#samuellopez

“Every man has his price..”

■ ABOUT. ■

name: James Lopez age: twenty-one occupation: bartender gender: cis-male pronouns: he/him sexuality: bisexual

■ HISTORY. ■

Samuel has always felt his life was a lie, his name wasn’t really Samuel and his history wasn’t a regular kid from Cancun like most of his friends think. His name is Tomaz and he was the son of Maria and Gero Valdez a family related to one of the most dangerous cartels in Mexico. His life was filled with riches, the life of Cartels was a high risk, high reward lifestyle. One his father memorized and lived graciously. Samuel was always the first to get the newest gadgets, newest phones, the newest trendsetting clothes out of all his friends. Those were the perks of growing up with parents who are rolling in money and aren’t ashamed of showing it. Of course, the disadvantages were been surrounded by guns and drugs his whole life, and the horrific scene of girls locked in cages for drug muleing. The harsh realities and strict rules of the cartel ended his mothers' life. To this day, he doesn’t know why the cartel his father worked for shot his mother dead, although at the end of the day it didn’t matter. It left enough of a hole in Samuel for the rest of his life. 

What Samuel didn’t know at that young of an age, is that his mother's death was at the hand of his father. He was seven years old, when she was murdered, and after that moment. His whole life changed. When his mother died, he noticed a change in his father. There was hatred towards him, he didn’t understand. It wasn’t long after his mother died, did the abuse started. He wasn’t sure why his father hated him so much, though he missed his mother desperately. Missed her touch, missed her warmth, missed her singing. One day, there was a woman he’d recognized from the caged warehouse, his mother would sneak them to. His mother had always told him if there was ever a time she was here, her name was Margarita and her someone he could always trust. Of course, he never believed that would happen. Until it did. The day he snuck out of his bedroom window in his pyjamas with his mother’s late best friend, was the start of an adventure he wouldn’t have ever imagined. 

The day he left the comforts of his own home, there were a lot of tears and his new guardian comforted him and sang the same song his mother did. The pair fled Mexico. For a while, he, and Margarita were on the run, they stayed in bus station bathrooms, very run-down hotels, anything they could do for cheap until they crossed the border to America. When they crossed the border, the pair started their new life. With new names, new backgrounds, new everything. Not necessarily the kind of knew he’d been used to. He used to get the new iPhone, now he was lucky to get a new pair of pants. The pair finally settled in Dallas, Texas. Tomaz now went by the name Samuel Lopez, while his mother's best friend would play as his aunt Alicia Lopez. 

Learning a new name and a new history was hard to play along at first, though the days turned into weeks, then months, and he was able to convince the people he called friends into believing his story. Really though, why would anyone doubt him? He was brand new? Who would lie about where they came from. Since the beginning of this lie, he was now too good. He knew that his lying skills could get him out of most of anything. He was smart, and a smooth talker. In Dallas, he talked himself out of a ticket when he still didn’t have his license. Dallas always felt like home, although after ten years, even he was starting to get bored. He had always wanted something bigger and his and Alicia’s move to the big city was huge.

■ WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? ■

Since arriving in Dallas, Alicia kept him in the loop on a need to know basis. She didn’t tell him the daily rituals, which was the opposite of how his father would treat him. In Mexico, his father wouldn’t often spare on the details of the inner workings of the cartel. Despite his only being 5 years old, he heard some awful things. As he grew older, he knew that she was part of a club and that those illegal activities were what kept the roof over their head. Samuel never liked the idea of the last family member he had left continuing with this lifestyle that got his mother killed. He often tried to encourage her to find a way to leave, now that he’s graduated high school, he could work full-time and start earning legitimately. That was his plan, had they stayed in Texas. When the new president suggested the move to New York, in the back of his mind, he knew affording rent in New York wouldn’t be the same. Before moving to the big apple, a member by the name of Anthony Williams had been coming up to him quite a bit, he would start a conversation whenever he was spotted. He was starting to get frustrated since their conversation would often route back to drugs, selling drugs or the club they were about to open. He didn’t want to tell Alicia because he knew how she’d react. 

■ KEEP THIS AWAY FROM YOUR ENEMIES ■

Since arriving in New York he felt that Anthony was putting more and more pressure on him to become a prospect. Samuel wasn’t having any of it. He didn’t want his life to end up like his mothers. Samuel was confident he would never become a Devils member, that was until he noticed the stress on his aunt’s face when looking at the bills. Since still getting their feet in the ground, he knew the gang wasn’t making big money yet. He ended up meeting Anthony in the back alley of Moonlight and accepted a small job. He was told to go to a certain location, wait for a meet and sell drugs. It didn’t sound complicated. Yet, when he returned to moonlight with apparently only a quarter of what was meant to be paid, Anthony held him responsible. For the last few weeks, Samuel has been under Anthony’s thumb, doing small drug sales, here and there in order to make up the money he lost. Samuel didn’t feel he had a choice, the only choice he had was to keep it a secret from his Aunt who would kill him if she found out.

■ RELATIONSHIPS. ■

■ Kaley Richman: Samuel has met Kaley on several occasions, they were some of the few kids who weren’t members. Since moving to New York, he’s tried to keep close with her in hopes to make friends since she somehow already has roots in the city. 

■ Francesca Morelli: Fran was a close friend of his aunt's and in turn, he was able to get to know her on a ‘my mom’s friend’ sort of level. 

■ Jamie Lopez: He’s met Jamie a few times mainly through Francesca. They seem to have similar situations, as they’re both living with their aunt without any contact from family. The only difference is Jamie’s father isn’t on the hunt looking for him.

■ CONNECTIONS. ■

■  Hilary Wilcox > has seen in a coffee shop and remembers her from TV

■  Garrett Miller > Aunt’s Friend 

■  Owen Madisson > Owns his favourite coffee shop.