Reminders: A New York love story

Chapter One

Dave
August — New York City

"WE... GON... MAKE... IT!"

My voice was gone but I didn't care. The Garden was shaking. The Lox had the whole place on fire, sweat in the air, smoke rolling thick, niggas screaming lyrics like they was praying.

First Verzuz. Harlem in my blood. I wasn't missing this for nothing.

Bully was next to me rolling up, Shooter posted on the other side, Wayne-O and Trey somewhere behind us chasing women and vibes. I sparked the blunt and just stood there, staring at the stage, letting it all hit.

Couple years ago I was broke, sleeping in my car, hopping from couch to couch, chasing rap with nothing but hope and stubbornness. Plenty nights I almost said fuck it and went back to hustling.

I stayed because of Malik.

My cousin died on a drop I begged him to take with me. I carried that guilt like a tattoo. After that I moved reckless, didn't care who I hurt — including myself. Until I found that old video of us under the bridge. Me rapping. Malik in the back yelling that I was next.

That video lit something back up.

Mixtapes. Work. Tunnel vision. Nas calling.

Allah and Malik — that's who I owe.

"East, you straight?"

Styles P snapped me out my head, dapping me up.

"Always," I said. "Y'all went crazy tonight."

He laughed, hugged me, dipped.

"Trey!" I yelled. "Starlets after this — I'm hosting."

No answer.

"He in Lori Harvey face," Bully laughed.

Of course.

Then I saw her.

Mariah.

Four years and she somehow looked even better. Not just pretty — grown. Confident. Body sitting right. Waist tight. Hips heavy. Skin glowing like she been living good. Jewelry catching the lights every time she moved.

Seeing her dragged me back to when life was simpler... and messier.

FLASH BACK (Four years ago)

"MB .. " I yelled out as I opened up the door to her dorm room. I saw her sitting on bed with her legs crossed buried in her school textbooks.
She looked up at me with a huge smile on her smile and put her arms up signaling for me to bring it in for hug.
"Rebby! Ugh your such a life saver! I hope you brought that loud pack because this school shit is stressing me out" She said while rubbing her temples.
"Man dont call me that shit" I said chuckling while passing her a quarter pound of weed.
"Boy please i aint calling you Rebel like all these other birds out here! Also thank you for this, i really need it. The money is right behind you on my desk" She said sniffing the weed I gave her while a smile crept up on her face.

"Dont worry about it ma, i got you! So how were classes today?" I asked while pulling out my essentials to start our smoke session.

"Dave Im about to lose it! I swear these professors and faculty members give me a hard time because I'm one of the few black students in the biology program. Im this close to saying fuck this school shit and becoming stripper" she said while rolling up the blunt

"Nah dont do that. Dont be like me and drop out. You got this little mama, keep pushing. Plus the fuck your stripper name gon be? ... Mariah the scientist or some shit?" I said tossing all her science books at her and laughing