Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.

August 3, 1996

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

I'm at the studio, Death Row Recording Studio. Suge let me record here and I'm not so sure I want to be here. Suge is a good businessman but the shit that goes on here is WILD. I'm helping make a beat for Pac's track under Death Row Records. As of now, Pac is still in prison but may be released soon. The reason Pac is possibly being released is that there is speculation on evidence being planted on him.

It hasn't been released to the public yet but it's in the making. how do I know? It's because I speak to Pac and visited him with the fellas a few times. I thought Pac signed to Death Row, but it turns out he's just being managed by them like Jodeci was. I know my shit by now so I'm not managed by anyone really. I'm still in California because the premiere of Dangerous Minds is this week in two days.

It's like anything and everything goes here in Suge shit. These niggas in the front betting on a dog fight. Yeah, these niggas got dogs fighting... There are drugs, liquor, and a few people in here like Dr. Dre, Pac's cousin Kadafi, and some unknown women they hugged up with and one massaging my shoulders as I work. I didn't ask her to and I don't know her. There's a bunch of illegal shit going on and I don't need to be caught up in it.

Then we heard a lot of commotion out there which caused me to snap out of my thoughts. We all looked at each other. It was stupid of me not to bring my security to a place like this. Suge is cool but they are on straight bullshit at this place.

"Dafi, lock the door," Dre told him.

"Shit, I gon' do it regardless," Kadafi responded locking the door.

I shook my head. "How the fuck y'all deal with this shit on the daily basis?"

"Just like this." Dre laughed with his hand out.

That's fucked up how Dre just got married to his mistress in May but still feeling on groupies. I thought marriage meant commitment? I guess not and I guess the definition of karma is what his wife turned mistress is getting. There was this saying that said: In life, you're going to get what you give. I mean, I don't condone what he does but she should expect it from a man who had you as his mistress when he was claiming to be with someone else. On the other hand, he's a fucked up individual but he's talented. Not my business though so I just keep my distance

"Kadafi, what the hell you young ass doin' here anyway? Pac know you here?" I chuckled.

"Nahh."

"Look, ion think you should be here. In fact, none of us should spend time here." I told him. I should take my own advice and I will today.

"I come to work like always but it's getting more and more fucked up here." Dre shook his head. "That's why I'm leavin' as soon as we finish Pac album. I want out of this shit. Most of the motherfuckers here ain't here to work anyways."

"Y'all just too soft to handle it." Kadafi laughed.

"But didn't you say you was going to lock the door regardless of what we said?" I laughed.

"Right." Dre agreed.

"I said y'all can't handle it, not that I was a dumb ass." Yaki laughed.

"You signing to Death Row? You been hanging around here a lot." I told Yaki.

"I signed earlier this year," Yaki replied to me.

Dre shook his head in disappointment. "I tried to tell this nigga not to. Death Row is really becoming like the prison death row."

"What you mean?" I asked curiously.

"I saw people try to leave and Suge wasn't havin' it. To leave, you either got to give him everything or choose death." Dre shook his head.

"How you plan on leavin'?" I squinted at him.

"He can have this shit. I can come back from it. Especially when people know I worked with Pac." Dre laughed.

"This nigga don't know what he talkin' 'bout." Kadafi said dismissing him.

I nodded and turned back to do what I was doing. Can't focus for shit here! This is why I like being in the studio alone and in the fucking dark. Niggas ALWAYS trying to distract you if they not putting in work and even then they do the same thing. I need to go back to my old working ways and focus. I can't say too much about Death Row because fucked up shit happened where I came from as well with Andre Harrell and them. I don't say too much to people anyways. My phone started ringing. I looked at the caller ID because my phone didn't recognize the number as a name. This number does look familiar so I answered the phone.

"Wassup, who is this?" I said pausing the track.

"Hello, it's Tia." I heard on the other end.

I leaned back in my chair confused. "Yeah, wassup?"

"I want to talk."

Now, I started to tell her no because I said my peace and it's up to the person to "I'm listening." I told her.

"No, I mean in person- face to face."

"When?" I asked her.

