18 Chapter 18: Brothers

"Yo, Ricky! You came to party huh?"

"Nah, looking for Carlos. You seen him?"

"Try the porch."

I push past the crowd and walk outside. Carlos is sitting in a rocking chair drinking a beer.

"Hey man, party's inside."

He looks at me with a blank stare on his face,

"Don't feel like partying, hombre."

I sit on the chair next to his.

"Can we talk?"

He lets out a loud burp,

"Bout what?"

"She told me what you said."

He throws his empty can behind him.

"I..."

"I'm so sorry Ricky,"

His voice breaks and his eyes are wet,

"You could've died because of me."

"Don't do that man,"

I can feel heat rise in my chest,

"It wasn't your fault. You can't control people's actions,"

"But you can control how you react to those actions."

He finishes my sentence.

I pat his back,

"Exactly. You wanna head back inside now?"

He pulls out another beer from under his chair,

"Nah, i'd rather stay out here. It's nice out tonight."

He tosses me a drink and we sit in silence. Even though he didn't say it, I know it's there. I can hear it.

"I love you too, Carlos."

He jerks his head at me,

"Jódete, Ricky."

(Fuck you, Ricky)

We look at each other and laugh.

***

"Ah shit,"

I rub my head,

"How the hell am I hung over from one drink?!"

Carlos is passed out on the chair.

"Wake up bro."

I smack his arm,

"When the hell did we fall asleep out here?"

"Dunno,"

He helps me off the floor and we walk inside.

"Holy hell."

"It's a shit fest in here."

The room is covered in trash and people are sleeping on the floor.

"No way man,"

I walk to the elevator,

"No way i'm dealing with this shit right now."

"Suit yourself, there's still some booze left!"

The doors to the elevator close and I press the third floor.

"Way do hallways have to be so long?!"

I drag my hand along the walls until I get to Kaz's room.

"Yo Kaz, sorry I didn't come back last night,"

I open the door and she's not in bed. I check the tub, the terrace. No use.

"What the hell?"

There's a small note stuck on the tv.

'Ran out to handle some personal things. Sorry I didn't take you back upstairs, I definitely saw you and Carlos knocked out on the porch. -Kaz'

"She left me on the porch? Hm, can't really say i'm surprised."

There's a loud yell downstairs,

"¿Qué demonios es todo esto?!"

(What the hell is all of this?!)

'Shit, it's Selena.'

"RICKY, ¡CONSIGA TU CULO AQUÍ AHORA!"

(RICKY, GET YOUR ASS HERE NOW!)

I hobble down stairs. She's waiting on me with a glare that could melt my face off.

"¿Qué le has hecho a la mansión?"

(What have you done to the mansion?)

"What?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?! I've done nothing, there the ones that wanted to party! I just came down here to talk to him!"

I point to Carlos who sitting on the couch watching me defend myself.

"What mane, don't look at me, I didn't party either."

"Entonces, ¿quién me ayudará a limpiar este desastre antes de la cena?"

(So who will help me clean up this mess before dinner?)

Me and Carlos exchange looks,

"The people that messed it up of course."

He hops over the couch and hugs her,

"Look, i'll even help you get started. TODAS LAS PERRAS DESPIERTAS!"

He kicks the people who are sleeping on he floor.

"Se acabó la fiesta, ¡así que sal!"

(The party is over, so get out!)

I watch as they groan and slowly get up.

"Aye mane, do you have to yell?"

"YES! NOW GET OUTTA HERE!"

Several people are slowly making their way out of the house.

"You two clean. I be back in few hours."

Selena leaves out the door and Carlos and I exchange looks.

"Did she just..."

"Yup."

***

Four hours had passed. We swept, scrubbed, washed, and rinsed everything that was messed up.

"What. The. Fuck."

I lie on the floor exhausted.

"Neither Selena not Kaz has been back for hours."

"Kaz'll be fine. She's a big girl, she can handle herself; and i'm sure Selena stopped by her daughters house or something."

"Mhm, I guess. But she left before I was even awake."

"Dude, you guys aren't really dating, so why the hell are you worried?"

"Because!"

"Because what?"

He walks over to the fridge and grabs a beer.

"Because...because she's a member and I worry about all of you."

"Ok but she's temporary. What'll happen when she leaves?"

"Huh, I-I don't know. I guess I didn't think that far ahead."

"Alright, i'll tell you. She leaves, you follow her, I become head of the gang, but I can't handle the burden. So you come back and never see Kaz again, causing you to be the worlds most cold hearted gang leader of all time."

"Oh wow. You've really thought this through, huh?"

The takes a long gulp of his beer and shrugs,

"Not really. I just have a gut feeling."

"You sure that's not just the beer?"

"Oh haha, real funny."

*Knock, knock, knock*

"Go get the door hombre!"

"Lazy fuck."

I walk over to the front door and open it.

"Hiya Ricky, sorry I took so long. You think you can help me to the bathroom?"

Kaz is covered in blood and holding her side tightly.

"What the hell did you do?!"

"I'll explain later, but as of right now I really need to go to the bathroom."

I pick her up and walk towards the downstairs bathroom. I set her down on the floor and she rushes in and locks the door.

I press my ear against the door and I can hear her groaning.

"Uh, Kazmariah...the fuck happened while you were gone?!"

"Ricky, please. I just need ten minutes to get my shit together, then i'll tell you everything. I swear."