Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.

February 16, 1992

~Tia's P.O.V~

"Wake yo ass up." I heard a low and deep voice say, then chuckle in my ear. I opened my eyes, DeVanté's face was only an inch from my own, his eyes were staring intensely into mines. He moved his head back, I lifted my head, looked at the clock, and noticed I had only been asleep about forty-five minutes. It was now 7:27 a.m.

"DeVanté, do you know how early it is?" I asked in a sleepy voice, lifting my head even more.

"Yeah... And?" He he shrugged nonchalantly.

"What you mean, and? I got back a little over an hour ago, and just went to sleep not too long ago."

"Again, AND?" He laughed out, "Happy birthday. Here." DeVanté said holding up and blue polka dotted gift bag and sat it beside me.

I turned around and sat up on my butt. "You got me something?" I asked, though it was more of a rhetorical question. "You didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I did," he replied.

I shook the box, "What is it?"

"Op-open it up a-and see." He stuttered, clearing his throat, moving his eyes elsewhere, then back on me.

"Are you good?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"I-I-I'm gre-great." He cleared his throat again, closed his eyes tightly, shaking his head, then opened them back up.

"Are you sure? You're acting weird." I laughed out, looking at him oddly.

"Mmhm," he cleared his throat again. He turned his head, looking away from me, then turned it back around. "Just open up the damned box." He forced out in a demanding yet playful tone.

"Okay, I will. Goodness gracious." I sat up more, moving the pillow up and putting my back against the headboard.

I reached into the bag and pulled out some perfume, lotion from Bath&Body Works. The scent was A Thousand Wishes. I LOVE THIS SCENT! I reached my hand in the bag again, and pulled out a jewelry box. I opened that and it was a Amethyst crystal necklace. My BIRTHSTONE.

"Now, I know it ain't much, but in my defence you told me last minute." He chuckled.

"No! I really really love it! It's an Amethyst crystal, and my birthstone! That's so thoughtful of you. Thank you so much!" I cheesed and pulled him in for a hug.

"Y-you're welco-come." He said hugging me, then quickly pulled away. "There's one more thing." He said standing up. He reached down on the floor at the foot of the bed and pulled up a bouquet of chocolate covered fruit, in the shape of flowers.

"Happy 20th birthday." He handed it to me. "I know you be talking about staying fit and everything but these are fruit, just with chocolate on it." He explained.

"It's the best of both worlds, ye know? Thank you," I stood up, walked to him, hugged him again, but tightly. He hugged back with his hands rubbing on the sides of my waist. Then he pulled back as quickly as we pulled in.

"What's wrong? Do I offend?" I pulled away as well, looking up at him. I sniffed myself, and I smelt good.

"Y-no, NO, no you don't. It's just..." He trailed off.

"Then what's the matter? You're acting weird Donald."

"I don't want you to take this in a bad way but..." He once again trailed off.

"Gone, spit it out." I threw my hand out to the air.

"Tia?" DeVanté said slowly.

"Yeah? That's my name..." I said getting agitated that he was beating around the bush.

"I wasn't gonna say nothin' at first but you're distracting me right now." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"What do you mean, I'm distracting?" I asked offended and confused at what the hell he meant.

"I mean," he gestured towards me. I looked down at my attire, or lack thereof.

"You mean me having on panties? DeVanté, why are you tripping over this? You've seen plenty of women with underwear on." I shrugged.

"Yeah, I have. So? All those times, I was finna get in the draws. THIS is different, I KNOW can't touch you like that." He said slowly and calmly.

I looked down at his shorts, now I understood. "Okay, I got you." I sat back down and pulled the covers over my waist on down.

"Besides, it ain't just about you in you panties. I'm a man, you ain't got no bra on, and your nipples are standing at attention. Then you hugged me... TWICE! Do you not see yourself? I can't help but to feel some type 'a way! You already know how I feel about you, so that doesn't help." He explained to me.

"I look in the mirror everyday Donald. I KNOW how I look, and? But this is your house, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, or distracted. I got you on that. It's understandable." I pulled the covers up to my chest. When I looked down

"What you mean, and? I said what I said." He sat back down on the bed.

"I was asleep though..." I reasoned, ignoring his question.

