he dancer. She was just Janelle, a girl from a tiny apartment in Southside Chicago, with

was Kyr

dphones. He used to call her his melody. He'd kiss her on his twin-sized mattress, r

eliev

love

track. They made out on the floor when his mom wasn't home

n... he

Kyro West wasn't just some SoundCloud rapper. He was a

her in

e night he ended it. "Not with where

e wasn't par

't been there

ied fo

stopped

into a new city, a ne

became

est? He ne

il

That Sh

ted wit

ing her heels off on the back steps

al: "Yo... is t

ly dropped

e it might disappear. Her fin

nutes

. Thought I was tr

like they were still cool. Like he hadn't cut

She really did. But curio

. Making money. N

d almost

look amazi

led her th

ng. Her heart was beating fast, but

. Not even Mya, who us

ee nights, she kept

till s

Nelly. I thi

ur city soon. May

er videos. Her body. Her face now m

her phone a

smell still clung to her sheets. And now Kyro

ea

il

those old days like a mixtape. The studio. The

she was mad... or

be

a

plan to res

sent a vo

ing. Ain't even dropped

licke

. And right there in his verse, buried benea

dbye, but I lied / girl, I hear you i

a sa

te abo

t, the city outside, the regret she buried de

Sasha tried to

three-hour nap she didn't need. And still-Kyro's verse played on

back since last night.

May

f he posted anything.

pened hi

e numb

s, studio shots, a story of him flying first cl

ble a diamond whil

r three hours. Sh

he talki

single

eyes so hard they

ye

Back then she was cute, sure, but now? She was hot. Curves that hit,

taste now, he'd

ted. Because once upon a time, s

ft you for a record deal," she muttered t

The one that made men forget their names and wom

ething

t feeling

w her hips-but it wasn't magic tonight. The crowd wa

m lagged. A drunk dude whispered, "Yo

ry. Her moo

dressing room, chewing gum she di

essages

o

.. an

the bench beside her. "You

rugged.

d like you were pole dancin

irked. "

ious. You in

ted. "Kyro

in broke-boy-turned-b

a no

nah. What

ize. I don't kno

w. "And you stil

en reply sin

hy your phone in your hand every f

ause he got in my h

t that. They know how to make you feel seen just

went

that was

p with just one line. One

ean he deserve

meal now. Don't let some reheated leftover

aughed,

be spitting wisdom

"Now get your sexy back on th

eted her phone, an

s dry. But

let herself deci

hone chimed she

l "babe a