Chapter 93: Come & Industry Friends

Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.


April 15, 1998

~Tia's P.O.V~

I left my office to open my front door. "Hello."

"Wassup." Donald walked inside. I went back into my office with Donald following. "I've never been in this room."

I turned to him, "That's because you were never invited inside. Nobody really comes inside but me."

"Today I invited myself in." He said taking a seat.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable. I just came back in here to shut my laptop down." I looked up at him from my screen. "What's up?" I got back up at him after saving my work and shutting my laptop down.

"Remember yesterday or did you forget like I said you would?" His head tilted to the side.

"I remember, vividly..." I smirked.

"Oh, thank God!" He blew out and I chuckled at his response.

"Let's go to the back room before we get deeper into our conversation," I said getting out of my office chair.

"A'ight, cool." He got out of his seat then followed me to the door.

He followed me to the back/family room and we took a seat on each end of one of the couches. "What's was that, 'OH THANK GOD' about?" I chuckled.

"After finding out you was high, I started to feel like I took advantage of you. But you remember, so yeah." He nodded. "You was wildin' yesterday!" He threw his head back yelling.

"Don't I know it. Elijah was sure to remind me when we woke up." I spoke with tight lips out of embarrassment. "I think by the time you came, it wore off some. I think it helped me with confrontation."

"I figured. So let me get this shit straight." His eyes shifted to the ceiling then back to me. "You said you was going to the kitchen, but you were behind the corner listening to our conversation?" He raised his eyebrows with an amused expression.

"Wait, you forgot a part. I said I'd go to the kitchen THEN I heard my name so I stopped on my tracks. When I DID stop, THAT'S when I heard it all, including the part when you said I just left so I probably hear y'all..." I smirked with my arms crossed, imitating his voice as best as I could. "I didn't hear everything because Masir was hungry."

"I did say that but that doesn't make a difference. Yo ass was still listening and being nosy."

"Me, nosy?" I questioned with my hand placed on my chest in surprise. "Not the man who goes through people's things and asks them a bunch of questions telling ME that I'M the nosy one out of the two."

"Alright, let's get back to the topic." His forearms formed an x.

"Now that I called you out you wanna get on topic, huh?" I asked with my index finger on the corner of my mouth. "We'll get back on topic though." I nodded in agreement.

"Alright, so you really wanna try this thing out?" He asked me.

"I said what I meant. After you admitted that NOT TO ME might I add, I thought about it, and why not? We've both been trying to figure out this dating mess that ain't ever been working out." I shrugged. "We share the same interest."

"We do." He chuckled. "That's the funny thing and that's what made me admit to myself that I was interested in you in more of a friend kinda way. THAT and that day you wore that red dress. You looked damn good by the way!" He nodded quickly.

"I know." I cheesed feeling flattered. "Every time I go out, you know I gotta show out. You looked good too! We've ALREADY discussed that though."

"You did look good that day but I think I was feeling like that for a while. Maybe even since the cruise or maybe even before that! I was in denial for so long and I ain't wanna mess up our friendship like before." He said in reminiscent.

"I can't tell you exactly when it started AGAIN for me either but what I do know is that I feel the same way. The only things that could ruin our friendship with us trying this whole thing out is us being untruthful and/or cheating when we decide to get serious with each other." I responded truthfully. "Oh, and putting your hands on me when we ain't playing." I made sure to add.

"Right, but before we even go further, did you EVER have something going on with any one of them niggas you be hanging around?" He asked me.

I chuckled. "No, I can 100% tell you that I had NOTHING with any of them. I don't even see them like that." I shook my head.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure! Damn..." I laughed. "What about you? You have a habit of being with people you work with."

"Nahh, I keep that shit separate. I no longer roll like that. I keep my work life separate from my personal life." He shook his head no. "Some have tried it with me but I immediately shut that shit down and told them that they're here to work."

"Okay." I nodded in understanding. "What about Rolita? Y'all still- ye know?"

"Damn, it's like that though?" He asked me.

"Ye damn skippy! If you're interested in me then you're only interested in me and vice versa." I told him straight up. "If you can't do that then tell me now so I can go on about my way."

"Alright, I was tired of her anyways. She was telling people our business and shit to people I'm working with." He shook his head.

"I don't want you to only stop because you're tired of her. I want you to want to stop because I'm who you're interested in."

"I got you and me being tired her ain't the only reason. Calm the hell down." He chuckled. "I hate to burst your bubble, but I been dreaded that mess. She's old news. It's strictly work, but I'm thinking about ending that too."

