Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.

August 7, 1993

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

Everything has been good since the accident. Well, except for this grimy label Jodeci is signed to. It's only been a few days since then but I'm feeling physically better and in the process of looking for another house in another neighborhood. This time I ain't inviting people over on the regular. Only people coming is family, CLOSE friends and the people under MY label. Everything except the label that I'm signed over is good. Dalvin brought the label situation to my attention and when I looked through the copy of our contract, I saw that we wasn't getting all the money we are supposed to get.

Long story short, we signed a bad contract. At the time we was just some hungry, young brothers trying to get signed to a label. We didn't even think about people cheating us. The bad part about it is that we can't even leave. Jodeci has some years to go, according to the contract. The whole contract is phony. I sat the contract down on the table and rubbed my face in frustration.

Everything is just about in shits. This fucking head injury be egging on my migraines, the label I'm under, these sexual assault charges, gun violation charges, and this fucking relationship. Everything is hitting me all at once. I recently just found out a whole lot of shit I should've knew from jump. This- excuse my french- bitch is phony as hell too.

Lady don't do shit but shop and fuck. One thing she can do is give good head, it's the best I ever got besides that one toothless chick. I'm not complaining about the last part but she don't cook, clean, dumb as hell, sleep, and bug me when I'm aeay from her. I'm fed up, she don't do shit that benefits me but give me head and any woman can do that. I can't even have a real conversation with her.  I'm just tired of this whole thing. I just hope that I don't go to jail for these pending charges.

"DeVanté, lets go shopping." Lady came in, sat down next to me, and rubbed my chest.

I shook my head at her. "Nahh, uhh- me and the fellas got some business to handle." I looked up at her.

"Is it more important than me?" She asked giving me slight attitude.

"You went the other day and got a lot of shit and didn't I just say-" My eyebrows furrowed in irritation. Is she serious right now? "You can go..." I motioned to the door with my head. I'm tired of her anyways.

"Okay, I'll go ALONE, but give me your card." She held out her hand.

"Yo De, we got some new tracks to show you-" Missy came into the room halting what I was about to say.

"I'll be there in a minute." I told her and she walked out. Once Melissa left, I turned back to Lady. "No, I mean you can step. Poof! BE GONE! This shit ain't working out. You asking me is what I'm supposed to be doing more inportant than you but you actin' like shoppin' and shit more important than me." I shook my head at her.

"If it's about-" she started but I cut her off.

"It ain't about whatever you saying. This shit is about YOU. I'm ti'de and I'm done with this. It just ain't working. I just can't take this shit no mo'. I got a lot of shit goin' on and you know it. You standing here talking about goin' shopping. Nahh." I sat up with my elbows on my knees.

"Bu- why? What did I do?"

"Nothing. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING." I motioned with my hand. "Look, this thing between me and you just ain't it. You runnin' up my account almost everyday. This-" I motioned from her to me. "is over. You can leave." I finished.

"Leave? Over?" She scoffed at me, looked at the ceiling then back at me. "Is it about your friend- THAT BLACK BITCH YOU ALWAYS AROUND?"

My eyebrow rose. "The fuck is you talkin' abou- you know what, ion give a fuck get yo ass out my house." I stood up, pointing to my front door.

"No, I need answers." She stood there looking angry and sad.

"What you on? Who you even talkin' about?" I frowned.

"Tia, you know who I'm talking about. I told that fat ass bitch to stay away from you. Is that where you go when you're away?"

I was taken aback. I looked up at the ceiling for a split second and thought about what she just said. "Black bitch? That's what you just called her? Why is it that every 'true bitch' I know always say that about her. I can call her over here if you want so you can say that shit to her face. She would really appreciate that. And you told her to stay away from me..." I nodded at her and grabbed my phone. "Fat ass bitch? You mad because her ass bigger or what? The only things on her her that fat is that ass and especially them titties." Her eyes are pretty big too but they fit her though. "Getcho ass out my damn house." I called a number on my phone.

"Why are you defending her? Huh? You're fucking her, aren't you? HUH!?" Lady got all loud and in my face.

