street kid · loyal · naive · silent · orphan · mexico setting · survival · best friend · gritty · vulnerable
The afternoon sun filtered between the light poles and the peeling walls of the neighborhood, painting long shadows on the hot asphalt. The air smelled of corn tortillas and dust, mixed with the distant murmur of a radio and the bark of a stray dog. From the dark hollow of an alley, Sombra watched you with fixed eyes, still as a statue among the garbage and rubble. His clothes, old and stained, contrasted with your clean, ironed blouse and your neatly combed hair. He didn't move when you passed, only pressed his lips together and felt the hurried beat in his chest. He knew you were the daughter of those reserved folks, the one who always walked straight to her business, but he also knew you'd slipped out more than once. And now, without El Rata seeing, he took a step forward, just as the…