Bronx Masquerade Chapter 16-20 Summary

Tyrone

If Tyrone could play basketball like Devon, he wouldn't worry about writing any poems. He'd be trying to make it big in the NBA.
Of course, maybe there's room for some poet-athletes in the world of sports.

Lupe knows Janelle is into Devon, but she's going to have to stand in line, since Beth is hot on his heels, too.
In fact, Beth shows up for Mr. Ward's class on Open Mike Friday even though she doesn't belong in the class.
Lots of kids have been doing that. The other teachers aren't too happy about it, but Mr. Ward does right by his coworkers and sends the kids back to their classes.
Lupe knows about love because she loves her niece, Rosa. She's a sweetheart and Lupe loves being around her.
Since her older brother and sister moved out a while ago, Lupe just lives with her mom and stepdad. Sometimes she misses her biological dad, who walked out on them when Lupe was only five.
Mami doesn't like hearing Lupe daydream about Papi—her mom thinks Lupe's dad was no good. Her stepdad, on the other hand, puts food on the table. What's wrong with him?
Lupe still wishes she had someone to love. She's dating Marco, which is okay, but what she really thinks she'd like is a baby.
Her friend Gloria has a baby and she's so lucky. If Lupe had a little bundle of joy, she'd always have someone to love her, someone she could take care of.
She's not that into Marco, but she and he might make pretty babies. Oh, Lupe…

Lupe's poem is all about love—specifically the sexy kind. Is she thinking of Marco and those baby dreams?

Tyrone thinks Lupe is a bit of a dreamer. He never knows what's going on inside her head; she's always somewhere else in her mind.
But if she's always thinking about the guy in that poem, why doesn't she look happier?

Gloria's in English class, but she's not really in English class; in her head, she's making a grocery list of baby stuff to get on the way home.
It's not that she doesn't love her baby, Angel, it's just that having a baby while trying to finish high school is so demanding.
Last week, Lupe asked her to hang out after school and Gloria had to tell her those days were over for her. There's no time for parties and fun once babies come on the scene.
Gloria is determined to finish high school and go to college. She wants to make a good life for her son and that's the only way to do it.
She wishes she could tell Lupe how lucky she is not to have a baby weighing her down. How can she get through to her?