The moment the song ended, the room erupted one more time, a wall of cheering and clapping that hit like heat. People screamed Dante's name, shouted over each other, and stomped hard enough that Luke felt it through the floor. Dante lifted the mic with both hands like he'd just won something important, soaking it in without pretending he wasn't loving every second of it.

Luke didn't move much, he just reached forward calmly and lowered the volume before the speakers started feeding back, then hit stop on the track. His fingers hovered over the laptop for an extra moment, as if he needed to make sure the sound had actually stopped, like silence might break something. When he finally looked up, the crowd had already surged forward, half of them trying to congratulate Dante, the other half trying to shout questions at Luke like he was suddenly interesting now that the music proved it.

"No explosions, I call that a win," Eli said

"Thank God," Luke exhaled, the tension in his shoulders finally loosening.

Jazz grabbed Luke's sleeve and tugged.

"Come on, let's move before you get smothered," Jazz said

Maya nodded, already stepping toward the hallway. Eli followed without hesitation, and Luke moved with them, slipping out of the crush before anyone could trap him in small talk. The hallway was quieter, the noise muffled behind them as they reached a small space near the kitchen that was mostly clear, just enough room for them to stand without getting bumped every two seconds.

Luke leaned his back against the wall, blinking like he'd just been hit by a spotlight he didn't ask for. His heart was still thumping a little too fast, not fear exactly. Just the leftover adrenaline of being responsible for something that mattered in front of an audience. Jazz handed him a drink without asking, making him nod in thanks .

"Hydrate before you pass out," Jazz said

"Thanks," Luke said as he took it and sipped it

Maya smiled gently and looked between them.

"It sounded amazing, both of you," Maya said

"Yeah, the mix was clean, too,' Eli said,"like really clean."

Luke's face warmed again, and he shrugged like he didn't know how to accept praise without throwing it away.

"It's not hard," Luke said,"just...you know, settings, volume control and such."

"He really thinks he can downplay that," Jazz said with a scoff

"I'm not downplaying it Jazz."

"You are. You always do when you do something awesome and cool."

Before Luke could argue, a new wave of voices hit the hallway. Students were spilling out from the performance area, laughing and yelling, and Dante came through them like a hurricane, still riding the high. He had the mic in one hand like he'd forgotten to give it back and a grin that looked permanently glued to his face.

"THERE YOU ARE SUPERSTAR," Dante yelled

"Oh God give me patience," Luke said

"Don't you mean strength," Eli asked

"If God gave me strength, he be dead."

"...Touché."

Dante marched up and clapped Luke on the shoulder with enough force to make him shift.

"Why did you make me sound like that, bro," Dante said,"you tryna make me look good on purpose?"

"That was literally the plan," Luke said,"that or make you sound like your grandma."

"Yeah but you did it too good. Like people might start thinking I'm talented."

"You are talented," Jazz said,"you're just a dumbass."

Dante pointed at her dramatically.

"First off ouch, and thank you," Dante said,"finally, someone who respects greatness."

"I'm leaving him outside next time," Eli said

"Please do," Luke said

The hallway kept filling with people for a few minutes, everyone talking over each other, some congratulating Dante, some talking to Luke directly like they suddenly remembered he existed.

"Yo Dante, that was crazy," one student said

"Luke, you made that beat," the second one asked,"that sounded professional!"

Luke nodded awkwardly, trying not to look like he was being held hostage by compliments.

"Appreciate it," Luke said

Dante wasn't awkward at all, he was made for this. He slapped hands, laughed, played it up like he was hosting the entire party. Every time someone praised the song, he found a way to point back to Luke as if he was determined to make sure Luke got dragged into the spotlight whether he liked it or not. Then two girls pushed through the crowd, both smiling, both looking directly at Luke.

"Hey...Luke, right," Girl 1 asked

Luke's brain stalled for half a second. A girl never talked to him, and yes his mom and sister didn't count, he was use to them. But a girl from school, one he never talked to...came up to him

"Uh...yeah," Luke said as he cleared his throat

"That was really good," Girl 2 said,"like the track and everything sounded amazing."