"Are you free today?"

"Yeah, I'm just about finishing up what I'm doing. What time?"

"Say about... An hour at the Vegan T'easer on Sunset Boulevard. You know where that's at?" Tia asked me.

"Hol' on," I told her then swiveled my chair around to face Dre, Kadafi, and the women in here. "Y'all know where Vegan T'easer is located on Sunset Boulevard?" I asked them.

"Nigga, how you answer your own question. It's on Sunset Boulevard somewhere. Do it look like I'm vegan?" Dre responded laughing.

"That shits like three or fours doors down from Da Steakhouse," Kadafi told me. "Why?" He smirked. "You meetin' up for some pussy?"

I laughed at him then turned back around in my seat. "I'll find it," I told Tia.

"Alright, see ye then." She told me.

"See you." I told her then she hung up the phone.

"Who was that? Why is YO steak eatin' ass goin' to a vegan spot?" Kadafi asked me.

I turned to him. "Mindin' my fuckin' business lil nigga!" I said laughing then started back playing with the track.

"All I'm sayin' is don't chase the pussy when you got a bunch of bitches throwin' at you," Kadafi told me.

"Word up!" Dre dapped him up.

"Didn't yo ass just get married?" I asked Dre.

"And?" Dre replied

I shook my head at him laughing. "Most of these women throwin' themselves on and at me already been tossed around the industry. I'm not trying to go down like Eazy, man. Don't nobody know who gave that shit to his ass. You're still putting yourself at risk when you sleep around. Shit, it could be one of them who did it." I said referring to the women they sat with.

"Are you callin' me a hoe?" One of them asked.

"Did you hear what I said? My words were COULD BE, but if the clothes don't fit, which they don't..." I trailed off and then got back to business.

"I'm not a hoe." She told me. No matter where I go, I see the same hoe. I sang in my head. I was one too but I can finally admit that shit. I done slowed down a lot. Slowed down so much that I'm only sleeping with one woman, Rolita.

"I keep the jimmy on me." Dre clarified.

"How with all those kids you got? I'm not even gon' touch on the amount of 'baby mama's subject." I side-eyed him then tuned them out causing me to not hear his response.

I'm just trying to get out of here. I recorded the beats on tape then made my way out with it. It's nowhere near perfected and done but I needed to leave that space. That place is like a damn vampire, it sucks out all your energy. I don't plan on coming back here unless shit changes and I highly doubt that'd happen. The moment I left the room, I heard a bunch of hollering. It wasn't arguing, it was as if they were rooting for someone. I knew the noise wasn't dogs because I would've heard a bunch of barking and shit.

When making my way past them and saw dudes fighting. I didn't stop walking at all. Suge nodded at me when he saw me making my way towards the door and I did it back. From there, I went to my hotel and took a shower, then I was on my way to the vegan spot. I brought a couple of my security guards with me this time.

"Ain't none of us vegan, so why the hell we here?" John, my bodyguard, asked me.

"You put yo big ass on a diet." I cracked getting out of the car. I walked inside the place and to the front. "I'm supposed to meet a-"

"DeVanté?" I heard a familiar voice call from afar which made me turn my head to see who it was calling my name.

I walked over in Redd direction. "Hey, man." I greeted.

"Nigga, I'm not your friend. Frankly, I don't like you." Redd said with a look.

"Aye nigga, I'm not tryna be yo friend. I'm just tryna be nice, you disrespectful ass nigga. Don't get fucked up." I pointed to him.

"Fucked up? I am trained and what are you? A disrespectful ass nigga who try to intimidate women when they lil ego is bruised the fuck up." He chuckled. "Ion even know why she trying to talk to yo ass after that stunt." Redd shook his head and started to walk outside where the outside part of the diner was. "Her table is this way."

"Fuck you, nigga. Trained don't mean shit." I said as the only response I could come up with.

I took a seat and waited. To be honest, I'm wondering the same thing about her wanting to speak to me all of a sudden. After hearing all those abusive stories at the rehab center, I understand how she may have felt in the moment even though I had no intentions of hitting her or any woman for that matter. It doesn't matter how fucked up I am, that type of shit will never come from me. Shit, I know I was wrong but I just keep getting reminded of all that shit.

