Please excuse any grammatical errors.

February 3, 1992

~Tia's P.O.V~

"I made you some food." I said jumping inside Tupac's car. I made it last night for dinner.

Tupac grabbed the two plates out my hands, "Thank you." He said in a low voice.

"You're welcome. You good?" I replied as he opened one of the foam containers.

"Oh, shit! Thanksgiving came early this year," Tupac exclaimed, with widened eyes, completely ignoring my question.

"You got the sweet potatoes, baked macaroni, the greens, cornbread, dressing and some fried chicken. Okay, you hooked it up. Thanks babygirl." He covered the first one up, and opened the other one.

"And, some banana pudding!" He said, then covered the other one reached back, and placed it on the backseat.

He turned back around and hugged me. "Thanks babygirl."

"You're welcome. DeVanté and Dalvin said the same thing." I hugged him and pulled back.

"You didn't even answer my question." I strapped myself in.

"What question?" He asked.

"Are you okay? You seem a bit down." I asked turning to face him.

"I'll get back to you on that. You good? You ain't answer that same question the other day." He said looking at me biting his dry lips, attempting to get the dead skin off.

"I'm going to be good, after a while. I'm focused on my work right now." I truthfully responded.

"Work, work, work. That's all you do. You need to focus on your well-being sometimes. You feel me?"

"Mmhm, I know. I will get therapy, sooner or later. When I'm not working. I promise I will, okay?"

"A'ight, then." He pulled off. "I need to stop at the studio right quick to grab my lyrics, ion want nobody taking credit of my shit."

I nodded my head at him, then focused on Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' softly playing on the radio. Tupac finally pulls up to the same studio I saw him at, and the Jodeci clan goes to.

"Imma be real quick." He said and got out the car. He left the keys inside the ignition. So, the music was still playing, and the heat was still on.

"Alright." I replied. So, I waited... I waited... I waited... and I waited... I waited for about thirty-five minutes. Then, I finally spotted him walking out with a dude that looks like he shops in the big and tall section of the department store, and a smaller guy who was about Tupac's height.

Tupac opened the drivers side door. "A'ight imma catch yo fat ass later, you too chump," he dapped them up and sat down in the car and closed it.

"So, screw me right?" I asked him.

"My bad, babygirl. I was trying hurry back but I ran into those fools. They kept me in a looonnng conversation, that I didn't know how to get out of. Ya feel me?"

"I would have told them I have to go, and that someone is outside waiting for me in the car." I replied angrily. "It's what I would have done!" I said pointing at myself.

"Chill, with yo mad ass." He laughed pulling off.

"Sholl is! Potato head ehh!" I faced forward folding my arms.

"What you just call me?" He said looking at me with furrowed brows.

"I SAID POTATO HEAD EHH!" I said now facing him with my lips poked out, rolling my large eyes.

"I'm sorry, okay?" He laughed out very loud, grabbing his hat off the dashboard, and placing it on top of his head.

"Mmm," I said pursing my lips, turning facing forward again.

He sucked his teeth at me, and continued to drive to our destination. I calmed down some, since we left. We made it to his building, it was a nice looking building. He killed the engine and looked at me.

He grabbed his food from the back seat, then faced me"You still mad at me?"

I dropped my arms and faced him. "A little, but I'll be fine." I then rolled my eyes.

"Okay, let's go then. Yo petty ass." He mumbled the last part and exited the car.

I got out as well, "Petty? I'm petty because you left me in the car waiting for over an half hour!?"

Tupac stopped walking and thought for a minute, "You right, but I said I was sorry..." He said in more of a statement than question.

He did? Oh yeah... "I accept your apology when you open this door it's too cold out here."

"A'ight," he said opening up the building entrance.

We were immediately met with warmth of the building. We walked in and went up to his apartment, through elevator.😑😑😑 We walked inside his spacious apartment. It was big but had little to no furniture. I mean it's expected because he just moved here. Plus, I don't think he's staying here too long. He wants to move to Los Angeles. He had a television set, a three seated couch, and a side table with a lamp sitting on it inside the living room.

"As you see, ain't that much furniture. I haven't really had the chance to get some permanent furniture."

"But I'm the workaholic?" I laughed.

"You are!" He exclaimed, then took my coat to hang it up as well as his own.

"Sure... So, what was irking you earlier in the car?" I asked him, taking my shoes off.

"After I warm my food up... Take a seat." He motioned and went inside his open room kitchen.

I was about to take a seat but took notice to his face was on the pillows. I just shook my head and sat down. Since I could see from the kitchen I saw the interior. The interior was black with silver appliances.

