Facing the Kings

Between You and Me

Been awhile since I've had one of these! Sorry for such a long wait!

As you might've guessed, Lucy Hale is our Cameron Martinez. Look at her I-will-shoot-you face in the picture. She's so perfect for Cam!

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***

I wait patiently while Gabriel goes to pick up my siblings. I can't face them right away, I couldn't even return to school. I sit on the couch with my thumbs taping at the corners of my mouth. I have fallen in myself, so deep in thought a hurricane could start and I wouldn't flinch. I am now the sole provider for the Martinez family. That means money but I can't try and earn cash the honest way. I am legally an adult but to get a well paying job with short hours is just about impossible for someone like me. And I refuse to drop out of high school. It was one thing that I knew Leon wanted for me in life, and I'll do whatever I can see that through and make Leon proud.

For now, I need fast dough and lots of it. That means going back out and taking from gangsters. The Wasps are so tiny, they don't have much and it's just a waste of time. I have to aim bigger. Not a King or Red Coat, that's my ticket to death. No, I need a Poison Ivy or a Black Sheep. I feel rather deathly at the moment, so maybe I may aim for a Pain Brother. They're an upgrade, I'm sure I'll get triple of what I took from the Wasps.

But then again, is it worth the risk? One could over power me and easily put metal in my head, or beat me senseless for just daring to take from them and their gang. If it comes to that, I must trust what Leon taught me and have faith in my will to survive. Beyond that, can I really do that to my siblings? To lose the second oldest Martinez in under a month. Who knows what they'll do without me. Like go into a foster home. Kayla drops out to work where Diane did. Jet wasting his knowledge and flipping burgers. My family is too precious for that. Should something happen to me, I'd like to make sure they're taken care of.

Then, I know exactly how much it's worth. My family needs to eat, they need clothes and a better home. It's now my job to be the one to give it to them. We have suffered and it's up to me to end it, to save and rebuild our lives. Kayla and Jet will go to college, that I'm making sure of. And the younger kids, I want them to have their best shot at life and what they choose to do. If my decision costs me my life, it's something I will gladly give. Just let them take me after I have my family settled, after I know they're stable and have a steady income.

After my solid resolution they come stumbling in. Jamie screams, "Mommy!" at me then throws himself at my legs.

I pick him up and say, "Kayla, Jet. I need you in the kitchen. Gabe, Penny, watch the rug rats."

"I'm a big boy." Patrick stomps his foot.

"Of course you are. Let's see if Sponge bob is on." Gabriel ruffled Patrick's red hair.

I grab a juice from the fridge and send Jamie in the living room with it. "Diane left." I don't feel like sugar coating it, I'd rather be blunt than beat around the bush.

"Seriously?" Kayla exclaims, dropping the apple she was about to eat.

"She emancipated me, give me the house and I am the adoptive mother of you all." I continue, picking up her apple and rinsing it off in the sink.

"And she just left?" Jet said, running a hand through his hair.

"Yup. Took the van and Jack D. Didn't even look back." I cross my arms and lean against the counter.

"Did she say why?" Kayla asks, biting the apple.

"Because Leon's dead and Jamie calls me 'mom'. She said there's no reason to be here anymore. I thought she was going to rehab." I watch Kayla hungrily eat the apple and realize they're all probably starved. I get four boxes of mac and cheese.