I don’t need you to spend so much on me. I just want to know that you’ll be with me for life. You promise, right?” I said. Mike looked down with the most love in his eyes for me.

“I said I’ll be in your life in my vows. I didn’t say those words for nothing, mi amor.” Mike and I leaned in and exchanged a kiss. 

“But…” I began saying. “Perhaps a small wedding would be nice. Maybe next year?” I asked.

“I’ll get planning right away! Just name what you want and I’ll get it for you.”

“Mike, we need to start being realistic.” I blatantly said which caused Mike to look down at me.

“What do you mean? Realistic how?” He asked.

“No matter what happens after the fight, they still won’t let us be together.” Mike placed his hand on mine. “Do we really want to risk it? Risk our safety because we’re in love?”

“I would normally say yes. But I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

“Right. Saints and Jewels already don’t mix. Who knows? What if when we reveal ourselves, the gangs might return to their fighting. I don’t want that.” I explained to him. 

“It’s too dangerous to come out. That’s what you’re trying to say, huh?”

“I’m sorry, Mike. I know you really wanted for people to know about us, but we’ll have to rethink that.” I said. Mike looked like he was thinking about something in his head but probably pushed it away.

“Yeah. Let’s keep this secret longer for a while. I’m sure nothing bad will happen within the next few weeks, right?”

“I sure hope not.” As I said that, Mike’s hand began to trail lower my body. 

“Mike!” I gasped out. “I’m not wearing anything!”

“I can’t keep my hands off you, Ant. Besides, it’s our honeymoon. Shouldn’t we be spending every minute making love?”

“Just go easy this time. I hit my head on a rock earlier.” I responded.

“Deal.” Mike started to reach lower, his lips leaving a trail of kisses down my sweaty body. All that can be heard was my pants and Mike’s sloppy kisses all over me.

This is how I would definitely spend the rest of my days if I could. In the arms of my Mike.

---

<3

48. Run Away

Antonio’s POV

There was something on Mike’s mind that he was thinking of but didn’t want to tell me. Rather than pester him about it, I’ll let him think about whatever he needs to. Judging by how conflicting his eyes are dating back and forth look, he’ll need a bit of time to figure things out.

I planted my head on Mike’s bed and tried taking a nap but I couldn’t. So I just extended my left arm and stared down at the beautiful ring he gave me earlier. The Lexington seal was engraved on the side with a gem in the center. I don’t know how much Mike spent on this ring, but I get the feeling it’s a lot.

Now I’m feeling cheap that I gave Mike a ring I didn’t spend money on. But hold on! This ring was given to me by Ms. Bella. She herself is an important figure to me. The ring she gave me is meant to be given to someone important to me. Therefore, Mike is the perfect candidate. He deserves the ring. Because it means something special to me.

Mike came out of his bathroom after taking a shower. All he wore was a towel around his waist. His chest was shiny with condensation. Still, even after seeing him many times, his body continues to amaze me.

“Take a picture, why don’t cha?” Mike said as he stood in front of me. Now his body was much closer to me.

“Mind if I touch?” I asked. I guess Mike didn’t understand that I meant to touch his chest because he dropped his towel and his Jr. sprang out.

“Oh, you meant…” Mike became red and bent down to pick up his towel and readjusted it around his waist.

Mike hopped onto the bed, not bothering to wear anything. All I was wearing was some of his loose shorts and a huge shirt. He was the big spoon and draped his right arm over me. He thrusted a bit forward. Reciprocating, I grinded back a bit to meet him.

“I just took a shower. I don’t wanna become sweaty again.” He whispered in my ear.

“Just one more time. Before the day ends.” I said back. Mike became silent. His fingers on my chest grabbed the shirt closer to him.

I think Mike is back in his thinking zone. “I came up with an idea earlier.”

“What is it?” I asked.

There was silence for a while until he spoke. “Nevermind. It sounds insane.”

Whatever he was thinking of sounds urgent. “You can tell me. I’ll hear you out.” I said to him, putting my right hand over his. My fingers rubbed Mike’s hand softly.

“I-I was thinking. If they won’t let us be together here, how about we be together somewhere else?” He softly spoke into my ear.

“Are you suggesting we run away?” I asked. I haven’t thought about the idea of running away. I couldn’t imagine ever doing that, if I’m being honest.

“It’s just an idea, Ant. We don’t have to decide anything now. But I’m willing to abandon everything. My parents, inheritance, friends, all of it, just to be with you.”

“I’m not sure if I want to leave. I’ve lived here all my life. It’s all I know. What if the world doesn’t like me or us?” I asked.

Mike kissed my temple. “That’s why I’ll be with you. Just as long as I’m with you, you’ll at least have one person who supports everything you do.”

“Where would we even get the money from? And where would we run?” I asked. There’s so many factors that come when running away.

“I have some savings I can access. And my parents own properties all over the country. I’ll be able to find us somewhere where people won’t be able to find us. What d’you think?” He said. I flipped my body over to meet his.

Lunging forward, my kiss was a confirmation of our plan. “I can ask Ms. Bella for some money. Oh! But what about school!? I can’t abandon my studies!”

“I’ll find us the perfect place! Picture it, Ant. A beautiful home where the two of us can live forever. We’ll have kids, a farm, and you could go to a college nearby! How’s that sound?” Mike asked. I nuzzled into his hard chest and giggled.

“It sounds like my kind of life! How many kids would we have?” I eagerly asked him.

“I was thinking three. Two boys, one girl.”

“Why two boys?” I asked.

“So the two can protect our daughter.” He replied.

“I was thinking we could raise them both to stand up for themselves. Give them fighting lessons.” I said. Mike hugged me tightly.

“See. You’re already making a good dad! Oh, Ant! I can’t wait for us to grow up.” He exclaimed. “So does that mean you’re agreeing to run away with me?” He asked.

I pondered the idea for a while. I would be leaving Manny behind. Dina. Dolores. They don’t really need me for much, but they’re special figures in my life. But when I look at Mike, I know my future is certain with him. No matter where, I’ll be by his side because that’s what we vowed to do.

“Can we come visit my family?” I asked.

“Of course! I would never deprive you of your family.”

I stared into Mike’s blue eyes. I really looked into them. I did some soul searching. Sure enough, there’s no hesitation anywhere. He’s truly in love with me.

“Yeah! I’ll run away with you!” I said.

“Perfect!” Mike tongue kissed me. “We’ll start to plan everything.”

The day was coming. I don’t know when it was going to be time to leave everything. I’m scared for my future. Everything can go wrong in an instant. However, I want this. I want to spend my life with Mike. I want to kiss him everyday. I want to hug him in our own home. I want to tell him I love him when we wake up and when we go to sleep.

And we could do all that as soon as we leave.

Out west? South? Canada? Europe? Who cares! We just gotta get out of Newport and move with our lives.

I’ll be holding on for the next few weeks. With the fight coming up, the gangs are going to be on high alert. I don’t even think it’s a good idea for us to be in Mike’s house right now. I’m in enemy territory.

Though, Mike laying down next to me, as he plays with my hair and circles his fingers on my torso, I made the right choice. I chose love rather than hate. I just wished everyone else understood that.

But no one will understand. So rather than stay here and suffer repercussions for something I can’t control, we’ll leave with our love in mind.

I knew Mike was going to change my life. Never expected for us to reach the point where we are now planning and running away.

---

<3

49. A New Home

Michael’s POV

It’s not weird that I keep smelling the pillows where Ant was sleeping on, right? There’s just this scent that Ant has. I think it’s pheromones. Cause it’s so fucking addicting. I miss him so much. It’s only been four hours since he’s left. He has to go home eventually. 

Soon, however, home will be with me.

I meant everything I said when I told Ant I would provide us a home. Because it seems like the only way I can love him is by not being here. Anywhere is home with Ant. But I want us to have a real home. 

Groaning out of bed, I got off and climbed out of bed. I knew where I had to look if I needed to find a new home. Dad had been giving me a bit of some education for when the time comes and I need to take over the company. Most of these lessons include how to trick clients, investing, and fucking over people. Not the most ethical approach, but hey, it’s business.

It’s gotten our family this far, can’t let the dynasty die out. Or maybe I will.

Dad’s office is hauntingly huge for no reason. Imagine a gothic room but with velvet accents and mahogany wood everywhere. The shelves were full of books from when my dad was at Harvard and Princeton. Pictures of dad shaking hands with the King of England and the US president. We get it dad, you’re a big shot.

The book I was most after was the available properties book. I found it on one of the shelves near dad’s desk. The book is full of properties that scale from small townhouses to whole cities.

The other books have things for large buildings or islands. I read over some of them. ‘Los Angeles cottage’, ‘New York City apartment’, ‘Richard’s Resort casino’. I mainly ignored the homes in large cities and on the east and south. I’ve heard that the west is a lot more accepting of people like Ant and I. Not fully tolerant, but better than Virginia.

A knock on the door derailed me from my train of thought. I’m not expecting anybody Sunday, My parents are coming next month, in time for Christmas. I hope we’ll go on our annual trip to Ceylon and the Maldives. 

“I’m coming!” I yelled. I expected maybe some Mormon or a kid selling bubble gum but saw something more annoying. “Oh, it’s you.”

“Right back atcha, buddy o’!” Petey said. He walked without even asking to come in. 

“Welcome home.” I muttered. 

“So, what are we doing?” He asked. He grabbed a cup and sipped on some water and sat on the island, dangling his legs back and forth. He’s like my brother, which means I’m allowed to smack him without care.

“What are YOU doing here? Don’t you have church with your mom?” I asked. Petey held up a finger while finishing his water.

“Mom’s been on my ass about church after she found a love bite on my neck. She thinks I’m with Father Pius right now helping him with the orphan kids.” He chuckled.

“Well, I’m house hunting right now.” I started to walk back to my dad’s office. “You can help if you want.”

“House hunting? For who?” He asked.

I sat back on the floor, which so far had a few pages with houses I was interested in. “Promise you won’t say anything. Not to a single soul!” Petey nodded his head yes. 

“Dude, I swear. I’m already keeping one of your biggest secrets.”

“Alright.” I cleared my throat. Shit, now I’m nervous. “Ant and I are planning on running away.” A gasp came from Petey’s mouth. He was holding an Aristotle book but dropped it.

“Are you fucking joking?!” He sort of shouted.

“Well, I’m looking for a house, aren’t I?” 

“Yeah. b-but, wha- wait! No, this is ridiculous! You’re just gonna run away! Leave everything behind! You have so much to live for here!”

“And what do I have? My parents could care less. And I don’t give a damn about money!”

“You’ll be leaving your best friend behind, for fuck’s sake!” A few tears left Petey’s eyes. I’ve never seen this man cry before. 

“Petey.” I walked over and sat next to him on the desk. “Look, man. Besides Ant, you’re the only other thing that I care about. But I’m in love with Ant. We just want to leave so we can be together.”

“So that’s just it! Leave everything and lose millions? Is that a risk you’re willing to take!?” 

“… yeah. I’m taking my life in my own hands. Mom and dad keep trying to control my future. This is the future I want!” 

There was a moment of silence before Petey said anything. “Can’t say I didn’t expect this.” He chuckled raspily to himself. “You’ve put yourself in danger since starting this. It does make a bit of sense to leave.” He eyed the documents on the floor.

“What d’ya say? Wanna help me find my new home?” I asked him.

Petey was in deep thought for a while. Probably observing every possible outcome, good or bad. And probably reliving our old memories and the ones I’m leaving behind. 

“Sure. Let’s fucking do it.” He breathed out.

There was still a tense feeling Petey gave off. I know he’s upset. We’ve been friends since forever. I can’t imagine losing someone you love dearly. Sacrifices need to be made.

“I think we have a winner.” I said. We went through nearly one hundred documents. 

I had to think what would be best for Ant and I. A place where both of us can live a life of peace and eventually maybe get kids. I also want a place with a nearby college for Ant. I sort of just plan on getting a normal job. Don’t worry, I’m not an idiot. I’ll be withdrawing as much money as I can so we won’t starve for a while.

“You sure this is the place?” Petey asked. I looked at the picture of the home. I can already imagine me mowing the lawn while Ant watches me as he does his school work. Everyday will be full of love and laughter. Then we can go to sleep and wake up to each other again.

There’s enough room in the home where we can invite guests and friends over. It’s still far. In Oregon. Which means that we won’t be able to visit Newport as often as we want to. Still, I think this place is it.

“This is it. This is perfect.” I said.

“Well, shit. Now we gotta clean up.” I looked down and saw the amount of clutter we made. 

“Not now, Petey. I need a moment.” I said to him.

Petey groaned. “This is what love does.” He whispered to himself and bent down to pick up all the papers and place them back into the book. 

I smiled to myself, waiting to tell Ant the great news about our home.

---

<3

50. A Future Start

Antonio’s POV

There are a few things on my mind. Well, actually, a lot on my mind. To break it down, first things first: running away. I’m all on board with running away. It’s the only way I can be with Mike. Second: I need to find some money. Wherever we end up, I want us to not worry financially about our future. Third: how to say goodbye to everyone. Do I leave a note? Do I just tell them that I’m in love with the enemy and we’re running away? Who the fuck knows!

Fuck! And college! Will we move to a place with a school nearby? 

So many factors at play. But all lead to one ending. Which is me being with Mike somewhere else.

“Antonio? What are you doing here? You don’t look so good.” Ms. Bella said when she opened her door and saw me standing there. It was so obvious that I was nervous and sick.

“I need to ask you something, senora.” I said. Ms. Bella stepped aside and let me in her home. Once I sat on her couch, I breathed a sigh of relief knowing I’m in a safe place.

“Tell me, mijo, what’s going on?” She asked. I closed my eyes then opened them once I got my shit together.

“Mike and I are running away!” I blurted out. Ms. Bella’s eyes widened until her expression changed.

“You know, I sometimes imagined how this would go. I wasn’t sure if I was gonna find out from a phone call, or a postcard from your new home. I guess this is how I’m finding out.” She softly said. I broke down crying. 

“It’s the only way, Ms. Bella! Manny and everyone else will never understand! I love Mike! We can’t be together here! You have to understand!” I sobbed into my hands. 

“I understand, Antonio.” She said. I looked up at her with teary eyes to see her looking at me with so much care.

“You do? I thought you would call me stupid or an idiot for being so rash on this?”

“No, Antonio. From the moment you came in here and cried about Michael, I can see just how much you’ve fallen for him.” She went to sit next to me and rub my back. 

“I-I don’t want to ask cause you’ve given me so much already. But…” I said. 

“I know what you’re gonna ask, Antonio.” She stood up and walked to one of her couches. Her small hands grabbed the cushion and lifted it up. Despite being here for over a year, I never knew there was something under there. “Here. I was saving this for you.”

In my hand was an envelope. The thickness was almost an inch. I opened it and pulled out some of the bills. It was all Franklins. 

“How much is this?” I asked.

“Enough to pay for your education and some more. But, judging from what you told me, you can use the money however you want.”

“Thank you, senora. Thank you so much.” I thanked the woman.

“Of course, Antonio. But what will you do about college? Are you going to work when you and Michael move?” She asked.

“Mike said he’s gonna find us a home with a college nearby for me to attend and he’ll work on the house. I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m kinda excited for us to live together.”

“I can see, little one. Just make sure you and Michael stay safe. No matter where you two go, there will always be people who will never understand.” She told me. 

“But I don’t know how to break the news to Manny and Dolores. I at least want to say goodbye to them before I leave. But Mike promised that we’ll get to visit them. Not as much as I would like but it won’t be a forever goodbye.”

“I think you should tell them before you leave. It’s better if you tell them that you’re leaving so they have closure. A note would be too insensitive. Just tell them before you leave. They’ll understand. Yeah?” 

“Mmhmm. I understand.” I looked down at the stack of money in my hands. I feel selfish for taking this. However, this was always the deal. Ms. Bella was to give me money. There’s no disputing it.

“Run along, kid. It’s getting late. You’ll need to spend all your time with Manuel and Dolores.” I stood up from the couch and made my way to the front door.

“Gracias, Ms. Bella.” I gave her a tight hug. Her small frame held me close, patting my back 

“It’s going to be okay. Soon, you’ll find peace. Have a beautiful day, mijo.” She said. I kissed her cheek and left her home, putting the stack of money in my sweater pocket so no one would see it.

---

<3

51. Confronted

Antonio’s POV

There’s a compartment under my floor where I like to keep a bunch of my things. You wouldn’t really notice it, but there’s a loose floorboard. Since most of my floor creaks, you wouldn’t know what’s under. But lift the floorboard that has a wood design that looks like a cat, and you’ll find my secret chamber.

I first used to store my special color pencils down there because Dina would sometimes steal them for herself. Then it moved on to some vinyls. After mama and papa died, it was used to store some pictures I had of them. They’re still there.

Then it was used to hide some of Dolores’ magazines that had sexy men on them. I’ll never tell her where they went. It’s my secret.

Now, I keep the ring Mike gave me and the money that she gave me today. I don’t know what I’ll ever do with the money. Go to college? Use it for our new life? I guess I’ll have to see what happens within the next few weeks as the fight approaches between Manny and Jack.

“Antonio?!” Manny knocked on my door. I quickly put the loose floorboard back on and closed it. I stepped on it to make sure it was shut and not noticeable.

“Que?” I said as I opened the door to see him standing there with papa’s jacket on.

“Vamos! We’re having a meeting.” He said. I slipped on my shoes and put on a sweater. Dolores came up and locked the house. We walked the one block to reach the Hub which was located near our home in a run down building. There’s buildings around in worse condition. This place just happens to be in better condition.

“Rafa!” Manny yelled out when we stepped in. Rafael came to give Manny a “guy hug” and shook my hand and kissed Dolores’ cheek.

“Everyone’s here. They’re waiting for you.” Rafa said. Dolores went into the small kitchen with Flaca and Dina to make snacks.

I usually hang out with the ladies and help them but with the urgent nature of the fight, I have to go to this meeting and see what’s the topic about. I ran after Manny and Rafa as they walked into the meeting room. Manny turned and raised an eyebrow when he saw me following him but didn’t say anything.

“Manuel!” Someone yelled. Everyone stood up and shook his hand. I slithered by and avoided people because it’s flu season and I don’t need to be sick and pass it on to Mike right now.

Once Manny took his seat at the front of the table and I took a seat on the side, everyone sat. “I brought you here as a catch up on the fight.” He rambled on.

“I’m determined to win this!” Some people cheered him on. I bet Manny wishes he had a beer with him to raise. “But I’m here to lay out the plans if anything were to happen to me.”

Happen to him? I guess that makes sense. You can never be sure of the future.

“First thing, should I be out for a while or longer, Rafa will be taking over as my successor.” Rafa nodded in understanding. “Next, I will trust Rafa and the rest of you to look over Antonio and Dolores. Protect them at all costs.” He said.

Alejandro and Ivan looked at me and scoffed when I looked at them back. They never liked me because they hate the fact that I’m the most protected of the gang but I never joined the gang. It’s not like I asked to be born as Manny’s little brother.

“There’ll be a lot of pieces at play. But I trust you all to behave if I’m gone. No matter the outcome of the fight, I need you all to respect the agreement.”

I wonder if they’ll keep that peace when they find out Mike and I ran away because we love each other?

“But once I leave, all decisions will be up to Rafa and how the gang will go on. Any medical decisions will be left to Antonio and Dolores to decide. All my possessions will be given to them also. I hope you all understand my choices.” Manny said.

There was silence in the room. “Yeah, but I doubt you’ll lose.” Someone from the table said. Everyone shook their heads and cheered Manny on.

The doors opened and in came the women holding several trays of food and set them on the table. Dina walked in with cups and soda.

“Eat up, ninos. I bet all that cheering made you hungry.” Dolores rubbed Manny’s stomach. Manny blushed a bit. Like I said before, Dolores is the only one who can do that to him.

“¿Vas a comer? (Are you going to eat?)” Dina asked me. She had a plate of food and sat in an empty seat next to me.

“Nah. I’m not hungry.” I said to her. Besides, I looked at the table and the guys had taken everything.

Dina is right next to me. I could easily tell her right now about my plans to run away. Now’s not the time, though. Anyone can hear our conversations.

Finally the meeting ended. Most had already left. Manny was in the entrance talking to people while me, Dolores, and Flaca were cleaning up the meeting room. They made quite the mess. I’m not surprised.

“Dolores, can you take the trash out, por favor?” Flaca said. Dolores nodded and exited the room to get the trash bags and dump them outside.

There was an eerie quiet in the room now. I was wiping down the table but didn’t hear Flaca doing anything. I turned around and saw her leaning on the table looking at me.

“¿Necesitas algo? (Do you need something?)” I asked her. She just let out a small chuckle.

“How’d it feel?” She asked. I tilted my head to the side in confusion.

“What feel?” I asked.

“You know, getting fucked in the ass?” She asked. I dropped the rag on the floor. My knees started shaking. My forehead began sweating. I’m sweating everywhere!!

“I-I-I wha- What are you talking about?” I asked her in a shaky voice. Oh God, I’m giving myself away!

“Don’t act like an idiot!” She walked closer to me. I leaned back but my hip hit the edge of the table. “I know about you and Michael. I know that he entered Manuel’s home, sat on his couch, ate from his plate, and had sex with his little brother.” Flaca had this horrible and terrifying look on her face.

“I-I don’t know what y-you’re talking about!” I told her.

“Really?” She asked. She dug into her pocket and pulled out a folded up paper. She unfolded it and showed me another picture I hadn’t seen yet. It was me and Mike kissing while we were naked.

“What do you know?!” I asked her angrily.

“I know that you and Michael have been dating for what? Three months? You’ve lost your virginity to him. You’ve been on a few dates. That’s all I know, honestly.” She smiled at me.

“What do you want?” I asked her. She let out a small laugh.

“Oh, Antonio. Nothing.” She chuckled out. I was breathing hard, trying not to pass out.

“I’ll give you anything!! Money! Mike’ll give you millions! Anything!!” I pleaded with her. She just folded the picture back up and slipped it into my pocket.

“Watch yourself, Tonito. Who knows what’ll happen if you keep this act up.” Her eyes were filled with mischief.

“I-I-” I stuttered out.

“¿Que esta pasando aqui? (What’s going on here?)” Dolores asked when she walked in. I could tell she was wondering why I was leaning on the table and Flaca was so close to me.

“Oh, nada. His hair was messy. That’s all.” She gave my hair a pat and handed Dolores the empty trays. “Ya es tarde. I’ll see you later, comadre. Adios.” She picked up her handbag and walked out right after giving me a wink.

My breathing was more shallow. I felt like I was losing air by every second.

“Do you like her?” Dolores asked.

“Hmm, what? No! I don’t!” I said quickly. No, I don’t like her. In fact, quite the opposite. I don’t know what Flaca’s endgame is here. Since we met, she’s kinda been like a distant cousin of some sorts. We said hi and had talks occasionally. But she isn’t like Dina-close with me.

Therefore, I’m just baffled at why she even has those pictures. I know that out of all the women in the west side, she’s the most involved one. She’s fought several Jewels girls and has earned a reputation for being a fighter. So she’s probably taking these pictures because of her loyalty to the Saints.

Whatever it is, at least I now know she’s the person behind the pictures. I have to update Mike about this new finding. Because this also affects him. Maybe he can corner Flaca and try to get her to delete them.

I’m just gonna go home and go to sleep. My entire body is exhausted and I really don’t need to keep thinking about this. This’ll just be a problem for tomorrow.

---

<3

52. Late Night

Antonio’s POV

Nevermind, I can’t sleep.

Ever since my head hit my pillow, every possible horrible scenario played it my head. I’ve drank so much water within the past hour or so. And yet, I still feel dehydrated.

She knows. Josefina “Flaca” Reyes knows that I am in a romantic relationship with a white guy who’s my brother’s biggest enemy.

I think what’s beginning to scare me is the fact that Flaca is a chismosa. She loves gossip and I’m sure it’s a huge part of her personality. If you need to know something about someone, she’s the one you go to. Her mouth never stops talking.

What if she one day just decides to tell people? She even had picture evidence of us together! Everyone will easily believe her!

By some miracle, I did eventually go to sleep. I’m guessing my head was so focused on thinking about the future that I stopped paying attention to my need for sleep. Which then took over. I find it funny how whenever I try to go to sleep, I can never. It kinda just happens when you don’t think about it.

Seven AM proved to be a horrible time to wake up on a fucking Saturday. Yesterday I discovered that Flaca is responsible for the pictures. She’s probably keeping them hidden from everyone. I don’t even know how she managed to print the photos without anyone seeing them. I bet she may have connections somehow.

Dolores barged into my room and threw me a broom. “¡Es hora de limpiar! (It’s time to clean!)” She would cheer. Dolores has always loved a clean home.

When she came into our lives, our home was a wreck. All Manny did was work, fight, and come home. I could barely clean myself since I was so small but also struggled with my parents’ death. I knew I would like her when she cleaned our entire home the first time she came over. She also cooked and left leftovers for us to eat. Manny needs to marry her soon!

I swept the house for a while. Manny was still asleep. He claims that he needs to rest so no one ever goes into his room from 6 to 9 in the morning. Once he comes out, you can make noise.

“Oye, Dina? Can I come over? I need to talk to you about something.” I said to Dina over the phone.

“Not sure, Tonito. Dad doesn’t want me hanging out with you cause he thinks you and Manuel are trouble.” She whispered into the phone. That kinda hurt.

“Well, can we meet up somewhere? It’s about me and Mike.” I said. The line went silent for a short while.

“Meet me at The Mariposa.” She said back.

“Great! See you in 10!” I hung up and ran to my room to change quickly.

As I went to put my shoes on, Manny sat on the couch watching me. Actually, he was glaring at me. Almost like he’s trying to fix a puzzle in his brain.

“Keep staring like that and you’ll pop a vein.” I retorted at him.

“Hmm.” He grunted out. He looked away and focused his attention back at the TV but I could still feel him looking back at me.

Then my overthinking got the best of me. Does Manny know? Is that why he’s watching me? Because he knows? I bet he’s thinking ‘There he goes to be with his boyfriend’ or something like that.

But now that I think about it, if Manny were to have known, then he would’ve been yelling at this point. Like a full blown screaming sesh.

“Como van las aplicaciones para college? (How are the college applications coming along?)” He asked.

“I applied to some already. I think I could get into an Ivy.” I said.

“Really? And where will you get the money for that?” He asked. That judgemental glare was still there.

“Ms. Bella. I told you this a while ago. Remember?” I asked.

“Mmhmm. Sure.” He responded.

“Okay…?” I didn’t want to stay too long.

“¿A dónde vas, Antonio? (Where are you going, Antonio?)” Dolores asked me.

“I’m meeting with Dina. I have to talk to her.”

I could’ve sworn I heard Manny scoff lightly but it was probably the radio static.

“Come back before lunch.” Dolores said as I walked out the door.

I stood at the front door and took a deep breath in. I smelled the cold air. Winter was coming. Soon it’ll be time for warm blankets and hot cocoa. I wish it was like that. Winter is spent with us freezing our asses out because the heat bill goes up and we need to conserve.

Telling Dina that I’m leaving will be the second worst thing I have to do. Because Dina is like my sister. She’s been there for me for everything. She pretty much knows me. Some people think we’re long lost twins that got split at birth.

Dina told me to meet her at The Mariposa. It’s the rubble of a safe house that was once here. Several orphan kids would stay there and people in our community would come together to feed and take care of them. My parents were huge volunteers here.

Eventually, the safe house was shut down and over the years people have come here to destroy it a bit or have fun. But one place people will never touch is a wall drawn by the kids. A huge monarch butterfly was painted. Dina and I sometimes come here to repaint parts of it so it never dies out.

Bernardina is sure as hell gonna slap me and yell at me and possibly kill me when I tell her about my plans. I’m gonna be hurting too. I’ll explain it all to her after she berates me for it.

---

bye <3

53. A Worried Brother

Manuel’s POV

“Come back before lunch.” My love said as Antonio walked out the door.

I kept watching the door, expecting him to walk in again and cancel wherever he had to go. 

My heartbeat began to speed up. Dammit! The fear is coming back. When our parents died, I won’t lie, I let myself go. And I stopped looking after my little brother. But once I got my shit together, that’s when I knew I had to step up and look after him.

I know Antonio doesn’t like it when I have some of my guys follow him. I know he doesn’t like it when I baby it. I know he doesn’t like it when I force him to come to events with me. But I do it all because I love him. Él es mi hermano. My brother. Flesh and blood.

“Mi corazon! You’re gripping the control!” Dolores told me. My right hand had been clutching the TV remote so hard a few cracks had formed from the side.

“Shit!” I dropped it and rubbed my hand from the pain.

“Que paso? Why were you angry?” She asked me. She sat on the couch and put my head on her lap and rubbed circles on my temple. 

“Have you noticed Antonio acting differently these past few months?” I asked.

“Hmm? Uh, a little. Why?” She asked.

“I don’t know. I just feel like he’s hiding something.” I said.

“Well, he’s a teen boy. Of course he’s hiding things. I’ve literally caught him choking the chicken but he doesn’t know I know.” She giggled a bit. 

“I know that!” I groaned and got off her lap and stood up. “But there’s more.”

“What do you mean more?”

“Think about everything within the past few months. I was getting something from his room and found a coat by Givenchy.”

“Yeah. But maybe he saved up for that. Or maybe that lady he visits gave it to him as a gift.”

“Maybe. But then there’s the cake from his birthday. He just pulled out a cake from his room. And he’s been sneaking out a lot. Remember when we got into a fight and he snuck out? Or when he said he was going to Ms. Bella’s but he went somewhere else? He lied. He’s been lying for so long!” I started to get angry. 

“Calm down, amor. Breathe.” Dolores told me. Her hands touched my shoulder and began to calm me down a bit. 

“I need to know what he’s hiding. But if I ask him, he’ll just try harder to hide it. And if I go into his room, I’ll be disrespecting his privacy. What do I do?” I asked her. 

“Me? Well, he hasn’t been killed yet. Do you think he’s dating a girl?” 

“Possibly. What scares me is that he could be dating a girl from the east side. She’s probably been giving him gifts.” I said. It just makes sense. Who else is funding him?

“How does that make you feel? Him dating an east side girl?” Dolores asked.