Luke nodded again, gripping his drink like it was a weapon.

"T-Thanks," Luke said

The girls looked at each other, then back at him.

"You made that," Girl 1 asked

"I mean...," Luke hesitated,"me and Dante-"

Dante stepped in immediately like he'd been waiting for this moment his whole life.

"He made it," Dante said, making Luke turn slowly.

"...What," Luke asked, but Dante kept smiling like he was doing community service.

"Nah, listen here. Luke did all the instruments, the acoustics, the audio, the mixing...all that."

Luke's eyes widened slightly at that, as the girls went wide eyed at that. Luke was about to something, but Dante held up a finger like Luke was interrupting an important speech.

"And he wrote the lyrics too," Dante said

Luke almost choked on his drink.

"I did not write the-"

Dante kept going, smooth as hell, talking like he was introducing the star of a documentary.

"I just showed up and sang it, that's all really," Luke said,"I'm basically the face, while Luke's the genius behind the curtain."

Jazz's head turned so fast Luke thought she might break her neck.

"Oh my God," Jazz said

Maya covered her mouth, laughing quietly at the situation. Eli looked away like he didn't want to be associated with this, he rather be working on one of his bots. The girls' eyes widened, their interest instantly doubling at that moment.

"Wait, seriously," Girl 2 asked

Luke stared at Dante like he was about to commit a felony.

"No/Dead serious," the two said

Luke fought for his life, but Dante was drowning him on purpose.

"That's actually really impressive," Girl 1 said, smiling wider

Luke's throat tightened, and he could feel his face heating up, embarrassment creeping up fast.

"It was...it was teamwork," Luke said

"He's humble too, and that's the crazy part," Dante said

Dante waved that away with the seriousness of a man who had never once told the truth when it mattered. Jazz leaned toward Maya, whispering in her ear.

"He's committing crimes," Jazz said

"He's trying his best," Maya whispered back, amused.

The girls laughed, then one of them nudged the other, both clearly enjoying Luke's discomfort.

"Well...you did really good, Luke," Girl 2 said with a smile

"Yeah, I hope we get to hear more soon," Girl 1 said

Luke nodded quickly, desperate to exit the conversation without passing out.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Luke said

The girls lingered another moment, smiling like they were expecting him to say more, then finally they waved and headed back toward the main room. The second they were gone, Luke turned on Dante with pure hatred in his eyes.

"I hate you...so much," Luke said

Dante gasped and clutched his chest like he'd been shot.

"Dude, I'm trying to help you," Dante said,"who knows, you might have multiple girlfriends. Cause dude, you're 10/10, respectfully...I'm 11/10."

Jazz let out a sound halfway between a laugh and disgust.

"Multiple girlfriends," Jazz asked,"you think he can score that?"

Dante nodded immediately like it was a scientific fact.

"Let's say mesa has a feeling~," Dante said, making Luke stare at him.

"Did you just-," Luke asked, but couldn't form words

"If you say 'mesa' again, I'm unplugging the mic," Eli said, staring at Dante with a deadpan stare

Dante grinned wider, completely unbothered.

"You can't stop destiny," Dante said

"Yeah yeah Jar Jar," Jazz said

Luke pressed his palm to his face, dragging it down slowly like he was physically trying to reset his brain.

Luke:

"You're not surrounded," Jazz said,"you willingly travel with them."

Maya stepped closer, still smiling, and gently bumped Luke's shoulder with hers.

"You did great, Luke," Maya said,"ror real."

Luke peeked at her from behind his hand, then nodded once, quieter this time.

"...Thanks," he said

Dante threw an arm around Luke again like he hadn't just lied through his teeth to two girls.

"See, the people love you," Dante said,"I'm just accelerating the process."

"You're accelerating my stress," Luke said

Dante laughed loudly, the sound carrying even over the music from the other room. Luke couldn't stop the small smile that finally broke through his annoyance, even if he hated that Dante could drag it out of him so easily. For a few minutes, they stayed there in the back hallway, laughing, eating snacks, and pretending this was all life was ever going to be.

