ANDREW

{AUGUST 21st, 2020}

IT WAS currently 10:24 am and i've never been so exhausted in my entire life. last night the jacks, brandon, edwin, zion, nick, and austin all thought it was a great idea to party till 6 o'clock in the morning; after we all knew good damn and well that we had to wake up early for our nephew, mateo's, third birthday party.

"brandon, son, i swear you take all the time in the fucken' world to get ready! my son's party starts in 20 minutes. i don't need venus up my ass more than she already is!" zion yelled as he banged on brandon's door.

"man," brandon swung his door open, spraying his self with cologne. "i'm done. lets go." he said as he walked out to the living room, where we all were waiting.

zion rolled his eyes and grabbed his keys, walking out. we all hopped in two different vehicles. zion, austin, edwin, and nick in zion's car; then me, johnson, jack, and brandon in my car. "i heard venus and zion on the phone last night? coowoo . . . i've never heard so much profanity in my life." johnson shook his head as i started up the ignition, getting on the road before venus kills us all.

"for real, that's all they've been doing the last 6 months. is arguing." gilinsky said, buckling up his seat belt.

"they couldn't even agree on where to have the birthday party. venus' sister had to take control." brandon popped his head up by the middle console.

i shook my head, sighing as i pulled out. "they need to get it together for mateo. the only memory that kid is gonna have of them two together is straight arguing. that's not okay for a child to see in their early adolescence..." i trailed off, shaking my head.

"exactly." brandon said as he let out a huff. we all care for mateo so much, he was the first kid in the gang. i don't think we've all been so protective over one kid.

now don't get me wrong, that little shit can be so god damn annoying, and i don't mean like nagging annoying. he isn't dumb. the kid is a three year old prankster. last weekend i was watching him while venus and zion were at work, and the little fucker put raw eggs in just about every spot you can sit. i was livid. i had yolk all over my ass. but i give it to him, the kids a fucking genius and he's hilarious.

"vast majority of the time, it isn't even venus, either. . . it's just zion being an ass, all because she left him. it's bull shit." johnson spoke as we pulled up to the party.

we all hopped out the truck and headed to the door, "right. i love that dude to death, thats my brother, but he needs to cool out and think about his son." i said as we walked in venus' sisters house, veronica.

the house was filled with family members, venus & zion's both. it also consisted of our closest friends that is basically also family. "guys!" venus smiled as she walked over. "you guys made it! . . . i was getting worried. . . where's caleb?" she questioned, looking at each of us.

"well, he should be pulling up—."

"unc-uh baz! jj! g! unc-uh brando!" i heard a small voice. we all turned to see the small mateo waddling over with his arms wide. i grinned at the sight and picked him up. "where's daddy?" mateo looked at me, with his eyebrows furrowed.

i was about to speak, but i was cut off by the door opening, revealing zion, edwin, austin, and nick. "daddy!" mateo smiled widely, holding his arms out for zion.

zion smiled at his son and grabbed him from me. "my boy!" he kissed his cheek. "happy birthday, lil man! you're 3! lord, getting old on me." he joked, poking mateo's sides. making him giggle.

VENUS

i cleared my throat, placing my hands on my hips. caleb brought his attention to me and sighed. "look before you say anything, it wasn't my fau—." i cut him off.

"we are not arguing. not today, today is mateo's day." i spoke, shaking my head.

"mateo's day!" mateo pointed to his self, causing a wide grin to appear on my face.

"it is your day, baby." i leaned over and kissed his cheek. "if you need mommy, i'll be talking to tete outside. okay?" i pulled away from him.

he nodded. "okay, mommy." my grin didn't leave my face. he really is my whole world and more. my everything. i never knew i could love someone so much. i could never understand how parents could just up and leave their kids. i look at my baby and i couldn't imagine leaving his side.

i glanced at my boy one more time before walking outside, heading to my sister. "he showed up?" she questioned me as i walked up to her. "zion?" she sipped her wine

"yes, caleb, finally showed up." i sighed as i looked into the window. mateo was dancing around in the living room as the boys watched him, cheering him on. i laughed at the sight.

"you guys can't fight forever, venus." veronica let out a sigh, setting down her wine. "it isn't healthy. for you, mateo, or zi— caleb. . ."

i took my eyes off of mateo and faced veronica, "you think i don't know? i wish it could all be picture perfect, me and caleb getting along. he just. . . ugh." i shook my head before picking up veronica's wine glass, putting it to my lips and downing it.

"well, you could have that." she mumbled.

"i'm sorry, roni. . . this shit is all just stressful. . ." i trailed off. "but i'm going to try harder."

"good!", she smiled at me and punched my shoulder lightly.

"well if it isn't my two little shit-headed sisters!" a voice spoke from behind us, cutting us off. me and veronica turned around to see our older brother, vincent, alongside him, marisol, his fiancé, also my ex-childhood bestfriend. ew.

"vince!" me and roni exclaimed in sync, group hugging him.

he laughed lightly, hugging us back, "surprise!"

i pulled back and looked at him, "i thought you were gonna be stuck in new york for work?" i questioned.