"You're right. If that's the way you sleep, then hey. My bad for intruding." He exhaled.

I changed the subject. "Thank you so much for the gifts. I really appreciate them." I opened the chocolate covered fruit bouquet, and ate some pineapple.

"I had to get some ideas from my mama. Ya know a female perspective." He joked.

"I love everything." I beamed.

We were both pulling in to hug again, the blanket slipped down, "I'm glad you do like everything. Well, lemme let you get some sleep." He patted my shoulder awkwardly, then stood up.

"Thanks again," I smiled.

He turned around and replied, "You welcome, lil girl." He smirked, left out the room and closed the door behind him.

DeVanté is a really nice dude. I think I'm really starting to like him in a different way now, though it's too soon. But, like I said dozens of times, I'm not bringing my trauma into a relationship. I've dealt with most of it, but some things require professionals.

Yesterday, before I went on to film, I got my nails and toes done. I'm not too keen of getting false nails, because it messes up the natural nails, but I knew I wouldn't be doing anything for my birthday. Besides, my natural nails are long and grow pretty quick. Since today was a special occasion and I knew I wouldn't be doing anything else I did that, and got my hair done.

I got my hair done after we finished filming, and got some jumbo box braids with hair jewelry. I got back to DeVanté and Dal's house at almost five in the morning. Angela Bassett is who recommended me a stylist she knew. I refused to not be there today for filming, but Spike insisted. He said I should enjoy my birthday, and called off filming for today. So, I'm just going to be in the house the whole day.

I laid back down, closing my eyes about to go to sleep. Then my cellphone rang. CAN A GIRL GET SOME SLEEP!? I really want to cry right now. I knew it was family. My family has this thing about who's the first to tell the birthday person happy birthday. My mother called me at 11:57 at night. She spoke about different things, and when it turned midnight she yelled happy birthday.

"Hello," I said into the speaker of the phone.

"Happy birthday!" It was Tupac.

"Thank you." I said back.

"You sound tired as hell. Did I wake you up?" He asked.

"No, I just ain't get no sleep."

"Mm, well we goin' somewhere later. I need you to be ready at ten o'clock. I'll be outside by then-"

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"It's your birthday, it's a surprise. I promise you'll like it though. Scouts honor." Tupac laughed.

"Now you know yo behind wasn't in no boy scouts." I said laughing.

"Hell nah, I wasn't in that bullshit." He laughed.

"You better not be on no bull later either." I warned in a serious tone.

"I ain't! I done said yo ass gon' love it. Be ready by then. I know you, and you take ALL day." He over exaggerating.

I gasped, "I do not take all day."

"Yeahhh, whatever. Like I said be ready. Now, imma let yo ass get some sleep because it's a LOOONNNNGGG drive."

"Long? How long?"

"More than sixty minutes." He quickly said, "Go to sleep. Bye." He hung up. I looked at the phone, and scoffed. Now, I know this dude ain't just hang up on me? The hell he think he is? I HATE when dudes do that go to sleep crap. Last time I checked my daddy wasn't in my life.

I sat the phone down on the nightstand, and laid back down. I was drifting off to sleep. My phone rang again. Tears instantly fell down my face. 😭😭I'm SO fricking tired, I can't get any sleep. I hate this feeling. Like, was at work all day, then at the hair salon. Somebody always interrupting me.

"Hello!" I yelled, irritated.

"Dang Tia! Why you tripping?" My brother said laughing.

"Because everytime I try to go to sleep I get interrupted. I been at work, then hours at the salon. I'm tired." I frowned, tears streaming down my face.

"My bad, dang. I just called to say happy birthday."

"Thank you, and I'm sorry for yelling bro. You didn't know."

"You good lil sis. I understand you. I hate when people do that shit." He laughed. "Alright, I'll talk to you later I guess."

"Alright, I love you."

"Love you too." He said then the line went dead. I sat my phone back down on the nightstand, and drifted back off to sleep. My phone rang.

"GOODNESS GRACIOUS, CAN I GET A LITTLE SLEEP!?" I grabbed my phone, and took the battery out. I don't care who it was I'll talk to them later. I looked at the clock and set it to nine o'clock for later. It was now 8:13, so I don't even get an hours. I finally was able to go to sleep, WITHOUT DISTRACTION.

