Devante
January 4, 1989
Charlotte, North Carolina
Devante and his other three bandmates K-Ci, Jojo and Dalvin was downstairs his parents basement chilling and talking while they Invited a few white girls to chill with them as they figure out who was gonna lead on their tracks for there demos.
"Devante you still thinking about adding a female singer to sing on some of the demos?" Jojo asked him while he wrapped one of his arms around a white girl that was from one of his classes.
Before Devante could say anything his brother Dalvin chimed In while getting all sentimental explaining to the group how much they worked on the writing all to let it go to waist on some wannabe singer.
"Nah man that's not going down not after all our hard work now Isn't that right, De?" Dalvin said looking at his older brother Devante.
Devante wasn't even thinking about them he was too busy thinking how Navy's journal got In his hands without him knowing about It.
"Devante really how you going to let some bitch sing our songs" K-ci says shaking his head not getting that part.
Devante locked eyes with his group members bringing the journal down to his longer legs as he puts the journal right on his knee.
"Well I just thought it was need it since somebody keep forgetting the words" Devante said looking over at K-ci.
"But I don't get it we the one getting the record deal not the girl singing on the tracks" Jojo said defending his brother K-ci.
Devante knew that his group wasn't going to be cool about all these changes he made.
"Exactly" Some blonde hair with blue eyes girl said that was with Devante.
Devante just didn't care It didn't matter to him who sing the songs the only thing that matter is their music still gets heard so It's the same damn thing.
"Like I said it is what It is let's try to focus more on Jodeci cause that's what counts" Devante said telling his bandmates.
"Anyways who's journal you got that don't look the same one to me" K-Ci said turning his head to the side to face Devante.
"Oh I think It's that one girl's journal that sits behind me in class It's so strange how I ended up with her journal because me and her never talks" Devante said trying to figure it out how this journal got in his bookbag without his knowledge.
"What girl I didn't know a girl sits behind you In class" K-ci said dragging it.
"Navy Jones and yes she sits behind me your ass just never comes to class to see it" Devante dissed.
"Oh damn he got you on that K-ci!" Dalvin started cracking up while he puts his arms around his girlfriend he was talking too.
"Man shut up go wash your dirty neck and Devante how the hell did you get Navy journal in the first place where our journal at?" K-ci says as Dalvin stop giggling.
Devante just ignored and stared mean at Kci.
"Whatever, he just saying that cause one of Navy's sisters didn't get the nigga no play that's all" Dalvin murmured.
"Why you trying to play me I get way more ass than you playboy!" K-Ci says defending his player card.
One of the other girls that was there didn't like how one of the guys was being totally disrespectful to all of the girls In the room calling girls the b-word.
"Um can y'all stop using that hateful word It's very degrading" One white girl said with Jojo.
"Who Is y'all? I ain't saying no cuss words that's K-ci" Dalvin said pointing at K-ci.
Devante shook his head as he picked up Navy's diary and looked at it again to calm his nerves better It was something about her journal it made all of his problems go away as he read on in her diary he was captivated by her beautiful lyrics.
Sat up in the dark for so long. Just livin' my life on my own. Then right up outta the blue, bumped into you. I was so amused by your smile, boo
Devante smiled at that whole line he knew she had something going on for herself but he didn't know It was going to be like this.
"Yes Diane? you want Devante here he is day dreaming" K-ci said giving the phone to Devante.
Devante looked up seeing K-Ci holding the phone right In his face as he sighed snatching the phone out K-Ci's hands.
"Don't be snatching the phone out my hand boy what's wrong with you" K-Ci said taking back his seat.
"Shut up you don't like it then leave my house" Devante said checking K-ci.
K-ci didn't say anything back after seeing Devante was on the phone talking to his mom so he didn't want to be disrespectful In nobody house.
"What who you talking to?" Diane said on the other end she was about to get in that boy ass.
"Oh I'm talking to Cedric mom but anyways how is everything going at the church?" Devante asked her while putting his index finger over his mouth letting the girls know do not say anything crazy while he on the phone with his mom.
His mom and father would've a fit If they knew girls was In their house with their church sons while they was gone handling things up at the church.
