Inside the blackout-tinted SUV, Ethan sat slouched in the corner, still in his clothes from the day before regretting why he didn't insist on at least changing his cloths to the one he picked from the custom set of the music video set, reeking of women's perfume.
He hadn't showered, hadn't changed, and quite frankly, was not having the time of his life. You'd think being invited by two of his favorite rappers—two absolute legends—would be something to brag about. But right now? Right now, he just wanted to breathe air that didn't smell like the aftermath of a perfume counter explosion. Meanwhile, the two legends in question? They were in their own world, talking like two gossiping aunties at a family cookout, completely oblivious to his suffering.
"Dude, I'm tellin' you, this girl I met? She's insane. Like, if you see her shape, man—" 50 Cent's voice cut through the low hum of the SUV, his tone full of excitement as he went on about some woman he had met recently. He was leaning back, relaxed as hell, talking to Eminem like they were just two guys chilling at the bar, not two global superstars sitting in a moving fortress of a vehicle.
Eminem chuckled, shaking his head. "Man, don't let Jamira catch you," he said, his signature smirk tugging at his lips as he name-dropped 50's very public, very well-known girlfriend. The way he said it, like he was barely holding in his amusement, made it clear he was enjoying this.
50 scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Man, please, get real," he shot back, the words dripping with amusement as he let out a short laugh. "About that, though... I'm thinkin' of ending it with Jamira."
That got a reaction—well, sort of. Eminem didn't say anything, didn't even look surprised. It was like this wasn't the first time 50 had brought something like this up. The silence didn't stop 50, though. He just kept talking, like this was a conversation they had on a regular basis.
"Don't get me wrong—she's hot as fuck. Like, crazy hot," he continued, shaking his head slightly. "But, man, she's so young."
Eminem finally reacted, his expression turning into something between a smirk and a full-on grin. "I thought you liked 'em young," he teased, his voice carrying that classic Eminem sarcasm.
50 let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Nah, man, that's the old me. Now? Now I want stability."
That had Eminem raising an eyebrow. "Wow, dude, didn't know you were out here lookin' for marriage," he shot back, the sarcasm thick in his voice.
50 laughed even harder. "Not that kinda stability, dumbass," he said, shaking his head as another round of laughter filled the SUV.
Ethan, still wedged into his seat, glanced at them, then at Hailie, who was sitting quietly on her phone, not reacting to any of it. It was almost funny how unbothered she looked, like she had seen and heard all this a million times before. Ethan figured this was just how they were when they were together—comfortable, unfiltered, like two dudes who had been friends forever.
50 wasn't done yet, though. "Nah, man, it's just... at this stage in life? I value different shit now," he said, his tone shifting just slightly into something more serious. "Like, I still love goin' to the club, I ain't gon' lie. But not every time, man. Now? Now I prefer chillin' at home, sittin' back, eatin' some homemade shit, watchin' movies. Sometimes, I just wanna enjoy the slow days, y'know? and Jamira just wants to party every time its suffocating,"
Eminem nodded, actually agreeing for once. "Yeah, I feel that."
Then, as if the moment of sincerity had gone on too long, 50 suddenly grinned. "Plus, models are old news. Actresses? That's where it's at. And bruh, those hips do not lie."
Eminem cracked up. he asked, still laughing. "What's this new one's name?"
That's when Ethan snapped back into focus, his ears perking up at the name 50 dropped next.
"Her name's Danielle Fishel," 50 said, a little too casually. "Apparently, she acted in this kid show when she was younger. Uh... what was the name?"
For the first time since getting in the car, Ethan spoke. The name left his mouth before he could even think about it.
"Boy Meets World."
The moment Ethan heard that name, his mind short-circuited. No way. That couldn't be. His brain immediately summoned the image of one of his all-time favorite TV characters—Topanga. No, that couldn't be who they were talking about. There was just no way. But then 50 Cent went ahead and shattered his reality completely.
"Yeah, man, I think that's the show. She also starred in some remake of it, I think."