"I ain't gon' repeat this no mo'. Get. Cho. Ass. Out. My. MOTHA'FUCKIN'. House." I told her in a low and 'calm' tone. My head turned after every word.

"You slept with her, didn't you?"

I smirked and stepped back once my security came in. I took a cigar from behind my ear and chuckled. "So what if I did?" I lit my cigar and motioned for them to take her.

Lady gasped loudly. "You fucking- let me go! I'm pressing charges! Help!" She yelled at the top of her lungs at me then my security trying to shake them off of her. "You will be sorry you did this to me, BOTH OF YOU!" She yelled at me.

"Girl, I ain't worried about you." I threw my hand at her.

"Well, you should be!" She laughed as they took her out my house.

"BYE!" I waved at her. This shit turned from shit to diarrhea real quick. "Crazy ass bitch." I shook my head and took a puff of my cigar.

As soon as the door closed, I walked over to it and locked it then sat back down on the couch. Should've had my dogs in this bitch, but nahh, I ain't that type of nigga. The day I got out the hospital she wanted to shop, it's all she ever do. I threw back a couple pills and slouched back on the couch. Need some real rest, been up and at it ALL DAY, EVERYDAY, and even after that little inceident. None of this shit make no type of sense. The second I closed my eyes, my name was being called.

"Yo, De?" Elgin came in here.

I puffed before answering and opened my eyes upon releasing the smoke. "What is it man?" I asked.

"Missy said you was comin' and I was trying to make sure. We got some dope shit to show you." He told me.

"A'ight, I'm comin'." I scooted off the couch then stood up. "Woah..." I said balancing myself because I nearly fell right back down.

"You good man?" Elgin frowned and attempted to help me up.

"I'm good man." I said pushing him away from me. "A nigga ti'ed that's all." I chuckled.

"Maybe you should take yo ass to bed then nigga." El patted my back.

"Nahh, I wanna hear these dope tracks y'all buggin' me about."

I stood up straight again and began to walk. We have to go down some stairs in order to get where we need to get. My vision was blurred, and my head began to pound. Every step I made sounded like a drum for some reason.

I cleared my throat. "Dalvin here?"

"No, he ain't here. Why you say that?"

"Drums- who playing drums down there then?" I asked him.

"Nigga you is trippin'. Ain't no drums playing. The only thing I hear is yo heavy ass breathin'." He laughed at me.

I laughed but not because I though he was funny, but because I just might be tripping. We made it to the stairs and walked down them. By the fourth step, I fell and bust my ass. The sudden fall made me slide down a few stairs.

"Shit." I mumbled.

"Aye, Tim!? Come help me with this big motherfucka!" El yelled out to Tim!

"Y'all niggas trippin'." I laughed and wobbly stood back up.

"That's yo ass. You talkin' in slow motion and shit. Nigga, you need some sleep or somethin'." El said and Tim came into view. Well, I'm assuming it was Tim.

"What the hell is goin' on? Nigga, you lookin' bad. Hells wrong witchu?" Tim said and I felt another hand help me balance.

"I'm ti'ed but these tracks callin' my name as well as y'all niggas buggin' me to listen." I told them.

"You talkin' in slow motion."

They balanced me and turned around to head back up the stairs. A'ight maybe they right, I do need some rest. My whole body feel like it ain't mine. They helped me up the other set of stairs and into my room.

"We just gon' show you when you get up." Tim said to me.

"Yeah..." El said and they both left and I heard the door click.

I grabbed a couple more pills from my bedside, and laid back. This has been a stressful ass week. Shit, a stressful ass year and we just made it out the middle of the year. Too much shit going on. My career and Lady didn't allow me to rest after getting out the hospital. She immediately wanted to go places. At least one of my problems are over with. I can't just blame that though because it's my fault too. What can I say? I'm a workaholic. My body eventually allowed much needed sleep overcome me.

August 19, 1993

~Yasir's P.O.V~

"So, y'all know why I called this emergency meeting, right?" Daryl or as we like to call him Durl asked us.

Tia shook her head. "No, but I think I have a pretty good idea why." She cheesed.