“I know those girls don’t get that much involved with the Jewels. Most of them are in it like Antonio. Their brothers or boyfriends are Jewels. But it would fucking hurt if he’s dating a girl from there. But at least Antonio isn’t some queer dating someone like Jack or Michael.” I retorted.

“Yikes. That would be a scandal.” Dolores grabbed my hands and took me to the table. “Why don’t you sit and I’ll give you a snack.” She kissed me on the cheek and went to work in the kitchen. 

I still can’t seem to shake this feeling from me. There’s something Antonio is hiding. And I also feel that it’s going to endanger him and anyone involved. He’s too precious to be involved with anything. Mi hermano has the best grades and I know he can do great things when he gets out of here.

“Relax, Manuel. Antonio would never do anything to betray your trust.” Dolores kept reassuring me. 

Maybe she’s right. Maybe Antonio really is meeting with Dina. Maybe Ms. Bella is the one giving him those gifts. 

I just wish Antonio would trust me and tell me what’s going on. I’ll always support him. No matter what.

---

ciao <3

54. Buddies

Michael’s POV

Petey was wheezing on the carpet floor while I tried to hold in my laughter as much as possible. Eventually, it all came out because I soon joined him on the floor, rolling around and trying to get my breath back.

“Re-Remember what he did when the car ended up in the lake?” Petey laughed and wheezed out.

“He started crying and pounding his fists on his chest!” We both hollered out laughing again.

Once we felt we had calmed down, Petey and I made eye contact again and bursted out laughing again.

“Oh, fuck!” I wiped my tears away.

“That day was hilarious. And Harv was never allowed to drive again.” Petey added.

I looked down at the photos Petey and I had taken through that past few years. Along the pile were other various items.

One of them was an action figure that Petey and I used to fight over when we were little.

I reached down and picked another item up. “Why are these here?” I asked.

“Cause those are memories of when we lost our virginities!” Petey went and grabbed the two empty condom wrappers from my hand.

We both had a nostalgic feel over us. Years of friendship has led us to the point where we are. I definitely see Petey being in my life until we’re both old, gray, and crunchy.

I continued to look at the picture while Petey went behind me and looked around my room. I heard him opening some drawers and closing them.

“What’s this?” He asked. I turned and saw him holding the ring Ant gave me on our wedding day.

“It’s my wedding ring from Ant.” Petey’s eyes bulged from their sockets.

“Wedding? Like, as in you two exchanged vows and all?” He asked.

“Yeah! It was so romantic. Totally out of the blue.”

“And I wasn’t invited?” Petey kinda looked hurt.

“It was an on-the-spot idea we had. But I of course would like you to be my best man when the time comes for me to get married.” I reassured my best friend.

“You’re really leaving, huh?” Petey came down and his mood had shifted. He sat on the bed next to me and fiddled with his fingers.

“I know it’s gonna be a new change. But I’m doing this for me. I’m done trying to please my mom and dad. I’m done with the whole ‘Them vs. Us’ kinda thing. I just want to leave and be with the person I love.” I ended my rant by holding Ant’s ring in my hand and admiring it.

“But you better call! Got it!” Petey began crying and hugged me. I cried with him too.

“I’ll call you once Ant and I move into our new home. Just don’t tell anyone where we live.”

“Of course, man. I’ve kept all your secrets safe.” Petey has indeed been loyal to me. There’s so much he’s hiding to keep not just me but Ant safe too. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend.

“Did you and Antonio consummate the marriage?” Petey asked with a small sly voice.

“Yep!” I gleefully told him.

“I wanna have my own wedding now!”

“I’m sure you’ll find the right person soon. The next Mrs. James.” I announced.

Petey stood up and grabbed out water glasses. He handed me one and he kept the other.

“Cheers. To new futures and being buddies forever!” We clinked out glasses and sipped on his.

Petey and I kept eye contact while sipping before spitting our water out and another round of laughter ensued.

---

<3

55. Farewell

Antonio’s POV

Just as planned, Dina was waiting for me at the Mariposa painting. She wore capri pants and a light blue blouse, her hair styled back. She’s beautiful. Probably one of the prettiest girls in Newport. 

“Dina!” I yelled at her. She turned and spat out her gum.

“Antonio!” She yelled back. I ran to her and jumped in her arms, giving her a tight hug. 

“We only have 10 minutes. Papa needs me home quickly. What’s up?” She asked me.

“There’s no easy way to say this…” I looked deep into her brown eyes. Once again, her eyeliner was perfect. 

“Better rip off the Band-Aid now.” She assured me. Her soft hand was on my shoulder, holding it tightly.

“I’m leaving!” I blurted out. Dina’s hand gripped my shoulder tightly.

“Like, for a college trip? With Manny, right?” Dina’s voice, from what I could tell, was shaky. Dina’s good at hiding anything but happy and snappy. That’s why it was hard for me to decode her tone.

“No.” I inhaled, getting ready to say it. “I mean, I’m running away, with Mike. We’re running away.” Dina’s fingernails were digging into my skin at this point.

“No.” She said. I looked at her and saw her crying. “No! You can’t fucking leave! How are we supposed to know if you’re okay? You’re really gonna take a gamble and leave this life for a guy you just met?!” 

“Yes. I’m doing this for me. You may think it’s stupid…”

“Cause it is!” She yelled back.

“…But I’m doing this for me. I love Mike and I do plan on being with him for however long I live. And I’m sorry I’m leaving,” I broke down crying at this point. I leaned my back on the painting and sobbed.

Dina came up next to me and leaned her head on my shoulder. She snuggled in, her tears dropping on my neck and collar bone. 

“I’ve known you for so long. It’s gonna be hard to say goodbye.” Dina softly said, her face still snuggled in my neck. I kissed her forehead.

“Think of it as a temporary goodbye. I’ll still come and visit. But it won’t be for a while.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing. Manuel’s gonna be heartbroken when his last remaining family is gonna be gone.” That statement really hit me because it’s true. I’m leaving Manny.

“I promise to call him. I’ll make sure Manny knows that I’m safe and that I’m leaving on my free will. And I’ll come to visit sometimes whenever it’s possible.” I said to Dina. She wiped her tears and leaned up to kiss my cheek.

“And Michael? How’s he feel about this?” She asked.

“He’s on board. He’s looking for a place for us to live in. I’ll go to a nearby school and get a degree. We’ll both just work and live together.”

“While also being together.” She emphasized. 

“Exactly. It’s like we’re married but not married.” I told her. She giggled a bit and played with my hair. 

“Can I ever visit?” She asked.

“Yes. But I hope you don’t mind animals.” I teased her because I know how Dina is around animals. Especially horses. She always found them creepy.

“I just hope you guys don’t get horses. Those fucks are creepy as hell.” She shivered and we both began laughing.

I pulled in Dina for a long hug. We stood there in an embrace. I could’ve sworn I could’ve fallen asleep. 

“When’s the departure?” Dina asked.

“Sometime at the end of this month or early December. We still don’t know the exact day.” I responded.

“Just promise to give me a final goodbye before you leave. Even if you’re about to miss your train, just swing by and give me a hug. I’ll know what it means.” 

“I promise.” I said. I gave her a deep hug.

I said goodbye to Dina. I’m not sure where my final time with her will be, but I know it’s bound to come. The same with Manny and Dolores. And Ms. Bella. Heck, even Rafa cause he’s kinda like my cousin. 

Breathing in the autumn air, with a hint of winter, I can only walk home with a smile on my face. Sure I’m gonna be losing everything. But I’ll be getting something else in return for waiting so long for it.

As I came into view of my home, a weird gut feeling came to me. Like I can feel something isn’t right. The oncoming dusk began to darken our side of time by now. Street lights were coming on and the streets were void of cars. 

I walked up the steps to the front door and before opening it, took a deep breath and walked in.

There I saw Manny, red in the face, obviously angry, no, not angry. He was furious. Dolores was next to him calming him down, she herself looking like she was on the verge of tears.

When they heard the door open, both turned to look at me. Manny’s eyes have never held so much anger before. 

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“ANTONIO JOSE GARCIA!” Manny yelled my full government name.

“Mi amor, calm down-” Dolores tried to hold Manny down but he stood up.

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?” He yelled. 

In his hand was a manila folder. I was confused until I looked at the coffee table and saw pictures. Several of them. There were several copies of my date with Mike at the carnival. Halloween night when we were kissing. And the explicit ones, only this time they weren’t blurred out.

I feel sick now.

“I- I can explain.” I stuttered out.

Manny just kept glaring at me. His fists were balled, like he wanted to punch something. Not even Dolores could calm him down.

That gut feeling was back. Now it makes sense.

This is the part when everything goes to shit.

---

<3 <3 <3

56. Photos

Flaca’s POV

Los Saints are my family. That’s all you need to know. And because they’re my familia, I have to do everything I can to protect them. Even if I have to hurt the ones I love.

I was gifted a small camera by my primo from New York. He’s always known I wanted a camera and he saved up to buy me one for my birthday a few months ago. At first, I used it to take pictures of my family, on the rare occasions we were together.

I guess having a tio who owns a small photo printer in his shop is a huge advantage. With no charge, I can print the pictures whenever I want and no one has to know. It’s something I never abused for a while, until now.

All I wanted to do was to visit the carnival and take pictures of all of us having a fun time. That wasn’t until I saw a familiar figure. Antonio Jose Garcia. Younger brother of Manuel Garica. And with him was Michael Lexington, heir to the Lexington Corporation. 

I literally almost gasped out loud when I saw the two of them together. I had to excuse myself and followed them when they both went into a small alley. That’s when they kissed each other. 

Two men kissing is such a taboo subject. But in this case, it wasn’t about two men. No. Not at all. It was about a Saint and a Jewel kissing. I managed to take a few pictures before I had to make a quick exit because I’m pretty sure Antonio heard me.

The rest of the night, I couldn’t shake off that disgusting feeling. Those two men had their tongues down each others’ throats. It was like they were dating.

From then on, I kept my eyes on the two of them. I caught Antonio and Michael giving each other loving looks. Everyone around me was so oblivious of what was going on. Sometimes, I just wanted to scream it out and tell everyone.

Then the Halloween party came. Already, I knew something fishy was gonna go down. And my suspicions were confirmed when the two happened to wear complimenting outfits. It could’ve been a coincidence, however, I beg to differ. And when I saw those two wallflowers begin to head to the teachers’ break room, I had to follow them.

When Manuel told us he was leaving to visit family, I saw Antonio give a hopeful gleam. Later, I would find out from Rafa that Antonio was home alone. This would give them the perfect opportunity to be together. 

Needless to say, what I saw them doing shocked my core. 

I did end up sending Antonio a copy of the photos. It was meant to be a warning, to let him know that someone was watching and he’ll stop his tomfoolery. Instead, they continued dating.

I confronted Antonio one day, telling him that I knew. I actually have a heart, and felt bad for scaring him. I know he so badly wants no one to know his secret, but it’s endangering everyone in Newport.

Sooner or later, everyone will know about them. The longer it’s held off, the worse it’ll become. 

Which leads me to today. I had two envelopes, each with a substantial amount of photos of what they’ve been doing.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this is best for Antonio. He doesn’t deserve to have his heart played with by Michael. The poor fool is blinded by love to see how dangerous it is to be with Michael. 

Michael is a wealthy man, who has connections everywhere. He’ll one day leave Newport and move on with his life, still having more money and finding someone else. Meanwhile, Antonio will be left with nothing except a broken heart. I can’t let him go through that.

It’s a dangerous game for a Saint to enter the east side. Luckily, I used my wits to avoid anyone. I know where I have to go. Jack’s house. 

I approached his home, seeing the open garage with Jewels littered everywhere. Once they saw a brown girl walking on their driveway, they all jolted to attention. One of them, Cole, approached me.

“I think you’re in the wrong spot, senora.” He dragged out the last word. “The express to Mexico is the other way.” He pointed behind me while some Jewels laughed.

“First of all, I’m Colombian, tu pinche Yankee! Second of all, I know where I am!” I snapped back. Despite my small height, I’m told I can be a pretty scary person.

“You should leave before Jack comes out here.” Bandit piped up from behind.

“I actually need to see Jack.” I responded.

“Good luck, wop! Leave! Now!” Cole was now up close to me. I seethed but had to make sure to keep my composure. 

“Give! Me! Jack!” I yelled. 

“That’s it!” Archie said. He marched and stood in front of me. He raised his fist before his fist was grabbed by a random hand. 

The group dispersed and Jack was there, holding Archie’s hand which was a few inches away from my face. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to hit a woman.” Jack said. He pushed Archie away and left after giving me a death glare.

“Someone tell me what’s going on? Why is there a spic here?” Jack announced. No one said anything before he looked down at me. On the inside I was shivering like a chihuahua. But outside, I needed to be a bulldog.

“I have something for you.” I said. Jack raised an eyebrow at me. 

“Well, what is it?” He asked. I handed him the envelope from my hands and gave it to him.

“Open it after I leave. I think you’ll be shocked by what you see.” I said. He looked at the envelope before looking up at me. 

“What may I find in here?” He asked.

“Something critical about one of your highest ranking members.” I said. 

I didn’t stick around before I walked down his driveway. Once I was out of distance, I ran the rest of the way to the west side. 

Just one more spot.

The second envelope will be placed in the meeting center for the Saints, near Manuel’s home. 

I scoured the area and made sure no one saw me. When I checked the coast was clear, I entered the run down home and made my way to the meeting room. 

Placing the envelope where Manuel sits, I made sure it was easily visible. 

And now, I can go home and know that I may have done something that will spark a fire in Newport. 

My intentions are good. 

And I hope people will see that.

---

<3

57. Unbelievable

Manuel’s POV

Whatever is going on with Antonio, I can be sure that he isn’t doing something dangerous. He isn’t that type of kid. Antonio is a good kid. He follows the rules and is quiet. I don’t even know why I’m so afraid. 

Antonio is doing nothing horrible.

Shit! Well now I have all this pent up anxiety that built up in me. Since my fight with Jack is coming up, I might as well train right now. 

I wrapped my hands with cloth bands and set up the punching bag. 

“Gonna work out?” Dolores asked. She sat on the couch and sat there watching me.

“Yeah. Gonna watch?” I asked. She sipped her coffee and twirled her hair.

“I would love to.” She said. I went with my workout. I had Antonio draw a picture of Jack and tape it on the punching bag to give me ammunition. And it actually works.

As I kept punching, I started to think about our future. Since I’m proposing to Dolores soon, I’m wondering if Newport is a safe place to be in. I definitely know that I want us to have kids. Several. Maybe 4 or 5. 

I’ll also have to look for a replacement soon. No one knows, but after my fight, even if I win or lose, I plan on stepping down. I want Rafa to be my replacement.

Mama and papa never wanted me to be in the Saints. But a part of me felt like I had to because I wanted to protect Antonio. And my solution was to take over the Saints and coddle him. 

But my efforts to protect Antonio has led me to neglect him and stop treating him like a normal teen. He had to grow up surrounded by bodyguards who followed him everywhere he went. 

Plus, I want to be a good role model for my children. And Antonio. We can finally be a normal family.

Tio Antonio. Has a nice ring to it.

I was so distracted by my thoughts that I had ignored the rampant knocks on the front door. Dolores had already answered.

“Manuel! It’s Rafa and Diego.” She said. She doesn’t like to call Diego by his nickname, Loko, because she thinks it makes him sound like he’s insane. Technically, he kinda is.

I approached the front door to see Rafa and Loko with shocked looks on their faces.

They both began talking at the same time. Nothing made sense. “Quiet!” I said. They both stopped and I asked Rafa what happened. 

Rafa said nothing. He just pulled out an orange envelope and handed it to me. It was open already. 

“What is this?” I asked.

“Open it when you’re inside.” Loko said to me. The two then stepped away from the door and ran to the direction of their homes.

“Ques paso?” Dolores asked. I held up the envelope with a puzzled look on my face.

“They just gave me this.” I said. 

I opened it and pulled out what seemed to be printed photos. I saw the back and saw they were dated. When I flipped them over, my whole world stopped.

I knew it! I fucking knew it! I knew I wasn’t going crazy!

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!!!!!!

“Shit! Fucking shit! Shit!” I yelled. Dolores approached me worriedly to try and calm me down.

“What is it, Manuel? Manuel!?” She asked me. In a fit of rage, I picked up a vase of flowers and threw it at the wall. 

Dolores gasped and quickly stood up and stopped me front grabbing a picture frame and throwing it.

“Look!” I said and handed her the pictures. She took a look at them and gasped, nearly turning white.

“Are these real?” She asked.

“Of course! It makes sense now! Antonio’s been sleeping with the fucking enemy!” I said while punching the punching bag even harder.

“Calmate, mi amor! (Calm down, my love!) Please!” Dolores pleaded. I stopped when I saw how scared she was. 

“Perdoname (Forgive me), Dolores.” I stopped and took a deep breath in. However, that shit doesn’t work! My anger is still here.

“Let’s wait for Antonio to come home. Then we’ll ask him. Give him a chance to talk. Okay?” She asked. I nodded and agreed.

Then I started to think more. My little brother is sleeping with Michael Lexington. He’d been seeing him for who knows how long. Words cannot describe how badly I want to punch Michael. 

“Manuel. You’re seething.” Dolores said. 

“I’m gonna find Antonio and bring him in.” I began to stand up and grabbed the photos.

“Please! Let’s talk about this! Antonio will be here soon! Then you can ask him!” She started to stand up and try to talk me down.

“This ends now!” I said. Dolores had tears coming down her eyes. She’s hurting and doesn’t want me to do anything irrational.

Then, the door opened and Antonio was there.

---

bye!

<3

58. Exposed

Antonio’s POV

So here I am. Sitting on the couch while both Manny and Dolores stood in front of me, looking down at. Manny had rage in his eyes, like he wanted, or needed, to punch something. I’ve never seen such emotions in him, and I’m pretty sure he has anger problems. Dolores on the hand had a pity look. It’s obvious she’d been crying and her eyes seemed to apologize and reassure me everything will be okay.

It was just pure silence. No one said a word. Besides the tapping of the leaky sink and Manny’s ragged breathing. My heartbeat went up. I could feel the sensations in my ear while muffling the world around me.

As I looked at the desk, I was reminded of the same envelope the pictures of Mike and I came in. The same color and size that Flaca had used. Seeing as how this one wasn’t addressed to me, I can say it wasn’t mine and Manny didn’t go snooping through my room. 

But instead that means that Flaca had printed more copies and gave them to Manny or someone who would give them to Manny. So in the end, who knows how many other people have seen it.

“Manny, I-”

“No! Shut the fuck up! Don’t even speak a single, fucking, word! Do you understand how horrible this is!? You betrayed me! You betrayed us! Your people! Your family! So I don’t want you to say anything! Why did you do this?!” Manny yelled at me. 

I stayed quiet, just trying not to cry over what I did.

“Are you gonna answer?!” Manny asked.

“You told me not to say anything!” I snapped back.

“Don’t get smart with me, Antonio! Why did you do this?!” 

“Manuel! Just let him talk. I’m sure he has a good reason.” Dolores told Manuel. He stood in front of me and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I fell in love…” I whispered silently.

“What’s that?” Manny asked.

“I fell in love!” I said louder. Manny started laughing hysterically. 

“Seriously?!” He kept laughing. I didn’t budge. I stuck to my guns. And Manny soon saw that. “In love! Since when?”

“Since I met him during the race day! It was at first sight!” 

“Listen to me, Antonio!” Manny kneeled down next to me, his hands on my shoulder gripping them tightly. “Michael doesn’t love you, okay? He’s just using you! No Jewel like him would date a Saint!”

“You’re fucking lying! Mike loves me and I love him! Fuck the Saints! Fuck the Jewels! I don’t give a shit about them!” I yelled at Manny. Dolores just kept watching, not saying anything.

“Love, huh? I don’t care that you’re some faggot.”

“Manuel! Don’t say that about your brother!” Dolores slapped Manny on the face. 

“Sorry.” He apologized to me. “I don’t care that you’re gay! But I draw the line with a fucking Jewel!” He yelled. 

“And what’s wrong with that, huh? What exactly is your problem with Jack? Or Michael? Or any fucking Jewel in general?”

“Do you have shit for brains?! The Jewels have been harassing people like us since our people first came here! They formed the Saints to fight the Jewels! They’re all the same! They hate us! They’ll never accept us! I- We hate the Jewels because they hate us! Do I make myself clear?!”

I stared at Manny. His face was red, and his vein on his forehead was on the verge of popping. “Mike isn’t like that. He loves me. He would never hurt me.”

“Antonio. You’re a smart kid. I know you are. Open your eyes and see that Michael won’t be with you forever! He’s a rich Yank who will throw you away when he’s had his fun and move on to someone else!”

I was tempted to tell Manny about our plan to run away and be together somewhere else. But based off how Manny is reacting to just Mike and I dating, I’ll save him the heart attack for now. 

I’ll tell him some other time.

“Hold up!” Dolores spoke up. “Manuel. Maybe we should trust Antonio.” She said. Manny quickly looked at her like she grew another head.

“Trust him? He’s been dating a guy for months! How are we supposed to trust him?” Manny asked.

“I don’t know? I just feel it. You said it yourself, Antonio is a smart kid. If he knows what he’s doing, then we should let him.” Dolores gave me a small smile.

“Amor, I’m not doing this today- just- God!” He groaned and started pacing back and forth in the living room. He was muttering to himself while Dolores and I stood watching. 

“Are you okay, Manny?” I asked.

“No! I’m not! I promised mama and papa that I would keep you safe. Now I feel like I did a bad job!”

“Manny!” I stood up and went to give him a hug. I held him tightly until I felt him also hug me back. “I’m still alive and well thanks to you. Mama and papa would be so proud of you.” I said.

“But now you’re going to be the center of attention. Everyone is going to know what you did. And everyone will hate you for it.” He said as I felt his tears fall and land on my neck.

“I’ll be fine, Manny. I think I can expect what’s coming.” I snuggled into Manny’s chest. He chuckled deeply a bit and patted my head.

“However…” He said. He then split away from me and went to put on his jacket.

“What? What is it?” I asked.

“Sorry, Antonio. But you hurt us all by dating Michael.” He then turned to Dolores. “Dolores, call up some people and have them come over.” As he slipped on his shoes, he turned to me. “From now on, Antonio, you’re grounded. You won’t be allowed to leave this house. You will come straight home from school everyday. I’ll have some people surrounding the house to make sure you don’t leave.”

“That’s insane!” I protested. “You can’t do that!” 

“Actually, I can . Sorry, hermano. But it’s the only way to guarantee your safety.” He opened the door, a gust of cold air entering the living room.

“And where are you going?” Dolores asked Manny.

“I need to talk to Rafa. Then I’ll need to plan a meeting with Jack to discuss all of this.” Manny said. He gave me one last pitiful look before exiting the house.

I guess we won’t be able to run away sooner than we thought.

I just hope Michael is doing okay. And I hope he’s able to defend himself.

---

<3

59. Disgust

Michael’s POV

Sunday started off as any normal day. I woke up and showered and changed and went to my parents’ office to see what I need to learn. Usually it’s how to negotiate deals and where to find the best business. Today was how to cover up any shady things someone might do in the company. 

My day took a detour when Petey came over. He brought along some snacks that I haven’t had in a while. He found ways to do stupid things no matter what. I love Petey. He’s such an amazing guy who’ll always have my back.

A mysterious phone call came from the house phone. It was, who I assumed to be, Brian, a fellow Jewel. He called to ask- no- demand me come to Jack’s home for something urgent. Petey came along since he has nothing better to do.

The whole way to Jack’s, I felt like something was off. I felt it in my gut, like several punches being thrown. Petey kept trying to tell me it was all in my head, but I always trust my instinct. It’s how I knew Ant was my soul mate.

My gut feeling became solidified when we pulled up to Jack’s driveway. As we walked up, several of the guys were giving me disgusted looks. Some people whispered to each other while looking at me.

Then it hit me. Do they know? Surely they don’t. I mean, I knew about the photos. But would someone actually stoop that low and expose a perfect relationship?

I walked the way to the garage, where Jack has his meetings at. But the whole way there, I felt like everyone was talking about me. And while I’m a chill kind of guy, beads of sweat were forming on my forehead.

Walking into the meeting room, I was met with Jack, who was playing with a Rubix cube behind his desk. He popped bubble gum and was busy with his toy. However, he knows I’m here. The room began to fill with several important members, who either purposefully ignored me or stared at me. Petey stuck to my side, like the best friend he is.

“Jack?” I asked. Jack suddenly stopped with his cube and put it on his table, sliding it away. He spat out his gum, and a new member of the group came and picked it up. 

“Michael.” Jack said back. He straightened himself up and was soon looking at me with disappointment. “So glad you’re here.” He said, though his tone indicates he means else.

“I was told this was urgent. What’s going on?” I asked.

“Oh, I just wanted to ask you about something…” He said and opened his side drawer.

“This couldn’t have waited during school?”

“No. You see,” He finally found it but didn’t pull it out. “…something came to my attention earlier today. And at first, I didn’t believe it.” He looked up, his deep brown eyes staring into me. “But, sorry pal, I guess it’s true.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“You’re a faggot, Michael!” Jack spat out. 

“A fag- what?” I yelled. 

“A faggot. Queer. Fruit. Fairy. Do I make myself clear!” Jack yelled.

“Why would you think that?!” I said. On the inside, my entire being is shaking. It feels like my hand was caught in the cookie jar. Or, in this case, my hands have been caught on another guy. 

“Because of this!” Jack pulled out whatever he had been looking for and threw it at me. I quickly caught it, examining the yellow envelope. 

I opened it and was met with the picture that had been taken of my and Ant. Several copies with the date written on the back.

My breathing quickened. The room felt stuffy and hot all of a sudden. Tunnel vision came in, which honestly might’ve been a good thing since now I can’t see my fellow peers’ expressions. Not to mention, the ringing in my ear also murmurs their disgust.

All I felt was Petey’s hand rubbing my back and my fingers tightly gripping the pictures. My fingernail was starting to dig into my palm, a bit of blood was seeping out.

“This- This, I-I can explain.” I stuttered out.

“Please do. Explain why you’re buttfucking Antonio. I’m not surprised he’s gay, but you? Explain everything!” Jack yelled.

“I-I met him on the day of the race.”

“Aww.” Jack cooed but it sounded sarcastic. “Was it love at first sight? Did you two fall in love in one night and decided to date in secret, despite being in different gangs? Was it romantic? Hmm?!” He asked.

“Yes…” I whispered silently, but the room was quiet enough for everyone to hear. 

“So you admit it? You’re in love with him?!” Jack was angry, an anger I’ve seen only a few times.

I wanted to cry. Die. Get swallowed up by the earth and never be seen. This was humiliating. The top-dog in town has not only been outed as gay, but has been dating someone not of his kind. I’ll never live this down. 

“I am!” I yelled and slammed my hands on his desk. “I love Antonio! And there’s nothing you or anyone else can say to change my mind!” 

“Wha- This is ridiculous!” Jack grabbed a nearby chair and threw it at his wall. It shattered upon impact, sending splinters everywhere.

“You can try to break us apart, but I’m not going down without a fight!” I said to him. His head turned to me, giving me a death glare.

“You actually think you’re in love! This is just some childhood romance that you’ll forget about in a few years!” Jack said.

“And what would you know about love! Every girl you date leaves you! Your parents don’t even love each other! We all know they fight! They’re on the verge of divorce!” I retaliated back. I know it was a low blow to mention his family, but Jack is trying to lessen the strength of my love. 

And I refuse to hear criticism from someone who once pretended he dated Brenda Lee. 

Jack chuckled to himself. I’m not sure if he’s actually laughing or hiding his rage. 

“Fucking fag…” Jack muttered to himself. I looked down at the pictures in my hand. Antonio’s face in them sent a wave of relief over me. 

“Deny it all you want, but my relationship with Antonio is real!” A few people gasped. 

“Yeah, sure it is…” Jack responded.

“Dude, trust me. They’re the real deal.” Petey spoke up.

“Oh, let me guess. You knew too, huh?” Jack asked Petey. Petey nodded, turning to me and giving me a reassuring smile.

“I don’t see a problem. They like each other. So what?” Avalon spoke up. Archie glared at her, not believing what she was saying.

“QUIET!” Jack yelled. Everyone stopped talking. “Avalon, Petey. I’m disappointed in you two for keeping this from the gang.”

“They have nothing to do with this! Leave them out of it!” I said. 

“You’re in no position to talk. Michael, from here on, you are on probation. Normally, this would warrant an expulsion, but you’re too valuable.” Jack said.

“Whatever…” I said in my head.

“I’ll find a way for you to prove your loyalty. But now I need to have a talk with Manuel about this! And for the rest of you! If I hear about any other fuckery, I’ll kick your asses til they bleed! Does everyone understand!” Jack yelled. Everyone nodded their heads.

Well, shit. If Jack and the Jewels know, then that means that Manuel and the Saints know. I’ll need to go over to Ant’s house quickly and talk to him.

Everyone now knows that Ant and I are dating. And it seems like everyone is against us except for a few people.

---

<3

60. The 11th Hour

Michael’s POV

When I was 9 years old, my parents began to leave me so much I needed a babysitter. She lived in our home for weeks at some points. And I would go several nights without ever hearing about the whereabouts of my mom and dad. I formed a habit of biting my nails then. 

My babysitter, Ms. Bella, didn’t like that I bit my nails. She said that I have amazing nails and I’m ruining them by biting them. So she would dip my fingers in lemon juice. Everytime I tried to bite my nails, I got a taste of the concentrated zest.

I got over my nail biting and now my nails look perfect. I stopped biting and got over it.

Until now. 

As I’m walking with Petey, I chewed on my nails again. My eyes kept scanning every single window and door in the suburbs, wondering if everyone, including adults, now knew about it. If they knew our secret.

“Mike. Mike! MIKE!” Petey kept shaking my shoulder and snapped me out of my trance. I realized I almost fell into a pothole on the sidewalk. “You okay buddy? Almost lost you there.” Petey said.

“No, I’m not fucking okay! Everyone knows about my relationship with Antonio! That was supposed to be something Ant and I were gonna announce and instead we’re outed to everyone before we’re ready! And now I’m worried about Ant and how he is! Nothing is fucking okay!” I snapped at Petey. 

“You’re under a lot of stress. It’s okay to be angry.” He patted my back. I went back to biting my nails and pacing back and forth.

