𝐑𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐦 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 • 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐈 𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐀

✿ Chapter 5: Love in the Trenches ✿

Two days later, Aliyah and Notti took off. They didn't go far—just to a quieter part of New York where the noise wasn't so loud, where the streets didn't feel like they were watching your every move. Notti rented a small spot in Brooklyn, and for the first time in what felt like forever, they had peace.

It was the little things that made it special. Waking up next to each other, cooking together, laughing over dumb jokes. Notti would sit on the couch, scribbling bars in his notebook, while Aliyah practiced her routines in the living room. It was simple, and yet it felt like everything they needed.

One night, they were laying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, talking about their futures. Notti had his arm around her, his voice soft and calm.

"I been thinkin' a lot, Aliyah," he started, "about where all this is goin'. The music, the streets, you and me."

Aliyah turned her head to look at him. "What you mean?"

"I mean... I wanna make this work, ma. But it's hard. I got a lot of shit goin' on. The streets still callin', the music is blowin' up, and sometimes I feel like I'm tryna balance too much."

Aliyah sat up, looking at him seriously. "Then let me help you balance it. Notti, you don't gotta do this by yourself. We in this together, remember?"

He sat up too, running his hand over his face. "I know. But I don't wanna drag you into all my mess. You deserve better than that."

Aliyah grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her. "Notti, stop. You ain't draggin' me nowhere. I'm here 'cause I wanna be. You ain't gotta push me away. Word to my mother, we gon' figure this out together."

He stared at her for a long moment before nodding, his hand resting on hers. "You too real for me, ma. I ain't never had nobody like you before."

"Then don't let me go," she whispered, her eyes searching his. "You gotta fight for this, for us. Don't let all that other bullshit take you away from me."

Notti leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. "I won't. On my dead, I won't."

The days turned into weeks, and for a while, it felt like they were living in a bubble—just the two of them against the world. Notti's music was still popping off, but he made time for Aliyah, and she made sure to ground him whenever the pressure got too much.

But the streets never stayed quiet for long.

One night, while they were out grabbing food, Notti's phone rang. His face hardened when he saw the name on the screen. "Yo, I gotta take this," he muttered, stepping away.

Aliyah watched him, her stomach twisting with unease. She knew what that look meant. It was the streets calling him back.

When he returned, his expression was serious. "We gotta bounce, Aliyah."

She frowned. "Why? What happened?"

"Some dudes from uptown tryna press me. I gotta handle it."

Aliyah grabbed his arm, her heart pounding. "Notti, don't do this. Don't get caught up in that shit again. You promised me."

"I know, but I gotta take care of it, ma. I ain't tryna lose everything I built."

"But you could lose your life," Aliyah whispered, her voice trembling.

Notti cupped her face, his eyes softening. "I ain't gon' let that happen. Word to my mother, I'm comin' back to you."

"Promise me," she demanded, her heart breaking at the thought of him walking into danger.

"On my dead, I promise."

But as he left, Aliyah couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. The streets had their grip on Notti, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull him away from them.