"Well, as you both know, yo me and yo mama been together for some years now and..." Durl trailed off and I nodded, waiting for him ti continue.

Tia's grin got even bigger and she was visibly inhaling and exhaling. "Calm down, the man ain't even finish speaking yet." I told her. "Go on man and stop beating around the bush." I said to Durl.

"Me and you mama been together for a long time and I think now is the time to propose to her." He pulled out a little box and opened it. A ring was inside. It wasn't much but it was something...

"It's about time you did, but you plan on giving MY mama THAT ring?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, what's wrong with it?" He raised his eyebrow.

"What wrong wi- I need a magnifying glass to get a good look at it that's what's wrong." I told him.

"It isn't THAT small but it is small. You need to upgrade THAT." Tia told him.

"How do I know she's going to say yes?" Durl asked us.

"She will, but once she looks at that ring she might change her mind. Don't no real woman want that." Tia folded her arms while shaking her head. "You are NOT giving THAT to my mother." She said remaining in her same stance.

"That 'diamond' looks like something you put on a baby ear. Hell nahh, Durl." I shook my head in disapproval.

"On the other hand I'm excited! I've been waiting for this day for years now and it's finally happening!" Tia exclaimed excitedly jumping up and down. She came and squeezed Durl in a tight hug. "Mommy has a husband and we have a daddy." She let him go cheesing.

"You over here like you the one getting married or something..." I patted her shoulder. "Calm yo bighead ass down. You still single." I laughed and she turned to me.

"Your head is bigger than mines, looks just like yo daddy's." She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Do we not have the same parents?" I asked seemingly confused.

"Nope, he ain't crap to me. THIS is the man that I acknowledge as my father. He's been here for a while unlike ol' boy." Tia said referring to our donor.

"Fuck that nigga, he ain't wanna be a father so fuck him. He ain't mines." I shook my head.

"I know I'm not yo mama but you gon' stop all that damn cussin' in front of me like I'm yo friend." Durl said warning me. " I 'preciate it though."

"My bad man." I told him. I ain't ever curse in front of my mama, nor do I plan on doing it, but Durl is like one of the homies turned stepdad. Except he's my mama's age.

"Oh my goodness, I still can't believe this!" Tia squealed and hugged him again, then me tightly. Hugging is rare between the both of us.

"Okay..." I pushed her away.

She frowned at me for a second then spoke. "We should go choose another ring ASAP. When and where are you planning on popping the question?" Tia asked him.

"That's the thing, I was thinking at the Casino because it's her favorite place to go. Idunno, I need your help on this part Tia." He told her.

"Okay, we'll think of something in the car or something. Let's go, but before we do, where did you get that ring from? We need to take it back because that's not it homie." Tia shook her head.

"The gumball machine." I said cracking the hell up.

Durl mean mugged me. "I got it from Jared."

"He went to JARED." Tia said reciting the commercial. Then she began putting on her jacket then grabbed her keys. "Let me get this straight, you bypassed all of the cute rings and got this TINY thing? Really?" She raised both of her eyebrows in confusion.

"It popped out at me." Durl shrugged.

"You's a lyin' motha'fucka and a dumb one if you think we believe that. Nothing like that is just gon' pop out at somebody. You just cheap is all. Admit it." I patted his chest. "You and my mama the same way. Cheap as hell..." I trailed off, shaking my head at him.

"Right..." Tia agreed with me. "Yasir, you comin' too, or you stayin' at home?"

"I'm going, let's go. Who car we takin'?" I asked them. "Yours?" I asked Tia.

"Yeah, I guess. Y'all love my BBC." She cheesed.

"Sound gay as hell. I hate that name." I shook my head. Tia is referring to her car. BBC in her mind means BIG BLUE CAR. I'm pretty sure she knows the real meaning, hence why she named her truck/ car that in the first place.

"What? You're just jealous because mines is bigger than yours." She said opening up my front door.

I blank faced her and walked out after them then locked my door. Tia was on the phone with her guards, telling them to meet her at the spot we going to. "Want me to drive?" I asked her.

"Nope, I'm the only one that's driving my BBC, y'all just riding." She said and got in her car.

