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( CHAPTER NINETEEN: UNDER THE MOONLIGHT ) September, 1992
❝ I trust you. ❞
◯
"Happy birthday Dev!" TJ's loud voice rung through hollow hallway the second Devon opened his hotel room door. Devon's eyes bulged in shock, the unexpected image of TJ's standing there in the flesh taking him by surprise. In all honesty, Devon expected to spend his birthday working in LA, his busy schedule prompting him to work day and night. While he rehearsing Bobby's world tour, TLC asked if he could collaborate on another one of their videos later this month, called Hat 2 The Back, which left little room for any other activities.
He was more than happy to work with these girls again, they were very well becoming his sisters, but he had to admit that he was feeling more drained than usual. Once What About Your Friends premiered in late August, Devon's phone was blowing up. Random calls from managers, agents and various other industry people bombarded his machine, and unfortunately, Devon barely had any time to check them all. He was already occupied with his current job, and that meant the young man completely forgot that he even had a birthday. Embarrassing, wasn't it?
But as he looked at TJ's small form sauntering into his room, his heart began to beam with relieved happiness, thankful that he was receiving some normalcy in his fast-paced life. "T-TJ? How did you get here?"
"By plane nigga," TJ sarcastically replied, giving his friend a punch on the arm, "I'm here to celebrate your birthday." Devon wanted to grin upon watching TJ crash onto the cheap sofa seat in the corner of the room, his shorter, goofier friend bringing an infectious energy that he terribly missed. But of course, Devon's face was cemented into a frown, preventing him from conveying even the slightest tinge of joy. "I got you a present," TJ said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Devon stepped forward once his eyes landed on the wobbly cardboard box in his friend's hands. The young dancer raised a brow, "Ya know you didn't have to get me anything, right?" Devon asked. However, TJ's persistent nature refused for Devon to go through the day empty-handed.
"Just open it," TJ irritably said, rolling his eyes at Devon's stubbornness. Sighing to himself, the dancer's longer fingers quickly snatched open the package. His friend wasn't exactly the best gift-giver in the world, and yet many of his failed efforts always managed to resonate with Devon.
One time his friend got him a rusted skateboard for his fifteenth birthday, and the first day the wheels came off. Later, Devon found out it was a cheap present he stole from his grandfather's garage, and yet the thought still made Devon beam. Now, nine years later, Devon feared that not much had changed.
Unfortunately, when Devon's fingers clawed open the wrapping paper, he was right. Sitting in the box, in the middle of bundles of wrapping paper, was a small packet of condoms. Devon's face immediately scrunched up with vivid confusion, quickly picking up the box to stare at his friend with disappointment. "Condoms, you got me condoms?!" Devon asked in a puzzled tone, knowing that this was a new low for TJ.
