𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐫 || Completed

𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫: 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

Who was Tone Vincent?

If somebody asked that question 5 years prior, the answer would probably depend on whom you asked. He was a local celebrity, dropping mixtapes and doing small shows around the suburbs of Chicago.

Today, however, there was not a single person in the country that hadn't heard his music. He quickly rose into the spotlight over the past few years with hit singles that dropped one after another. His long-awaited debut album was just around the corner and it seemed like he'd reached his peak. Every person was dying to meet him, and every artist was dying to work with him.

His pen was unmatched. Every song evoked emotion and had people from all demographics hanging onto his every word. Then there was his voice. It was unlike any other artist currently charting.

Tone Vincent was a star, a legend in the making. So how did that differ from who Ant was?

The Vincents were the next-door neighbors of the Green family. Being the only two families of color in the neighborhood, Alana, Jazmine, and Anthony grew up together as of they were siblings. They were family; at least that's how it felt.

Back then he was just Ant: a small soft-spoken boy who liked to stay out of the way. He never particularly stood out during his school days, but when he sang in the church choir he was the star.

They'd always been a grade behind one another, Jazmine being the oldest. No matter what schools they were in, what activities they joined, or even the circles they ran in, they were attached at the hip. Seeing one without the other was unheard of from elementary school well into their high school years.

It had been years since then, though. The moment Jazmine decided to go to Spelman for college, there was a disconnect. Then Alana and their parents moved away to California leaving Ant behind. As much as they tried to keep in touch, their efforts failed in Jazmine's second year at university. That's when she'd met Daff. The communication between them faded slowly after that.

She'd never forget the first time she heard him on the radio. She was on her way to dance practice when she suddenly pulled over screaming at the top of her lungs. She tried to call and tell him how happy she was- how proud of him she was. Sadly, by then his number was changed. Her dms got lost in the swarm of fans. He was out of reach.

She could barely breathe now, suffocating in his embrace, but she didn't complain. They held onto each other as if the world would end if they let go. He was here in the palms of her hands now, and suddenly those years apart felt like just minutes.

"You seeing this?" Keith said nudging Daff with a raised brow. Still a little out of it he nodded slowly, feeling threatened when another one of his homeboys stifled a laugh. "Just making sure" Keith added on with an instigative tone.

"I missed you so much," Jasmine said blurring out the world around them. He sat her to her feet as her hands clasped over her mouth. She stepped back to get a good look at him. He was so different from the short skinny boy she'd remembered.

He towered over her like a statue, with a thick patch of hair surrounding his big lips. His muscular frame filled out his T-shirt, which seemed to cling to him from the damp air. He took the time to look over her as well. She hadn't aged a day.

Diamond ran over with a few tissues in hand. Alana and Jasmine both grabbed one dabbing tears from their face. "Where the hell have you been?" Jaz chuckled playfully swatting at him.

"I could ask yo ass the same thing" he laughed bumping her arm softly with his fist. "You getting old"

Just then Daff appeared from what felt like out of nowhere. He reached out his hand to shake Anthony's, who instantly obliged. "Wassup man"

"What's good, you must be Daffy" Ant replied with full confidence. Diamond turned her head with a giggle.

"Just Daff is fine." He corrected with an uncomfortable smile. "How do you know Jazmine?"

" Jazzy and I grew up together". He smiled brightly looking back over at her. She was too busy fixing her makeup to pay any mind.

Furrowing his brows, he looked over at Jazmine draping his arm around her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me you knew Tone Vincent"

"Cuz I thought I would never see him again," she said, voice still overwhelmed with emotion. She suddenly chuckled hitting Ant again. He laughed, hunching up and pretending to be hurt. "How are you even here?"

"Your people came to visit in Chicago a couple of months ago. Alana threatened me to come out here and see you since you missed it. Yo ass was missing in action"

"It was football season, I was busy with Daff" she explained. Daffyd suddenly felt out of place as Alana and Di rolled their eyes. He cleared his throat a little.

"Ah yea, you play for the team out here," Ant remarked, He nodded in confirmation.

"If I knew you'd be there I would've come though I swear" there was a hint of sadness in Jazmine's voice.

Ant gave her another grin brushing it off, "I ain't trippin' you didn't know"

"Ima go check on everybody, make sure they're good," Daffyd said excusing himself. Jaz nodded at him before turning back to Ant.

Diamond had a proud look on her face watching him walk away. She had met Jaz and Anthony during high school and always had it in her mind they'd be together. Even though that was the reason she initially had disdain for Daff, it grew once he started showing his ass. He seemed so high and mighty after he joined the NFL, but in the presence of Tone, he was a nobody again. The way God intended.

"What's going on over there" Daff's teammate Cameron asked inquisitively.

"They grew up together" he responded grabbing a glass of champagne from the table.

"So they used to fuck around?" Keith chimed in.

"Man, hell no" Daff barked, shutting that down before sipping his drink. "Sound like he was just a family friend or something" he continued looking back at them for a moment. For the first time in a long time, she was smiling, really smiling. He dismissed the insecure thoughts that passed in his mind.

"Tone Vincent? A family friend you ain't know about? And it's just a coincidence he pops up after last night?" Keith questioned.

"I'on believe in coincidences," said Cam shaking his head. "You might need to tighten up bro, this is a warning"

Daff sat down his glass and fixed the collar on his shirt. "I ain't too worried about it. She ain't bring him up, he must not be that important" His demeanor was confident and unmoved. He wasn't too concerned, even though something in his stomach felt uneasy.

"He might not have been important back then but that nigga a somebody now" Keith was being honest. It would have been different if this had come up any other day, but with what had been going on he was rightfully concerned. "I'd keep an eye on that if I were you"

"Y'all crazy as hell if you think he worried bout' Jazmine" he chuckled picking his glass back up. "And you even crazier if you think Jaz worried bout him"

Cam sighed and sat down shaking his head. This man had to be delusional, he thought. "Like I said. I don't believe in coincidences"

Keith clinked his glass against Cam's and stuffed a hand in his pocket. "Neither do I"