Durl was cracking the hell up and jumped in the front on the passenger side. "I ain't ridin' shit. That's yo mama."

"Aye, man!" I yelled at him disgusted and I saw Tia gagged as if she was about to throw up. She always do that when she hear something that you can actually visualized that disgust her, or smell something horrid. "We ain't need to know all that!" I told him. Just as Tia opened the door, stuck her head out, and gagged even louder. "Overdramatic ass." I mumbled and shook my head.

"Okay... Where we goin'?" Durl asked Tia.

She closed her door and shuttered. "We're going to take that small thing you call a ring back and look for a better one. If we don't find a better one we'll go to Kay."

"A'ight, cool." He shrugged.

"You was planning on making it the wedding ring too, right? Cheap ass..." I mumbled the last part.

"I was and I for real thought the ring was amazing. So, yeah planet earth head ass nigga." He shrugged.

"That's a pebble, and my mama deserve to be rocking rocks. Period point blank." Tia spoke up. "Sir." She nodded trying not to sound disrespectful.

"And it got the nerve to be a double meaning ring." I shook my head. "You a good dude but that shit ain't-" I really didn't know what to say about it. A nigga is speechless. "On the other hand, what you jump in the front?" I asked him.

"Who you to question me? I'm a grown man. What that sayin' say? Oh yeah, the early lion gets cantaloupe." Durl told me.

"It's antelope. I ain't ever heard of no lion eating cantaloupe."  I said laughing.

"Not to mention that it doesn't even say that. The saying goes, 'the early bird gets the worm,' ye buzzameat." She chuckled.

"Always tryna correct somebody blad headed ehh little girl." I told her.

"Well, ain't you the kettle calling the pot black?" She eted me through the mirror.

"What you mean?" I asked her confused.

"You corrected me and then corrected her on correcting you." Durl said to me.

"Ahhh." I waved my hand at them. Tia slammed on the breaks causing me to fall back in my seat. Tia and Durl bursted out in laughter. I sat up and pushed her head.

Her head whipped around to me "Yasir, I will splack you, bro." Then she laughed again. "It was a red light. You should have had your seatbelt and sitting back anyways. You know ion like that junk. We follow all safety guidelines."

"We follow all safety guidelines around here. Lame ehh!" I said strapping in my seatbelt. "Who you 'posed to be Pac?"

"That was just karma for you talking about the ring I got." Durl looked back at me laughing.

"That diamond look like it was squashed by Godzilla or somethin. And what? My mama wearing that small shit just ain't gon' happen." I told Durl.

"This boy talking about Godzilla as if he don't look like him..." She trailed off jokingly.

"Talking big shit in this bitch. I think that's what I'm smelling right now so close ye mouths." Durl told us.

"You sound like Donald." Tia shook her head.

"He talking about me cussin'... What happened to the nigga anyways?" I tapped her arm. She shrugged hard. "You don't know? That's yo man's though. Ahh damn, I forgot that you single." I joked.

Tia smacked her lips. "You lame as crap. I'm a single and worry free."

"What's up with y'all?" I asked her.

"I forgot about him even though I only saw him a few times." Durl butted in.

"Stop asking me about him. Shoo, ion know. Why y'all wanna know anyways?" Tia aske us.

"I ain't ask about the nigga, I said I saw him a few times is all." Durl said to Tia.

"Right, y'all fightin'?" I asked her.

"Man, I don't know so stop asking me about him. Dang!" She raised her voice and the car was quiet for a while. Me and Durl looked at each other.

"Welp!" I said finally breaking the ice as we pulled up to Jared. I got out the car and her security walked up to up.

"Sup man." Jax said dapping me up. Jax is one of the first people Tia call on to guard her so he's reliable. He a cool dude too.

"Sup Jax and Redhead." I dapped him up too.

"Everybody got a different name for me." Bigg Redd shook his head at me. "My hair ain't even red no more."

"I can't unsee it since you told us why they call you that." I shrugged.

"I should change my name to Bigg Blackk." He said to me.

"No sir, that is not it." Tia turned around shaking her head. "Mm mm, naww."