"Then it's settled!" I gestured with my arms.

"Then it's settled." He nodded. "I got you. You gotta clear schedule tomorrow?" He asked me.

"I have to go to Pennsylvania for five days, remember?" I told him.

"Oh, yeah! I forgot you told me that. Well, when you get back, Imma have something planned for us. Actually, the day after because you may be exhausted." He told me.

"Okay, I'll remember that." I smiled.

"Why you all the way on that side when we normally don't sit like this?" He chuckled. "Ain't shit change between us except everything is now in the open. Stuff we kinda already knew."

"I sat my ass down first. Technically you decided to sit down far away from me." I pointed out then slid down the couch to his side. I sat with my back to his side, leaning against him, with my legs slightly on the couch. He rested his arm on the backrest of the couch.

"So what made me so irresistible to you?" He looked down at me.

"Cocky... I was wondering the same thing about you with me. I know I'm fine and all but to be attracted to someone there's ALWAYS more to it. Especially the way you put it." I smiled, looking up at him.

"Ladies first. I asked you first." He nodded his head to me.

"You go," I told him.

"Alright, I'll go. First of all, you're beautiful and I've ALWAYS thought that and that's what made me approach you six years ago. You're also beautiful on the inside. I mean, you've changed over the years and started speaking your mind more but that's how it should be with everyone. A held tongue ain't gon' get you nowhere but ran over by everyone you know. Damn, it's safe to say that I've always felt this way 200% now that I think about it. Even when all that shit occurred." He told me.

He continued. "I feel like I can tell you anything and won't hear nobody else repeat that shit. The industry is so fake and you are not one of those people. You're a businesswoman about your business shit. You separate business from your personal life as well. Well, except that time you smacked the dog shit outta me that one time on set."

"You deserved it!" I laughed. "You were becoming too disrespectful and I was letting it slide for a while until I was done letting it slide." I chuckled.

"I did deserve it and I was disrespectful towards you. I apologize." He nodded. "You're smart and that's a plus. You know what you want and ain't afraid to say it.  You can cook your ass off! Turn around and lemme see if it's still there." He squinted.

I smacked my lips. "It all there, sir. You know it too! Those same hands were rubbing and squeezing on them just yesterday." I chuckled.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to make sure..." He shrugged. "Tia, you got this whole aura about you. I guess that's another reason why I tried so hard to get back into your good graces. I knew I messed up something genuine. When you were gone all that time and we saw each other at the awards show in February, I said I missed you and I REALLY did. I missed your touch, hugs, and lifting you up.

"Sure we talked on the phone but there's just something about you actually being there with me. I love your randomness. When we joke with each other, even when they are personal jokes it's like I can't get mad because that shit is funny as fuck." He said laughing. "When I get you mad, I do it on purpose most of the time. I like when you get mad-"

I pointed up at him. "I FIGURED you were doing it on purpose!" I laughed. "I had a feeling..." I nodded.

"Yeah... Well, it's not like you don't be trying to get under my skin too. When we talk to each other we can talk all day about everything and nothing but we can get deep too. When we do get deep, best believe I'm leaving knowing somethin' new that'll help me in the long run. Your femininity speaks volumes and I'm listening. So is everyone else you're around. You turn heads everywhere you go and it's not just because of your career. You do a lot of stuff that I like that you don't even notice you do. You know? Little things." He explained to me.

"I don't know. Like what?" I asked him curiously.

"I'm going to need a pen and paper for this," Donald replied.

"Oh, continue."

"I like how you told me you didn't want to be in anything serious because you had problems that needed to be dealt with and didn't want to project those problems in your relationship. I'm glad you did because I became broken and nobody could tell me shit. Different circumstances of course." He made sure to add.

I did tell Donald about all of what happened as a child but of course, I never went into detail like many people want me to do. He understood that and I like that he isn't pushing it. When I told Yasir, I swear it was like he wanted me to relive it. I was reliving it at the time over and over again whether I was asleep or awake. It's just that saying what happened word for word will make me even more vulnerable. I don't like feeling vulnerable especially when talking about sensitive topics such as what I went through as a child.

"I'm glad you did tell me then because it most definitely would've ended horribly. Worse than it did. I love when you smile and your eyes do the same. Must be contagious because it makes me smile too. Even over the phone, I can hear you smiling and I do the same." He told me which made me smile and he smiled right afterward. "See what I mean?"

"I do." I nodded.

"I think I fell- No, I'm falling in love with my best friend. I corrected myself because it's a neverending cycle that hasn't stopped. My feelings just keep growing and growing. You know what I mean?" He asked me.