“God, what are we gonna do?” I whispered.

“Well, it’s out now, right? So, at least that load is taken off.” Petey said.

“You don’t get it, Peterkins! As long as the Saints or Jewels exist, Antonio and I can’t ever be truly happy! There’ll always be a barrier preventing us from truly being happy!” I said. I started to walk fast away from Petey.

“Wait! Where are you going!” Petey yelled from behind me.

“I’m going to see Antonio! I need to make sure he’s okay! I’ll catch up with you later!” I yelled.

“Goodluck!” Petey yelled. I started sprinting and racing to the west side. 

Ant and I can’t be happy in Newport. Which means the only safe option is to leave Newport. 

Once I reached the other side, a quiet fell upon me. It feels like I traveled into another universe and things are out of whack. It shouldn’t be this quiet. Something’s up.

Despite the streets being empty, I still crept through the shops and homes. I crouched behind every bush and crawled when I passed a window. 

When I saw the clearing for Ant’s home, I saw how utterly fucked I was. Surrounding the entire home were several people. They were, from what I can see, the strongest of the bunch. 

I began to wonder why there was so much security now. And what is the reason for there to be so much? That’s when I theorized that perhaps they knew now. So this barrier of men is either to keep something in or keep something out. Or both.

I crouched behind the beat up blue Toyota car that I’ve seen Manuel drive. I had no idea what to do now. And when I looked in the rearview mirror, I saw someone approaching the car. My palms and forehead were sweating. My breathing picked. Had the guy been closer, he would’ve heard me.

Looking around, I saw a large rock and grabbed it. When he turned, I threw the rock in an opposite direction to where a large amount of scattered wood was. The guy turned and went in that direction. That’s when I did another look and saw an opening to a clear path to Ant’s window. 

I sprinted and was now on the outside of Ant’s window. The hot sun was beaming down on me. All I wanted was to rest and have a drink of water but I can’t. I need to get to Ant.

I knocked on his window fast and waited for him to open. When he did, I was met with the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. His eyes widened and he quickly opened the window and stepped aside to let me in. 

“You’re here!” He said. I collapsed on the floor panting and clutching my stomach. I’m guessing he saw how tired I was because he returned with a glass of water. I chugged it all and gave the empty glass to him.

Once I had my breathing under control, I got on my knees in front of Ant. “They know!” I panted out. “They know about us, my love!” 

“I know! Manny yelled at me and now he has people guarding me! How did you even get in?” He asked.

“I snuck in. Those guys may be strong but they aren’t smart.” 

“What do we do, Mike! Our plans are ruined! We were supposed to tell them after the fight!” Ant said. I was biting my nails and trying to think.

“Not everything is ruined. I mean, we’re still alive, right?” 

“HOW-” He lowered his voice. “How is that supposed to make me feel better? We’re not dead, yet! I have a bad feeling.” Antonio sat on his bed, hyperventilating.

I stood up and went to him, cuddled him and let him smell my cologne, which always seems to calm him down. “It’s gonna be okay. I promised you that.”

“What about school tomorrow? Are you just gonna be by my side the entire time?” He asked.

“Well, er, no, I won’t be able to. But I’ll watch you and intervene if I have to.” 

Antonio nodded his head on my shoulder. “I knew everyone would know eventually. I just wished I had a bit more time to prepare what to say.” 

A beautiful silence came. Besides the occasional ragged breath from either of us, the silence brought calm. This might be one of our last few moments of peace, now that everything has gone to shit.

“I found a house, did I tell you that?” I said to Ant. 

“You might have mentioned it.” He responded.

“Well, it’s a two story house in a small town in Oregon. There’s a community college nearby. A huge backyard for the kids.”

“You think we’re gonna have kids?” He asked.

“Um, we can’t both adopt them, obviously. But one of us could adopt them and then we’ll both raise them.” 

Ant thought about it. “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. Tell me more about our future.”

“We’ll have animals. Chickens, mainly. And maybe a small pig. Don’t worry, we won’t eat them.” Ant let a small laugh out. “And every night, I’ll fall asleep next to you and wake up next to you. Would you like that?” I asked.

“Mhm.” He groggily said. I looked down and saw him slowly falling asleep.

I picked up Ant’s body and laid him on his bed, making sure his head was on his pillow. I laid next to him, holding his body close. He in his sleep turns around and puts his arms around me, hugging me back. 

Someday, this is how our days will be. Both of us will live in our own home and sleep with one another. No one to tell us we’re sinners and or traitors. We’ll be lovers. It’s a label we’ll choose for ourselves.

When the sun was gone, I split away from Ant. Giving him one last kiss, I exited through his window. 

Checking to make sure the coast was clear, I ran from his window back home.

---

<3

61. Traitor

Antonio’s POV

“Are you fucking kidding me?! I’m not guarding that traitor! Have you lost your mind or are you going soft because of your brother?!” A voice angrily said from the living room. I stood behind the wall so no one saw me eavesdropping.

“Lower your fucking tone, Juan!” Manny angrily said back. “I know what he did was disgusting. Pero el es mi hermano! (But he is my brother!) My flesh and blood! So you’ll do as I tell you and guard him the whole day!” Manny yelled back.

The silence in the living room was deafening. Besides Manny’s angry ragged breaths.

“Still can’t believe you’re allowing him to live here.” The other voice said.

“At least he has a family that still wants him home.” Dolores clapped back silently.

“Dolores, mi amor, not right now. Go wake up Antonio, por favor.” Manny said. I heard the sound of Dolores’ shoes getting closer.

She turned the corner to the hallway and saw me standing there with a sympathetic look. She patted my head. “Todo va a estar bien. (Everything will be fine.)” She said. I wanted to believe her, but it’s obviously not going to be fine.

“What were you guys talking about?” I asked. She put her hand on the small of my back and began walking me back to my room.

“Manny wants you followed from now on. Juan tried objecting cause, ya’know…” She said.

“Yeah. I got it.” I said We reached my room and I grabbed my backpack from the foot of my bed. I saw the loose floorboard and remembered the ring Mike gave me was down there. At least that brought me a bit of relief.

“What about you? Do you think I’m a traitor?” I asked Dolores. She sat on my bed and patted the spot next to her. I sat next to her and she hugged me.

“No, I don’t think so.” She said.

“Why not?” I added.

“Because there are no traitors with love. When you betray someone, you willingly stab their back to hurt them. But you see, you can’t control who you love. So therefore, your love isn’t a betrayal because you never asked for it.”

“You really think that?”

“Por supuesto. Manny is still struggling to understand all of this. He’s angry, but you’re his brother. You might need to give him a while until he fully understands.” Dolores kissed my head and stood up. “Come on, you need to eat breakfast before you leave.” She said.

I wiped away a few tears and followed her to the living room.

All talking stopped when I entered the room. I saw Juan, Manny, and Rafa standing around the coffee table. Rafa quickly bent down and gathered what I assume are the photos and hid them under a pillow.

“Buenos días.” I awkwardly said to everyone.

“Antonio.” Manny said, not looking into my eyes.

“¡Buenos días!” Rafa said. Juan, however, just grunted and looked away from me.

“I’m having some people following you all day. Don’t you fucking dare object. Be grateful I’m even doing this.” Manny said and came to the kitchen table. He sat at the head of the table. I sat to his right and Dolores sat to his left. Juan didn’t want to sit next to me so he sat next to Dolores and Rafa next to me.

Breakfast was awkward. When I would ask Manny an important question about my next glasses appointment or college, he gave simple responses.

I looked at the huge building in front of me. Rochester High School. The daunting walls and brick buildings scared me. I didn’t want to move but Rafa from behind me nudge me to start walking.

“We’ll be by your side, Tonito.” Rafa assured me.

My legs start moving and walking up the steps of the building. I could feel the angry looks from both sides of people. My posse did what they were told and walked besides me and formed a circle to protect me.

Going inside the school was a difficult task since it seems that the door was locked. It’s already embarrassing that people know I’m gay and have to go to school. But not being able to open the door was the highlight of my day.

“Let me fucking do it!” Fernando, one of my bodyguards, angrily said. He came from behind me and went directly to the door. He aggressively rattled and kicked the door until it opened.

“Thank you.” I softly said to him. He just scoffed at me and went back to his position.

Finally, with the door open, I walked in. The halls became quiet immediately. Everyone was looking at me and whispering. Some people would move away from me and avoid being near me.

‘Fucking faggot’, ‘queer’, ‘gender traitor’, ‘disgrace’ were the words whispered around me.

I finally reached my locker after a long walk. Painted in red letters was ’TRAITOR!“ across my locker.

By this point, I’m just going to try and ignore all the hate. I’m never going to live this down.

As I was putting my books away, a voice called out to me.

“Antonio!” A female voice called. I turned and saw Dina walking towards me. My spirit lifted and she ran to give me a hug.

“I’m so sorry.” She whispered in my ear.

“I’m sorry for bringing you into this.” I told her back. We broke the hug and did light talking.

“How are you dealing with this?” She asked.

“Not good. I feel like everyone wants to kill me or spit on me.” I responded.

“Ouch. At least Manny gave you protection.” She said.

“It’s not like they can stop others from talking about me.” I said.

“True. And what about Michael? Have you seen him since everything happened?” She asked.

I leaned in and whispered in her ear. “He came by yesterday when the Jewels found out. He came to calm me down.” I said.

“Looks like he’s gonna have a hard time trying to talk to you today. These guys for sure aren’t letting Michael come by.” Dina said.

“Yeah, but at least Mike said- OW!” I felt something hit my head. I caught myself on Dina as she helped me get up.

“You okay?” She quickly asked.

“Mhm. I’m good.” I said. I looked down and saw a rubber ball slowly rolling away. I looked up and saw another group coming towards us.

“Shit! It’s Archie and his goons!” Dina said.

“Did you enjoy getting hit by balls? You must be used to it, faggot!” Archie angrily said.

“Don’t you dare get any closer!” Rafa said to Archie.

“Who said I needed to get close to that queer?” Archie said before pulling out another rubber ball. His goons also pulled out their own balls and started hurling them towards me.

I quickly got in front of Dina to shield her. My books fell on the floor while my bodyguards tried to get the Jewels to stop throwing things. I felt like the school was watching this all happen. When I felt like this was my fate, a loud booming voice called out.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” He yelled. Archie and his band stopped throwing the rubber balls and my bodyguards stopped trying to fight them.

Everyone turned to the east wing hallway and parted away from the figure getting closer.

Coming from the crowd was my love, my light of my life, Michael Lexington. He wore a tight fitting black shirt that fitted his muscles beautifully. He carried his backpack on one arm, something that I’ve told him I find really attractive.

Mike scoured the area until his eyes landed on me. For a second, I saw his love come through but was quickly disguised back. Then his eyes turned to Archie.

“You!” He pointed at the red-head. “Get the fuck out of here!” He yelled at him.

“Why should I listen to a fruit?!” Archie clapped back. Mike’s face went red. He approached Archie and stood right in front of him. Mike was much taller and stronger than Archie. He’d be foolish to try and take on Mike.

“I said…” Mike bent down to Archie’s level. “…leave.” He seethed at him. His goons turned around and raced down the hall. Archie looked like he wanted to challenge Mike, but after looking up and down his body, he realized his mistake and quickly turned away and ran off.

I was in shock and catching my breath. Mike turned around to me and saw me. He approached me. Fernando and Juan tried to stop him but when they noticed he wasn’t a threat, and by the command of Rafa, let him through.

I saw my books on the floor and bent down to pick them up. Mike also bent down with me and helped me get my books.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“Mhm. At least I’m not too hurt.” I responded.

“They didn’t ruin your pretty face at least.” He whispered. I blushed and took my book from him. His finger touched mine for a few milliseconds before we stood up.

“Your work here is done.” Rafa told Mike.

“Sure.” Mike responded. He gave me a final look and turned away to walk to his first class.

I was still catching my breath while Dina was patting my shoulder. The bell for first period rang. The whole group of people who were watching this slowly began to split away.

“We need to go.” Dina said.

“Yeah. Yeah, we do.” I responded. I began walking to my class while walking over the rubber balls on the floor.

It wasn’t even 15 minutes in school until I was attacked. This is going to be a long day.

---

<3

62. Distance

Michael’s POV

A kiss, a hug, or even a glance. It’s all I wanted this whole day. My poor boyfriend was attacked in the morning, just trying to survive the day. I intervened, and Archie should really watch his back.

I didn’t have too many issues. Because of my size, most people just talked behind my back or gave me slight looks. But nothing what Ant went through.

My daily dose of Ant needed to be met. So I excused myself from class and went to the bathroom. Usually, I would see Ant in there and we’d lock the door and spend time together.

But when I reached the bathroom, that didn’t happen. I guess Ant was also betting on me being there. And so did I. But I wasn’t expecting to see his posse around him. They stood outside the bathroom stall where I’ve given Ant several blowjobs before.

“Are you here to use the bathroom?” Rafael Gomez asked me.

“What else am I here for?” I asked back.

“Maybe because your ‘boyfriend’ is in here too.” Rafael said.

“Can you guys just hurry up!” I angrily said.

The toilet flushed in the stall and out came Ant. We made eye contact on demand, almost like it’s second nature.

“Wash your hands!” Rafael quickly told Ant. Ant stepped up to the sink and washed his hands while keeping eye contact with me. Someone saw this and stepped in his vision.

The group huddled around Ant as he made his way to the front door. I stepped aside to let them by and reach the door. Before they walked out, Ant turned around.

“I love you, Mike!” He blurted around. His group stopped walking and turned to him in shock.

My face turned red. Ant really said that out loud.

“I love you too, Ant!” I replied back. He smiled at me and gave me an assuring nod.

“Let’s go!” Rafael urgently said, grabbing Ant by the arm and practically dragging him out the bathroom. I wanted to tell him to stop but it would be no use.

I was let in the bathroom alone. Deciding not to let this opportunity go to waste, I locked the door and headed to the bathroom stall. I entered it and locked the door and sat on the toilet.

When I looked up, I saw a piece of paper taped onto the bathroom door. Judging by the beautiful, slightly curvy handwriting, I knew it belonged to Ant. My hands reached for the paper and pulled it off.

Dear my lovely Mike,

I know that the guys are gonna stop me from seeing you. So I’m writing this in class and going to add it on the door for you to see. Thank you for defending me earlier. I could’ve kissed right then and there. Everything is so fucked up right now. But my love remains the same. In fact, my love has grown stronger now that I know that you aren’t letting this make you retreat. I hope soon we’ll be able to meet again. I miss your touch already.

Check the back for something I know you’ll have a fun time enjoying.

Your husband and match to the end,

Antonio Jose Garcia.

I was on the verge of tears when I read his letter. It’s so fucking unfair! Is everyone sleeping with us? Will our relationship kill them or destroy the world?! No! Because it has nothing to do with them!

So what if Antonio is also a guy? So what if Antonio is a Saint? When I look at Antonio, I see a cute guy with glasses. A guy with the softest, curly hair. A guy who is crafty with his hands. A smart guy with a big brain.

He’s perfect for me.

I turned over the letter and saw a paragraph he had written. As I read the paragraph, it became apparent that it was an explicit cantation of what he wanted to do to me. I knew Ant was a dirty minded guy, but this paragraph had me wanting to have sex with him so badly.

I jerked off in that stall while imagining the scenario he created in my head. My orgasm was huge and brought a bit of relief to an already stressful day.

The letter was folded and tucked in my wallet. I washed my hands and exited the bathroom and made my way back to class.

I didn’t see Ant for the rest of the day. My eyes have gotten used to how he looked and could easily recognize him in any crowd. But he wasn’t here.

As I was exiting the school, once again, all eyes were on me. The slight whispers and points were easy to ignore since I’ve towering over them. My eye level can pass over them.

Beside the bike rack was Petey, whom I haven’t seen all day. He casually leaned against the railing and gave me a short smile.

“How was your day, Mikey?” He asked.

“You already know how it was.” I replied and walked on the grass towards my car in the parking lot. Petey followed close behind me.

“Sorry I didn’t come today. I went to the dentist. My teeth feel so pristine now.” He gave a toothy smile and showed off his teeth.

“Well, you missed out a lot…” I replied.

“I bet. These guys look like they wanna lynch you, ha!” He said.

“But you know they won’t.” I said. I reached my car and placed my backpack on the top of my car and sat on the pavement.

I just stared at the ground and tried hard not to burst in anger. Petey sat next to me and rubbed my back soothingly.

“It’s gonna be okay. Antonio has his bodyguard, and you are, well, you.” He tried saying to calm me down.

“Have you heard anything from Jack?” I asked.

“I passed by his house earlier. I think he and a few others are meeting Manuel later today. But they wouldn’t tell me where because Jack suspected I would tell you and you’d try to hijack their convo.” Petey said.

“Whatever they need to talk about, I know it’s about me and Ant. We’re like local celebrities now.” I chuckled. “But in this case, none of us are getting our autographs taken or getting free things.” I replied.

“True, but how are your feelings with Ant?” He asked.

I patted my pockets and pulled out my wallet. I pulled out his letter and looked at it.

“I think I’ve fallen more in love with him.” I said.

“Then maybe this whole situation might not be so bad. This has proved that both you and Ant are able to withstand anything and still want to sleep in the same bed at night.” Petey told me.

I looked at his letter. The writing that perfectly feels like his own words.

“Hmm, I guess you’re right.”

I folded the paper back up and put it back in my wallet. I stood up and helped Petey up too.

“Wanna go to Red Star Diner?” I asked him.

“If you’re paying…” He said.

“Deal!” I replied.

We both hopped into my car. I turned on the radio as The Beach Boys played on the radio. The windows rolled down and the slightly cold air filled my lungs.

I could just scream right now in both stress and relief.

---

<3

63. Jumped

Manuel’s POV

Antonio is gonna come home soon and will eat lunch. Then he’ll do his homework and later eat dinner. That’s my hermano’s routine now. No more sneaking out. No more secrets. No more Michael.

“Do you think it’s a good idea to not bring reinforcements? These guys are kinda aggressive.” Rafa said.

“Jack is dumb but not an idiot. He knows that if he attacks, he’ll start a war. Did you get the gun?” I asked Rafa.

He held up the small pistol in his hands. “Yup!” He said.

“Don’t pull it out. Just keep it hidden.” I warned him.

I put on my coat and kissed my future wife on the cheek. She blessed me before I left and off we went. Rather than take the car, Rafa and I decided to just walk the way there.

“Soooo… have you talked to Antonio?” Rafa asked during our walk.

“Not much. Can’t really look at him right now.” I responded.

“Do you… hate him?” He warily asked.

“Hate him?! Nah, I don’t hate him. But I’m disappointed that he would do such a thing. It broke me, ya’know? Knowing that my brother was screwing the enemy.”

“But what about the fact that he’s gay? You’re only angry about the fact that he’s screwing a Jewel and not that he’s screwing a guy.” Rafa said.

I stared at him. “Rafa, I kinda always knew he was queer.” I replied.

“Wha- how. You always teased him that he liked Dina. If you knew he was gay, then what was with those remarks?” He asked.

“I’m his brother, dummy. We play like that. But when he hit puberty, I noticed the changes. Sometimes when we would watch a movie, he’d always have his eyes on the guys. Marshall Cromwell was his favorite guy to look at.” I chuckled at the memory of Antonio’s eyes so emerged in those movies.

“Maybe he just thought the guys were attractive in a not-homo way.” Rafa said.

“I found his stash of magazines that had men in them. And he and Dina were always like siblings, not a couple. But I never called him out on it because I knew it’d bring humiliation to Antonio. I kept my mouth shut.” I said.

“Hmm. Interesting…” Rafa said.

We slowly began to approach Park Plaza, the meeting place. The meeting would occur in the fourth parking lot, the farthest from shop goers. As we got closer, I reminded Rafa that should any of them threaten or hurt us severely, to pull out the gun but not shoot. Just scare them off.

Jack was sitting on the dilapidated bench and smoking a cigarette. Surrounding him was Archie, Bandit, Monty, and two guys I can’t remember. Maybe Rafa was right and we should’ve brought extra reinforcements.

“Where’s the rest of your crew?” Jack asked loudly.

“We agreed on it being just us two and our right hand man! You seem to have gone overboard.” I replied.

“In case your head is in your ass, my right hand man is the guy fucking your little brother.” Jack said.

“Was Michael really that strong that you need to compensate with 5 other weaker guys?” I jokingly asked. Rafa giggled next to me.

“Watch your tone, spic!” Archie, one of the most hot headed people I’ve ever met, spat back.

“Arch, calm down.” Jack said. “No, I brought these guys just as a… precaution.” Jack said.

“Precaution that we’ll attack you? We’re fighters, not savages.” Rafa said.

“Enough! That’s not what we’re here for!” Jack loudly said. “Why did you call this meeting, Manuel?” He asked me.

“I”m here to tell you to control your fucking dog and keep him away from my little brother!“ I angrily said.

“Me? Michael is his own person! I’m not gonna tell him who not to fuck! Maybe you should control your fruity brother not to handle guys bigger than him!” Jack replied.

“Antonio is safe, no thanks to what your guys did to him in the morning today.” I said, referring to the incident my guys told me.

“He only made it out because Michael came and protected him! Not even your guys could do that. Michael had to come and protect him. It’s kinda funny how defenseless your brother is. How’s it feel to have a spic and faggot brother?!” Jack and his crew bursted out laughing.

I directly walked towards Jack, standing in front of him. “Don’t you dare talk about my brother!” I growled at him.

“What’re you gonna do about it? Huh! Nothing!” Jack replied.

“Manuel, don’t do it!” Rafa said. He tried to pull my shoulder to go back. I gave one last angry look at Jack before walking away.

“Go back from where you came from!” Jack angrily yelled.

“Don’t listen to him!” Rafa told me.

“And take your faggot brother and bitch of a girlfriend!” Jack yelled.

Something in me snapped. I’ve felt rage before, but not the kind that I felt when Jack insulted my brother and future wife.

I quickly turned around and began running to Jack. Before he could respond, my fist landed on his face and knocked him down on his ass.

“Don’t talk about them, you fucking yankee!” I yelled and landed a few more punches on Jack.

Jack tried getting up but my weight on top of him prevented that. Rafa tried screaming for me to stop but I had my eyes set on ripping off Jack’s arms.

I felt some punches on my body from his crew but that didn’t stop me. The final blow was when I felt some sort of metal pipe hitting the side of my head.

My body collapsed onto the floor and Jack managed to get up and started kicking my stomach.

My eyes kept trying to see but with the blow to my head, my vision got dark. And soon, my world turned dark.

I woke up a bit and saw a vision of Rafa crouched to me on the ground, holding out the gun and pointing it at whoever he was while screaming.

Then I went out again.

The next time I awoke was when I was being carried by people wearing white and a red cross on them. Rafa was walking alongside me, looking like he was on the verge of exploding.

And then I blacked out again.

My eyes slowly started to open again. I felt myself laying on a soft mattress in a bright room. I’m not home. I vaguely remember this place. The place where I came to when I had to identify my parents’ dead bodies. I was in the hospital.

“Manuel! Manuel! Can you hear me?!” Rafa’s voice urgently shook me. I turned and saw him looking down at me beside my bed.

“Rafa? What’s going on?” I groggily asked.

“Jack’s guys hit you in the head. Don’t worry, they’re gonna find them! Just hang on!” Rafa said. I pulled on Rafa’s hand for him to come closer.

“Rafa…” My raspy voice called out. He looked down and got closer. “Take care of Dolores and Antonio for me. Tell them I love them.” I said.

Rafa looked like he wanted to object. “You’re gonna be fine!” He responded.

“As my final order, do what I told you, Rafa. Keep them safe just in case.” I said. Rafa nodded.

The perimeter of my eyes began to darken. And soon, I would fall into a sleep, not sure if I would ever wake up.

---

<3 <3

64. Doomsday

Antonio’s POV

Rafa left before fifth period, so that meant that the angrier guys had to take me home. They didn’t even let me get a gelato on the way home or a bag of chips. Rafa always lets me get a snack on the way home.

Once I reached home, my body just wanted to give out.

“How was school?” Dolores asked me.

“Shit.” I responded.

“I figured.” Dolores responded. She came over to me and kissed me on the forehead. “Manuel went with Rafa to an emergency meeting with Jack. He’ll be back soon.” She said.

I automatically knew what the meeting was about. 

“I’m gonna go to sleep. Can you serve me lunch later?” I told her.

“Mhm, si. I’ll wake you up in an hour.” Dolores said. I walked to my room and just collapsed on the bed.

I hope Mike got my note. Especially that thing I wrote behind it. 

I took off my shoes and snuggled into Pancho, the bear Mike had won for me a few weeks ago at the carnival. And just like that, I fell asleep, dreaming of going to sleep.

My nap was disturbed by my door opening quickly and me being shaken. I groggily asked who it was.

“Antonio! Wake up!” I heard a voice called me. It wasn’t Dolores’ or Manny’s. It sounded like Rafa’s.

I awoke and saw Rafa on the verge of tears, trying to get me to wake up.

“Rafa? What’s going on?” I asked. I checked my clock and saw I’d only been asleep for 30 minutes.

“Come to the living room, quickly!” Rafa said. I knew it was an emergency so I quickly got up and followed Rafa to the living room.

I walked in and saw Dolores sitting in Manny’s chair, crying her eyes out. She had a tissue and was wiping her tears.

“Dolores?” I asked. She looked up and gave me a tearful look. 

“Antonio…” She told me. Her voice was harsh and croaked.

“Sit.” Rafa softly spoke to me. I sat on the couch and Rafa stood in front of us. 

“Where’s Manny?” I asked.

“There was an accident.” Rafa said. My mind immediately went to dark places. I remember this just like the day I was told my mama and papa died.

“Is- is he okay?!” I asked.

“He is.” Rafa said. “He’s in the hospital but is in a coma. They don’t know when he’ll wake up. He got hit hard in the head.” Rafa said.

“Who did this?” I asked.

“The Jewels.” Rafa replied. I hugged myself and began rocking back and forth on the couch.

Dolores got up and sat next to me, putting her arm over my shoulders and hugging me close. 

“I need to go.” Rafa said. He began walking towards the door.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

Rafa slowly turned to me. “The king is down. War is coming.” Rafa replied. Before I could ask for more, Rafa opened the door and left.

Both Dolores and I cried on the couch.

“It’s my fault.” I said weakly. “It’s all my fault. I did this!” I sobbed into my arms.

“No, Antonio! It’s not your fault. You didn’t hospitalize Manuel.” She told me.

“But he went there because of me. Because I had to open my legs for Mike! I should’ve been in the car with mama and papa that night. Manny wouldn’t be in the hospital on the edge of death!” I said.

“No, Antonio! Don’t say that! You’re Manuel’s pride and joy. It was never your fault. I hope you understand that!” Dolores said.

I hugged her close and fell asleep on the couch. 

“Antonio…” Dolores’ voice said. I woke up and felt the burning sensation under my eyes.

“What?” I asked.

“Dinner is ready.” She said. I looked at her and saw her bokeh eyes trying not to cry. “Come on. The food is getting cold.” She said. She helped me up and brought me to the table.

“How are you doing?” I asked her.

“Like the love of my life is on the verge of dying.” She replied. I sat next to her and brought over my food.

“When can we go visit Manny?” I asked.

“Not right now. It’s too dangerous.” She said.

“What do you mean?” I asked again.

“While you were sleeping, everything changed. The Saint are in the streets. And Rafa placed bodyguards around us. Everyone wants to fight. I overheard Juan talking about a small fight that happened in the north. We were advised to stay indoors for the meantime.” She said.

“A fight? So I’m guessing the match between Manny and Jack is canceled.” I said.

“It’s worse now. I think it’s gonna be a bloodbath soon. All it takes is one shot and everyone will go crazy.” She sipped some water to clear her throat.

Dolores saw how nervous I was. My fingers were fiddling with each other. 

“So I can’t leave. What’s gonna happen now?” I asked.

“As of right now, we’ll just sit and wait for something to happen. And pray that Manuel gets better.” She said.

I nodded and returned to eating my food. It’s gonna be a long night.

---

<3 bye!

65. Long Night

Michael’s POV

The drive home was relaxing after the kind of day I’ve had. Petey wanted food, so we got some. And now, I needed a break from life.

I unlocked my front door and let Petey close it behind me. 

“What shall we do today?” Petey asked.

“I need a shower. You? Do whatever.” I said. 

Petey decided to watch TV while I went upstairs to my room. Before I did anything, I got Ant’s letter and stored it in a small locked box under my bed. There was also the ring that he gave me at our wedding.

Once I was sure everything was okay, I went into the bathroom and took off all my clothes. Warm water always makes me feel better. I must’ve spent close to an hour in there before I noticed the skin on my fingers was wrinkling.

I stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed a towel to put around myself.

As I was heading downstairs, I heard the sound of another voice and Petey’s. The voice sounded both angry and scared.

“What’s going on here?” I asked as I turned the corner. I saw on the kitchen table Petey and Avalon nearly at each other’s throats.

“Why are you naked?” Petey asked, turning to me.

“I have a towel!” I said.

“Mike!” Avalon said and quickly ran to me. “Did you hear?” She asked. I looked at Petey who turned away and bit on his fingers.

“Hear what?” I asked.

“Manuel got knocked out by Archie!” She said.

“He what?!” I said in surprise.

“Mhm! So, basically, Manuel and Rafael went to meet with Jack and a few others and Manuel managed to pin Jack down and punch him. Then Archie came up and knocked him. Apparently, Rafael pulled out a gun and scared Jack and the others away! It’s a mess!” Avalon said in quick haze. I’ve never seen her this riled up.

“I thought they were gonna have a civil meeting.” I said.

“They’re men, Michael. You can’t expect them to act like grownups.” She replied. 

I sat on the table and started thinking. “What else has been happening?” I asked.

“I heard that Dean got into it with some Saint near the Station. Dean got it pretty bad.” She said. 

“You know what this means, right?” Petey said.

“Hmm?” Ava said.

“That fight was just the first. Who knows what’ll happen next. Maybe another fight. Then another. And it’ll all lead to a rumble.” Petey explained.

“A rumble? You don’t think they’ll be one, right Michael?” Avalon asked me.

“Not sure. There hasn’t been a rumble in nearly a decade from last I heard.” I said. I ran my hand through my wet hair and pushed it back.

“Looks like that streak will end soon.” Petey said. 