"S' wrong wit' it?" He asked her.

"Everything man." Jax told him.

"Shit don't sound right AT ALL." Durl said to us all.

"Sholl don't." I shook my head at him. "Sometimes I wonder about you man." I said and walked up ahead of him.

          We was in that store for eons and in Kay Jewellers even longer. I got tired of looking and sat my black ass down, this type of stuff ain't for me. Plus all the people surrounding her is- on second though let me take my black ass back over there and make sure nobody fuck with her. I know my sister got guards but still... Somebody fuck with my sister they getting fucked up. Just as I was getting up my name was called.

"They finally found the right ring." Jax exasperated.

"Finally. I know it was my sister, she take all day doing anything." I walked over to where they was standing.

First had to get through the small crowd. There was white and black folks. She mostly does black films but she's done another project as well called Leprechaun and it released while she was in the hospital. It was a dope movie.

"Lemme see." I said when I got to Durl and Tia.

"See, now THIS is what I'm talking about." Tia nodded in approval. "She'll love it. It's so beautiful."

I shielded my eyes, "Is the sun out or what? I need the amba'lam' righ' naaa. I'm blinded!" I fell back on the floor.

My little sister bent down and hit me in my arm. "You're embarrassing, get up."

"So? Is that even yo real hair!?" I said loudly once I opened my eyes back up.

"Boy, shut up. You know this my real hair." She said through her teeth. I just laughed then stood back up.

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" I said looking at the ring and rubbing my hands together. "Everytime I come around yo city BLING BLING. Pinky rang worth 'bout fifty BLING BLING." Tia mean mugged me.

August 30, 1993

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

"Oh, so now you finally want to call me at-" she paused. "past midnight. What is it DeVanté?" She said irritated.

"Oh, so now I'm DeVanté?" I said raising my eyebrow. "What's been up with you lately? This conversation is LOOONNNGGG overdue."

"ME!? What do YOU mean, 'what's up with me?' What's up with you?" Tia said attempting to sound like me.

"You went M.I.A on a nigga. For what? I'm tryna figure out what the fuck it was that I did?" I looked in the mirror with my hand on my chest.

She exhaled. "DeVan-"

"Donald." I corrected.

"DONALD-"

"I'm listening." I nodded.

"Please stop cutting me off DeVa-"

"Donald and okay you can speak TIA and I won't interrupt this time unless you start acting weird and call me DeVanté." I put emphases on her name.

"Dude, stop." She laughed. "This is serious and overdue conversation we need to have. So, the day before I was due to leave New York, I came to you house."

"Mmhm." I nodded.

"Stop interrupting me dude. Sheesh... Anyways, before I came over, I called your phone. Your cell then your house. Your cell went straight to voicemail and then your girlfriend answered the house phone. She said hello and when she heard my voice, the phone hung up or more like SHE hung up.

I called because JoJo told me that you were trying to get a hold of me when I saw him. The times before that, when you called, I was busy with business things so I couldn't answer. Everytime I seem to call it went straight to voicemail. Anyways that day she hung up on me, I went over to yo crib and was told that I wasn't allowed in by some new security folk. After that it was F you." She finished.

"Wow, Tia... You said fuck me for some shit like that. That wasn't even my fault. I was oblivious to all that shit." I put the phone on speaker to check my phone. "Bitch..." I mumbled.

"Did you just call me a-"

"No! Fuck would I do that? Yo number is on the call block list." I told her.

"Why would you-"

"Stop assuming 'cause I ain't do shit. This wasn't me. It was her." I said.

"Your girlfriend?" She asked in a knowing tone.

"She ain't my girlfriend, we broke up. It's done."

"Oh?" Tia said seemingly surprised.

"Yeah... It wasn't me. But before that, what was up with you?" I raised my eyebrow, flexing in the mirror.

"I was just respecting y'all's relationship." She simply said.

"Respectin'? What you did to disrespect it?"

"I didn't do anything to disrespect it, but from a woman's point of view, I wouldn't want my man around a woman that he knowingly has feelings for but remain friends with. Women can sense things like that just like a man could with another man. I respectfully kept my distance from you and attempted to speak with you every blue moon.

