I had to let y'all look at this man.Oh yeah this is a DeVante & Janine Adventure Chapter. You'll see why.
INFERNO
CHAPTER TWENTY
TWO WEEKS LATER,
September 5TH, 1993
"Huh? Damn' can't answer questions now? Answer me? Who is he?!" He yelled in my face and I couldn't help but to croak out in the pain my neck was in as well as my whole body.
"It's a friend! Okay?! It's a friend!" I yelled out hoping he would stop trying to beat my head into the wall. I had a killer headache that must've been out of this world. Not only from him but the phone that was ringing off the hook. A part of me was thinking it was De seeing that he hadn't popped up yet.Any other day the guys would've been over here or on their way but instead, I was here by myself struggling to breathe by Allen or My Father who was still confusing me.
I wanted to give up, I kept blowing my fists to his face but he wasn't budging. Hearing the door open, my head perked up hoping it was De maybe even Dalvin. Shit maybe even Cedric.What did I do to deserve this is the question?
I went back and I did everything correctly, I went and got baptized after getting over my drug addiction. I worked hard enough for my daughter and me. I went to church every Bible Study every Wednesday, Bible School and stayed for the service every Sunday.
"If I find out you went and ran ya' mouth imma come back and fuck you and him up. Got it?" He whispered yelled and pushed my body back against the wall. I nodded quickly hoping that he would just leave and DeVante can do whatever he want to him.
"Janine can't even answer my phone calls?" I thought we were better than this." DeVante questioned and before I knew it he dropped my body and bolted out of the patio door.
"If I find you went out and ran ya' mouth imma come back and fuck you and him up. Got it?"
"Janine...Janine."
"Janine!"
"Huh?" I woke up out my sleep to see Donald standing over me like some weirdo. He was halfway dressed and looked at me as if I had something on my face.
"I heard you from down in the studio. I came to see what the commotion was? You straight?" I nodded and sat up looking at the time.
3 am. I had only been sleep for a good two hours.
"Yeah never better." He nodded walking back to the door, but I could tell he wanted to say something. Finally he turned back around.
"I- I'll be in the studio if you need anything. I don't know if you do but yeah." He turned back around , leaving shortly afterwards but I just shook my head.
Once he left, I looked in the mirror in the bathroom. And looked at the bruise on my face. It had been two weeks and it had slimmered down but my jaw was still hurting when I ate anything.
Dalvin & The guys asked me frequently if I was okay but I just don't want to talk about it. I do too much good to be getting this shit in return. The Bible that I read when I first got here? Was in my suitcase seeing as though I just didn't feel like praying no more.
I cut the light off, stepping back out the bathroom and out the room. Looking back at the room that I wasn't allowed in, It was open yet again and I honestly didn't even care if Donald seen me in there this time.
I stepped in slowly, keeping my steps minimum seeing that my foot still ached from the glass.
Sitting down on the mahogany bench, in front of this piano he had. I'm pretty sure he'll pop up soon to flip the fuck out.
Beginning to play, I quickly retracted. He probably waiting for me to touch them. Looking at the door that was creaked open, he wasn't in sight.
This is my song
And no one can take it away
It's been so long, but now you're here
Here to stay
And I wonder if you know what it means
To find your dreams come true
This is my song
And no one can make it a lie
It's been so long since someone
Could make me cry
And I wonder if you know what it means
To laugh as tears go by
Flashback March 10th, 1991
Here I was sitting at a dinner table in a restaurant with none other than Garfield. He had gone to get a haircut as well as shaping his facial hair. He really was stepping his game up.
But why? For me?
"You look ravishing tonight Janine." He reached his arm over to the left side where I was laying my hand to rub my thumb against his. I gave him a warm smile but all I kept thinking about was the brown satin shirt he had on.
It reminded me of Donald who shouldn't have been on my mind anyway.
"You okay?" I nodded with a weak smile and looked at the plate the waitress was sitting down.
"Janine you can tell me the truth...about what's really on your mind." I looked up from the table and once the waiter left I opened my mouth.
"I don't want to jump into this and know that I'll be thinking of Donald the whole time. Cause he's on my mind as we speak. So if you want to leave right now you can. I'm telling you this because of past things." I explained hoping that he got the jist of what I was saying. He chuckled sipped some of his water.