Then Luke noticed Dantes shifted in attitude.

It was small enough that most people wouldn't have caught it, but he did, because Luke had known Dante long enough to notice the difference between his normal chaos and the moments where something real slipped through. Dante's grin faltered for half a second, his eyes sliding past Luke's shoulder toward the main room like he'd just spotted something that didn't belong.

Luke turned slightly, following Dante's line of sight.

At the edge of the crowd, near the doorway that led outside, stood a man in a black suit. He didn't look like a parent and he didn't look like a teacher. He looked too clean and old for a high school party, too still compared to everyone else moving and laughing and spilling drinks. His posture was straight, hands low, head angled just enough that he wasn't staring directly at anyone, but he also wasn't pretending he wasn't watching.

The man's eyes met Dante's, which made Dante's jaw tightened more than Luke never saw. He gave Luke a small pat on the shoulder like nothing was wrong, then stepped back, smile returning a fraction, forced and thin.

"Aight, I'll be right back," Dante said

"Where you goin'," Luke asked

Dante didn't answer the question directly, which made Luke more suspicious of this. He just pointed loosely toward the front, keeping his voice low so no one else could hear.

"Gotta handle something real quick," Dante said, making Jazz narrow her eyes.

"Handle what," she asked, but Dante waved it off immediately.

"Nothing, nothing, just some stuff from work. I'll be back, so don't start acting like my mom."

Luke watched him go, unease settling in his stomach like acid. Dante moved through the crowd toward the suited man, and the two exchanged a quick word Luke couldn't hear. The man tilted his head toward the door, and Dante followed him out without another look back. Luke stayed still for a beat, which made Eli notice, cause he knew something felt wrong.

"What's wrong," Eli asked

"...Nothing," Luke said

But his eyes were still fixed on the doorway. Maya stepped closer, reading his face as she placed a hand on his arm.

"Luke," she asked

Luke didn't answer her either, his eyes fully locked on the door. He just shifted his weight, the nervous feeling crawling up his spine. Something about that man didn't sit right, something about the way Dante followed without arguing.

"He looked like trouble," Jazz said

Luke nodded once, more to himself than to them.

"Yeah," Luke said

Luke slipped away from the group, moving through the crowd with purpose. No panic, no rushing, just a quiet determination that he needed to see what was happening. He passed the kitchen, moved down the hallway, and stepped out through the back door Malik left cracked open for people coming in and out. The night air hit him like a cold slap when he walked out.

Behind the house, the sounds of the party were muffled, reduced to bass thumps and distant laughter. The alley was darker, lit only by a weak streetlamp at the far end and the spill of neon from a nearby sign flickering over brick walls. The ground was uneven, wet in patches, and the smell of garbage sat heavy in the air.

Luke moved carefully, not trying to be sneaky but not making noise on purpose either. He took a few steps forward and stopped when he heard voices. It was two voices, one was Dante's, clear, tense, forced into control.

"I told you I'm gonna get it," Dante said to someone

Luke couldn't see the man clearly, only the outline. But he could tell enough, very tall, with broad shoulders and massive frame. Someone who didn't need to raise his voice to feel dangerous. The darkness swallowed most of him, but Luke caught the edge of black clothing, the faint glint of something metallic when the streetlamp flickered.

Dante sounded angry now, like he was trying not to explode. Which was rare for Dante, he usually played everything off and doesn't let his emotions control him.

"I said I'm gonna get it," Dante said,"you keep pressing me like I'm not trying."

"Trying doesn't matter to me," the man said, in a voice so cold it Luke's stomach tightened,"results do."

Dante took a step forward, and Luke saw him more clearly now, hands open like he was trying to keep the situation from boiling over.

"Just give me time," Dante said,"just a little more time."

"You had time," the man said

"I'm working on it!"

Dante's voice rose slightly, frustration breaking through, the tall man didn't move. He didn't flinch at the anger raising in Dantes voice.

