Demarcus Wayne, NJ📍

Time really flies when you tryna set mothafuckers up.

It's been three weeks now that Jo'nae's been in the hospital. She still hasn't woken up. The doctors tried to take her off the machines twice. I hope they know I will easily pop a cap in they bald headed asses if they touch that girl.

We were in the car in front of the house. By we I mean Jay, Que, and I. Ashanti ass can't come. She's wild asl.

"Aight let's go over it again." He said to me. "You go in. First see if they are already on stage. If their not go into the locker room like your in a hurry to get them on stages. Pick out the "best dancers" Rachel, Nicole, Candy, and some other random bitch in there." I nodded.

"When they leave tell the other girls they can take a break in the backroom. Once they go there find Nicole's locker use this combination," He said handing me a piece of paper. "And get her phone. Simple as that."

"How'd you get this shit?" I asked holding the paper.

"I have connections."

"That can't be your answer to everything."

"Nigga it don't matter how I got it. I got it right? Damn! Always wanna know shit! Jus stay stupid for once."

We pulled up to the club and parked a little further from the entrance than usual.

"Aight go in there." Jay told me. "Wait." He reached into the glove box and took out a pair of black gloves and threw em at me.

"You and Ashanti with these damn gloves." He smiled at that and shook his head.

"Aight so he's doin what he gotta do. Your the getaway driver. What the fuck am I here for?" Que asked. Jay pulled out a baggie of weed and wraps.

"Roll up." He said throwing it at him. I slipped the gloves on before shutting the door of the car.

I walked in and looked around. It's 9pm the club is usually jumpin around this time. Music was blasting and hella people were there. But no dancers. I made my way to the locker room. The closer I got the more I heard bickering back and forth.

I busted open the door and say Candy and some other girl arguing.

"What the fuck is going on?" I said walking in.

"This bitch is annoying she keep taking my shit!" The dancer said holding a pair of tall heels and panties. The dancer's name was Celeste. At least that's what she go by when she's here.

"I ain't take them shits they mine!"

"Stop fuckin lyin girl I came in here last week w these panties. You dirty ass bitch."

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. She stole panties?!!???

I felt gross. Like gross asl.

"We don't have time for this. Explain to me how it's 9 and we don't got no fuckin entertainment out there. If I lose money that's ya asses!" I said to them.

"Now get the fuck out on that stage. I need Rachel, Nicole, Candy, and Cupcake. Out on that stage now!" The girls rushed to put their things in their lockers and ran out and onto the stage.

"I'm sorry boss. I ain't mean to yell at your girl like th-"

"That's not my girl." I said cutting her off.

"She's not?" I shook my head. "She been walk-in around here tellin us that you guys are together and you told her to make sure that we do what we have to do and shit."

"I never said that. I will handle that you don't worry about it. Get you and them other girls in the backroom and chill out. Ya need time to your selves."

"Aight thank you." She walked off and gathered the other girls together and they all went to the backroom.

Damn, Ima smooth dude.

I made my way to Nicole's locker and used the combination Jay gave me.

5.5.6.7.8. I put it in and it didn't work. I tried yet again and it didn't work.

"The fuck am I dyslexic or sum?" I told myself as I looked back down at the code.

I kept putting 9 instead of 8. 5.5.6.7.8. The locker unlocked and I opened it up. Shit was everywhere. I didn't know where to start. I looked in her coat pockets when I heard a text message notification. It was from her phone on the top shelf of the locker. I took it and tucked it in my pocket before shutting the locker back like nothing happened.

I went and checked the backroom and the girls were smoking hookahs and listening to music. I made my way out the locker room and onto the dance floor. It was dark so no one could see me. I looked up at the stage where the girls were dancing. I looked at Candy and she still ain't have no bump.

"Que go in there and take over." I said getting in the car. They hot boxed the shit out of it.

"Aight." He handed Jay back the blunt and got out the car.

I took out the phone and put it on the arm rest.

"My nigga you got it!" Jay said dappin me up. "Now let's get back to the house."