Whenever that girl saw me hug you, she mean mugged me. Sekywia who is young but very aware even noticed it- everything, including those eyes of yours. Another thing, I don't like her, but what you did when you saw me at that restaurants was pure disrespect. If I was her and I witnessed you do that IN FRONT OF MY FACE it'd be on and poppin' with you and then it'd be over. That ain't right. It wasn't even me and it made my blood BOIL. That was blatant disrespect." She finally finished.

"Damn, I look good." I mumbled to myself. I popped the cap off the pill bottle, and popped it in my mouth. I put the cup under the faucet and drunk the water. After that, I flicked off the light and went into my bedroom.

"You do know that I can hear you, right? You are so full of yourself..." She chuckled.

"Nahh, but imma have to talk to them about that and see what happened with that." I told her.

"Them, who?" She asked confused.

"My new security." I replied.

"It's obvious that it was your girlfriend." I could HEAR her roll her eyes.

"How many time do I have to tell you to stop rollin' them eyes?" I laughed and jumped into my bed. "How many times do I gotta tell you that we done? Me and that girl is no more."

"Y'all will be back together."

"Hell nahh. She piss me off. I didn't notice until that little incident that lead to to the ER, but I quickly took notice of it shortly after. She didn't let me rest and wanted me to be under her 25/8. That and all she wanted to do was spend my money. I have no problem spending money on my woman but she went buckwild with my shit everyday.

Didn't care about me at all. The day I got out the hospital, I took her shopping. She insisted and me being me, I did it. I felt like shit the whole time. Everybody knew that I was lying about being good in the hospital and lying just to leave but she genuinely ain't care. I BROKE UP WITH HER, and THAT should tell you something." I shrugged looking at the ceiling. I still have to get used to the new place.

"Wow." She yawned loudly.

"Am I that boring that you yawnin'?" I asked her.

"No, you DID wake me up Donald. Gon' 'head though. Keep talking, I'm listening. Sorry for yawning." She said lowly. "Have you been feeling well?" She asked me.

"I'm good for the most part. What about you? What's been goin' on in yo life?" I yawned, because they are contagious.

"Nothing worth speaking on. But I do have a daddy now." She said and I could hear the happiness in her voice.

"You datin'?" I raised my eyebrow.

"No, my mama and Darryl are getting married. I'm so excited and I can't wait. Do you know that this man announced it to my brother and I while showing us a gumball looking machine. We told him straight up that our mama wasn't rocking no little thang like that. It was RIDICULOUS. We were able to return it and get another- a better looking one. Though it cost more than the previous one." She told me in a low, sleepy voice.

"Damn, that's sad but the good thing is that y'all helped him fix it." I told her.

"I've been waiting this moment for years now!" She exclaimed tiredly.

"You happy like you the one getting married." I chuckled.

"Yasir said the same thing but I digress."

"That nigga right. You too excited. You did say you wanted to get married one day though, didn't you?" I asked her.

"I do, but if it never happens then so be it."

"It's gon' happen one day. Mark my words..." I nodded.

"Ehh... Did y'all go to court yet?" She asked me.

"Yes."

"And?" She egged me to say more.

"We have another court date. We went there just to see that they changed the date. I'm just ready for this shit to be over with and hopefully get no jail time. I did pull out a gun on her but it was just to scare her into telling the truth. Knew she was lying about thag shit. K-Ci is innocent as far as I know. I'm just ready for this year to be over. It's too much shit goin' on for me." I finished.

"That was weird for him to bring her to your house but hey..."

"Weird? That shit was wrong. I don't have strangers at my house and he know that shit. We was beefin' but we good now." I said and she yawned again.

Authors Note: Welp, Donald is ready for the year to be over like many of us. Hopefully this year isn't as bad as 2020, fingers crossed. Y'all got a little more information on step-dad, how do you feel about him?

Word Count: 5,205

Please feel free to like and comment. Feedback gives motivation, and motivation urges me to continue to write.

Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to read another chapter of this story. Thank you for staying despite the slacking.💚🖤❤💜💙💛