Hey guys sorry for the freakishly long update time. School is stupid and a waste of my time. Anyways thanks for staying with me here. Let me know how you like this chapter. Oh yeah and if anybody wants to be my Beta you want to inbox me? I need a Beta. Thanks, happy reading!

Lia

The first week of summer was hotter than hell. Pedro didn't have air in his house, so I headed to Enrique's. He always liked when I came around during the summer. Sam didn't work very often anymore, he just didn't show up.

"I gotta to go Licia's graduation party at four," Enrique informed me as he worked underneath a car.

I was sitting crossed leg in front of a fan, flipping through a book, "That's nice."

"You should come. You know talk things out with Cruz before he heads to Colorado with Carlos."

"No thanks," I muttered.

He sighed, "Lia, you're just gonna let him go aren't you?"

"Sí."

"That's stupid."

"He's the guy. He should come to me."

"You're the girl who ran away from him. You should run back to him."

"I ran away from him, that means that I don't like him."

He sighed, "No, that means you're a coward."

Before I could say something the door opened. Rio came in, his little sister holding his hand.

"Enrique, can me and Zita chill here? I can't find any fans in my house."

Enrique rolled out from under the car, "Zita can chill here. I'm putting you to work."

Rio made a face, just as he noticed me, "Hola, Lia."

"Hola, Rio. Hola, Zita."

Zita was probably the cutest little girl. She was quiet, unlike my nieces. She was three and very independent. She had to be in order to survive.

"Hola," Zita said shyly.

Rio shook her from his hand, "Go see Lia. I'll be right here."

Zita walked over to me hesitantly.

"It's okay," Rio insured her.

She crawled into my lap and winced as the cool air of the fan hit her in the face. I turned the fan away.

Rio crawled under the car that Enrique was under. The past few weeks Rio had been filling in for Sam, he was almost as useful as Sam now.

"You going to Licia's party?" Enrique asked Rio, checking the engine of the car.

"I think so."

"That's code for, if I can sneak out of here and not get noticed at the Fuentes and be skinned alive," Enrique said.

"Pretty much," Rio said.

"You and Cruz talking yet?" I asked Rio.

He sighed, "I think the question is, are you and Cruz talking?"

"Shut up."

"Fine. No, we are not talking. That's kind of why I want to go, to figure out what's up with him. Try to make a connection before he leaves, you know before are friendship gets totally ruined."

I sighed and Zita shifted in my lap.

There was a knock on the door. Nobody ever knocked at Enrique's.

"Helllllllooooooo!" Somebody called from the outside.

"Just go the fuck in," Another voice said.

I knew the second voice. It belonged to Alex.

Zita snapped her head to the door as a pile of six guys tore through the front door.

Enrique broke into a smile at the sight of them. I recognized three of them all too well.

"Ah, Cuz! ¿Qué pasa?" The guy in the front of the pack asked wrapping Enrique in a hug.

Rio slid out from under the car as soon as he heard the door open. His eyes locked on the same person mine did. Cruz Fuentes.

"This has to be awkward," Cruz's brother, Paco, whispered in his ear as he looked from me to Rio.

Cruz nodded and turned towards the door, "I'm gonna go now."

One of the guys that I didn't recognize grabbed him by the scruff of the neck as he tried to turn away, "Cruz, introduce us to your friends."

Cruz looked at his papá.

Alex shrugged, "Sorry can't help ya, hijo."

Cruz turned to Rio and sighed, "Uncle Luis, Uncle Carlos this is Rio. I'm pretty sure you've met before."

Both uncles turned to Rio and nodded, then they all turned to me.

"That's Lia," Cruz said and I couldn't help but notice the bitterness in his voice.

I gave them a slight smile.

Everybody smiled back except for Cruz. Cruz looked at the ground.

Rio got to his feet and wiped his hands off on his Blood bandana. I saw Cruz's uncles' eyes turn to the bandana.

Alex let out a breath, "Well Rio, you look better than the last time I saw you."

Rio turned a slight shade of red and nodded, "I never got to thank you for that. So thanks."

Alex nodded slightly.

"Who are you?" Enrique asked the guy standing besides Paco.

"That's my charity case, Dylan," The uncle I assumed to be Carlos said.

Enrique cocked his head and shrugged.