"I definitely know what you mean because I'm falling for you too. You're so sweet. Others may think you're this tough dude 24/7 but you simply aren't."

"Hol' on a minute. I'm not no damn punk, you know I would kick somebody ass if they-"

"Donald, you KNOW that isn't what I mean. I'm not saying you're some kind of a punk either. What I'm saying is you aren't what people think you are. You're so sweet and would do anything for anyone if it doesn't harm you. You allow yourself to become vulnerable towards me and that's sexy. You actually listen to me and give feedback to let me know you're listening. You don't try to pry things out of me all the time like people usually do. I can tell you're listening because the face you make."

I started picking at my shorts. "You're proof of chivalry not being dead. You're a gentleman. You've become an honest man who takes accountability for your own actions, we've talked about that before. You've always been confident and that's sexy as fuck and I love it. I love how your eyebrows slightly furrow when you're agitated." I looked up at him and saw he was cheesing, showing his bottomed row of teeth as well.

Donald does this thing when he smiles and tries to hide his bottom row teeth because he's a bit self-conscious about it but sometimes it shows anyways. It's cute.


"You're smile and your smirks. Your morning voice and you're sleepy voice. I love your hugs when you pick me up and squeeze me. I sometimes complain but I secretly love it. It's not a secret anymore though. You're straight up and that's the reason you don't speak much if at all during interviews. I took notice of that."

He nodded his head and chimed in. "EXACTLY, Dalvin is the one who's good at dodging the topic of discussion."

"Right. You're good at it too sometimes but like you said that's all Dalvin. Back to you. You can dress and that's why when you're here sometimes I have you rate my outfits." I chuckled. "You're not just handsome you're a beautiful man. I can't say that about too many men. Your eye contact is A1 and oh my goodness I LOVE that. I feel like I can tell you things that I wouldn't dare tell my family. About that..." We looked each other in the eyes as I spoke but now I'm squinting.

"I have to tell you something." I sat up and turned to him. "Something serious but I don't want you to think of me any different but it's important that I do tell you this. After I tell you this it might just make you change your mind but you need to know."

He stared at me in anticipation. "What?" His voice showed concern.

"I told you about my childhood but the outcome of all of that happening is me developing Borderline Personality Disorder. It's a mental disorder. No, I'm not crazy however, it's a chemical imbalance. I've had relapses on symptoms but you can fully heal from this. My symptoms are on and off but I only have one out of all nine main symptoms. Only medication and therapy can help people with BPD heal. Therapy is my healing space and meditation." I told him all in one breath just feeling relieved to have told him. "I was going to tell you on the cruise last year but I shied be away from it."

"I don't know much about BPD not have I knowing met anyone with it, but I'm around you a lot and you seem to be fine. The only thing I noticed was when you're really pissed off and someone challenges you, you lose control. Examples are when you blew smoke in your face and you slapped the fuck outta me. The next and final one is the whole Megan situation. Both times you were provoked." He explained. "So, no I don't look at you any different than I do. You don't have to worry about that like you are. Can you explain it to me so I have a better understanding of the condition?"

I explained what BPD actually is to Donald and he asked me questions that I gladly answered. I'm so glad that he understands but he usually does so I don't know why I was so hesitant to tell him. He's actually interested in finding out what it is that I have. I mean, I know why I was hesitant but I shouldn't have been.

"Is there ANYTHING else you need to tell me?" Donald questioned.

"No." I shook my head at him as I laid across his lap with pillows supporting my back and my head on the armrest. "You?"

"Nope." He replied, popping the p. "It low-key feels like we've been dating for a while now." He told me. massaging my scalp that by the way feels good. My eyes closed at the feeling.

"It does but the dating part is a very important step," I replied, opening my eyes for a few seconds then closing them again.

"It is and I don't want to mess this up or do this wrong." He nodded, massaging my scalp that by the way feels good. My eyes closed because I'm enjoying the feeling.

I looked him in his eyes. "Me either." Then I closed my eyes enjoying the feeling. "Hmmm." I moaned in satisfaction.

"Feels good?" He questioned.

"Mmmmhm." I let out with my eyes still shut. He continued then I remembered something. "Oh!"

"Damn, I knew I was doing a good job but calm down." He chuckled.

"It's not that. I DO have something else important to me that you should know."

"Go, ahead Tia." He mumbled lowly still massaging my scalp.

I opened my eyes. "I'm a virgin," I told him.