"Wassup, nigga!" Jax said dapping me all hyped up walking up to me. He and Tia walked insi- well outside together.

"Sup." I nodded with a dap. "Ol' happy ass!" I chuckled.

"Wassup Creed! Polo!" Jax dapped them up next.

"Nigga, it's Apollo!" Creed said laughing.

The guys and I took a seat, except they sat at a nearby table. I sat in front of Tia and exhaled through my nose. She was quiet the moment she walked in. "What's up?" I asked her.

"Just wanted to talk. You look nice by the way, AND healthy, AND sober." She smiled.

"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself." I said as a response. Damn, what a stupid reply.

"Don't look so bad you say? Baby, I have Neva. Looked. Or FELT. Bettuhhh." She said popping her imaginary collar.

"You sure changed. Back in the day, you couldn't even take a compliment. NOW you're over here being conceited." I chuckled.

"Never that but YOU on the other hand are conceited as they come." She laughed.

"I mean, can you blame me?" I said with a grin.

"Boy..." She said laughing.

"Boy? I'm a man now, baby. A GROWN man and I came a LONG way. 'Cause those experience taught me one thing
Taught me to hold on to my love-"

"Cool it now, Bobby DeBarge." She laughed.

"You got abs now," I told her. I saw it when she came out here. Her breast has gotten smaller but still big nevertheless. "What you been doin'?"

"Hitting the gym and some karate here and there." She said in a sheepish tone.

"Karate⁉️" My head jerked back.

Tia nodded at me. "Yes."

"Why?" I said shaking my head.

"So- so if you ever come to me again like you did that day, I could defend myself." She laughed.

"I promise you that I had no intentions of hitting you. I was just trying to scare you into giving me what I wanted. Look, I wasn't in my right mind. You know I wouldn't lie hands on you, right?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"No. I've known so many drug addicts and drunks know not to put anything past their actions. So, no, I don't know what you were capable of. Besides, when you're scared, your mind fills in the blanks of what's to come, and I was scared. I've been in similar positions. If you EVER do that shit again and make me feel that way again, which I won't allow- that's not the point. Just know that I'm coming after that ass with razor blades and lemon juice and YOU my brotha better sleep with one eye open or they will be closed forever." She finished then relaxed in her chair.

"I got you but no matter what state of mind I'm in at the moment, hitting a woman is never on my list," I told her.

A maniacal chuckle left her lips. "Good." Her face went from amused to straight in just a few seconds.

"Is that a threat?" I asked still caught off guard.

"No threats from this woman." Tia then leaned in towards me with a squint.
Then there was a long pause before she spoke again."It's a warning." Then she sat back up in a straightened position. "Just a simple one that you should take seriously."

"A simple one that I should take seriously?" I repeated chuckling. I wasn't necessarily laughing at the threat or whatever she wanted to call it. The reason was how her threat didn't match her tone. I mean, her eyes said it though. I just find that hilarious. "Okay." My tongue clicked.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about the other day when you apologized. I was caught off guard and wasn't expecting you at all to be waiting in the parking lot. Definitely wasn't expecting you since I was trying to avoid coming into contact with you. I could tell that you were sincere and I was speechless. Taimak could even tell that you were sincere and he doesn't even know you. My reaction was uncalled for and I'm sorry about that." She finished.

"Who the-" I attempted to speak but stopped once the waitress came and dropped off some food.

The waitress went to the other table where the guys were then she came to this table. "Here's your water and Kombucha Mimosa Mocktail. Your food will be here shortly. Sir, do you want to order anything?" She asked.

"Umm..." I grabbed the menu from underneath Tia's drink and took a look through it. "Everything here vegan?" I asked still looking through the menu.

"Hence the name on the front, smart one," Tia replied.

My eyes raised to look at Tia was slurping her drink through a straw. "Non-vegan places have vegan options," I told her.

"Yeah, but were the restaurants named Non-Vegan or... Am I missing something?" She asked with my lips near the straw.

