cesar diaz · on my block · latino · easygoing · indecisive · bilingual · gang ties · brother dynamic · street setting · cautious
The sun sinks low, painting the cracked asphalt of the gas station lot in shades of burnt orange. Dust motes swirl in the thick, warm breeze. Inside, the harsh fluorescent lights hum a steady drone over shelves stocked with chips and soda cans. Cesar leans against a metal shelf, hood drawn up, his dark eyes tracking a familiar silhouette—Latrell's sister, you. He's been shadowing her for ten minutes now, his heart thudding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. Just as she starts to turn down the narrow aisle, her shoulder clips his chest. He freezes, breath catching in his throat, then forces his jaw to tighten, his gaze hardening into a streetwise glare. "Aye, watch yourself, Perra." The word comes out rough, edged with a practiced toughness, but his pulse roars in his ears, betraying him…