"Huh?" I asked him.

"I said do you want Fritos, Cheetos, or Doritos?"

"Uhh, I'll take the Cheetos." I replied.

"A'ight." He threw the bag of chips at me, but I didn't catch it. "Fucking suck!" He laughed then grabbed a water, and some pop out of the refrigerator. He took his food out the microwave and made his way back into the living room.

"Now spill it." I said as he sat next to me.

"Okay. So remember how I said I wanted to bring my mama with me to the premiere, right?" He said, and I nodded.

He continued, "Well she's been on drugs for about six months now. The day we were supposed to leave, she left. I found out last minute and couldn't get my flight time changed so I left. She told me she was sober at the time. But when I spoke to Sekyiwa last night, she said mama was back. Kyiwa told her we were worried and asked why was she doing this to herself. Her reply was this is who I am and what I like to do. She doesn't WANT to stop. I don't want to find that one day she up and died from a drug overdose. That shit got my mind gone! I ain't even sleep after that! I been up since last night. I'm tired as fuck, but my mind won't let me rest. I've been trying to distract myself all day, but ain't nothing working." He replied, with teary eyes.

I didn't know how to react to what he said at all so I just stayed silent and held him. That is until I felt him holding back his tears, I understood why though.

"Don't hold your emotions back, you'd only feel worse." I said rubbing his back soothingly.

He quietly cried onto my shoulder. I felt his tears soaking up the back of my shirt and partially on the front. Tupac stopped after about ten minutes. He pulled back with red eyes.

"Aye, you wanna watch Scarface?" He asked me getting up, picking up his plated food to warm it back up.

"Sure, where is it?" I asked him.

"On the TV stand." He replied closing the microwave.

I popped the movie inside the VCR. (2001 baby here, y'all remember those!?🤣💀) He came back with his food and sat down and fast forward, but not too long before he had to stop. We don't want the film getting tangled inside the plastic. So he stopped then continued to fast forward, until he could press play for the movie.

"This da bomb!" He said eating the food I gave him. "Are you my grandma reincarnated?" He asked with a serious face looking at me.

"Boy!" I laughed hysterically, and he soon joined in on the laughing. At least he's feeling a bit better. "I am not about to play with you!" I said still laughing.

"But for real this is scrupti-delio-cious!" Tupac said in an amusing tone. He mixed the words scrumptious and delicious together.

"A'ight, shhhh. It's starting." He quieted me down as if I were the loudest. I just shook my head and turned to the television.

This is his favorite movie that I'm sure he's seen a million times. When it'd come on in the hotel he'd automatically want to watch, and when we'd be on the phone sometimes I'd hear it in the background playing. He fell asleep this time though, almost halfway through. Though, I don't really blame him since he hasn't been to sleep in a minute. It was now 3:21 in the afternoon.

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

"Homegirl can really throw down!" JoJo said smacking extremely loud. Like I know it's good, but damn nigga! He just doing too much at this point.

The boys were at Dal and I's house, having a guys night. The guys night K-Ci missed so bad after I started speaking to Tia on the daily. Before that, he didn't mind us not having them as much. The problem is he want to do things on his time and on his time ONLY.

"Yeah, I know." I replied to JoJo.

"It's a'ight..." K-Ci replied back.

I stood up and snatched his plate, "You ain't gotta have none." I told him.

"Nigga, I'm jiving! Damn..." K-Ci said to me grabbing his plate from my hand.

"K-Ci you know she heard you the other day right? She heard EVERYTHING." Dalvin said to him.

"We heard you too last night..." I mumbled lowly. So low, that only Dalvin only heard me, since he was next to me. He gave me a look.

"Did she?" K-Ci said in a careless tone.

"Yes." I responded with squinted eyes.

K-Ci shrugged, "Again, I'm fully aware of that."

"You know you called her a bitch. I like that you and De good now but you still called her out of her name." Dalvin said.

"You did, even though I told her you didn't mean anything. I still saw that she felt some type of way about the situation." I said speaking up.

"Okay, when I see her I'll just apologise." K-Ci said looking at Dal and I both

"Sincerely?" I asked.

"Yessss," K-Ci dragged out and continued to eat.

"Speaking of her, where is she?" K-Ci said turning back to me.

"None of your business." I laughed out.

"He probably don't even know." JoJo joked.

"She's with Pac. Damn y'all some nosey ass mothafuckas!" I in an exasperated tone of voice.

"She with him? You sure they not together?" JoJo joked.