I know this is my fault. And now, Ant’s brother, his only living family left, is in the hospital. 

“How’s Manuel doing?” I asked.

“I overheard from an officer interrogating Bandit that Manuel is comatosed and there’s a chance he won’t wake up.” Avalon explained.

“Fuck this!” I angrily said and got up, heading to the kitchen. “Anyone want something to drink?” I asked. Both said no. I got a cup of cold water and chugged it.

“I think we should stay away from Jack’s for the meantime. It’s not safe to be around them now that the pigs are after them.” Petey said.

“What about school? That place is a powder keg waiting to blow. Saints and Jewels walking alongside each other? No thanks!” Avalon told us.

“Right, well, I’m not going to school tomorrow. I don’t know about you guys..” I said.

I also needed to come up with a plan to get to the west side and talk to Ant. At least send my condolences. And be there for him while he’s waiting for news on his brother. Maybe I can even meet Manuel’s future wife Dolores and talk to her. Anything I can do to make them feel better.

“Can I stay here tonight, Michael? I felt weird coming over here. I don’t feel safe being in the streets.” Ava told me.

“Sure. You can take any room. Just call your mom that you’re staying over.” I said to her.

“What about me? Can I stay too?” Petey asked.

“Are you scared to be out alone?” I snarkily remarked at him.

“N-No! I just like being here!” Petey exclaimed.

“Yeah, sure. Maybe call your families and tell them to stay safe. I need to get changed.” I said and stood up.

“Can we make pizza?” Petey asked.

“Sure. But don’t burn anything.” I said and began walking towards the stairs.

I heard giggling behind me and turned to see Avalon and Petey laughing.

“You two high?” I asked.

“Nah, but you have a nice ass.” Avalon replied. I looked down and saw my towel had come off and was on the floor. I was standing naked in front of two of my closest friends.

I simply shrugged. “It’s my house.” I said and continued my walk up to my room naked.

Once I got in, I closed my bedroom door and tried to not break down. This is all so much, just because I loved a boy. Ant might lose his brother and people are going to get hurt, or worse.

---

<3 goodbye loves!

66. Loyalty

Michael’s POV

“James Dean is fine and all, but come on! Alain Delon is so much hotter!” Avalon said.

“If only he transitioned to Hollywood. No doubt he would’ve been much bigger.” Petey said.

I sat on the dining room table, playing solitaire. I needed something to take my mind off of everything. My brian has been hurting so much in the past hours. The only thing I have to distract me is the banter of Petey and Ava as they both argue about random things. But I enjoy their company. I’d rather listen to them fight than be alone with my thoughts.

Solitair also calms you down. A form of meditation to improve decision making.

“Michael! Can we check out the pool?” Petey asked.

“Knock yourselves out.” I replied.

I heard them get up and start walking towards the patio door. Then I heard a knock on the front door. That’s weird. No one else knows the code for the front gate. Anyone who does is either old or out of the country.

Through the glass I could see a figure standing there with red hair.

“Gates.” I said, not referring to Archie by his first name.

“Lexington.” He replied. He was acting all smug. But he should really watch his tone seeing as I easily stand over him.

“Your trespassing on private property. You can go to jail for that.” I told him, leaning against the door.

“So? I could easily survive in jail!” Archie said.

“Survive? Gates, you’d become someone’s bitch the minute you step into that place.” I looked down at Archie’s cheek and saw a bruise.

“Whatever! I’m not listening to a faggot.” He said. I clenched my first. Technically I could kill him and frame it as him trying to assault me and my friends. It could be self defense.

“I heard about what you did to Manuel.” I said.

“I know right. I guess it was just luck that I knocked him out.” He said it like it was an achievement.

“Yeah, you were lucky to get a cheap shot.” I retorted. He quickly turned angry.

“Cheap shot? Who are you to say that!?”

“You attacked a guy from behind while he wasn’t looking. In my books, that’s a cheap shot. It doesn’t make you look macho, it makes you look weak.” I smirked at him as he huffed. His face now matched his red hair.

“Jack asked me to summon you to his house. He says he needs to talk regarding your… loyalty.” He gave a sinister smile.

“Now?”

“Yes, now!” Archie angrily replied.

“I’ll be there soon.” I said.

“He said if you don’t-” I shut the door in Archie’s face. I looked from the window as he ran down the lawn.

“Who was that? We heard some grumbling.” Petey said, appearing from behind me with Avalon in tag.

“That was Archie. Jack wants to meet me right now.” I told them.

“Shit! This doesn’t sound good. Want us to come?” He asked.

“No, I’m going alone. You two stay here.” I said.

“No way, Michael! We’re your friends! We’re coming with!” Avalon said firmly. There’s no way I’m convincing them not to.

“Get in the car.” I told them. They both raced out the door, pushing each other.

After they both fought over the passenger seat, and Petey coming victorious, we drove a few miles over to Jack’s. His house is of moderate size, compared to mine. His parents are almost never home because they’re gambling addicts who spend most of their time in other places.

Jacks’ house was already full of other cars belonging to other members. My nerves started going up when I realized I wasn’t going to be having a one-on-one conversation with Jack. But in front of others who already were disgusted by me.

“Michael,” Petey said, placing his hand on my shoulder. “No matter what, we got your back.” He smiled at me.

“Thanks. Let’s get this over with.” I said. The three of us hopped out of the car and walked towards the open garage.

I could already see members standing around. Their conversations became silent when I walked past them with Avalon and Petey in tow. I even saw someone clutch their rosary when I walked by.

“Jack?” I asked. He sat in his chair, brandishing a knife. I noticed his face was covered in small bruises and his left fingers were wrapped in bloody bandages. His blonde hair was a bit messy. This is Jack’s moment of weakness. I’ve never seen him this way before.

“Michael Lexington. Your loyalty to the Jewels has been in question for the past few days.” He set the knife aside and turned to us. “You slept with the enemy and most likely shared confidential information. So I must ask you, are you a Jewel?” He asked me.

I stood in silence, not knowing how to respond. All eyes were on me. A bead of sweat rolled down my head.

“I- I- I don’t know.” I replied.

“Based off what I’ve seen, you have proven yourself not to be. Your allegiance has been in question.” Jack said.

“What about the years prior? I helped revive what it means to be a Jewel! I helped you become what you are today! I could’ve easily taken your spot! But I put you there!” I snapped at Jack.

“But at least I never made out with a Saint, let alone a guy.” Jack said. A few snickered behind me.

Jack then reached under his table. He rummaged around until he pulled out a gun in his hands.

“It’s a beauty, aint it?” He asked, admiring the gun in his hands.

“Watch where you point that.” I told him calmly.

“Should I?” He asked. He then held out the gun and pointed it at me.

“Woah! Jack! That’s going too far!” Kevin said from the side.

“I really thought you were on our side. I saw you as a God. And if I’m being honest, I had some sort of affinity towards you. But seeing those pictures, it felt like meeting your hero and them being an asshole.” Jack leaned in, the gun pointing at my head.

“Are you heartbroken? Is that why you wanna shoot me? Then do it! You don’t have the balls.” I sneered at him.

“You know why I’ve always wanted to be leader of the Jewels? Cause then it means we’re equal to the Saints. Don’t you remember what they did to my sister?” Jack asked. I tried to remember.

“No, I don’t. Enlighten me.” I told him.

He kept the gun to my head. “6 years ago, my older sister was coming back from a dance with her boyfriend. That’s when up comes Manuel and his gang, who jump both of them.” He explained. His eyes began to water. “They beat them both to the edge of death. And those damn wetbacks left them there! Bleeding in the cold. It was by sheer luck that a police patrol stopped by.” He said.

I stared at Jack. I remembered he had a sister but that she…

“But it was too late. Her boyfriend died in the hospital while my sister barely made it out. She was heartbroken that the love of her life was killed. She tried pleading that Manuel was responsible, but that fucker had several alibis and he was never charged.” Jack then pressed the gun harder into my head.

“My sister became insane. She couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t eat. And a few months later, she became so crazy she tried to kill herself and was sent to a hospital states away. Now I only see her during Christmas and summer. And every day, I only wish to get revenge on Manuel.” Jack finished.

He then lowered the gun and handed it towards me.

“Here.” He said. “You’ll do the job for me.” He explained.

I looked at him like he was insane.

“You want me to kill Manuel? You’re insane!” I objected.

“No, I don’t want you to kill Manuel.” He lowered and stared into my eyes. His eyes were full of anger. “I want you to kill Antonio!” He said.

“Antonio?! Hell no! He has nothing to do with whatever happened to your sister! Leave him out!” I yelled at Jack.

“You wanna know what I hear everytime I visit my sister? ‘Where’s Jeremy? Can I see him? Is he going to visit me?’. Can you imagine her cries when we have to tell her everytime that her boyfriend died? Even years later, she never forgets him. I don’t want to kill Manuel. Oh no, that’s letting him off too easy. I’ve found that hurting someone the best is by hitting them where it hurts most.” Jack said with pure anger in his eyes.

“You want to kill Antonio to get back at Manuel?” I furiously asked.

“No, I want you to kill Antonio to get back at Manuel.” He replied. I froze, staring at Jack. This vindictive shit.

I grabbed the gun off his hands and pointed it at his head.

“Ballsy.” He chuckled. “You can kill me if you want and protect your boy toy. But know this, if you kill me, I’ll order the kill of Antonio and have his corpse thrown into the ocean. You’ll never see him again.” He replied.

“Jack! This is enough! You can’t be serious! Killing someone? Just let it go!” Avalon said from behind me.

“Shut your hole, Brandenburg. This is a guy’s talk.” Jack replied. “Here’s the deal, Mike. You kill Antonio and get to say goodbye to him, or we’ll do it, and you’ll never see him again.”

The gun was pointed on his head. He looked like he was reaching his high from telling me to kill someone.

I lowered the gun and my head.

“I’ll do it.” I said. My eyes looked down and never turned up.

“Atta boy! I expect this to be done soon. If you fail, both you and Antonio will be on the chopping block.” Jack said.

“Understood.” I replied in a blank voice.

“You can go now. See you soon.” He chuckled lightly.

I turned around and began walking down the driveway, with Petey and Avalon behind me not saying anything.

I climbed into the car and set the gun on Petey’s lap.

“What do we do now?” Avalon asked from behind me.

“I don’t know.” I replied.

Truth was that I didn’t know what to do nor did I have any idea. Shoot my love or have him and me killed. It wouldn’t be so bad if both of us die. But I refuse to let Ant and I go down like this. We deserve a happy ending!

---

<3

67. Rosary

Antonio’s POV

Once Dolores was able to sleep and Rafa had left, I quickly put on my sweater and climbed out my window. The cold air hit me like a sudden crash. I shivered and rubbed my arms, rethinking if it was a good idea to sneak out in the middle of the night.

But I’m a man on a mission. I know what I need to do.

I know that sooner or later, it will be time for our departure. It would be time for Mike and I to hop in his car and make the long drive to Oregon where our house is ready for us.

I’ve decided to visit Ms. Bella for the final time. This is part of my plan of saying goodbye to my favorite people. Next it will be Dina. And at the end, Dolores and hopefully Manny.

The cold night and heavy winds clashed against me. There were times when I wanted to turn around and go back home. I didn’t even know if Ms. Bella was awake. I’d be disturbing an old lady’s rest.

Luckily, when I reached her house, the porch light was on, meaning she was awake. And she quickly answered the door.

“Antonio? You shouldn’t be out!” She quickly grabbed me and pushed me into her home. She locked the door. I noticed she was holding a shotgun.

“Why are you still awake, senora? It’s midnight.” I told her. She peaked outside the window and then quickly shut the curtain.

“My boy. It’s dangerous out. I saw two fights on my way home from the store. Then I heard about your brother. It’s not good to be out right now.” She said. She motioned for me to sit on the couch.

“Yeah, Rafa told us it was gonna get pretty bad. I didn’t know it would be this fast.” I said. “Why are you awake right now?” I asked her.

“I feel like some thugs might try to break in. I’m keeping my guard up.” She held up her gun.

“Uh, Ms. Bella.” I said. She turned to me. “I think it’s time.” I said. She looked at me for a few seconds before walking towards me and giving me a tight hug.

“I knew time was coming. Promise me this.” She said. She cupped my face into her soft hands and stared deep in my eyes.

“You’ve done so much for me. You can ask anything.” I told her.

“Promise to live your life without anyone holding you back. No matter where you and Michael go, promise that no one will get in the way of living your best. You deserve this, Antonio.” She said.

“I promise. I’ll live my best with Michael.” I said. She grabbed a necklace from off her neck and put it on my neck.

“Here. To protect you. Keep this and never let it go.” I looked down and saw she had put a rosary on my neck. The rosary had wooden beads in a black thick string. The cross in the bottom was also carved from wood.

“I won’t ever let this go.” I said. I gave her a quick hug. A tight one. So tight, I thought I might snap her bones.

“You know how to cook, right?” She asked.

“Yeah. A bit.” I replied.

“And there’s a college nearby, right?” She asked.

I nodded. “In the same city. A small community college.” I said. She smiled and kissed my cheek.

“You’re a bright boy. This might be the last time I see you. I’ll always be thankful I ran into you that day when I almost got run over.”

“Same to you, ma’am. You were like a mother to me. I don’t know how to thank you, but I’ll never take your kindness for granted.” I told her. She smiled at me, her face wrinkles becoming more prominent.

“You can thank me by living. Live for me. Live for Michael. Live for your parents. All this will be worth it in the end.” She said.

“I have to go, senora. It’s getting late.” I said.

“Yeah. You should.” She pulled me in for one last hug. We stood in her dark living room, just hugging each other and not wanting to let go. Because who knows when we’ll see each other again.

She wiped a few tears away.

“Come on. You need to get home.” She said. She escorted me to the front door.

“Guess this is goodbye.” I said.

“Think of it as an opportunity for a future hello.” She replied.

“Goodbye, Ms. Bella.” I said.

“Goodbye, Antonio.” She said. She opened the door and watched as I walked into the dark of night.

I turned and gave a final wave as she also waved back. Then I ran in the direction of my home. That old woman has been one of the reasons why I haven’t gone down a dark path. She always encouraged me to do the right thing and follow my heart. It’s a gift that can’t be bought nor sold.

I finally made it home. Luckily, it doesn’t seem like anyone noticed I was gone. I climbed into my window and opened my bedroom door. Dolores’ room was still closed. Poor Dolores. She must be in pain.

The rosary on my neck was removed. I put it on my desk along with my other things. Then, I sat on my bed and finally let the tears out. I sobbed hard, not being able to imagine that this is my life. Where my parents are dead, my brother in a coma, the love of my life miles away, and me being labeled a traitor by all my peers. Could it really get any worse?

That was a question left up to debate the next day when I had woken up from my sleep. I rubbed my eyes, figuring that last night’s sob fest left my eyes puffy. I got up and gathered some spare clothes and took a quick shower with cold water.

But the house was quiet. Usually, Manny would be up right now, walking around in his heavy boots with Dolores would be humming music in the kitchen. I would be in my room getting ready or at the table. And sometimes Rafa or Juan or Alejandro would be in the house with Manny conducting business.

But it’s silent. I noticed when I stepped into the living room and saw no one was up. And by no one, I mean Dolores. I knocked on her bedroom door. She let out a soft ‘Come in, Antonio’. Her voice was croaked.

I opened the door and saw her in bed, covered in two blankets. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were red. She held out her arms for me to go hug her. And I did. She placed her head on my shoulders.

“You okay?” I asked.

“A bit. I’ll be soon. I just miss Manuel.” She replied.

“Do you need anything?” I asked.

“Can you make coffee? I’m a bit hungry.” She replied.

“Yeah, sure. Who’s taking me to school?” I asked. Usually, Manny would have someone over and they would escort me to school. Or he would drive me if he had the time.

“Please don’t be mad, but you aren’t going to school for a while.” She told me.

“I understand. It makes sense.” I said.

She patted my cheek.

“If it’s alright with you, I’m gonna be in bed for the whole day. I don’t feel good.” She said. I nodded and let her know I would be doing all the work.

I left her room, closed the door, and went to make breakfast. Coffee and pan dulce. A simple meal. I also cleaned up the messes. It felt weird not being in school. But based on my previous day where I was a social pariah, it’s best I stay home.

During my free time, I looked in the closet and found a luggage bag. I checked the whole bag and saw my mom’s name written on a tag. This belonged to her. No doubt. She ran away with dad in search for a better life. And now, I will do the same.

I packed a bit of my clothes, including some of the expensive ones Mike bought me. Then I packed my prized possessions. Letters from Mike, his marriage ring, the rosary, and my documents.

I pretty much have everything ready now to leave. All I need to do is contact Mike and let him know I’m ready. And hopefully he’ll be ready too. Then we say goodbye.

And off we’ll be, walking into a new life of uncertainty. But certain, is love.

---

<3 <3

68. Misunderstanding

Antonio’s POV

The entire day was, to be honest, boring. I cooked some food and delivered it to Dolores. She only came out of her room to go to the bathroom and sometimes she threw up. By the time school had ended, I was watching TV when there was a knock on my door. Before I opened the door, I checked to see who it was. It was Dina.

“Dina!” I said as I opened the door. I jumped into her arms. She quickly hugged me back tightly.

“I came to check on you.” She told me. I let go of her and ushered her in. We both sat on the couch.

She turned to me and gave me a lopsided smile. 

“Sorry I didn’t come as soon as I heard about Manuel. My parents basically grounded me.” She said.

“Makes sense. Your parents never liked the Saints.” I said.

“True.” She giggled. She threw her hair back. I saw a large gash on her collar. 

“What is that?!” I pointed at her mark. 

“Oh, this?” She asked. She let me get a closer look at her deep wound. It healed a bit. But barely. “It’s nothing.” She shrugged it off.

“Nothing? It looks like you got stabbed!” I told her.

“Heh, you should see the other girl.” Dina said. I stared at her more.

“Explain?” I asked.

“Ever since yesterday, things haven’t been good. The whole school today was a war zone. Saints fighting Jewels. Jewels fighting back. Even the girls were in on it. I encountered Sally and she used a pocket knife on me.” She said.

“It’s that bad?” I asked.

“Yep. A lot of people didn’t even show up today. You’re lucky you stayed home. I’ve never seen so much blood before. But it’s fine! I kinda liked the violence.” She had a crooked smile.

“You’re scaring me, Dina.” I chuckled awkwardly.

“Sorry, Tonio. But all this violence and war… doesn’t it get you kinda excited?” She asked, shivering.

“No, my brother is in the hospital and might not wake up.” I simply told her. Her smile went away quickly.

“Sorry. Yeah, but there’s a chance he’ll wake up, right? I mean, he has too. He’s survived worse.” She said. 

“Maybe. I’m just wishing on that small hope.” I replied. She sat on the couch and watched TV with me. 

“And Dolores? How is she?” 

“She’s been cooped up in her room all day. I bring her food and water and she just lays in bed. I don’t blame her, though.” I replied. Dina grabbed my hand and held it tight. 

“Oh, right! Rafa told me to tell you that he’s coming over later. He promised to look after you two. He’s taking care of some business in the north right now.” Dina said.

“Shit!” I exclaimed. There goes my plan to sneak out. 

“It’ll be fine, Toni. Manuel will wake up, and you’ll get to have your happily ever after.” Dina assured me. “I have to leave right now. My parents might get too worried. I’ll see you soon, yeah?” She said. 

“Yeah. It was great to see you. I really needed this.” Dina gave me a hug before she walked out of the house and towards her home.

Now I was alone again. I made a small snack for Dolores. Her voice was still raspy. She was hurting. I needed to be strong for her. 

Just like Dina said, Rafa would eventually come by and talk to Dolores a bit. I don’t know what they said, but it alerted him. Because he soon would come out the door looking extra worried.

“Everything alright?” I asked. He turned to me and gave me a small smile.

“Sure. It’s all good. Just go to bed. I’ll stay here for a while.” He said. I wanted to know more but he shooed me away to my room.

I sat in my room and was now even more bored. The most I could do was read a book. However, I had no desire to as of right. What I wanted to do was to talk to Mike. See him again and just tell him that I love him.

Lights were out. It was quiet. No sound was heard. And for a while, I was left in the dark and quiet, trying to imagine scenarios in my head. Until I heard the sound of an all too familiar taps.

The taps on the window. From the small stones.

My heart raced as I got up from bed and raced to the window. I opened it and saw Mike looking up at me. My eyes cried when I saw him.

“Michael!” I called to him.

“Antonio!” He called back. He stepped aside and let him climb in. He wore a jacket and had one of his hands in his jacket.

“Everything okay? I missed you. Look! I have my luggage ready! We can leave soon! And we can leave as soon as you’re ready!” I quickly told him. The light from the moon shone in, shining behind Mike’s back. Meanwhile, his front was dark. But I knew he was looking at me.

“I love you, Ant.” He softly said. 

“What’s wrong, Mike? You look like you want to cry.” I said. I stepped forward to him and put my hand on his face. He was a bit cold from the air outside. I stared into his eyes as he looked down at me.

“I’m sorry, Ant.” He said. In a swift motion, he pulled his hand out of his jacket and pulled out a gun. He pointed it at my chest, the tip hitting my chest.

“Wait! Mike! What are you doing?!” I quickly called out to him.

“They want me to do this, Ant. They want me to kill you. Or they’ll do it themselves. And these guys are vicious. I’m sorry, Ant.” He cried.

“Mike! Please, don’t do this! You can’t just do this after everything we’ve gone through. My brother is in the hospital over this! Don’t let it be over nothing! Think about it, Mike!” I quickly told him. He stared at me with crying eyes.

“I don’t want to lose you! That’s the last thing I want! I don’t know what to do, Ant!” Mike said. The gun was now shaky in his hands. I could disarm him, but that could cause him to become alerted and shoot me accidentally.

“Let’s think this through, my love. I’m sure we can come up with something.” I said. Mike looked up and saw me. His eyes were full of hurt. He can’t possibly shoot me.

“What do we do, then? If I don’t kill you soon, then they’ll come after you themselves.” He said. I put my hand on the gun and slowly lowered it down. 

Once the gun was far enough where it wouldn’t shoot me, I reached forward with both hands and grabbed the gun from him. I set the gun to the side as Mike collapsed into my chest and cried his eyes out. 

“I can’t believe I almost shot you! Forgive me, Ant! You know I would never do it on purpose! I’d shoot myself before I shoot you.” He cried into my chest. I held him close as he let it all out.

“I missed you, Mike.” I said to him.

“I missed you too. It’s been a long, fucking day.” He said. 

“I have my stuff ready. It’s on the bed, see?” I pointed to my suitcase on the bed. 

“I kinda haven’t started packing yet. I just need to tie some loose strings up but I really don’t have anything special besides the stuff you gave me.” He said. 

“So what do we do about this, Mike? Do you have to do this?” I asked.

“Either I shoot you and get to say goodbye, or they come and torture you for hours, days maybe, and then kill you.”

“Well, how about you just shoot me in the leg or something-”

“No!” He cut me off. “I don’t want to even do that to you. It’ll be too much to see you in pain. I’d never forgive myself.” He said.

“You could just tell them you got a bad shot. Or that I survived. I’d rather you shoot me with good intentions.” He looked up at me. 

“It’s gonna hurt. Have you ever been shot?” He asked.

“I got jumped a few weeks ago by some Jewel but then an angel saved me.” I said. He blushed remembering that.

“If you insist. Then let’s do it. I’ll try to graze the bullet.” He said. We both stood up at the same time and faced each other. I reached for the gun I had set aside earlier and handed it to him. 

“You ready?” I asked him. He was nervous and was shaking the gun in his hand.

“I-I don’t know! What if Dolores wakes up?” He asked.

“We’ll figure that out when it happens.” I said. I hope Rafa is still gone after he left for an emergency. 

Mike clicked the gun. He was standing a few feet away from me, with the gun position to my leg. He swallowed hard while I tried to bite my tongue so I wouldn’t scream. 

“One the count of three.” I said.

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three-” The door to my room opened.

“Antonio!” Rafa called out urgently. Mike became startled. He lifted the gun and shot the gun. It grazed my arm, leaving a big cut. It hurt badly. Rafa quickly ran and tackled Mike on the floor.

“You fucking bitch!” Rafa angrily yelled. Mike covered his head while Rafa got a few hits on Mike. 

“Rafa! Get off him!” I said. I went behind Rafa and tried pulling him off but he was too strong. Rafa’s elbow accidentally hit me in the face and I stumbled back. Mike saw this and became enraged. He managed to knock Rafa back and punched him back.

“Don’t! Hurt! Him!” Mike said. I heard noise and turned around to see Dolores standing there.

She was in shock as she witnessed two men fighting in my room. 

“Stop it!” I yelled. Both Mike and Rafa had stopped fighting and were breathing hard. I grabbed Mike by the shirt and led him to the window. “Run, Mike. Run!” I told him. He understood and gave me a kiss on the lips before grabbing the gun and jumping out the window.

Dolores went next to Rafa and on the floor and helped him up. 

“That’s it!” He grunted. He angrily walked to the living while we both followed him. 

“Don’t hurt him, Rafa! It was a misunderstanding!” I pleaded. 

“He was going to shoot you, Antonio.” He put on his jacket and was ready to leave.

“Where are you going?” Dolores asked from behind me.

“As of tonight, Michael Lexington is a dead man.” Rafa slipped out of the house and into the night. I turned to Dolores and hugged her as I tried not to cry.

---

<3 bye bye!

69. Hide

Michael’s POV

Quickly, I jumped out of Antonio’s window and made it run for it. I concealed the gun in my jacket and ran until I found a pile of debris where I could hide behind. I peeked and saw Rafael coming out the house and running towards other houses nearby and knocking on their doors. He would tell someone something before they would also run and go to other doors.

I knew it wasn’t safe to be out in the open. I’m exposed and could easily be seen. The sting in my head hurt. I touched the spot on my forehead and saw a large amount of blood coming out. I could also feel some bruises forming all over my body.

I needed medical help and fast.

With no other option, I ran in the opposite direction of Ant’s house. Then I came upon the Saint’s hangout. The run down house had seen better days but was still standing. If I remember from a conversation I had with Ant a long time ago, there was a medical room in there for their wounded members.

I quickly ran in their hangout and closed the door behind. I looked at the derelict home and saw basic furniture. I knew there was more in here. I checked the home and looked for the medical room. I saw a small kitchen, a meeting room, supply closet, and a random furnished room.

Finally, I found the medical room. I knew it was it because of the three beds and a wall that had basic supplies. According to Ant, once every three months, the Saints will come together, pool their money, and use their funds to fix up their hangout. Sometimes they’ll buy more medical supplies or new furniture.

I ran to the supplied and found bandages, painkillers, and sanitizer. I fixed up my bruise on my forehead. I also lifted up my shirt and saw a few dark spots forming from where I had been punched.

Once I was healed, my next plan was to make it home. But there’s some flaws in the plan.

First, I didn’t bring my car. I thought that maybe if I brought my car, it would be easy to identify me.

Second, part of me had plans that if I did go through with killing Ant, I would kill myself too in a sort of murder-suicide.

Which means I’m stuck on the west side, wounded, and with most likely the Saints looking for me.

I’m royally fucked now. Not only will the Saints be looking for me because they think I tried to kill Ant, but the Jewels will be after me because I failed my job. I have nowhere to go but to hide it out and wait for things to calm down.

But nothing can fix this. Once those pictures went out, it caused an explosion of anger and fury.

Still, even through all this, I never lost the one thing that really matters. Even in the face of death, Antonio managed to calm me down and stop me from committing the biggest mistake of my life.

I can’t believe I even wanted to shoot him. I was going to go through with it. When I was looking in his eyes, I never wanted to hurt him. Cause then if he died, I would never see those eyes again. I would never feel his warmth. Kiss his lips. Hold his hand. Hear his laugh.

He’s the sole reason for my existence. Crafted by God to serve and love him. And I promise to fulfill my duty.

I sat on one of the beds and took off my jacket. I made sure to place the jacket down safely to not set the gun off. I then pulled out my wallet and pulled out a note Ant had written to me a long time ago.

I read through the words. Every letter and dot of an i and cross of a t. His beautiful handwriting which explained his love for me. How thankful he was that I exist. That I came to him at the right time.

And the same is for me.

Because in the end, I just want to be with Antonio. We’ll get our stuff, hop in my car, and make the long drive to the west. Our lives will officially start as a new couple together.

I laid back in the bed and held the letter close to my heart. I slowly felt myself begin to fade out. I knew it was dangerous to sleep here. I slowly got up and stumbled my way through the medical room. I exited the room and walked to the spare room.

The room had a basic bed in it and a few chairs. I climbed into the bed and held Ant’s letter close to me.

My vision soon began to fade to black. In my moment before sleep, I imagined Antonio walking into the room and waking me up with a kiss.

Maybe a happily ever after is possible.

---

<3 <3

70. Most Wanted

Antonio’s POV

“I need to get to Mike. I need to make sure he’s okay! Fuck! I can’t sit here! They’re gonna kill him if they find him! I need to go!” I shouted.

“Antonio! Calmate!” Dolores shouted. She made me sit down on my bed as she applied antiseptics and a bandage to my shoulder where the bullet grazed me. 

“Dolores! I need to find Mike!” I told her. 

“I know, Antonio. But you can’t leave.” She told me. She was referring to the nearly a dozen guys who were stationed at every side of our house. Each of these guys were either strong as hell, or had knives on them. They’re trained to fight.

I hissed when Dolores patted on my cut. I can’t believe I got shot. Well, not shot exactly. But almost. Kinda.

“I don’t want you going out. Now that Mike was here, everything is going to go down.” Dolores said.

“You think this is gonna cause a fight?” I asked.

“Most likely a rumble. Not just a fight.” Dolores said.

“Are you gonna go to sleep? We kinda woke you up.” I told her.

“Well, I feel like you might sneak out. But there are people guarding the outside.” I began to come up with a plan.

“I won’t leave. Like you said, it’s too dangerous.” I told her. She kissed my head and stood up, gathering her medical supplies. 

“I’m going to bed. Don’t stay up. And if your wound hurts, put ice on it.” Dolores said. She walked out of my room and turned off the lights. 

I was left in my room in the dark, seething from the pain. I tried to look for the bullet but saw it went either in the walls or exited through the roof. 

