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Zeke stares out the window during Ms. Green’s class, a wide grin spread across his face at the thought of spinning and spitting with his man, Shaolin Fantastic. “ Thank God it's Friday—Shit. I gotta ask Shao to come with me to this club tonight!” Zeke thinks to himself, making a mental note to head to the temple after school. Zeke resumes his daydreaming of Shaolin until he’s interrupted by Ra-Ra. “Earth to Zeke…” Ra says, waving his hand in Zeke’s face. “Damn, Shaolin Fantastic must have your nose wide open!” Ra says, laughing. “Shut up!” Zeke says, grabbing his books. “I’m heading home, you tryna come with?” Ra asks. “Nah, I gotta go see Shao about something.” Zeke says, his mind drifting off to Shao’s cocoa visage, weaving entire galaxies with the sounds of The Get Down. “Mhm.” Ra says teasingly. “Have fun with Shao!” Ra says, smirking. “Bye, man. Be safe!” Zeke yells back, Ra’s form slowly dwindling from his sight. Zeke’s thoughts instantly turn to getting to the temple to see Shao.
Zeke arrives at the temple to the sound of music blasting. Zeke walks up the stairs to see Shao at the turntables, brow furrowed in determination to weave sonic tapestries upon the loom of his turntables. Zeke takes a moment to observe Shao in awe, admiring his pharaonic profile and hands that could spin entire galaxies of music to accompany Zeke’s raps dancing on the turntables. Shao finishes and takes off his headphones, looking up to see Zeke smiling. “Hey Books! What’s up!” Shao says, a radiant smile gracing his face. “Nothing much. Actually, that’s a lie…I wanted to ask you if you wanted to come with me to this club tonight?” Zeke says, the hope for a yes looming in his tone. Shao’s eyebrow lifts at Zeke’s request. “Is this nigga asking me out?—Stop it! First off, he’s probably still stuck on Mylene’s disco duck ass so you might as well drop the thought. You supposed to be “The Lady Killing Romantic” and you over here letting this nigga ask you out!...but would it be so bad if I said yes?” Shao thinks to himself. “Yeah, Books. I’ll come with you.” Shao says. Zeke smiles, as radiant as the Sun itself and Shao realizes that he’s falling deep in love with Ezekiel Figuero.
“Shao! Hurry up. We’re gonna be late!” Zeke says, fixing up his suit in the palace’s bathroom mirror. “Coming, Books!” Shaolin shouts, speed-walking to the living room. “Where you at, Books?” Shao asks, a hint of giddiness in his voice. “ I really, really hope Zeke thinks I look good in this…” Shao thinks to himself as he takes a seat on the couch, the pulsing bassline of “Star Love'' by Cheryl Lynn mimicking his pounding heartbeat. Zeke comes out of the bathroom to see Shao sitting absentmindedly on the couch. “ He’s so fucking cute…” Zeke thinks to himself as he stares admiringly at Shao. Apparently Zeke’s eyes linger a little too long, as Shao’s eyes dart nervously to the floor, something quite unexpected of Shao. “You look good!” Zeke says, a hint of amorous affection slivering in his tone. Shao breathes a slight sigh of relief, returning to his regular self. “I know.” Shao says, smirking cockily. “Well, excuse me Mr. Fantastic.” Zeke says, a slight blush creeping to his cheeks. “Zeke liked it!” Shao thinks to himself, butterflies fluttering in his stomach, a toothy grin appearing on his face. “You never told me where we were going anyways…” Shao says, walking over to turn off the turntables. “It’s a surprise, babe .” Zeke says, the pet name flowing from his lips as if it was the simplest thing. “Did Books just call me—nah…he just a flirt, that’s all….” Shao thinks to himself, a blush tinting his cheeks maroon. “We should hurry up Books…don’t wanna be late…” Shao says, scratching the back of his neck in a desperate attempt to distract himself from the emerging butterflies in his stomach. A wide grin spreads across Zeke's face, noticing Shao’s reaction to being called babe. “ He’s so cute when he’s flustered!” Zeke thinks to himself . “Stop it! You not no faggot! Annie would shoot your ass if she found out you was a fuckin’ faggot.” Shao thinks to himself. He’d be dumb to not acknowledge the fizzy feeling he felt when Zeke called him “babe”. But he also feels anger, anger at the feelings he feels towards Zeke. “ Men ain’t supposed to like other men!...but it’s Books man—even if we were together, how do two niggas date?—what if niggas from the Notorious Three found out about us?” Shao thinks to himself, confusion and panic wracking his brain. He’s soon snapped out of this confusion by Zeke’s voice. Zeke’s voice always had a calming effect on Shao. Like flowing water. Like a cool summer breeze, whisking Shao away to splendor. “You ready, Shao?” Zeke asks, grabbing his coat. “He’s just so—stop it.” Shao thinks to himself. “You know it.” Shao says, walking close beside Zeke, as if the slightest gust of wind would separate the two.