"I'm positive."

"You SURE sure? He was staying at her hotel an awful lot. She had a one BEDROOM." K-Ci said seriously, slightly raising his eyebrows.

"Like I said, I'm positive." I said confidently, although I was feeling not so confident. I looked at Dalvin, and he just shrugged at me.

"How long has she been gone for?" K-Ci asked.

"Earlier," Dalvin answered.

"Damn, it's almost 7:30 at night, and she still gone." K-Ci said shaking his head at me. "Maybe shorty ain't who she say she is..." K-Ci said looking at me from the corner of his eyes now.

"You OD' ing now."

"How? I mean I'm telling the truth!" K-Ci said turning back to the game that he and Dalvin betted on. They betted on different teams.

"My team won! Give me my money, you salty mothafucka!" Dalvin said all up in K-Ci face.

"Man fuck yo money." K-Ci said.

"Aye man, a bet is a bet." JoJo said to K-Ci.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bunch of singles.

"I ain't got enough." K-Ci said to Dalvin. "It's on my card. Can one of y'all give it to him until I get it out the ATM tomorrow?"

"Not I," I quickly said.

K-Ci is the type of nigga that like to loan money from people and never pay it back. If he ever does pay it back it's always eons later. Even if it's just a couple of dollars. No! Man, HELL NO! He's been doing it more recently.

I continued, "You still owe me $120." I pointed to myself. "You're like the father who left to go to the grocery store and promise to come back but never do. EXCEPT you claim to go to the ATM the next day and probably does, but the money never shows up."

"Imma remember that..." K-Ci said to me.

"Write it down, take a picture I don't give a fuck!" I shrugged.

"Baby bro," K-Ci asked turning to JoJo.

"Man, NO! HELL NO!" JoJo said to K-Ci. Those were literally my exact thoughts! JoJo continued, "You don't like to pay people back until it's decades later. How come it's always 'Baby Bro' when you need something!? Other times I'm all types of fat or hungry bitches! Nope!" JoJo said.

"Y'all some bustas! Fuck y'all!" K-Ci said angrily. This dude has been acting out bad lately. I don't know what it is with him. He has mood swings like a pregnant lady.

"As Ice Cube recently said 'big dicks in ya ass is bad for your health', and quite frankly we don't SWING that way. Well, maybe De does, hence the name." Dalvin laughed out and put emphasis on Swing.

"Try yo mama, not me." I said.

"Dumbo, we got the same mama! Second off eww!" Dalvin said disgusted.

"Ahh yeah..." I said dumbfounded.

"Y'all some straight bustas!" K-Ci said grabbing his jacket and rushing out the house.

"Yo brother been tripping hard lately." Dalvin said to JoJo.

"At least y'all don't live with him. He acts like a pregnant lady, his mood swings been loose as a bitch. I mean he's always been like that it just got worse recently." JoJo said to Dalvin and I.

"Maybe it's the fame getting to his head..." Dalvin suggested.

"Maybe..." I shrugged.

"This was bomb as hell," JoJo said changing the subject. He was talking about the food again.

"We know, you helped yourself to a second serving of three." Dalvin laughed at him.

"Yo, this nigga Dalvin funny!" I said to nobody in particular, while laughing.

"Haha, very funny!" JoJo let out with a full mouth. We saw a bunch of chewed up food in there. Dis-fucking- gusting.

I heard the door unlock and in came Tia. It was little past nine. "Why was the door unlocked?" She asked us.

Dalvin answered, "K-Ci just left, not too long ago."

"Oh," she beamed. Why she so happy? "Hey y'all!" She waved at all three of us.

"Hey, Tia. Girl you can really throw down in the kitchen!" JoJo said to Tia.

"Thank you, JoJo."

"No problem Midwest." Jojo replied. Since when did he call her that? This is like their second time speaking.

"Midwest?" She laughed.

"Yep," JoJo replied popping the p.

"Okay... I'll see you another time I'm about to get ready to go to sleep." Tia said heading straight to the bathroom to wash her hands, and then back to her room.

"A'ight, I'm finna head out." JoJo said to Dalvin and I. He got up and went back to the kitchen and made himself another plate.

"Oooh, I ain't know y'all had some banana pudding too!" He grabbed another container, he filled both of them up.

"Nigga!" Me and Dalvin said at the same time.

"Go grocery shopping in our house, why don't ya!?" Dalvin said.

"For real?" JoJo asked thinking he was serious.

"Man, HELL NO! Get the hell on." I said. JoJo grabbed his containers and dipped out of here.