Dylan looked like he could be locked up in prison right now. He was a big guy with tattoos and piercings everywhere. He also looked like a fake tough guy, I think people could be easily fooled by him.

"Dylan also happens to be dating Cecilia," Luis piped in.

Carlos elbowed Luis in the rib.

Enrique turned to me and nodded, "Wait that Cecilia?"

"No, pendejo," Cruz said.

Everybody turned to Cruz, his face turned a deep shade of red.

"Something you're not telling us, Cruz?" Paco asked elbowing him playfully in the ribs.

Cruz turned to Paco, "Is there something you're not telling us?"

The color drained out of Paco's face and Alex's head whipped towards Cruz.

"That's enough, Cruz," Alex hissed.

Cruz shrugged, "Just wondering. Anyways, I'm out. This was not part of the agenda today that I agreed to."

His family watched him turns toward the door and didn't call him back.

Rio looked at me before yelling, "Cruz, wait!"

Cruz looked back at Rio, "What do you want?"

"To talk."

Cruz was quiet for a minute, but then he nodded towards the door, "Come on."

I watched them go, and wished for a second I could be as brave as Rio.

Zita stirred in my arms as soon as Rio was out the door.

"He'll be back," I told her.

The Fuentes started talking amongst themselves.

"When did he get jumped in?" Carlos asked Alex.

Alex shrugged, "Ended up on my front lawn bleeding half to death about a month ago."

"And Cruz isn't getting any ideas, is he?" Luis asked.

Enrique chuckled, "Did you see how pissed Cruz was at Rio. Cruz knows better."

I looked at the door again, hoping that they would walk in anytime.

Alex noticed me and walked over.

He took Zita from my arms and said, "go."

I did what he told me to do. I got up and ran to the door.

Cruz and Rio were bickering by the door. They both stopped when I came out.

"Jesus," Cruz said under his breath.

"Cruz, just hear us out," Rio said looking at me.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice shaking.

"Me too," Rio said.

Cruz looked down at his feet. He'd gotten new shoes since the last time I saw him. A lot about him had changed since the night at the tent. He was more guarded now. That kiss in the hallway at school still burned in my mouth and I wondered if he was thinking about it.

"Why'd you leave?" He asked me silently.

"I got scared. I'm not supposed to be with you. I didn't want to get hurt, I didn't want you to get hurt."

He sighed, "You know I thought I loved you. I really cared about you Lia. Sure, I'm fifteen and don't know what it means to be in love, but I thought you and me really had something."

"Cruz, we come from different places. I freaked out."

"You didn't freak out! You fuckin' stranded me!" He almost yelled, his blue eyes blazing.

I closed my eyes, my head was spinning with everything that was happening.

"I'm leaving," He said addressing Rio and me both, "I just need time to think things through. Maybe you'll hear from me, maybe you won't. I just need time to clear my mind."

Rio nodded, "We'll be here when you get back."

"You are coming back, right?" I asked close to tears.

His face softened when he saw me overcome with emotion, "Yeah, I just don't know when."

Rio stuck his hand out and Cruz took it and drew him into a hug.

"I'm sorry it couldn't be like it was forever," Rio told him.

"Life goes on," Cruz answered stepping away.

Cruz looked at me and smiled slightly, "come on," he said motioning for me to walk into his arms.

I did, tears running down my face.

His arms were tight around me, "I just realized we never really got a lot of math done together."

I chuckled, "You weren't easy to work with."

"No, you were just a bad tutor."

I sighed into his shoulder, "I really thought his could work out."

He put his forehead on the top of my head, "Maybe it will."

"Sam and I are done," I whispered.

He stiffened, "Why'd you leave him. For me?"

I shrugged against him, "I caught him in bed with somebody else, but I left him because he wasn't you."

"But you left me."

"I know," I sobbed.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," he said calmly.

I shook my head, "It really isn't. That was stupid, I would take it back."

"But you can't."

I shook my head.

"It's okay," he whispered into my hair.

The door to the garage opened and Cruz and I quickly stepped back from each other.

"Come on, Cruz," Luis told Cruz.

Cruz smiled one last time at me and turned to his family.

I watched him climb into Alex's Escalade.

I figured that would be the last time I ever saw the boy who changed my heart.

Reviews make me happy and I upload faster! Just sayin'. I sound like a dork now, so I'm going to go. Thanks for reading :)