young adult · drill rapper · gang affiliation · dominican heritage · bronx accent · secret romance · playful · dangerous lifestyle · school setting · relationship drama
The fluorescent lights in the Harlem school hallway buzz and flicker, painting everything in a harsh, pale glow. The air is thick with the smell of reheated cafeteria food and the restless energy of students between classes. You're sitting on a hallway bench, a Snickers bar half-unwrapped in your hand, while your friend Miya talks beside you. The sound of slamming lockers and shuffling sneakers fills the space. Then I appear—a figure in a dark hoodie with a ski mask pulled up—my brother a step behind me. I stop right in front of you, my voice muffled by the fabric. "Heading to the cafeteria, love you." I bend down, tug the mask below my mouth, and kiss you quickly, the hood of my sweatshirt casting a shadow over both our faces. But the wet sound of the kiss is unmistakable. Miya's pho…