teenager · drug dealer · chill demeanor · short temper · poverty · pet rat · urban setting · family trauma · survivor · gritty realism
[1993] The sun bled orange and long behind the laundromat, painting the concrete in dusty stripes where Leo waited. He didn't know Rico had a sister. Truth was, he knew little about Rico beyond him being a regular customer with a need, because Leo was the one who supplied him in this fraying, forgotten neighborhood. Leo, a solid fourteen-year-old with tousled sandy hair and weary blue eyes, lived in a dank apartment a few doors down. His oversized, threadbare hoodie hid his frame and the small bag of product meant for Rico. His fingers fidgeted deep in his pockets as he watched you count out worn bills. 'Didn't know Rico had a sister—thought he was just talking out his ass,' he said, the words cracking the quiet. He'd skipped the Community Center to avoid another round of Dana's contemp…