• 15 • straight • Dominican🇩🇴• Bronx • Scorpio♏
Carlos was born in the Bronx and lives with his father, a pastor and his mother, who runs a soup kitchen. Growing up, Carlos was always the class clown and wasn't exactly an A-student. His parents forced him to participate in Sunday school, youth ministry activities and forbade him from playing sports to keep him out of trouble. He discovered his drumming talent when he was fooling around with their church's instruments one day and his father suggested that he learn how to play so that he could become a part of the church band. He bought a drumming pad with his allowance to practice at home. He stumbled upon metal drumming covers on YouTube and became interested in playing in a metal band which he secretly joined with Serena and Estefania. His parents, however, are completely against him playing anything other than what he's supposed to be playing for mass.
Because of his conservative religious upbringing, he can be very ignorant about a lot of things and come off as insulting but he is capable of learning...eventually.
Carlos was held back in his freshman year for failing English and shirking summer school.
When Carlos was in elementary school, his parents set him up for playdates with a boy from their church who was born with a serious bilateral cleft palate. He got a massive ego boost from all the compliments he got, not only from his drumming but also for hanging out with this kid. He's pretty vain.
Carlos: You really read the Great Gatsby for fun?
Carlos: And you actually understood that shit?
Serena: Well, it’s not shit but yes, I understood it.
Carlos: That’s mad cool. You must be really smart. I like smart girls.
Mr. Scott: And last but not least, Carlos. What is the last book you read?
Carlos: Y’know, you mad pretty. You Dominican?
Serena looked up at Mr. Scott.
Carlos: Or are you Puerto Rican?
Mr. Scott: Did you hear my question?
Mr. Scott: Of course you didn’t because you weren’t paying attention. I asked, what is the last book you read?
Carlos: I don’t remember. It was some book about this kid and his dad and the world ended or something and--
Mr. Scott: You mean “The Road”? Which was the last book we read the last time you were in my class.
Mr. Scott: So you didn’t read anything over the summer?
Mr. Scott: That explains a lot. Also, you were supposed to return that book and you did not. Please bring it in, that is, if you haven’t lost it. Alright, so we’re going to be moving right along to our first in-class assignment. We’re going to be working on writing narratives this semester and that means you guys will have to create characters because a story cannot exist without characters, right? And in order to create a character, you need to explore the identities of different types of people, learn about what they like, what they identify as, where they’re from, etcetera. So I’m going to ask you guys to pair up and interview each other and I’m going to ask that you record your partner’s answers in your notebooks and then report the answers back to the class. I’m going to be handing out a list of questions for you guys to ask. You have fifteen minutes to complete the questions. Ok, first group, Serena and Carlos. Next group...
Carlos: So why’d you read that book?
Serena: Because I was curious. It’s a really famous book. Anyway, I think we should stick to the questions.
Carlos: Do you have a boyfriend?
Carlos: Oh, so you ain’t with nobody.
Serena: No, I’m not. Can we please stick to the questions?
Carlos: Ok, fine. Here’s one: what’s your sexual orientation?
Carlos: (laughs incredulously) Nah, chill. No you not.
Carlos: No! Wait, for real?
Carlos: You too pretty to be a dyke. Lesbians are all fat and they have short hair and look like dudes. You mad pretty, though.
Serena: Are you saying that lesbians are ugly?
Carlos: A lot of them are, yeah.
Serena: And you don’t think that’s offensive?
Carlos: It’s true, though.
Serena: But I’m a lesbian and according to you, I’m not ugly.
Serena: There are other lesbians who look like me. You do realize that, right?
Serena: Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The second question is where is your family from?
Serena: What does that mean?
Carlos: You’ve never heard of DR? It’s the Dominican Republic. What about you?
Serena: My dad’s African American and my mother’s family is German.
Carlos: Oh, you mulatto. Mulatto girls are fucking hot. No wonder you so pretty.
Serena: I’m biracial, not “mulatto.” That word was created to describe half white, half black slaves who were created for slave owners who wanted light skinned slaves and now it’s considered an insult. It basically means “mutt.”
Carlos: Oh, I didn’t know that. Damn, you mad pretty and smart.
Serena: Carlos, we’re running out of time. Can we just finish the assignment?
Carlos: Why you can’t take a compliment for?
Serena raises her hand and Mr. Scott approaches her.
Serena: Can I switch partners with someone.
Carlos eyes her with confusion.
Mr. Scott: What’s the problem?
Serena: Carlos isn’t taking this assignment seriously and he keeps making me uncomfortable.
Mr. Scott: Carlos, please stick to the assignment. Whatever it is that’s going on between you two, please work it out. It’s too late to change partners.
Carlos: Damn, why you trying to get me in trouble for?
Serena: Because you won’t stop hitting on me and it’s getting annoying. I’m not interested so just stop trying to flirt with me and stick with to the assignment.
Carlos: C’mon, I haven’t said one bad thing to you!
Serena raises her hand again and Mr. Scott, again, approaches her.
Mr. Scott: Is everything ok?
Serena: Can I use the bathroom, please?
Mr. Scott: Yes, grab the bathroom pass on your way out.
Serena leaves the classroom.
Mr. Scott folds him arms and looks down at Carlos, noticing that his notebook was empty.
Mr. Scott: Carlos, this is your second time repeating this class and you’re already off to a bad start, my guy. If you don’t have this assignment completed in the next ten minutes, I’m going to have to give you an F for the day.
Carlos: That’s not fair, Mr. Scott. The whole point of this assignment is to learn about our partner, right? That’s what I’m doing.
Mr. Scott: The point of this assignment is to build a profile on a real person as practice to build one for a fictional character. And if I find out that what Serena meant by you making her uncomfortable is flirting, please know that unsolicited flirting constitutes sexual harassment and that you can be penalized for it. And by that, I mean a trip to the principal’s office and detention. Get the assignment done and stop messing around, please.