"Oh everything Is fine I just wanted to call and check up on you, Dalvin and Derek to see how everything was at home hope y'all staying out of trouble and not cutting up In our house with Cedric and Joel" Diane said speaking on the phone.
"No we being good I promise" Devante said sharing a smile.
"Mhm, I better not hear any stories" Diane said as Devante could tell his mom was serious.
"Stories like what mom?" Devante said raised his brow.
"Like girls coming up pregnant out of wedlock which I know nothing like that better not be going down" Diane says.
"Oh no mom trust me you don't got nothing to worry about" Devante said over the phone.
"Well ok I better get off this phone and go do what I do best I just wanted to sneak in your father office room to call you and your brothers love you" Diane said as she did this kiss noise on the phone.
"Love you too" Was all he said.
Devante got off the phone his white girlfriend who he hadn't really committed too decided that she wanted get all bold with him.
"So how did you get a journal that belongs to Navy. Is you seeing that girl behind my back cause I saw the look on your face talking to her at lunch?"
"Shannon what are you talking about I'm not sleeping around and even If I was we're not together so It really doesn't matter what I do with a girl In my bedroom" Devante said giving her this hard glare from top to bottom.
"Oh really so why I'm here for Devante you got me stringing along for some reason" Shannon said folding her arms across the chest .
Devante gave her this look thinking this girl couldn't shut up for the life of her.
Devante and the guys sat down the basement talking about the plans for Jodeci until seven o'clock that evening then the guys and their white girlfriends went back home to get ready for bed.
Devante laid there on his mattress laying down with his one arm over his head as one of his brothers arrived upstairs and walked pass Devante room seeing him In the room In deep thought about something.
"Dawg you straight?" Dalvin said eating him some potato chips.
Devante answered his brother question and pretended like nothing was bothering him but he was lying to himself.
"Y-Yeah I'm good just doing some thinking man" Devante says taking his eyes off Navy's journal to look up at his brother.
"Thinking about who Navy?" Dalvin said In his business.
Devante sighed and rolled his eyes he hated answering to somebody especially since he never had to answer to a man his whole life.
"Man why?" Devante furrowed his eyebrows.
Dalvin just smirked with this silly grin on his face another thing he did often when Devante hate being questioning but sometimes Dalvin just couldn't help being concern for his brother and worrying about his mental health.
"Damn I can't be concern about my older brother?" Dalvin says following his eyes upon Devante reading his new girlfriend journal.
"Speaking of which what made her trust you of all people with her journal ain't that suppose to be private you can't be looking through her belongings De. Now how you would feel if she went through your things?" Dalvin says sounding like somebody uncle.
"How I know that she didn't do that already" Devante said as Dalvin looked confused.
Dalvin really was pissed now.
"What the fuck you let her keep the journal of our songs tell me that's not what you meant to say because I know damn well you didn't just play us like that now everybody going to be talking about us now!" Dalvin questioned him.
"Nah man It's just was a accident I bumped her at lunch and both of our journals got misplaced but don't worry I get it back from her tomorrow"
"Why tomorrow get it back today!"
"I can't Dalvin I don't have the girl number" Devante replied.
"Oh, that's not a problem"
Dalvin walked In his room grabbing his phone from off Devante computer desk while he called somebody up. "Man. Who you calling?"
"I'm calling one of the guys from school to get our stuff back" Dalvin said waiting for someone to pickup.
"Okay, and what the hell that's going to solve?"
Dalvin just rolled his eyes as he talked to someone on the phone about Navy whereabouts.
"Yeah Edward you know Navy's number my damn brother just did something stupid!" Dalvin said talking on the phone to one of his best friends.
"Man what" Devante said as he seen Dalvin reach for a pen to write Navy's phone number down.
"Thanks man so this is the right number right?" Dalvin said as he nodded at what that person was saying to him on the phone.
Devante couldn't hear like that so he stood behind Dalvin while trying to hear what was said.
"Okay thanks a lot I appreciate it man let me know when you want to hoop this weekend" Dalvin said clicking off.
Dalvin turned around facing Devante as he put the paper and phone in his hands. "Call her now that was the cousin he said she waiting on your call...."
"W-what you must be crazy" Devante said not calling nobody.
