Please excuse ANY errors.

December 29, 1998

~Tia's P.O.V~

Grabbing my towel, I dried my hair off and turned off the kitchen sink. Today, I woke up early because I needed a good wash and condition. They didn't have the products I usually use, so I just used Donald's products instead. After wiping my eyes of some of the dripping water, I was able to see a little I saw six pairs of feet and I was about to scream because it may be my only chance. Call me paranoid, but...

"Babe?" Donald called out to me, standing in front of me.

I quickly wiped my eyes and forehead of all the dripping water, "who's here?" I asked him, removing my towel, and looking up at him.

"Guess?" He raised his eyebrows with a coy smile. "I would move out of the way, but I had no idea that-," he lowered his voice, "this was a wet T-shirt contest."

"Boy, move out of the way so I can hug my girl!" Elijah's voice rang throughout the room as he attempted to squeeze between us to hug me, but Donald quickly moved back, clearly irritated with Elijah.

"Nigga, don't try to squeeze between us like that," Donald spoke up.

"Yeah, don't do that," I spoke to Elijah. "But oh, my goodness!" I squeezed him tight. Donald moved out of the way and I saw Courtney! "Court!" I pulled away from Elijah, holding his hand with one of mine and covering my breasts with the other, and rushed over to her. I squeezed her tight, pulling Elijah into the hug, turning it into a group hug. "Oh, my goodness. I miss y'all!"

"I mean, how could you not?" Courtney leaned back. "I miss you too, sweets."

We pulled away. "Right, how come you ain't at least CALL us a little more on your trip if you missed us?" Elijah asked me with his hand on his hip.

"Phones work two ways," Donald and I replied to Elijah at the same time.

"THAT and a lot has happened. I needed some space and time," I told my friends, truthfully.

"You know this girl doesn't like talkin' on the phone like that," Courtney added.

"We got A LOT to catch up on!" Elijah squealed.

"Yes, fill me in, AFTER I put some clothes on," I replied to Elijah, covering my breasts by folding my arms over them. My arms don't cover them fully, but the most important part of them.

As I was walking out, K-Ci called out to me, making me turn my head only, still covering my breasts.

"Hey, Tia? You know, I thought I saw your ass in the grocery store the other day. TWO big watermelons with Hokuto apple on top." K-Ci said laughing.

"How did you make it in from the car? Did Donald or Joel help you climb the curb?" I asked him and he just laughed. "I actually thought you arrived in the gift box on Christmas."

"Somethin' like that," he cheesed at me, "and I heard that's what actually happened."

"Y'all two got this Martin and Pam thing goin' on," Joel said laughing.

I looked at Max. "Maxi pad, hello!"

"What you just call him?" Joel asked laughing.

"Gappy!" Max said matching my energy.

"Well, damn!" Joel said laughing.

"Can I get a hug or at LEAST some enthusiasm?" K-Ci asked me.

"Nigga, NO!" Donald told him, raising his voice. "I let the joke slide, but don't get fucked up," he pointed his thumb at K-Ci with his thumb still sticking out. "I don't play with shit such as this," he told him in all seriousness.

"Now, K-Ci?" Joel gave his brother a look.

"I'm happy y'all are here and y'all cool, but y'all are HIS friends," I gestured towards Donald. "Rejoice with Donald. I'll be back. I need to get dressed and blow dry my hair," I briefly spoke to them before turning to Donald. "Thanks, babe." I stood on my tippy toes to peck his lips, but he lifted me up by the waist.

"It's only right." Donald chuckled after pecking my lips and walking me to the bedroom. "I'm happy to see you're happy." He then placed me back down on my feet in the doorway of the bedroom.

I went into the bedroom, stripped out of my wet and oversized shirt, and put on a bra and an oversized shirt. It looks like a dress on me, but I left my dry biker shorts on. When I came back out, everyone is in the living room.

Now, what I said to K-Ci and Joel wasn't said to be rude because they ARE Donald's friends, but are JUST my associates. If anything were to happen between the two of us, they'll take Donald's side and comfort him. We have to know our places in people's lives and stop considering everyone a friend. I don't blame them because the same thing goes for my friends. I still like the two brothers though.

"You've invited everyone, what's going on?" I asked Donald once I entered the living room where everyone is now conversing. "What's the special occasion?"

Donald stared for a bit, then broke eye contact with, me and Elijah spoke up. "He thought it'd be good that we celebrate New Year together. Who wouldn't want to celebrate New Year in Paris, girl?" Elijah threw his hand out as he spoke.