I clicked my tongue again. "Touché." I nodded at her. "What's in the pulled pork sandwich?"

Tia smiled at me. "What do you have, hyperopia?" She chuckled. "It's right below the name smart one."

"Look, I'm not gon' be too many smart ones." I pointed at her. THAT did not come out right.

Tia laughed and the waiter gave a little chuckle thinking I didn't hear. "Hey, that's totally fine with me. I'll just call you the opposite." Tia shrugged.

"You know what I mean." I laughed. "You're sarcastic as fuck and every time you said that it held a lot of sarcasm. As always."

"That's me. I haven't changed in that sense." She smiled with a shrug.

"Yes, I think I'll have the pulled pork with some french fries. Thanks." I said handing the waiter the menu.

"Do you want anything to drink?" The waiter asked me and Tia's facial expression was just goofy looking and she shook her head at me.

"I'll uh- I'll just have what she's drinking on. Thanks." I winked.

"I'll be back shortly with your drinks." The waitress said and walked back into the restaurant.

"You're embarrassing!" I laughed shaking my head. "Next thing you know, I'm in the papers with them calling me Dumbo or some shit."

"You got the ears to match," Tia told me.

"Yo, you are just something else!" I said laughing. "You were always bothering me and now you're doing it again."

"ME bothering YOU⁉️ I remember it being the other way around, SIR." Tia emphasized.

"Me⁉️ I was a sweetheart before all that other stuff and it was you!" I said with my fingertips to my chest.

"Nooooo." She shook her head. "You ALWAYS held things over your head because you KNEW that I couldn't reach it. And what about throwing me over your shoulder all the time and jumping up and down? Huh?" She raised her eyebrows, amused.

"I don't recall." I lied.

"Telling lies?"

"No mama," I responded. "Aye, Creed and Apollo?" I called over to them.

"What's up?" Apollo replied.

"Yeah?" Creed said.

"Who was the sweet one out of the two of us?" I asked them.

"Uhm." Creed cleared his throat. "You want me to be honest?"

"Of course. Why would I not?" I asked confused.

"You not gon' fired us, right?" Apollo asked.

"Nope. I just want the God honest truth." I told them truthfully.

Apollo and Creed looked at each other. "Well, since you put God in it-"

"You put EVERYBODY through hell!" Apollo told me. "I mean, you just about had my old ass ready to quit."

"Ouch." My head jerked back.

"Don't ask for things you don't want," Tia muttered.

"I said honest not mean as hell." I shook my head.

"Welp, that's my truth." Apollo shrugged his shoulders.

"And mines too! Wait, minus the old part..." Creed laughed clapping his hands and stomping his feet. "But I was on the brink of fuck it all."

"Well, damn..." I said feeling a bit hurt.

"Told you..." Tia sing-song. "We're the Sour Patch Kids. You're what people taste first when sucking and I'm the sweet part that keeps them eating the candy."

"Woah..." Redd laughed at her LOUDLY.

"Here you go..." I shook my head. "Don't put it like that ain't NO niggas suckin' on me or putting they mouth near me."

"Chill out." Tia's eyes furrowed. "You took it too far. My statement was completely innocent. You missed the pins and went straight gutter."

"Nahhh, you're always claiming innocent when you do this ALL the time," I told her.

"DeVanté, we haven't had an actual conversation since... How long?" Tia looked off to the side.

"January of '95 at the movie premiere," I answered.

"So all the time is an overstatement especially when we haven't talked WITHOUT there being an argument." She emphasized.

"It's not an overstatement," Jax spoke up. "You do it all the time."

Tia smiled and turned to him. "Hey, who asked you?" Jax shrugged at her.

"Someone is FINALLY on MY side," I said throwing my arms up in victory.

"The truth don't mean he on yo side," Redd said leaning back in his chair. "Pipe down or light it." He mumbled the last part of his sentence but I caught on.

"Why don't you say that shit louder?" I spoke up because he's been saying slick shit all day.

Redd just smirked at me. "Don't forget what I said."

"Am I supposed to be scared?" I asked and he stayed silent with that same smug smirk on his face.