"Janine, I understand you & Donald had something in the past and that's understandable seeing what happened. But I'm here now and I want a chance. So let me have one. I'll show what I got to offer." He expressed with a small smile awaiting my response.
Giving a small smile for warmth I gave in. Garfield was sweet and a good friend, he was the only person I could confide in when things were really tough so maybe this wasn't a bad idea.
"Alright, I'm giving you a chance."
End Of Flashback.
I may not always sing in tune
And sometimes you don't hear me
But you don't have to be near me
To know that I'm singing
" You know if I wasn't worried about you, I'd cuss ya' ass out for coming in here." I turned around to Donald who was walking over to me.
"I think you leave the door open for me to come up in here. You just want to catch me in here so you can cuss me out." He chuckled and quickly took over the piano playing a familiar tune.
"Ahh..you think ya' slick?" I asked with a smile on my face. He turned to me and winked.
I see you in a lonely place
How can you be so blind
You're still regretting
The love you left, left behind
Oh darling
I've seen you go through the changes
Sitting alone each night
Are you expecting to find the love
Love that's right
"You gonna' sing with me?" He turned me and shook his head and continued playing. I popped his arm.
"And why not?" He stopped playing and sat back quickly looking at me as if I defended him.
"You know I'm not the singer, that's K-Ci & Jojo. If you want K loud ass over here feel free to call him and Mary over but as soon as she starts smacking him around you gotta' escort they ass out." I chuckled and the room went quiet.
"I know you sick of us asking but you sure?" His head turned to me and at first, I didn't know what he was talking about but it clicked.
He was asking if I was okay...again.
Instead of saying anything I just gave him the most convincing smile I could.
"Janine...that smile didn't make the shit any better. If it's really messing with ya'. You can talk to me? Ya know?"
"If I can talk to you, then that means you gotta talk to me and that means from the beginning, Donald." He raised an eyebrow probably wondering what I was speaking about.
"Whatchu' mean the beginning?"
"Resolve our shit from 90' all the way to now." He opened his mouth but I stopped him.
"No Donald I'm serious. Yeah we cool but we got a lot of things we never resolved and you know that." He waved his hand and nodded.
"Alright, because I know I ain't gonna' be able to dodge you. Now c'mon and get out my private room." He rushed me as I eyed him.
"You the one that keep leaving the mothafucka' open. Ain't you supposed to be working on music?" I questioned, and he quickly picked me up just to set me out the room as he closed it behind him.
"Yeah, but I heard ya' loud playing ass again."
I stood in front of him with my hand on my hip. He heard me all the way from the studio while he working on music? Mhm..
"Alright De..I'm going to the living room. I hope you don't hear me breathing like I can hear you breathing from the studio." I joked sticking my tongue out at him.
"Fuck you Janine, and I got sinus problems."
LATER ON THAT MORNING,
I was still in the studio seeing that I had been messing with Janine all morning. Last time I checked she was still in the living room. She won't sleep for more than three hours.
Sound familiar but I ain't got time to be playing Blues Clues for the shit like Dalvin. Dalvin been trippin' about her since it happened. Mad that I left her here instead of keeping her with me. And mad that Allen just dropped off the face of the earth.
Janine wouldn't say it was Allen but that honestly just didn't make no sense to me. Allen was just smiling in her face, a little bit more than Dalvin and he just flips? I ain't gonna' trip on it if she not.
She telling us she okay, but I don't know. I ain't the sharpest crayon in the box..or the brightest. Which is it? But I know something ain't clicking.
"Without you, baby
I feel worthless
I'm living on the edge"
My pager went off to Alex again. I'm not going to say I fleed off because she having my child but I don't appreciate her putting her hands on me. In any other story with me in it, I'm the abuser. Well now I'm the victim so fuck y'all.
And as you can tell, I hadn't told anyone about Alex's pregnancy. Not even my Momma' who would probably catch the Holy Ghost that this baby momma' taking care of this one. Or Dalvin or Janine. Not even Static.
"What edge you on, Motorola?" I turned to mean mug Janine's corny ass joke. Lately that's all she wanted to do. Was spit them mothafuckas' at me. She betta' call her Bestfriend Dalvin or Joel.