"I need both of your help," I told Courtney and Elijah.

Courtney immediately stood up, walking to me. "For what?" She asked me as Elijah followed behind her.

"Drying my hair," I replied. "My arms are going to get tired QUICK."

"Ooh, girl..." Elijah winced. "I forgot about that big ass mane on your head. I WISH I had the amount of hair y'all got. You and Courtney got that thick ass hair." He told us. "You don't even let nobody really touch your hair, what do you need us for?"

I walked into the bathroom with them behind me. "Thanks," I said without answering his questions. "I'm SO excited to see y'all!" I told them grabbing the blow dryer and my detangler.

I didn't bring my own blow dryer, so I'm using the one that's already in the hotel room.

"What are you planning to do with your hair?" Courtney questioned.

"Donald has someone coming here to do my hair soon is what I was told." I silently laughed at what else he said at the time too.

"When did you take your hair out of those braids?" Elijah asked me, twiddling with my hair.

"They were getting a little raggedy, so I took them out some days before Christmas," I plugged into the blow dryer. "The braid out lasted for like a day, then I just wore it in the famous puffs as always."

"You don't EVER leave your hair up that long. I'm surprised it lasted that long," Elijah laughed.

"Honestly," Courtney agreed, detangling my hair.

"So what been goin' on?" Elijah asked me.

Looking at him through the mirror, I shook my head. "Yasir showed up..." I trailed off, "And my dumb ass allowed him and his new fling to stay. Things went downhill from there. What a fricking show," I shook my head in the disappointment of myself.

"Why?" Courtney and Elijah said in sync.

"I think I know the answer, but why?" Elij added.

I inhaled and exhaled deeply before speaking, "My m-" I shook my head. "Enough about me. How was y'all's holiday?"

"Good!" Courtney answered quickly. "The food was so damn good. JUST good, but could've been better if certain people didn't cook, but whatever. A little drama happened, but we had fun like always," she shrugged.

"Well, I went to Max's house, so it was fun. Some of his family a little funny actin' towards me and some to him too, but most people family do that anyways," he laughed. "He got some good-lookin' family too. I KNOW who he got his looks from. Don't get me wrong because there were some tree monsters in his family. Some ugly motherfuckers." She laughed harder. "It was alright though. Better than spending Christmas with my dad and his wife," he rolled his eyes.

"When did y'all get here?" I asked them both.

"This mornin'," Courtney grabbed the blow dryer.

"EARLY this mornin'. K-Ci was annoying as hell too. I NEVER knew he was THAT damn bad," he rolled his eyes. "That nigga can work some nerves."

"What'd he do?" I asked him.

"He just loud for no fuckin' reason."

Courtney and I looked at each other knowingly. "Y'all are similar in a way."

"I'm loud and extra, but that little toothpick mothafucka just irritates me and says some stupid ass shit. A big mouth ass nigga is unattractive to not just me, but many people agree."

"It is unattractive, but there are some who like that mess. I was never that person though," I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Same, I don't like no loud ass nigga. The mystery in a man is what's attractive to me, not the loud men." Courtney began blow-drying my hair. "Not fully mysterious because then mothafuckas are dangerous as they come. A little mysterious."

"Yeah, but I'm not around him much, so he's alright," I told them. "I can take it. You know how he is because you were on that little cruise we did some years back."

"Yeah, but THIS reminded me real quick," Elijah spoke over the sound of the blow dryer.

"Like... What kind of hairstyle are you gettin'?" Courtney asked me.

"I want to do faux locs. However, I don't want to be sitting in a chair all day, but y'all here to keep me company." I smiled at them. "I may just get braids."

"You start actin' like a kid after sittin' down too damn long," Elijah laughed over the blow dryer. "Twistin' and turnin'."

"I be having to tell them that I need a break."

"How you need a break when you the one restin'?" Courtney said turning off the blow dryer.

"One word, ADHD." Elijah pointed at me.

"That's four words, an abbreviation, and no," I told him. "My neck starts to hurt and my back already hurts on the daily.  It definitely starts to hurt then."

"Thank you," Courtney laughed.

Elijah rolled his eyes playfully, "ANYWAYS... Good news! So I think I'm pregnant."

Courtney and I snapped our necks at him. "Something's wrong with this man. He KEEPS sayin' it too. Elijah has been sayin' that all damn day." Courtney spoke to me.

"No, but if I was a bitch, I would definitely be pregnant by now," he poked his lips out.

