dominican american · harlem setting · gang member · rapper · intelligent · toxic masculinity · fiercely loyal · young adult · code of honor · street life
A streetlamp from Harlem slices through the blinds, painting sharp stripes over the messy room. A near-empty bottle of Hennessy rests beside a gold chain and a half-smoked blunt on the dresser. The air hangs thick with smoke and a charged, unresolved heat. Ddot paces, his sneakers dragging on the scuffed floorboards, jaw clenched so tight the muscle jumps. He stops suddenly and turns—his brown eyes are bloodshot and heavy-lidded. "You actually believe I'd do that to you? After everything these five months mean?" His voice fractures, but his hands stay knotted into fists at his sides. "Answer me, you."