Tupac

When I wake up, my head is throbbing. I sit up, and that's when I realize I'm not at my house.

"What the hell." I mumble out loud, getting up from the bed. Pain shoots through my chest, reminding me of what happened last night.

I look down at my shirtless torso, there's a bandage over the gun shot wound.

Fuck. I left the body behind the club, I never got to call somebody to clean it up.

"Woah woah." A girl comes into the room, her eyes wide. "DeVante said you'd try to get up." She says, before holding a glass of water out to me.

Son of a bitch. I'm at Donald's house.

"Nah I'm good." I wave her off, getting up from the bed. I feel around my waistband but my gun is gone and so is my pager.

"Yo where's DeVante?" I ask, the girl sits the water down on the table next to us before walking out of the room, I follow her.

This nigga got me fucked up, bringing me to his damn whore house. I would rather be at the fucking hospital than here.

We walk up a flight of stairs until we're in his bedroom. DeVante is standing on the balcony. He turns, taking off his shades. "Lesane, my man." He chuckles, taking a puff from his cigarette before putting it out in an ash tray that another woman beside him holds.

"Man what the fuck am I doing here?" I ask, He just sucks his teeth.

"I think you mean, thanks for saving your sorry ass life, I could've let ya monkey ass bleed out on the concrete." He chuckles.

Me and DeVante go way back. We used to be in music appreciation together in highschool. That nigga can sing like a bird and play the piano like Stevie Wonder, but he decided to pimp hoes instead which I'll never understand.

We don't see eye to eye on how he treats women.

He treats them like slaves and gets in their heads, makes em think they ain't got no purpose in life other than what's between they legs. Makes me mad honestly. He's been like that as long as I can remember. Some bitch must've broke his heart.

"Ladies can we get some space?" He asks, making all the women clear the room.

"If you worried about the sad homeboy that you bodied. I took care of it." He says, making me suck my teeth.

"I ain't ask you to do that."

"Just a favor for an old friend."

I look down at my chest briefly, before clearing my throat. "You took my damn gun?" I ask, before he walks over to his bed and pulls my gun and pager out of the drawer of his nightstand. He holds my stuff out to me and I snatch it.

"Don't ever touch my shit." I say, making him laugh.

"My girls need to feel safe.." DeVante says, before walking past me out of his bedroom. I just suck my teeth in response. Hell they should feel safer now that I'm here.

My mind wanders back to Adrienne, and how maybe I should call her and tell her I almost lost my damn life.

"Aye, you got a girl named Jamie around here?" I ask, following him, pain pulsing through my chest.

DeVante's face flushes a little. "Yea why?"

"She's my shorty home girl, I think she been worried about her."

"Well tell your shorty she's fine. But these girls ain't got friends. Once they in my house, they follow my rules." He says, as I follow him down the hall. He knocks on one of the doors before it opens. Jamie stands at the door, sweatpants and a t-shirt on.

Her eyes widen when she sees me.

But I just stare at her.

"I'll give you a minute to speak to him sweetheart. Leave the door open." DeVante says.

"Yes sir." She says, DeVante gives her a smile before walking further down the hall and going into another girls bedroom.

"Your Adrienne's... Boyfriend." She says, walking into her room and sitting on the bed.

I glance around the room, its plain, not like a woman's room should be.

"Yea. Something like that." I say, she just nods. "She's worried about you I think, she hasn't said it, but after we saw you at the store that time she was different."

Jamie just sighs and crosses her legs.

"Will you tell her that I'm okay, and that I miss her?" She asks, her eyes on the ground in front of her.

"Why can't you do it? I know she wants to see you." I say, stuffing my hands in my pockets.

"I can't, De doesn't-"

She stops talking suddenly, her eyes looking past me. I turn around and DeVante is standing at the door.

"Times up sweetness, get dressed, we're going out in a bit." He says to her, making me walk out of the room past him.

This shit disgust me, the way he treats these girls. I used to tell myself that I would find a way to shut his lil business down, because he's been at this a long time. But one thing I learned, is that most of them are comfortable here, and they don't wanna be helped.

And the last thing I wanna do is start a war with this crazy nigga.

I head down the stairs towards his front door.

Then I hear DeVante call my name, making me turn around. He's standing at the top of the stairs.

He tosses me my car keys that I didn't realize I was missing.

"You owe me a favor now." He says.

"Ion owe you shit." I say, before walking out the door.