She walked all the way in and sat down in the seat beside me. That vanilla bean scent went right passed me as always.
Same ole' Janine..
"You don't wanna' call Dalvin and spit them at him?" I questioned referring to her jokes and she chuckled.
"I don't call Dalvin in the morning cause his raspy ass girlfriend might pick up. I wanna' send her some fucking cough drops or some tea." I couldn't help but to laugh and turned back to her seeing as though I didn't know her & Tionne didn't like each other.
It ain't none my business that might be why I didn't know.
"What? T-Boz don't like Janine? And why is that?" I sat back waiting to hear exactly what I thought in my head.
"She thinks I want Dalvin? Girl, you got him on a leash no pun intended." She cracked up still and I shook my head not trying to laugh. She really on a roll this morning.
"Look we all just waiting for the day you two change it up and date. The way you two laugh at each other." She looked at me and smacked her lips.
"Me & Dalvin have really just built a good friendship over the years. If we had something more don't you think we would've started then?" She questioned me and I shrugged.
"Look not saying imma' be okay with it. But I mean if y'all did. It ain't nothing I can do." She swatted her hand towards me and I slid away slowly. I'm so tired of these damn women beating on me.
"Again, Dalvin & I ain't even kicking it like that.And I ain't gon' say it no mo. All tree' a y'all got me fucked up."
"Who is all tree?" She looked at me and bring out her hand that was rested under her little girl pout.
"You, Tea Bag and Garfield." I gasped dramatically putting my hand to my chest.
"Garfield doesn't like Dalvin?" She shook her head slowly. The room got quiet from the tension of her even speaking Garfield name. She probably thought I was going to bash him. I decided to leave that shit alone. As long as Garfield keep his big bird ass in North Cakalackin' we'll be fine.
"You know what? Go get dressed." I spoke and she raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you. Go get dressed." she got up quickly leaving the studio.
•••
Leaving my room from the shower, I heard the phone ring. Seeing as though Janine was taking her sweet ass time I had to go answer it.
"Yo' Yo' you talkin' to D.Swing," I answered fidgeting with the little chin hair I did have.
"Oh, it's you." I jerked my head back to the voice that sounded like Garfield.
"Man look, ya' baby momma showering. I can give her a message but all that mouth gonna' have to simmer down." I cautioned hoping that he got his shit together. I ain't never spoke to this ugly mothafucka but once.
"Just tell her to call me, and look I don't like you and you prolly don't like me but keep ya' hands off my woman." I clenched my jaw and chuckled.
"Remember who had her before you Garfield, I could have been had Janine if that was the case but she not here for that. And as I remember she ain't ya' woman." I commented with a hint of attitude seeing as though this man had his whole life fucked up.
I am not Lil' Donald from down the street.
"Look I ain't got time to be speakin' to a man that ain't taking care of his kids. Tell MY woman to call me later. Keep ya' hands off her. Or the next time you get popped over the head it'll be a permanent resting place."
"Boy I'll fuc-" Janine came into view and I quickly hung up on his ass. I guess I couldn't hide the anger I had because she quickly furrowed her eyebrows.
And extended her hand to touch my arm. I wanted to move it but it wasn't her fault.
"You okay?" She questioned and I nodded grabbing my keys out my pocket.
"C'mon you got what ya' need?" I questioned and she nodded.
Here I was...with my seatbelt on in Donald's BMW. I was honestly nervous as to where we were going. I haven't been in the same car with him since 90'.
"Where we going?" I questioned as he sat back. The radio was on but I could tell he didn't want to listen to it. Specially not the new song by Splack Pack. If you remember the chapter where K-Ci was throwing that back around.
"I wanted to take you somewhere, you've been stuck in the house all week. So sit ya' anxious ass back and listen to some music." I eyed him and sat back, staring at the tape of Jodeci.
I honestly missed listening to Gotta Love eight times with Joelle. I picked it up and put it right in.
"You gonna' listen to Jodeci at this very moment?" I ignored him as I pressed to the song I wanted to hear.
"Do you wanna dance?" I mocked De and started dancing in my seat.
"Your friends they keep on telling me I'm always on your mind
Swinging, grooving, getting nasty is what you wanna find
They tell me that you talk about me all night long
But you don't wanna tell me 'cause your scared I'll do you wrong"
He stopped at the intersection and quickly looked at me with a sly smirk.
