Chapter 1
Mute
I lean on the door frame as I watched my brother and father speak low as they count piles of small stacks of silver bricks. Nothing had changed since I had been caught, my father was still a drug dealer and my brother was following in his footsteps but this was the only way my brother and I knew. “Mireya, get the bags from the living room” my father ordered, pushing off the frame I walked into the living. My brother’s friends and girlfriends were lying everywhere, I rolled my eyes as I stepped over them and gathered the three black backpacks that sat near the couch.
“Yo Mireya brings us a beer, would ya?” I looked over my shoulder when I was nearly at the door to the kitchen but I kept on walking. I placed the bags on the chair near my father as he pointed to the pile of money.
“That pile is ready to go,” he tells me, I nodded my head and put the stack of the small silver bricks of cocaine inside the bags.
Once I had all three packed and ready to go I pulled on my hoodie, grabbing my bandana and grabbed a backpack. I kissed my father on the cheek before I left. I pulled on my hood as I walked out the door, pressing play on my phone.
Why am I back doing something that I got caught doing?
Maybe because I like the rush? Or maybe because I had nothing else to do? Or maybe because I loved my family enough that if I ever got caught I knew I had to do time for them. Crazy huh? But I was taught never to rat. If I ever ratted my family out, I would have a bullet in my head, so I knew to keep my mouth shut.
I grabbed my BMX bike and rode along the road, this was the easiest and best way to lose the police. The number of times I’ve had to paint it or buy a new bike because I’ve had to hide away from the police, plus people have stolen it.
My family is originally from Mexico but moved to New York looking for work and to start a family. So when my parents moved here they had my brother Miguel, then a few years later they had me. Around 10 years old I watched my mother get shot, it was a drive-by shooting. My mother had shielded me from getting harmed but I still got hit by a bullet in my leg. My mother died later that day in the hospital on the operating table.
It had started the war between us 3rd Street Saints and the Red Dragons.
The Chinese.
Ever since then it’s just been my father, my brother and me. Now my brother’s friends all camp out in our living room. For years the Red Dragons have been trying to stop my father, to try and take over his business but they had never been able to.
After 40 minutes, I pulled to a stop and placed my BMX bike behind the dumpster before banging on the back door of the warehouse. When it was pushed open a huge guy glared down at me, I pulled my hood down and moved my head to the side showing the tattoo of the 3rd Street Saints that was on my neck. He gave me a nod and stepped back, letting me walk past him, I was then met by another man who held a gun, he nodded his head and started to walk down a hall.
After following, I was in the middle of a big whole area with crates and boxes of shipment all around. The guy waved his hand at me for the backpack, so when I handed it to him I remained standing there, watching him as he pulled out each stack of silver. The guy whistles out loudly before another walks out with another bag. I’ve been through this very same exchange progress every week. They check the product and then they hand over the money.
Once they handed me the bag of money, I made sure it was all there before I nodded my head and left.
As I was riding home I felt someone following me, when I looked over my shoulder I was right. A red Nissen skyline was following me and I knew who they were immediately, pulling on my hood and covering my nose and mouth with my bandana. I grabbed the handlebars to my bike and pushed my feet as fast as I could. I knew I had to lose them before I hit my street otherwise it would be another shoot out. Which meant more cops at our front door.
I cut through alleyways and side streets and each time they had another red car at the exit. I glared hard as one cut me off at an alleyway, making me stop. I got off my bike leaving it before I broke into a run. I was dodging people on the sidewalks as I ran, I ran through smaller alleys but I came to a stop when I saw Harley motorcycles all lined up outside a shop. I noticed that they were Armoured Beasts bikes. As the guys walked out I noticed that some of the Vermont charter were here, but as I heard the exhaust of the skylines come closer I knew I had to make a plan quickly. I was going to regret this. I pulled off my hoodie, leaving me in my crop top and pants. I stuffed the hoodie and my bandana inside the bag.
I noticed that Twitch was the last one to walk out, so as the skylines came closer I rushed up to him. He was surprised that I was even in that neighbourhood or that I was walking right up to him “Mireya... what are you...” I cut him off by pulling his head down and slammed my lips against his.
Whistling could be heard around us as I felt his hands on my bare hips, I felt the electric shock run through me as it used to. As we kissed it reminded me of the time we used to kiss in school, everything came rushing back to me as Twitch pulled me closer to his body. I knew it felt it too but I listened to the stuff around me. I quickly took a peek, a red Nissen skyline drove past but didn’t stop. I knew it was a matter of time before they would find me. I pulled away from Twitch as he was looking at me with wide eyes, his mouth was opening and closing like a fish.
I pushed the bag into his hands and stepped back further, my breathing was heavy. I could still feel his hands and lips on my body even though they weren’t there. I heard a honk of a car, making me snap my head towards it but I looked back at Twitch as he stepped towards me but I broke out into a run towards the car that honked. Once I was in the low rider I looked out the window to see Twitch glaring hard at me, holding onto the bag filled with money and I knew he had taken a look inside the bag.
I groaned leaning my head against the seat as my brother’s girlfriend drove away. I knew she was looking over at me wondering why I didn’t have the bag. “You know what he will say when we show up with nothing,” she tells me.
I nodded ‘I know’ I used my hands to sign to her but I would handle it.
