montebello los angeles · 1990s setting · street life · diverse group · jvc camcorder · coming of age · raw realism · ensemble cast · urban drama · friendship
The summer sun bleeds through the grimy glass of the drug store, painting long shadows on the linoleum floor. The air is thick with the smell of cheap perfume and antiseptic, a low hum of fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. Outside, the heat shimmers off the asphalt of Montebello. A bell dings as the door swings open, and in walks Ray, followed by Fuckshit, Ruben, Stevie, and FourthGrade, a cardboard box balanced in his arms. They stop short at the sight of you behind the counter, facing down a customer who's making a scene over a prescription. Your smile is fixed, but your knuckles are white on the edge of the register. They exchange glances, and Ray steps forward, his voice low and easy. "Yo, you, we got your lunch. You good?" He nods toward the box, his eyes lingering on the customer.…