Call On Me

2

Tionne 

I'm dreaming right now. I've got to be fucking dream.

I held Lisa's body to mine as long as I could during the kiss. It was too good to be true. When I managed to pull away I just stared at her in shock and disbelief. "What was that?" My eyes shot to Dalvin who threw his hands up and walked away. Then I looked at Ro who just laughed and winked. Anywhere my eyes could look but at Lisa they looked. "Tionne my eyes are right here." She pulled my face to hers. "That was long over due. I see that now. And I'm sorry for always throwing Andre in your face. From now on its just about us when I'm with you. I'll only bring Andre up when I'm at school or around your mo-" "Wait a minute. You come over here bust my chops, kiss me, then expect me too be ya side hoe. Lisa I can't even believe you. Its clear as day I want you. But it took for me to be involved with someone else just to get half the attention I give you daily! Fuck this shit. I don't want it." I pushed her off and took off out the building. I just could not believe her. 

The nerve of this girl. I'm too good for Dalvin but not good enough to be your girlfriend. What type of shit is that? Lisa got Tionne Tenese Watkins all fucked up. I don't even know why I'm crying right now. Its not like I love the bitch. Okay maybe I do love her. But I'm not head over hills let's get married in love with her. 

"Tionne? Tionne baby wait a minute." I felt my body tensen as Lisa grabbed my hand. "I'm not your baby. Andre is remember." After yanking away and looking in her eyes the tears fell even more. "Baby will you just shut the fuck up and listen. I'll dump Dre. Right here. Right now. If that's what it'll take for you to see I'm serious. You're not a side hoe to me Tee. I swear." Her hands pulled me to her and she wiped my tears. "Why now Li? Why'd you wait so long to see how I felt?" "It wasn't about how you felt. I didn't want to admit how I feel. But I've felt like this for a very long time now." She looked at me then sighed. "Let's go home so I can explain this better." "How we getting home Nicole?!" "Will yo yellow ass stop with the damn yelling already! Shit if you give a sista some time you'd know I asked Rozonda to take us." I rolled my eyes laughing. "Are you serious? So now you and my girlfriend are buddy buddy huh? Fuck you Lisa. I'll walk." However Ro then stopped me. "Chill out Tee. She's trying." "Too little too late." "At least hear her out girl damn. Its never too late for love." We looked at each other as I folded my arms. "You got five minutes."

December 24, 1986

"Lisa?" I called from outside my bedroom door. I'd just come home from last minute Christmas shopping and saw her running from Andre's car into the house upset. "Li open the door please." I kept trying and she wouldn't move from the door. "I've got a present for you LiLi come on." She finally cracked the door and spoke. "Save it for someone who's more deserving. I just wanna cry alone okay." "Why what's wrong?" "Nothi-" "You're lying. I saw you run in here crying. What'd Andre do?" Once the door was open I walked in and shut it behind me. "Li." She looked at me and I instantly grew angry. "This nigga hi-" "Shhh! I don't want your mom to know okay." I sighed staring at the visible black eye he'd placed on her then choked back my own tears. "Come here." Once on the bed I just held her. She cried until she couldn't anymore. "Ti..." "Yeah?" "Thank you." "Don't. Just promise me you won't give that boy your heart Li. He doesn't deserve you." "I promise." Not long after Li had drifted off to sleep leaving me to my thoughts. The longer she lay in my arms the more I wish I could tell her how I felt. But I just knew there was no chance in hell she'd feel the same.

"Li- oh she's asleep. I'll tell Andre to call her later then." My eyes shot to my brother then got up. "Don't bother." I brushed passed him and shot down the stairs to the door. By the looks of it my mother wasn't home which gave me plenty of time to beat his ass. "Why you here?" I growled. "Lisa. My girlfriend. Go get her." "One she's sleep. And two hell no! I ain't letting you near her nor in my god damn house." Kayo was standing a few feet behind me confused. "Uh Ti-" "Go to your room Kayo." "Bu-" "Now." He moved quickly back upstairs and I simply stared at Andre. "You're still standing here. I said leave." "And if I don't?" I laughed and got in his face. "Listen Andre. That pretty little face of yours can get ruined right now. Get the hell off my property before your career is over before its started." "I'm no more afraid of you than I was of Lisa. Get in a girl's place and stay in it." He pushed me back and that did it. I knocked him flat on his ass. "I said leave! And I mean now." However unlike the smart boy he thought he was he wanted to fight. "Ti? Ti! Kayo come help me!" I was busy beating Andre's ass while Kayo and Li tried to pull me off. "If you ever put your hands on Lisa again I swear to God I'll kill you!!" "Tionne calm down!" "Get off me Lisa!" I kept swinging and connecting to his face. I had tears streaming and all.

Present

"That's what happened to Andre's face?" Lisa looked at Ro and laughed. "Yeah. My slugger beat his ass well. But that's besides the point. When I finally cooled her off and wiped her bloody nose I saw something in her eyes that I hadn't really minded before." "What'd you see?" She linked our hands and smiled. "Love. I knew that night you were in love with me. You wouldn't have beaten him that badly if you weren't. It just took me back that I'd slowly started to feel the same." My tears had stopped and all I felt was joy. "Are you sayi-" "Tionne Tenese Watkins I love you. I love everything about you. I'd be a fool to hold it in any longer. I'm not perfect. And I am young. But I love you. No one else. Forget about Andre. Forget about Dalving. Just be my girl." Ro's dumb ass was over there singing and we found ourselves skating once more. "I love you." I whispered over the music. "I love you too." I cuffed her face gently then kissed her. I wasn't afraid anymore. "Shout outs to the new couple! Get it Bone!" We laughed waving to the booth at D. He's face looked a bit red. "Why's his fa-" "Ro got that ass good." "Speaking of Ro. Rozonda!" I grabbed her hand and hugged her. "Thank you." "Mhmm. Now let me go. I'm not with the lovie shit right now." "She need a new boo." "Do not." "Do too!"