Mas Adelante | Ruby Martinez

Mas Adelante - Chapter Fourteen

Angelo's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "What?"

"I couldn't find the right time to tell you." Lola mumbled, looking down at her acrylic nails. "I don't know what to do."

"I–" He swallowed, shaking his head. "I can't have a kid right now Lola, especially not with a fifteen year old. I'll go to jail."

She pursed her lips, "can I ask you something?" He nodded his head softly, his eyes going over how her demeanor changed as she sat up, uncrossing her legs, she was unfazed by what he said. Or so it seemed. "Did you ever love me?"

"What?"

"I'm breaking up with you Angelo." His eyebrows knitted together, completely confused. "But I just want to know if you ever loved me, or if you just used me for sex." He folded his lips in, exhaling from his nose. She got her answer. "Okay." She nodded. "Goodbye then."

She stood, her heels clicking against the tile of the cafeteria. He stood, grabbing her hand. "Let me give you a ride home."

"No." She shook her head. "I'll call Oscar." But she didn't, she walked out of her high school with tears running down her face, it seemed as if karma was officially coming back around to haunt her. But in her head she thought that with all of the wrong that had happened to her, her actions didn't have consequences. She was completely and utterly wrong.

Lola removed her heels, holding them in her hand as she took off down the sidewalk, her vision blurry from her excessive crying. She caught her breath as she put her phone to her ear, looking up at the house in front of her.

"Hello?"

"Ruby?" She said, biting the back of her hand to stop herself from sobbing.

"Um.. Lola?" She could hear him tussling around in his bed. "Is everything okay?"

"Can you come outside? Please?"

"Yeah I-" the front door opened and his face fell at the sight, she was completely wrecked. He ended the call, sliding the phone in his pocket as he stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. She began to sob as he stepped closer and he embraced her, causing her to drop her shoes to the ground. "Hey, hey. Relax." She clutched his shirt, mumbling out incoherent words. "Breathe, breathe. You don't have to talk right now. Take your time."

She parted, setting her hands on either side of his face. "I'm sorry." She shook her head, her face wet from the tears. "I tried Ruby."

"Lola what are you talking about?" He half-gasped, completely puzzled.

"I tried, I—I cant have this baby, I'm not going to have this baby." She continued shaking her head, "I can't ruin your life. You have so much going for you Ruby I-" she hugged him, and he stood stunned, slowly moving his hands.

"Lola." He stepped back, "you can't do this to yourself. Look at you." He wiped her face. "You need to think about this. Like really think about it."

"You think I haven't?" She sniffled, squinting her eyes. "I haven't slept in a week thinking about the life I could possibly give this child. If he's a boy he'll grow up a Santo, that'll be his life and there's no way out of it."

"But what if she's a girl? Then she–"

"She'll be just as fucked up as her mom and my mom." She looked down at her bare feet. "I wouldn't wish my life upon anybody."

"Then don't." When she looked up at him, he sighed. "What if you just give it up for adoption? Or..." he trailed off, biting the inside of his lip.

"Or?"

Ruby pressed his lips together, shutting his eyes momentarily. "I can take him. I mean," he grabbed her hand. "I'll take him."

"Ruby I already told you you don't need this inconvenience I can't do this to you. As soon as I hand him over Oscar will–"

"We don't have to worry about that right now, Lola. You're driving yourself crazy." He took her hands into his. "But I'm here okay? And whatever you do, I'm gonna be right by your side." He lifted her right hand, placing his lips against her knuckles. "Always."