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Get yourself the fuck together Izzy. That's what I told myself in the bathroom less than 5 minutes ago. Now here I am storming right towards Jodeci's section to confront the man I once loved. I still love. I passed right by Mina and Mani as they followed me with their eyes in confusion. Once I got within a few feet of DeVante, he finally noticed me approaching. His expression was clear. A mixture of confusion and annoyance filled his chiseled face.
"Hey! What is this? Huh?!" I confronted him immediately, gesturing towards the model that sat next to him while holding on to his arm. She looked confused but not confrontational. She just watched me.
"Izzy, ion got time for your bullshit bruh," he pinched the bridge of his nose as if he were stressed.
"Bullshit? Are we forgetting what transpired in the first place? You CHEATED! And now you have the nerve to bring another chick up in here knowing I would be here?! Knowing I would be watching?!"
He stood drastically, towering over me.
"Are YOU forgetting that I went through some shit too?! Huh?! Or is it the Izzy show all the God damn time? Hm? Do you even give a FUCK about me? Or do you wanna continue to use yo sob story to manipulate people into thinking I'm the bad guy?!"
I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was the liquor accompanied with anger, but I slapped him. I mean I slapped the shit out of him. The people that were closer in range to us, watched in shock. Including the boys, who were on the dance floor but still close to the section.
DeVante immediately grabbed a hold of my wrists, squeezing it as hard as he could making me wince in pain.
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FUCKIN MARBLES?" His eyes intensified in pure anger and for the first time ever...I was afraid of him. Afraid that he'd actually hurt me further than what he already was . His face turned slightly red as his jaw tensed. I squirmed, struggling to release myself from his grip. "De! You're hurting me!"
He didn't let go.
Hot tears seeped from my eyes and down my cheeks before the model girl intervened.
"De what the hell! She just said you're hurting her let her go!" DeVante finally snapped out of it and released me but with an aggressive push. I stumbled back, losing my footing in the process but I never hit the ground. I quickly turned my head to see who had caught me,
It was Dino.
A very pissed off Dino.
"Aye mane, the fuck wrong with you putting ya hands on ha!" Dino's Southern Texan accent was extremely prominent. He slid me behind him where my girls stood and immediately moved me further away from the budding altercation. Why was Dino this upset about De hurting me when we hardly even know each other? I'm not sure, but I couldn't say I wasn't grateful.
"Aye Stay in ya lane lil nigga, remember you tryna get to where I'm at ," De spat back, fist balled up like he was about to swing any minute. Now I've seen De get mad, but I don't think I've ever seen him this mad before. Not that I could recall...well except for when us and Jagged edge made that sexy music video but that's neither here nor there.
"Where you at? What gettin caught slippin in his own house?" Dino shot back real quick, referring to his recent robbery. Now that was a little low but I'm not even gonna defend De's ass.
"Woah woah woahh aye! ain't gon be none of that shit bruh, y'all both gotta chill," K-Ci and the boys finally made it to the chaos that was unfolding more and more by the minute. K-Ci and Jojo held De back while Shazam and Darryl got in between the two. It took damn near all 3 of the boys to keep De from jumping on Dino. While Dino finally turned around and grabbed my hand, leading me outside through the back of the club. The girls followed close behind.
"Yo! What the fuck was that? Iz are you good?" my sister's expression was nothing but concerned.
I nodded my head incessantly.
"I'm f-fine I-"
"See nawww we don't tolerate that physical aggression shit...I'm finna walk in there and give that nigga a REAL reason to put his hands on a woman!" Mani began storming to the door but Dino's twin brother Shazam quick pulled her back. "Hol hol slow your roll shawty, it don't even gotta be all that right now. Let's just make sure ya homegirl straight."
"I'm fine...r-really I'm okay," my voice shook. "Honestly I shouldn't have slapped him...I-I acted impulsively, that was on me."
"Hey, it ain't all on you ight? Listen I heard what that nigga said to you, I think most of us here did...this ain't all your fault. You human like the rest of us, okay?" Dino stated his point and the rest agreed.
A few moments passed before Tehmina spoke up.
"Man I'm off this lame ass party anyways. Y'all ready to go?"
The rest of the girls including me agreed to dip out but not before Dino spoke up again.
"Let me take you home," he stated rather than asked.
"Mmm mmm, we ain't doing this tonight. The last nigga that took my little sister home from a club like this was De for her birthday , and look at where we are now," Mina crossed her arms in disapproval.
"I ain't nothing like dude, I promise you that and I promise I'll make sure she's safe."
"I'll be fine Mina, I promise I'll page you once I make it home," I added.
The girls all still seemed a little skeptical, but ultimately decided to let it be.
Placing a gentle yet protective hand on the small of my back, Dino said...
