Under The Influence: N 2 Deep

53. Blamed

Joe's POV

"What's going on?" I hear Chris say as he approaches the truck.

I shake my head and roll my eyes. This is the last person who needs to be here. I don't say anything. I don't even look his way. I just look out the windshield. He's about to make this situation worse.

"She's hysterically crying. She's saying she hates Drake and she doesn't want to go to the house."

"What happened?" He asks.

I start tapping my finger on the armrest. I'm trying to keep cool because now I'm irritated.

"We were just smoking and she started freaking out." Dori explains

Chris walks over to Shawnie's side of the car and opens the door. I watch him in the rearview mirror.

"How much did she drink?" He asks, sitting her up, pulling her into his arms.

"A lot." Dori says

"Shawnie?" He says her name and she looks up at him.

"Baby..." she says

He holds her as she cries in his chest. "What's wrong?"

"I hate him so much. I don't want to go back there. I don't want to stay another night with him. I didn't want this, but I promised him I would hold off on making a decision but I just want to be done."

"Then be done." He says

"Can I stay here with you?" She pouts at him and he smiles.

"I'm sure you can, but that's not a good idea, baby. Jasmine is here." He says

"Chris?" He looks at her like he's thinking.

If this motherfucker tells her yes, I'm stepping in.

"I want you to stay but...you know...you can't babe." He says. "He's not even there. Just go home and go to sleep. You won't even have to see him when he comes in."

"He wakes me up when he comes in just to tell me he's home."

"Has she done this before, Joe?"

"Nah. This is a first." I say

"I've never seen her like this. She's had little breakdowns but this is new." He says

Chris was quiet for a minute. He was thinking hard about what to do. He looked down at her and kissed the top of her head.

"Aight. Come on.." He steps back, holding her hand for her to get out of the car.

"Nah." I open my car door and get out. "You can't be serious. You're not about to take her in there with you and your girlfriend?"

"What else am I supposed to do? I can't leave her like this." He says

"Watch out." I slide between Chris and the door, pushing him out of the way and stepping between them. She dropped his hand and laid her head on the back of the seat. She was so gone. Her eyes were closed and she was kinda out of it. I didn't think she was drunk like this.

"What you gon do?" Chris says from behind me.

"Not take her in the same house with my fucking girlfriend." I spit back

"Maybe if I take her home and try to talk to her a little more— or go get my shit. I'm not leaving her like this." He says and I just look at him like he's crazy.

"Chris, you can't leave Jasmine." Dori says

"But I can't leave Shawnie either."

"Bro, cut the cord." I say. "You need to back the fuck up and let me handle this." Now I'm getting pissed off. I get that he's worried and doesn't want to leave her side but he has to. Just like she needs to cut the cord, so does he. I actually believe she already has, it's just the situation and openness she has with him.