"you really thought i was gonna miss my nephews third birthday? hey, where's that little shit at anyways?" he looked around.

i laughed softly and pointed at mateo through the window, who was shoving his face with cookies, "there's your crazy ass nephew."

"well let me go surprise him and pick up his gift." he smiled at me then headed inside. my smile fell and i looked at marisol with a blunt face. "marisol." i nodded my head to her.

"venus." she mumbled, walking past me, following my brother.

"bitch." i muttered, turning back to veronica, who was giving me a stern look, "what?"

"you know you miss her, venus. y'all were best friends for 18 whole years. . . come on." she said softly.

"yeah, well best friends don't secretly get engaged to your brother without even telling you." i shrugged, walking inside.

me and marisol were the bestest of friends since we were fetuses. our dads were close, so we were always with each other everyday for 18 years. we stopped talking right after i got pregnant because she decided to hide her entire relationship with my brother from me. try waking up to people sending you pictures of them all lovey dovey with rings on, and you being completely clueless.

i thought it was a joke.

but it obviously wasn't as they're getting married in peru this summer.

my thoughts came to a hault as i walked inside. "PRESENT TIME!" mateo yelled. i walked over to mateo and sat down, placing him on my lap. "hmm, i want—" he looked around, "that one!" he pointed to a large bright green box.

caleb picked the box up and brought it over, setting it on his lap. mateo smiled widely at the box. "mommy?" he turned to me, "can you help me open it?"

i nodded, "of course, let me see it, baby." i spoke softly to him. he passed me the box and i tore the gift wrap at the edges; placing it back in his lap.

he opened the gift and gasped. "hot wheels! wow! here's a note. . ." he opened the card, $50 falling out. "money! mommy i'm rich!" he showed me the money.

i laughed lightly at him, along with everyone else. i took the card and read it out loud.

'happy birthday, lil man. i love you. -jj.'

"money!" mateo exclaimed once again causing me to give him a stern look. "oh! i'm sorry, thank you, jj." he smiled and hopped off my lap, walking over to johnson and hugging him.

johnson laughed lightly and patted his back. "of course, bud."

mateo went through with opening his presents, and the party went by smoothly, which made me feel content. normally, me and caleb can't be in a house together longer than five minutes without me bashing his head in with a baseball bat.

okay, that was kind of psychotic. i haven't actually done it. i just picture it sometimes... and I KNOW all of you do too.

everyone soon left and i began to clean up the kitchen, you would be surprised how much trash a couple of kids could leave behind. "hey," a voice from behind me said lightly. i turned around to reveal the one and only, caleb, "i just wanted to say sorry for being late today. brandon was taking forever—."

"you think i don't know you were partying last night?" i chuckled, shaking my head. "my cousin saw you."

"here we go." he let out a huff of anguish.

"yes! 'here we go'," i mocked him, setting the trash bag that i was holding down. "i was up all night making sure everything was right for mateo's party. and what were you doing? blowing one while getting blowed? i'm so tired of this shit, caleb!" i slammed my hands down on the kitchen table.

"so what? you're stalking me or something now? i said i was sorry, venus, jeez!" he rose his voice.

"i am so, so tired of the apologies! these last 6 months thats all you do, is say 'i'm sorry' 'it won't happen again' well guess what, caleb? i. don't. forgive. you." i scoffed. "at least try and do better, for mateo at least!"

he shook his head, looking down. "forget i said anything, i'll be by to pick him up at 6 on monday." he said lowly as he walked out.

i let out a long sigh, sitting down at the kitchen and closing my eyes and rubbing my temples.

ANDREW

"bye, mateo!" i bent down to his height, fist bumping him.

"bye, unc-uh baz!" he smiled at me, fist bumping me back. "watch where you sit, the eggs are rotten by now." he giggled

i laughed, shaking my head, "you're such a little shit." i said as i ruffled his black curly hair, standing back up. i decided to go tell venus goodbye before heading out. i walked into the kitchen to find her sitting down at the table, with her head placed in her hands. "vee?" i spoke softly.

she looked up from her hands; her face was tear stained and her curls were stuck to her forehead. "oh," she sniffled, wiping her eyes and tucking her curls behind her ear. "hey, drew."

"what's wrong, vee? are you okay?" i asked her as i sat down across from her.

"yeah, i'm fin—." she stopped her self, looking down. "actually, no. i'm not fine."

"wanna talk?" i questioned her.

she pursed her lips, looking up at me. "i don't want to load you with issues about one of your potna's."

i shook my head, "hey, it's fine. go ahead." i gave her a small smile.

she smiled back at me sadly before sighing, "i just want the fighting over with, we have a kid, we need to be on good terms at least, i don't want mateo around negativity. . . he doesn't deserve that, you know?" she locked her brown eyes with mines.

i nodded, "i agree. . . the most you can do is try to talk, no arguing, just sit down and be civilized."

"—and God, i've tried that endless amount of times. . . it just always ends in one of us storming out." she sighed.

"just try harder, venus. no matter how much he ends up saying some dumb shit, just think about mateo. . ."

she nodded, "you're right. . ." she smiled lightly at me. "thanks, drew. it means a lot."

i returned the smile, "of course, vee."