"Do it we don't have a lot of time here you need to do this for the group" Dalvin said looking heated.
"And what If she's not home then what?" Devante said giving him attitude.
"Then you going to leave a message" Dalvin said walking away.
Devante twisted his mouth while looking down at the paper again he didn't know what to do he wasn't that type to be all hard with a girl.
Forget it this need to be done. He called the numbers on the paper and waited for someone to answer which some old man answered.
"Hello may I help you!?" The man says picking up Navy's house phone.
Devante was scared to answer at first It damn near took him a minute just to talk to that person he wasn't the talkative type.
"Um hello sir Is there a Navy that lives there and If it is may I speak to her?" Devante says talking like he had sense.
"Wait who the hell is this don't be calling asking to speak to my daughter!" As the yelling person on the phone went all left.
Devante looked upset.
"Just could you get her on the phone please I hate that crybaby shit!" Devante says raising his tone at him.
"Crybaby? who you calling a crybaby you don't want me to find out where your parents stay I know. And no I'm not getting my daughter to speak to no boy I don't know. You not about to poison my daughter with that mouth" The man said.
"Poison? what are you talking about I don't even like your daughter I'm just calling to ask her something about a journal that's all" Devante said as he had enough of Navy's father.
"Wait is this that boy from school that calls himself Devante! You had no business making my daughter upset I heard about you and I don't like the things I hear now If you ever be mean like that to my daugh-" The man said stopping as Navy was in the background.
"Daddy let me handle It from here ok how about you just calm yourself down" Navy said taking the phone from her pops.
Devante just puts his hands on his face thinking that man need some Jesus in his life.
"Uh is this Devante Degrate?" Navy said speaking into the phone.
"Yes It's me do you know where my journal is!?" Devante rudely asked.
(30 Minutes Later)
After Devante got off the phone he took his car over to Navy house to get back his journal and to give her back her journal as well.
Devante arrived to Navy house while he stopped his car In front of her house waiting on her to come outside.
He looked out his car window on the driver side as he saw a petite girl walk out of her house with his journal while holding it on her chest.
Devante seen that and he stepped out of the car while he left his car still running.
"Hey Is this what you wanted?" Navy said returning him back the journal.
He nodded his head as they both exchanged journals and rambled through their books to make sure everything was still there.
After a minute of doing a search party Devante was the better person to admit it was all his fault for getting their journals mixed up with each others.
"Hey about the journal I didn't mean for it to happened that way I just didn't see you until the last minute" Devante said as he looked at her wearing this nice nightgown showing what the lord created.
"Oh It's okay I know It was In a safe place so I wasn't tripping" Navy said as she flashed a grin.
"Wow, same here" Devante spoke up taking away all shyness.
"Yeah I know so what does Jodeci stands for?" Navy asked admiring his perseverance.
Devante respected the fact that she wanted to know more about him.
"Well the Jo part stands for Joel and the De part stands for Devante and Ci stands for..." Devante says as Navy said it with him.
"K-ci" They both said at the same time.
"Sorry didn't mean to cut you off" Navy says smiling.
"Oh It's alright so hold on who told you about K-Ci, anyway?" Devante says.
She shy giggled while doing something with her pajama pants like a fun little kid happy to hear about something cool.
"Well I knew Cedric for a long time but I just wasn't familiar with the other name K-Ci I guess my sister must be a fan of y'all she told me about your group actually how she find out don't ask me cause I don't know." Navy said.
"Oh right" Devante says showing that beautiful smile.
A silence filled the place as Navy must have thought she looked ok because Devante was just smirked the whole time.
"Well I'm sorry I don't want to keep you waiting out here like you don't got other things to do I should probably go back Inside too" Navy said starting too clear out.
"Alright I guess I'll see you around" Devante says to her as she smiled hearing them words.
"Oh yeah I'll be there tomorrow of course you know me" Navy said as she smiled while walking away.
"Alright bye" Devante said taking another look at her before getting in his car.
"Bye Devante" Navy said walking back to her house.
To Be Continued...
What are your thoughts about Devante's little high school fling trying to get information about Navy?
Thoughts on Devante meeting Navy to get his journal back from her house?
That Dalvin is crazy lmao