Carefully, I put on a thick denim jacket and made my way to the front door. As soon as I opened it, I was met face to face with Juan. 

“What do you want?” He asked me. He stood taller than me. He had black curly hair, dark brown eyes, and had tattoos littering his body. He wore a white tank top and a burgundy flannel over it.

“Oh, hi Juan.” I said shyly to him. He always scared me. I know he never really liked me. He hated that Manny would put protection on me even though I was never a member.

“Get back inside.” He said and started to push me back inside. 

“Wait!” I blurted out. He stopped, scoffed, and crossed his arms.

“Ahora que quieres? (Now what do you want?)” He asked.

“Just let me through. I’ll be quick, please?” I asked.

Juan chuckled. “No way. Rafa’s orders.” He said.

“Yeah, well, as Manuel’s little brother, I order you to let me out.” I cringed as I said that.

“Order me? In case you forgot, Manuel is in a coma and Rafa is in charge. And plus, you never got jumped in. You aren’t a Saint. You’re just Manuel’s little brother.” Juan said. “Now get in!” He aggressively pushed me back and closed the door in my face.

I was on the floor and was angry. I needed to get out. I ran to my room and opened the window. As I opened it, I noticed two guards on either side of my window patrolling. Can’t exit through here. Best option is through the bathroom window since it’s in the farthest part of the house.

Luckily, I was able to squeeze through the small window. I fell on the floor and made sure no one was around. When I saw the coast was clear, I sneakily ran through the dirt and climbed the fence. I was now outside the property. 

Now, it was a matter of looking for Mike. When he ran out my window, I saw him running towards the south. Usually, he would run north, since that’s where he would park his car in the alley. But not this time. He’s on foot. And that means that someone could easily find him.

Not only did Mike fail his task given to him by the Jewels, but the Saints now think he tried to shoot me. As of right now, he’s the most wanted man. Everyone is looking for him.

By thinking strategy, what would be the best place to hide? It would take too long for him to run to the east. Not to mention, the Jewels have probably already heard of his failure and will be looking for him. He would probably be hiding in an obvious place where no one would think because it’s too dangerous.

The Saint’s hangout.

It’s a bet, but I ran the way to the rundown house and entered it. The whole place was dark. I searched around until I entered the medical room. I saw a bunch of used supplies. Some had blood on them. When I inspected it, I saw it was fresh blood. Meaning someone was already here.

That’s when I remembered the recovery room. That spare room is used for people who need to heal after tough fights. I opened the door to the spare room and there he was, Michael Lexington, laying and sleeping.

I sobbed when I came to sight with him. I ran to him and checked to make sure he was breathing. I sighed when I heard the soft snores. I checked his face and saw a bandaged up bruise on his forehead. I also lifted his shirt and saw several bruises all over his body.

“Just ask me for sex and I’ll give it to you.” Mike’s raspy voice said. I jolted and turned to him and jumped into a hug.

“Mike!” I eagerly said. I cried into his neck while he hugged me back.

“It’s good to see you too.” He replied, sniffling from his tears.

“I thought they got you. I had to find you.” I said.

“I’m okay. I’m still alive.” He replied. I pulled away and held his face in my hands. The sexy man looked into my eyes with admiration. Just from his look alone could be the reason for me to live.

“I think it’s time, Mike. I think we need to leave now.” I said.

“I know, Ant. I don’t need anything else. I already have my ring on.” He held up his left hand and showed me the ring I’d given him. “And the notes are stored in my wallet. I have money. I’m sure you have some too. We just need to get to the station, buy the tickets, and we’ll be gone.” He said.

“Yeah, I have some money too. Do you have anyone to say goodbye to?” I asked.

“Just a few people.” He said. 

I kissed him deeply, letting his tongue enter my mouth. I climbed onto his lap and straddled him. 

“Wait.” I said, pulling away. “You’re hurt.” I said.

“It’s not that bad. Just some punches.” He said. He took off his shirt, revealing his glorious muscles to me. He then went to take off my denim jacket. But when the jacket hit my cut, I seethed.

“Ow!” I said. Mike immediately stopped.

“Is that from…?” He asked.

I nodded. I saw him turn sad. “It wasn’t your fault. It was an accident.” I said.

“I still hurt you. I never meant to.” He said.

“We were literally planning on shooting me in the leg. This cut is nothing.” I told him. 

“I’ll make it up to you. Any way I can.” He said. 

“I know one way.” I sneakily said. I grinded my ass on his dick. 

“I can do that for you.” He replied. We went back to kissing each other’s faces off. 

Mike then flipped me over and removed my shirt. He began to pull down my pants and underwear. Mike then got off the bed, pulled down everything, and climbed back on. He crawled towards me and sucked on my neck.

“Do you want this?” He asked.

“Mhm. I want it so bad.” I replied, moaning and placed my hand on his neck to keep him there.

“I haven’t touched you like this in so long.” He said. He trailed down to my chest and sucked on my nipple while twisting the other one with his fingers. I was writing under him, begging for more.

“More, Mike! Please!” I groaned out. 

“Soon Ant, we’ll do this everyday, whenever we want.” He said and returned to my chest.

My hand went down to grab his dick and start jerking him off. His hard dick grew in my hands. This made him more excited and started to suck me more.

It’s dangerous that we’re gonna have sex in this place. Anyone could walk in and find us. But at this moment, all I care about is Mike.

Being with him, because I have a feeling that something is coming soon.

---

<3

71. Dawn

Antonio’s POV

My head hurt a bit when my eyes opened and the sudden light entered my eyes. I quickly sat up and realized where I was. I turned next to me and saw a naked Mike as he slept. Our clothes were thrown on the floor and dirty rags were everywhere.

“Mike! Wake up!” I nudged him. He groaned in his sleep.

“Give me five more minutes, baby.” He groaned out. I kept shaking him, poking his nipples and lightly slapping his face.

“Wake up, Mike!” I said louder. His eyes opened, his deep ice blue eyes looking back at me. A smile immediately was plastered on his face when he saw me.

“Hey.” He raspily said. He reached for my hair and played with my curls.

“We gotta change!” I quickly told him.

“No one’s found us yet. Can we stay like this for a few more minutes?” He asked with beautiful eyes. 

“Sure.” I chuckled and kissed him on the lips. He held me close and slipped his tongue in my mouth. Our positions shifted to Mike on top of me and me pinned underneath him.

As Mike kept kissing me, I knew that he is my future. He’s the correct choice in all of this. I want to spend the rest of my life like this. 

Just then, the door opened and there was a scream.

“OH MY GOD!” A voice yelled. Mike, in a state of shock, fell off the bed as his legs were tangled with the blanket. I looked down to see a naked Mike just barely holding on to the blankets.

“Dina!” I yelled as she stared at us with wide eyes.

“I’ll give you two a minute!” She yelled and closed the door. Both Mike and I stared at each other before quickly putting on our clothes at a record-breaking rate.

“Can I come in now?” She asked from the other side of the door.

“Yeah, we’re good!” I yelled. She opened the door and made sure we were in fact clothes. When she saw we were, she entered and closed the door behind her.

“Thank God I found you guys!” She sighed.

“How’s it going outside? Has anything happened?” I asked.

“It’s not good. I passed by Pepe’s house and saw him and some others packing pipes and chains. Then I overheard them talking about the Park Plaza.” Dina said.

“Shit…” I muttered.

“Surely we can stop them, right? This is on us!” Mike said.

“Now hang on! If you two show up, they’ll attack you both on sight.” Dina said.

“Then what do we do? We can’t just sit here and let people hash it out with each other!” Mike protested.

“Mike. Calm down, Dina has a point. If we step foot in that place, we’ll be killed on sight.” I explained. Mike looked at me and hugged me close to him.

“So what now? Do we sit in here, cooped up like chickens?” Mike asked.

“When’s the next train out of here?” I asked Mike. 

“There’s a train to Richmond tonight at 7. If we get there on time, we can get on the train and leave for good.” Mike explained.

“Perfect! That’ll give us time to tie up loose ends. Then, we’ll get out of here for good.” I said.

“You two will stay here, since it seems that everyone will be heading to Park Plaza. When 7 comes, you two will leave! Don’t turn back! Don’t return for a sweater or a fucking pen! Just take what you can and go! Got it!” Dina said.

“Mhm! Yes ma’am!” Mike said. Dina turned to me.

“I got it!” I replied. 

“I’ll go get coffee for you guys. Be right back.” She said. She left the room and left Mike and I alone in the room.

“We’ve got a few minutes!” Mike quickly said and got on his knees in front of me.

“Mike!” I protested. He already unbuckled my belt and slid them down.

“Relax, Ant. I’ll be quick!” He winked. He pulled my dick out and put it in his mouth.

I moaned and leaned back on the wall, grabbing onto Mike’s hair. I grabbed his hair and thrusted into his mouth. He took me all the way in and was able to make me finish in three minutes.

“Just like always, delicious.” Mike teased.

I pulled my pants back up just as Dina walked in with a tray of coffee and pan dulce.

“Eat up you two. I’m guessing you two need energy.” She placed the tray on the bed. 

“Can you pass by my house and get my suitcase, Dina? It’s on my bed. It has everything already.” I asked.

“Sure. Sorry, Michael. But going to the east isn’t a good idea for me.” She said to Mike.

“It’s fine.” Mike replied, eating two pan dulces at the same time.

“How’s Flaca doing?” I asked Dina.

“I don’t know. I saw her cousin and talked to him. She’s been locked up in her room since yesterday. Ya think she feels guilty?” Dina said.

“Probably. Manny is in the hospital because of her!” I angrily said. Mike placed his hand on my shoulder to calm me down.

“Whatever she did, it’s not our current business. She’ll face the consequences soon. For now, focus on your safety. I’ll make sure people don’t come here.” Dina said.

“How’s Dolores?” I asked.

“She went to the hospital to be with Manuel. Rafa is gathering an army.” 

“Can you tell Dolores that I’ll miss her?” I asked.

“Yeah. Sure.” Dina replied.

After we ate breakfast, Dina told us that she needed to leave and return home.

“Is anyone at school?” Mike asked.

“Only like, a fifth of the students. Everyone else is either getting ready to fight or staying in.”

We all got up and cleaned up the place where we ate. Dina quickly left to the kitchen and came back. 

“Well, I’ll be going now. I’ll bring your luggage and then you’ll leave. I’ll give Dolores your message.” Dina said. She began to walk towards the door until I grabbed her wrist.

“Wait!” I said. She turned and looked at me. I noticed her trying not to cry.

I pulled her in and gave her a tight hug.

“What is this for?” She softly asked.

“Just in case anything happens. At least I got to say goodbye.” I said. We both cried in each other’s arms for a few minutes. 

Memories came back of the times we had. When we met when we were babies. First grade when she held my hand and walked me through the halls. When some Jewels harassed her at the winter formal so I had Manny jump those guys. Everytime when we were each other’s dates to dances. The late night sleepovers and night outs.

She truly is an amazing friend. 

“Adios, Antonio. I’ll see you sometime later.” She kissed my cheek.

“You too, Dina. Take care.” I said.

She turned to Mike, who was standing behind me and watching. “And you. Take care of Antonio. If he bothers you, just know that he hates having wet hair.” Dina said.

“Noted.” Mike smirked. 

I slapped Dina’s shoulder lightly. “I had to tell him.” She said. 

We gave a final hug before Dina smiled at both of us and walked out the room. When I heard the front door close, I collapsed on the floor and cried my eyes out.

MIke quickly came over and held me in his arms.

“I already miss her.” I sobbed. 

“It’s alright, Ant. I know you miss her. But she’s strong. And you’re strong too.” He hugged me close and let me cry in his arms.

“I knew I made the right choice.” I said as Mike’s hand rubbed into my scalp.

Yeah, it’s sad that I’ll have to say goodbye to Dina and leave everything behind, but it’s Mike I choose. I want him to be in my life forever.

If only I knew the danger that would come soon. The ultimate test to our love.

---

<3

72. Once And For All

Michael’s POV

I spent the whole day with Ant. Despite the knowing feeling that we’ll soon need to leave, both of us were giddy with excitement to start our lives.

“When should we get a kid? I’ve always wanted one.” Ant said, laying his head on my crossed legs.

“Mmm. Not sure. Maybe when we both have stable jobs. And after you’re done with school.” I replied. He had a cheeky smile on his face.

“I think Dolores is pregnant.” He said.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yeah. She’s been a little sick recently. But I’m not sure how she feels that Manny is in the hospital and I’m leaving her alone soon.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine. She managed to tame you and Manuel. She can handle a baby.” I replied.

“I’m not that difficult!” He jokingly said. I chuckled and rolled my fingers on his chest. He sighed and stared into my eyes.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked.

“You have the most beautiful eyes ever.” He said.

“If only you could see yours. You’d fall in love with yourself.” I told him.

“What do you think? Lexington-Garcia or Garcia-Lexington?” He asked.

“You should take Garcia-Lexington. Your name should come first.” I said.

“And our children? What should they have?” He asked me.

“Hmm. That’s a bit difficult. To be fair, the Lexington name carries notoriety. Our children will have a name for themselves before they’re adults.” I said.

“We’ll revisit this topic when we have children.” Ant said, his way of saying that we’ll argue about this another time.

“You remember on the race day when I saw you near the bathroom?” I asked.

“How could I forget? That day was ingrained in my memory.” He replied.

“Yeah, well, I originally wasn’t supposed to go.” I said. Ant looked up and turned his head at me. “Petey sort of forced me to come. He said that he needed a ride to and from the quarry and I was the only person he trusted to drive him.”

“I also wasn’t gonna go on that day.” Ant said. “I told Manny that I didn’t want to come but he forced me to come. I wanted to jump out the car window and walk into traffic on the way there.”

“But then, I saw you…” I said.

“And I knew that at the moment, it was love at first sight.” Ant said.

“I didn’t care who you were. I didn’t care who your brother was. Or that you weren’t my kind. All I saw was a beautiful boy that entranced me.” I told him. I hugged his torso and kissed his stomach.

“You’re so perfect!” Ant giggled.

Just then, we heard a loud ruckus outside. The front door was open and the sound of footsteps was coming in.

“Hide!” Ant said. He got off me and he pointed to the closet in the room. “In there!” We both ran into the closet and closed the door. The closet was adjacent to the nursery near us. We could easily hear the chatter of everyone.

“What’s his pressure!” A male voice said.

“Hard to tell. It’s very faint!” A female voice replied.

“Rapido! He’s bleeding too much!” Another male voice yelled.

“Shut up and let me work!” The female voice replied.

The sound of footsteps scattering around was heard. I placed my hand on Ant’s mouth to stop his hard breathing.

“He’s gonna be out for a while. He needs to rest.” The woman said.

“Do we have enough things for more? We’re gonna need it.” A guy said.

“How much more?” The woman asked.

“A lot more.”

“Has a rumble started?” She asked.

“No. But it’s getting close. They’re all gathered at Park Plaza. Over 50 people are there.”

“And the pigs? What are they doing? Are they stopping this?”

“Some Jewels called an emergency outside of town. The cops ain’t gonna be here for a long time.”

“I’ll take some supplies to la plaza and set up there. We’ll need some medics on the fields. I’ll go get Rosita and Maria.” The woman said.

“Get everything you need and stay on the side. There’s nothing anyone can do to stop this rumble.”

We then heard a series of footsteps. A few walked away as we heard the front door open and then close. Then we heard a single pair of footsteps walk around the medic room before also exiting the hangout.

“Is it clear?” I whispered to Ant. He leaned his head onto the wall to listen around.

“It’s empty.” He replied. I opened the closet door and we both came out and gasped for new air.

“Mike…” Ant said. I turned and saw him with his head down.

“Yeah, Ant?” I asked.

“People are getting hurt because of us.” He said in a defeated manner.

“What do you wanna do?” I asked. He looked at me.

In the most confident voice he said, “We need to end this once and for all.”

I agreed. “Let’s do it!” I told him.

We sat down and began thinking how we should approach this. So many ways to stop everyone but it’s hard to control angry young men. Once they have their sights set, it’s hard to stop them.

But maybe we can.

---

<3 <3

73. The First Punch

Avalon’s POV

Both Tammy and I sat on the hill that overlooked the Park Plaza. We saw as the two groups were on their sides with a gap in the middle. The two sides were arguing with one another but no one had thrown a punch yet.

“Is it safe to be here? What if we get arrested.” Tammy nervously asked.

I reached back into the picnic basket and pulled out two soda bottles. I twisted the caps off and handed one to Tammy.

“I kinda wanna see how this’ll go down.” I said as I sipped on my drink.

“You wanna watch a bunch of idiots punch each other?” She asked me. I turned to the brunette and stroked her hair.

“Oh, Tammy. Trust me. There’s nothing more fun than watching people fight for no reason.” I twirled a strand of her hair on my fingers. She blushed hard and hid her face behind her hand.

“Why are they fighting? Is it because of those two gay guys?” She asked.

“Yeah. But it’s kinda grown from that. Honestly, I’m surprised they haven’t already had a rumble already.” I said.

We turned to the plaza’s parking lot, where everyone was gathered. I scoured around and saw all the adults running away and the stores boarding up their windows.

“People really are scared, huh?” Tammy asked.

“Last time there was a rumble, it was followed by riots. They’re being smart.” I told her.

“Oh… okay.” She said, sipping her pop and leaning her head on my shoulder.

I hid my blush and made sure she couldn’t tell that I was feeling awkwards. Everytime I’m around Tammy, I get these butterflies in my stomach. I like holding her hand and playing with her hair. I like when she chews on her straws and makes cute pouty faces.

She’s perfect.

“Still, this feels kinda fucked up. Watching guys beat each other blue. And the blood! Oh God!” She panicked. I rubbed her shoulders.

“Wanna leave when it gets too bad?” I asked. She nodded yes and held my hand.

We turned back to the parking lot where tensions were picking up. In the center of the crowd was Jack and Rafael, at each other’s throats.

“They’re gonna fight. Watch.” I said.

Their conversation was heating up. Jack must’ve said something because he was staring smugly at Rafael. Rafael was upset, his face red and his fist clenched.

“Uh oh.” Tammy said, sitting up and leaning in closer.

Like the shot heard ’round the world, Rafael couldn’t control his anger and punched Jack straight in the jaw. All commotion stopped for a few seconds before all hell broke loose.

The two gangs swarmed into the center and each fought one another.

“Holy shit!” Tammy gasped as she watched the violence.

I saw as guys would hit each other in the head with pipes. I saw someone get a broken glass bottle and try to stab another person with it. Someone whipped someone with a chain on the back.

And the blood. Oh fuck! The blood! The parking lot was being painted red. Amidst the fighting, it seems like no one even cares. Like their bodies don’t care about their pain because of the adrenaline.

I began to look around and finally spotted Jack and Rafael. The two were throwing punches. They used no weapons or items. Just their bare fists. Just like the agreements to Jack’s and Manuel’s original fight.

Rafael would be able to land some punches on Jack’s torso but dodged all the ones to his head. Jack was quick. He moved slenderly but sometimes was unable to predict Rafael’s moves. He didn’t seem to be throwing punches. Most likely, his objective is to tire Rafael out then go in and throw blows.

I turned over to Alejandro and Bandit. I once remember Bandit stole Alejandro’s priceless chain and vowed to get revenge. Currently, Bandit is on the floor while Alejandro has him pinned and is taunting him.

Then I turned over to JayJay, who was fighting Carlos. I don’t remember their beef, but I do remember it was pretty bad. Both of them are in an attack stance, circling each other. When one of them lunges forwards, the other would jump back.

But for the life of me, I couldn’t see Archie. I looked everywhere but he was nowhere to be seen.

Tammy nudged me. “What’s the deal with you and Archie?” She asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked back.

“Do you like him?” Tammy asked with a smirk on her face.

“No, everyone thinks I do because we’re the only ones here with red hair. But I actually don’t like him.” I said. She nodded.

“So who do you like then?” She teased playfully.

I stared into her dark brown eyes, grabbing her hand and tracing my fingers over her skin. Her soft, beautiful, ivory skin.

If Michael was brave enough, so should I.

As I opened my mouth to speak, Tammy’s eyes widened and gasped. I turned to where she was looking and that’s when we saw them.

Standing at the edge of the parking lot, on the battlefield, was Michael Lexington and Antonio Jose Garcia. They were holding hands and began to walk into the rumble.

---

<3 <3 luv you all mwah

74. Rumble

Antonio’s POV

Both Mike and I stood hand in hand at the front entrance of the rumble. Everywhere you looked, there were men fighting with men. Blood tainted the ground. Weapons easily accessible like mints.

“Mike!” I yelled at him to get his attention. His eyes were fixated on the chaos in front of us.

Mike snapped out of his trance and turned to me. “You sure you wanna do this?” He asked.

I nodded yes. Mike stretched out his hand, signaling for me to hold it. He pulled me in for a hug before letting me go.

“Remember the plan, right?” He asked.

“Right!” I replied.

The plan was for Mike to stop the Jewels and I stop the Saints. It was the only thing we could come up with in the heat of the moments.

“Good luck out there, Ant. Don’t die on me.” Mike told me. I smiled and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

“I won’t die. I can handle myself.” I replied. He gave me a last glance before we both ran off into different directions into the fight.

Immediately, I felt the need to duck. As I lowered my head, a monkey wrench flew above that would’ve hit my head. That could’ve killed me. But I had no time to think about what I wanted in my obituary, I needed to find Rafa.

I looked around and only saw fighting. It was a hectic sight. I’ve heard about rumbles before. I’ve heard about how disastrous they are. I never imagined it would be this bad. This bloody.

I finally spotted Rafa, fighting with Jack. The two were in a bit of a skirmish. Rafa had definitely seen better days. The side of his face was red, pure crimson from blood. His brown hair was messy and his clothes ripped.

Jack on the other hand was entirely red. Some of the red was blood but I figured the rest was from bruises. And his blonde hair was tussled, with some patches having dried mud or blood.

I raced over to both of them quickly. I watched them fight for a bit before deciding to step in. At first, I tried talking to Rafa.

“Rafa!” I yelled. “Please stop!” I yelled. He didn’t hear.

That’s when I inched closed and grabbed his arm as he tried to punch Jack in the face. But I was too weak to hold him back. My grip on his arm resulted in him elbowing me in the face and him resuming his blows.

I clutched my nose and had that feeling of sneezing. I touched my nostrils and looked at my fingers. I was bleeding. However, I don’t have time to think about that!

“Rafa! Stop!” I yelled at him. He didn’t listen again so I needed to attract his attention. I looked around and saw everyone fighting with each other.

I couldn’t just stop Rafa and Jack. I needed to stop everyone.

That’s when I saw a car in the parking lot that had been left here. And an idea popped up in my head. Before I could walk towards the car, a hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.

Mike was there, panting heavily. I saw a large cut on the forehead.

“Mike!” I gasped. I reached up to touch his cut.

“I’m fine. You’re bleeding too.” He replied.

“I’m fine too. It’s just blood. Mike! Look! Do you see that car?” I asked, pointing to the small yellow buggy.

“Yeah! Do you have a new plan?” He asked.

“Mmhmm! These guys are too into their fight! We need something to distract them all!” I said.

“Let’s go then!” Mike said. He grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd towards the small car. When we saw it, we immediately ran to it.

“Please let it be open!” I said. I went to open the door and to my surprise, it was unlocked.

“What’s the plan?” Mike urgently asked me.

“We’re gonna honk the horn and hope that everyone hears.” I replied. “You’re gonna stand on top of the car and try to get everyone to look at you.” I said.

“Got it!” Mike said. He climbed up onto the roof of the car and stood up there.

My palm went on the steering wheel and honked the horn. I held it for five seconds and left a two-second break before honking the horn again.

“Keep going!” Mike banged on the roof. I honked the horn again, this time for a longer time. I also heard Mike screaming “Over here!” from above me.

As I kept beeping the wheel, the sudden adrenaline began to ease away. Soon, the pain in my legs and arms seeped in. I wanted to give up but I had a job to do.

In my last few moments of strength, I held on to the horn for a long time. I honked like my life depended on it. I must’ve blacked out for a minute because I was shaken awake by a hand on my shoulder.

“We did it!” Mike said, standing next to me in the driver’s seat. I looked around and saw all the guys had stopped fighting. There was panting heavily and rubbing their wounds and looking at the both of us.

“Let’s get on top of the car.” I told Mike. He held his hand out and for me and I grabbed it. My legs shook for a bit until the blood flowed back into them.

Mike helped me get on top of the car. First, he helped me up the hood. Then he helped me onto the roof. Luckily, the car wasn’t that tall.

When I got a good look around, I saw the two gangs, now separated, all looking at us.

“At least they stopped fighting.” I whispered to Mike.

“Yeah. But now they’re looking at us. What do we do?” Mike asked.

Everyone was either looking at me and Mike, or fixing their wounds, or both. I looked forward into the distance and saw some of the women helping their men. And even farther, I saw a red-haired girl and a brunette girl sitting on a hill watching us.

I cleared my throat and stepped a bit forward.

This has to end now. Everything. It’s time for the Saints and Jewels to end.

---

<3

75. It Ends Now

Antonio’s POV

As everyone watched us, I turned to Mike for support. 

“This rumble ends now.” I said. Some people scoffed at my statement. 

“There’s no reason to fight! So end it!” I yelled again.

Rafa, from the crowd, stepped forward, limping and clutching his arm.

“Who are you to tell us what to do?” He said.

“I may not be a fighter or a medic or even a part of the Saints! But I’ve seen how you guys tear each other apart when you even give a simple glance! Your egos have become inflated! You’ve become angrier! You think you all look tough but actually look childish!” I yelled at Rafa.

“You wouldn’t understand! You’re nothing!” Bandit angrily yelled. 

“I’ve watched you for years! I’ve seen the petty fights and crimes! And for what?! A bit of land?! A bit of power?! Is it really worth it?!” I asked the crowd.

“In the end, we’re all people! We all just want to live!” I said. I turned to Rafa. “Do you really think your mom would be happy to see you doing this?” I asked. Rafa’s expression turned somber.

“What about you, Jack?!” Mike said from behind me. An injured Jack with a bandaged head perked up. “After what happened to your sister? Do you really think she’ll be happy to see you fighting? Creating more violence?!” Mike said. Jack looked to the ground and didn’t reply.

“As for Mike and I!” I said. “Our relationship is none of your business. No one is getting hurt! No one is losing their money or their life or family! So just stop!” I angrily seethed. The tears in my eyes wanted to escape but I refused to show weakness.

“If it makes any of you feel better, both Antonio and I have decided to leave Newport. Only then, will our love not matter to you all.” Mike announced. I turned to him and he gave me a huge smile.

“What do you say, Rafa, Jack, how ‘bout we end this all? Let’s bring peace back to Newport?” I asked. 

Rafa looked up at me, an internal conflict happening in his head. He was actually considering my proposal. Jack also was thinking. 

It’s either the Saints and Jewels disband, or people get hurt more.

“What will we do after?” Jack asked.

“I’m sure you guys can find something else besides smashing each other’s skulls. Think of all the other things you can do, Jack.” Mike told him.

This is what we were doing. We were negotiators, trying to bring civility in a warzone. 

Rafa turned around and talked to his mates. They were talking amongst each other. Jack did the same. Part of me hopes that Rafa and Jack, looking at their friends’ hurts, might persuade them. 

Mike, who had been standing to my left, placed his hand on my shoulder.

“They’re talking it out. That means that they’re considering.” He told me. 

“True. But majority needs to agree.” I replied.

After deliberations, the two leaders finished and stood before us.

“So? What’s it gonna be? War or peace?” I asked the two.

Jack and Rafa turned to each other then back at me.

“Los Saints agree to disband.” Rafa said. A small wave of relief flushed over me.

“The Jewels also agree to disband.” Jack said while clutching his injured head.

It felt like fireworks went off in my head. We did it… We ended a period of conflict.

It sounds cheesy, but we ended it with our love. If Mike and I never met, the Saints and Jewels would keep fighting. The reign of terror would still continue and life would never change in Newport. It was by chance that something came along to stop the war. And it was in the most unconventional way.

“Shake on it. You know the drill.” Mike told the two leaders. Rafa and Jack faced each other, held out their bloody hands, and shook.

“It’s official! The Saints and Jewels are over!” Mike announced. There was chatter from the crowd. But it was hard for me to tell if it was positive or negative.

“D’you think anyone’s mad?” I asked Mike.

“Maybe some. It’s gonna take a bit longer for them to get along. There might be some more fights. But nothing that reforms can’t do.” Mike responded.

I turned to him and was awed at the man he’d become. 

“We gotta get your cut healed.” I told him, raising my hand and brushing his black hair away from his forehead. 

“You need more help.” Mike chuckled. 

Mike bent his head down and I leaned up to kiss each other on the lips. I didn’t care that people were looking. I want them to see. I want everyone to know that, despite everything, our love still grew bigger than before. 

I reached and wrapped my hands around Mike, hugging him tightly.

“Can we run away now?” I cried into his neck.

“Yes, my love. Now, we can run away.” He replied. I planted my face into his neck and sobbed. The emotional baggage from everything rushed in. 

We hid ourselves for so long. We had to sneak behind everyone’s back and meet in private. Now, it’s all out.

I tilted my head up and looked behind Mike. What I saw shocked me.

Walking behind Mike was Juan, a person whom I hadn’t seen during the fight. And in his hand was a gun. 

Alarms went off in my head. It all happened so slowly. 

I shouted Mike’s name just as he shouted mine. What I didn’t know was that behind me was Archie, another person absent during the fight, walking behind me with a gun.

But I didn’t know that. And Mike didn’t know that Juan was behind him. Still in our hug, I turned Mike around so I would take the bullet for him. Mike had the same idea, to protect me from Archie’s bullet. 

Two bangs rang out. I felt a sharp pain in my torso, and then another one. Mike grunted and we collapsed, still hugging each other, on the roof of the car. 

The ringing in my ear impaired me. But I could hear chatter. My vision began to get dark. When I looked up, I saw people gathering around us. I turned to Mike and saw him passed out. My hand touched my torso and I felt something wet. Then I saw red on my hand. A lot of red.

I started to panic. I think I screamed for Mike. I reached out to him as he began to get dragged away. I grabbed onto his leg and begged for them not to take him. To not take the love of my life. Despite my attempts to hold onto him, my hand was pried away. The last time I saw Mike was him passed out, his eyes closed and his beautiful black hair messed up.