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

I'm glad Tia love the gifts. My mama was right, but when isn't she? My mama asked me hella question. 'Who you getting gifts? You dating another women? I hope she ain't like that other one. Is she a sista this time? You finally decided to settle down?' All those dumb ass questions.

There was a knock at the front door. I looked through the peephole and opened it. You would never guess who it is? If you guess JoJo, then you were right.

"What's up?" JoJo said walking in, I was about to close the door but then an ugly and ashy ass hand stopped it. It was K-Ci.

"Finna close da door on my ass." K-Ci grimaced, walking inside.

"Man, you need some damn lotion on them ugly ass hands." I laughed.

K-Ci bursted out laughing. "My hands? Nigga look at yours. My finger problems can be fixed with lotion, yours permanent."

"Whatever. Why the hell y'all here so goddamned early in the morn?" I said in annoyance.

"We ain't got no food, so this is the next best place." K-Ci said sitting down on the couch.

"Nigga, we not the grocery sto'. Get yo ass up like everybody else, if y'all hungry." I frowned at them both. "Y'all got money, and still act broke when it comes to y'all household, with everything else it ain't."

"Food is ALWAYS better when you ain't gotta pay for it." JoJo said coming back into the room. "Y'all ain't got shit cooked in this bitch, a nigga hungry." JoJo rubbed his potbelly.

"Nigga you got some-" I started but was cut off.

"GOODNESS GRACIOUS, CAN I GET A LITTLE SLEEP!?" I heard Tia yell out.

"Damn, shorty mad as hell!" K-Ci laughed out. "Who pissed her off?"

"She been at work, and ain't got no sleep. People keep calling her, since it's her birthday." I explained.

"Oh okay. It's her birthday?" K-Ci asked surprised.

"Yeah."

"How old is she?"

"She just turned twenty. Why?" I replied sitting down.

JoJo bursted out laughing, "You mean to tell me, K-Ci was put in his place by a nineteen year old at the time!? That shit is HILarious!" Jojo said changing his voice when saying hilarious.

"Wait, what? I'm confused... Put in your place? I feel left out, what happened?" I asked very curious to know.

JoJo sat down. "Tia came over our crib the other day, and confronted K-Ci. She asked him what was up with his attitude towards her and K-Ci replied with the same bullshit. Then she asked about y'all two being into it. She cut his ass off when she knew he was about to say more bullshit. Tia's the one who basically got him thinking straight enough to apologise to you." JoJo explained then shrugged his shoulders. "Anyways, y'all cooking or what?"

"Damned the food, when did all this happen?" I said.

"The same day I came over to 'pologise to yo ass." K-Ci said.

"Yeah, she put his ass on the spot, AND put his ass in his place. He deserved it too, even though she did it in a nice way." JoJo said.

"Well, damn. How she know where y'all live?" I asked.

"When we went to 'Pac house, and Dal took us all home. She saw me enter the crib." JoJo said. "Why you ask?"

"Y'all all hung with 'Pac?" K-Ci asked me and JoJo.

"Nahh, I didn't. I ain't even know they did. Who was all there?" I asked JoJo.

"Me, Tia, Tionne, Dal, and of course Pac." JoJo said counting on his fingers.

"What y'all do there?" K-Ci asked JoJo.

"We played some games, ate, laughed, and dogged each other." JoJo laughed, "Oh yeah, and smoked. Everybody 'cept fo' Tia. Pac said something about her and she had a comeback and dropped it down low. I ain't think she woulda did that. Me and Dalvin looked at each other surprised as hell." He laughed.

"Did she, really?" I asked, surprised myself.

"Yo eager ass! You would have loved to see that, huh?" K-Ci said laughing at me.

"She did, you can tell she got them knees too." JoJo joked.

"Aye, now..." I warned, giving him a look.

JoJo threw his hands up in defeat, "I'm just saying... Food, nigga?"

"JoJo, if you hungry order you some food. Damn!" I said irritated, throwing the phone book at him. It hit his face.

"Do that shit again and imma beat yo ass." JoJo said to me.

"Nigga you can't even catch me. You gotta do that first." I laughed.

"Fat ass." K-Ci mumbled out.

