WARNING: This chapter mentions sexual abuse and may trigger some. There will be no more warnings.

Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.

March 5, 1992

~Dalvin's P.O.V~

"Imma miss you baby." Tionne said to me and pecked my lips.

"Give me a REAL kiss then." I laughed, we kissed for a while then pulled away. "Imma only be gone for a week or a little more. That ain't that long. We been away from each other longer than that."

"I know but imma miss you." She said and kissed me again.

Jodeci was going to California to appear on the show 'Martin'. I'm the one who take cares of interviews, appearances and stuff like that. I watch the show whenever I can and it is good, and has good ratings. Good ratings equals more people added to our fan base. So we was looking forward to this.

"Y'all ugly asses." K-Ci said clock blocking.

"Right. Let 'im go because we gotta go catch this flight." JoJo said.

"Yall niggas just jealous that y'all women didn't come see y'all off. De ain't een down here, so gotta wait anyways. Y'all should be hounding his slow ass." I said to the both of them.

"You tell 'em bae. Y'all just jealous that we perfect and y'all ain't." Tionne shot at them.

K-Ci and JoJo gave each other a knowing look. "Okayyyy..." JoJo said awkwardly.

"De went to see Tia, he said he 'a meet us at the airport. The cab is here man, let's roll." K-Ci said to me and JoJo.

"He ain't tell me shit. I thought his ass was still inna room." I frowned.

"Well, he gone. Now c'mon nigga!" JoJo said motioning me to come on.

"A'ight, bye baby." I kissed Tionne once more before she headed to her car. I waited until she made it to her car before putting my bags in the trunk then hopping in the cab myself.

"Y'all act like y'all inna movie. It's cold as hell outside, not to mention it being damn near dark outside, and y'all kissin' and holding whole conversations." JoJo laughed patting me on the back.

I shrugged his arm off of me. "Man..."

"She think y'all perfect but little does she know that you be with all kinds of industry bitches." K-Ci joked, but was telling the truth.

I just shrugged because they ain't really know shit. "What about you and Mary? Y'all shit FAR from perfect." I said flipping the script.

"Niggas be blind. We are PERFECT. Our shit is like Sunny and Cher or Dezi and Lucy." K-Ci said turning around to face me. He was in the front seat while me and JoJo was in the back.

"SHIIEEETT..." JoJo semi-yelled since he didn't want to scare the driver.

"This nigga talkin' 'bout some niggas be blind. If so, he Stevie Wonder. Yo ass is in denial." I said between laughter.

"Y'all really want what me and Mary got. What we got is unconditional love." K-Ci said nodding his head up and down.

"The hell, we do!? I don't want what y'all got. Y'all can keep it because that shit is TOXIC, and I don't want it. But, you gon' do what do regardless." JoJo said with a shrug.

"Ain't you having kids on ol' girl though? That shit is worse." K-Ci shot back at his little brother.

"Look, at the end of the day we all done did some shit, or are doing some shit. Stop pointing fingers." I told them both. I knew it'd only lead to an argument if they continued with the conversation.

"Yeah, all of us except De. That nigga lucky." K-Ci said.

"De done had his fair share of bad relationships. Shit, his last one was fucked up. ALL THE WAY." JoJo emphasized.

"It was but..." I shrugged. "At first I thought she ain't want his ass and was just playin' with his feelings. Now, I see it in a different light."

"Shit, I thought the same. I guess I was wrong though." K-Ci laughed. "It was a big misunderstandin' she cool people."

"I'm glad you finally admitting that. Yo ass used to be on some other shit. That is until she set yo ass straight. Sometimes when I wake up I think of that shit and laugh my ass off." JoJo reminded him.

"Ayo, stop bringin' up old shit." K-Ci grimaced.

"They business is they business." I cut in.

"They? They together now?" JoJo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, not that I know of. Probably won't be for a while." I said to him.

"Word? Why you say that?" K-Ci turned back around.

"I mean... They- it ain't none of our business to get in." I corrected myself.

"You know something we do? If you do c'mon because we wanna know." K-Ci asked me.

