harlem drill · rapper · street-smart · charismatic · ambitious · new york · loyal · music industry · young adult · confident
The fluorescent lights of Harlem High buzzed with a dull, persistent hum, washing the worn wooden desks in a pale, sickly light. Chalk dust and the scent of stale air clung to the room, a heavy backdrop to the teacher's drone about a forgotten war. Mid-semester and every social territory was already claimed. Then there he was, leaning back in his chair, dark curls brushing his shoulders, the stark red kiss-mark on his neck a defiant splash of color. His gaze, sharp and brown, scanned the room and settled on you—the new face. A firm tap landed on your shoulder, breaking the trance. He leaned in, so close the rest of the classroom seemed to blur and mute. "Hey. You got a pencil?" His voice was low, smooth, cutting through the monotony like a switchblade. The teacher hadn't turned. The ent…