Summary chapters 1-5

Julio is a kid from Spanish Harlem in New York City. He is half Puerto Rican and half Ecuadorian. He has a bestfriend named Enrique but he likes to go by Sapo and he is also Puerto Rican. They grew up together. Sapo always defended Julio. Julio wanted a knickname therefore he got into many fights so he could be known. He was given Chino as his aka. Chino was a painter and did RIP frames. As they grew up Chino liked a girl named Blanca who was a church girl. After High School, Chino and Blanca ended up together. They both go to college. Blanca is pregnant. Chino helps Sapo by letting him keep his "stuff" in his house, drugs. Sapo introduced Chino to Bodega because Bodega wanted something from Chino. vodega was telling Chino how he doesn't sell rocks but he sells dreams. He helps out the community in return for loyalty. He wants Chino to work with Nazario, a lawyer, so they can improve the community. Chino refuses because he has doubts about Bodega's speech.