"That is one... BIG... HUNGRY... MOTHAFUCKA." Dalvin said loudly thoughtfully.

"You ain't lying." I said leaving the kitchen and going into Tia's room.

I knocked on the semi opened door.
"Come in," she softly said.

I walked in and she was squatting digging inside her suitcase. "How was your day?" I asked her.

"It was...a bit eventful?" The way she said it was more of a question.

"Yeah?"

"Mmhm, it was good to hanging with him." She said still digging in her suitcase.

"That's good. What'd y'all do?"

"Mostly talked." She shrugged.

"What else?"

"Is there something you want to say? You're beating around the bush." Tia said finally turning back to me, waiting.

"Actually..." I trailed off.

"Say what you need to say." Tia raised her thick eyebrow.

"Are you and Pac together?" I let out.

"I told you once, now I'm telling you again. There is NOTHING going on with us. Tupac and I are ONLY friends. That's it, that's all." She told me staring into my eyes. "Why'd you think we were together?"

"I just let people get into my head is all. Plus I thought that was the reason you didn't want to be with me." I replied honestly.

"We aren't. We're just close is all we aren't doing anything behind the scenes. Also, I've never said I didn't want to be with you. I said I didn't want or need to be in a relationship right now. Like I told you before, I don't want to bring on any extra baggage into a relationship. I need to work on my well-being first. I thought you said you understood?" She said still looking in my eyes. I could tell she was telling the truth, her eyes never shifted or blinked for that matter. Tia has got those soul snatching eyes.

"I do understand. I just let someone plant something in my mind that isn't really true. I shouldn't have listened, and I'm sorry." I said staring into her eyes.

"I'm not a liar, I'm not going to say something that isn't really true." Tia said squinting her eyes. "Who planted that notion in your head in the first place?"

"K-Ci," I mumbled.

"Tuh, he must have some type of vendetta against me or something. I don't even know why. I mean, I've never done ANYTHING to him. I've only ever hung with him two times. So... Idunno..." She shrugged. "Apparently I'm not the only one who needs to fix themselves before getting in a relationship. You're letting people get to your head."

"You're completely right about that, I do. I do need to be a strong minded person. Especially if I want to be with a strong minded woman, because that's what you are." I grabbed her hands, while looking into her eyes, and this time she let me without protesting. My heart was at this point pounding out of my chest. So hard that if I take off my shirt she'd probably see it. Hell she might hear it because I do.

"Am I forgiven?"

"Yes, you're forgiven." She said. I pulled her close and hugged her tight, and she hugged back.

"You're squeezing, me too hard." Tia breathlessly let out. I let go some.

"I'm sorry." I laughed.

"You good, son." She said looking up at me smiling.

"Son? I think you been in New York a little TOO long." I laughed. "You can't have three accents you already got two of them."

"Boy, hush," she said laughing trying to push me away, but I just pulled her closer, but without squeezer her. I rested my head on top of hers.
Her hair smells good.

"Your hair smells good. What do you put in it?"

"Oil." Tia simply replied.

"That's it?"

"Moisturizer, but its dried out now."

"Mmm, okay." I said and she pulled away.

"I'm sorry to break this happy moment but I need to wash my body." She laughed, and bent down to grab the things she took out her suitcase.

Now, why did I have to picture that? Her in the shower, then she bent over. She just don't know! "Shit, me and you both." I laughed, a COLD one! "Let me let you get to it then. Goodnight."

She turned around with full hands, "Goodnight, to you too." She bit her bottom lip.

OH HELL NAWWW, LET ME LEAVE THIS MINUTE. What are you on De!? On fucking HARD. She walked ahead of me and I accidently brushed against her back with my front. I was too in a rush. She turned around, and looked down. SHE FELT IT! I'M FUCKING CAUGHT!

"Yeah, that's exactly what you think it is." I but my lips, closed my eyes, and looked up at the ceiling. She just looked down at it wide eyed, then back up at me. There was no use in lying. Besides, I didn't have my cellphone on me this time.

"Oh," she whimpered out, went down the hallway, into the bathroom, quickly closing the door.

Tomorrow will definitely be AWKWARD. Fuck a shower, I need an ocean, cause that's exactly what I want to swim in.😩😩 I went straight into my personal bathroom in my room, and headed straight to the shower.

Word Count: 3,700

Please feel free to like and comment. I like feedback because it motivates me. I will try my best to comment back.

❤School starts Monday and got two ONLINE writing classes. I'll update when I can. Thank you for being patient and reading my story.❤