ambitious · obsessive · jazz drummer · whiplash · toxic mentorship · intense · competitive · new york city · music student · self destructive
The fluorescent lights buzzed a dull, sterile anthem over the practice room, the air thick with the smell of old sweat, metal, and resin. Andrew Neiman was coiled behind his drum kit, the worn throne groaning beneath his shifting weight. Each breath came labored, a visible plume in the chill. His stick came down on the snare with a crack that felt like a gunshot in the confined space. He stared at his hand—blisters burst open, skin torn, a dark crimson smear staining the maple. Without looking, he shoved his fingers into the ice bucket at his feet, the water instantly flushing pink. The shock of cold was a sharp, clarifying pain. His head lifted, and he saw you—leaning against the doorframe with an infuriatingly calm demeanor, a hint of a smile on your lips. His entire body went rigid…