Chapter 2

JPOV (into Thursday)

I arrived at college, it was a large middle class college, it specialised in, art and media studies. It was quite small mainly Northsiders a few Southsiders, all of this segregation was completely alien to me, all I knew was if people were kind to me I was kind to them. I walked through the busy hall towards my lecture, I joined a few guy friends and chatted on the way to class, one passed me a flyer to the Party Tuc was going to. I folded it up and put it in my back pocket.

I decided that I didn't like the sketch when I got home from College today, so I worked on a new one that night, I arranged to meet Tuc tomorrow night, I hadn't seen him for a few days now. I was up late sketching and shading as well s going on google maps to find a good location for my art work.

I was feeling the late night it this morning, it didn't help that May was 'making it up' to my Dad for her horrible mood the past few days, my headphones were my best friend some nights. In an empty room sound carried quite easily.

I groaned as I woke up and looked t my timetable, shit 10am start, I flopped back onto bed, I picked my phone up and had a catch up text with Tuc, he must still asleep, I ate some cereal and downed some coffee, before getting ready, I threw my bag on and rushed out the door, throwing my board down and jumping on.

It was nearly 9:35am I skated past some junior school kids, I weaved past them as they cried out as I made them jump

'Out of the way' I called out as I approached them, like little pins and I was the bowling ball, I smiled to myself. One small boy, his uniform was immaculate, though his shoes and bag looked well worn. I carried on for the college, turning my music up as I placed my headphones in.

I grabbed a coffee from the canteen and went to my class, I took my seat around the middle of the room, I placed my bag on the seat next to me and pulled my Laptop out. I started my audio recording programme as I opened my folder for the topic.

The room started to fill up slowly, I took some sips of my coffee, normally there wasn't too many people turn up to the morning classes. I listened to the other conversations going on around me.

'Hello ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Art, today we shall be discussing the impact art has on different individuals' the lecturer Mr Roland called out grasping all of our attentions, I started recording. I titled my new paper. He whizzed through everything, I typed as quick as I could and asked lots of questions, it was hard to take it all in,

'So please go out, find, explain why and what makes you do the art that you do, why you do it? How you feel? How does different art makes you feel? What is the affect? positive, would it make you change they way you go about you're daily life? So next week have your notes ready as you'll be given a new essay to complete' The lights flicked back on people groaning and straightening up after they had been slouching and resting, I was still typing fast away along with a few others, all noting down what we had retained.

I packed my bag up it was nearly 12:20 am I went for a small walk letting my brain process. As I ate my home packed lunch, some left over pasta and cake from last night.

I opened up my laptop and turned the power on, adjusting the light setting as the sun was out, sitting on the grass, the breeze welcoming, the talking and shouts from other students drifting around me. I noted down more I remembered. I got a message from Tuc. Which made me jump. I pulled it out of my pocket and placed my Pasta pot on the ground and leaned back crossing my legs.

APOV (in to Tursday)

I shoved Carlos up against the metal fence after yesterdays disparaging act, I was sure that I followed him, it seemed to be a meeting point where he was obviously waiting for someone.

My arm rigid against his thin throat, his calm smile scaring me.

'What are you doing here?' I asked him getting close to him, he was trying to get me off of him

'Carlos, ¿adónde vas ahora?' my eyes boring into his, he stayed silent, I tightened my grip keeping my stare hard, he was doing nothing but piss me off.

'Cálmate, hermano. ' Carlos said a panic starting to creep over him, he knew I would do anything for family, but you never got on the wrong side of me, the cold bodies proved that.

'Answer me' I said getting louder

'I'm just waiting for some mate, that's all' he brushed my questions off

'You need to be at school bro, not hanging round LB territory' I told him, keeping my eyes fixed on him.

'I'll do what I like, you can't stop me' Carlos said trying again to shove me away his voice getting slightly more strained.

'Pack it in, idiota! Go to school. The Blood isn't worth it!' I said shoving him against the gate hard before walking away.

