● RUN ●

chapter 1

Another fault of Jospeh's.

"Hey D. get me another," Joseph yelled from the recliner in the front room. 'Get it yourself, lazy bastard,' Dion thought but didn't dare say. Luckily, the doorbell rang before Dion had to do anything for the heathen.

"Holá?" Dion said as he answered the door. In this part of LA. most people spoke mainly Spanish. Maybe one of his neighborhood Abuelitas was coming by early!

"Hey, Vato! How are you, son?" The person at the door said and swooped Dion into a hug. Thank God, finally someone who he actually liked! Though he would also happily settle for his abuelas and their cheek pinching at this point.

"Hi Tío Wes! How are you?" Dion said, squeezing him tight. Dion always aimed to be as awesome as his uncle Westen, he looked like a cholo- with his white t-shirt and long socks that went all the way up to where his tan shorts ended; but uncle Westen was going to college to become a teacher! He looked much more formal on weekdays. For his little nephew, though, Westen allowed himself to relax.

"I'm doing good, Son! Man, I've missed you. All this work left me no time to hang with my favorite nephew!"

"Tío I'm your only nephew!" Dion laughed, but he appreciated his uncles love anyways.

"Hey, where's my sister little man?" Westen asked as he looked around the room. His face scrunched up when he saw Jospeh on the recliner. "Let's find her together, yeah?" He asked Dion, who was still in his arms. Dion nodded and held tight to his uncle. Westen was no stranger to the abuse Joseph inflicted on Veronica, but he only got news of the abuse on Dion when his other sister Selena saw the bruises. So many nights, Westen let Veronica and her boy stay with him after one of Joseph drunken fits. Westen begged his sister to leave or at least give up Dion so he wouldn't have to go through the shit she's letting happen. Yet every time Veronica declined, "We are a family!" She would scream to Westen... but who was she really trying to convince?

Dion didn't understand why Uncle Westen couldn't just be his dad. He was exactly like a dad should be! Westen didn't drink except at parties (but even then it was never to much), he didn't smack Dion around, and when they would stay the night at his uncle Westen's apartment he made sure to read Dion a book before he went to sleep.

"Veronica." Was all Westen said to his sister. It was the first time he's seen her since the court case that happened with CPS. Even with the time apart, he still had distaste in his mouth left from his sisters lies, so when he spoke to her, it wasn't kind or loving like the way he talks to his nephew. When Westen talked to his sister, it was cold and monotone, and he liked to keep the conversation short.

"Oh! Westen, I didn't see you, little brother!" Veronica said, turning away from the streamers she was pinning against the backyards tall fence. Her smile fell when she saw that Westen's smile wouldn't be showing up for this moment. "Listen, I know what you're going to say, but -" Uncle Westen sighed, cutting her off and then setting Dion down.

"There is no 'but' Veronica! You are letting the man that beats your son be under the same roof as him! At his goddamn birthday party!" Westen said, throwing his hands behind his head like he usually did when he gets frustrated.

"But Dion has forgiven him, Wes! Haven't you, baby?" Veronica said, now looking from Westen to Dion. Dion bit the inside of his cheek. He didn't want to disappoint his mom, but he couldn't let Beso down. As his mind crossed over Beso again, his eyes glanced at his grave, and they began to tear up once more.