Ch. 12: Rolling with the Homies

A Chapter by Tina Bee

Bad blood makes for an interesting car ride.

"What's going on here?" I heard Sonny ask.

"Nothing," Linda said backing up, but she was too far away from the heavy traffic of the mall to get away from Sonny fast enough.

"Nothing, we were just asking Myra where she got her dress from," Laura said to Sonny who narrowed his eyes at her.

"Well did you tell them?" Sonny asked me and I looked at Laura.

"Not yet; I got it from 'Chick And Hot,' but I thought you would've known that since we were in the store together," I said making sure that I let them both know they'd been following me while I was shopping like a couple of lunatics.

Laura looked nervous, but I thought Linda was going to jump out her skin.

Laura was pretty popular at the high school we'd all be attending this fall. She was my height with thick blond hair and hazel eyes. Her nose was really tiny and her lips were non-existent. Today she wore her hair pulled back with a pair of blue jean capri's and a white T-shirt with a cat on the front. Linda was at least thirty pounds heavier than Laura. She was just five foot five with the same blond hair and hazel eye's as Laura, but her lips were much more fuller and her nose was so sharp she could use it to poke an eye out. She wore some wrinkled gray t-shirt with a pair of yellow shorts. Neither of them was very attractive, but of the two Laura had more going for her.

"Well we have to get going, Linda let's go," Laura said backing away and colliding with Linda who jumped and ran back the way we had come.

Laura followed her, but not as quickly. She walked with defiance and some dignity. I felt sorry for the both of them. With Sonny's gang relation well known throughout their high school Laura knew what he could and would do if she tried to intimidate me.

"Thanks," I said as Sonny started walking toward the exit.

"What are you thinking?" Sonny asked without looking at me.

"What?" I asked him because I was very confused at the moment.

"Going after that Santos d****e when you know he's with Laura. God Myra why don't you just grow up," Sonny turned and spat at me.

"He's not with her," I said pleading my case to me him in vain.

"How do you know? Because he told you so? That dude is scum. He doesn't even deserve to be at my spot, but Kevin is his friend so I have to tolerate his flippant a*s, s**t I might even do it now that he's gone after you," Sonny said walking faster than me.

Today Sonny wore an extra long white tee as usual. His pants were blue and he sagged them. He had on a pair of blue and white Cortez Nike's. He walked with a strut and I could see that we had caused the families trying to enjoy their Saturday Sundaes stop and gawk.

"Leave him alone. He's taking me to the Drive In tonight and mom already said it was ok," I explained to Sonny, but he just rolled his eyes at me.

"The hell it is," Sonny muttered to himself mostly himself.

"Please, Sonny, you've got to believe me" I begged him.

He set his eyes on me.

"Don't try any of that s**t on me. I'm not Mike; I don't stop and bow down whenever you try to put on the little cute act. That Santos n***a is going down," Sonny said to me.

"What are you even doing here?" I asked changing the subject as we exited the mall through the sliding doors.

"I'm here with with that," Sonny said pointy to the shiny black low rider blaring music in the parking lot.

"Hey you coming or what homes?" Carlos screamed over the music.

"Who's ride is that?" I asked him and he laughed.

"It's mines," Sonny gloated and I whistled.

"When did you buy it?" I asked knowing mom didn't give any of us enough money to buy something this nice.

"Today," Sonny said shrugging his shoulders.

"Does mom know?" I asked, but I already knew she didn't.

"Does she even care?" Sonny asked getting the keys out of his pocket.

"Hey, Myra," Carlos said to me smiling.

"Hi," I spat at him.

Carlos was about five foot six with deep brown hair and dark brown eyes to match. He dressed similarly to Sonny, except he always wore a silver cross around his neck. I don't know why someone like him would be religious, but I guess everyone had to believe in something.

"So what you want a ride?" Sonny asked.

"No I'm waiting for mom to pick me up," I said as I dug in my purse to get my sunglasses out.

Suddenly behind us a car booming with music came roaring by. Two guys were in the front and 3 girls were in the back.

"It's the Chonies, essay," Carlos said and Sonny spun around as he gritted his teeth.

"Who?" I asked.

"Chonies. We call them that because of the way they wear their pants," Carlos explained to me.

The two guys up front were staring at him very hard. I didn't like this.

"Who is that?" I asked out loud, but I didn't expect an answer.

"That's Rodriguez and Jimenez from east side hustlers. Their bloods and they're on our turf," Carlos explained to me hastily.

The car came to a halt and the girls in the back were staring at me wide eyed.

"Get in the car," Sonny said to me.

"No, mom should be here any minute," I complained and Sonny cut me off with his forcefulness.