"If you don't deliver what you owe," the tall man said,"you'll start paying in other ways."

"Don't do that," Dante said, his shoulders stiffening.

"I already did."

"Leave my people out of this," Dante said, his voice now sharper, more desperate.

The tall man finally shifted, stepping just enough that Luke could see the shape of his arm, the silhouette of his hand lifting slightly.

"Your people are your leverage," the tall man said

"I said leave them out of it," Dante said

The tall man's tone didn't change, but the threat became clearer with every word.

"If I don't get my money," the tall man said,"I'll pay your best friend a visit."

Luke's breath caught, he didn't need to figure out who he meant. Dante stepped forward instantly, fury flaring as he went to punch the man.

"YOU TOUCH LUKE, I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL KILL-!"

!!BANG!! !!BANG!!

The alley exploded with sound of two bangs, it was so loud Luke flinched so hard it felt like his bones jumped. The noise echoed off brick, bounced down the narrow space, and for a second everything seemed to freeze in place. Luke's ears rang, and his mind struggled to catch up to what his eyes were seeing Dante staggered backward.

There were dark holes in his chest, spreading fast, his body rocking like he'd been shoved. His mouth opened like he was trying to speak, but nothing came out. His knees gave out a moment later and he hit the ground hard, the sound of his body landing almost quieter than the gunshots themselves.

Luke's heartbeat slammed into his ribs. His body moved before his brain did.

"DANTE!," he yelled

He rushed forward, feet slipping slightly on the wet pavement as he dropped to his knees beside him. His hands pressed down instinctively, trying to stop the blood, trying to hold Dante together like sheer force could fix what just happened.

"No, no, no, no-stay with me," Luke begged, his voice cracking.

The tall man spoke again, cold and simple like this was just business.

"Move out," the man said

More shadows shifted at the end of the alley, men Luke hadn't seen before stepping back from the darkness. They moved like they were trained, like they'd done this before. No hesitation. No panic. They simply turned and disappeared into the night as if nothing had happened.

Luke looked up, wild-eyed, anger and shock mixing in his chest. He looked up, as he saw the tall men enter a car, and holding the door was a man with iron jaws, wearing a suit. Luke made sure to remember everything about the man, so he can tell the cops

"HEY," Luke yelled

But the tall man was already riding away in the car along with his crew. The alley them swallowed in darkness, leaving Luke with nothing but the sound of the party muffled behind him and Dante bleeding out in front of him. Luke turned back, hands shaking as he pressed down harder, desperate to stop the bleeding.

"Somebody help! SOMEBODY HELP," Luke yelled at the top of his lungs

But the party noise outside drowned him out, the music was still playing. People were still laughing so loudly, Harlem was still moving like nothing had changed. Dante's breathing was shallow now, ragged as he coughed up blood. Luke leaned closer, voice breaking into panic as he tried to put pressure on the wounds.

"Stay with me, bro...come on...please," Luke begged

Dante's eyes found Luke's face, his once bright red eyes dulling at each passing second. Even now, even like this, there was something stubborn in him, something that refused to let fear win. Dante's lips moved, and this time words came out, faint and strained as he used the last of his energy.

"Don't... don't worry," Dante said, but Luke shook his head hard.

"No, don't say that-don't say that, man," Luke said, refusing to hear it

Dante's hand twitched, then lifted with effort, fingers trembling as they grabbed Luke's shirt. His grip wasn't strong, but it was desperate, like he needed Luke to hear him. Luke froze, tears burning behind his eyes, which were now red.

"Dante," Luke said

Dante swallowed, blood at the corner of his mouth, his voice barely holding together.

"Luke...you're special...don't let anyone...tell you otherwise," Dante said

Luke's face tightened, grief rising so fast it felt like it was choking him.

"Stop talking like that, you're gonna be fine," Luke said"you're gonna be fine, I swear-"

Dante's eyes stayed on him, intense even as his body failed.