"That's my brother and what we discussed is personal and between the both of us. I ain't gon' betray his trust, too many people done already did it." I said deading the conversation.

"I respect that." JoJo nodded.

We all conversed for the remainder of the drive to the airport. When we finally made it, we had to go through security and shit. We finally made it to the plane and saw DeVanté sitting down in his seat.

"Imma talk to you later, when we land. A'ight? Bye." He hung up his phone and turned it off. "Where was y'all niggas at? I was waiting here for a while." De said spoke looking up at us.

"That was yo brotha, his ass wanted to pretend he was in a movie. Kissin' and shit in the snow." K-Ci laughed taking a seat. Jojo laughed shaking his head taking his seat.

"What? The same nigga who be pressin' us for time is time? The one who set everything up?" De laughed.

"I was waiting fa' yo black ass. I thought you was in yo room being the lonely nigga you are." I joked.

"Lonely? Neva' that. What my ass was doing was workin'. I had to make sure Missy and 'em had all they shit together before leavin'." De said to me.

"I thought you went to see Tia? That's what you told me." K-Ci asked De.

"I did that too. Just came from there actually, after coming from handling shit for the people under my label."

"What y'all do?" I smirked.

I know they don't really be doing no freak shit. Sometimes it looks like it though. I be catching they asses in the strangest positions. I just like to fuck with them and catch the expressions on they face.

"Pshh, nigga I told you we ain't did shit. So stop asking me and especially her. She ain't like that." De said leaning back in his seat.

"Y'all did some'!?" JoJo yelled.

"Nigga, didn't you just hear what I said." De then pointed to his mouth and spoke slowly. "Me. And. Tia. Ain't. Did. Shit. She. Ain't. Like. That. A'ight?" He dropped his hand.

"I hear you but I'm not listening." I laughed at his ignorance.

"What made you think they was doing something?" K-Ci asked me.

"They-" I looked at De. "They ain't did shit. I just like to mess around with them." I told K-Ci, which was only partly true.

K-Ci squinted at me then nodded his head. "A'ight."

The flight attendant made an announcement that we were about to take flight. De never like planes, he always got nervous when on one. He was like that since we were kids. It wasn't so much the plane ride itself. It was more of the inclination and descending. That's why I don't understand why he likes roller coasters.

"We raising up to the sky!" K-Ci yelled at De, he knew about his fear of planes.

"Ayo, K-Ci do me a favor and shut the fuck up!" De said angrily with a tight hold on the armrest of his seat.

"Keep on lift us higher! Higher and HIGHER." K-Ci began to sing.

JoJo and myself joined in. "This plane KEEEEEEP on liftin' us higher. Higher and HIGHER!" We harmonized.

"Sometimes I can't stand you punk bitches." De said with tight lips.

"Higher..." JoJo finished off on a good note as we were steadily in the air.

De was calm now letting go of the armrest. "Fuck all y'all."

"Same way you wanna do ol' girl right?" K-Ci bursted out into laugher. "I'm sorry but we 'on't swing that way playa."

"For real!" JoJo agreed.

"Y'all niggas talk too much and get on my fucking nerves." De said slouching. He took out his headphones, put them on, closed his eyes, and shut us out.

K-Ci shook his head at De then said, "Soft ass nigga."

"My brother soft because he got heart? Y'all asses need to take notes." I laughed.

"K-Ci got heart and sooouuuulll." K-Ci sang.

"Man, everybody got soul." JoJo smacked his lips at K-Ci.

"Nahh, there are some people who lack melanin that ain't got no type 'a soul. No rhythm at all." I said in disagreement.

JoJo nodded at me, "You right."

"They sholl can suck it out of you though." K-Ci joked.

I shook my head at his ignorance. "I ain't say all 'lat now." I laughed.

"It's the truth. You ain't ever tried?" K-Ci shrugged.

"Nahhh, I'm cool on that bruh." I waved him off.

"You missing out. For real!" K-Ci said with raised eyebrows.

"You and De be trippin'. ALWAYS talking about white women." JoJo said nodding his head at his brother.

"Yo De!" K-Ci called out.

De snatched his headset out and yelled, "What nigga!? Damn." His face held a frown.

