Betrayal & Beats

UntitlChapter One - First Encountered Part 1

Ashley's POV

Kingston never sleep. Even at ten past ten inna di night, yuh can feel di city breathing—bass from a distant party, horns a honk like dem on a mission, and di buzz of dreams clashing with reality. But tonight? Tonight feel different.

Mi stand up inna the booth, headphones pressed tight over mi ears, mic in front of mi like a weapon. Di beat drop, and mi lyrics flow out like fire.

"Mi heart done cold, mi cyaan trust nuh soul, Fake smile and lie dem a tell fi control..."

Boom. One take. Pure pain, real feelings. Mi step out di booth, sweat glisten pon mi skin, and everybody inna di studio quiet. Not a word, just di echo of mi voice bouncing 'round di room.

"Yow..." Tishan finally seh. "Dat was raw, Ash."

Mi nod. "Mi tell yuh, mi nuh inna no gimmicks. Dis album? A my truth."

Renae give mi a look from behind her laptop. It quick, like she cyaan hold eye contact too long. She smile, but it nuh reach her eyes.

"Yeah... it sound mad," she seh, fingers moving fast on di keyboard.

Mi watch her fi a second longer. Something feel... off. From recent times, she nuh move di same. Back inna di day, she woulda hype mi up loud-loud, posting everything pon social, making jokes, dancing when mi record. Now? She quiet. Distant. Like she just deh round mi cause she haffi be.

Mi push it to the back a mi mind. Tonight nuh di night fi overthink.

Mi walk toward di small fridge inna di corner and pull out a cold Ting. Pop di top, tek a sip. Just as mi about fi drop into di studio chair, di door buss open.

Tishan walk in wid two man behind him. One a dem dress clean inna full suit—some uptown energy. But di odda one? Hood up, black jeans, and eyes so sharp mi feel dem pierce mi soul.

"Stalk, meet Damon," Tishan seh, clapping his hands like him proud. "But everybody call him Syco. Him a work pon some serious production, and him interested in you."

Mi raise mi eyebrow. "Oh, so yuh just bringing man inna mi session now?"

Tishan laugh like mi joking. "Yuh ago want dis link, trust mi."

Syco step forward, di air round him heavy. Not inna bad way, but like... yuh cyaan ignore him presence.

"Mi hear yuh tracks," he seh, voice deep and low. "Yuh different. Real emotion inna di lyrics. Dat rare."

Mi look him up and down. Tall. Built. A scar peek out from di side a him neck. And dem eyes—dark, unreadable.

"Thanks," mi seh, taking another sip a mi drink. "But mi nuh need a producer. Mi already have a team."

"Team can fail yuh," him respond quick. "Loyalty cheap inna dis game."

Mi pause. Di way him seh it? Like him know pain. Like him live betrayal.

Renae clear her throat. "Uhm... Tishan, we still reviewing some mixes. Maybe now's not di best time?"

Mi glance at her. Her voice tremble a little. Mi catch di way she looking at Syco. Fear? Or something more?

Tishan wave her off. "Yuh can finish dat later. Ashley, mi want yuh hear a beat Syco build last week."

Mi cross mi arms. "Alright. Show mi."

Syco nod, pull out him laptop, plug in to di system. A few clicks and di beat start.

Heavy. Dark. But sweet. Like raindrops falling on concrete inna slow motion. Bassline deep enough fi shake mi chest, and a soft synth echoing like memories yuh cyaan escape.