Blood Brothers 🩸

Streets & Shadows

**INT. MERCER HOUSE - NIGHT**
The air in the Mercer household was thick with tension. Bobby sat on his bed, staring at his phone, the glow illuminating his troubled face. He replayed the events of the past few days in his mind—HotHead's death, the fight with Daniella, and the churning emotions that had kept him up at night. He felt like he was caught in a storm, lost in a sea of anger and regret.

His brothers, Jack and Tommy, were in the living room, arguing about something trivial, their voices echoing through the house. Bobby could hear bits and pieces of their conversation, but it felt distant, like he was underwater.

"Yo, Bobby! You good?" Jack called out, breaking through Bobby's thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm straight," Bobby replied, though he knew that wasn't true. He felt anything but straight.

Tommy poked his head into the room, a concerned look on his face. "Man, you've been quiet for days. You need to talk about what happened with HotHead. You can't keep this bottled up."

Bobby clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling to the surface. "What's there to talk about? My boy's gone, and I wasn't there to back him up. That's all there is to it."

"Dude, you can't blame yourself for everything. You weren't even there that night," Jack said, trying to reason with him.

"Still feels like I let him down," Bobby said, running a hand through his hair. "He was family, you know? Loyalty means everything in this game, and I feel like I failed him."

"Maybe you need to get outta here for a bit," Tommy suggested. "Clear your head. Go hit up Daniella. She's worried about you."

Bobby shook his head, the thought of facing her felt like a weight pressing down on him. "I can't, man. I messed that up too. I said things I didn't mean."

"Dude, you have to fix it. You don't wanna lose her over this. Life's too short, especially in our world," Jack urged.

Bobby sighed heavily. "I know, but what if she can't forgive me? What if she thinks I'm just some punk?"

"Stop trippin'. You ain't no punk. You just hurting, and that's real. You gotta be straight with her," Tommy said, a firm look in his eyes.

Bobby looked at his brothers, their support grounding him in a way he hadn't expected. "Maybe you're right. But I need to figure this out first. I can't keep dragging her into my mess."

**EXT. DANIALLA'S HOUSE - NIGHT**

Meanwhile, Daniella was sitting on her bed, staring at her phone, waiting for a response from Bobby. She felt a mix of hope and despair, the silence between them stretching into an uncomfortable void. Just when she thought about calling him, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Bobby.

*I don't know if I can. I messed up, Daniella. I don't want to hurt you again.*

Her heart sank. She typed back quickly, her fingers trembling. *You're not gonna hurt me, Bobby. I just want to talk. Please.*

After hitting send, she paced the room, anxiety coursing through her veins. The thought of losing him felt unbearable. She needed him to understand that she was in this with him, no matter how messy things got.

**INT. MERCER HOUSE - LATER THAT NIGHT**

Bobby's phone buzzed again. He picked it up, his heart racing as he read Daniella's message. *You're not gonna hurt me, Bobby. I just want to talk. Please.*

He stared at the screen, torn between wanting to reach out and his fear of dragging her deeper into his turmoil. After a moment of hesitation, he typed back: *Alright. Let's meet up.*