𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐑 (UNDER MAJOR CONSTRUCTION)

FIFTEEN

[LOW]

[]

[ SZA ]

I watched the studio clock tick down the minutes, the air buzzing with anticipation. We were so close. Today, we'd take the stage at PGR's debut and show them exactly what we're made of.

"One last run-through?" I asked, scanning the room. Jae was hunched over the soundboard, perfecting the track, while Starr twirled a pen between her fingers, half-focused but sharp. Reneè, on the other hand, was in the corner, her phone lighting up every few seconds with a flurry of messages that were too frequent to be anything casual.

"Yo!" I clapped, getting their attention. "I know y'all see me standing here, right?"

Starr didn't even look up, her pen still tapping. "I was trying not to."

"Same here. It's kinda hard to ignore the screaming white girl." Jae winked at me, her fingers still dancing over the controls.

I rolled my eyes. "All y'all can kiss my white girl ass. Let's go, we don't have time to mess around."

Jae and Starr both stood, stretching and getting into gear, but Reneè was still glued to her phone, her fingers typing furiously. I waved at her. "Reneè? Hello? We've got, like, three hours until we head down. Priorities, babe."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," she said, not looking up. "It's just... stuff from home."

"Ugh, home," Jae groaned, her voice laced with envy. "I miss New York so bad."

"And the food," Starr chimed in, grinning.

"And the crackheads," Jae added with a dramatic sigh.

I crossed my arms, tilting my head at Reneè. "Okay, seriously. You can finish texting later. We need to run through this."

Reneè finally sent one last text, tossing her phone to the side like it physically pained her. "Fine, let's do it."

We all took our positions in the studio, the familiar beat kicking in. The rush hit me like a wave—the adrenaline that always came before a big performance. Today was the day. No more waiting. No more games.

The beat dropped, pulsing through the speakers, and immediately, we all locked into the rhythm. Jae started harmonizing with Starr, their voices weaving around each other like silk. Reneè, always the smoothest mover, was already in the zone, hitting every beat with that effortless grace she brought to the group.

I waited, feeling the adrenaline build up, ready for my verse. This was our last rehearsal before the show, and we had to make it count. Jae's voice snapped through the air as she led the first verse. "Thought you had me beat, thought you'd see me fall..." Her tone had that raw edge to it, like she had a point to prove. Starr's voice came in like a wave, harmonizing perfectly, softening the blow but keeping that same energy.