He paused his actions and looked at me. "Oh..." He replied not knowing how else to react.

"Why am I telling you this now? Because I'm planning on staying that way until marriage."

"A virgin... So, you never had sex?" He questioned.

"Uhhh, THAT'S the definition of a virgin Donald..." I looked up at him.

"Oh, wow." Donald's eyes shifted up to where he is no longer looking down at me but he's looking straight ahead. "I haven't dated a virgin since I was young and I'm not sure if they were being truthful. Are you for real?"

"YES!" I laughed. "I wouldn't joke about something like that. I'm a virgin."

"Damn, that caught me by surprise. I thought for sure you and Karate Chop- you know?"

"No, we've never had sex." I shook my head. "There are alternatives but sex is something we've never done together. I haven't done with anyone."

"But Tia, you're twenty-six. I never heard of a twenty-six year old virgin in the industry. Most girls I know lost their's in the back of a car, church, house, or the park."

"It's impossible to compare ME to those girls you know or knew. Do you not believe me?" I blinked rapidly.

"No, it's not that it's just that you wanna wait until marriage to have sex. How do you have that much strength to hold onto it for so long?" He asked me.

"Just by saying no." I put it simply. "Saying no and closing my legs."

"But don't you ever get horny?" He asked.

"Donald, you're being an idiot right now..." I chuckled.

"No, that's not what I mean. I know you get urges. I DID find that vibrator in your things." He reminded me. "So I'm sure you get urges just like I did when I was a virgin many MANY moons ago." He emphasized.

"You butt!" I tapped his arm and he laughed.

"Alright, I'm sorry. It just caught me off guard. That's all." He held his hands up in defense. "I'm shocked. I mean, I ain't think you was a ho but I ain't think you was a virgin either. Look at you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I frowned.

He sighed loudly, gripping his nose with his fingertips. "Forgive me. I'm just trying to process this. I'm so sorry. I mean, you're attractive and it's a surprise that no man has tried."

"Donald, PLENTY of men have tried, but I'm not that type of woman. I'm not trying to degrade those women who don't do what I do. That's just not me. I simply tell that that I'm not interested. All kinds of men approached me. Broke, wealthy, disabled, married and so forth but I have the power to say no and they just gotta respect that." I shrugged. "Do you just say yes to anybody?" I questioned.

"No, but I was wilding back then. I was the ho, sleeping with different women. Broke, married, committed, wealthy... Not anymore though. Just a 'Once Upon a Time' story. So, you told me this now to basically ask me if I could wait with you?" He questioned.

"Uhhh, duhhhh!" I laughed. "Will you be willing to or no? If you can't, tell me now so-"

"I can wait. You're really important to me and I'm not going to let the urge of sex overpower the way I feel about you. I think I can handle myself." He nodded.

"Thank you." I hugged him tightly.

He wrapped his long arms around me. After a little while, we pulled away from each other. "Ahem." He cleared his throat. "So there are alternatives, right?"

I went back to my previous position, laying across him. "There are," I nodded with a chuckle.

He started massaging my scalp again. "Okay." He cleared his throat.

"Do you need some water?" I looked up at him.

"No." He laughed.

"Ahhh, okay. Because that throat soundin' mighty dry." I laughed.

"Is that all this time?"

"Yes, sir. If I do remember anything else, I'll be sure to let you know." I reassured him.

April 21, 1998

~Tupac's P.O.V~

"Suge, I need to talk to you," I said as we sat around the table outside of Death Row Records.

We're all just smoking and shit. Another one of the Death Row members just released an album and we're celebrating.

"Is it serious or what?" Suge asked me, puffing on his cigar.

"It's serious," I told him then inhaled my blunt.

Suge got up and I followed him inside, to his office. Me and Suge are tight as fuck. He's had my back for a while now. My old label didn't want me back and Suge came with open arms. We both did a lot of fucked up shit to people and had his goons who're also cool people do shit to our enemies and friends of the enemies. It's easy to hide shit like that when you got a bunch of people backing you up.

I decided that I don't want to stop music completely but I want to pause it for a long ass time to just focus on my acting for time being. I'm being demolished in the media and I think I just need to put it on pause so people can forget about it. It'll definitely improve my whole image. Suge sat in his chair.

"Wassup?" He spoke to me.

"I wanna pause on this music shit," I told him straight up. "I wanna focus on acting right now. My name got a lot of bad shit attached to it right now. I think it's good to pause for a while so it can calm down. After a while, people will forget about it and just maybe I'll go back to it."

