𝙒𝘼𝙄𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙍𝙊𝙊𝙈 ᵒˢᶜᵃʳ ᵈⁱᵃᶻ

009 | maneater

ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ : ▮▮▮▮▮▮▯▯▯

Monse, Ruby, Jamal and Cesar knocked on the front door just thirty minutes after Alessia had ended the call. Apparently none of them had any plans for the afternoon and gladly spent it moving furniture. That they actually wanted to inspect the property and make sure there weren't any Santos hiding in the cracks of the walls wasn't exactly a secret after Jamal very publicly looked inside the oven – twice. Neither Alessia nor Julez took it as an insult. They had also contemplated putting cameras in every room once or twice.

Alessia noticed the suspicious glares coming from across the street. The Diaz' property was terribly open, making the men's attempts at subtle looks very difficult. Not that they tried very much. Alessia had to resist the urge to put a jacket on, what both Cesar and Monse noticed after about twenty minutes.

"You okay?", Monse asked quietly as she grabbed one of the smaller boxes that were labeled "Julez". Alessia nodded but sighed when she saw Monse's suspicious expression.

"I don't want to give my brother the satisfaction of admitting it, but had I known about our neighbors... I don't know. I would have looked for a different house."

"I think everyone would have", Monse chuckled, "That's nothing to be embarrassed of."

"It's just that my brother tried to warn us. And I obviously didn't listen."

"I never listen to my brother, either", Cesar cut it, trying to lighten the mood. Alessia frowned.

"And what has that gotten you?"

"I'm dating Monse." He put an arm around Monse as though Alessia wouldn't believe him if he didn't. Monse sighed and shrugged him off.

"You won't be dating her much longer if you keep pretending your brother and his friends don't pose an imminent threat to literally every woman on the block." Cesar's expression faltered and he put the plastic bin full of bedding down.

"That's not fair", he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "My brother might not be the nicest guy to be around, but he isn't dangerous. Not for people who respect him, at least."

"You're not really succeeding at making him out to be the good guy, here", Alessia sighed. Monse nodded along imminently. Cesar didn't answer and for a moment Alessia thought she'd hit a nerve, but then she noticed his suspicious glare towards the other side of the street. She closed her eyes for a second and then turned around, only to be met by Oscar's smiling face. Alessia didn't make a snarky comment but waited for him to explain himself.

"You guys need help with anything?", he asked after noticing she wasn't going to ask an introductory question. Alessia raised her brows.

"Does it look like we do?" Oscar chuckled and only now did Alessia notice her brother in the small crowd behind him. She shot him a glare which he ignored.

"Well, none of you look like you're getting that couch anywhere, so how about you stop being a pain and accept my neighborly offer?", Oscar proceeded. Alessia wasn't sure what bothered her more; that he didn't care about her opinion at all or that he was right. They'd left the couch out until now for a reason and she hadn't yet figured out what to do about it.

"My brother put you up to this?", she asked instead of answering his question. Antonio stepped forward a little, but Oscar ever so slightly holding his hand out stopped him from interfering.

"He didn't need to."

"Right, you see a maiden in need and your knightly nature just kicks in." Oscar smiled, looking intrigued. Like he enjoyed this. Alessia squinted her eyes. "Go on, then."

"Oh?", he asked with a laugh and waved for two of his friends to get the couch. They did, without question.

"What, you're not going to do it yourself? That's not very manly, is it?", Alessia asked, hoping to catch him in his stupid game. Oscar only proceeded to smile and then leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"Knights work, but kings rule." Then he turned back towards his house like he didn't just say the most obnoxious thing ever. The guys he'd ordered to take care of the couch came back out of the house, followed by Julez, Ruby and Jamal. They all looked a bit frightened.

Oscar's idiot posse followed him back to his porch, where they took their designated places like dogs. It was sad to watch, especially because Antonio was one of them. His gaze was fixed on Alessia, still, and she knew she wouldn't hear the end of this.

"What was that?", Julez hissed when she reached Alessia and inspected her arms for anything reaching from bruises to breaking points. Cesar gulped and exchanged a glance with Monse.

"Neighborly kindness, apparently", Alessia answered, annoyed. Cesar grabbed one of the last boxes and vanished into the house, likely to avoid another insult.

"What did he say to you?", Monse asked. She didn't look scared or even nervous. Worried, if anything.

"Who cares?", Alessia asked in return and sighed. "Anyone want something to eat? I'm buying."

"Oh, I could definitely go for pizza right now", Jamal said, immediately. Ruby nodded as well and Monse took the hint. Alessia gestured for them all to follow her inside, taking the last boxes along with them.

Julez had already started unpacking some of the living room stuff, but it was clear she'd abandoned her task the second the sofa had moved in. There was ripped tape everywhere and a pair of scissors on the ground.

"That's everything, right?", Cesar asked, coming down the stairs. Alessia nodded and pulled out her phone, which probably came across very hostile, even though she didn't mean it to be. She knew none of this was Cesar's fault. It was just so much easier to blame someone else.

"Alessia's ordering pizza for all of us, you want some?", Julez asked, her smile diplomatic. Cesar shot Monse a questioning look. Alessia couldn't see how Monse responded, but it caused Cesar to loosen his shoulders and come into the kitchen.

"Everyone cool with pepperoni?" All nodded. Alessia specifically looked towards Cesar, who, against all odds, still looked like a beaten up puppy. "I'm ordering a couple beers to your house. As a thank you. That cool?"

"Uh, yeah, of course." Cesar contemplated for a second. "Look, I'm sorry for the way Oscar's acting. He usually isn't like that. And..."

"It's fine", Alessia interrupted him. "At least he's helping."

"Which is definitely not how he act usually"; Ruby muttered. Alessia frowned, but got no response.

"Pizza will be here in half an hour. Everyone down for some trash TV in the meantime?"

"Oh, you are definitely one of us", Jamal said with a grin.