"Don't white girls be giving that good good? Snatching souls and shit?" K-Ci asked.

De sat back and put his headset back on. He completely ignored K-Ci. "Fuck you too then!" K-Ci yelled to him. Then I heard De cut the volume up more.

"Straight bustas." JoJo laughed. "Thought you had a friend head ass."

"He want somebody to agree with his bullshit." I laughed at myself and JoJo.

We conversed majority of the flight, while De fell asleep. He was asleep until the plane began to descend. His eyes flew open and his hands gripped the armrest again.

"We goin' down! We goin' dowwwnnnn, if this plane turn upside down!" K-Ci sang a remix of Rose Royce 'I'm Going Down', but I think De still had his music playing in his ears.

Me and JoJo was sitting there cracking the hell up. When the plane finally landed and safe to stand we all stood up and stretched. De walked past us and mumbled something inaudible. We all laughed at his foolishness. By the time we did baggage claim and made it to the hotel, it was eight almost nine at night. That meant that it was twelve almost one in the morning on the east coast.

"Y'all better be ready at nine o'clock sharp later. We need to practice some more." De finally spoke to us and walked into his hotel room.

JoJo and De shared a hotel room and K-Ci and I shared one. That's how it is most of the time.

"Aye nigga, you need some pwussy!" K-Ci managed to yell to De before the door closed all the way.

"That nigga seems pussy deprived." K-Ci said to us.

"Word." JoJo laughed and went inside.

"He do seem like he is though. His ass be working 24/7. Don't have much time for shit else." I said shaking my head as we entered our room.

"Yeah, but on another note a nigga is TI'ED." K-Ci laughed and went into one one of the rooms in our suite.

"Hell yeah and he got the nerve to want us up that early!" I yelled back at him, then went into the other room and crashed into the bed. We'd usually argue over who gets what room but we were too tired to do so this time around.

~Tia's P.O.V~

I sat in the shower with water and tears running down my face, staring down at my hands, with my fingers spread far apart as possible. The water was hot and hitting my skin hard, as I nodded my head at a quick pace. I was having flashbacks of a certain experience as a child. This was one of the main flashbacks I get from all of the times sexual abuse occurred.

My aunt is who my female cousin usual stayed with, and she lived down the street from us during this particular moment. This occurred during summertime. I remember having to use the bathroom so bad. So, I had to go in there while she was bathing. We had curtains but somehow the curtains were drawn.

After I relieved myself and washed my hands I was stopped by my older cousin. She was leaning on the edge of the tub. She basically told me to insert my finger in her, then to add another. I remember feeling uncomfortable. Maybe if I would have just ran out and told my mother that wouldn't have occurred. That wasn't the first time she ordered me to do something, but it was the first time she ordered me to do that.

That memory is engrained in my head. No matter how many bad memories I lock in that small box inside my head, this one always seemed to remain. It's stained that no matter what I do, I can't forget. I WANT to forget it. I HAVE to forget it. I NEED TO FORGET IT. I remember it being my right hand, and I could still feel it. It was one of the worst things I ever had to do to HER. That's why I can't let my fingers touch right now. If I do I'd only feel worse.

I put my knees against my chest, hugging myself, rocking back and forth. I only hugged myself with my left arm, but my right arm stayed out, and my fingers on my left hand stayed spread apart.

"Can't touch anything." I said out loud still rocking looking at my hand.

"It's not your fault. It's not your fault. It's NOT YOUR fault. ITS NOT YOUR FAULT!" I yelled out loud to myself.

"But it is! If you would have ran out that would have happened! If you would have told on her the FIRST time it wouldn't have occured!" My inner thoughts yelled out at me.

"But it's not..." I whimpered out. I looked up and lets the water hit my face.

I looked back down with tears still falling down. "Tia, you NEED to get yourself together. You're in the industry now, and if anyone see's that you're broken they'll take advantage of you." I balled up my left fist tightly and hit it against my forehead repeatedly.

"CALM DOWN. Calm DOWN. Calm down..." I repeated to myself.