'You can't watch me all of the time!' Carlos shouted out, I didn't give him the satisfaction of tuning around. I just stopped and sighed. I went back to work, why was Carlos doing this? The past 3 week he had been missing days of school, there had been letters and phone calls, I had tried to keep it all from Mama, giving Carlos the chance to sort himself out, but it seemed he saw it as a free pass. I was too scared to miss school unless it was for the Blood, then the Blood was all that mattered.

I walked into work, just in time, my uncle was walking in and turning all the lights on. They flickered and softly buzzed as they came on, giving an abnormal lighting in the room.

I pulled the large metal roll-door up the sun shining in, making me squint.

'Morning Alex' he called out to me, I raised my hand to him as he put the radio on, I looked at the list of jobs that needed doing, I made a start as my Uncle Enqueues sat in the office, starting phone calls, ordering parts, the other workers filed in. We all got on alright, we were all part of the Blood, we were all branded with it, our Bandanna worn in different ways, tattoos on our biceps, we all had various and different tattoos, with different meaning to us all.

The Lationo radio playing out into the cold, echoing room. I felt someone kick my leg, I was under an old Ford changing the oil. I wheeled out from under the car, a harsh scowl on my face, I was pissed off enough.

'Eh' I said looking up at the figure it was my mate Paco

'Brother LB meeting noche, warehouse 7 sharp' he said looking around at the others, I just nodded.

'I'll meet you there' Paco said softly, as he rushed out of the garage, he was short and stocky, and usually had one girl on his arm and another lined up, I went back to work wondering what the sudden meeting was all about.

I hoped that Carlos had gone to school, though if he was anything like me he was doing everything I had told him not to do, I went to get the new oil and filter. I glanced at the other workers, that were all older than I. OG's is what the LB called them, they worked old school, beating first and not talking later is the way they worked, you didn't want to get on the wrong side of them, and definitely didn't want to be visited by them. They just looked back at me, I kept my business to myself and Paco, I didn't trust anyone else.

I waited for Louis by the tracks, he was walking with a smile on his face, he almost rushed over when he saw me, waiting with my hands in my pockets, keeping an eye out for who was around, I nodded to a group of guys walking past.

'Good day?' I asked him, after he jumped over the tracks, I listened as he rambled on about his day, what he had learnt, and what he got up to at lunch. I smiled as I listened to him, he was so sheltered from my world, I wished it could always stay that way for him.

The streets, littered with potholes, litter, homeless objects. Metal fences failing to stop people going in to abandoned buildings and crumbling businesses.

We walked in the door. Mama wasn't home, I checked through the house while Louis waited by the front door. Another family ritual. It all came from one time, I found some low life scum going through our things. My Glock soon sorted them out. Mama laughed and thought I was being silly as I still did this, it was over 2 years ago that it happened now, I came back down from the stairs and gave him a small nod, Louis went upstairs to change and start his homework, I looked for a note from anyone. Nothing, I looked at the clock I was nearly 5pm I looked through the cupboards, which all the contents could fill one.

I started to fry some meat, and cook some food, Louis came and sat in the Kitchen, and did his home work, he was wearing some casual clothing. There was some hope for the family.

My phone buzzed,

Be here 7 sharp it was from Paco I placed it back in my pocket and turned back to the meal, I dished up Louis's and mine, I left it so it was warm, I checked the time I wolfed the food down and went upstairs, I had a shower, letting the water run over my darker skin, I washed my hair.

I let myself dry and pulled some clean clothes on and a fresh bandanna as I placed the other in the wash basket, I tied my hair up and put the bandanna on covering my hair. I placed the basket downstairs and emptied the dryer and put the washing machine load in the dryer and started it and put the washing on.

'Louis, fold he washing please, then swap them over' I called out Louis was still eating he just nodded, he hated being left alone, I didn't want to leave him. A brave face and fast actions, made us feel as though nothing could hurt us.

'Lock the door, do the washing' I said placing my large hand on his small shoulder, his innocent eyes flashed up to my bandanna then to my eyes.

