Worlds Divided | j. baker

fifty three

"Why have y'all been keeping me out of the loop?  I wanna be included in the gang chisme as much as I wanna be included in the school chisme, okay?"  Alondra clasped her hands together and propped her elbows onto the table.  Her clasped hands went under her chin as some sort of bridge and she smiled at her Crenshaw friends.  "Tell me everything."

"I don't think there's that much.  Coop found out Tyrone was the one that put the hit out on Shawn and—"

"Woah, what?!  What do you mean 'not much'?  That's a big deal, why didn't you tell me?  Are we not besties?  Because I will sleep under your bed if it means you tell me everything."

Coop stared at Alondra in disbelief while Serenity and Spencer laughed quietly to themselves off to the side.  "Please don't do that again."

Alondra shook her head, finally putting her arms down to relax a bit more.  "You had fun at our surprise sleepover."

"I really didn't.  I woke up with your face above mine and staring at me."

Spencer and Serenity just busted out laughing, remembering Coop coming to them the next morning at the park to tell them how Alondra snuck into her house and slept under her bed.  There really wasn't a reason behind it, but she told her mom and brothers it was a sleepover, and they had no issue, so they let her go. 

"Can we please stay on topic?  I want to know what's happening in case you die."  Alondra threw her hands in exasperation and leaned back into the dining room chair with her eyes squinted.

"Look, if it wasn't for you, Alo, Shawn would've been buried right next to Brandon and Maya would've grown up without any parents.  Tyrone set that whole shooting up, gave the other set the money Shawn gave him to get out, and now he's in the wind because we know.  Shawn deserves justice and to not live in fear that Ty will find him and Maya.  Because if he was willing to kill Shawn for trying to get out, what do you think happened to Brandon?"

"Ugh, why is Crenshaw always having drama?"

"It's just Tyrone. He's the one messing everything up, but not for long."

"Laura Baker to the rescue." Alondra sang, throwing up a peace sign as she poked her tongue out and to the side. "I think she likes me, Billy doesn't."

× × ×

Alondra had to be at South Crenshaw the same time the football players did, so she was already on the field when the crowds started rolling into the stands. She was the one that had both Crenshaw and Beverly cheerleaders stretching and warming up together because she had to stay with her team, but her old team wanted to gossip with her.  However, once the crowd started coming in, they had to split up and say their goodbyes for the night.  "Ren, I can't breathe."  Alondra huffed out, squirming around in Serenity's tight hold.