Before I passed, I told someone to save Mike. Save him for me. He has more of a purpose to live. He has reason. I’m just someone who was in love with him. A simple small town boy with no money to my name. But Mike has it all. He’ll grow up to be something and be someone.

I’m just collateral damage. My worth is none. So if it comes down to it, I should be the one to go. All expenses should be to Mike. He’s the one that should be saved. And I won’t be upset. It’s my final wish. To save Mike.

Then, I slowly blacked out, unsure if whether I was alive or dead. Or if Mike was alive. And both were equally scary for me.

---

<3

76. Hospital

Michael’s POV

I slowly began to feel a sharp pain in my abdomen. Everything was fuzzy. My fingers felt numb, my feet felt tingly, and most of all, I felt a weird feeling of… sanitization? It’s a weird feeling to explain. 

“Uh…” I grunted. I opened my eyes and was met with a bright white light above me. “Wha… what’s going… on?” I murmured. I moved my right hand and brought it up to rub my head. I felt a bandage on my forehead.

The sound of a beeping machine was finally registered in my ears. It sounded like a heart monitor, with sporadic beeps. 

I tried to sit up but my chest was in pure pain when I flexed it. 

“Fuck!” I grunted. The heart monitor slowly began to speed up. 

Oh God! Antonio! 

The sudden urge to find him brought me the energy I needed to begin moving. I started thrashing in the hospital bed, shouting for Antonio.

“Antonio! Where are you! My love! Antonio!” I yelled. A group of nurses rushed into the room. 

“Sir, we need you to calm down! Give him some morphine!” She told another nurse.

“Antonio!” I yelled. I looked towards the door and saw Petey and Avalon standing there with sad looks on their faces. “Petey! Where’s Antonio!” I desperately asked him.

“Michael! Just calm down!” He yelled back. 

I was slowly feeling myself calm down. Despite my body calming down, my brain was still wanting one thing. 

Fuck trying to stay alive. I need to get to him.

“Pe-Petey.” I muttered. Petey and Avalon entered the room. 

“How is he?” Petey asked one of the nurses.

“He’s a bit disoriented. Being knocked out for a while made him a bit confused. Try to avoid questions about anything that will get him riled up. He needs to take it easy.” The nurse said.

“Thank you, ma’am. We’ll do that.” Ava told her. The nurse walked out of the room and left me with my two friends.

“Petey. Ava. Tell me, where is he?” I asked them. The two walked to my side and sat down on some chairs.

“Michael. You need to take it easy. Just rest and get your energy back up. Then we’ll take you home.” Petey assured me.

“I can’t, Petey! Where is Antonio!?” I begged. 

“Do you remember what happened?” Ava asked me.

“Not really. All- All I remember is one minute Ant and I were stopping the rumble, the next, I fell on the floor.” I said.

“You got shot.” Ava said. “I saw the whole thing. While you and Ant were hugging, both Archie Gates and Juan Rodriguez were trying to shoot you both.” 

I then remembered when I saw Archie walking towards Ant’s back with a gun in hand. I remember quickly spinning him around so Archie doesn’t shoot him. But when I did that, I saw Juan, also wanting to shoot me. 

In the end, we both got shot.

“Were they both caught?” I asked, rubbing my hand on my torso where a patch bandages were placed. 

“Yeah. As soon as you both were shot, both gangs apprehended them. The cops came and took them.” Ava explained. I began thinking. “They weren’t working together. It just so happened that both of them wanted to shoot you.”

“You know Archie. He never liked Ant or that fact that you were with him. He was always hot headed.” Petey said. 

“And the Jewels? The Saints?” I asked.

“They’re disbanded. As of two days ago, both Rafael and Jack ended the groups. It’s not been easy. The two sides still sometimes disagree, but there is effort.” Petey said.

Then I wanted to ask the main, most important question.

“And Antonio?” I asked. 

Both Ava’s and Petey’s eyes began to get misty. 

“Wh-when Archie shot you two, the bullet from his gun was much stronger. The bullet went through you and also shot Antonio. He… he was shot twice.” Petey explained in ragged breaths.

“T-Twice?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, Michael.” Petey said. I turned to Ava, who wasn’t looking at me but at the window.

“Is he alive?” I asked Ava. She didn’t turn to me. “Ava! Is he alive?!” I shouted at her. 

She took a deep breath and muttered, “Barely.”

It felt like I had been shot again. The sudden guilt. I’m here, talking with my friends, while Antonio is barely hanging on to life. 

“Can I see him?” I asked. 

“He’s in the ICU. He can’t have any visitors. Not even his brother’s girlfriend.” Petey said, referring to Dolores.

“Why did this happen? We just wanted to run away!” I sobbed into my hand. 

“Ava, go get him some water.” I heard Petey say. 

“I can’t lose him, Petey. We were gonna run away together! We were gonna move to Oregon and start a new life.” I cried out.

“There’s still hope. It’s not all gone.” Petey assured me. “You and Antonio have survived so much. I’m sure he can pull through this.” 

Ava walked back in with a cup of water in her hands. “Michael, can Dolores come in?” She asked. I looked at the door and saw the woman standing there with a blank stare. 

Poor Dolores. Both Antonio and Manuel are in the hospital. She’s all alone.

“Yeah. Let her in.” I replied. I chugged the water and quenched my thirst. 

“Hi, Michael.” Dolores said. I waved at her.

“Nice to officially meet you.” I told her shyly.

“We never did get to meet. How are you feeling?” She asked.

“I’m in pain.” I said to her.

“I’m sure your wound will heal quickly.” She responded.

“Not that kind of pain…” I simply said. She had a quick realization.

“The doctors said that there’s a small chance he’ll wake up. He got hit in the torso and in his lung.” She tried not to break down.

“I can’t imagine what you must be going through. And Antonio told me he thinks you’re pregnant.” I said.

She chuckled and wiped a few tears. “Uh, yeah. I was planning on telling them both after Manuel and Jack’s fight. But uh, stuff happened.” She said.

“Do you need any help? I can hire someone to look after your house and clean up and cook. Being by yourself with an incoming baby can’t be easy.” I said.

“It’s fine. Ms. Bella, a close friend to Antonio’s, was kind enough to offer her services. I mostly spend my time in Manuel’s room, waiting for either him or Antonio to wake up.” She said. I smiled at the thought of Ms. Bella looking after Antonio’s family.

“I never wanted this to happen, Dolores. I just fell in love with Antonio. I can’t help but to blame myself for all of this.” I said in guilt.

“I could never blame you, Michael. You gave Antonio a gift that you never knew you had. That’s something you can never put a price on. I’m sure Antonio, in his coma, is proud of doing all of this to defend both of you.” 

“You’re not alone, right? Antonio and Manuel wouldn’t want you to go through this alone.” I said.

“I’m not alone. I have a lot of people who come in and give me things like blankets. There’s also Dina, Antonio’s friend, who sometimes comes by. And you? You have your friend but where are you parents?” She asked.

“Oh, my parents called them!” Petey piped up. “They were in Tokyo but are on their way back. They just need to finish a few things.” I rolled my eyes. Of course they’re going to put work ahead of their son.

“I’ll visit you. At least until your parents come.” Dolores said.

“You sure it won’t be a bother?” I asked her. 

She patted my leg. “Not at all. Antonio’s would’ve wanted me to check up on you.” She said. She looked at the clock. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go and change Manuel. But hang in there, it’ll all turn out in the end.” She smiled at me and stood up.

“Adios, Dolores.” I said.

“Adios, Michael.” She said. She smiled at both Petey and Ava and walked out the room.

“So, my parents? Are they actually on their way?” I asked Petey. He blushed.

“Ah, you see, um, no. We told them that you got shot. That’s all we said. They are in Tokyo, but need to make a stop in Sydney. They probably won’t be here for at least another three weeks.” Petey said.

“Fuck them. I’ve done everything myself my whole life. I don’t need my parents.” I pouted.

“Michael. It’s obvious you miss them.” Ava saw through my mask. “We’ll stay with you the entire time and won’t leave your side. No matter how annoying we get.” 

“Yeah! We’ll bring food and board games!” Petey said.

“That’s really sweet, guys. But what about school? There’s a week left this semester and finals are coming.” I said.

“Do you know the emotional appeal and advantages of having your best friend in the hospital? Both Ava and I gave sad eyes and asked if we could be barred from the finals because you’re in the hospital.” Petey said. 

“Glad to see that I can be of use.” I chuckled.

“Yeah, maybe you getting shot wasn’t such a bad thing.” Petey said. Ava pinched his arm.

“Dumbass, don’t say that!” She seethed. Petey turned to me and quickly apologized.

“So, which game should we play?” I asked.

“Monopoly!” Petey shouted. 

“Wide World!” Ava also shouted. 

The two looked at each and began to argue. I just sat and watched as a bit of normalcy began to come back. The only thing left is to get the love of my life back. There’s a huge amount of hope that is praying for him to wake up soon.

---

<3 <3

77. Awake

Michael’s POV

The day was normal, for someone is a hospital of course. Bland meals, occasional check ups, and flowers and cards from people. Luckily, I had some people who would come in and spend time with me.

“Hey, Michael, whatchu doing?” Ava asked.

“Filling out paperwork.” I replied.

“Huh? But you’re supposed to be resting! Why are you doing this?” She asked.

“I’m just preparing.” I said.

“For what?”

“I did research and checked the Rochester High’s regulations. If you have more than enough credits, you can graduate early and get your diploma ASAP.” I told her.

“Michael, don’t tell me you’re planning to get your high school diploma early.” She sighed.

“Yes. For me and Antonio. Antonio had the highest grades out of all of us. He had more than enough. My ranking is in the top 5, so I also have enough. I’m filling out the paperwork and gonna get us our diploma.” I said.

“So you aren’t going to college. You’re just gonna move away and start a life. You know you’re abandoning everything: money, power, an inheritance, and even to live a comfortable life.” Ava said.

“Think about it, Ava. Are you in love with anyone?” I asked.

She turned bright red. “Wha- No! Of course not!” Her voice wasn’t convincing.

“Wouldn’t you want to live with that person? Keep them by your side? Imagine getting to live forever with that person. Even if me and Ant don’t have a lot of money, I at least get to be with him.” I told her.

She seemed to begin to understand.

“I’ll never be as courageous as you, Michael. I can only salute you and admire you. Maybe one day I’ll be as strong as you.” She replied.

“You have the will, Ava. I know it.” I told her.

“Still. If one day you two move to a new place, you should totally give me your house in Oregon.” She said.

“Maybe. Then you can move in and start your own family.” I said.

A knock on the door stopped our conversation. Both Ava and I turned and saw Petey standing in the doorway. He had a sad look on his face.

“Petey? What’s wrong?” Ava asked.

“Uhhh, my parents just told me something.” He said in a low voice.

“Are they mad about the shooting? They know you had nothing to do with it!” I said.

“No, it’s not that. They know that I wasn’t there. But…” He looked at me with sad eyes. “My parents just told me that we’re moving.” He said.

“You’re what?!” Me and Ava gasped.

“Tell them you can’t! Tell them that you have everything here! You can’t leave! Especially not now!” I protested.

“I tried, Michael. I tried telling them. But they’re hellbent on making us move. Ever since the shooting, and the past incidents, they don’t think Newport is safe anymore. I’m sorry.” He began sobbing.

“Well, when do you move?” I asked.

“Two weeks from now.” He said.

“Where?” I asked.

“Somewhere in upstate New York. In a small town in the middle of nowhere.” Petey said.

“Promise to keep in contact?” I said.

“Deal! When we’re adults, we should meet for Christmas every year. You could bring Antonio!”

“And what about me?” Ava asked.

“I thought red-heads didn’t celebrate Christmas.” Petey chuckled.

“We’re not that heartless.” Ava joked.

Petey pulled out a deck of cards and we began playing card games. I asked about some people and what they’re up to.

Jack and Rafael have become friends and have gotten along great. Both Archie and Juan are being charged with attempted murder. Bandit is being sent to a boarding school far away. Many former Saints have begun reconstruction of their side of town.

But Antonio is still knocked out.

“No, wait! My hand is higher!” Petey said.

“Nu-uh! I have a two pair! You have three Jacks! Two pairs trump Jacks!”

“I’m the winner!” Petey and Ava fought.

That’s when I slammed my deck in front of them.

“Royal flush.” I said. Both turned and saw my hand.

“Wha- How the hell?!” Petey began whining while Ava, despite losing, was just glad that Petey didn’t win.

“Sorry, dude, but I win.” I leaned forward and grabbed all the candy bars we had bet.

A sound of something crashing brought our attention over to the door. We all stopped our game, turned, and saw Dolores picking herself up.

“Michael!” An excited Dolores yelled. “Antonio woke up!” She told me with the biggest smile on her face.

“What?” I said in disbelief.

“He woke up! He wants to see you!” She said.

I turned to Petey. “Am I dreaming?” I asked.

“You’re not, Michael. He woke up.” Petey told me.

I turned to Dolores.

“He’s awake…” I muttered. “He’s awake!” I said with excitement. I removed my blanket and tried to stand up. I almost fell on the floor but Petey held onto me.

“Hang on, Michael! Let’s get you a wheelchair first. You aren’t fit to walk yet.” Petey said. He left the room and got a wheelchair.

“Ava! Get my coat!” I told her. She ran to my bag of clothes that she had brought and got my coat. She helped me put it on.

Dolores walked over and began to pull out a brush and fix my hair. “If you’re going to see Antonio, you don’t want to look like you have just woken up.” She said, combing through my hair.

A warm excitement began to fill me. Like I’d just won an Oscar or ended a war.

“Here! I stole it from an old lady!” Petey raced into the room with a wheelchair.

“Get me in!” I said to Ava and Petey. They both carried me into the wheelchair and set me in place. Dolores finished with my hair until she felt like I was presentable.

“I’m nervous.” I said. I haven’t seen Antonio in so long. Will he remember me? Did he forget anything? I hope not. I’ve been waiting for this day for… 6 days. But during those six days, I felt like I was in deep withdrawal.

“Relax, Michael. Once he sees you, it’ll be like how it was before.” Petey assured me. We began to walk faster, following Dolores as she guided us to the ICU.

“Are we allowed to go in?” I asked Dolores.

“I checked when he woke up. But only one at a time. I think you should go first.” Dolores told me.

I was in the wheelchair in front of room 39-C. The patient’s name was Antonio Jose Garcia. He’s in there. Waiting.

“Can someone open the door?” I asked. Dolores opened the door for me and I wheeled myself in.

As soon as I entered, I was met with Ant, who was in similar condition. He had bandages on his torso but a few tubes tied to his arm. I wheeled to the side of his bed and looked at his beautiful face. There were a few stitches where he had been hit in the forehead. But, his beauty remained.

His eyes slowly opened and the all too familiar brown eyes that got me lost were staring right back at me.

It took him a few seconds to register me. But once he did, it was like everything clicked.

I can only describe it as similar to the moment when we first laid eyes on one another. That instant attraction. A feeling that I could never forget because of how monumental it was.

I’ve longed for this feeling again. Despite the short days, and the small chances of Ant waking up, he pulled through. I always knew he would. He’s Antonio Jose fucking Garcia, he can get through anything.

“M-Mike?” He said in a raspy voice. He brought his hand out and touched my face. It’s been a few days since I’ve shaved but I still looked like me.

“Ant.” I replied.

We stared deep into each other’s eyes. He was gathering every bit of me. Every familiar detail and new details. New cuts and bruises. A small stubble. A patch on my forehead.

But I’m still me.

“MIKE!” Ant jumped forward and gave me a tight hug.

“Ant!” I replied. We hugged each other and sobbed into each other’s necks.

“You’re back! You’re really here!” He cried. “I thought I was gonna lose you!” He said.

“I’m not going anywhere, my love! I’m staying forever!” I replied.

I refused to let him go. He’s my love. I’m sticking with him. From here on out, I will never let Ant out of sight. From here onto forever.

---

<3 <3

78. Reunion

Antonio’s PO V

I stared into the face of the man. The man that I’ve dedicated my life to. The man that I’ve claimed as mine.

“What’s wrong?” Mike asked. I stared into his blue eyes.

“I just…” I reached forward and touched his face. “I can’t believe you’re here.” I said. My eyes began to tear up.

“I’ve been waiting for so long. I thought I was gonna die if you never woke up.” Mike said. 

My fingers ran over his stubble on his face. “You haven’t shaved.” I pointed out.

“Yeah, I’ve been occupied by other things. But I promise, when we get out, I’ll shave.” He said.

“No, don’t.” I said. I felt the hair on his chin. “You look better like this. I think you should grow it out. It’ll make you look sexier.” I said.

“If you think so, then I’ll grow it out.” Mike grabbed my hand on his face, brought it down to his lips, and kissed them. 

It was just silence between us. The only sound was the beeping of the machine next to me. I want to jump into Mike’s hand, but at last, the doctor’s said I need these IVs in me. Apparently to “keep me alive”. 

“So, Ant.” Mike said. “I uh, wanted to know if you still want to.” He said nervously.

“Run away?” I asked him. He nodded. 

“A lot has happened in the past few weeks. I wasn’t sure if you were still up for it. Do you still want to run away?” He asked with tears in his eyes.

I knew my answer. Ever since we brought the idea up, my answer always remained the same. I was hesitant at times, and even wanted to delay the plan, but I always saw myself with what I wanted.

“I still want to run away, Mike.” I told him. “I want us to run away. And start our life anew.” 

“Really?!” He had the biggest smile on his face. I nodded. “This is perfect!” He leaned forward and kissed me on my lips.

How I miss his lips. 

“I got the principal of Rochester to approve an early graduation for us! We’ll get our diplomas and get our transcripts! Even if we don’t go to college, we can still get good jobs!” Mike said.

“But what about you? Are you willing to leave this life of money behind?” I asked him.

“There is no life if you’re not in it.” He replied with the most sincere voice. 

“When are we doing it?” I asked.

“I wanna leave before my parents come back. So… in about two weeks.” He said.

“Dolores said I’ll get discharged in two weeks. It’ll be perfect.” 

“Then it’s settled. We’ll run away before Christmas.” Mike placed his head on the bed near my legs. “I’m just gonna lie down here.” Mike said. 

He began snoring lightly. It sounded like he could finally sleep. He looks so peaceful asleep. I stroked his hair, touching his soft black locks. 

The door to my room opened and Dolores popped her head in. “Everything okay?” She asked.

“Mhm. Yeah, it is now.” I smiled down at a sleeping Mike.

“Do you need anything?” She asked. 

“No. I’m satisfied.” I told her. She smiled at me.

“I’ll go be with Manuel.” She said and quietly left the room. I began humming a soft lullaby and watched Mike sleep. Poor thing must be exhausted.

Slowly, everything began to come back. My memory of the accident was now starting to piece together. I remember hugging Mike. I looked behind him and remembered seeing Juan stealthy walking towards Mike with a firearm in his hand. It was quick thinking, and at the expense of myself, that I decided to turn Mike around to make sure Juan didn’t shoot him.

But to my surprise, I felt a bullet hit me. Two shots rang out. I could still feel the sudden warmth and pain that came from my abdomen. Then I remember falling on the ground and trying to make sure Mike was okay.

That fear that came in during what I thought was my final moment. I just needed to tell Mike that everything was going to be okay.

I thought then that we weren’t destined for a happily ever after. I’ve read stories of true love and thought I wasn’t worthy of it. 

Guess in the end we might have our happily ever after.

I fell asleep alongside Mike. Even after being in a coma for so long, I was tired. My sleep was nothing but bliss. My hand, which was touching Mike’s hair, continuously let me know that he was still by my side.

“Ant. Ant! Wake up!” I felt someone shaking me. I squinted my eyes open and saw familiar blue eyes looking at me.

“Mike.” I said. 

“Ant.” He replied. “You have some visitors.” He said. I gripped his hand tight.

“Don’t leave.” I muttered.

“I’m not.” He chuckled. “I bribed some of the staff to let in more people. You just gotta take it easy.” He said. 

Mike wheeled over to the door and opened it. On the other side, I saw Dina, Ms. Bella, Petey, and Avalon.

“Hi, Antonio. How are you feeling?” Dina asked. Everyone walked in together and stood around me.

“Tired.” I replied. 

“I brought these!” Petey announced, holding up a pot of blue and pink hydrangeas. “Grew ‘em myself.” He said.

“They’re lovely.” I replied. He set the flowers down next to me on the nightstand. 

“Do you remember what happened?” Ava asked.

“Yeah. I do. Sadly.” Then I remembered about Archie and Juan. “What about those two?” I asked.

“Juan and Archie? They were arrested. Attempted murder I think. And destruction of property for Juan and assaulting an officer for Archie.” Avalon said.

“Dina? How have you been?” I asked the crying girl. 

She wiped her tears. “Fine. I had to sneak out to come here. I’m gonna get spanked later for sure.” She laughed.

“Thank you all for being here.” Mike grabbed my hand and looked at me. “Have you told them, Mike?” I said to him. 

“Huh? Oh, right. Guys, we’re still going through with our plans. In less than two weeks, we’ll be leaving Newport for good.” He said.

Dina had a small smile on her face. I guess she knew this would happen.

After we all talked with each other, everyone left, except for Mike. He refused to let my hand go and even fed me my food.

Dolores then walked in.

“How are you two?” She asked us.

“Never been better.” Mike replied.

“I’ll bring your suitcase over in a few days. Michael, you should go home once you get discharged and finish up your things. Or is one of your friends bringing your stuff?”

“I’ll have someone bring it.” Mike replied. 

“Um, Dolores. If I leave before Manny wakes up, will you tell him everything?” I asked her.

“Of course, Tonio. I’ll make sure he understands.” She replied.

I thanked her as she left us alone. 

“Can I kiss you?” Mike asked me. He looked down at his lap, blushing like a small child. 

“Why are you so embarrassed?” I asked him.

“I don’t know. Cause whenever I want to kiss you, I get butterflies. Even after all this time, I still feel nervous.” He said. I leaned over and grabbed his face in my hands and planted the biggest kiss ever.

“No reason to be nervous. I trust you.” I said. He nudged his face in my hand so carefully.

The day for our departure was getting closer. Mike had my room moved right next to his. Both of us also began to learn to walk normally again. And our statements on the shooting were taken by police. 

It’s been a hectic few days. 

It’s weird to believe that 5 months ago, I was just a normal-ish kid who went to school and came home. And today, I’ve been shot twice, have gotten married, became a social pariah, and am planning on running away with a guy.

Life sorta throws curveballs at you. You can either get hit, or dodge them. 

The cold from the snow settled in. Outside was a winter wonderland. In the years prior, I would’ve been out there playing in snow with Dina. But today, I’m in my room with Mike as we begin to design how we want our home to look.

“Can we plant a willow near the river? I think it’ll look cool.” I said.

“And who will be planting this tree, might I ask?” Mike said.

I brought my hand to his biceps and gripped them. “My strong husband.” I replied. Mike’s face turned red as he chewed on the pencil.

“Only you.” He said. Right as Mike began to plan our bedroom, Dolores ran into the room.

According to Mike, she does this sometimes.

“Antonio! Manuel woke up!” She quickly told me. I jolted up and ran to her.

“Seriously? Right now?” I said.

“Mhm! Come on! Let’s go see him!” She said. I turned to Michael.

“Do you want to wait here?” I asked him.

“I’ll go with you. He’s basically my brother-in-law.” Mike responded.

Both me and Mike followed a fast Dolores down the hospital hallways towards the familiar ICU wing. She stopped us in front of Manny’s room.

“Get ready. He might be a bit confused.” Dolores warned me.

“I know how that feels.” I said.

I opened the door carefully, stepped in, and saw Manny already sitting up and looking at me.

“Is this when you tell me you’re leaving?” Manny said. The first words he’s said to me in weeks.

Guess it’s time I do some explaining.

---

<3 xoxo

79. Blessing

Antonio’s POV

I stared at Manny, him having a questioning look plastered on his face. Most likely Dolores told him about my plan to run away. He was bound to know eventually. So I might as well come clean.

“Good morning to you too.” I said, walking in and closing the door behind me.

“Were you always planning on running away?” He asked.

“No. We were planning on just coming out after graduation. Then we moved it to after the fight. And then we both realized we could never be happy together here. And so we planned on running away.” I laid it all out for Manny.

“So you were just going to leave without saying goodbye? Am I that much of a second thought to you?” Manny had a sad look on his face.

I walked over to his side and sat on the bed. “It’s not that. It’s cause I knew you would never let me go.” I told him.

“You’re damn right I wouldn’t! You think I’d let you leave with someone I’ve never met?! Are you trying to sign your death? You’re a smart kid! Did you forget logic?!” Manny angrily spat at me.

“You don’t know Mike like I do. He’s kind hearted. He’s amazing. He cares for me. He even tried to save me from a bullet. No matter your premonitions of him, I know him better than everyone else.” I said.

“I’m not letting you go! You’re not going anywhere. God! I wake up after weeks to this kind of shit!” Manny yelled.

“Calm down, Manny.” I told him.

“Calm down? Calm down?! How am I supposed to? You want to leave! You-You can’t leave! No! You can’t!” Manny broke down crying. He sobbed into hands.

I brought my arm and hugged Manny close to my side. He sobbed on my shoulder, holding me tight.

“I can’t let you leave.” He sobbed into my arm.

“And why not, Manny? Are you worried about Michael? He’s a good guy.” I softly told him.

“It’s not that.” He wiped his tears away. “Before mama and papa died, they made me promise I would look after you. To step up and make sure nothing happens to you. How am I supposed to do that if you’re away?” He said in a frail, weak voice.

“You did your job, Manny. You protected me for so long. I’m thankful for that. Even if I sometimes didn’t want it. But I’m older now. It’s time for me to be responsible. And I won’t be alone. I have someone who’ll be by my side.”

Manny let a tear slip and tried hard not to break down.

“Where are you moving to?” He asked without looking me in the eye.

“Oregon.” I said.

“That’s too far! I can’t let you move all the way over there. It’s too far!” Manny said.

“Please, Manny. I’ll send you and Dolores messages constantly. Mike has lots of money to support us. I’m going to a community college nearby. We’ll have a good life.” I pleaded with him.

“You know Dolores is pregnant, right?” Manny said.

“Yeah, I figured.” I said. I lightly punched his shoulder. “Knocked her up already, you bastard.” I said. He laughed a bit.

“She really deserves so much for putting up with both of us.”

“Have you decided on any names?” I asked.

“No. But we might name them after mama and papa. Dolores really likes the name Aleida. We might name her that if she’s a girl.” Manny said.

“That’ll be beautiful. And you’d be a good dad. Strict, but good.” I said.

“You really think that?” He asked with wide eyes.

“Mhm. You basically raised me. And look how I turned out.”

“Heh. Yeah. Guess I did a good job there.” Manny had a sad smile on his face. “Oregon, huh? Sounds kinda boring.” He said.

“But that’s what I’m willing to live with. It won’t be easy every day. I may even sometimes get annoyed at Mike. Still, if I can wake up with a smile on my face everyday, I’ll know I did something right.”

Manny smiled, a huge smile.

“You’re really going to leave.” He muttered to himself.

“I’ll call everyday. I’ll send letters. I’ll send money for you and the baby. And we’ll visit whenever we can. Does that sound good?” I asked Manny.

He cried on my shoulder.

“Fine.” He murmured.

“Really?” I said.

“Mhm. You can go. Go and be with him. Follow your heart.” He said. He held my face in his hands. “You’re still my little brother who used to run around, bothering mama and papa about what they’re making for dinner and dressing in papa’s clothing.” He said.

“Part of me is still that kid. Just bigger.” I said.

“But…” Manny said. “I need to meet Michael. I should get to know the man who’s taking my brother across the country.”

“You sure you wanna meet him? You won’t attack him?”

“I… promise.” Manny sounded hesitant.

“I’ll let him in.” I stood up and pranced to the door. I opened it and saw Mike leaning against a wall. “Mike.” I called out for him. He turned to me.

“Hmm?” He asked.

“Uh, don’t freak. But Manny wants to meet you.” I told him. Mike began to get nervous.

“Do I bring a knife?” He jokingly asked.

“I made him promise that he won’t attack.” I said to him.

“Sure. Let’s go in.” Mike began to walk with me and we entered Manny’s room.

Manny’s stance was that of high alert. He watched Mike like a hawk. Mike on the other despite, being him being a bit taller than Manny and in better condition, was still scared of him.

“You’re the one who stole my brother’s heart. Right?” Manny asked.

“That would be me. Uh, nice to meet you.” Mike held out his hand. Manny stared at it before shaking his hand.

“You want to take Antonio across the country, I heard. You know you have to ask for my blessing, right?” Manny said. Mike began to start blushing.

“Right! Manuel Garcia, may I have your blessing to take Antonio and live with me. I’ll take care of him and he’ll take care of me.” Mike said.

“You’re rich. I expect you to be the main provider. Do you agree?” Manny asked.

“Manny! I’m not some weak sissy!” I pleaded.

“The men are talking, Antonio.” Manny said.

“I agree to be the main provider. I don’t mind.” Mike turned to me and gave me a cheeky smile.

“And if you hurt him in any way, I will literally kill. Do you agree for me to kill you if you hurt him?” Manny said.

“I… agree…” Mike said. I know Manny well, he won’t actually kill him.

He will, but Mike has nothing to worry about.

Manny huffed and looked at both me and Mike as we stood side by side. His eyes kept looking back and forth.

“How the hell did I not see it earlier? Was I really that blind?” He mumbled and chuckled to himself. “Michael, I give you my blessing. Take care of him. He means a lot to a lot of people.” Manny said.

“I will! Thank you, Manuel!” Mike replied. Manny called Mike over and the two hugged tightly.

“Welcome to the family!” Manny said.

I felt all giddy inside. This is proof that the Saint and Jewels were just labels and meant nothing else. These two guys, from different sides, managed to get along.

“Antonio! I need to give you something before you leave. Things for you two. And some things from mama and papa.” Manny said.

“Can I take papa’s boots!? Please please please?!” I jumped and asked Manny. I gave him doe eyes and looked at him.

“Does this work on you?” Manny asked Mike.

“Unfortunately, it does.” Mike sighed.

Manny nodded his head. “Yeah, you can keep them.” He said. “And you Mike, I’ll need to know more about your… future living arrangements.”

