Jpov

I stayed at a hotel, I didn't want to see or talk to anyone just to be alone with my thoughts, I text Dad and Tuc that I was okay, it was the evening of the next day I just moped about watching shitty T.V until I had to get out, I settled the bill and drove to a peaceful green area and went for a walk, I had brought some food and took it with me, I took a deep breath. I felt bad leaving Rosa we were meat to work on the project, I sat on a slightly damp rock and text her. We had swapped numbers for the project.

Hey, Rosa. Jessica here from College. Sorry for flaking on you today. I'll be in tomorrow.

I didn't expect a reply, I carried on walking and looking at all the gorgeous lush green around me. I was driving home, it was now getting dark, I felt exhausted. I was starting to accept the reality that was my father and May were having a child together.

'JESS' Dad said standing up he looked so tired, I just looked at him, Dad rushed over and wrapped his arms around me.

'I'm sorry I went off' I said Dad holding me tighter

'I can't loose you darling' Dad starting to sound upset

'You won't I'm okay, I'm here' I told him

'I know but there has been a lot of shootings and gang related crimes, you shouldn't be out alone' he was giving me a Dad talk, he got me a hot drink and something to eat, then made sure I got to bed as I had College at noon tomorrow, though I would go in early to make up for lost time.

I decided to use my new board, I packed my bag, and left a note for Dad and May. I had made an effort with my hair and make up, Rosa always looked amazing. The wind making my curled hair flow behind me, I had some striped coulots on and a box top. I pushed and hopped on and off the curb, I waved to a neighbour who was watering her lawn, dogs barking as kids were going to school. I slarlemed getting the feel for the board. I crossed the road and thanked the driver for letting me pass. I pushed on and put my sun glasses on as the sun was still quite low.

I approached the group of small kids, I saw them all talking and laughing, shoving each other and showing each other their toys. I swallowed and pushed on, my bag feeling lopsided, a car.

It was so fast I didn't have a chance to register what was going on. It was matt black, it was sleek it was playing loud music I swerved away from it giving them a dirty look, the group of kids all looked around as the car came towards them, I pushed on getting faster a bad feeling creeping over me. The car came to a stop quickly. The small boy being called over, the young lad walked over to the car. I slowed down, the kids all looking worried and confused they saw me and looked away.

'You alright?' I asked them slightly out of breath, they just nodded. I looked over to Louis, the guy from a few weeks back with the shaved head, talking to him, he was the one driving like a nutter. He saw me looking and snarled at me the booming from the music still loud.

'What you lookin' at?' he said glaring at me I didn't say anything

'Get in' he ordered the young boy who shook his head

'I have school bro you should be there too' he said taking some steps back I couldn't just leave him

'Go' I told the other kids they just slowly left looking at Louis and the car, then at me, the guy stunk of weed and looked high.

'C'mon Louis' I said placing my hand on his shoulder he started to turn. I heard the car door open I turned around as the guy was getting out of his car, storming toward me.

'Get your hands off of him,' he shouted me pushing me away from him.

'Carlos stop' louis shouted standing in the middle Carlos wasn't happy and started shouting waving his hands about the spanish flying between them both, Carlos looked at me and spat at my feet and throwing some more insults around, Louis was a small kid.

The car roared off, I crouched down and looked at Louis he was looking after the car, tears filling his eyes.

'Louis, who was that?' I asked him placing my hand on his arm still he just looked, his lip quivered as his chest heaved,

'Louis' I moved in front of him.

'That's my other brother' he said as though he was ashamed of the fact

'Oh' was all I could come up with

'What did he say?' I asked him he was getting more upset, cars going past quickly.

'He hates me' he said squeezing his eyes tight

'Oh my man' I said placing my other hand on his shoulder, he hesitated for a while before leaning his head on my shoulder.

'Can you call someone?' I asked him, he nodded and pulled out and old phone and punched the number in holding it against his ear.

'YO' I heard a voice call from the other end

'Alex' Louis sniffed

'Where are you' the voice getting short and concerned

'On my way to school, Carlos' he sniffed again 'He has a new tattoo' Louis looked worried

'Who are you with?' I heard movement on the phone Louis looked up at me and swallowed

'No-one' he sighed

'Right I'll find you, just stay there!' the voice sounding panicked as though he was now running.

'I'll see you later then' I said feeling slightly hurt though I'm sure poor Louis was going though worse.

'Yeah sorry, I don't think my brother would be pleased to see you here' Louis said looking around

'Okay, stay safe' I said placing my hand on his shoulder and walked off with my board under my arm, I was nearly at College, a bike was going fast around the corner, leaning low to the ground I just looked as it went past quick.

Apov

I had my eyes peeled for Louis, I saw him waiting for me on the sidewalk, waiting patiently, he looked sad, broken, I pulled up as he walked to me.

'What happened?' I asked him pulling my helmet off

'Carlos pulled up with some of his perdedor friends and, showed my his new tattoo, telling me I was left behind it was LB.' he looked around

'Get on, I'll take you to school and pick you up.' I kept looking around, I dropped Louis off and made sure he got to School, then I needed to go find Carlos, I had to keep calm.