We made our way back home and walked in. The house was silent. Awkwardly silent. We went to Jo'naes room and Ashanti wasn't there. That's where we left her. Sleeping in Jo'naes room. We went in mine she wasn't there and we went in her old one. The last room we checked was Jay's. She was there knocked the fuck out with a box of cheese its next to her.

"Bae." Jay said shaking her. "Wake up." She opened her eyes a little bit and sat up.

"What?"

"Were you snackin or sleepin?" He asked her making us both laugh. She hit us with a pillow.

"There ain't shit funny ya left me here!"

"We had to. Yo ass was tired anyway hush." He said getting beside her in the bed.

"No! Go take a shower!" She said pushing him.

"You sayin I stink ma?"

"No. You got outside clothes on tryna get in the bed!"

"Tf is outside clothes?"

"Go take a shower or you sleepin on the couch."

"Aight you doin to much Ill be back." He said laughing.

Jay grabbed some clothes from the drawers and went to the bathroom while I stayed in the room with Ashanti.

She reminds me so much of Jo'nae. I miss her so much. Ashanti was like a big sister to me. I can come to her for anything.

"What's wrong?" She said looking up at me. I was leaning on the dresser by the side of the bed.

"I just wish me and Jo'nae didn't end off the way we did."

"Awe, De, you'll get to make it up to her. Once she wakes up."

"What if she don't. What if we lose her? Come on Ashanti I can't live like that we both know it." The thought of losing Jo'nae made my eyes start to water. Before I knew it I was crying.

Ashanti pulled me beside her on the bed and rubbed my back as I cried. She didn't stop me. She just let me feel. She let me show my emotions.

"De." She said to me. "You can't think negative. We need to think positive to out way the negative. There is to much going on in our lives right now to be thinking negative. Jo'nae loves you. Whether she wanna admit it or not. This whole situation, yes, it shocked her and she's mad. But I know you can make it up to her."

She was right I know how Imma make it up to her too. I wiped my tears away and sat up straight. I pulled Nicole's phone out my pocket and put it on the bed. I still had the gloves on which made Ashanti smile.

"You learned." She said to me. I laughed.

"What's your next step?" She asked me.

"I need to get the password and disable it."

"How you plan on doin that?!"

"I have a guy. I'll be back. Tell Jay I stepped out." I said as I left the room.

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Jay'shawn Lawson, NJ📍

I turned off the shower water and dried off before getting dressed and leaving the bathroom. I walked in the room and Ashanti was on her phone. She looked up when I walked in.

"Look who's all fresh and clean!" She said reaching out for a hug. I walked over and hugged her kissing her forehead.

"How's my girls?"

"Good. She been gettin on my last nerve though I tell you that much."

"Damn what she do?"

"She keep being so greedy! Everything I eat she take. Everything!" I laughed and kissed her bump.

"Whatchu wanna do ma?"

"Watch a movie, but first, we need to have a talk."

"What talk?" I said with a concerned face.

"I'm worried about Demarcus." I sighed. I feel bad for the both of them. They don't know Jo'nae like I do. I'm confident she'll wake up but they are so scared to lose her it's scaring me at this point.

"Why ma?"

"Because he's not the same without her. Be real when was the last time you seen him smile for real or laugh at least?"

I was thinking. I couldn't remember a time he actually laughed or smiled. It was always a fake one or jus a quick little smile to lighten the mood. I know these last three weeks has been hell for him.

"We should do something for him."

"Like what?"

"I don't know bae. You usually good at this type of shit." I said laying on her lap. She started to play with my braids while she was thinking.

"Maybe, we should make him a museum typa thing."

"What the fuck?"

"Like full of pictures of him and her. OH! I know we should do a picnic with a projector thing like I saw on TikTok."

"You and this damn Tiktok."

"No baby I'm serious! The guy had a slideshow of him and his wife on a big screen."

"That's whatchu wanna do for him?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Where do we get a projector from?!" I said causing her to laugh.

We sat there for the rest of the night planning out this "projector" night for Demarcus. Don't get me wrong he's one of my men. But he's my homeboy first and I'll go through hell and back to see him happy. I'm just glad Ashanti's here to help me.