“Of course. Thank you for this. Antonio will be safe with me.” Mike said.

I watched as the two talked and sometimes joked around like they’ve known each other for their entire lives. Mike also held my hand the entire time, never letting me go.

Because I’m not going anywhere.

“The train leaves in a few days. We want you guys to be at the train station for a final goodbye.” I told Manny, Dolores, Dina, Petey, and Ava, who were all in the room with us now.

“We’ll all be there.” Manny said.

“Before we leave, I want to take Antonio somewhere. But we’ll meet you all at the station.” Mike put his arm over me and hugged me close.

Our future is to begin soon. The hesitation that I once had is no longer there. Now, I feel sure about this decision. I’ve said my peace to everyone, and everyone understands. The Saints and Jewels are gone.

We’ll be leaving this place to a new home.

---

<3

80. Goodbye

Antonio’s POV

Mike slammed the trunk of his car shut. He’d finished putting in the last of my bag.

“And how are you getting this car to Oregon? We’ve had too many memories to let this go.” I said to Mike.

“I’m having someone drive it for me all the way to Oregon. They’re taking the train back over here. I’ve paid them off so they won’t say a word.” Mike responded.

I sat on the hood of his car, swaying my legs back and forth. Mike walked over to me and began kissing me. His lips reached my neck and he started to suck there.

“Break it up, you two! We can all see!” Manny called out to us. Mike split away from me.

“We’re gonna head off now. We’ll see you at the station. We gotta check something out.” Mike said.

“We’ll meet you there! Good luck! Don’t let anything bad happen while you’re gone.” Dolores called out. I got off the hood of Mike’s car and headed to the passenger door.

Once I got in, I grabbed Pancho, the stuffed animal Mike won for me at the carnival, and placed it on my lap. I waved goodbye at Manny and Dolores as Mike began to pull out the dirt land and into the streets.

“Look at all this!” I saw, aweing at the clean state of the streets.

“Ever since the two gangs made up, the former Jewels began to offer to clean up the streets.” Mike explained.

He kept driving towards a place I haven’t seen in a while. He entered the empty plot of land and parked his car somewhere random.

I knew where we were.

“It looks empty without all the cars and shouting.” Mike pointed out.

“Mhm. It’s so… peaceful.” I said. Mike began walking as I followed him to a small enclave surrounded by trees.

“Remember this place?” He asked, taking position exactly where I remembered. I also moved to where I was.

“This is the place where we met. The place we fell in love for the first time.” I said.

“And everyday, I fall more in love with you. God must’ve blessed me with immense luck. It was fate that brought us here together that night.” Mike said.

Mike and I hugged each other and kissed while recalling the day of the race where we first met. One of the most magical moments of my life.

“Let’s go now. We have more places to see.” Mike said. He grabbed my hand and began leading me back to the car. I turned back and said a final goodbye to the love spot.

Mike turned on the car and pulled out the plot of land. We drove past Rochester High School, once a powder keg now a semi-normal high school.

“Too bad we won’t ever get to have a real graduation.” I said.

“Relax. We got our diplomas and transcripts. We’re fine.” Mike replied.

“Remember the dance. I was an angel and you were a demon.” I said.

“It was cheesy, but perfect. And we did that without telling each other.”

He took the long route, towards the north. We drove past the apple orchard, where we had one of our dates.

Next was the giant sign that read Moonlight Drive-In Theater. Our first date where we watched Rebel Without A Cause.

As he reached the edge of town, I turned to the empty plot of land and could vividly imagine the lights of the carnival ride. The tip of the ferris wheel where we watched over the town, feeling like nothing could stop us.

Sally’s Diner was located near the place of the carnival. The diner owned by Ms. Bella, it was a place where we ate after an amazing night of games and rides.

Mike then began to take a turn. Once we reached the coast, he began driving south. It was like he was making a loop.

We passed by the cemetery where my dear parents lay to rest. It was a surreal moment where Mike met my mama and papa.

We then reached a hill where Mike and I had once been atop of, staring into the ocean when he’s brought up the idea of running away.

Even farther was the Lexington manor, a place where I’d spent time with Mike. He invited me into his home without a second thought. I was able to bring some company in his empty halls.

The fabric store that Avalon’s parents owned was our next stop. Our wedding remains one of the best days of my life. I looked down at my finger, which held a large gem with the Lexington seal on the band, a reminder that Mike gave me this. I turned to Mike’s left hand on the wheel and saw he also sported his ring.

Mike had a smile on his face. Not one of sinister, but melancholy.

“So much history here.” He said, a tear rolling down his face.

“I’ll never forget this. These past few months have been the best. And once we’re home, we’ll have even better days.” I said.

He held out his right hand, which I took in my left hand. He gripped his tight as looked at the road ahead of us. Mike finished the loops around town and finally began to drive us to the train station.

“You’re fine with this, right? You aren’t getting cold feet?” Mike asked as the train station approached.

“I’m 100% sure about this. I want this. I want you. Because I love you, Mike.” I said to him.

He parked the car in the parking lot of the station. It was high noon. There was a trolley nearby that we could use to take our bags.

“Ready?” Mike asked me.

“Mhm. I am.” I said. We got out of the car and smelled the air. There was a slight hint of coal. And the sound of nearby trains leaving was easy to hear.

Mike got a trolley and began to place out bags. I held Pancho in my hand and held him close. Then a guy came over to us.

“Are you on the 2 o’clock train?” He asked.

“Yeah. We both are.” Mike replied.

“I could take your bags and place them in the carrier.” The guy said. I grabbed one of my luggages, the one with all my most important possessions, and held it.

I took a last look at Mike’s red Buick. A car that I’m in love with.

“Don’t feel sad. You’ll see it when we get to Oregon.” Mike assured me. He placed the key in a nearby place hidden. “Someone will come and find it to take it.”

“It’s not that I’m second guessing. I’m just nervous.” I said.

“Just do it. Let’s just go and say our goodbyes and get on the train. You’ll feel better.” Mike said.

With a bag in hand, we walked onto the train platform. We began to look around until we saw our friends and family.

They saw us and we ran over to them.

“The train is leaving in 15 minutes.” Petey said.

“That’s enough time.” I said.

I turned to Manny and saw him looking at the train. He was trying hard not to cry.

“Manny?” I asked. He turned over to me and just broke into sobs. He hugged me close, crying into my neck.

“Take care, Antonio. Call us everyday and send us letters.” Manny said. I nodded and then turned to Dolores.

“Don’t be afraid to visit us. And in a few months, you’ll be an uncle.” She said, rubbing her belly.

“I can’t wait. Keep Manny safe. He’ll need it.” I said.

I then turned to Ms. Bella.

“Thank you, ma’am! For everything!” I hugged her.

“When I said you were destined for great things, I knew I was right. It’s not money or success. You managed to find the one thing that most never find. True love.” She said.

“When we get home, I’ll send you a letter and our home number. Then you can call us.” I said.

“I’ll call you until the day I die. Do you still have the money I gave you?” She asked.

“Mhm. It’s in my bag. And the rosary. And the other stuff you gave me.” I said.

“Good. I’ll know we’ll meet again some day.” She said. I kissed her cheek and gave her one last hug.

“Dina!” I said. She jumped in my arms and began sobbing.

“You fucker! Now I’m gonna be alone for the rest of the school year.” She said.

“I’m sure you’ll make friends. Maybe with former Jewels girls.” I said.

“Maybe. Some of them gals are pretty cool. By the way, send all my letters to Manuel’s house. If my parents find anything from you, they’ll tear it up.” She said.

“Alright, Dina.” I hugged her again. “Thank you for keeping our secret and being the best friend ever.” I whispered in her ear.

“No problem, Antonio.” She said with a smile on her face.

Both Mike and I spent the next few minutes talking to everyone and saying goodbye. We laughed at old memories and moments when it was so obvious that we were dating and no one caught on.

We played the ultimate trick on everyone.

The sound of the train whistle stopped our talking. We saw as people began to board the train.

“This is it.” Mike said.

“Oh, wait!” Petey said. He grabbed something on the wooden bench before coming back. “Here. I’ve been growing it for a while.” He said.

He held out a small pot with a growing plant.

“What is it?” I asked. I grabbed the pot and took it from him.

“It’s a honeysuckle plant. It represents affection and everlasting love. Plant it in your yard and it grows much bigger. And you can eat the nectar from the flowers.” Petey explained.

“Ooh! That’ll look nice!” I said. “Thanks, Petey.” I said. He nodded.

The train whistle blew again. Mike handed me a ticket.

“Guess this is it. After everything, it’s still hard to say goodbye.” I said.

“Don’t sweat it, hermano. Go. Live your life. This place is too small for both of you.” Manny said.

I gave everyone a final hug. Then I picked up my bag and honeysuckle plant.

“Goodbye!” I yelled. Manny was crying and Dina was waving back.

“We’ll talk to you all soon! We’ll be back soon!” Mike announced.

The final train whistle blew. I hopped into the train followed by Mike. We handed out tickets and found a seat right next to where we’re able to still see everyone. Mike placed our bags on top of us

Mike sat next to me. “Here we go.” He said.

I looked out at the window and waved at everyone. The train began moving. I cried hard as I saw them pass by.

“Don’t worry, Ant. We’ll be okay.” Mike said. I grabbed his hand tightly.

“I know. I’m excited but I already miss them.” I said.

“You wanna talk about our future?” He said.

“Mhm. Yeah.” I said.

I held the pot of plants in my hand and watched the city pass by us. The movement of the train taking us out of the only place I know as home was an exhilarating feeling.

“Mike?” I said. Mike looked at me.

He had a smile on his face as all his attention was on me. There, I realized why I was in love with him. Because Michael Lexington loves me. He gives me love, he gives me attention. He treats me like I’m his world and I do the same to him.

“I love you.” I said. He started blushing.

“No matter how many times you say that, I still get all giddy. I love you too.” He said. He placed his head on my shoulder. He began to fall asleep with me next to him.

I stared out the window as we reached the mountain range.

Next stop, Richmond, Virginia.

Final stop, Oregon, our new home.

---

<3

Epilogue

America

1960’s

On the west coast in a small Oregon town located near a creek.

Just driving by you’ll assume it’s any normal small town.

From the weeping willow, to the small town shops, and seasonal flowers.

But for two people, it’s nothing but home.

Antonio Jose Garcia, once a shy boy, has now grown as a confident young man. Despite past hardships and disadvantages, he not only managed to find true love, but created his own path and future.

Michael Lexington, a man who thought he could never find love. Despite all his riches, he never felt like he could feel like a normal human. Until he meets a boy from the other side, who showed him that he too is worthy of love.

The Saints and The Jewels are no more. Once enemies, are now friends.

Peace exists. Love prevailed.

As Antonio and Michael look onto the future, they remember their lives. The journey to reach where they are now.

And neither of them would give it up. It was worth the risk, they would say.

The love of two youngsters managed to defeat hate in the best way possible. Not with violence, but with love itself.

Michael Lexington considered Antonio his Saint.

Antonio Jose Garcia considered Michael his Jewel.

Their futures are not marked by their past. Their future is marked by today. And they promise to love each other every day.

And as they both looked at each other and muttered ‘I Love You’, they knew they made the right choice to love. Not to hate at first sight, but to love. And one day, they hope others will do the same. To choose love. Choose the right path.

Two very different people with very different lives. They somehow met. And they fell in love.

THE END

Bonus 1: Letter From Dina

welcome to the bonus chapters! you don’t have to read the next four chapters, but they provide some insight on antonio and michael’s new life and the lives of other characters, enjoy!

Antonio drove in the red Buick car and got out of it, slamming the door shut. He wiped his head from sweat, carrying his book bag in hand and walked up the steps to the porch. He stomped his shoes lightly on the welcome mat, removing any dirt, before opening the door and walking in.

He heard the sound of a hammer hitting the wall. Antonio chuckled lightly and rolled his eyes, knowing that Michael was up to some new project.

“Mike?!” Antonio yelled, setting his book bag on the table. He walked to the den and saw his husband sitting on the floor, with planks of wood everywhere. 

“Hey, baby.” Mike got up and went to kiss Ant. He then picked him up and twirled him around. 

“What are you doing?” Ant asked. 

“I’m making a small table. You think it would look nice?” He asked. Ant looked down at the dark red wood table. 

“Definitely. We can put it in our room.” Ant replied. 

“That’s what I was thinking too. Anyways, how was class? Did you learn anything new?” He asked.

“We read a part of Don Quixote. But I got followed by some guys around campus who called me a spic.” Ant said.

“I’m sorry, my love. Do you need me to beat them up?” Mike asked.

Ant chuckled. “No, I’m good. I’ll have to get used to it.” He said.

There was a knock on the front door. 

“I’ll get it.” Mike said. He left towards the front door and came back with an envelope in hand. He held it out to Ant. 

And read the word and return address. “It’s from Dina.” He said. He sat on the couch in the den with Mike by his side. He opened the letter and unfolded it.

Dear Antonio and Michael,

Sorry I haven’t messaged or called in a while. I’m studying for my SAT’s and now that I’m valedictorian, I have to put in more work. But I wanted to write this just because.

I’m doing pretty good. I still miss you, Antonio. I miss talking to you and all that stuff. But I’ve made some good friends. Remember Sally? The one who cut my throat? Yeah, we’re kinda friends now. It was weird at first. We just both wanted to read the same book and ended up talking for a long time about stuff.

I got an early acceptance into UCLA. So did you too. Manuel asked me to tell you and give you your admission letter. I’m not sure if you’re still going to college. Whatever you do, it’s up to you. I’m still waiting to see if I got into anything else. 

Slowly, I’ve found peace. For a long time after you left, I was lonely and sad all the time. But now, things are looking up. I may not have found a strong handsome guy like you. But I found myself. 

About Flaca. So, pretty much after you got shot, she went into a spiral. Every time I saw her, she just had a look of emptiness. She pulled away from everyone and I sometimes hear her mutter how getting you shot was her fault. 

And after you left, she shut everyone out. Sometime during February, she stopped showing up to school. I got worried and went over to her house. But it was empty. I later found out through her cousin that she had moved to New York with her other family. 

Even though she did horrible things, part of me feels a bit of pity for her. I just hope that she learned something out of this and it made her into a better person. 

Enough about me. I read your letter before I went silent. I don’t know much about chickens. But if they have that red thing, it’s a rooster, And the women are called hens. Make sure you guys only get one rooster and a few hens. 

If you get two roosters, they’ll fight each other. 

But did you know? There are reported cases where two roosters will not actually fight each other but become partners? It’s crazy! Even roosters can be gay! 

You mentioned that you got into a nearby community college. I’m so proud of you. Just remember that you’re a different color. Don’t expect everyone to greet you with open arms.

Tell Michael that I kinda miss him. I never got a chance to know him that well, but the first time I met him, when he saved us from being jumped, I knew there was an ounce of respect for you in him. 

I hope you two will continue to live your lives with grace. While I miss you and wish you were here, it makes me feel better knowing that you’re happy. And if you’re happy, I’m happy.

I hope to see you one day. Maybe during the summer before I leave for university. I sometimes giggle and remember the crazy shit we went through. It’ll be an amazing story to tell to my kids one day. You’ll definitely continue to be a part of life. From now until forever.

I have to go now. I’m glad I was able to write this to you. Don’t worry, I’m safe and sound. 

Carry on with life.

From your best friend, 

Dina Gallegos.

Antonio finished reading the letter as a tear fell down his face.

“She’s good, Ant. Why are you crying?” Mike asked.

“I don’t know.” Ant wiped away tears. He looked up at Mike and leaned his head on Mike’s chest. “It’s good to know that even Dina thinks I made the right choice.” He added. Mike stroked his curly hair.

Antonio looked at the letter and then noticed there was another paper behind it. When he pulled it away, he saw his early acceptance letter from UCLA.

“You got in!” Mike said. “Do you want to go?” He asked.

“I don’t think so. I think I’ll stay here with you.” Ant replied.

“Say we both get accepted into the same school. Would you be willing for us to go together? We can get an apartment nearby.” Mike said.

“Would we even have enough for that?” Ant asked.

“We have more than enough.” He said. 

“Maybe… We’ll see.” Ant said in a teasing tone. 

Ant leaned his head on Mike’s chest, feeling the hard muscle underneath. He looked down at the disassembled wooden table, knowing he’s going to have to help Mike build it. 

And as Mike looked at Ant, he hugged him close and kissed his head. 

Yeah, they’re going to be okay.

Bonus 2: Letter From Petey

Mike was on the roof, nailing down some broken shingles and sweating like crazy. It had been a hard day of labor but in the end, the house was in much better condition. He huffed and began to climb down the ladder. 

“Um, excuse?” Ant said when he saw Mike walk into the house with a sweaty shirt on and a tool box in hand. “I didn’t order a stripper.” He said.

“Well too bad, cute one. Cause I’m here to entertain a handsome gentleman by the name Antonio. Have you seen him anywhere?” He asked. Ant blushed and put his book down.

“That would be me, sir.” He said. Mike set his tool box down and walked towards Ant. 

He removed his shirt and began to straddle Ant. He grinded on his lap and kissed Ant’s neck. 

“Oh, fuck, Mike!” Ant moaned. 

“Go ahead and touch.” Mike said. Ant brought his hand up to touch Mike’s hard chest. He ran his hands all over his hard chest and felt the light hair he’d been growing out. 

Then there was a knock on the door. 

“Oh fuck me!” Mike groaned.

“Maybe later.” Ant replied. Mike got off Ant’s lap and kissed him before going to the door. 

He opened the door and saw the mailman with a letter in hand. The mailman was shocked to see a hunk opening the door. Mike took the letter and closed it back up.

“Who’s it from?” Ant asked as he fixed his shirt. 

“From Petey.” Mike said. He sat down next to Ant and opened the letter and began reading.

Dear Michael and Antonio,

How are you guys? Good? I would assume so. 

Life in Crestwood is kinda… different. Here, there aren’t things like gangs. There aren’t hidden gay lovers. Nor fighting. It’s just, plain. But not in a bad way. It’s plain in a way that makes you feel content. 

My parents got us a home in a place near a forest. My room is located on the roof. And guess what? My window faces the room of this really hot girl. We’ve been talking and I think I’m falling in love with her. I haven’t told her about my past, because it’s, let’s be honest, quite weird.

But she’s so fucking pretty and nice. Her name is Carla. We walk to school together and we hold hands sometimes. He has such pretty brown hair and bright blue eyes. Her humor is outstanding! She’s perfect. She’s basically your typical all-American girl next door!

Now I understand why you two wanted to run away. Because you guys were in love and wanted to be with each other every day. Luckily, I’m blessed with Carla living next door to me. 

I got into Princeton so I’ll be going there in the fall. I hope you two get into a school together. You two deserve to be together.

As for Ava. From what she told me, she’s going to a university in Switzerland. She’s following the footsteps of her parents and thus she might be silent for the next four years. 

And don’t worry, I’m still going on with my gardening. I’ve actually been trying to grow some pine trees in my backyard. And I’ve begun to reform some of the empty patches of grass with new things. Part of me wants to start a business or something of that sort. But it sounds far-fetched. 

Oh, here’s some tips. Try buying soil with high pH or high alkaline levels for the hydrangeas. Their petals change based on how much pH is in the soil. Alkaline produces pink petals while high pH makes blue petals. Have fun toying with them. 

There are some more tips on the back about the flowers and other things. I hope you didn’t plant the honeysuckle in other places. They’re kinda invasive. Whoops! 

I have a date tonight with Carla. When I found out there was a Red Star Diner here, I nearly lost my shit. Remember when we used to buy their milkshakes after the football games, Michael? Those were the times. 

One day, you two should come over and we’ll go get food and probably go in the woods. 

You’ll always be my best friend, Michael. And when we’re old one day, we’ll look back at these moments and think of what could’ve happened. Like, what if you didn’t go to the race that day? What if you never pursued Antonio?

Though, we know that that’s impossible. You’ll always love Antonio. You two were destined to be together. 

Maybe we can tell Antonio about the condom incident of ‘65. He deserves to know about that. 

Thank you for showing me what it means to let love endure. I’ve seen movies where the two can easily be together. But with you, right off the bat, it was a challenge. But you two remained together through thick and thin.

That’s what true love is. Being able to withstand anything and never falling out of love. 

Goodbye, for now. Let me know when we can make plans. It’ll be good to see how you two are doing.

From the one and only, Petey.

Mike finished reading the letter and sighed in relief. He held the letter close to his chest.

“Did you already plan the honeysuckle somewhere else?” Ant asked Mike.

“Yep. Major fuck up.” Mike said, laughing. “I’ll leave it there. Maybe someone can be of use of it in the future.” 

“Yeah. By the sound of it, Petey seems to be settling into his new home.” Ant said.

“He sure has. And he already has a date. We’re really growing.” Mike said. 

“So, The Condom Incident of ‘65. Care to tell me about that?” Ant asked. Mike turned a bright red.

“We didn’t know how they worked. I accidentally inhaled it through my nose and had to pull it out through my mouth. Petey literally pissed himself laughing.” Mike said. Ant also bursted out laughing.

“I was thinking we could visit Petey during the winter. He’ll be home from school. What do you think?” Ant said.

“It’s a great plan. I’ll let him know in the next letter.” Mike said. He set the letter aside and began making out with his husband on the couch.

“Mike…” Ant moaned. 

“Let’s finish what we started.” Mike whispered in Ant’s ear. 

Ant moaned and was soon being carried to their room for some special fun time. He held onto Mike close, already feeling the pouding he was going to receive.

Just like they’ve dreamt of. Being able to have sex with no interruptions in their own home.

Bonus 3: Letter From Manuel & Dolores

“Now, repeat after me.” Ant said. “Fue un placer conocerte.” 

“Fue… un… placer… conocerte.” Mike slowly said. “That means, It was a pleasure to meet you.” 

“Correct! You’re getting better.” Ant said he rubbed Mike’s hair. Mike blushed as Ant handed him a cookie as a reward. 

“Alright. I’ve learned somewhat of the basics. When do we get to the naughty words?” Mike said, rubbing his hand on Ant’s palm. Ant stared down and tried to stutter something out.

“Until you can hold a simple conversation in Spanish, then we’ll get to that point.” He leaned into Mike and whispered in his ear. “Quiero que me folles con esa gran verga tuya.” Ant said in a soft tone.

“I don’t know what that means, but it sounds hot.” Mike replied. Ant gave him a kiss right as there was a knock on the front door. 

“I’ll get it.” Ant said as he walked to the door and was handed an envelope. 

He walked into the room reading the name on it while Mike was reciting Spanish phrases. 

“Look! It’s from Manny and Dolores!” Ant said. He sat at the table next to Mike and opened the letter.

“Read it!” Mike told Ant. And began to open the letter and felt it was much thicker than the rest. He dumped out the contents and saw another letter, a photo, and the handwritten letter.

Ant decided to read the handwritten letter first.

Querido Antonio y Michael,

Hi. It’s been a few since my last letter. I know we talked a few days ago. I’ve been keeping something from you and it took so much for me not to tell you. 

I’m sure you’ve noticed the other letter that I attached. That’s your acceptance letter from Harvard! You son of a bitch! You got in! We’ve been celebrating this over here for days. 

Mama and papa would be so proud of you!

Whether you choose to go or not is up to you. It’s your choice. Still, now I can tell people that my little brother got into THEE Harvard! So thank you for the bragging rights. 

Things over here are great. While I don’t like to be around the Jewels for other reasons, I tolerate them. I no longer have that feeling where I want to punch them. We just give a nod and walk along.

Rafa has been doing pretty good. He got a job at a mechanic shop and has formed a guys club sort of thing. They just like to drink and do wild stuff. Overall, he misses you. Yeah, I was shocked too. 

If you look at the picture I added, it’s of both of us. And if you look closer, Dolores’ stomach is getting bigger. That’s my baby in there! You’re going to be an uncle! You said that I would be a good dad. And I believe you. 

I’m kinda freaking out. I only know how to raise a teen, which was you, Antonio. But a baby. Shit! That sounds like a lot of work. 

Sadly, I do have some sad news. Ms. Bella found out she has cancer. It’s in its early stages but because of her age, there’s a chance that just having it could be deadly for her. She’s determined to get through it. The best we can do is be there for her.

Our wedding is happening in a few weeks. I know you said you wouldn’t be able to make it. So I’ll just have many pictures taken and send them to you. Dolores is looking forward to taking our name. And the baby’s name is still undecided. We found out it’s a boy. We were thinking Carlos or Enrique after Dolores’ celebrity crush. 

Regardless, this family is about to get another new member. Get ready to be called uncle Antonio and uncle Michael. Because I want you two to be a part of his life as much as possible. Perhaps we can raise him with the sentiment of pursuing love, like you two did. 

I was remembering the past, during the months where you two were in secret. The coat and that one time with cake should’ve been an obvious sign. Or the times when you would sneak out. Genuinely, I’m still in shock as to how I didn’t know.

In a few days, most likely by the time you’ve already read this letter, we’re going to visit our extended family outside the city. We want everyone to see Dolores’ big belly. And if they ask about you, I’ll just tell them you graduated early and are starting a special program somewhere.

The former Saint’s hangout spot that we used to use has been turned into a small pub. People just brought liquor over and someone decided to open up an official spot. People still talk about the past and how it was. Can you believe we really used to be that crazy and violent. Now that it’s over, I can see just how much of an ass I was.

I’m still trying to repent for my sins in any way I can. I did a lot under the pretense of ‘for la raza’ only to see that it just made us go backward. 

By the way, I want my kid to be as smart as you. Tell me your secret. What did you read or do in your free time? I need this child to be just like you.

I visited mama and papa’s grave again. I just told them any new updates and how you’re doing with life. You’re now a west coast boy. With a husband. Still feels weird to say it. Not a bad weird, but a good weird.

Dolores has been bothering me to go and get her some food. So I should probably stop writing and make her something. It hasn’t been easy, but it’ll be worth it when the bun is done in the oven. 

I’ll send you more letters in the future. Please visit us in the summer, in case you decide to go to college. I’ll try to get some money to pay for everything!

With great love,

Manuel and Dolores

Ant finished reading the letter and then looked at the picture. There was a smiling Manny and Dolores, sitting next to each other. Manny has his hand on Dolores’ stomach, which showed obvious signs of her pregnancy. 

“Woah! She’s really getting there.” Mike said, looking at the picture. 

“I can’t wait to meet him!” Ant said in excitement. Mike opened Ant’s letter of acceptance from Harvard and read it.

“You’re gonna accept it?” Mike asked.

“Should I? But I don’t want to leave you. Do you know if you got in?” Ant said.

“Probably got in. But I haven’t heard a word from my parents. I don’t even know if they know I’m gone. But if you want to accept it, I’m willing to move us and pay for everything. Anything for you.” Mike said, placing his hand on Ant’s shoulder.

“I’ll need to think of it. I don’t want to just take us from our garden of Eden. Would you be okay with moving?” Ant asked Mike.

“I love the north. I’ll be fine with us moving.” Mike said. And began wondering if it would be a good move.

“Maybe. It’s not a yes or no. I still need to think about it.” Ant got up and grabbed the papers. “Be right back. Gonna take this to our room.” He said.

As he walked away, Mike stood up and grabbed Ant’s wrist and spun him around.

“Eres el amor de mi vida.” Mike said in perfect Spanish. 

Ant stared at Mike with tears in his eyes. “Te amo, Mike!” Ant hugged Mike. 

Still, everyday, saying those words will always send nervous chills through them. Their love has remained young and persistent.

Bonus 4: Letter From Edmund & Charlotte

It was their day off. Ant had no school. Mike had no work. They just sat together in bed and cuddled while the radio played soft ballads. 

“Hey, Ant.” Mike playfully called out. 

“Yeah?” Ant asked. 

“Do you…” Mike chuckled, thinking of his reaction. “Do you want to try for a baby?” He chuckled and pushed his face into a pillow, laughing hard at his joke.

“Seriously?” Ant said, looking at a red faced Mike. Mike kept laughing, trying to catch his breath.

“I’m sorry! I had to ask!” He laughed again. “But do you?” He jokingly asked again.

“Mike, I can’t get pregnant.” He said. But then he leaned into Mike’s face. “But you can try.” He said. Mike quickly grabbed Ant and began to grab his ass, fondling it. 

There was a loud knock on their door. It sounded a bit too harsh. Not like their normal mailman. 

“Something sounds off.” Ant said.

“I know. I’ll go check.” Mike got out of the bed and slipped on some underwear before tiptoeing down to the door. 

He opened it and saw a very professional dressed man. 

“Can I help you?” Mike asked the guy. 

“Is this the residence of Michael Lexington and Antonio Jose Garcia?” The guy asked. This alerted Mike, since no one knows about Ant’s residency in their home. 

“What’s it to you?” Mike began to get ready to attack. The guy opened his briefcase and pulled out an envelope.

“Here you go.” He handed it to Mike and quickly walked down their porch to his car. He watched as this weird guy began to drive down Meadow Lane before turning the corner and getting out of sight. 

Ant walked down the stairs, now dressed, and saw a shell shocked Mike still standing at the door. 

“Who was it?” Ant asked.

“I don’t know. But he gave me this.” He said, holding up the envelope. 

“Who is it from?” Ant asked. 

Mike looked down at the envelope. Unlike the previous one, this felt more professional. He felt a wax seal and looked at the engraving. His heart dropped when he saw what it was.

Ant saw Mike’s expression. “What? What is it?!” Ant asked. He walked towards him and grabbed the envelope from him and looked down at the wax seal.

The seal on it was familiar. Very familiar. He looked at the ring on his finger and pieced it together. 

“Is this from your family?” Ant asked. Mike was still confused.

“I think so.” Mike said. The two decided to sit next to each on the couch. Ant opened the envelope.

“Want me to read it?” He asked Mike. Mike nodded, not saying a word.

Ant opened the letter and started to read.

To Michael and Antonio.

When we saw the letter you had left for us, Michael, we honestly weren’t surprised. Afterall, you met the love of your life. Sounds like a dream. 

Don’t panic about running away. I did the same before I was forced to take over the company. And my father did it too when he was 18. And his father. I guess Lexington men have a habit of running away before turning 20. Perhaps your kid and their kid will also run away.

