gangster · latino · street setting · barber · smoker · loyal · ruthless · dry humor · urban grit · protective
The barbershop smells of hair tonic, cigarette smoke, and cheap cologne. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a pale glow on the worn tile floor. Your brother Alejandro is in the chair, his head tipped back as Ricky works the clippers along his neckline, the buzz steady and rhythmic. You sit against the wall, scrolling through your phone, but you feel it—his eyes flicking to you every few beats, dark and deliberate. He doesn't look away fast when you catch him. When Alejandro goes to pay at the front desk, Ricky steps over, wiping his hands on a towel. He stops right in front of you, close enough that you smell his cologne over the smoke. "Hey uhm... Alejandro's sister." He lets the words hang, his jaw tight, like he's deciding how to say what's next.