Lost in Fear (8 Mile Fanfic)

Ch. 1

~Ch. 1~

(Elaine's POV)

"Gotta light?" I asked, looking at Cheddar, a cigarette placed in between my lips, "By the way, where the fuck is Rabbit?"

"He said he would be battling," Cheddar said.

"I know but he got nuff time to get himself ready?"

"Yeah," Sol replied then he leaned in close to me whispering, "You gonna tell us, Elaine?"

I raised an eyebrow at Sol, "The fuck you talking about?"

"Ya know how you got a thing for some guy-"

"Nigga, shut the fuck up." I said then grabbed the light from his jacket pocket. Sol gave me his WTF face.

"Seriously?" 

I removed the cigarette from my lips and lit it quickly, putting it back in between my lips then tossing the light back to Sol. I put my hands back in my sweats pocket, adjusting my snapback lower.

Future and Rabbit appear suddenly from the door next to us coming out of the Shelter. I got up and said, "You gotta hurry and get yo ass on-."

Rabbit didn't look at me and just said, "Bitch don't even start." He pushed past me.

Future chuckled, "He hurled on his shirt."

Cheddar ran over next to Rabbit trying to see the front of his shirt, "Let me see-"

"Yo get the fuck off," Rabbit demanded pushing him away. I rolled my eyes.

I ask, "Future, what the fuck gotten into him?"

"Fuck like I would know."

Rabbit reached behind a dumpster, grabbing his trash bag of clothes.

Sol said, "C'mon it's deal time, Rabbit."

Rabbit just kept ignoring us, pulling a shirt out of his trash bag, as we kept yapping. His face seemed so stressed and unrelaxed. The last thing he would fucking need if he's battling at the Shelter.

"Ay man come on, what's up?" I ask, puffs of smoke escaping my lips.

"Me and Janeane just broke up...and I left her the car." he said monotonically.

Future says, "C'mon again?"

I pat his back, even though I knew clearly it ain't gonna do shit except feel sympathy.

Rabbit continues, "Yo she said she's pregnant."

Future, Sol, and DJ all just smirked and shook their heads at each other. I looked at them. The fuck why aren't they taking this seriously.

Cheddar said out loud, "Well she's gonna need the car if she's pregnant."

We all looked at him with 'Really, nigga?' faces. 

Rabbit adds as he slips in another shirt, "Imma need a place to crash."

Cheddar says without thinking, "You gonna stay at your mom's?"

The other guys start laughing at each other. Rabbit and I looked at them with our WTF face.

"Yo can I get some fucking privacy here?" Rabbit asked sternly as he pulled a sweater out of his trash bag.

Agreeing with Rabbit, I push Sol, Iz and Cheddar as those three idiots kept laughing at us out as Future and I stayed behind with Rabbit to calm him before the battle starts.

Future just said between chuckles, "Gotta another?" he asked me pointing at my cigarette. I pulled a fresh one out of my pocket and tossed it to him.

"So look, if somethin's gonna happen with this shit, it needs to happen now." Rabbit said

"Hey man I feel you. I know exactly what ya talkin' about out." Future said out of hopes to calm him.

Rabbit places the garbage bag behind dumpster.

Future pats his shoulder saying, "Alright c'mon man how ya feelin'?"

"Feel good."

I added, "Good to hear."

He smiled a little, "Thanks."

I pat his back, "Good luck."

"Imma need it." Rabbit chuckled.

I smirked, "Just get ya ass up there. You're gonna do great."

Rabbit smiled at me as we all headed in.

~Shelter~

Rabbit was standing there, mouth open against the mic but nothing coming out. Everyone except our crew were booing him and telling him to fuck off the stage. I looked at Cheddar, Sol, and Iz and they just exchanged glances of concern with me. Oh fuck. Rabbit...he'll never want to do this again...he's too self-conscious of himself. God damn cause he's talented, funny, and-aw fuck...Sol maybe right. Shit...do I got somethin' for Rabbit? Fuck it...ain't worth trying to think about it now.

Rabbit, the emotion of hopelessness playing in his face, headed toward the back of the stage handing the mic back to Future. Everyone changed their boos to cheers and fist pumps. Growling, I headed out to look for Rabbit to see if he's okay.

~Outside Shelter~

I bid Cheddar, Sol, Future, and Iz a 'see ya' then followed Rabbit, knowing he was still fucking embarassed about all that happening. I ran up to him, patting his back, "Alright, man?"

"Fuckin think I am?" he mumbled shaking my arm off.

"Hey hey you ain't the only one. 9th grade I choked in front of Speech class. Got laughed at it for a week."

"Shit like that from school easy to forget. The way I fucked up there gonna be history." 

I sighed, "Ay man, lemme tell you somethin'."

Rabbit looked at me, "What?"

"Know why I chose not to have an MC name?"

Rabbit shrugged.

"Cause I can't do shit." 

Rabbit punched me in the arm, "Bitch shut the fuck up. You're Einstein compared to me. Grades higher than ever back in high school."

"Still couldn't put myself in college cause debt took away that fuckin chance." I laughed.

"But still you can do shit." Rabbit said as he stopped at the bus stop and I stood next to him.

"But I ain't a fucking rapper," I laughed

"Cheddar Bob don't rap but he got his name."

"But he still knows how to rap. Me?" I laughed pointing at myself, "all I fucking do is listen to it and enjoy it. MC names show a lot about how dope the rapper is. B-Rabbit nice MC name, definitely gonna tell somethin' 'bout you."

Rabbit smiled a little, "Thanks."

I hear the bus pull in to the stop, "There's your ride."

Rabbit and I grabbed each other's right hand, smacking our palms against each other twice then just pulled ourselves into our crew's normal hand shake, "A'ight, later Elaine."

"See ya Rabbit. Tell Lily I said hi."

He got on the bus, as I put my hands back in my pockets. He sat down in one of the seats in the back. The bus drove off, the smell of exhaust filling my nose intensly, my face scrunching a little. That's the smell of Detroit alright.