"I can't believe we're stuck in the house with Oscar!" Jamal yelled just as the sounds of helicopters died off, causing me and Cesar's brother to turn our attention away from the window and to him. Jasmine giggled nervously.

Ruby's phone went of and he quickly answered. "Ma!...Yeah, I'm safe...No, I'm inside...I'm not gonna starve...We can make do." He moved away to finish his conversation.

Oscar sat on the couch with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. Jamal smooshed himself very close to him, despite there being tons of space. "Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee? Tea?"

"Personal space." He moved from the sofa cushion to the arm rest, directly above the Santo. "Yo, why you so close to me? There's like five other seats!"

I expected Jamal to jump and skitter away, but was extremely surprised and worried when the only movement he made was to flip his eye patch back into place. "I wanted to ask you something...if that's okay. But if it's not okay, I don't need to ask, even though I'm dying to know. But I don't need to die. Not that you'd kill me, but you could."

"If I say yes, will you shut up?"

He nodded violently. "Do you know who Lil' Ricky is?"

True to his word he took the question seriously. "Which Lil' Ricky? You talking about Baby Ricky's daddy or Tiny Ricky's son?"

He checked his phone for reference. "Ricardo Galindo."

Spooky laughed loudly. "Ah, Lil' Ricky." His voice dropped back to it's usual, impassive monotone. "What you want with Lil' Ricky? He's the original veterano."

"The OV." Jamal joked.

He glared at him unimpressed. "It doesn't work that way."

"My bad." He paused for a second before continuing. "Is there anything you could tell me?"

"Do I scare you?"

He nodded with the same vigor as before. His poor brain must be so jostled from being shook so much. Probably why he's so clumsy. "Yeah."

"Well, he scares me." The room got quiet at that.

Ruby reentered, wrapping up his conversation. "Okay, bye." He turned to address us. "My parents are stuck, which sucks 'cause they were on a Costco run. There's no snacks in the house." He sat down on the armchair.

A look of pure terror crossed Jamal's face. "But...if I don't have snacks..."

I was reminded of our precarious situation. Shit, shit, SHIT! I looked over at Jasmine. "Please tell me you have snacks in your purse."

She pawed through her purse. "Girl, you know I do. It's egg salad, but it's warm."

I turned to the boy on which my fate was resting. He was doing his very best not to hurl. "I'll take it." She passed it to him and he began stuffing it in his mouth.

I fought the urge to dry heave at the smell, while Ruby pulled a face. "Uhg. Why are you eating that?"

"For the greater good." He said, his mouth full.

"Is that the sandwich?" Oscar asked.

Jasmine looked embarrassed. "No, it's me. I got the egg booty coughs."

"Oh, I swear to God, if you don't go away!" He yelled, pointing out of the room.

"Okay." She ran out.

Ruby leaned back against the couch. "She went into my room, didn't she?"

I saw he was correct. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Spooky's phone buzzed. "Where can I take this?"

"There's no one in the bathroom." I answered, pointing down the hall.

He got up, answering it. "Que onda?"

Jamal quickly mashed the remainder of the soggy sandwich into his mouth. I choked at this, unable to restrain my gag reflex. "Never do that again."

He shook his head, cheeks stuffed. "Newwer ewwer"

Eventually Jamal decided to go check in on Monse and Olivia, returning with them to play a game. I could see he was struggling with the secret. He stood in front of the air conditioning, blasting it. "You can't turn the A/C up that high." Ruby said. "You're gonna blow the power."

He turned. "I need to regulate my body temperature."

He let it rest and all of our attention was focused on Jasmine, who was wiggling uncontrolably. "I have to pee so bad. And I'm sprouting major turtle-head. Will someone tell Oscar to get out of the bathroom?" She was in distress.

"Go ahead." I said sarcastically.

She considered her options. "I'll hold it."

Ruby looked up at Olivia. "What kind of games you wanna play? You guys feeling words, pictures, cards?"

She had an idea. "How about a game that reveals your innermost feelings and secrets?"

"Or...KerPlunk?" I suggested, worried.

She ignored me. "How about Smash, Marry, Kill?"

The power suddenly shut off, making us all glare at the one who caused it. "Jamal!" We yelled in unison.

"I think that was a sign that we shouldn't play this game."

