CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

[your people]

"i see you"

Simon and Marcus held joysticks in their hands as the small group gathered around the television in Marcus's room to play video games. Andi was sitting beside her best friend, Simon's suit jacket hanging loosely over her shoulders and protecting her from the chill of the room. Willie was next to Marcus, egging him on and playing backseat driver to the Latino boy as he attempted to beat the game.

It was a drastic shift from the tense argument with Chico less than an hour ago, which resulted in physical blows. Andi was enjoying the mundane teenage lifestyle for the moment, not letting herself dwell on what had happened.

"Come on, man. Guard your left. Your left!" Willie told Marcus. Andi glanced over and smiled at how into this game he was, and he was not even playing! Simon was silent and focused in comparison. Marcus simply laughed and did as Willie said.

"Hey," the Arguello boy started, addressing the other three. "What you did tonight, thanks for having my back."

Willie answered almost immediately, "I got to thinking on what you said earlier."

"Which part? I say so many smart things," Marcus replied with a smirk.

Andi rolled her eyes, "More like smartass things." Marcus's crooked smile stretched at her remark.

"About patriotism," Willie continued. "And it wasn't so smart."

"Mm, you must've misunderstood it," Marcus quipped.

Willie shook his head. "You said patriotism was about self-interest, but back in Watts, we had a different kind. The pride wasn't in the government, 'cause they never earned no loyalty from us. It's about community. It's about taking care of your people."

Marcus paused from playing and so did Simon, the group exchanging looks. Marcus looked down before meeting Willie's eyes. "You saying I'm your people?" he asked softly.

"Not if you can't guard your left. Come on, Arguello, carry your weight, man," Willie joked. Marcus smiled and Andi even saw the corner of Simon's lip lift as they turned their attention back to the television, but Marcus was not done yet.

"What about you, Simon? I know why Andi stepped in to help me, but why did you?"

Simon took a deep breath. "Listen, Chico has been a pain in mine and Andi's ass since long before you were a blip on Lin's radar. When Andi went for it, when she walked up to Chico and threw that punch, I knew I was all in. When it comes to my friends, I have their back no matter what. Period," the Londoner explained. "Besides, I meant what I said when I told you I didn't think you were such a bad guy. Would've been a complete dick move if I let Chico kill you just as I started to like you."

Andi laughed and smacked Simon's arm teasingly. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders affectionately and pulled her closer to make a mess of her neat, blonde curls. Swatting his hand away, she could not help the wide smile and laughter that escaped her. Simon continued with a genuine smile of his own, "Andi is my best friend. If you have her back, then I've got yours. Guess that means you're my people too."

Andi pulled back from Simon's embrace. Standing up, she straightened out her dress that she had not changed out of yet and looked to the three boys. "I'm all for the love going on here, but damn, I feel like I'm overdosing on it. It's beautiful, really though, but if you guys are gonna kiss, I'll give you some privacy," she teased.

"Oh, shut up," Simon said. "If anyone is snogging anyone, it's you and Marcus."

"Damn. There it is," Willie interjected.

Andi could not help the light pink that dusted on her cheeks as her eyes shifted briefly to Marcus's. He, too, looked a little embarrassed at being called out, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. Andi quickly brushed it off though, "I'm gonna get you back for that comment."

"Sure you are," Simon replied. The Londoner also stood though, as did the other two boys. "I actually think I am going to head out though. Getting punched a few times really takes it out of you."

"You poor baby," Andi tutted sarcastically. "I think I'm gonna head out too though."

"Same," Willie chimed in.

The group said their goodbyes and left Marcus' dorm room to head towards their own. Simon's was in another hall and so was Willie's. Andi handed Simon back his jacket and waved to them as they rounded the corner out of her sight. She approached her own door and crossed her fingers that Brandy was still held up in the infirmary from her Mellow Yellow terror.