Now, you’re probably wondering how we figured out that you live in Oregon. I bet you’re standing there shocked as to how your own parents found out where you are. It’s simple. We keep tabs on all properties that we own. We noticed that the north-west binder was missing a page. After cross referencing, it pointed to a small home in Oregon.

We probably should’ve been here earlier. But a family emergency came about while in Japan that I’ll get into in a second. But the point is, we realize now that we’ve been absent in your life. You’re our son, the future of this company. Rather than provide you with parental love, we saw you as a totem to eventually take over the business.

Part of us wonders if you running away had to do with more than just wanting to be with Antonio. If maybe you wanted to live with someone who treated you as not just an equal, but would be willing to sacrifice themselves to you.

As for Antonio. From what your letter told us, my boy, you’re in love. It’s easy to see. If you’d let us, we would love to meet the boy that stole your heart.

While in Japan, we discovered that your mother is pregnant. She’s currently six months along. And we found out it’s a girl. Which means you’re getting a baby sister!

It’s not a Lexington letter without a business proposal. So here it goes:

Michael, we know that you left Newport to be with Antonio. Our insider sources told us that not only did Antonio get into Harvard, but so did you. We’re willing to have you two move to Boston, living in your own home outside campus, and attend classes. We’ll pay for it all. And when you’re done, you can take over the business. And we’ll keep Antonio a secret, if he wants to.

We promise that if you let us, we’ll be better parents. We’ll stick around and listen to you. And it would feel nice to meet our son-in-law. Take time to think about it. But you only have two months to decide before it’s decision day. 

We want what’s best for you. And if you want Antonio to be with you, then so be it. Consider your wish done. We’re willing to do everything to make you happy. 

We can even go as far as hiring a woman to carry your children if you so desperately want them. 

But just take this as caution. Not everyone will approve if they find out. A white rich man dating a poor Latino man will stir all kinds of controversy. 

Also, should you decide not to continue to run the family, other families might want to step in and take it over for us. We especially don’t want the Barringtons to take control. That family will always have a stick up their ass. 

For now, we’ll wait for your response. No matter what you chose, you’ll still be our sweet Michael. And to Antonio, look after our son. He can be hot-headed at times. But I’m sure you’ll manage that. 

From your parents, 

Edmund Nathaniel Lexington & Charlotte Lexington

Ant finished reading the letter. He looked up at a conflicted Mike.

“She’s pregnant…” Mike muttered. “I’m gonna have a baby sister.” 

“Are you excited? Should we be happy?” Ant asked Mike, not wanting to cheer in case it wasn’t something to be happy about.

“I mean, I am happy. Should I be happy?” Mike asked.

“What’s making you not want to be happy?” Ant asked.

“I guess it’s just that my parents bring this up after they’ve been silent for so long. I’m happy that they want to reconcile, but is it a good idea? To talk to them?” Mike said. 

“It sounds to me like they regret not being around. I won’t tell you what to do. But do what you believe is right for you.” Ant said.

Mike began thinking. His parents are not the type to express guilt. And while he does miss them, he also loathes them a bit. But maybe it could be a good idea to maybe talk to them.

“That plan for them to send us to Harvard does sound tempting.” Mike said. “Get me a paper and pen.” Mike asked his husband. Ant got up and brought Mike his things.

“So? What are we thinking? Yes or no to the rich parents?” Ant asked.

“I think it’s a yes. We can both be in school. And in the future, maybe have a child together! Our dreams can finally come true. I just don’t like how I still have to hide you. It doesn’t sound fair.” Mike said.

“Don’t sweat it. I’ll be fine. We’ve done this rodeo before.” Ant said.

“Okay then. I’ll send them a letter. Here’s to our new lives.” Mike said. He began writing while Ant stayed by his side, helping him write what he needed to say.

They know the road isn’t going to be easy. It was never meant for them to live simple lives. They were destined to go through hardships together. However, at the end, they’ll come out even stronger. Each time, they’ll see that they made it through together.

While this is the end of this chapter of their life, it’s not the end of the story for them.

Their lives are only just beginning. And this time, they’ll be as one.

Thank You

wow! holy shit! it’s over!

His Saint, His Jewel is finally over!

what a rollercoaster it’s been. i’ll admit: there were times when stress over this story took over me. but the thought of bringing these two love-birds together kept me going. because in the end, i wanted to see how it would last.

this is no doubt my longest story as of now. if you made it this far, i thank you.

i thank you for reading this far. i thank you for sticking around. i thank you for clicking in each chapter to read. every single read is truly taken will full gratitude. and all of it is thanks to you!

here are some fun facts:

-the original title of this book was From Different Worlds but it felt too vague and not creative enough.

-i was conflicted if and who i wanted to kill off in this story

-in my original notes, antonio was supposed to die. to sum it up, a saint was going to try and kill mike but ends up shooting antonio. the draft would have antonio dead and mike die by suicide. as i wrote this story, i changed it to making mike survive and be forced to live with guilt. then i eventually changed it again halfway in to make them both live.

so… you’re welcome.

-i planned this story in december of 2021. this would mean that this story was created before my first ever story was published. you can imagine how eager i was to finally be able to write this.

-the final 15 chapters were all improvised. remember when i mentioned that i changed the ending? the final chapters were improvised because they mostly surrounded antonio’s death and mike’s grieving.

-out of all my stories, this one has the most references to other stories. if you’ve read my other stories, you’ve probably caught onto them. if not, the go check them out!

this story is over! done! i probably won’t return and edit this story.

don’t worry, the lexingtons aren’t over…

there’s other stories that mention the lexingtons.

once again, thank you! thank you thank you thank you!

started: august 13, 2022

finished: april 22, 2023

a toast to this story! and all the characters we may see in other stories!

goodbye everyone! have a nice day!

♥

Bonus 5: At Harvard

AT HARVARD, FIRST YEAR

Michael and Antonio had survived. That’s what they would tell you. But they didn’t just survive, they thrived. Despite everything that they faced, in their hometown to their departure, it seems that their relationship only got stronger.

The bond the both boys, now men, shared with one another could not be put on a label. They simply existed as if they were made for one another.

Both of them now attend the prestigious school they had gotten accepted into a long ago. Luckily, because of Michael’s family’s influence, a few strings were able to be pulled and they were accepted into Harvard University again with no problems.

So now, they live in an apartment, just outside the main campus. They had already been living together for over a year before coming to Massachusetts. It was easy to fall back into their old ways.

Antonio had his classes in the early morning. Michael had his in the middle of the day. The two would then go to the library and study, before going to the store to get food and then going home.

Most people saw them as just close friends. Two friends who just happened to come to the same town. No one questioned them about their friendship.

On a cold fall day, Michael had come to the apartment after his classes were canceled. He would have met up with Antonio, but he wasn’t able to find him anywhere on campus. So he just figured that his lover had come back.

“Ant!” Michael announced his entrance. On the floor, Michael saw his lover’s bag dropped on the floor. He saw this as odd, since the bag belonged to his dead father and Ant would never just discard something so important to him.

“Ant!” Michael once again yelled, this time more urgent. He walked through the home and saw the bathroom door was closed. As he got closer, he knocked on it and tried to open it. It was locked.

Michael knocked a bit more until he heard something moving on the other side. When the door finally opened, Antonio came out with his eyes red. It was clear he was crying.

“Ant! What happened? Did someone hurt you?” Michael went into action mode. He picked up his lover and took him to the couch, where he sat him and grabbed a tissue to wipe his tears.

“I-” Ant stuttered. He was in distress. He could do nothing but just sob as he held onto his angel who came to save him.

“Take your time, baby. I’m here. I’ll always be here for you.” Mike hugged Ant and let him cry on his shoulder.

After a few minutes of crying, Ant pulled away and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek. “I’m sorry. You must’ve been worried.” He managed to say with a rough throat.

“You’re my entire world, of course I’m going to be worried if anything happens to you.” Mike replied. “Want to tell me what happened?”

Ant nodded. “I was at the canteen today because I wanted to get us some lunch. But as I was waiting in line, some guys next to me began to taunt me. They made jokes about me and how I looked.”

Mike held his hand, rubbing his fingers over Ant’s beautiful hands.

“They kept bothering me and one of them even threw their food on the floor and told me to clean it up because ‘That’s all you spics can do.’” Ant broke into more sobs. He only had Mike to hold onto.

“I’m sorry, my love.” Mike patted the crying man’s back. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.” He could feel a few tears wanting to escape his eyes.

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Ant replied. The two pulled away and just looked at one with small smiles.

This wasn’t the first time that someone had harassed Antonio on campus, or even in their city. Not many people here are used to seeing a brown man hanging out with a white man. Some even asked Mike if he was being held against his will.

Others were more upfront with their concerns, outright calling Ant a few harmful words. Some places even refused him entry. They constantly reminded themselves that it was only the 70’s, and nothing would change for a few more decades.

But slowly, they can feel that the campus is getting used to their presence. Sure, there was still the occasional harassment, but nothing that they couldn’t handle. Except for today.

“Ant, I’m going to ask you something, and I need you to answer truthfully.” Mike said.

Ant turned to his lover and gave him his full, undivided attention.

“Do you want to drop out?” Mike asked. “If you want to, you can drop out and just live here. And I’ll keep going to school. Heck, I’ll even drop out and the two of us can return to Oregon.”

It was a big ask. Antonio couldn’t believe it. But he just shook his head. Mike had already sacrificed so much for him. He gave up his reputation, his money, and his future. Luckily, it seemed that they were rewarded back, but Antonio couldn’t possibly ask Mike to give up his dream school.

“No. I can handle it.” Ant firmly said. “I’ll be fine. We can do it. I’ll just have to be careful around who I spend my time with.”

“Are you sure?” Mike asked. “I’ve seen reports that sometimes, these things can escalate. I’ve heard of people getting murdered because of their skin. If anyone hurts you, I swear on my life, I’ll kill them with my bare hands!”

Ant placed his hands on Mike’s shoulders to calm him down. “Trust me, we’ll be okay.”

Mike relaxed and quickly kissed Ant. “Then we’ll stay. No more running away. This time, we can endure it.”

He nuzzled his nose into Ant’s neck. Ant giggled and placed his hands in Mike’s hair.

“By the way, who were the ones that said those things to you?” Mike asked.

Ant looked away bashfully. “Uh, it was mainly Orson Lomonica. But Quincy Allencourt and Roman Stoneshire..”

Mike gave Ant another kiss on the forehead before quickly standing up. “I need to handle something.” Is all he said. He walked to another room where he grabbed the telephone off the wall and entered a few numbers.

“Hello?” A voice asked.

“Dad, it’s me.” Mike replied.

“Michael. How is everything? We aren’t scheduled to call until two days from now.” Edmund Lexington replied.

“I know, but I have something I need you to do.” Mike said.

“What is it?” He asked his son.

“Could you pull a few strings and get three people expelled?”

Edmund thought for a bit. “Did you hurt my son in law?” He asked.

“Yes. And I can’t afford to have such people be around him.”

Mike gave the names of the perpetrators. Edmund said a quick goodbye before hanging up to make another phone call with the dean of Harvard.

After his call, Mike returned to the living room and saw Ant had begun to remove his school clothes.

“Wait!” Mike said. Ant stopped trying to put on his shirt. “Could you make… stay like that?” He asked, his face turning red.

Ant raised an eyebrow and smirked. “You do see that I am only in my underwear, right?”

“I know…” Ant said.

Ant dropped his shirt onto the chair and walked over to Mike. “Don’t you think it’s only fair that you do the same, my love?” He asked Mike.

Mike could only agree. He did whatever Ant told him to. So he removed all his clothes except for his underwear. Ant was tempted not to reach down and just grab him down there. But he resisted, knowing that Mike would ravage him and nothing would get done.

“What’s for dinner?” Mike asked.

“What do you want?” Ant asked back.

“Surprise me.” He said. Ant shook his head and went to the kitchen, opening a cookbook and scanning the pages, looking for something to make.

Meanwhile, Mike turned on the radio and switched between stations until a nice song was playing. The mood livened and he strutted towards Ant. He placed his arms around Ant and spun him around.

“Mike! I have to cook.”

“Who cares? Dance with me, Ant.” Mike replied. Ant agreed and the two slowly danced in the kitchen in nothing but their underwear. Ant’s hand landed on Mike’s chest, feeling the bit of chest hair growing.

“Do you like it?” Mike asked.

Ant nodded. “You look more like a man.”

“But more importantly,” Mike spun Ant and leaned him back, their faces close to one another. “Do I look like your ideal man?”

“My ideal man is you, always.” Ant replied. The two stood straight up and Ant used his body to pin Mike against the wall. “Doesn’t matter how you look. Whether you have a beard, or are blonde, or smaller than me, you’ll always be my man.”

The two could on laugh together. They definitely weren’t going to be making lunch today. Instead, they’ll have a quick snack before entering the bedroom and laying next to one another.

“It’s cold.” Ant mentioned.

“I’ll warm you up.” Mike hugged his lover’s body and brought him closer to him.

“I love you, Michael Lexginton.”

“I love you too, Antonio Jose Garcia.”

Mike placed a few kisses on Ant’s temple and the two watched the outside window. A bit of snow was starting to fall. It reminded them of the time when they were in their home in Oregon. They used to have so much fun in the snow.

It was only going to get colder. And luckily, it seems that the warm embrace of a partner can warm you up in the coldest of times.

Bonus 6: December

DECEMBER

As the cold rushed into their home, Antonio quickly closed the door and turned on the heater to let the home warm up. He had finished the last of his exams and could now rest, knowing he made it through the first semester of college. 

All that was left was Michael’s final few exams. But he had a few more days until they finished. For now, Ant was going to do everything in his power to make sure that his lover received the best care in preparation. 

Once the home was heated to its right temperature, Ant went towards the phone and called his brother. 

“Hello? Who is this?” He heard Manuel answer. 

“It’s me, Manny.” Ant replied.

“Ah! Tonio! How was class? Did you ace those exams?” His brother asked. 

“I won’t know until next week when the scores come out.” Ant replied. He could hear the cries of a baby on the other line. “And how is Enrique? Is he behaving well?” Ant asked, regarding his nephew. 

“He’s calm most of the time. I think he takes after you. You were so quiet as a baby. He’s been having some fun with the toys you sent over. Dolores is going to send some pictures over.”

“That’s great. Mike and I will make sure to visit at least during Christmas.” 

“We’ll be waiting for you. We set up your room as we wait for your arrival.” Manny said. Ant smiled to himself as his older brother now began to speak normally without the use of strange words. 

Ever since Manny had abolished his gang, he’s been more focused on school and being a great dad. He still has some ways to go, but waking up to his wife and his son in his arms brings him joy. He did everything right. 

“How is Mike treating you? I hope that man isn’t hurting you.” Manny warned. Despite meeting Mike many times, he doesn’t exactly have a perfect picture of him. He’ll always worry about his younger brother. 

“Mike is treating me amazingly. No need to worry. How are Rafa and the others doing?” Ant asked. 

“Since the Saints are no more, they’ve focused their efforts on restoration. Rafa has begun to get along with some of the easterners. The others are still weary, but we’re getting there. They’ve even begun to rebuild a few homes that were demolished a while back.”

Ant smiled to himself, knowing that his hometown was slowly starting to rebuild itself. After a few more updates, Ant and Manny hung up with the promise of another phone call soon.

Now bored, and knowing that he was going to wait another hour until Mike comes home, Ant decided to walk around the house for no reason. He walked past by a room that he never really entered. 

This specific room is Mike’s office. It isn’t much, just a simple room with a desk and some books and documents scattered around. 

Ant entered the office, hoping that maybe he could clean it up. All he saw was a mess of papers on the desk. He sat on Mike’s chair and grabbed one of the papers to read. 

“Pennsylvania Expansion Project.” Ant read. He already felt bored looking at the paper. But as his father-in-law, Edmund Lexington, told him, Ant would need to start learning the ropes of the company.

If he was going to be Michael’s secret husband, then he was also going to learn how to work at the corporation. 

He saw another paper with what looked like the Lexington Family seal in the corner. He knew this seal all too well, because it’s engraved onto the ring Mike bought him. 

The paper had many paragraphs about something he couldn’t understand. While squinting his eyes, since he forgot his glasses, he didn’t notice Michael leaning against the doorway. 

“Find something interesting?” Mike asked. Ant jumped and quickly smiled upon hearing his lover’s voice. He stood up from the seat and ran to Mike, jumping into his arms. 

“Welcome home.” Ant said, littering Mike’s face with kisses. “But I thought you didn’t come back until much later. What happened?”

“The economics professor is an ancient man. Everyone was just waiting for him to kick the bucket eventually. It just so happened to be on the day I had my exam for his class.” 

It was grim for Mike to find enjoyment in his professor’s passing. But he did not care when he remembered that this same professor called Ant Mike’s ‘accompanying servant’ on orientation day. 

“Want to go get some coffee down the street?” Ant asked. 

“In a bit. What were you reading?” Mike asked. 

“Oh. just some papers. I couldn’t understand it, though.” 

Mike grabbed the paper that Ant had been squinting his eyes at. He looked at it and read it outloud. Ant titled his head like a confused puppy, still not understanding whatever was said. 

“It’s essentially an addition to our family. The Normantons are joining our family.” Michael explained. 

“Joining? The family? You’re not making any sense.” Ant said.

Mike patted his lap for Ant to sit on. He did as was told and felt quite uncomfortable at how small the chair was. 

“My family is a part of a branch family. We’re at the top, the Lexingtons, and there are small branches. We aren’t blood related. Basically, when a family becomes influential enough, they get asked to be invited to join our family.” Mike explained. 

“And I’m assuming the Normantons are joining the branch family.” 

“Precisely. But when a family joins, they must follow with the suffix that all other branches have. Example, the main one, us, are the Lexingtons. But there are also the Barringtons, Covingtons, Arlingtons, and so on.”

Mike held up the paper for his lover to see. “And as you can see, the Normantons are joining as the Norringtons.”

“Oh…” Ant muttered. “That’s so cool!” His face brightened up. Mike chuckled seeing the excitement of his boyfriend. 

“Which leads me to a question I’ve wanted to ask you.” Mike said. Ant put the paper down and turned to his lover. “Would your family, the Garcia’s, consider joining the Lexington branch family?”

“Mike, that’s incredibly sweet,” Ant said. “But my family has no money. We don’t have property or a business. Hell, we didn’t even own our home until your parents bought it and signed over the deed to Manny.” 

Mike just chuckled and brought Ant to lean into his chest. “Silly boy. I never said you had to be rich. I said you had to be influential. And last I recalled, you, Antonio Jose Garcia, have influenced me, the future heir to all of this.” 

There was silence in the room as Ant thought to himself. Then an idea came into his head. 

“I guess we could join. But I have one unorthodox request.” 

“Name your price.” Mike said. 

“I’ll talk to Manny about all of this. But is it possible that we keep our name, Garcia, as is. I don’t want to change my heritage and lose our identity.” 

All Mike could do was nod quickly. “Of course. Your family will always be the Garcias. And our future children will bear the name Lexington-Garcia.”

Ant leaned down and kissed Mike on the lips. 

“Thank you for everything, Mike. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not worthy of such amazing things you and your family have given me.”

“You deserve it and so much more. Don’t push yourself down and instead, start putting yourself on a pedestal. Look at yourself as the king you’re meant to be.”

The two got off the chair because their legs were starting to turn numb. They left the office and put on some coats, getting ready to head out into the snow. 

“Wait.” Ant said. He pulled his boyfriend in for a long kiss. “For the road.” 

Mike nodded. They have a saying, “For the road.” Because they can’t kiss in public or around anyone that doesn’t know their secret, they must use the moments before stepping out in public to kiss. It’s for the road, meaning it’s for the entire time they’re out. Then, when they step back into their garden of Eden, they can kiss however much they want. 

The two exited the apartment and immediately shivered from the cold. But they walk side-by-side down the street. 

“How is Caroline?” Ant asked. 

“From what my dad has told me, she’s doing pretty good.” Mike replied. “It still feels weird, being 19 and having a younger sister that I’ve yet to meet.”

“We made plans for Christmas, Mike. Then you can meet her. I hope she has the same blue eyes as you.”

“I’m sure she did. It’s a signature of our family.”

“And me?” Ant asked. 

“Big, brown eyes and curly light brown hair.” Mike replied. “Trust me, you, Manuel, and Enrique have those features.”

“Do you ever wonder how our child would look?”

Mike stopped in his tracks. “He better have your eyes! Cause your’s are too beautiful not to pass down!” 

The other boy just smiled and let out a chuckle. “Can’t argue with that. But I think light brown hair and blue eyes would be a great match.”

“Or black hair and big brown eyes.” Mike replied. 

The two finally made it to the coffee shop. As soon as they stepped inside, they felt the warmth around them. 

“Get us a table. I’ll order.” Mike told Ant.

“Got it! You know my order, right?” 

Mike nodded. “Cappuccino with extra sugar and a croissant on the side. Don’t worry, I’ll always remember.” 

Ant left Mike to find a table. The cafe was mostly empty since the cold was too frigid to walk in. But even with all the empty places, Ant chose the spot that was under a mistletoe. It was a secret way of telling people they were together. 

The outside was picking up as more snow began to fall. “Here’s your coffee.” Mike said, placing a cup in front of Ant. 

“Thank you.” Ant said. Mike took his seat next to his lover. “It’s getting more snowy.”

“Damn. Guess we might be stuck in here for a while.”

Ant reached into his backpack and pulled out a book. “Want me to read to you?” He asked Mike. Mike nodded quickly.

“I’ll always listen to you read.” 

Ant smiled and opened his book and began to read where he had left off. As he read, he felt Mike place his head on his shoulder and begin to fall asleep. He let him sleep there, vowing to always be his shoulder for anything.

Bonus 7: February

FEBRUARY, A PEACEFUL DAY

Ant and Mike were in the library, catching up on their studies now that a new semester has begun. 

“Mike,” Ant whispered. 

“Mm.” Mike grunted, finishing reading a paragraph and then looking up at his lover. 

“Remember when you told me about your family?” 

“Yes, I do.” Mike replied.

“So, where does Lexington come from? What’s the story about that?” Ant asked.

“Do you know what a lexicon is?” Mike asked.

Ant nodded. “Isn’t it a collection of knowledge?” Ant replied. Then, his eyes widened. “Oh! Now I get it! Lexington comes from lexicon because your family is a collection of other families.”

“Correct. You are such a smart boy.” Mike said. Ant hid his face behind his book to disguise his blush. 

Someone cleared their throat from behind the two boys. Mike turned around and saw that Harold Sambridge-Lockwood was standing there. Ant gave him a short greeting before returning to his book.

“Good day, Harold.” Mike started.

“You too, Michael.” Harold replied. He ran his hand through his wavy blonde hair. His face was slightly red. 

“Something I can help you with? It’s for anthropology, is it?” Mike asked. Harold shook his head. 

“No, it’s uh… a private question. Do you mind if…” Harold said, signaling for the door that led to the back of the building. Mike stood up and told Ant that he’d be back.

The two walked and exited through the emergency exit. Luckily, the alarm was off. They leaned against a brick wall and just kicked some rocks on the floor. Mike was waiting for Harold to ask what he needed to. 

“Mike, look. I’m going be frank with you. Are you and Antonio… more than friends?” Harold asked, his face even more red. 

Mike stopped playing with the sleeve of his sweater and his body became rigid. But he didn’t freak out. He and Ant had known that something like this would eventually happen. So, instead of quickly reacting, he decided to play dumb. 

“What are you talking about, Harold? Have you been reading more crazy books?” Mike asked. 

“Come on, man. Don’t act that way! Just be truthful. Are you and Antonio closer than what everyone sees?”

“Are you on something again? Did that frat give you something?” Mike asked, continuing his charade. 

“Stop it! I know what I’m talking about. I went over to your house a while back because I had a question about our project! You didn’t answer, so I went around the back and…” Now Harold’s face was more red. 

“And what? Were we building a birdhouse? What did we do?” Mike asked. He was getting more frustrated. He hoped their cover wasn’t blown.

“I heard moaning, okay?” Harold said loudly. He was breathing hard. “I heard you and Antonio moaning each other’s name. And don’t try to blame this on something else. I know damn well what I heard.”

Mike just looked to the ground, regretting not purchasing a home with soundproof walls. Moreso, this worried him. Their home that they call a sanctuary allowed for someone to discover their more kept secret. 

“Look, Mike. You can just say that Antonio is your fuck buddy or something of that sort. If someone discovers you, just say that Antonio begged for it and that you just needed stress. He can be your whore–” 

Harold grunted as Mike lunged towards him. Mike placed his arm across the other’s boy’s chest and pressed him onto the brick wall behind him. Harold looked into Mike’s eyes and saw rage filling them. Despite knowing Mike for half a year, he had never seen him angry.

“Antonio is not my fuck buddy.” Mike seethed. “He is not my whore. He is the love of my life. Don’t you ever disrespect him or our relationship. Got it?” Mike pressed his arm further. 

Harold nodded quickly. “Yes, I got it!” Harold said. He tapped onto Mike’s arm. Mike loosened his arm and let Harold catch his breath. 

While catching his breath, Harold saw Mike standing and just looking at him. 

“So what? Are you going to tell everyone? Tell the whole school that Michael Lexington is a disgusting queer who is in love with a brown kid?” Mike said. He felt worry fill him, wondering what was going to happen to Ant. 

“No! Not at all!” Harold quickly replied. Mike was caught off guard for a moment. “Mike, I’m fine with it! Trust me. My uncle, he’s also… yeah.”

“So why bring it up if it didn’t bother you?” Mike asked. 

“Because, I saw how close you two are. I at least wanted to make sure that you two weren’t doing anything weird. But also, I wanted to warn you.” Harold said.

“About what?” Mike asked. 

“If I was able to figure that out, just imagine the others. And not everyone in this school is as open as I am. Not to mention, I have been hearing some students talk about the closeness of you and Antonio.”

Mike leaned against the wall and stared at the garbage bin next to him. 

“You won’t tell anyone?” He asked Harold. 

Harold replied, “No one. Your’s and Antonio’s secret is safe with me. Just be careful. You never know what’ll happen if the wrong person finds out.” 

Mike let out a ragged sigh. “You’re a lifesaver, Harold.”

“Just doing my job.” Harold placed his arm behind Mike’s back. “You and Antonio, huh? How does that work?”

The atmosphere was now lighter. “It’s like dating a woman. So long as you love her, and she loves you, then you’ll be fine.” He explained. 

“That wasn’t what I was, uh, referring to.” Harold said, scratching his neck. Mike walked forward, Harold’s hand falling from his back.

“I think you’ve already heard enough.” Mike told him. Harold quickly had flashes of what he heard and was able to piece together what roles both men had. And he blushed, knowing that he was going to be looking at Antonio differently. 

“What do you like about Antonio? Something must attract you to him.” Harold asked. 

“Oh, God! What don’t I love about him? He has the most beautiful brown eyes that anyone has ever seen. His hair is so soft naturally. I love running my hands through them and feeling the curls between my fingers.

“His hands are both rough and soft. When he touches me with his fingers, a bit of electricity runs through me, as if he was rebooting me entirely. And wherever he touches me, it feels both numb and exciting at the same time. 

“His glasses, when they fall down his nose and he pushes them up, are adorable. Seeing him engrossed in a book and then his glasses begin to slip. He lets out a small squeal and quickly pushes them back up. 

“When he is passionate about a topic he just learned, he’ll talk for hours about it. And I’ll listen. I’ll listen to every God-damn word he says no matter what it’s about. He could talk about the history of paper, and I’ll just sit and listen. 

“He has this habit of talking for his stuffed animals. He’ll create unique voices for them and give them an entire backstory. When I jokingly ask them a question, he’ll reply for them in their personal voice. 

“He effortlessly is charismatic. Whether he comes up behind me and hugs me, or from the honorifics he uses for me, every moment with him leaves me begging for him to just grab me and kiss me until I run out of oxygen. 

“And with all that said and done, he is still one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. Despite the things he’s gone through, his heart still shines with full optimism for the world. He’ll give twice as much as people give him. 

“Even his flaws, such as his snores or how messy he is in the bathroom, are still qualities that I wouldn’t change for anything. No matter what, he is my entire world. In my eyes, he is the embodiment of perfection. 

“I’ll worship the ground he walks on. If he tells me to jump, I’ll do the highest jump possible. I could survive alone just on the thought and touch of him. He is my purpose to live Without him, then I am no longer alive.”

Harold wiped a tear, seeing how passionate Mike was about his lover. He could only wish that he’d find someone that he can love as Mike loves Antonio. 

“Was I speaking too much?” Mike asked, still reminiscing about his boyfriend. 

“A little.” Harold chuckled. 

“I could go for hours about how much I love Antonio.” Mike then looked around and checked if anyone was around. He then reached into his sweater and pulled out a ring. “We’re even married.” He whispered.

“No way!” Harold said. “So that’s why Antonio wears that ring! You two are symbolically married.” 

“Yeah, we are.” Mike replied. “I really love him.”

What both men didn’t know was that Antonio had been listening to their conversation. He had grown worried since Mike was taking too long. As he listened to the way the love of his life spoke about him, he couldn’t help but cry silently.

“Let’s return inside. Antonio gets nervous when I’m away too long.” Mike said. 

Ant quickly returned to his seat and picked up the book he was reading. He heard a pair of footsteps walking towards him. When he looked up, he saw Mike smiling at him and Harold giving a wink. 

“What do you two talk about?” Ant asked as he saw Harold walk away and out of the library.

“Something about class.” Mike replied, trying to figure a way to break the news that Harold now knows that he is the receiver in their relationship. 

The two sat next to one another. Ant reached his hand under the table and touched Mike’s hand. Mike, not lifting his head from his book, also touched Ant’s hand. Their fingers danced with one another slowly.

Finally, they held hands under the table, so no one could see them. But they knew what was going on. 

Mike was grateful that Ant came into his life. Like the saint he is, Antonio saved him from himself and gave him life. As for Ant, he’ll always treat Mike with care. Mike saw something in him and lifted him up. So Ant will always take care of Mike like a precious jewel, an item not to be destroyed.

They love each other. As for fairytale endings, that’s all that needs to be said. There’s too many stories that end in heartbreak. Luckily for them, theirs wasn’t written as a tragedy. 

And now, Antonio and Michael will live happily ever after. 

THE END

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thanks for reading! hope you enjoyed their adventure.

until next time…

♥