*Jaime’s POV*

I just got done elaborating everything to Vic on what happened with Amy and my old friend. He was completely shocked that I killed someone but I told him the truth, the truth on what really happened that night. I told him that my jackass of a friend lied to the cops and he told them that it was all my doing, that the gun was mine and I shot the girl. I mean I did shoot her but it was an accident. The gun was never meant to go off and he told me that it wasn’t loaded. He lied to me. I really thought it had nothing in it so I pretended to be a badass and pull the trigger. Worst mistake of my life.

“I’m so sorry, Jaime. You served your time in jail but your friend lying to the cops is just pitiful. I can’t believe he busted on you like that. What an asshole,” Vic said, rubbing my shoulder for comfort.

“Yeah, I know. But I still feel terrible that I did it. I wish I could tell her that I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t even know who Amy was. I only knew that she went to the same school as me. I ruined her future and it’s all my fault.” I started sobbing in my hands.

I really did ruin that girl’s life. I killed her and sometimes…I still have nightmares about it. It’s killing me inside and I don’t know if I can continue living like this. I know it’s stupid to say I’m having nightmares about it because if I did, then why would I keep the newspaper as I reminder pinned to my wall? It bothers me so much that I have to live with this. I didn’t want anyone to know about my past. But I guess Vic isn’t such a big deal to tell. I know he won’t tell anyone but still.

~~~

I walked into Vic’s house, taking my shoes off on the floor. He texted me saying it was ok to come in. He was freshening up in the bathroom.

I heard someone rapping in the back room. I heard repetitive words like “Take your clothes off” and “Get dirty.” Then the real rapping started.

♪ When I walk in the room
I got the bitches on their knees
Suckin‘ dick, showing tits
For a hit of my weed
First I meet you in the club
Then she begging me plead ♪

I slowly tiptoed down the hall. I saw the door open and out came Vic, looking gorgeous as ever like he always does. He wore a lose beater that said “Key Street” on it. That’s weird. Tony has a shirt and a snapback that say the same thing. Well actually, Tony sort of models for them but he likes to keep that a secret. It’s an independent clothing label from Southern California. He had on tight black skinnies with a black beanie that complemented his face.

Vic walked up to me and pushed his finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet because someone was recording in the background. By the vocals of this person, it sounded just like his brother Mike.

“Soooo…is that Mike attempting to rap?” I whispered, trying not to giggle to myself. I mean he actually wasn’t doing an unsatisfactory job but maybe he can work on something at the beginning. He’s currently still rapping at the moment but I feel like there is something missing in the song he’s doing.

Vic smiled at me and opened his arms for me to give him a hug. I bundled up in his arms and snuggled his face, laying my head in the crook of his neck. I swear his cute little nose ring always gets me. It makes me smile. We released one another and stared in each other’s eyes. He took my hand and directed me towards the room where Mike was practicing in. We poked our heads through the door and watched him rap into the microphone.

“He’s great, isn’t he?” Vic announced to me, hoping to get tremendous feedback from me.

I looked at him with a bright smile and comforting eyes. “Yeah, he’s very skillful. I didn’t even know he could rap like that. Or let alone, even rap.” I was trying to sound proficient with my words in order for Vic to realize that I wasn’t being cruel. Although Mike can use some extra work warming up his vocal chords instead of going right to rapping.

Mike halted his “attempt” at rapping when he saw Vic and I leaning our heads through the door. He took off his Beats and carefully placed them on the stand behind him. He wrapped up a couple of the chords and tossed them on the ground under the chair.

“Hey, Jaime,” he said, not making eye contact with me.

Damn, what’s his problem? “Uh hey…Mike,” I said. Ok, there’s something wrong with him. I want to ask him what his problem is but I don’t want to be nosy and but in to his business. This could be personal shit and I don’t want him to give me an attitude.

He walked past Vic and I, leaving us in the dead-silent room.

I stared at Vic. “What’s wrong with Mike? He doesn’t look so hot.”