"I think I just want the chicken and waffles." I say, before handing the waitress my menu.

She smiles at me before writing my order down.

"Do you guys have milkshakes here?" I ask. The woman nods.

"I want one of those too, doesn't matter what kind." I say, "Milkshake for breakfast?" She laughs.

"Yes. Biggest size you have please."

She just writes that down too before walking away. I rub my eyes. I feel tired and sluggish. I had to force myself out of my apartment to get some sun light because I knew it would be good for me.

But I don't feel any better.

I put my head down on the table like a kindergartner, trying to block out some of the noise and light.

"Adrienne?" Someone calls my name, making me look up.

My eyes widen when they meet with Michael's. He leans down wrapping his arms around me, the smell of his cologne waking up all my senses. I just stare at him as he pulls away, where the hell has he been?

"Long time, no see." He says, a small smile on his face.

"Yea.. where did you disappear to?" I ask, becoming aware of my appearance . I rub my eyes and flip my hair over my shoulder, trying to forget that my boyfriend is a murderer.

"I work the car detail next door." He says, sitting in the booth across from me.

"That doesn't explain why you up and ditched me, and Black Cotton." I chuckle, so does he.

Michael clears his throat.

"Yea.. me and Pac weren't getting along anymore." He says.

I furrow my eyebrows, trying to think about what they could possibly disagree on. Michael was the best chef we ever had. Since then we've hired and fired like three and they were pretty average.

"Mind if I ask why?"

"You."

I just stare at him. "Excuse me?"

"Tupac had a thing for you and I was in the way." He chuckles.

My waitress sits my food in front of me, and glances over at Michael.

"Would you like something sir?"

"Nah I'm good." He says, before she nods and walks away.

"So Lesane fired you because he liked me? Your kidding right?" I roll my eyes. Is that even a valid reason to fire someone?

"Something like that." He says.

I take a sip from my milkshake before pulling apart one of my chicken tenders.

There's a moment of silence between us before Michael speaks again. "How is that crazy negro anyway?" He asks, his eyes on me, making me eat way slower than I usually would.

"Crazier than ever." I say.

He rubs his hand over his face, making me notice a ring.

"You got married?" I ask, while pouring syrup onto my waffle.

Michael chuckles.

"Engaged."

"That happened quick." I say. "Very quick."

"Love doesn't have a time clock on it." He says, before reaching over and grabbing my milkshake, he takes a sip making my eyes widen, but I don't say anything. "Strawberry. Not my favorite." He says, sitting it back in front of me.

"So by now, I bet you're puddy in Lesane's hands huh?"

"No I'm not." I say, my tone more defensive than intended. I pour more syrup over my waffle, and take a bite from my last chicken tender.

"But aren't you dating him?" Michael raises his eyebrows at me.

"How do you know that?"

"Theres some broads at Black Cotton that are not too happy about it. Let's just say word gets around." He smiles, making me break eye contact with him.

"I don't even wanna talk about Lesane right now." I sigh, before licking the syrup off of my fingers and grabbing a few napkins.

"I won't even ask." Michael chuckles.

"Well. I gotta get back to work, maybe I'll see you again." He says, getting up from his seat. He leans down and gives me a kiss on the cheek before walking away.

Somehow I don't think that was a friendly kiss.

My waitress comes back, and grabs my plate.

"Can I get the ticket?"

"That young man that was sitting with you already payed it. Have a good day sweetie." She smiles, before grabbing my milkshake cup and walking over to the counter.

Damn it Michael.

Yes.

I'm mad at Lesane. Very mad.

But a part of me wants to call him and see if he's okay even if it's only been a day. I miss him, but at the same time I don't wanna see him.

This whole thing gives me major anxiety.

I open my apartment door and lock it behind me. I need a really good shower to ease my mind a little.

When I get into my room, the first thing I do is take off my shoes, that's when I hear someone clear their throat. My head snaps towards my bed and I scream.

Tupac is sitting on my bed, he has on a button down that's open, which shows a large white bandage on his chest. The tip of his Timberland boots have dried blood on them. He just stares at me while lighting a cigarette.

His gold plated gun is sitting on my nightstand.

Fear keeps me silent. How the hell did he get in here?

"Hey baby." He says, blowing smoke in my direction.

"We gonna talk, and you gonna sit ya ass down and listen."

~ end of chapter

Hey guys, sorry this took so long. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Love ya! - Zayla 💓