'Yes boss' he replied I walked out and waited to hear Louis lock the door. I jumped on my old '82 Kawasaki bike, and drove off to the warehouse. I was slightly late, I parked up and walked in. everyone was there. SHIT. I looked around and nodded to the OG's who were standing on a slight platform the rest including Paco, standing along the sides of the warehouse, he had been so distant lately,

'Alex you decided to finally join us' Joey the leader called out

'Sorry Sir' I said into the emptiness, I closed the door and stood along the edge.

I had been with the Blood since my Father died, I took his place that was 7 years ago now. I had done drugs, drug deals, break-ins, petty theft, I had been caught a few times too, though when I was younger I was just cautioned, but now if I was caught it would mean, a long, hard time in the slammer. The money was good and the protection from the Blood depended on your loyalty and your willingness to be part of the gang.

'I called you all here because, a few of us are thinking of taking it easy, giving a few of you a chance to prove yourselves worthy of taking on some of our rolls, that being said we need some new recruits to keep our numbers up' he said everyone hanging on to his every word, my heart pounding thinking of Carlos. Everyone was speaking Spanish only, one of LB many rules.

'SO if you want to have a better role, than being a street rat, meet here in a week, to shall I see, see if you make the cut' Joey said with a slightly terrifying smile.

He walked out we all stayed silent, when Joey left by his car the other OG's slowly left, when the last car left, there was a weight taken from us I went over to Paco.

'What the hell!' I said to him

'Og's don't give up unless they die' Paco said sharing my concern everyone was confused by this sudden change tot he system

'Will you go for it?' Paco asked me making sure others couldn't hear

'Nah man, that's big time stuff, Mama can't loose me, Carlos will go off the rails, I'm better being able to do what I want when' I said to his

'I think I will, think of all the Chikas I can have, the respect from others' Paco sai with almost a sense of pride about him.

'Chill, man you don't know who you might be up against' I said looking around at the guys that were bigger, had more experience and that were a hell of a lot daring than us.

'what if it is a test?' another guy said joining us

'Everything is a test' I said bumping his fist

'Well we will see next week' he said before leaving, the others tarted to leave, I checked the time half 8. I walked outside and phoned home, Louis picked up, he didn't speak

'Yo, bro Alex here, anyone home?' I asked him I just heard a muffled cry in the background, my heart started to race, I hung up and got on my bike and drove as quick as I could to get home.

JPOV (Thursday)

Tuc didn't know about my street art, no-one did, I was going to the South side, I double checked my new sketch I was happy with it, it was nearly 6pm. Tuc as out on his second date. May and Dad were out, the second Thursday of every month they went out together. I filled my back pack with my cans and grabbed a bag of clean lids. I pulled on some baggy jeans, a hoody I pulled my hair up and pulled a beanie on.

I walked over to my make up mirror and grabbed my black ink and sponge, I sponged on a beard and a moustache, I covered my light eyebrows, I double checked everything and myself. The adrenaline was pumping through me already. I put my back pack on. I trotted down the stairs and picked up my plain varnished skateboard and locked the door behind me. It wasn't yet dark, I pushed off and headed towards the Southside.

I went over the train tracks, it was quiet and calm, just how I liked it. I didn't want much attention. I had been on google maps to try and find the best place for the art, I pushed a few more times building up my speed, keeping my body looking casual, they were poor this side. I made a left and avoided a large pot hole, I jumped as a large fox walked in front of me. The street light flickering, graffiti everywhere LB covering most of the space, I just carried on I passed the warehouse on my right, lots of cars and bikes parked outside. I was near to the tunnel, I was hoping it had some space.

I Jumped off of the board and tapped the end catching it with my other hand, I looked around. Nobody was about. I placed my board against the wall and dropped my bag, the art on this wall was shit. Just letters, people using the cans wrong, holding them so close that the cheap paint became thick and ended up running down the walls, it was rubbish, peoples names, threats. A lot of Spanish that I didn't understand, I didn't want to cover anything but I would have to.