Ethan, still in shock, mumbled, "Girl Meets World?"
"Yeah, guess so. Whatever that shit's called," 50 said dismissively before flashing a cocky grin. "Man, seems like you know the show real well. Anyway, that girl is fine. You should've seen when she met my world."
Eminem burst out laughing, shaking his head, while Ethan sat there frozen. This wasn't happening. This had to be some kind of elaborate prank, right? There was no way they were talking about his Topanga. Sweet, innocent Topanga. His childhood crush. The girl he spent countless hours watching on Boy Meets World. He had rewatched that show so many times that he could probably recite entire episodes in his sleep. Then, as if the universe hadn't done enough damage, 50 kept talking.
"Dude, the other day she came to my crib—Lord, that ass."
Ethan felt something inside him break. He couldn't stop himself. "No way," he blurted out.
That got their attention. Both Eminem and 50 Cent turned to look at him, even Hailee glanced up from her phone, surprised.
"Pardon?" 50 asked, raising a brow.
Ethan, still too emotionally invested to think rationally, doubled down. "You're lying. No way you got Topanga."
The car fell silent for a second. 50 and Eminem exchanged a glance. Then, simultaneously, they turned back to him—and burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Ayo, kid, don't tell me you had a crush on her?" 50 said between wheezes.
Eminem wiped a tear from his eye. "Ethan… are you serious? You had a crush on Topanga?" Then, turning to 50, he added, "Dude, so foul. This man really had a crush on her."
50, still chuckling, shrugged. "Well, I also have a crush on her." But the way he said it—yeah, Ethan knew damn well he wasn't talking about an innocent crush.
As they cackled like hyenas, Hailee finally stepped in. "Hey, cut it out. You guys are bullies."
Their laughter quieted a little, though Eminem still had a massive grin on his face. "Sorry, baby, it's just—it's just—" he tried to say but broke into laughter again.
Hailee rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, it's funny. But still, it's not that funny."
Ethan wasn't sure if she was consoling him or somehow making it worse.
Then 50, still grinning, added, "And man, she's way too old and way too much woman for you. Ain't there like a pop star girl you can go and crush on?"
"That's not the point," Ethan argued. "It's just that… Topanga—" He shook his head. "Danielle. I mean, she just looks so innocent. No way she'd do the things you're saying."
Hearing that, 50 just cackled again. "Man, would you quit that virgin talk? And what you mean? Dude, she's in the show business. Trust me, she was always like that."
Ethan sat there, his childhood in shambles. First Rebecca, now this. Was there something wrong with women in the entertainment industry? he wasn't a kid he knew how they could be but the way they were making it out to be was like all of them were like that. He sat there spiralling while the two continued gossiping like they were on some reality show.
The car kept moving, the conversation flowing, but Ethan had momentarily checked out. He had almost forgotten why he even came here in the first place—until it suddenly clicked back into his mind. Right. The song. He needed to get them to agree to the song. He sat up, clearing his throat.
"That's true, abo—"
But before he could finish, Eminem cut in. "We're here."
Ethan blinked, looking around. Huh?
For a moment, he was confused. He had been so distracted that he hadn't even been paying attention to where they were heading. But as he looked outside, it all became painfully clear. The sheer energy, the deafening roars, the crowds of people in jerseys—it all clicked at once.
'How could I be so stupid?' he thought.
Maybe because he was raised by British parents, he had always been obsessed with football—real football, (soccer). He followed it religiously. He also had a decent interest in basketball. But even he wasn't oblivious to what he was looking at right now. The sea of fans, the overwhelming energy, the sheer magnitude of it all.
There was only one event in America that could cause this level of chaos. Only one day that was considered sacred in the world of American sports.
The Super Bowl.
Ethan stared, his jaw slightly slack. Of course that's what they meant by "the big game." How did he not put it together sooner?
He let out a breath, watching as the car pulled up to the stadium, the massive screens displaying the countdown to kickoff.
This was about to be very interesting.