After I got enough strength to get up, I stood up with shaking legs. I turned off the water, and carefully stepped out of the tub. I walked to the sink, swiped the mirror with a spare towel, and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked just as bad as I felt at this moment. My whole body was red from the steaming hot water. My eyes and nose were puffy and red. Tears were still pouring out of my eyes. I just wrapped a towel around my body, since I left my bathrobe in the room on accident.

Upon entry of the bedroom my phone began to ring. I walked to it grabbing it. I saw the name Donald go across the screen. I grabbed it with my left hand that was shaking. I could barely grip it for some reason. I pressed the button with my index finger of my right hand, careful to not let my fingers touch.

"H-hello." I groggily said after putting the phone up to my ear.

"Wassup? You good over there? You sound a little- ion know, but it ain't good. So wassup?" DeVanté asked in a deep and concerning tone.

I cleared my throat so my tine could come out more clear. "I'm fine. I just got out the shower. How was the flight?" I asked.

"It sound like you're stuffy and you been crying. So, tell me what's up."

"I told you I'm fine. How was your flight?" I asked again wanting to get the conversation off myself.

"It was annoying as hell. Them niggas was on some petty shit. They know I hate when the plane ascend. Then niggas started singing that one Wilson Picket song adding they own lyrics and shit." He said into the phone.

"Do you mean '(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher' by him?" I asked him.

"Yeah, that shit. They sounded good but that shit pissed me all the way off. Then they sung that 'I'm Going Down' song by Rolls Royce when the plane descended." He angrily said.

"Really?" I asked amused.

"Hell yeah!" He said and we both bursted out laughing.

"I know it's like four hours below the east coast there. So, I know you're sleepy. What made you call?" I asked after our laughter died down.

"I told you I was gon' call you when I landed right?" He asked. I could practically hear his eyebrows raise.

"Yes..." I replied.

"Well, I'm a man of my word." He chuckled. "Didn't I tell you that before?"

"You did, and thank you for keeping your word." I said taking a seat on the bed.

"Mmhm, I did. Even though I'm still tired as hell." He said chuckling as his voice dropped a few octaves.

"Well, I'll let you sleep..." I trailed off.

"Nah, I'm good. We can keep talking." He said after a yawn. I yawned after he did because yawns were contagious.

"Okay, but I told you that I just got out of the shower so I have to put on some clothes. So I won't be able to hear you." I explained to him.

"Hold up." He said and I heard shifting on the other end of the phone. "You tellin' me that you talking to me butt ass naked?"

"Dude, get your mind out of the gutter."

"It was never out of the gutter. But, you over there for real naked!?" He asked once more.

"No, I have on a towel." I reason with him.

"But under it your naked right?" He asked.

"Donald..." I said warning him.

"Okay, I'm sorry! I'll just call you on the hotel phone so I'll be on speaker. Is that alright?" He asked.

I nodded as if he could see me and responded. "That's fine with me."

"A'ight." He said and I hung up.

I waited for a few seconds for him to call on the hotel phone. After about seven seconds more it rang.

"Hello." I answered.

"Hi ma'am. There is someone who goes by the name of Swinging calling. Should I let the call through?" The male receptionist asked. I chuckled at the name.

"Yes sir, that's fine." I replied.

"Wassup?" I heard DeVanté say.

"That same thing as before. Why did you say the name Swinging? Them people probably thing I'm having sex hotlines calling." I laughed putting it on speaker.

"Well people do say I have a voice that could put them to sleep." He chuckled.

"Is that even a compliment? I'm thinking they meant your voice is boring." I laughed rubbing lotion on my body.

He about to speak then paused. "Well, let me ask you a question Miss Andrews?"

I smiled, "You already did."

"Well, let me ask you another one?"

"You just asked me another one by asking me that one." I laughed out.

He kissed his teeth at me. "Is my voice boring to you?"

"Hmmm..." I playfully said pretending to think. I moisturized my face.

"Stop bullshittin' and answer the question. Please?" His voice a bit annoyed in the beginning then pleading at the end.

I smack my lips at his attitude. "You got a big attitude." I said rolling my eyes with a frown.

"I'm sorry. Do I have a boring voice or not?" He asked calmly.

