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His heart pounded in rhythm with the beat. He felt the subwoofers through the floor like he was standing on the speakers. His ears rang, drowning out the energy of the crowd. Their faces blurred into a lit haze with fuzzy shadows.

Aliyah lounged on the sofa with her legs stretched across her best friend’s lap. They each sipped on a margarita and traded them to see whose they liked more. Tiffany dressed down for the evening, wearing a zip-up turtleneck and flats. He almost didn’t recognize her without her tablet.

“We’ll go three rounds,” Aja said into her microphone, “And y’all know the deal. Show them love if they’re good. Boo them if they’re bad.”

The audience cheered. Kelvin didn’t remember there being so many people last time. They piled on furniture and crawled over each other for a place on the floor. A few climbed on the bar. His flowers had been moved to a window for safekeeping. A breeze blew through the room to help thin the musk of sweat and alcohol. Markus walked around with the bucket of phones, making sure nobody had theirs.

“May-May, you wanna go first or second?”

“First.” She tucked her hair-pick into her pocket. “And I won’t even need a second.”

The sound guy played a siren. She riled them up with a couple comments. A little trash talk went a long way.

Aja told her to save it for the battle. She shushed everybody before handing the microphone to Kelvin. It slipped, however, and thudded against the floor.

“Dropping the mic already?” Maicy shouted.

His stomach sank as he picked it up.

How was that for foreshadowing?

His knees buckled. The colors of his shoes bled into the carpet, the dark hues washed out in white. The bass rolled from one instrumental to the next, bouncing with a steady clap.

He looked to Aliyah to try to center himself. The room didn’t stop spinning, but something was different. She wasn’t on the outside of the spiral anymore. For the first time, he didn’t see an actress. He saw his girlfriend.

Maicy grunted.“Yeah, shit must be hitting the fan again. May-May, she’s back, and she’s glamorous, bringing the flair like a camera lens. Damn it, it’s scandalous how we ain’t taking advantage of filming me breaking this mannequin. Come on, he’s making me manic just standing there, dressed in those hand-me-down brands as if begging for someone to cancel him.”

The audience hollered and raised their cups. The room filled with red plastic. Aliyah scowled, biting intoa slice of pineapple.

“At least get some bandages. Honestly, after I ambush him, chances are no one can handle it. Everyone’s washing their hands of him. How do you make something leak without cameras? It’s funny, I know what the answer is. Damage. And even the manager’s panicking, screaming to call him an ambulance. That’s what you get when you dance with a champion. Listen, they’re already chanting it. May-May, forever, and yes, it’s unanimous.”

The crowd went wild. Maicy held her mic out like she was about to drop it. She wagged her finger instead.

“Alright, alright,” Aja yelled, “Settle down.”

Aliyah sat up and swirled her margarita. Some of it spilled. Tiffany leaned over to whisper something in her ear. Neither of them seemed very impressed.

“Let’s keep it going. Y’all know this next one. If you ain’t seen him around, you ain’t been around. My boy, Kelvin!”

His girlfriend winked at him as he stepped forward. He tripped over his shoelaces because of it. The beat didn’t wait for him.

“I’m scratching my head like it itches. You think you can rip on these stitches, you kidding? This mannequin’s slick. If you say any different, try taking a tip from your outfit and zip it. I’m buttoned up better than…” He blanked for a moment. “Better than sewing can get it.”

Nobody gave him much love for that one. He didn’t blame them.

“I’m fine by the way if you thought I was broke. Might be thinner than thin, but the skin isn’t, though, and compared to the shit I was hit with at home, do you think I’m not used to some blood on my clothes?”

His throat tightened, straining his voice.

“I had stains on my collar before I was rapping. My nose always bled through a couple of napkins.” He sniffled and missed another beat. “Remember what happened? She said I was being dramatic. The boy was erratic. She practically gave me the gas and the matches. A spark, and there would’ve been nothing but ashes. It’s madness. I almost ignited the mattress. And fact is, if not for the light on the plastic, if not for an actress—”

“And that’s time,” Aja interrupted.