After hearing the game in mind was only Smash, Marry ,Kill I wasn't so adverse to playing. What could go wrong? Plus it would provide a much needed distraction for Jamal. It didn't take long to light a plethora of Ruby's abuelita's candles and soon Jasmine, Ruby, Jamal, Olivia, Monse, and I were all seated around the table. The first player was taking his sweet time. I, for one, was getting impatient. "Go, Ruby! We don't have all day."

"Actually, we do. We're locked in." Jasmine reminded us

"I'm a gentleman, I make love. I don't smash."

The poor kid had the misfortune of sitting next to the horny hurricane, who leaned in real close. "Well then you're not doing it right, 'cause if you want a girl to bow, then you got to plow!"

I snapped my fingers. "Oh yeah right, like you've ever gotten a guy to give it. Ruby, take it from the most experienced one present. Girls like nice guys. The gentleman will be the one with the last dance. Right, Olivia?"

She ignored me. "Anyways, Make love, Marry, Kill."

"Maybe we should ixnay the urdermay." Jamal suggested. "We don't wanna poke the bear in the bathroom."

"No more rewrites, Jamal. I'll go first. I'd kill Jasmine." My sister started.

"I deserve that."

"She continued. "I'd make love to Ruby."

"That's really considerate, just as I would be as a lover."

"And then I'd marry Jamal."

He apparently wasn't pleased with this answer. "Seriously? Why not make love to me and marry Ruby?"

"We're married. We're having sex." She explained.

"What about the marital death bed?"

"Fine." Monse said in defeat. "I'm changing my answer. I'd make love to Jamal and marry Ruby. Happy?"

"I am. Because even though we're married, we're having sex, and a lot of it." He turned to the boy next to him. "She made me get clipped."

We heard a deep laugh. I looked to see Oscar standing on the threshold and nearly jumped out of my skin. How can such a big guy creep up on you so quietly? "Uh... You want to play?" Jamal asked.

He paused for a minute before agreeing "Okay." He pointed to Ruby first. "I'd kill you." Then Jamal. "I'd kill you." Olivia. "I'd smash you." Monse. "I'd smash you." His gaze skipped over me to land on Jasmine, who began doing her best to look sexy, ultimately failing. "Fine. I'd smash you too. Then I'd kill you." With that he left the room.

"Let's keep playing." I said, attempting to salvage our fun pre Oscar.

Jamal went next. "I'd marry Olivia. Monse, you can be my side piece. And I'd kill Jasmine."

"All right, now it's starting to hurt."

"Okay, my turn." Olivia said, sitting up excitedly. "I'd make love to Astor."

"Excuse me." Ruby interrupted. "Can you say that slower?"

She complied. "I'd make love to Astor." He sighed. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Gross./em "I'd marry Ruby. And I'd kill Jasmine."

She was starting to get a bit sore. "All y'all can suck a bag of buttholes."

Olivia and I looked at each other and laughed. "I hate to break it to you, you're not my type."

"Damn. There goes my whole experimental phase. Lasted all of two minutes."

"I hope you're not crushed, I'm into someone else."

She rolled her eyes. "Right, how could I forget. You and Cesar have a thing." Everyone was silent immediately. Her eyes widened at her mistake. Cesar chose that exact unlucky minute to burst through the door, just as the lights came on. Monse got up and addressed us. "You've been dating behind my back?!" I didn't know what to say.

A phone timer went off. "It wasn't me!" Jamal yelled gleefully

Ruby was the next to stand. "Is it true?!" He yelled angrily.

Cesar looked down. "Yeah."

Jasmine spoke up in the worst way possible, adding fuel to the fire. "You know they boning, right?" There was a second horrible pause before everyone started yelling.

"You Fucked?!"

"Claiming to protect, my ass!"

"You lied?!"

"How could you bang your friend?!"

I gave a sarcastic laugh at the last one, getting defensive. "Gee Ruby, you're one to talk about more than friendly feelings. You're totally in love with Olivia!"

"What-"

"Can we just all take a moment to appreciate the fact that, for once, I was able to keep a secret?" Jamal was still over joyed at his ability to not spill the beans.

"You knew?!"

We all began yelling at each other, not even noticing Cesar's brother make a reappearance." Y'all messed up!" We fell silent. "We got business." He told his brother.

"What about the lockdown?"

"It's done." They both left, Cesar sending me one last look.

"And y'all wanted to kill me. Shame." She really did not know when to shut up. I went up to her and decked her, then marched out the door. I heard her squawking behind me, but didn't honestly care.

"FUCK!"