"Brother...you are...the best friend...a guy like me...could ever...ask...for," Dante said

Luke's breath hitched. His hands stayed pressed to Dante's chest, useless, covered in blood. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know how to fix it. He didn't know how the world could be so loud one minute and so cruel the next.

Dante's grip on Luke's shirt tightened for one last second, then it loosened.

"You were...always my...Superstar," Dante said

Then his hand fell from Luke's shirt, his eyes stayed open for a moment longer, unfocused, staring past Luke into nothing.

And then he was gone.

Luke stared at him like his brain couldn't accept it. Like if he waited long enough, Dante would breathe again. Like if he said his name one more time, he'd hear that stupid laugh and get told to stop acting dramatic.

"...Dante," Luke asked, his voice breaking

No answer.

Luke swallowed hard, his whole body trembling.

"Dante?!"

Still nothing.

The alley felt colder now. The neon glow from the street didn't look beautiful anymore, it looked cruel. The music from inside the house kept playing, muffled, unaware. Luke's hands were still pressed to Dante's chest, sticky and red from the blood.

Slowly, Luke pulled them back, staring at the blood on his palms like he didn't recognize it. Then his face twisted, grief collapsing into something sharper, something darker...and he yelled one more time...hopping to wake up from this...nightmare.

"DANTE!!!!!"

Luke hunched over Dante's body like the shape of his grief could shield him from what had happened. His hands hovered above Dante's chest, trembling, slick with blood, and he stared at him with a hollow expression that didn't match the chaos ripping through his mind. The world around him felt distant and wrong, like the alley had become a separate place from the rest of Harlem.

The party music still thumped faintly through the brick wall behind him. Laughter carried in bursts, muffled and careless. Somewhere inside, someone shouted Dante's name again, probably looking for him, probably thinking he was just doing Dante things. Luke's throat tightened so hard he could barely breathe.

He swallowed once, then again, like his body didn't understand there was nothing to swallow down. His gaze dropped to Dante's face, he wanted him to blink. He wanted him to roll his eyes and call Luke dramatic. He wanted him to complain about the floor being nasty and demand Luke help him up.

But Dante didn't move.

Luke's lips parted, and his voice came out as a cracked whisper.

"...No...," he said

The word did nothing, it didn't change anything. It didn't pull Dante back from the dead, or magically change anything. It just hung in the air, useless like how Luke felt.

Luke's hands lowered again, touching Dante's hoodie as if he was trying to smooth it out, as if he could bring a little order to the mess. His fingers clenched and unclenched. His shoulders shook once, subtle, like his body was trying to cry but couldn't find the path.

And above him, the air shimmered.

A small tear formed in the darkness overhead, silent and unnatural. It wasn't loud like lightning, it didn't crackle like electricity. It simply appeared, a thin, oval portal opening like a wound in reality itself. Neon light spilled out of it in sharp colors, filled with greens, blues, pinks, shifting like oil on water. The light painted the brick walls and puddles in a faint glow, turning the alley into something surreal.

Luke didn't notice, he didn't look up or flinch cause he didn't hear it. His entire world was the body in front of him and the empty space where Dante's voice should have been. The portal widened slightly, stable for only a moment, then something dropped out of it.

A spider.

It fell silently, small and quick, its body pulsing with neon color like it carried electricity in its veins. Its legs moved with unnatural precision as it landed lightly on the back of Luke's neck.

Luke still didn't react to it, his nerves were all over the place he couldn't feel anything. The spider crawled once, twice, finding the spot...then it bit down on his neck.

Luke's entire body jerked like he'd been struck. His head snapped up, breath catching in his throat, eyes wide behind tears that hadn't fallen yet. His hand flew to the back of his neck instinctively, fingers brushing something small and alive, but before he could even process what it was, pain shot through him like fire.

It was sharp and deep, spreading fast, heat blooming under his skin as if something was being poured into his veins. Luke gasped, losing balance, one hand catching himself on the pavement while the other clawed at his neck.

The pain surged again, stronger, violent enough that it stole his words.