I knew what car he was in, he hadn't even passes his test let alone brought a car, it was the one new recruits went around in, I went to the ware house, but he wasn't there I asked around but no-one gave me much information. I went to the back roads where the drug takers sat slumped over covered in piss, where dealers hung around skulking in the corners waiting for their calling. I went slow and looked around, when I saw it parked outside our house I was fuming, I turned my bike off and barged indoors, I paid most of the rent and put my life on the line for this family, I banged the door open hard.

I heard a cry of fright, I pulled the Glock and went through the house.

'CARLOS' I shouted out so he knew I wasn't messin' I heard whispers, I rushed upstairs and looked, in Ma's bed Carlos was there pulling his pants back on whilst a girl was looking for her Bra, I stood looking at him how could disrespect Ma and me like this, I hooked the bra on the end of the glock and handed it out to her, she hesitated looking back at Carlos he was silent, I turned it on him.

'Get out of this house' I told her she grabbed her shirt and ran out down the stairs.

Now it was just me and him.

Jpov

I sat outside with Rosa it was breezy and refreshing, out work was coming on we had decided that for truth we would go for the racialism in this town that everyone knew about but never said, and privileges that just because I was white what I got and how i was viewed, I did some art of us and our dreams how they were opposite to each other and reality was down to the colour of out skin and out heritage. We were chatting whilst we were working. I kept thinking about Louis.

'Rosa?' I said she nodded whilst still typing and editing photos,

'What do you think about Northsiders dating Southsiders' I said she stopped as her eyes flicked up and met mine

'Why? Who have you met?' she asked leaning in

'No one, just, I don't know a couple that are from each side of the tracks, do you?' I was just sketching now

'Well, there was this one couple when I was in High School' Rosa looked around and continued to tell me about Alex and Britt.

Apov

My own brother, I got rid of that Puto he was bangin' no protection. He got dressed I was so dissapointed.

'What?' he said

'You banged loads of muchachas ' he said pulling his boots on

'I never, used this house, or our mothers bed, and I used PROTECTION, what the hell do you think you are doing?' I told him Glock now by my side

'Just messin' about chill out, You'll live longer' he said walking up to me about to brush past I stood in his way

'I need to piss' he said trying to get past, I looked over his arms and saw the LB on his shoulder, I spun him around and smashed his face in to the bed covers holding his arm behind his back, he kicked out and swore at me I got to his ear.

'BASTARD' I shouted in his ear

'You've been given your death sentence now boy' I told him he was spitting and trying to get me off him

' ¡no soy un niño!' he yelled

'You've made the mistake that Louis would never do, he is a kid, I can't believe you've done this to me' I told him tracing it with my finger it was deep and shaky, like my own though I now had more.

'It was my choice, it is only a tattoo' he said

'You have no idea, but you'll learn' I stood back as he lay there, I jogged down the stairs and went to the lo as I threw up, I shut the door, over and over banging it harder and harder until sweat was pouring off me I knelt over the loo and flushed it.

Jpov

I couldn't believe what Rosa had been telling me, she was going to come to my house just so we could put all our work on one big computer and check it all over before we handed in our first draft, Rosa didn't hesitate before agreeing to come over, it made me happy and I wasn't sure why I felt so nervous.

Rosa and I were walking back to mine, people walking around and getting in their cars or waiting for lifts, some even caught the bus. As we were going past the high school I saw the young lad waiting outside the gates, I nodded to him.

'Hey Lou' Rosa said going over to him

'Hey' he looked at me I just smiled

'What you doin?' Rosa asked him

'Waiting for Alex, he is going to pick me up' Louis said

'I'll walk you, you come with us I'll text Alex to meet us at the tracks' Rosa said before Louis could protest, Rosa had her phone out and walking away again I looked down at him, he had another bag with him it looked heavy

'It's a load of books to read over summer' he said I took it from him and slung it over my shoulder and passed him my board.

Rosa was chatting away walking in front none of us getting a chance to answer her questions before she was answering them and changing thee subject.

'You okay?' I asked Louis quieter

'Yeah, thanks' he said just looking forward I kept quiet not wanting to force anything. We got to the tracks the guy leaning against his bike, he had a good body, he looked mean as hell, he dated a Nothsider and got rejected as well as being in one of the most prolific gangs in the US. He was on his phone. Rosa still talking as she approached him.

He looked up and saw us he didn't look before crossing the tracks it made me feel uneasy, Louis seemed to slow slightly.

'Hey Aljo' Rosa called out he just nodded toward her and looked for Louis.

'Hey nene ' Alex said touching Rosa's arm as she walked over to him they spoke quietly as Louis and I walked over to them, Alex looking at me our eyes locking together again, I remembered when he called out and thanked me for helping Louis.

We all stood there.

'Here' I handed the bag back to Louis, he thanked me and passed me my board,

'Cheers' I said then looked back at Alex and gave him a smile his face was hard his eyes were red Rosa was staying close to him.

'C'mon Lou' Alex took the bag from him and turned looking away from me.

'Rain check? Sorry' Rosa said looking at me, Louis looked back at me I just nodded and gave a small smile

'Sure no worries' I said feeling deserted yet again they all walked back over the tracks Alex not looking. I turned and walked back to my house alone.

When I got home I dumped everything by the door, May was sitting with her feet up reading a cook book, I walked into the room I paused she hadn't looked up yet, I felt shattered I went to my room , took my clothes off so I was in my underwear, I turned my music on and climbed under the covers which were crisp and clean, I wriggled around until I was warm and cozy, then closed my eyes my eyes aching.