If I Had (Eminem Fanfic)

Chapter 22- One Shot

Shady Records, New York

"Who is this bitch you gave me to listen to again?"

DeShaun Holton looked up to find his friend of eleven years leaning against the door of the studio room. He furrowed his eyebrows, placing the pen near the paper on the circular table in front of him. Every other member of their clique had retired to take care of 'some' business, implying they had grown tired of shit and Bizarre had complained he was getting claustrophobic since the whole room was too small for him.

After Em's scandalous controversies this year, their album was getting put on hold but DeShaun wanted to keep the energy flowing and get started.

He was hyped like always.

The bulb clicked on when his gaze fell upon the compact disc Em held up in his hand as a clue. The cover depicted a starless sky over the city which was clearly the Mo-town.

Written in bold, cursive and streaks of luminous silver was the word: Panache.

"I met her in Detroit, told ya."

"Course you did. But why?" Em said, staring back at him with unreadable eyes.

DeShaun's back dug in to the plush cushioning of the couch he was sitting on as he leaned against it. "What do you mean?"

"Why would you have me listen to... this?" Em waved the CD as he finished, walking up to the couch and plopping down beside him. Noticing the paper his friend was working on, he grabbed the sheet off the table with the other hand.

"Dude, gimme that!" DeShaun complained but Em kept it out of his reach, squinting as he tried to read the scribbled handwriting from afar.

Given up, DeShaun put his calves down on the table, after criss crossing them.

Em nodded in approval after reading like it was a thumbs up.

"As to your question..." DeShaun gave a casual shrug. "We the worshippers of Hip Hop, man. We lend another fellow man or woman worshipper a helping hand. Dontcha 'gree?"

Em's brows shot up. "And she is a worshipper, you think?" Turning his body more to the left so he could look at his best friend clearly, he slapped his left knee lightly to get DeShaun's attention. "I heard this shit. Skimmed through it. And I see what you saw."

DeShaun turned his head to him, eyes glinting. "You do?"

Eminem bit back a smile but  failed as a small smile crept into his lips. Now annoyed, he cleared his throat.

"Man, she ain't me."

"She ain't. But she's the past you. Infinite. You 'member?" He snorted as Em shook his head. "She ain't plagiarizing. Different style, lyricism and flow. But same desperation."

Proof gaped once Em shrugged that off.

"Ok. Tell me, you think she sucks."

"Naw. I'd be lying and you'd be burning my ass."

"Give her that shot."

Silence.

"She givin you head, ain't she? Flying back to Detroit, I bet the first place you gonna visit is hers!" Em exclaimed, in wonderment. "Sharonda ain't never liked me but now she gon' know what's up with her husband too!"

"Shut the fucking hell up, man. It ain't nothin' like that. Plus, I don't do white chicks. You know me."

"Infinite didn't work for me. It didn't give me the break." Em stated, matter-of-factly.