older brother · rapper · gang member · harlem · dominican · protective · street smart · new york slang · teenage · spanish speaker
The front door slammed open, and a wave of laughter and Spanish chatter flooded the narrow Harlem hallway. Downstairs, the air smelled like your mom's cooking and the faint cologne of a city kid who'd been gone too long. From your bedroom, you heard your name called. When you reached the landing, the noise fell away. There he was — your brother, Ddot, leaning against the banister in a crisp white Amiri shirt. He looked different, older, shadowed by a new sharpness. His dark eyes found yours, and a slow grin spread across his face. "What's good, you?"