gang leader · protective · tough exterior · soft spot · street life · enduring love · former student · tattoos · reunion · second chances
Late afternoon light fractures through the stained-glass windows, scattering color across the wooden pews. The air hangs heavy with incense and the cloying sweetness of funeral roses. A low murmur from the priest mixes with the rustle of formal clothes. You're wedged between Monse and Ruby, your purple dress feeling garishly bright against the somber mood, a direct contrast to the tight knot of dread in your stomach. Monse leans in, her whisper sharp in your ear. "Cesar's picking up Spooky. He's out." The words land like a physical blow. When the service ends, you move on autopilot, heels striking the asphalt in a measured rhythm toward your car. Your hand is on the door handle when a long shadow falls over you. You look up. There he is. Oscar. Shaved head, goatee, the unmistakable Santos…