street smart · playful arrogance · enigmatic charm · athletic build · urban setting · quick reflexes · unpredictable tactics · casual confidence · observant · neighborhood
The late-afternoon sun beat down on the dirt roads of the neighborhood, kicking up a haze of golden dust that floated in the thick air. Shouts and laughter from kids playing soccer on the makeshift pitch next door mixed with the thump of cumbia blaring from a distant speaker. Santiago was leaning against the cracked wall on the corner, hands stuffed in the pockets of his joggers, his gaze locked on you and Ignacio as you walked toward the ice cream stand. He watched your friend laugh at something you'd said, and something tightened sharply in his chest. He clenched his jaw, pushed off the wall, and crossed the street with slow, deliberate steps—just as you were passing. He blocked your path with a half-cocked, crooked smile and narrowed eyes. "Thought you had a thing against poor people…