Breathe is a tentative title at the moment. It's not finished, but let me know what you think.

Breathe

“I’ll think about it,” Derek said. The two men in dark clothes in front of him took their shades off, but their eyes were just as dark and ominous. They nodded and left the building.
“You alright, bro? Guys like them around here. All serious and shit. They don’t do anything but trouble.” Derek’s best friend, Mitch, said from behind.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. Hey, get me some fries over there while they’re still hot.”
“Sure, no prob.” Derek may have been a manager of the McDonald’s he worked in, but the only thing he would even think about eating was a fry or two. Even then, they had to be fresh. Derek finished some paperwork, said farewell to some friends he worked with and left the restaurant with a lot to think about. Mitch had to work for another hour, so Derek had to be back to pick him up. Until then, he decided to go to Twist. It was a silly name, but the people inside were the real deal.
It was already getting dark out, even though it was only early evening. That’s autumn for you. Other than that and the chilly air, there was little indication of the season. Derek took note of the usual dark and dreary streets of his neighborhood, ignoring the women on the corner of the intersection he stopped at. The light turned green and he turned left, away from the girls and worst area in town. He only went there when he didn’t have a choice, even though it was the shortest way to Twist.
He pulled into the club’s driveway and parked quickly in his usual spot in the back. Nobody else parked back here so he had a perfect view of the club. Already he could feel his chest vibrating from the music inside. He took a step forward and suddenly his pocket felt like his chest did.
“Derek,” he said, answering the phone.
“Hey, man, it’s Mitch. Listen, Jamal stopped by.”
“And?” I already knew the answer.
“Tonight.”
“Sorry, bro, I’m not skipping out on the rap tonight.”
“I can’t go alone, Derek. You know what happened between us, man. I’m in some heavy shit with that guy right now. What’s up with the rap anyway?”
“Whatever. I’ll think about it.”
“Yeah, you always say that, bro. But you come through. I know you got my back.” Mitch was right. There wasn’t much left for people in this neighborhood outside of trust. It didn’t matter if someone was your enemy or your friend. They didn’t lie. “Oh yeah. Can I bounce a little ear—“
Derek hung up. They were best friends, but he did his job the way he was supposed to. With a sigh, he went inside the club. Great, he thought, now I have more shit to think about. Oh well. Dancing always cleared his mind.
The music and movement rushed over him. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment.
“Yo, what’s goin’ on, bro?” Derek opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the low light.
“Hey, man.” It was one of Jamal’s guys, Cornelius. Cornelius was a good guy, but worked for Jamal to avoid as much trouble as he could. It was a shameful life, though. “I’m going to go straight up and dance.”
“Yeah, sure. Go ahead.” Derek started toward the dance floor. “Hey, ya know Jamal was lookin’ for ya, right?” Derek just lifted his hand in a waving motion behind him and kept going.
“Heeeeeeeey! It’s Derek, people. He don’t need no introduction. Make room. Make room for the man.” It was the DJ. “It’s time for the real shit, people.” Derek stepped onto the clearing left for him as the DJ changed the music. That’s it, Derek thought. That’s the stuff I want to hear.
The music immediately took control. It started in his arms and swept over his body. The people around him disappeared as his body melted into the flow and beat of the music. The music changed. Only on his feet for a moment more, he went down for some moves to match the music. He didn’t need choreography. The motion was in his blood. The music was in his heart.
Derek danced for a few more songs before deciding to go pick up Mitch. It was almost time for the rap to start soon. He didn’t want to miss it.
“You should do that for a living, man. That was the shit. Damn.” Derek didn’t respond to whoever said it. That comment pissed him off. Why the hell should I dance for a career? He’d only leave behind the place he grew up. No, he was going to rap to scrap a living. The he could put in words the heritage he had from growing up here. It might be a shitty place, but still… His thoughts left him for a moment.
The cool air outside brought him back to reality when he left the Twist, the music still vibrating lightly in his chest. Besides, he thought, what kind of living could I make dancing? That was the real reason, though he wouldn’t admit it. He was good at dancing and it was something he enjoyed, but rap was what truly made him feel right. For some reason, he thought he’d have to give up rapping if he lived a life of dancing. After all, he was terrible at it. Even so, the thought was frightening.
He hadn’t even realized he’d gotten into his car when he found himself pulling into the McDonald’s parking lot. Mitch was waiting for him.
“Get in,” Derek said, “and let’s get this shit over with.