Ride Or Die | o. diaz

nueve

"It was just a party." Tatiana said quietly, but still loud enough so it was audible.  She was sitting at her kitchen table, messing with the strings on her bikini bottoms with her head down.  At the moment, she felt like a kicked puppy who was thrown into a cage.  In actuality, she was.

However, her boyfriend was being hard-headed. "How many times do I have to tell you not to fucking whore around?" Tatiana winced as his hand gripped her hair and forced her to look at him. "First that gang member and now every guy in Brentwood? Are you that desperate?"

Being this far in, Tatiana knew better than to not answer. "I just wanted to swim and make smores with my friends." She could feel tears coming due to the pain she felt in her scalp, but she wasn't going to let herself appear weak in front of him. When he scoffed and walked to her fridge, she rubbed the sore area and looked down at her arm, knowing another bruise will have to be covered up tomorrow.

After a sigh was let out, she heard him say, "I'm sorry." He walked over before getting on his knees and hugging her waist. "I talked to my dad about getting help. I don't want to hurt you anymore, and I don't mean to." She wanted to believe him, but with the amount of times she's heard things like this from him, she just couldn't.

× × ×

"You fucking bitch!" Tatiana ducked and barely missed the vase that flew over her head.

"I didn't even do anything." She peered at him from behind her couch and spoke quietly, knowing that if she yelled, he'd throw something else.

"Did you seriously think I wouldn't find out?" Tatiana furrowed her brows once again, but ducked when he picked up the TV remote. "You're just going to go to LA for 5 weeks?  And you didn't tell me?"

Once he stated why he was upset, she knew exactly what he was talking about. A few weeks ago, she had gotten an e-mail about dancing with Beyoncé at Coachella and like any person with a brain, she accepted. She went to an audition, made it through, and now she knew her dream of dancing would plan out like she wanted it to.

"You're not going."

"Yes I am." She told him confidently. Next thing she knew, she was running towards her bedroom until an arm went around her throat and dragged her back. "Let go of me!"

Tatiana was thrown onto the couch as her supposed boyfriend squatted down in front of her. "You piss me off, you know that?" The beat up teenager sunk into the couch and glared at the boy in front of her.

"Then why are you with me?"

"Because you're hot and I thought you'd be easy, not a prude." The senior shook her head and rolled her eyes before her face was backhanded and she fell onto the carpet. "Don't roll your eyes at me."

"Then stop hitting me, you fucking prick." Once again, for simply sticking up for herself, she was glared at and a fist came in contact with the side of her face. "Get off of me!"

The two fought on the floor, the male counterpart straddling her as he held her arms down and struck her face again.  Using her leg strength, she was able to kick him off, but she wasn't quick enough to stand and run.  While she was still on the floor, Nate decided to use his own legs and strike her mid-section.

One second, new bruises were forming and the next, she was just laying on the floor in pain with tears streaming down her face. Being so caught up in what was happening, neither noticed the front door being busted down or that people ran in.  With a busted up face resulting in one of her eyes being swollen shut, Tatiana didn't really know who was in her house until the yelling started. 

She had felt gentle hands helping her up and though her vision was blurry, she could easily make out the faces of Ruby and Cesar.  It was then that she realized that almost the entire Santos gang was in her house, and beating her abuser.  Right before police ran in, they all jumped off, mainly because of the probation some of them had.  As police came in and dragged Nate out with his hands cuffed, Tati watched as Oscar walked towards her and the two freshman holding her. 

She wanted to complain about how she would have to get the door fixed, but the relief and safety she now felt erased her mind of that.  Paramedics had came in next, and for the first time in a while, Cesar saw his older brother being all gentle.  Because of the bruises on her abdomen, she was put on to a gurney because of a suspected rib fracture. 

When she got outside, the blue and red lights were obnoxiously lighting up the dark street.  However, the lights were what told her that her neighbors had come out in their pajamas to see what happened.

"Ruby, go with her.  We'll follow."  She heard the older Diaz say. 

She was being put into the ambulance when she heard the short conversation between the paramedic and Ruby.

"Sorry, it's family only."

By the tone of his voice, she could just tell that be was rolling his eyes.  "I'm her little brother."

Before the doors of the ambulance shut, she saw Ruby sit beside her and felt him grab her hand.  "Ahora estás a salvo."

It was about time we got rid of that dumbass.  + Idk about you, but Ruby and Tati are my Brotp.

I HAVE 2 DAYS LEFT OF SUMMER COLLEGE CLASSES AND IM HYPED, just not for the whole going back to high school part.