Unfortunate Love

I haven't written in a while, honestly, so when I started this story, I got VERY into it and I'm in love with it. I wrote this for my creative writing class, so it's shorter than I want it to be(we hada page limit -_-) Please leave your feedback, I really would like to know what you think (:

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          One year would change everything – they all knew it and still had yet to accept the fact. He hadn’t done it to support his family or protect his son; he’d done it for the hell of it, nothing more and nothing less. The deadly secret that lingered in the air was thick and heavy. At twenty-five, he hadn’t received anything beyond a high school diploma – his options were certainly limited in his mind.

            The room went dead as the judge stood before this man, his eyes stern and confident. The verdict was waiting, settled inside the judge’s head, keeping everyone that watched on the edge of their seats. The man standing before him wore the orange clothing he’d be confined to for 365 more days if it was decided. His black eyes were glazed, no emotions evident. A tattoo he’d gotten only years ago snaked down the side of his neck, the rest disappearing into the darkness of his outfit. There was no easy way out, and no way to go back on what he’d done.

            “Carlos Cardinez,” the judge announced, his voice echoing throughout the room, “You are sentenced to one year in prison for drug distribution along with a fine for $2,500. Make your goodbyes quick.”

            A woman cried out from the benches, her scream almost deadly to Carlos’s ears. The brown walls seemed to close in on everyone in the room. Even though the red cushions were made to be comfortable, not one of the members sat, wanting to stay there much longer. The sobs from the same woman grew louder, forcing the attention to her aging face.

            “Momma…” his voice trailed off, eyes full of guilt which Carlos couldn’t describe as he stared at his weeping mother. “I-“

            “Save it, Carlos,” growled the voice of an older man, his arms wrapped protectively around the hysterical woman. “You’ve done enough damage already.”

            Cries echoed once again, but they didn’t come from the same place this time around. Only a few seats away, an infant clung to what could only be his mother. As Carlos looked into the face of this beautiful being, his heart clenched. Her tanned face was stained with tears as she rocked the newborn back and forth, cooing him from the loud noises surrounding them. An arm was wrapped around her, one of a man nearly identical to Carlos.

            “Melina, make sure he knows me. I love you, both of you.” His eyes locked with hers for a long time before Carlos forced himself to break the gaze, which now focused on the other man across from him. “Take care of them for me…” With that, he was escorted from the room, leaving the family to grieve alone.

Six months later…

          “Say Javier,” cooed a soft, lulling voice. Although it was quiet, it was unmistakably a man’s tone.

            “Javier, he’s not old enough yet,” called back a woman, amusement tickling her throat.

            A tall, tanned man stood, glancing behind him, searching for the owner of the voice he’d heard. “Oh, come on. I wasn’t even a year when I started talking, he’ll come around to it.” Javier grinned, brushing his shaggy black hair away from his face. The grey t-shirt that clung to his body was wearing thin as it slugged down, covering only the top of his tattered jeans.