"A dog?" Courtney asked him. "So if you were a dog you would be pregnant because y'all been goin' at it like dogs?"

"No, a bit- a woman! God," he said dramatically.

"Oh, then say that!" Courtney told him.

"I expect Tia to say somethin' like that not you, Court. A dog?" Elijah shook his head, "anywho, I don't know what it is about the holidays, but for some reason, that gets people going like rabbits," he told us.

"Maybe because you have more time off and away from everything," I told him. "You know you have time for it then."

"And you know from experience?" He asked me.

"Nope, just a hunch, darling," I replied with risen eyebrows.

"Y'all tell me why they keep askin' me when I'm gon' have some kids?" Courtney put her hand on her hips. "My family, I mean. Talkin' about my damn biological clock."

"Tick, tick, tick," Elijah joked. "Fuck them and their opinions."

"Right, screw them. You're only in your twenties. Most men our age don't know what the hell they want. Most of us ourselves don't know exactly what we want. We're figuring things out. You have a whole lot of time for everything you desire," I explained to her.

"They don't even know if you want kids," Elijah added. "Then if the man doesn't stick around, they ass ain't gon' help you."

"The black community wants and expects the women to raise kids on their own. It used to be when you gon' get married or get a man," I said detangling my hair. "Now it's straight to kids."

"No, that's some true shit," Elijah agreed. "Look what your mama said to you as a kid," Elijah looked at me.

"If I have kids, I want it to be with someone I KNOW who'll be there to co-parent if things don't work out," Courtney looked at me as she spoke.

"You never know though. Take my sperm donor for example. He talked about how he was going to be there for his kids whenever he had any because his dad wasn't around. JUST to turn around and follow in his dad's footsteps. Let me add that Yasir was both of my parent's first child. With me she knew, but wanted us to have the same father due to her trauma," I shook my head. "But you live and you learn.

"And that's what I want to prevent. It's hard to tell these days, but when someone tells you they want kids, listen," Courtney told us.

"Amen! You see all the black women bein' killed by these men who look like them after they knock them up or give them multiple kids after they either wanted them or trapped her?" He shook his head. "Shoo, some of them lied like your sperm donor and still killed the woman and/ or their kids."

My biological dad was in jail and never went to prison for killing his girlfriend. It was said to be an accident, but he tried to cover up everything and hid it. I don't believe the accident part a bit now that I'm an adult. The story is crazy. It was my grandmother's gun he stole from her safe, then took it to the woman's house where everything occurred. He never made it to prison though because of other reasons. He wasn't even in jail for a year before he was released. The only difference is that he and the lady had no children together. I think Yasir and my biological dad are similar. They pretend as if they're innocent,  but aren't at all.

"It's honestly sad," I shook my head in disappointment.

"Do you want kids?" Elijah asked Courtney.

"I don't even know. I'm undecided," she shrugged.

"Would you ever mind bein' a surrogate?" He asked her.

"Oooh, I don't know. Not to someone I'm close with. I don't want to have to look at a child that I carried and not hear them call me mommy, but call someone else that." Courtney explained to Elijah.

"Even for me?" He asked her. "Chile, I'm gon' be there for my kids. It could be like a- co-parenting situation, except we're friends."

Courtney gave him a look. "Oooh, that's a decision that I can't make right now. Didn't see that comin', that's for sure," she chuckled nervously.

"Would you?" Elijah asked me.

"No, I love kids and I want to be able to take care of them and for them to call me mother and do all of the motherly things," I told him, shaking my head, still blow-drying my hair.

"Even if that's allowed?" Elijah questioned. "I wouldn't take the title away from you or anything."

"Yeah, the same thing goes. Because I'll also have to worry about who the other person is dating and their family. There are some sick people out there." I shook my head from side to side.

"I mean for me, not just in general." He raised his eyebrows.

"You're my friend, but the same thing applies to anyone," I answered.

"Okay, I understand," he nodded.

"However, I would prefer that than just being left by my significant other to raise our child alone," I told him.

"I do want kids and that's for sure. I'm just not willin' to slide up in some coochie." He turned his nose up, shuddering in disgust.

"So you want to eat some one day, but not slide up in one?" I asked him. "That's backward being that the mention of the vagina makes you shudder in disgust."

Elijah's face went from neutral to a look of disgust.

"I forgot you said that," Courtney said laughing hard.

"Don't come at me sideways. I just said I wanted to try that one day, damn," he guffawed. "I don't have to like coochie to eat it."