The blonde opened the door and her hopes came true when she saw that everything was untouched from when she went out with Maria and Saya earlier. She kicked off her shoes and was about to unzip her dress when she spotted the shopping bag with that held Marcus' new Walkman. She meant to give it to him but it had completely slipped her mind.

She slid on a pair of slippers and grabbed the bag before leaving her room for Marcus'. She wanted to give it to him before she forgot.

Andi approached the Arguello boy's door and rapped her knuckles on it lightly, careful not to wake anyone else in the hall. Nor alert the monks, as it was past curfew, she realized.

Marcus opened the door a few seconds later. "Hey…" he greeted, obviously confused at why she was back. "Did you already miss me?"

The blonde gave him a wry smile, "You wish." Although, a voice in the back of her mind whispered that she had missed him and that this whole thing could have waited until the morning. "I actually have something for you. Can I come in before I get caught after curfew?"

"Sneaking around to see me? Must be important," Andi shook her head but ignored the teasing comment.

Once the door shut behind her, she held out the paper shopping bag that held his gift. Marcus looked inside and she watched as his eyes lit up. "Seriously? You didn't have to get me this," he tried but Andi cut him off.

She laughed, "Yeah, I did actually. I'm the one who snatched your old one at the party, and I'm the one who forgot it in the bathroom. I owed you a new one."

"Well, we were a little distracted, weren't we? Not that I'm complaining, because I'm definitely not," he replied with a crooked smile.

Andi smiled back at him, "Regardless of what we were doing, I wanted to apologize and give you this one. I know you didn't come here with much, and because of me, you lost one of the only things you brought with you. Besides, I wasn't sure what tape you had in it, so it's not a perfect replacement."

Marcus shook his head. "It was just a mixtape I made."

"Oh," Andi said, rubbing her arms sheepishly, sorely missing the protective layer of Simon's suit jacket.

"This is great though," Marcus reaffirmed. "Better than the last one." There was a bit of dead air between them for a moment when the Latino boy broke the silence. "You look beautiful tonight by the way. I can't remember if I told you that already." Andi smiled at him gently. "The fuzzy slippers really complete the outfit too."

Andi laughed.

As her laughter died down, she shook her head at him incredulously. "Why do you even like me?" she finally asked, genuinely curious.

"What?" he asked with a chuckle of his own, unsure if she was serious.

The blonde sobered up a bit, "Why do you like me? When I met you on the street, I played you. I pretended to be some random stranger when really I was practically stalking you to recruit you for a school for assassins. Then, I am such a bitch to you after you find out and practically tell you to throw yourself from the top of a building. Even after all that, I was still a complete ass. Why do you like me?"

Marcus was quiet for a moment before he stepped closer to her, his hands resting on her upper arms. "To be fair, you did think I killed everyone in my boys' home," he tried, attempting to lighten the mood, but Andi looked up at him expectantly. "Honestly though, after everything I've been through, you were the first real fucking person I had ever met. Yeah, you lied to me but since then, with me, you don't pretend to be someone you're not. You don't pretend to be some perfect version of yourself like you do with everyone else. I don't see some immaculate porcelain doll, I see the cracks and the rough edges. I see you."

Andi swallowed roughly, her throat burning as she held back tears. She was not sure if Marcus understood the impact his words had on her, but God did she appreciate the hell out of them. He did not just see through the walls she put up around her, he was breaking them down bit by bit. The thought simultaneously terrified her and excited her.

Over the past couple of days, she had finally begun to really let her friends in, to tell them the truth and it felt fantastic to not have to keep everything bottled up anymore. But, Marcus scared her. He had come to have such an impact on her life in such a short time. She wanted to lean into his embrace, yet she also wanted to pull away.

It took years for her to open up to her best friends, to Simon and Maria. Hell, she had not even told Saya everything yet. However, she wanted to tell Marcus, but she just could not.

As she stared into his warm, brown eyes, her own steely blues glistening with unshed tears, the Arguello boy began to lean down and close the space between them.