"You having fun? This the most I've ever seen you dance ya know?" I chuckled and turned the song down.
"What? it's nice, and then you did the breakdown." I began to beatbox and he snorted sped off to the green light.
"You know...don't tell the fellas but one of the songs on that album was about you." I eyed him with an raised eyebrow waiting for him to spill it.
He wrote a song about me?
"You really wrote a song about me?" I asked and he smacked his lips.
"What I tell you about questioning me? I ain't lying for my health Janine." He retorted and I smiled. Maybe that just went to my head.
"So which one is about me?" I rested my arm under the other. He glanced over at me from his sunglasses and then back at the road.
"Well it was on a soundtrack ya know. But it's somewhere in the glove compartment ." I grabbed the tape cover and looked down the list like my slow ass could see it up there.
"Cherish.." I tilted my head to the side with a large smile on my face. Just something about the fact that someone made a song about little ole me warmed my spirit. But also because I actually liked that song.
"Really? I love that song.You jivin' me Donald?" He smacked his lips and glanced at me again.
"You listen to it again and see if I'm jivin." I sat back with a smile still on my face.
•••
This is Coney Island, as I seen on TV. De drove all the way to Coney Island. We sat in the parking lot with the car off but I was just looking in amazement.
Now I love North Carolina,Tar Heel State over everything but we don't have many festivals so if I'm acting like a little kid at the moment don't blame me. Plus I've never had the chance to go to one anyway.
"You drove all the way here?.." I questioned as he took the keys out the ignition.
"I mean...yeah because you been trapped in the house by choice and I believe you need some fresh air you know what I'm sayin? And see me- I'm just here for inspiration got it? Don't tell the guys we came here." I chuckled and nodded until I gasped a little.
"Donald you can't go out there.. they'll attack yo ass." I stated the obvious seeing that he always wore sunglasses, this isn't his "incognito" look. This is him in general. He chuckled and reached back to the hoodie in the back of his car.
"I'm gangsta with this shit. I'll be fine. C'mon." He slid the hoodie on and I took my seatbelt off and stepped out the car. The bright lights of Ticket Stand and the lights from the Ferris Wheel shined brightly. I honestly was amazed.
My little country ass in New York.
Here me & Janine was, walking around the amusement park with a bunch of people. The hoodie honestly was throwing people off. As much as I love our fans. I didn't bring no bodyguard with us.
That really would've gave me away.
"You weird as hell, who gets strawberry ice cream?" I questioned and she turned to me plucked my ice cream cone, making my chocolate scoop plop onto the boardwalk.
I might fuck her up out here.
"Girl you don' loss yo' mind." She chuckled and I quickly plucked the strawberry ice cream scoop off her cone, laughing loudly.
"Now why you so mean? It's cute when I do it. You too old Donald."
"What I don' told you about calling me Donald?" I questioned as we stood against the end of boardwalk looking at the ocean.
Since I left NC in 90' . I found myself looking at the nature wherever we went. It was a habit Janine had me doing and seeing that I didn't know she was alive, I would look up hoping that she was looking with me.
Now I was actually looking with her.
"I met you as Donald." She scolded me and bit into her waffle cone. I looked from the sight of her hair blowing from the slight breeze to the water.
"So...what happened when you woke up?" I asked in curiosity. A part of me thought of what would've happened if I had actually stayed with the guys for her.
"Honestly?... I searched for you. I almost fought my Auntie and the nurse. I rushed out the hospital to look for you." She explained and I looked down and put my hands in my pockets. I wanted to ask about her jumping in front of me for the bullets but she probably didn't want to think about that.
"Well..I got ya' note thanks to JoJo." She looked at me with a slight smile and I chuckled.
"Even though I was mad at you at the time, that note smoothed some things out for me. You really knew what you was doing writing that note." We chuckled and she crossed her arms looking back out to the ocean.
"I honestly felt better writing it because at least I had told you how I felt after everything..." She trailed off and I nodded.
"I'm sorry for making you cry.. even though that was three years ago. I should've let you explain, it just really hurt me that Mariah was able to tell me about you before you did." I vented hoping she would n't turn around and attack me but she pushed me playfully.