The sound guy cut the music, causing a bit of feedback. Kelvin swore he heard a record scratch. Nobody raised their cups or hollered for him– That was, until a woman cheered in the back. Then everybody lost it.

“Damn, son,” Maicy said, “I didn’t expect all that.”

He ran his hand through his hair. The tears stung as much as the memories. He rubbed his eyes without anybody noticing.

“But I gotta ask—” She spun around with her arms out. “Who were you aiming at?”

A few people chuckled.

“Yeah, Kel. That’s your target.” Aja pointed at her. “It’s a battle, did you forget? You gotta aim outward. Not inward.”

On the sofa, Aliyah finished her slice of pineapple. Her face appeared strained like it was tough to swallow. She smiled after he glanced over, wiping the juice from her bottom lip.

“Alright, May-May, round two.”

The sound guy hit the button to ring the bell. The music came in with another rolling bassline. Maicy adjusted her top, pulling the zipper down an inch.

“Yeah, rap can be messy. Get used to the clutter. You step into this, and you step with a stutter. I’m over it, high on the uppers, just floating and riding the hover. He’s aiming it inward. I’m taking it upward like buzzards. He’s spilling his guts like it’s supper. Just get me a plate from the cupboard. No need for a cup when your girl got some double-D udders.”

The men in the crowd bellowed. She reached under her top to grab herself. One woman meowed.

“I’m up, and you know I ain’t anywhere other. I’m up, but this flow’s got my mind in the gutter. I’m up, and I told him to leave off the rubber. He’s under me, puckering up like we’re lovers. About to get smothered. The sucker. I’d never be caught with a buster. Now, where are the hustlers? I need me a brother. This baby’s annoying me. Where is his mother—”

Aliyah shot to her feet. “That’s enough!”

Everything but the music stopped. Heads turned. Some people spilled their drinks. The sound guy fumbled with the controls. He smacked the tablet then kicked the speakers before simply unplugging them.

“Too much?” Maicy zipped up her top.

“Nah, I’m okay,” Kelvin said with a nervous shrug, “Really, I think I got it worse last time, you know?”

And who would’ve thought last time was the better of the two? He would’ve gladly taken another punch if it meant not hurting her. Tiffany held her hand to calm her down. She clenched her fists without realizing.

“It wasn’t the battle,” she said, her fingers interlocking with her friend’s, “I was just thinking. I don’t wanna watch you like this, not if I could be watching this with you.”

The attention shifted to him.

“Okay, what’d you have in mind?”

“I don’t know. Maybe Aja could step in, and you could come sit with me?”

Tiffany scooted into the corner. The sofa had a velvet cover with thick cushions and frilly throw pillows.

“Yeah, no, I love that idea. I do, but like, I’m not sure I’d fit. No offense or anything.”

“Oh, come on, now. I can sit on your lap.”

Why didn’t he think of that?

Aja tapped him on the shoulder, gesturing for the microphone back. “You did good,” she said when he handed it over, “Go be with your girl. We got it from here.” She flicked her wrist to shoo him away.

“Alright, Je.” Maicy cracked her knuckles. “Are we battling then or?”

“How about a little performance? I’ve been dabbling with some things, and I wanted to try them out.”

“Are you talking a remix? Already?”

The speakers buzzed asthe sound guy restarted the system. He connected a portable player to fill the dead air.

“Should I move the pillow?” Kelvin asked.

Aliyah grabbed him by the belt and threw him onto the sofa. That answered that. She jumped on him like he didn’t have a say in the matter. His lap broke her fall, and the cushions broke his. The velvet cover was still warm.

She nestled against him, her breath tickling his neck. “Are you okay? I didn’t like that headspace you were in.”

“Me neither.”

“So, I did good, then? Stopping it?”

“Yeah,” he whispered, “I’m sorry I spiraled.”

She shushed him then traced her thumb along his jaw. As soon as their eyes met, she kissed him. Her lips burned with a tasteof her margarita.She brushed his bangs aside after. “Your hair grows so fast.” Aja and Maicy performed an entire set that evening. The crowd got up to dance and formed a circle around them. He and Aliyah sang along from the couch, going bar for bar. He’d never seen her rap before.