"No, you don't. You actually have a nice voice." I replied.

"Do I?" He asked. I know he was cheesing by the tone of his voice.

"You do."

"Could I put you to sleep?" He asked.

"I feel like that's a double sided question..." I trailed off putting on my underwear.

He chuckled. "Let me rephrase that then. Could I put you asleep soothingly with just my voice?"

"Honestly?" I asked.

"Mmhm," he mumbled.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I would hire you to come and read me a bedtime story."

"If I wasn't an artist, do you think I could open up a sex hotline?" He asked.

"Well... Yeah, I think you could. You have so many different octaves but most could pass." I shrugged.

"Is the one I'm talking in now one of them?" He asked.

"Yes." I answered a little too fast.

"Damn, you was too quick to answer that question!" He laughed. "What if I dropped my tone more?" He asked dropping his tone.

"Sure..." I nodded.

"Since you said that imma talk in this tone for the rest of this phone call." He laughed in a gruff voice.

"You're so full of yourself." I said smacking my lips and rolling my eyes.

"Stop rolling your eyes. My grandma told me they 'a get stuck like that."

"How do you know that I'm rolling my eyes?" I questioned.

"I can hear it in your tone." He chuckled. "Well, that and I can see you."

"Then what am I wearing?" I asked turning my head to the side.

He was quiet for a while then answered. "Some panties and a t-shirt."

"AAAANNNTTT." I said laughing putting on a shirt.

"Okay, I'm just messin' around with you. Not about me talking in this tone though." He said back.

"I know." I shrugged.

"Anyways, what are you even wearing? Since I don't know."

"Donald!" I laughed.

"Okay, I'm just playing. A little... Or not at all." He mumbled the last part.

I shook my head, "Don't you have to get up early tomorrow?" I asked.

"I do, but right now I wanna talk to you. So let's talk." He replied.

"Mmhm," I said to him nodding then turning off the light. I took the phone off speaker and put it up to my ear. "What is it that you want in life? What are your aspirations?" I asked as I laid down on the bed. The only source of light was the moon peaking from the crack of the curtains.

"I want many things." He replied.

"I'm all ears."

"The first one being a successful record label."

"What will you do to make that happen?" I asked.

"The best I can do."

"What's your best? What if it just isn't enough?" I asked.

"I- I don't know." He stuttered. I guess he was caught off guard by my questions.

"Have you gotten your masters?" I asked.

"No, I never really thought about that. People know what all I wrote and didn't write."

"What about when stop? It's not just about that, it's about the legalities of it." I said with a raised brow. "You should really think about that. There are too many people getting robbed of their work out in these streets. The main victims being black folks."

"Yeah, you right. Do you think I'll get my label up off the ground?" He asked me.

"The real question is do YOU think YOU can do it? Because at the end of the day, it just isn't up to me. What you're capable of is purely up to you."

"I think I can do it." He said with uncertainty.

"Think or can? Remember we spoke about manifest destiny? You get what you put into the atmosphere."

"I know I can and I will." He said to me with more confidence.

"Good, because I know you can too. I been in the studio with you a few times, and you sir got it! Just don't let this whole thing consume you, because once you do it'll be hard to detach from it." I told him.

"Thanks." He said, I just knew he was smiling.

We talked for almost two hours before we decided we decided it was time to go to sleep. We decided that after we took turns exchanging yawns. He helped me get my mind off things, and I'm so glad he did call. I got up amd walked to the mirror attached to the dresser. The moon was shining through it.

"Babygirl, you'll get through this. You NEED to get through this. You're in the industry now and these people know a weak or hurt person when they see one. You can't keep putting yourself go through this." I stood there for a minute just looking myself in the eyes. Then I laud back down, closed my eyes and went to sleep with a smile on my face.

Author's Note: I probably won't be updating for a while due to schoolwork. I hope the few details in this chapter didn't offend some of you. This was an actual experience, and didn't want to go TOO much into detail because I had to think of my readers.

Word Count: 4,330

Please feel free to like and comment. Both things are what keeps me motivated to write. I will try to respond to your comments.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read another chapter of mines.😘❤😘❤😘❤