"Y'all play too much," Tia told us.

My eyebrows furrowed in irritation. "We not-"

The waiter came with me and my security guards drinks. "I'll be back with the food." She said then left.

Almost immediately, I started gulping down my water. I'm thirsty as fuck and it's hot as hell outside. After drinking all of my water I gave the flavored drink a taste. "Alright, this shit good as fuck." I nodded feeling satisfied and less dehydrated. "What's this?"

"Kombucha Mimosa Mocktail." Tia replied.

"It's good but I thought you DISPISED orange juice?" I said shocked.

"I do but it's mixed with many other fruit juices."

"I see. You can't drink it straight. This is non-alcoholic, right?" I asked.

She nodded. "Of course. I STILL don't drink."

"Okay, cool. Before she, the waitress, walked in here the first time I was going to ask you who the hell is Tamak and what kind of name is that?" I'm very curious to know.

"The guy that came to get me in the parking lot that day. You saw him, right?"

"Ahh, your new muscle neck bodyguard, huh?" I chuckled underneath my breath.

"Bodyguard? No, no, no, no, no." She nodded. "That muscle neck bodyguard is my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" I'm shocked. "You done grew up on me, huh?" I laughed. "Damn. I take it that you finally went to therapy?"

The food arrived and after the waitress left, Tia answered. "Had to. I didn't want to end up- I just didn't want to end up as you did. No offense."

"I feel you and none is taken. I don't want anybody to end up like that. It's not a peaceful place." I shook my head while agreeing.

"I thought we disclosed this. This was... Maybe a year before you started changing." Tia looked up in deep thought.

"Nah, if we did, I don't recall. I'm just surprised! Then again, I shouldn't be. It's been years." I took a bite out of my sandwich. "Aye, y'all sure this ain't real meat⁉️ I sure can't tell." I yelled looking at the door.

"Chile, don't be ghetto," Tia said shaking her head at me.

I smiled. "You said what'd you'd do and I thought you were bluffing considering all the time you took."

"It did take me some time and-"

"AND a WHOLE lot of excuses!" I said cutting her off.

"Touché." Tia nodded. "That I did. It was also hard for a person like myself to FIND a good therapist."

"Person like yourself? What does that mean? Please do tell..." I leaned in to take another bite of my sandwich.

"There's nothing to tell. I said what I meant."

"I said what I meant." I mocked. "I know you lying..." I said after swallowing my food.

"Well, that's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot..." She gestured with her index finger.

"Hmm, well may I will... I didn't know you like muscle neck niggas?" I chuckled.

"You're talking about my man like you ain't been seen with some heathens. Honey, you done been with the whole animal kingdom. So don't SCHOOL ME on TASTE."

"You right! You right." I told her nodding rapidly.

"Besides my man is FIONE." Tia boasted. "AND he treats me right."

"What the hell does he do? I'm really curious."

"He does things in the industry here in there, you know roles and modeling. He does have a school where he teaches the different types of martial arts to children, young adults, and Hollywood folks with martial art roles." She explained.

"Roles? Like what?"

"There was The Last Dragon, some plays, A Different World, and umm videos. Videos like Janet Jackson's Let's Wait Awhile." She listed. "And he has part ownership to a couple of restaurants."

"Hmm." I said clearing my throat. "That sh'oll is that weird nigga that was lookin' for his master on that movie. So basically he's a nobody in the industry?" I said taking another gulp of my drink.

"That's him." She chuckled, shaking her head. " As for being a nobody in the industry, sort of and I'm okay with that as long as he treating me right. And don't get it twisted because he's making bank. Don't let that "nobody" stereotype in Hollywood fool you. He has many streams of income and that's key. You can't depend on the industry wholeheartedly. One minute you're loved then the next you're crapped on by the world. So yeah, he is "a nobody" in the industry. Privacy is a good thing." She smiled.

"How long y'all been a thing?"

"Gahh dog, you wanna know it all, huh?" She chuckled. "If you must know we've been TOGETHER for almost a year. It'll be a year, October sixth to be exact."

