TWENTY-TWO
MISTY
The campus looked as vacant as I felt. The trees were swaying in the breeze and the perfectly manicured lawn with the usual college suspects was bare. I met Shauna and Celine in the cafeteria before class. Shauna had her usual bouncy glow and fresh lip gloss on.
“Hey, girl.” She gave me the side-eye. “You’ve been looking kind of stressed out lately! What you got going on?”
“I have a lot going on. Life is crazy. Maybe I’m destined to be mixed up with bad boys for life.”
She waved me off as we entered the glass doors of the cafeteria. Celine with her vibrant smile raced over to give me a hug.
“My God, I don’t even know you anymore. You missed Biomed. I was crying without you!” Her enthusiasm made me laugh a little, easing the burden I felt.
“Hey, sit down and I’ll grab the coffee. Celine, what do you want?” Shauna asked.
“I’ll have a mocha,” Celine replied, smiling brightly.
Okay. Misty, I already know what you want,” Shauna said. I saluted her and we found a spot away from the collective noise of everyone else.
“So, are you okay these days? “Celine asked, studying my face.
“Well, other than the fact the man I love might lose his life tonight and start a gang war with my brother, yeah, I’m okay.”
Celine clapped her hand over her mouth, gasping. “That’s ludicrous! Tell me everything. What the hell is going on?”
I sighed and twisted my hair. “Let’s wait ‘til Shauna gets back so I don’t have to repeat myself.”
“You sure you need to be mixed up with this guy?” Her nose wrinkled up, waiting for my reaction.
“I ain’t got no choice. I’m in love with the guy. It’s too late now. I gotta wait it out.”
Shauna came back with three coffees on a tray. “Don’t say nothing else, I wanna hear this. You haven’t been to class all week, so I know this gotta be good.”
“Diego’s chapter might be starting a gang war with Las Balas. I can’t get into why but if he does, I’m scared Diego might get caught in the crossfire. Remember those two guys at The Partition, Shauna?”
Shauna was locked in and listening hard. “Yep, those creepy toads at the bar. I remember. What about them?”
“Well, they are running game and are the ones responsible and now two rival gangs might go to war because of it. They were trying to start a pro’ ring – like a pimp situation.”
Shauna shook her head in disappointment. “Hunk of burning love ain’t got nothing to with it, does he?”
“No. But I’m worried. I don’t know how Palo is going to react. Funny thing is, both the clubs are trying to go straight.”
Celine and Shauna sipped their coffees and I just stared at my cup. It was eleven-fifteen a.m. and I still hadn’t heard from Diego. My stomach was turning over like it was churning butter.
“Why doesn’t one of them just call the other and they sit down like men?”
I nodded my head up and down at Shauna. “Same thing I said. No need to go to war when they both want these guys off the streets. They are aiming their guns in the wrong direction.”
My phone started buzzing. I immediately looked past my friends to the nearest exit. Shauna pointed to the back door. I mouthed “thank you” to her. Celine flashed me a pained look which annoyed me.
I stepped out into the cool breeze. “Talk to me, papi.”
“Warn your brother. A shot is being fired to Las Balas. Let him know it has nothing to do with me. Tell him quickly.” My throat constricted with fright. I coughed to open up my airways.
“Okay. Lemme get off the phone to call him. Shit. You okay?”
“Yep. I’m good. Don’t go home if it’s too hot. Please. Promise me. I don’t know what’s about to go down, but I know I love you. Hit me back once you call your bro’.” My hands were about to fall off from shaking. Celine and Shauna were both watching me and frowning hard.