I checked around again, I pulled my gloves on and my face mask and got to work. I pulled the sketch out and found the best place to do it I put the lids on the different colours and drew the outline it covered the most shit things. It seemed the Latino Blood was always spoken about at College, I was going to draw an atomically correct heart I found the best LB logo so that it was going to be in my design. I taped some paper over the LB symbol, I coloured the outline pink, I checked around the shaking of the can and spraying was echoing around the tunnel.

I added the 4 valves, I then did a darker outline, blew in some veins, got a small lid and added some darker shadows. I had to work fast my heart was pounding. I stood back and looked at it, I went in with some different colours. I took the paper off. The LB logo, I touched it up. There was a pointed star the angles I didn't change the sign. My head turned fast as my stomach cramped when I heard what happened if you messed with the LB.

I was happy with my work. People were walking past but no-one took much notice of anyone, no-one seemed to care, a few walked through the tunnel whilst I was working and looked at it, a lady said something in Spanish, she didn't seem happy about it, I was touching the last bits up, I was exhausted my wrists were aching, I was glad I had my breathing mask on as the tunnel didn't offer much ventilation.

I took a photo on my phone, I then got my bag and packed everything away, I placed it on my back and wheeled through the tunnel, it was getting late I turned the corner to the warehouse, suddenly loads of people started to come out of the doors, they looked tough as hell, a scowl on their faces, tattoos on their arms, I spotted they all had red and black bandanna's on. I swallowed and just wheeled past, no-one gave me a second glance when I was over the tracks I felt a weight lift off of me. I would have to go and check it in a few days.

I got home, I was so tired, I unlocked the door, I propped my board where it belonged, I put my clothes in a pile in the bottom of my closet. I placed my bag on the bed and went and had a shower, washing the black off of my face, I was still high from the experience. I pulled my P.J's on, I washed my can lids and sorted them all out. I lay in bed, looking at my photo. I text Tuc saying I hoped his second date had gone well and fell asleep. I glanced at the clock it was nearly 11pm

APOV (Thursday)

I stood my bike up against the small brick wall which was slowly crumbling down and barged into the house, my hand ready on my Glock, my heart and head calm, the door banged against the hall wall hard, listening, I hear another sob, it was Mama. I pulled the gun out, moving slowly, looking all around, not speaking. They would have heard the bike. I glanced in the kitchen, all clean the light off. I crept down the hall, I came to the stairs the lights also off, I passed the stairs I turned to my left to the living room, I pointed the gun in, a cry from my mother. She sat on the sofa, her head lifted up as it had been in her hands, Louis comforting her though he looked terrified.

'No-one here' Louis told me I placed the gun back into it's holder slowly.

'Mama Qué pasa?' I asked her sitting the other side of her, she just leant into me.

I placed my arm around her holding her close.

'Louis, get to bed' I said to him calmly he just stood up and obeyed, he was a good lad

'Lou' I called out he looked around sadly

'Bien hecho, Thank you for keeping charge' I said to him a small smile appeared on his face before he rounded the corner, I knew he would be able to hear us. I held Mama close to me.

'What happened?' I asked her over and over

'It's Carlos' she sobbed my heart seemed to stop for a second

'What has he done?' I asked feeling the anger starting to build in me

'He is down the station, he is in for the night' Mama said wiping her eyes, she looked at the bandanna around my head and snatched it off of my head, it was an unspoken rule not to wear it in the house or around Mama, I was a big reminder of my father.

'Baby, you need to go get him out' she looked up at me

'No it served him right, he needs to learn' I said to Mama, surprised at her plead to me

'No he is Nothside' she said I rolled my eyes, and stood up and took the bandanna from Mama, I went upstairs, I pulled the box out under my bed and placed the Bandanna and Glock and holder in the box. I pulled the covers over Louis who was sound asleep already, I pulled on a jacket to cover my Tattoos. I went outside and climbed back on the bike. I sped off to the Nothside, I went though the Tunnel back past the warehouse, over the tracks and headed towards the station.