"Damn, y'all goin' strong, huh?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yettthhhhhuuurrr!" She laughed.

"That just so happen to be my sobriety date. But that's good that he treats you right though." I nodded.

"Mmhm. So you're all up in my love life, what about yours? Still drippin' in anything with a cooch?" She laughed.

"Nope, I'm- I'm in a relationship." I nodded. "Yeah..."

"Who's she? A nobody?" Tia joked.

"Nahh, nahh. She's- she's for me to know and you to dot, dot, dot." I said with a tight smile.

"Alright. She's Casper the friendly ghost with yo lyin' behind." She laughed throwing her head back.

"I'm not," I said scrunching up my face.

"Still the same ol' Donald." She said still laughing.

"No, I'm the new and improved Donald. A more SOBER, and AWARE Donald. The old Donald was wild, loose, and a bit egotistical."

"A bit?" She raised her eyebrows. "You were VERY egotistical. Be truthful."

"Alright, I'll admit that I was BUT-" I leaned forward. I'm trying to come up with something but I can't. "Yeah..." I leaned back in my chair.

"You're irritating. Making it seem like you're about to say some deep stuff just to not do so." She laughed.

I nodded at her. "You know me, baby..." I trailed off. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." Tia nodded.

"Why the fuck are we even at a Vegan joint?" I said laughing.

August 12, 1996

~Dalvin's P.O.V~

"I missed you," I told Tionne.

"You missed me? Did you miss me when you had your COUSIN in the hotel room with you that night?" Tionne raised her eyebrows.

"I- I was drunk and you know that."

"That's no excuse, Dalvin! What's your excuse for not coming to see me when sick? Were you cheating then?" She asked me in a skeptical tone.

"Of course not." I lied because I don't want to hurt her feelings. "I really do miss you Tionne."

"You miss me? Is that in a romantic way Dalvin?" She asked. "How do I know that if I were to get involved with you again that you won't do the same thing? Huh, Dalvin?" She asked me sounding hurt.

"I won't do that shit again."

"You HURT me, Dalvin! You had me thinking that I'm flawed and looking in the mirror different. You made me look at myself differently. I don't even know why I'm pouring my heart out to a piece of shit." She chuckled.

"There's no need for name-calling," I said really feeling offended.

"It's true, Dalvin... A piece of shit with a little money and clout. You wasn't even raised in the hood. Yet, you STILL have that hood mentality. Tell me, if I were to do exactly what you did, how'd you feel?"

"I can't put myself- I can't see myself in that position. Nor can I see you doing that. So I wouldn't know how I would feel OR react."

"That's because I'm the loyal one out of the two of us. How 'bout you stop drinking? You'd know what the fuck you're doing then." She said leaned her head to the side.

"It's not like I'm a drunk. I just drink at functions like these." I frowned. We're at a party in New York.

"Dalvin, you're a good person but I don't think relationships are for you." She shook her head at me.

"How can YOU tell ME what's best for ME?"

Tionne shrugged her shoulders unapologetically. "I call it how I see it."

"I can do relationships. I just fucked up. Just give me another chance so I can prove that to you." I told her.

"You can prove it to me while we're friends. We can be friends again but as far as a relationship, we'll have to see how you treat me in this friendship. It's said that people treat their friendships like they would treat people in relationships. If your friendships are rocky and it's your fault, then so then your romantic relationships. We all know that your friendship with your friends and even your brother isn't that good. It's rocky. Prove it to me this time Dalvin. I'm tired of words, I wanna see some action." Tionne told me then took a shot, straight. She smirked at me walked off to the dancefloor. She was dancing with Jay-Z.

She just left me sitting here to dance with another nigga. What the fuck? "Ain't this 'bout a bitch..." I shook my head and started throwing back shots. That's fucked up on another level. That shit just pissed me off. She was backing it up on him too like it was normal. I turned around and continued throwing back shots. I can't watch this shit.

Author's Note: In the words of Warsaw Shire, "If we're gonna heal, let it be GLORIOUS!" The youthful two-some are back, OR are they?

Word Count: 5,070
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