"I understand why you were mad, I was going to tell you. That's just something I hadn't really gotten over myself ya know? I still haven't got passed my time in jail." I noticed her shiver a little. I stepped a little closer and wrapped my long ass arm around her to bring her close.
With all the shit that's went on since we met each other, we never got a chance to be friends.
"A few weeks we could hardly stand each other, now we the best of friends. You a trip Donald." I chuckled we turned around about to walk around some more.
"So Garfield?" She turned to me and I quickly gave a smile hoping that would soften the tone. I put my hands up to surrender.
"Honestly...I wasn't really in my right head to even be in a relationship but I did it anyway...He's a good father though so that's all that counts. I just think he was insecure about how close we all were." She admitted and I shook my head. He should be insecure. Finding ourselves walking away from the amusement park I was still trying to process the fact that Garfield was plotting the whole time.
"Justin & Dyana are honestly a trip...got it from they daddy for sure." I eyed her , she chuckled to that little shade she threw at me.
"I'm guessing Justin & Dyana have found theirselves a friend in Joelle."
"You mean their partner in crime? Their cute though that's why they get away with everything." A smile appeared on my face by accident.
"Look who they got it from?"
"If that's what you believe." I smacked my teeth as she cracked up.
"Can I ask you a question?" She turned to me and stopped and I quickly stopped as well, peering down at her seeing as though I was taller than her.
"Why did you jump infront of those bullets for me?" She opened her mouth and it felt as if the wind quickly pulled my hoodie off.Seemed as if the whole Coney Island turned to see me.
As if they could smell me.
"That's DeVante Swing!" A girl screamed and I grabbed Janine's hand trying flee out of the fan swarming. I didn't even know all these white people knew who Jodeci was.
"Move out the way!" Janine quickly stiff-armed this girl in the face making her fall back as we finally approached where we parked.
Finally unlocking the car, we hopped in and locked the doors. Watching girls beat on the side of my car she jumped from how much these girls were putting everything on my car and I do mean everything.
"I bet you if I call Suge we can have this handled quickly." She turned to me and I smacked my forehead.
"Sorry 93' I got it now."
Doo-doo-doo-doo-do-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-do-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-do-doo
Cherish is the word
I use to describe
All the feelings that I have
Hiding here for you inside
Hey, hey, hey, hey
If you must know, I found the tape in here and quickly put it in just to sing this song at the top of my lungs.
You don't know how many times
I wish that I had told you
You don't know how many times
I wish that I had held you, yeah
You don't know how many times
I wish I could mold you into someone
Cherish me
As much as I
(Who could cherish me)
As much as I
Cherish you
As much as I cherish you
I danced in the seat as glanced over at me. He turned it down and opened his mouth to swipe his tongue against his lips.
"Now do you think I was lying?"
"No, but that's because you told me and I quote " What I gotta' lie for ?" I mocked and he smacked his lips.
"I don't even sound like that."
"Yeah okay and I'm skinny." I commented.
"So we doing impressions now?" He asked and I nodded.
"Alright so let's see if I can do yours." He tapped his chin playfully and nodded.
"Oh Donald, don't you miss me in your bed?" I dropped my mouth to the worst impersonation of me ever. Forget what he said.
"Barry White that ain't my voice. Probably one of them girls you be sneaking off at night to see." I teased and he pulled up to his gate, typing in the code.
"Man..that was you." I waved my hand.
"Janine you know I'm DeVante Swing, I be getting' down like that. Know what I'm sayin?" I mocked in the deepest voice I could give. He eyed me up and down parking his car in the garage.
"See don't be tryna' play me like that, cause that ain't me." He stuck his tongue out and I chuckled seeing how defeated he was. Walking into the house I quickly closed my eyes.
"If I find you went out and ran ya' mouth imma come back and fuck you and him up. Got it?"
"Janine...Janine." I flinched quickly and he furrowed his eyebrows.
"You okay?" I nodded quickly and walked up the stairs.
HOW DID YOU ALL LIKE DEVINE'S ADVENTURE CHAPTER?
GARFIELD WYD WYD WYD?
JANINE ?
DEVANTE?
LETS CHECK ON THE REST OF THE CAST.