"Fuck y'all. I ain't even that big. You know who is though? That nigga Biggie, he fat as hell." JoJo defended himself.

"Man, that nigga get bigger everytime I see his ass." I laughed.

"Ion care what way you put it. Y'all both some fat asses." K-Ci said to JoJo.

"I ain't gon' be too many fat asses. Besides, yo ass is built like JJ from Good Times." Jojo pointed at K-Ci warning him.

"String bean body ass nigga." I said to K-Ci.

"I'd rather be built like a number one than a zero. Ones ALWAYS beat zeros." K-Ci slickly said.

"What a way to put it." I laughed.

"Why be a pencil when I could be a magic marker? Pencils are bland and just draw, while markers fill in the blanks." JoJo shot back.

"Yeah, but markers bleed through the paper." K-Ci shot back at JoJo

"Pencil marks get erased, markers are permanent." JoJo said.

"Markers can't keep their tops off, pencils ain't got to have one." K-Ci lifted up his shirt, and pulled it back down.

"Can y'all both shut the fuck up? Talking about some markers and pens." Dalvin said laughing at their petty argument.

"Pencil." K-Ci corrected.

"Whatever. Why are y'all even here?" Dalvin said speaking to JoJo and K-Ci.

"These niggas came here to ravage our fridge. Niggas too lazy to get up and buy some food." I said to Dalvin.

"I'm tired of y'all asses, eating up all our shit. Especially JoJo ass." Dalvin said pointing to JoJo.

"What? Man, I barely eat." JoJo said, dialing a number on the phone.

"Right, I barely eat." K-Ci said.

"The hell y'all don't. JoJo it clearly shows on you, and K-Ci if you weight like you eat you ass would need a wheel barrel to leave the house." Dalvin joked.

"Hell nahhhh." I laughed hard as hell.

"Where does all yo fat go anyways?" Dalvin questioned.

"Probably to his big ass feet." I said.

"Fuck y'all! You got big ass feet too." K-Ci said to me.

"I'm a tall nigga, if my feet was small it wouldn't look right, which ya dumb ass." I said back.

"Man... Whatever. Besides you know what they say about big feet: 'Big feet, big meat!'" K-Ci smiled nodding his head.

"Y'all are really something else man." Dalvin shook his head at us.

Tia came out the room completely dressed, she looked so different, especially from earlier. Her hair waa braided, and I saw her nails were done. She had on some black lipstick, a white fitted turtleneck dress, with silver stripes running down it. Her leggings were grey, matching her dress. She had on silver heeled boots that reached her tibia bone. I also noticed the Amethyst necklace she had around her neck that I gave her for her birthday. She had her bouquet of chocolate covered fruit in her hand, went to the kitchen, and came back without them.

"Good morning. You're wearing it." I greeted her. "You look nice."

"Good morning. Thank you, and I am. I told you I loved it." She smiled at me, grabbing it with her fingers.

"Happy birthday." JoJo said to Tia.

"Thank you, JoJo."

"Happy birthday," Dalvin said, then K-Ci. Tia thanked them both.

"What you so dressed up for?" I asked her.

"Tupac." She replied.

"You dressed up for Pac?" Dalvin asked frowning.

"No." Tia laughed. "Not at all."

"And she say he just a friend, and she say he just a friend-" K-Ci sang.

"Oh baby you!" Dalvin and JoJo joined in.

"Y'all it ain't nothing like that. I told him from jump what this was, he knows it's nothing like that. He's taking me somewhere for my birthday. He's just really big on celebrating birthdays." Tia said calming them down.

"Oh, okay." Dalvin said to her.

"Where y'all goin'?" I asked.

"Your guess is as good as mines." She shrugged, "I wasn't even planning on leaving today."

"Why not?" I asked, shocked.

She just shrugged, "Last time I truly celebrated I was in the third grade. I don't like being around too many folks."

"Couldn't be me! I need to celebrate with everybody!" K-Ci said and Dalvin agreed.

"We know!" I said to K-Ci and Dalvin.

"You're wearing the perfume too." I said catching a whiff of her as she plopped down next to me.

"Yes, you know this is my favorite scent?" Tia asked.

"Get out of here, really?" I only knew because I went through her things. I saw there was barely any in the bottle on her dresser.

