Guns & Diamonds.

Chapter Four.

Daniel

I walked down the street as the heavy rain poured onto my head. I decided to go to my brother Carlos's house since I had nowhere else to go for now. This wasn't the first time my parents wouldn't let me in the house during a storm.

Aaliyah was on my mind and all I felt was guilt throughout my whole body. I didn't mean to say what I said to her, it just came out of my mouth because I was angry. I knew that she probably wasn't going to talk to me anymore because of that. Not only did I lose my girlfriend, but I lost my best friend, too. I had nobody to blame but myself.

What was I even thinking? I shook my head at myself and continued down the street to my brother's house. Carlos was the head member of the Latino Mafia, and he was also my oldest brother. He's the reason why I'm so popular around El Sereno. He was also the one who led me to meeting Aaliyah. Being that Aaliyah was young, he helped take care of her when her mother worked all the time. Even though he was gang material, Aaliyah always looked up to him as a second dad.

My parents had cut Carlos off a long time ago when they found out he ran a gang. It wouldn't be long before I get cut off next, since I was affiliated. They always preached to me that the streets had nothing to offer, but I never listened because I saw it differently. My brother did, too. I guess that was why we're this way now. Besides, my parents didn't know one thing about the streets, so their opinion never really mattered to me.

When I finally arrived at Carlos's house, I banged on the front door loudly so he could hear me.

"Who the hell is banging on my door?" I heard Carlos growl from the other side.

"It's Daniel." I said, "Open up the door, Chavo."

 He opened the door and gave me an odd stare with his dark brown eyes. Everyone always claimed I looked like him, but I never saw it. We had the same skin tone, and the same height, but I had longer hair and I don't think I really looked like a Mexican gangster. He took a hit of his cigar and then unlocked the screen door. "What are you doing out in the rain, Daniel?"

"Mom and Pops locked me out of the house, again." I said. "I have nowhere else to go, and I also wanted to talk to you about something."

"Well, hurry up and come inside." He said as he walked into the living room. "You know it's crazy out there when the street lights come on. I don't need no random chicano running up in my crib, you know?"

I chuckled as I walked in, then I closed the door behind me. Carlos sat down on one of his faded couches and lit his cigar up again. I looked on the coffee table and saw a semi-automatic pistol lying there, with a couple of bullets next to it. There was also a few blunts already rolled up sitting by it. I shook my head as I sat down across from him.

"I wanted to talk to you about Aaliyah."

"What's up?" He inquired as he looked at me.

"Well, today I caught Crystal cheating on me so I broke up with her." I sighed. "I lost my keys somewhere around the neighborhood, and I couldn't get in the apartment so I just walked down the street to Aaliyah's canton. She let me in and we ended up arguing because I blamed my relationship problem on her."

"Baboso!" He exclaimed as he threw his lighter at me. "You truly are an idiot, you know that?"

"I know." I sighed and ran my fingers through my long hair. "I didn't mean to say it."

"Then why'd you say it?" He asked me.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I was angry, and you know how I am when I'm mad."

"Well, here is my suggestion to you," He smirked. "Let Crystal go so you have nothing to be mad about."

"I guess so." I said.