His vision blurred at the edges, the alley lights smearing, the neon glow from the portal flickering across his eyes in strange shapes. His heartbeat slammed so hard it felt like his chest might split open. He tried to push himself up, tried to stand, but his legs betrayed him. His hands slipped in the wetness on the ground and made him fall beside Dante.

Luke's stomach rolled, unbearable heat raced through him, followed by a cold wave that made his skin prickle. His muscles tightened, locking up, then spasmed. Luke let out a broken sound, half gasp, half choke, as his body seized like 800 million watts rolled through him. He laid on his back in time to see the portal above him began to close.

The neon tear in the air narrowed, shrinking like it was being stitched shut by an unseen hand. The alley darkened again as the colored light faded, leaving only the streetlamp and the dull glow from the party window. Luke's breathing turned ragged, uncontrollable like he felt everything in his body squeeze him to death.

He tried to crawl back toward Dante, like his mind had decided the only safe place was beside him, but his arms failed mid-movement. His whole body convulsed, shoulders slamming against the pavement as he lost control completely.

Luke's eyes rolled upward, unfocused, and he shook violently, the pain in his veins mixing with the grief crushing his chest until it became one overwhelming force. His fingers scraped at the ground, leaving streaks in the grime. His mouth opened as if to scream, but all that came out was a strangled gasp.

Somewhere behind him, a door slammed open, followed by someone shouting.mThe muffled party noise suddenly turned sharp, chaotic, as people began spilling into the alley.

Luke barely heard it, he barely saw it. His vision flickered like a dying screen, but he caught movement, shapes rushing toward him. Feet pounding the pavement, voices rising in fear. He saw Eli, Maya and Jazz hover over him fear all over their faces, as Luke shaked uncontrollably.

They pushed through the crowd with panic written across their faces, their eyes going wide the second they saw Luke on the ground. Jazz's scream cut through everything, raw and terrified.

"LUKE," Jazz yelled

Maya dropped to her knees beside him immediately, hands hovering over him, not knowing where to touch, her voice shaking.

"Oh my God," Maya said as she held his face,"Luke, Luke, look at me!"

Eli's face went pale as he looked past Luke and saw Dante. Eli didn't speak at first, his mouth opened, but no sound came out. His hands trembled as he backed up half a step like his brain couldn't accept what his eyes were seeing. He saw his friend laying on the ground dead, bullet holes in his chest and now his other friend was going into shock

"No... no, no, no," he repeated

Jazz barely spared Dante a glance before focusing back on Luke, grabbing his shoulders to try and steady him.

"Luke, stay with me," she said,"stay with me!"

Luke convulsed again, his head knocking against the pavement, and Maya immediately slid her hand under his skull to keep him from hitting harder.

"Someone call 911," Maya yelled,"RIGHT FUCKING NOW!"

A student near the doorway fumbled for their phone, voice high and panicked.

"I'm calling! I'm calling!"

Another voice shouted over them, frantic.

"We need an ambulance! Somebody's been shot!"

Luke couldn't form words, he couldn't even focus his eyes properly. The only thing he could hear clearly was Jazz's voice, over and over, like she was trying to pull him back from a cliff.

"Luke, Luke please stay with us," Jazz yelled, more like begged with tears in her eyes

Luke's fingers twitched, trying to grab onto something, anything. His hand caught the edge of Jazz's sleeve weakly, then slipped away as another wave of pain tore through him. His breathing hitched, then his vision dimmed to the point all he was blurs of his friends. But he blinked fast enough to clear it up, he wanted...he begged to see Dante one more time

But the last thing Luke saw before the darkness took him was Eli's face, horrified and helpless, and Maya hovering over him, her hands shaking as she tried to keep him safe. The last thing he heard was Jazz yelling his name again, and the broken, panicked chorus of students in the alley shouting into phones.

"911! Hurry!"

"He's shaking!"

"Luke! Luke!"

The alley lights blurred into nothing.

And Luke James finally collapsed into unconsciousness, body going limp on the cold pavement beside his best friend's body, while Harlem kept breathing above them, unaware that something inside it had just changed forever.