"I mean, the men who do choose to eat-" I paused, "kitty-"

"Girl... It's coochie, pussy..." Eej fluttered his eyelashes. "You act like you talkin' about some oriental takeout food."

"Okay... But they do it for their enjoyment and the woman's. Most do..." I trailed off. "Or one or the other- maybe both won't enjoy it."

"Why do you want to try such a thing if you're not attracted to women?" Courtney asked him. "If you don't like it, then you probably won't do it right or enjoy it and she ain't gon' enjoy it either."

"Because I DO. Is that a good enough answer for you- y'all?" He looked between us two, pointing.

"Mm, I don't really care," I shrugged my shoulders. "Chile, that's YOUR sex life. I don't care why. That wasn't my question. I just said that it's backward. I've never heard of it. That's all."

"Well, now you have," he bopped his head from left to right. "It's a new era. And so-called straight men do that shit all the time. Not so much about the eatin' part, but the not likin' women. They sleep with hella women because that's what they think it's what makes them a man."

"BINGO!" I shouted, "That's some true stuff. That has been taught for years. It's always how many girlfriends you got. And that's to a little boy, but let a little girl have a lot of little boyfriends, she automatically fast when she isn't even thinking about that." I told them.

"Double standards," Courtney replied.

Our conversation went silent.

"I'm movin' out," Elijah said out of the blue.

"Oh my goodness, where?" I asked him, excited for him.

He inhaled slowly, "I'm still gon' be in Georgia, but I need my own place now. I can afford it and don't get me wrong, I loved being your roommate, but it's time to get the hell out there on my own full-time," Elijah told me.

"Oh, no! I'm happy for you. Go ahead and do what you need to do. We're touching thirty and we're all at different places now," I cheesed.

"Before you go ANY further, NAN one of us touching thirty. Don't speed up our aging process. We're 26 and that's just our mid-twenties, not touching thirty," Elijah corrected me.

I nodded, "did you find a house?"

"Yes, I'm renting because I'm not too sure I want to stay in Georgia for the rest of my life," he told me.

"When are you moving out?" I asked him.

"Sometime next month."

"Okay! I see you. Moving on up like the Jeffersons!" I laughed. "I'm planning on leaving too," I revealed to him.

"You just was gon' leave me?" He gasped, "I can't believe you would do that to your best friend. How?" He joked.

I own my house, so even if I did just up and leave, he'd still be good. He'd have to pay bills full-time and some rent but yeah.

"You stayin' in Georgia too?" He asked me.

"No..." I trailed off. "It's so hot in here from this dang blow dryer." I opened the bathroom door. "And y'all stank breath," I joked.

"Whatever, my breath is cool minty fresh," Courtney rolled her eyes at me, then laughed.

Elijah blew his breath into his hand on the sly. "I see you trying to see if it's true," I told him cracking the heck up.

He looked at me, smiling, then responded, "I was tryin' to make sure."

"Why are you leaving?" Courtney asked me.

"Because I need to. Georgia isn't really for me and I NEVER saw me staying there the rest of my life. I want to move around. I don't even see myself staying in the US," I told them. "Plus, I don't want to be near my family. Love them, but no."

"Oooh, that last part, I CAN agree with you 100%," Elijah nodded his head rapidly. "They some shady people. Although, it seems like you're running away."

"Came to blame them one hundred percent because I feed into it. I'm working on that though," I replied, disregarding the last part of his statement. "You can say that I'm running away in a way, but not really. They're exhausting and so many other things."

"Where are you leavin' to though? Not too far, right?" Courtney asked me.

"It's uh..." I said hesitantly. "It's pretty far and I'm going to the west coast to try something new. I've been dwelling on that for a while now and came to the conclusion months ago."

"Aww, I'm going to miss you, sweets." Courtney pouted hugging me from behind with her arms right under my armpit.

I turned around, hugging back. "It won't be until the middle of next year. We have time, sweets."

"I know, but you're always working." She said as we rocked side to side in a tight hug. "And you don't like to be on the phone too often."

"Honey, you gon' be A-okay," Elijah told her.

"I promise I will call you both and visit sometimes," I pulled away with a slight pout. "To reassure you, I'll remind you that I have business in Georgia."

"Why the middle of the year?" Courtney asked me. "And is DeVanté going?"

"Yeah, he's coming. He actually wants to move over there and see what it's about as well," I replied, dropping my hands from her shoulders.

"You know I'm gon' miss you, girl." Elijah pulled me close.

