Chapter 2

Miguel Dorado ran quickly down the street trying to catch a cab before it drove off. Just as the door was about to shut and take off, he flagged it down and was about to climb in when he saw an old man on the ground weakly reaching for his cane and everybody was walking right past him. While he normally would have kept walking himself, he couldn't stand the thought of someone in need and knowing he could've done something and didn't. He stepped away from the cab and helped the old man up and guided him to the cab door.

"Thank you young man." The old man sighed as Miguel helped him in.

"Hey, it was no big deal." Miguel said as he let the cab drive off with the old man in the back seat.

Miguel then found a bus map and headed for the nearest bus stop. He had to catch this bus, it was the last one for the night and he had to get to his father's place before he noticed that he was not home. He should have been keeping better track of time when he went out that night. Then again, his father had told him that he wasn't supposed to be out that night because he had classes in the morning. But hey, he was a grown man, he was old enough to take care of himself and to make his own decisions. When he snuck out of his room to meet up with his friends to go out to the party that night, he thought he would stay a few hours and maybe pick up a date, but he lost track of time and now was scrambling to be home before his old man.

Out of breath, he made it just as the bus was about to take off and leaped aboard as the doors were about to close. He sat near the front and watched as the street lights seemed to dance as they passed by. New York was so beautiful at night. If only his Mom could've seen this. He was pretty upset for all the trouble he caused her and now she had sent him to stay with his father whom he had never even met here in New York city.

'Maybe having a father figure for once will help him shape up.' Is what she had said as they had made the arrangements.

Miguel at first expected his father to be some street bum, but when he found out his father was someone like Sheriff Willis, he started to think that maybe his mother was right. But still, he wasn't up for the idea of his father trying to mold him into someone he didn't want to be. Just because he shared chromosomes with the sheriff didn't determine who or what he was supposed to be or how he was to behave. He was 21 years old and did not need people telling him how to live his life.

The rest of the bus ride home was spent with him trying to figure out what he would say to Sheriff Willis in case he didn't make it home in time. By the time they pulled up to the stop close to his father's house, he still had no excuse for him. But he was grateful he wouldn't need it when he saw that his car wasn't in the drive way which meant that he hadn't come home yet. Which also meant that he had time to cover up his tracks. He raced inside and quickly got showered and was in his room opening his notes from earlier that day in class and was pretending to study as his father pulled into the drive way. Miguel listened as his old man came in and up the stairs to check on him.
When Miguel saw him, he looked exhausted and not in a good mood, but what else was new with him, but at least, as far as he knew, Miguel had obeyed for once. That's what Miguel wanted him to believe. Without a word, Sheriff Willis nodded with an exhausted grin and then headed down the hall for his room. Miguel sighed with relief and then headed for bed. He laid in bed for a while and thought of listening to his music for a while. But he could feel his eyes getting heavy and just let himself drift off to sleep. He woke up again when he heard his phone going off and was shocked to see that it was his mother. He had completely forgotten he had promised to call her that evening. He accepted the call and heard his mother's worried voice on the other end of the line.

"Hola Momma." He answered.

"My son, are you okay, I didn't hear from you, I thought something had happened."

"Mom, I'm fine. I promise." Miguel answered trying to calm her nerves.

"Oh thank goodness. So, what's it like in New York City? Are you and your father getting along?"

"For the most part yeah. We butt heads every now and again, but other than that, he's pretty cool." Miguel answered.

"Yes, he can a bit of a stubborn one, but when you get to know him a little better, you'll see why I loved him."

"Maybe." Miguel said running his fingers through his shaggy, thick black hair.

"I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were doing alright, but I know it's late over there and you're probably tired. I just want to say I love you and I miss you."

"I love you too Mom." Miguel answered hanging up the phone.

He laid down and let himself drift off again. The next time he woke up, the sky was barely even lighting up. He got up and put on some running clothes and went for a morning run around the block. Along the way he ran into one of his new friends from the college his father had arranged for him to attend while he was staying with him.

"Hey man, you have a fun time last night?" he asked as they ran together down the street.

"Yeah, wish I could've stayed longer, but you know what it's like being the son of a cop." He sighed as they slowed for a cool down pace.

"Yeah, it can get pretty rough some times, but hey, those ladies last night, they were so totally into you."

"I guess so." Miguel grinned remembering how close he had come several times to getting a date, only for the girls to lose interest when he told them that he was from Mexico and he was here visiting his sheriff father. "Shame none of them seemed interested in going out with a former band singer."

"So you were really in a band back home?"

"Yeah, but the band broke up after we had a falling out with our record company. We lost motivation I guess when we couldn't get our voices out there."

"What was the name?"

"El Malos Buenos Chicos. The Bad Good Boys." Miguel answered as they came up to his house. "I gotta go, I have to catch the bus to class soon."

"See ya man."

"See ya." Miguel went in and headed for the shower.

After he had gotten washed off and dressed, he quickly grabbed a thing of toast out of the kitchen and raced out to catch the bus. As he rode to the campus, he ate and quickly reviewed his notes for Calculous test later that day. When the bus arrived, he met up with his friend Martin at the door.

"Hey, did someone have a fun time last night? Any dates coming up?" Martin said nudging him with his elbow.

"Almost, but apparently some of the fun ones at those kinds of parties are only after one thing that I used ot have but not so much any more."

"And what would that be?"

"Either attention or something I am really not willing to give just yet." Miguel laughed awkwardly.

"Not to worry dude, you'll find your soul mate one of these days."

"I don't doubt it." Miguel said as they made their way in.

As they were making their way to their first class, Miguel heard a scream and turned around to see a girl with bleach blonde hair and too much make up running for him.

"Miguel Dorado, I can't believe it's you!" she squealed grabbing his hand and shaking it pretty hard.

"Yeah, that would be me." Miguel said trying to get his hand back.

"I'm Jezebel Corrine, I am such a huge fan of your music." She said latching on to his arm.

"Looks like you've got a fan." Martin laughed.

'More like a groupie.' Miguel thought as he tried to pry himself free. "Great to meet you, but can I have my arm back? I need to get to class."

"Oh don't worry we'll be in the same class together so you don't have to worry about being alone." Jezebel said still holding onto him. "Just follow me."

'Great.' He groaned as she led him into the class room.

Martin came to his rescue when he pulled Jezebel off him and sat beside him at their pews. "I'd stay away from her if I were you." He warned.

"Why?" Miguel asked.

"You didn't hear it from me, but word is that her mom is like a big time company owner her in the Big Apple and you cross her path, you won't see the light of day again."

"What company?"

"Corrine Corps. They are big time investors in just about everything around here. Nothing takes off without their okay."

"Sounds pretty big."

"Yeah, so if Jezebel claims she's with you, and you're with her, I'd just go with it because you do not what to make this girl or her momma angry." Martin explained as the professor came in.

Miguel started writing when he felt someone was watching him. For a moment, he thought it would be that Jezebel girl, but when he looked up, he saw a girl across from where he was sitting looking at him as if she were trying to figure him out. For a second he caught himself staring at her. Sure she was pretty with that bright curly auburn red hair and bright blue eyes, but he already had a stalker on him, he didn't need to turn into one or need another one himself. Still, he couldn't stop stealing glances at her every now and again. Who was she?