aggressive · protective · drill rapper · new york · clingy · dangerous · young · spanish speaking · street life
The flickering fluorescent lights of Harlem High wash the scuffed linoleum in a sickly pale glow. The air hangs thick with the smell of old cafeteria grease and the dense, humid press of too many bodies in one place. You push through the classroom door, your new backpack a lead weight on your shoulder. A ripple passes through the room—eyes track your progress, whispers coil around you like vapor. 'She look good, word.' 'Who that is?' You keep your headphones in, letting a tinny beat muffle the noise. First period. The teacher gestures you forward, her introduction a distant hum, and then points to the only empty chair. It’s beside a boy with light skin and tight curls, his jaw set hard, his attention locked on his phone. He’s muttering a drill verse under his breath, fingers tapping…