"Mmhm. You're good with gifts." She complemented me. I'm good at snooping too apparently...

"The hell he is! This nigga is horrible at gifts!" Dalvin laughed.

"Doesn't seem like it." Tia said to Dalvin.

"He likes you, I'm just his brother. He once gave me a pack of cigarettes, ion smoke them shits." Dalvin laughed.

"I caught you smoking and had to teach you a lesson." I defended.

"Look at us now, we both smoke weed together." Dalvin smiled, "Besides, I was only eleven wanting to see all the hype."

"He gave me some toothpaste and a toothbrush." K-Ci said.

"Yo ass actually need that shit!" Jojo laughed.

"Hell yeah! He got morning, noon and night breath." I said.

"Right how do you do that?" Dalvin asked.

"Do what?" K-Ci said confused.

"Make your breath smell like yo ass!" Dalvin laughed.

"Yo stank breath probably be giving Mary yeast infections." JoJo laughed loudly smacking his knee. Tia just sat there watching us, shaking her head smiling and laughing every blue moon.

"When did you get your hair and stuff done?" I asked Tia.

"My hair got finished this morning, and I got my nails and toes done before filming." She replied.

"Mm, okay. It looks nice, and you look different. I'm used to seeing you in puffs or something." I joked.

"Yeah, I had to give my hair a makeover." She chuckled. "First time getting it professionally done. Thank you."

"You do look nice though," K-Ci said and the other two agreed.

"Look at you being all nice to me." Tia joked at K-Ci.

"That's what happens when you put your foot down." JoJo butted in.

"Yeah, you ain't so bad after all." K-Ci said.

"Never was." Tia said smirking looking at the corner of her eyes at him jokingly.

K-Ci nodded his head at her. "Touché."

Tia looked up at the clock, "Alright, guys I have go. It was nice talking to you all." Tia said getting up. "Oh and please, don't eat my chocolate covered fruit." She said specifically to JoJo. She bagan putting on her winter gear.

"Don't worry, he ain't." I reassured her. "Right JoJo?" I asked.

"Ion want no fruit unless it's in a pie. Don't worry." JoJo said nodding.

"Yeah, this nigga would eat anything in sight." Dalvin said out loud.

"Yeah, including yo girl." JoJo laughed.

"Hold up now," Dalvin warned JoJo.

Tia laughed, shaking her head at their bullshit. "I'll see you all."

"A'ight, have fun." I said. The guts added in some 'see ya's' and 'bye'. She opened the front door and shrieked.

"The hell?" Dalvin said getting up. "Who you?"

"The delivery guy. I'm delivering for somebody named JoJo." The guy said.

"I'm sorry," Tia apologized to the delivery guy.

"Nahh, you good. You look good too. You got a number or something." He smirked at Tia, looking her up and down. She just stood there awkwardly. Just when she was about to speak out, I did.

"Hold up now, she's already spoken for. Slow ya roll DELIVERY BOY." I put emphasis on his job title, getting up and standing next to her. I grabbed the food, and shoved the money in his hands. "Keep the change, you'll need it. Now, beat it." I gestured down the hall with my head. The boys laughed at what I said, catching on to what I meant.

"My bad, I ain't know." He said to me, "You could do better." He told Tia.

"Excuse me?" I said, stepping up to him. Tia grabbed my arm, she knew what was up. The dude backed up and began walking down the hall. Tia went into the hall, and Dalvin was about to close the door. "No, hold up wait." I told Tia, stopping the door, she stopped and turned to me.

"Wait on me, I wanna make sure he don't try nothing to you." I sat JoJo food down on the couch, slid on house shoes and walked her where she needed to go.

K-Ci made a whip noise with his mouth, and motioned with his hands a whip. He's basically saying I was whipped. The rest of the boys laughed. Fuck allum. I walked Tia where she needed to be.

"Thanks Donald. For everything." Tia said hugging me.

"You're welcome, have fun." I said once we pulled back.

"What's up?" Pac said to me rolling down the window.

"What's up Pac," I replied and headed back upstairs to the crib.

Authors Note: This is the longest chapter by far. How y'all digging this chapter and it's length? I had to come harder since last chapter was a bit poo.💀

Word Count: 4,135

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