Oh, did she want to give in. She really did. He rested forehead against hers, his lips hovering an inch away from hers. She inhaled sharply at the close proximity. All she had to do was lean forward ever so slightly and their lips would meet.

Her hands went to Marcus' chest, gripping lightly at the white tee he was wearing. It had only been a few seconds, but it felt like a small eternity.

Then, she pulled away.

Andi had not realized she was holding her breath until that moment when her lungs refilled with air. Any tears that had tried during their tense moment returned as she became anxious with the awkward situation she created for herself.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered in her flustered state. "I have to go."

"Andi, wait!" Marcus called out to her, but she was already out the door.

Andi hurried down to her room but was stopped when she spotted the monk at the end of the hall. Great, she thought, I guess detention is the perfect cherry on top of this shit show.

Simon had waved to Willie as the taller boy had gone to his room, but before the Londoner could open the door to his own dorm, he spotted a familiar Latina sneaking back to hers.

He cleared his throat loud enough to startle her and smirked as she jumped with a small yell.

"You ass," she chided with a smile.

"Where did you go?" he laughed softly.

They walked towards each other meeting halfway. "None of your business," she replied lightly, crossing her arms and cocking a hip to the side. "What about you? Why are you out so late?"

Simon shrugged, "Andi, Willie, and I were all hanging out with Marcus playing video games."

Maria raised her eyebrows, "Warming up to the new kid, huh?"

"Well, we had a nice bonding session after a, well let's just say 'altercation' with Chico at the dance."

Maria's expression quickly changed from joking one to a worried one. "What happened?"

"Nothing really," he said, brushing it off. "Andi punched him when he went after Marcus, and then Willie and I got involved after he shoved her to the ground."

"What?" she dropped her face into her hands, her fingers going to rub her temples anxiously. "You guys have to be careful! Chico is dangerous. Soto Vatos will come after you and I don't know what I'd do if something happened to—," Simon stopped her.

"Fuck Chico. Fuck Soto Vatos," he said seriously. "They're 'dangerous' but so are we! I don't give a shit about them and I highly doubt Andi does. The only one we care about is you! The only one I care about is you!" Simon huffed, trying to calm himself and keep his voice down in the quiet hall. "Chico is a piece of shit and you don't deserve what he puts you through. I am here for you whenever you need me. I will always have your back."

Maria's worry softened slightly, although it was still evident in the furrow between her brows. Without hesitation, she rocked onto her tiptoes, her hands resting on Simon's shoulders, and placed a soft, lingering kiss on his cheek.

When she pulled away, her hand reached up to rub away the red stain from her lipstick and she smiled up at him.

"Thank you," she told him, although it was barely a whisper. He nodded at her.

Pulling her hand back, she stepped away and continued down the hallway to her room, taking a second to glance back at the boy who would always be there for her.

It's finally here! Thank you all for bearing with me as I got my shit together after wrapping up school. I have officially graduated and obtained my Master's Degree. I have post-grad PTSD and keep feeling like I have assignments due even though I don't.

I also want to be 100% real with you guys. I have struggled for years with anxiety and recently I've also started to have issues with depression. It genuinely sucked all motivation out of me, not just for writing but also for doing anything besides lying in bed. It was hard to get up in the morning. I had not even touched my laptop really for almost two weeks. Honestly, I think it stemmed from me finally coming to terms with the fact that my grandmother passed away, which was over a year ago. She was at my last two graduations and she wasn't at this one, so that hit me very hard as we were very close.

Luckily, my boss, who is like my #workdad and one of the only people I really have interaction with on a daily basis, helped me and gave me advice to pick myself back up and get back to doing what I enjoy, like writing. So, here is this chapter!

I hope you enjoy it! Next is the detention episode. I want to try to have the episode completely typed up by Sunday so I can get back to a regular schedule, but I'll settle if I have about half typed and the rest outlined.

Don't forget to vote and comment!