Jay'Shawn Lawson, NJ📍

"Baby, come on." I said holding open the door to the car.

We were at the condo we planned on getting. She was still giving me the cold shoulder and fast ass replies. I grabbed her hand and helped her out the car.

"Thank you." She said walking past me with her purse in her hands.

We walked to the elevator. Once we got off we met a man in a suit by the door calling us over.

"You must be Mr. Lawson." He said shaking my hand. "And you must be Ashanti." He looked her up and down.

I felt her interlock her fingers with mine. "It's Mrs. Lawson." She said correcting him.

Pause. So she not mad anymore?

He mad a face and opened the door to the condo. Our jaws dropped at how beautiful it was.

"Wow." Ashanti said letting go of my hand and walking in. "It looks better in person."

He walked us around the condo showing us around. Once we were done we walked back to the front door.

"What'd you think?" He asked us.

"Ma?" I looked down at Ashanti who was still looking out the tall windows at the view.

"I love it." She said finally.

"We want it."

"Alright I will mail you guys the paperwork. But other than that it's yours." He handed us the keys. "See you around Mr & Mrs. Lawson."

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Jo'nae Marie Andrews, NJ📍

Demarcus and I have been arguing a lot lately. At this point we just be so on and off. Sometimes we argue and fight just to make up 5 minutes later. Other times we fight and don't talk till hours or days later.

But today was the day we went to the place we are holding Shanti's baby shower.

"Do you wanna drive or me?" I asked Demarcus.

"I don't care." He went and sat in the drivers seat. I rolled my eyes and got in the passenger seat.

The ride to the place was quiet. I looked out the window the whole time. I felt it coming. The separation between Demarcus and I. It hurts staying with him but it hurts more leaving him. We only ever really had each other. Ashanti and Jay only know the arguments we get in. They never seen when he would hold me when I cried. They never seen the promises we made the secrets we kept or the wishes we hoped for. When the world turned their back on us we were all we had.

A tear dropped down my face as we pulled into the parking lot and parked the car. I quickly wiped it before Demarcus could see. He got out and came around to open the door for me. When I got out he lifted up my face by my chin. Looking into his eyes made me cry. He pulled me into his chest and rubbed my back.

"Let it out ma." He whispered in my ear. "We gon get better we just need time. We still young. You don't need to be cryin either ma you to pretty for that." He wiped my tears with his hands and pecked my lips.

"We good?" He asked. I nodded. He took me by my hand and walked up to the door of the place where a lady was standing with a clipboard.

"Hello. I'm laura." She said sticking her hand out to me. I shook it.

"I'm Jo'nae and this is my boyfriend Demarcus." They awkwardly shook hands.

"Um...anyways, this is a rental hall, it's big enough for parties and celebrations."

The hall is huge and it is more than enough space for the baby shower. I start to smile because my best friend definitely deserves this.

"What would it be that you're having?"

"A baby shower." I said. Her face changed and she stared up at Demarcus who was looking down.

The fuck is going on?!

"A baby shower? Do we know the gender?" She asked with a fake smile.

"Yes. It's my best friends baby." I said to get a reaction out of her. She sighed with relief and walked to the other half of the hall.

I looked up at Demarcus and he was avoiding eye contact with me. I scoffed and followed after Laura. She finished up the "tour" and asked us if we wanted to take it.

"Yes please, thank you." I said as she wrote on her clipboard. "Thank you Jo'nae don't forget to come by the office to pick up the keys the morning of the baby shower. And I wish your best friend a safe delivery." She left and picked up her brief case of the counter of the hall and walked back up to me.

"Thanks again." She said shaking my hand. She looked past me at Demarcus and gave him a glare before walking off.

"What was that about?" I said as the door to the hall shut.

"I don't want to talk about it." He said walking off.

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Demarcus Wayne, NJ📍

I went to the car and shut the door. The night kept replaying in my head.

Flashback

Jay and I went to the club. We need to go for business but we ended up partying instead. I had shot after shot after shot.

"Jay g-getcho a drink nigga. Fuck you jus sittin there for?" I said leaning on the bar.

"I got a pregnant girl at home. I'm cool off that." I saw him looking around. "Ayo, I'll be back."

"Where you goin?" I slurred.

"To Q. We gotta talk business." He left and made his way through the crowd.

My head was pounding so I rested it on my arms that were folded on the bar. That's when I felt a hand on my shoulder run down my back. I turned and it was Candy. A dancer that we hired here.

"Hey mister." She said sliding in the seat next to me.

I looked over at her and she had on her uniform. I trialed the lace that ran down her leg and her titties sat up in her top. Not gon lie it was makin a nigga hard. I licked my lips.

"Like what you see?" She said to me. I smiled and looked away. "Don't fight it." She took my hand and guided me down her body. I could feel her through her panties.

I got up and stumbled a little.

"To public?" She said letting go of my hand.

"We can go somewhere private." I said grabbing her hand.

What tf is wrong w/ me? I know I got a girl. What the hell?

Before I got to stop myself I was already upstairs in my office.

This wasn't me.

She laid back on my desk and pulled me on top of her. She started kissing me and I pushed her back.

"I have a g-" She interrupted me with her lips on mine.

"Stop talking and show me why they call you the big huncho."

Jay's POV During the flashback

"Aight Q, Imma holla at you." I dapped him up and walked off.

Q is me and Demarcus homebody. He a cool ass nigga too, I haven't seen him in a grip. I made my way back to the bar where I left Demarcus drunk ass but he wasn't there.

Where tf this nigga at?

I searched the whole floor of the club and couldn't find him. I headed upstairs to our offices when I heard moaning. I got closer to the door and pushed it open.

"De what the fuck man!" I said snatching him off of Candy. "You dead wrong! You know you have a whole ass girlfriend at home!"

I let him go and they both struggled to put their clothes back on. Thank god it was dark.

"Candy getcho ass the fuck on!" I said pushing her out the door. "Don't even start shit wit me we leavin." I said storming out the office.

Demarcus POV

Jay yelled at me the whole way home. He told me how I had to tell Jo'nae. He told me how I had to make it up to her.

"Why I gotta tell her?" I yelled over him.

"You think I'm gonna tell her?! You're a grown ass man you fight your own battles and right now ya battle is your relationship with Jo'nae."

Flashback over.

I was so zoned out I didn't even hear Jo'nae get in the car and call my name.

"Demarcus Wayne!" She said snatching me from my thoughts.

"Yea. My bad." She sat back in her seat and huffed.

"Well what the fuck was that? The looks the, gestures, and the tension. What was it De." She said holding her hands in her lap.

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing. Who was that girl?"

Seeing Candy dressed professionally threw me off. I didn't know her real name was Laura. She always introduced herself as Candy. So what is it professional by day stripper by night?

"She's an old fling. We used to have a thing a while back and it didn't end well." I said to her. I hate to lie. But I need to fix this with her. I want her. And Ima have her.

Jo'nae took a deep breathe. "Sorry. I keep overreacting."

"Don't apologize. It's not worth it." I was right it wasn't worth it. She didn't need to apologize. I was he one that was supposed to be apologizing.

I drove home and I couldn't stop looking over at Jo'nae. She was looking out the window and didn't notice me looking at her.

I'm so sorry.