"I will miss your extra personality as well," I hugged him. "Your energy is unmatched for sure. And for the last time, I'm not leaving for a little while," I laughed.

"But why the expensive ass west coast?"

"I've always said that I wanted to travel and that includes living in some of those places," I explained to him.

"You don't even like the food there," Elijah added.

"You must've forgotten that I cook most of my food?" I side-eyed him as I spoke.

"When you do want to eat out and don't have time to cook?" He raised his eyebrows.

"It's going to be hard, but I'm sure I'll find someplace that I like or tolerate," I shrugged.

"That's gon' be hard with your hard-to-please ass," he laughed, "but okay."

"Ehh," I laughed, "then so be it. I don't like a lot of the food here, but I come here a lot."

"Well, we're finally done with my hair." I unplugged the blow dryer.

"Yeah, FINALLY," Elijah exhaled like he did nothing. "That was a lot of work."

Courtney and I busted out into laughter. "You ain't did shit but play with her hair," Courtney told him.

"Seein' y'all work, overwhelmed my ass. Mm," Elijah pursed his lips with his arms crossed.

"Eej, you're a mess." I laughed. "I'll grease my scalp later. My arms are too tired and need to rest."

Elijah and Courtney left the bathroom while I stayed in there cleaning up the excess hair everywhere. Afterward, I went into the living room with everyone else- minus Donald and plopped down on the couch.

"Woah..." JoJo trailed off. "Y'all felt that earthquake? It only happened when Tia sat down." I started cracking up.

"Nigga, I know your fat ass ain't talkin'?" K-Ci looked over at his brother. "Every time he walks, the Sanford & Son theme song plays."

"That's fucked up!" Elijah said laughing hard.

"And your ass right behind him, vogueing." K-Ci shot at Elijah.

"Because I'm gay, right?" Elijah asked him.

"What e-"

Donald came into the room speaking, interrupting whatever K-Ci was about to say, "Y'all ready?" He sat the bag of clothes down on the floor. I'm guessing he's going to wash clothes too.

"Yeah," JoJo stood up. "I'm just messing around. You do got a fat ass head though," JoJo told me.

"Tia head fat?" Donald looked at him. "I know your oversized meatball head ass ain't talkin' shit."

"Right, and I'm ready to go," K-Ci hopped up.

"He hopped up like a crackhead and like DeVanté mentioned crack. Eager as shit." Elijah pretended like he was lighting a pipe, inhaling deeply, then started coughing.

"Elijah quit it." Donald shook his head at him with furrowed eyebrows. "Babe, we are about to go to the house. We probably gon' be there for a while too. The hair lady should be here in a little bit. Jax stayin' in his hotel just in case you need to go somewhere." He shoved the keys into his coat pocket.

"Okay," I nodded in response looking up at him.

Donald's head jerked back, "that's it?"

"Have fun," I added.

"You too," Donald glanced at me, then began walking to the door. "We can go."

K-Ci and Jojo walked out of the door, but Donald turned around once he got to the door, looking down at me.

"Why you actin' brand spankin' new?" Donald asked me, leaning against the door frame. "Is it because we have company?"

"What? How?" I smiled. "Can I have a kiss?"

"Man, come on!" K-Ci yelled from down the hall at Donald, flailing his arms around. "Tell me to come on an not even ready-" he went on and on.

"Nigga, if you don't shut up talkin' to me..." Donald trailed off. "Damn."

"I mean, we up and out the fuckin' door, you could've told us you was ready after y'all asses was done doin' all that mushy ass shit," K-Ci replied. "Y'all seem clingy as fuck."

"He gon' be back, lady!" JoJo shouted so I'd be able to hear him.

Donald smacked his lips at their words. I landed a deep kiss on his lips. "Alright. I love you. Have fun, bye!" I went back inside and closed the door.

"Y'ALL are clingy," Courtney said laughing. "Who does that?"

"Girl, let those kids be. You know kids are playful," Elijah smiled at me. "I don't think it's clingy. It's just a friendship, turned new love. Me and my man damn near the same way."

"When one moves, the other does the same. Siamese twins," Courtney teased.

"Dang near," I chuckled, "psych nah! We definitely have our space because your girl doesn't like being underneath someone 24/7."

Author's Note: This chapter is a little slow, but I was getting back into the groove of things. Not every chapter is drama filled.

Word Count: 4,560

Please don't forget to like the chapter and the ones to come if you enjoy this book. Also, feel free to leave a comment.

❤️Thanks for the support that you've been giving me. I'm very appreciative.❤️