He turned to me, grabbing my hand so we didn’t have to stay in that room. “He cheated on his girlfriend, Frenchi. Remember the night he got drugged?” I nodded my head for him to continue the story. “Well on top of that, he drank half a bottle of Jack Daniels and he thought the girl he was about to sleep with was his girlfriend. Apparently, his vision was blurry because the girl had long black hair and was very tanned, just like Frenchi. Thinking that it was her, he had sex with the girl. He regrets getting drunk that night. But now all he does is drink to keep his mind off of her.”

Taking all that into consideration, I said, “Well, did he apologize to her and tell her that it wasn’t his fault? That he was drunk and all?”

“He did, but she didn’t forgive him. And now he’s just…”

We sat down at a large table in front of Mike, who was downing a bottle of Patron. We stared at him until he noticed us.

“Wh-what you lookin’ at?” Mike said sternly towards Vic and I.

“I’m worried about you, Mikey. Ever since Frenchi-” I was cut off by Mike.

“D-Don’t say her name. Please, j-just don’t..........DON'T FUCKING SAY HER NAME YOU MOTHERFUCKING ASSHOLE! FUCK!” he bellowed, chugging the rest of the bottle and throwing it across the room, bashing it against the window and breaking it to a million pieces.

*Vic’s POV*

I jumped at Mike’s action. I clenched my eyes shut and listened to the glass shatter as it smashed the window, embarking scratch marks all over it. Millions of little sharp objects fell to the ground. The shrieking sound of glass retired as I finally opened my eyes.

“Michael Christopher Fuentes, what the hell did you do that for?!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. I was super close to smacking the shit out of him and making him pick every little piece of glass that hit the ground.

I’m so embarrassed right now. Jaime stood next to me watching everything that happened. I didn’t want him to see my difficult family problems. Whenever there is a family problem, it always ends up with someone leaving for a few days or breaking shit; whether it’s me and him screaming at each other, something happening in school that we just can’t fix, or some bullshit that has nothing to do with anything and it being completely irrelevant.

Mike stood up and fast-walked up to me, barely leaving any room between us. He gave me the evil eye and tightened his fists in a ball, looking like he was about to get ready for a match with me.

Sometimes I feel intimidated by him because he was taller. I mean I know for a fact that I’m older by one year but he can still beat the life out of someone. Last year for his sophomore year-since he‘s a junior now and I‘m a senior-this one little asshole in his grade was a jock and he wanted a fight so Mike gave it to him. Yeah, the other guy ended up in the hospital and Mike earned himself a 10-day suspension. But it was so worth it in the end because when Mike came back to school, everyone was either scared shitless or they honored him.

But…Mike won’t ever hit me because he knows that I’ll break his hand. I may be smaller and a little girl-like but I got guns and they are ready to be unloaded if I even suspect someone will dare to hit me.

He stood in front of me with piercing eyes. I dittoed his action and looked at him the same way. He looked down on me. His breathing was uncontrollably heavy and I swear he was about to throw a big right hand at my face. I thought wrong. He released a tear from his eye and broke down, falling to his knees and cupping his hands over his eyes. He began to cry and my heart dropped. Even if your brother was about to go ham on you, you still need to make him feel whole again.

I bent down and hugged him tightly. “It’s ok, Mikey. You can get through this.” I turned my head and saw that Jaime was still there, watching my every move. Now he knows how hard it is for me to cope with certain situations. Family problems suck but you can always get through them. Or should I say relationship problems.

Jaime walked over to the kitchen and opened the drawer, pulling out the paper towel. He pushed the drawer back in by…

“D-Did you just shut the silverware drawer with…a pelvic thrust?” I asked him.

Mike laughed at my comment, wiping away his tears. Jaime smiled at me and turned his attention to the broken glass. I stood up and so did Mike. We walked over to help Jaime with the broken glass that was scattered all over the floor.

“Mike?” I said to him.

He only looked at me.

“Don’t worry, brother. We’ll figure something out. Everything will be ok. At least you were doing a good job, Whiskey Hands. And it’s only broken glass.”

“Yeah,” he commented. “Whiskey hands and broken glass.”

Notes

*title credit: MikeyWhiskeyHands aka MIKE FUENTES;)
*lyrics credit: Mike Fuentes;D
*the whole Key Steet info was taken from Key Steet's twitter bio:)