The instrumental swelled. The bass dropped a little deeper, the synth a little richer. This was the part where Shenseea would fire off a boast, where WizKid would co-sign with a lilting melody. But without the words, Taya had to sing with her spine.
Then, the selector dropped the needle.
She dropped low, her knees almost touching the concrete, then unraveled like a slow-motion explosion. Her arms traced arcane symbols in the air. Work me out, the beat seemed to plead. Figure me out. Unlock the puzzle of my spine. Shenseea - Work Me Out Ft. WizKid Instrumental
Taya took a long sip of water, wiped her mouth, and walked past him toward the exit, the ghost of the beat still echoing in the sway of her walk. She didn’t need the words. The instrumental had said everything. And for the first time in months, she was listening to herself. The instrumental swelled