"If that shit is a maybe then it ain't a pause. You sure you wanna do that shit nigga? You got a bunch of kids looking up to you and shit."

I plopped down on the chair." I'm nobody kids role model on purpose. I changed and grew up and am no longer the type of role model they should be looking up to right now. Now we got kids screaming west side this and east side that. A bunch of bullshit that ain't have shit to do with them. That's another reason why I wanna pause this shit. I wanna be a better representation to the kids since they gon' look up to me anyways. This gangsta shit for the young kids is just for the birds." I explained to him.

"I feel you but that's who the fuck you are. You been this way since I met you." He told me.

"I have." I nodded. "That doesn't mean that's what I gotta be in public. I'm a role model whether I like or not. I'm just letting you know since I'm under you and we boys."

"You can do whatever the fuck you want but remember that you still under contract. You still owe me money, Pac."

"Owe you?" I said in shock. "I been paying you all this time. I been comin' out with hits back to back to back and albums." I told him.

"Yeah, but you ain't been touring. Touring is when you make the most money and we both know that shit. You only get a small percentage of what you do. The rest of that shit goes to everybody who pitched in. Pac, you my boy but you gotta tour for this album you just came out with not long ago. You disappeared on everybody without a word and still ain't let nobody where you went. I thought you were dead. I had to ask your mama where yo ass was at and she ain't even know. She knew you was good though."

"I know and that's my bad." I put my fingertips against my chest. "I needed some time to myself because I had a lot of shit going on that was affecting those around me," I explained.

"Pac, you know I don't play about my money. You go on this world tour that we been planning and you can do whatever the fuck you want to do as long g as you pay me. You have to continue sometime because the contract says a certain amount of albums you gotta finish. Any friend can turn into my enemy if there is money involved that you don't pay me." He pointed at me.

I sighed because I certainly need the money. I'm going to make my money regardless of what anybody says. That's just me. I'm a workaholic. "I'll do the tour."

"I know. Nigga, that wasn't an option, Pac. Business is business and while you was gone, I got some places booked for you. They ain't close because I ain't know when you was coming back." He told me.

I "Alright, so you cool with that?"

"You still gon' pay me?"

"No doubt," I told him. "How much I owe you?"

Suge chuckled. "Oh, say about... 9.4 million. Give or take."

"Nine million!? How?" I said in disbelief. "That shit is more than what my bail was."

"Interest. You know how I do. You have to fulfill the bail money contract AND the label contract. I don't even know why you so surprised."

"Nigga, surprised ain't the word!" I jumped up out of my seat.

"Nigga, sit yo ass down!" He told me. "You put yourself in this predicament. You signed your name on the dotted lines and everything. I'm giving you leeway because we cool so don't jump up at me nigga. You know I can't stand that shit." Suge said now standing in front of his chair but still behind his desk.

"How the fuck do I owe you all that money Suge?" I asked him with my temper quickly rising.

"Pac, I don't think you completely read over the contracts you signed. You can't get mad at me at some shit you ain't do."

"So what you telling me is I'm stuck in a bad contract?" I squinted.

"Call it whatever you want, you know how I do. I gave you the contract and it was your job to go over it. I personally wouldn't call it a bad deal. This shit is better than spending all that time in prison, right?" Suge sat back in his chair with a smug expression.

I will rather be out here than out there but damn. How a nigga that's supposed to be my honey, take advantage of my situation? I only get a small percentage of my work and from MY earned small percentage, I have to pay him back his money. Suge already owns a good amount percentage as a whole since I'm under his label.

I sighed out loud because I got fucked over and I need to go over those contracts I signed again. I trusted Suge and this happens. He is giving me some leeway but he also fucked me over. I hate to say it but Snoop and Dre were right and I understand why they left. Them niggas was also phony as fuck but they knew what they were doing when it came to this contract. This is fucked up!

"I'm doing the tour," I told him even though I have no choice.

I'm one of the highest-ranking rappers right now, if not the highest and I'm flat broke. This shit is like another TLC situation. They were one of the highest-ranking female groups and they were broke. I work my ass off and I'm in the studio a lot. When I'm in the studio I accomplish what some people can't accomplish in a month in a day.

"Don't disappear on me again, nigga." That is the last thing I heard Suge say before I left his office and building as a whole.

When I left his office, I went straight home to search for these contracts I sighed to see what's up.

Author's Note: They ARE going to try this thing out! They cute or whatever... Pac on the other hand is going through it. Suge is a businessman though. One who will get what he wanted by any means necessary.

Word Count: 5,175

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