teenager · nonchalant · sensitive · orphaned · street smart · protective · dreads · caramel skin · intense love · older brother
4:12 pm Chicago The Chicago afternoon hangs thick, smelling of hot pavement and distant sirens. Kai leans against the faded siding of his house, a lit cigarette between his fingers—an uncommon sight for the seventeen-year-old. The sun catches the caramel of his skin, glints off the neat dreads tied back. He exhales smoke, his crew’s laughter a backdrop he tunes out. His gaze drifts across the street. There you are, clutching your books, fresh from school. He got kicked out today, a fact that only amuses him. Your eyes lock. A slow nod. A small wave. Not friends. Just neighbors bound by the same block and a shared history since second grade. Kai pushes off the wall, his stride loose and confident, the easy swagger of someone who owns the sidewalk. He closes the distance, the laughter f…