𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐫 || Completed

𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧: 𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐧

Daffyd had trouble sleeping. He spent the whole day with Keith and a few of his teammates. When everybody asked where Jazmine was he avoided the question. Keith pulled him to the side to show him pictures of her with that damn R&B singer and he went home shortly after that. It would have been a matter of time before it became a topic of discussion.

This entire situation started getting to him. Jasmine was acting so strange. She had never spoken about Tone before, now he just kept popping up. He was taking her out to wine and dine in the open, bought her all those expensive things from Gucci, and pulled up in less than 30 minutes when she called him. He knew Jazmine wasn't up to no good, she wasn't like that. Tone on the other hand probably had something nefarious in mind.

The way she smiled around him was infuriating. Daff couldn't remember the last time she smiled at him like that. The only thought that brought him peace was that, come Friday, Tone would be gone and out of their lives.

It was now rolling into Thursday morning and he was still wide awake. He knew in his heart Jazmine would be back, she always was. This wasn't the first or second time she'd thrown a tantrum like this and left. Every single time she came back the next day willing to work it out. He figured this would be no different. When she came home he already knew what to say. He could forgive all this Tone Vincent bullshit and things would go back to normal.

The morning came and went. It was past noon and she still hadn't returned. He sat on the end of the bed sighing. He thought of calling Keily, or maybe another friend for comfort, but decided against it. Though he was growing restless he needed to relax until that nigga was gone. To him, Tone was bad news.

Finally, he heard the lock on the front door turning. She was home.

He waited there rubbing his hands together impatiently. When she entered the room he stood up, ready to talk, but he could see somebody else behind her. Tone casually walked to the couch sitting down like he owned the place. Daff's expression turned up into an irritable grimace.

Jazmine followed his gaze looking over her shoulder and slowly closed the bedroom door. "Hey..."

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked.

Anthony sat on the couch running his hands over his knees. When he heard the door close, he sucked his teeth feeling shut out. Now all he could hope was that she didn't let him manipulate her again.

A vast amount of time passed without a peep from them. He was starting to worry he had stayed there for nothing. Finally, the bedroom door flew open but it was Daff who came stomping out angrily.

"Hey man, lemme holla at you outside," he called out, heading for the door.

Ant huffed, then stood to his feet. He didn't know if Daff wanted to talk or if he wanted to fight; either way, he followed him out without question. "What?" he asked closing the door behind him.

"Listen I don't know what you plotting, or what you tryna get out of this, but you need to move around," Daff berated aggressively. "I don't appreciate you getting in my girl's head. Whatever lil' game you got planned, that shit dead. Leave her the fuck alone and gone about your life, cuz I'm gone fight for mine."

Anthony, who towered over him by a few inches, stuffed his hands in his pockets laughing.

"You think it's funny?"

"I think it's hilarious. You ain't been fighting for her," he responded with a smirk. "As long as you been in Jazzy life, the only person that's been playing games was you Quarterback. All I'm doing is being a good friend and you need to be glad that's all I'm doing; because the moment I decide to show her how a real man would treat her-" he paused leaning in and raising his eyebrows. "You gone be the last thing on her mind."

"Yo' watch what the fuck you say to me, pretty boy." Daff stood tall cocking his head to the side.

"You mad? Swing."

Just then Jazmine opened the door looking between the two. Ant sized Daff up, then turned to help her with her bags. "There's a few big ones still in the room," she said softly to him. She packed all her necessities, as much as her collection of luggage could carry.

"I'll grab them," he said heading inside, brushing Daff's shoulder with his roughly.

Daffyd chuckled under his breath watching Jaz drag a few suitcases to the car. "Don't let that nigga play you Jaz."

She ignored him stuffing her smaller luggage in the backseat. Soon after Anthony brought the rest of her things out, putting them in the trunk. When they pulled off, Daff spat at the ground and went back inside fuming.

Once they were at the hotel Jazmine invited Diamond and Alana to come by. She would be headed to Chicago the next morning and wanted a proper send-off. They all laughed, talked, and reminisced. They ordered room service, which Ant had no problem paying for. For that night, they were all just a group of kids from the north side of Chicago. Nothing that transpired over time mattered.

Once they settled down the girls were on the bed watching a movie. Ant retreated to the corner with his headphones on. His producer sent over some beats to listen to. He looked up from his computer for a moment and his eyes fell on Jazmine who was cozied between her best friend and sister. She looked happy.

The image made him think back to waking up that morning to her cozied up beside him, sleeping soundly. It made his lips curl up into a smile. A thought passed, but he quickly dismissed it. He let that dream go six years ago, there was no point in revisiting it now.