"Maria this is Melissa, Melissa, my little sister Maria." They smiled at each other as Melissa reached in for a hug. My sister was on a downward path and I wasn't about to watch her self destruct I wanted her around people who were doing things that she wanted to do and Melissa owned her own hair salon and that's something my sister wants to do when she gets older.

Melissa and I went to high school together, she was one of the people who pushed me to finish high school, she was the perfect role model for my sister in my eyes. I let them chat it up as I stepped outside seeing Isabel calling me.

I picked up probably right before it was about to go to voicemail. "Yo!"

"What are you doing?"

"At my mom's, what's up?"

"Nothing, quick question. Are you talking to anyone?"

I turned around looking back towards the house, "What? What are you talking about?"

"I just heard you might be talking to someone."

I shook my head, Melissa and I were seen together for two seconds in public and people were already talking? That shit ain't make no sense, people ran their mouth too quick. "No I'm not talking to anyone and if it's Melissa you're referring to she got a whole ass boyfriend. She's helping me with Maria."

"Helping you?"

"Yeah. Helping me." I don't know why she asked that question as if I would go deeper. My business was my business.

"Jose! She's going to let me help in the shop," my sister ran out screaming with a smile on her face. I smiled back as I ended the call, "imma holla at you later Izzy." With that I hung up turning around to look at my sister completely. She was ecstatic and that made me smile. Melissa stood at the door with a grin on her face. I mouthed thank you as my sister hugged me.

—

Once I left my mom's Melissa and I went and got something to eat, catching up on life and all that good shit. My phone kept blowing up to the point I just had to silence it in the process. Seeing that it wasn't really anybody of importance and no one left a message it couldn't be that serious.

"You're Mr. Popular aren't you? I guess some things don't change." She smiled.

I chuckled, "not even. I don't know what the fuck going on today."

"Everybody wants to talk to you." She easily let out.

"I see."

"You don't have a lucky lady in your life?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow changing the subject.

I leaned back as I picked up my drink, taking a drink from it. I shook my head no. "I don't."

"Why not?" She looked surprised.

I shrugged my shoulders, "for starters with everything going on right now, I don't even need one. Don't want her being a target. Secondly, ain't met nobody really."

"Nobody?" She asked with an eyebrow raised, "Jose, it's plenty of girls out here who want you. Trust me you get brought up in the shop a lot."

"Is that right?" I asked with a smirk on my face.

She rolled her eyes as a smile started to appear on her face, "yes. You really telling me you haven't met anyone who sparked your interest?"

I thought on it for a second, Johanna coming to mind but that shit could never truly work with our backgrounds and I thought of Melissa herself.

"I mean, no not really. "

"So who was that girl at your house?" She stuck a fork full of food in her mouth.

I licked my lips, "an associate."

"An associate?" She laughed, "not even a friend?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "it's complicated."

"Meaning there's something going on?" She raised one of her eyebrows. "In a sense." I honestly stated.

"And what the hell does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said." She rolled her eyes, "you've always been so closed off."

"Don't feel the need to tell everyone my business."

"I'm not everyone."

I chuckled, "I know, but damn Melissa we just now catching up. You know more than people I talk to everyday." She smiled, "I'll take it then." We started to eat in silence as she broke the silence with one last comment on the topic, "I hope someone comes in and breaks down those walls."

—

As soon as I got in my house I pulled out my phone seeing missed calls from Izzy and Roberto. Neither of them texted me or left a voicemail so I would take my time getting back to them. I turned on the TV as I stripped down to get more comfortable.

Another shooting took place on West Avenue today, two people were shot, one in fatal condition.

I turned towards the TV as the reporter went on about what happen, it was on the other side of town. A black community. I know I didn't set up for any shootings so I figured it was personal to whoever did it. I plopped down on the couch grabbing my phone deciding to call both of them back now that I was settled.

"Yo! You hear about what happened?" Roberto screamed in the phone as soon as he answered.

"Over there on West?"

"Yeah man, I heard Ramon made his own move."

"What?" I asked a little louder than intended. I leaned full attention in the conversation now.

"He told one of the young bulls he was tired of waiting on you, he was going to gun for the main nigga and I guess that's what the fuck he did."

I was fuming. The bullshit he always took upon himself to do always came back on everyone. All he thought about was his self and doing what pleased him, never thinking about the consequences it would have on others.

"Imma call you back." I quickly hung up the phone ready to call Ramon. As soon as I was about to dial Ramon I got an incoming call from Izzy. "What is it Izzy?" I was focused on cussing Ramon the fuck out right now.

"You hear about the shooting?"

"Yeah, bout to try and get in touch with Ramon now."

"So you don't know who was shot?"

"No." I answered as if I was in a rush to get off the phone.

"What if he really hit them Jose?" I could hear a cry forming through her words. "What are you talking about?"

"Like I know he was gunning for Joel -"

"Ain't nobody tell you to get your feelings involved." I cut in, I knew she wasn't crying about this weak ass man. "But Johanna didn't have anything to do with this." She continued.

"Why are you bringing her up?" I understood that was her brother but didn't understand how hitting his house dealt with her in any other way.

"Her and Joel live together Jose and neither one of them are answering their phone." Her cries were in full effect. "If he hit in front of that house she could have been one of the people he hit and you know he doesn't like her so he wouldn't have cared."

I didn't know how to respond. "Izzy, calm down! Send me her number and imma call you back."

I quickly hung up, my hands were shaking as her message came through. As back in forth as Johanna and I were we never exchanged numbers we ran into each other and she popped up at my house. Making it easy for us to go weeks without talking and I liked it that way, it helped to keep feelings at bay. I debated on whether I would cuss Ramon out first or see if Johanna was fine first.

I choose the latter. I just prayed she wasn't one he hit.