I drove past, the big houses. I wondered what sort of privileged lived they had, I went in to a 20KMH zone, I slowed down, I didn't need a reason to be stopped, I looked in the windows that had the lights on, I saw large kitchens, bigger than the bottom floor of out whole house, garden perfect, beautiful flowers, hedges trimmed, how it must be to have enough money for a gardener. I drove past a house with 2 guys making out in front of the front porch, I just carried on.

I parked outside the station, I sighed and walked in, smoothing my clothes down, I walked in there was people sitting and talking, it was clean and bright, the opposite of the station on my side of town. I walked up to the front desk, the man looked up at me, he was buff. He stood up we were eye to eye. I softened my face

'Hi I'm here for my brother Carlos Fuentches' I said he held my gaze then sat down and started typing.

'Yes your brother was brought in an our ago, do you have any ID?' he asked me I reached for my Licence and passed it over he checked it over slowly, they loved making us Southsiders feel like scum.

'So Alejandro' he said in a shitty accent

'Alex' I told him

'Alex your brother was found causing trouble, littering, making noise, being under the influence' the man said I rolled my eyes

'I'm really sorry, he has been acting against me lately' I said the officer hoping he would do the usual things and I could play it to my advantage

'Son where are your parents, they need to come and talk to him' the man said with a harsh tone

'Well my Father is dead and my Mother is working nights' I told him he just looked at me, a glimmer of hope in my favour

'Oh, so you are the next of Kin then?' the officer said I just nodded

'Okay this way' the man stood up and directed me towards the corridor, I followed him, people staring and gawking at me, they had never been to the southside, though most of the kids went to the Northside school and college.

I walked into a room, Carlos sitting there with a scowl on his face, his arms folded tightly over his chest.

'Hey Bro' I said as we walked in

'Vete a la mierda' He spat t the man as he walked in behind me

'Chill out!' I warned him, he just glared at me I turned to the man

'We will let him off with a caution as this is the first time we have stopped him,' the man sighed

'Thank you, can I have a word with him?' I asked

'Go ahead' he said and closed the door behind me

I sat down on the chair that was the other side of the table, there was no mirrors, just a room, I sighed at looked at Carlos he thought he was so big and tough.

'They are going to lock you up for 3 years' I told him, the look on his face was priceless, his eyes were wide, his mouth hung open slightly as the colour slowly drained from his face

'But we didn't do anything, Te lo juro' he said to me

'Well they think you did, what the hell where you doing? The Northside? Really? who were you with?' I asked him hoping I would get the truth from him

'It was just some man that came up to me and my mates, said if we wanted to earn some money we should go and hassle someone who had bothered him, I thought it would be bien but here we are, the ops came and found us some ran off but me and Marco were caught' he said leaning on the table

'Who was the guy? Was he LB?' I asked him pressuring him

Carlos stayed quiet that was a yes them, it must have happened after the meeting.

'New recruits' I muttered to myself. Not my brother, no way was that going to happen.

'hombre de mierda' I said

'What will Mama do?' Carlos said rubbing his recently short trimmed hair

'Nothing, you only are getting a warning, I can take you home' I said Carlos froze and made a lunge for me I just stood up and opened the door. The man walked in, both Carlos and I stood there.

The officer went in with Carlos I waited by the front desk looking at the different posters, I yawned and leaned back in the chair. After what felt like forever, Carlos re appeared, shook hands with the man and walked over to me, we went outside, he climbed on the back of my bike and we drive back home.

'Thanks' Carlos said when we got back

'You need to change, and think about like Carlos, you need to finish school and find a good job, leave this place' I told him he stayed silent.

'Baby!' Mama called as Carlos walked through the door, it was soon followed by some scolding and shouting from her, better than crying, I went upstairs Louis was still asleep, I pulled my clothes off so I was just in my underwear, I checked the Bandanna and Glock were still under my bed and pulled the covers over me.

'LOCO night, talk tomorrow' I text Paco and closed my eyes. The time was 2am when I checked to set my alarm for the morning, I hoped Carlos would stay at home and take this chance and make the most of it.