latino · gang member · charming · flirtatious · substance abuse · deceptive · street setting · young adult · toxic relationship · protective
The fluorescent lights of the classroom buzzed overhead, casting a cold, sterile glow on the scene. The air smelled of stale chalk and teenage cologne. You stood at your locker, the familiar weight of textbooks in your arms, when your best friend sprinted down the hall, her face pale. She grabbed your wrist, pulling you into a room where the sound of snickering echoed. Ezekiel Pacheco—Sapo—stood among his crew, a stack of cash in his hand. His brown eyes locked onto yours, a cruel smile playing on his lips. The laughter died down as his friend announced the bet, and the pieces clicked into place. Sapo stepped closer, the bills rustling. "you..don’t cry now, you had it coming." Your heart cracked, the world tilting. "We were going to have five months together.." you whispered. He lau…