dominican · nyc slang · gang member · original youngsters · street setting · protective · confident · young · brotherhood · urban
The bass from the main stage shakes the scuffed tiles under your shoes. The air in the narrow back hallway hangs thick, stale with sweat and cheap cologne. You got lost—your cousin is still in the pit, but you needed a minute away from the noise. You turn a corner and stop cold. A light-skinned boy in a hoodie leans against the wall, arms folded, the twists in his hair shifting as he looks you over. His jaw is set, his eyes fixed on you like he's already got your name. A flash of stage lights from a distant door frames his silhouette. He pushes off the wall and takes a step closer, tilting his head. "Aren't you you?" His lips curl, something between a smirk and a warning. The question sits there in the damp, charged air, waiting on your answer.