A Thin Line Between Love and Hate //D. Swing//

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                     One week later.

Tiana.

"Everybody loves the sunshine.

Sunshine.

Folks get brown in the sunshine.

Sunshine."

I let the smooth melodies overtake my body as I lay on the bed with Donald, enjoying the sweet sound of my old 70s records. I'm really happy at the moment. It gets kinda lonely staying here beside myself while Donald is enjoying life in the city. He's spending his break at my house since he's still sore about how his dad kicked him out of the house. As much as I have respect for Donald Sr., he was wrong for kicking Donald, his oldest son, out of the house. When he got the news that Donald and the boys got a record deal, he tried to get Donald to move back in, as you can see, Donald wasn't having it.

I sit up on the bed, holding my knees to my chest.

"So, how's the big city been treating ya?"

"It's ass, Andre got us staying at some ratty apartment. We got just about every single insect ever known, living up in there for free." He sighed, easing his arms behind his head. I chuckled to myself at how he sounded with his thick, southern accent.

"So you done moved on up, huh?"

He mean mugged me for a couple seconds.

"Well, it ain't no deluxe apartment in the sky, but it'll do."

"But how you been?" He propped himself up, looking deep into my eyes with his honey brown pupils, almost sending me into a trance.

"I've been around." I respond, coolly.

A long silence falls upon us, resulting in just the two of us, looking deep into each other's eyes, he had a particular glimmer in his, much like a lone star in the sky. His eyes are truly unique, everytime I tell him how enthralling they are, he still ends up hiding them behind a pair of sunglasses. He never really did like too much attention being focused on him, that's why Dalvin got most of the attention, although Donald had the most talent in the family, Dalvin was more the 'outgoing' type.

"So how's that album coming?"

"I put the finishing touches on it a couple weeks ago. Wanna hear?" I nod my head signaling that I was interested in listening.

He took the demo tape out of his pocket and stuck it in my radio.

"Don't talk, just listen."

A low, nasally voice spoke in the beginning of the song.

"First of all, I gotta be honest with you baby. I lied, when I told you never want to see you again, can you stay?"

I squealed on the inside once I realized it was Donald speaking on the intro.

"And maybe, we could do something, like, make love, watch the sunrise, or listen to JoJo, K-Ci sing us a verse?"

He said the last part kind of fast and didn't give my brain enough time to process what he said.

"Slide close, baby. Let DeVante feel you. Aw you feel so sexy, so good, uhhhh."

I frown at the thought of him feeling up on someone else.

I sway my head side to side, enjoying the sound of K-Ci and JoJo's sweet harmonies.

"Tiana, I gotta tell you something." Donald averts his attention towards me.

"What is it?"

"I've loved you ever since we were kids Tiana, I always protected you, cared for you, and treated you like you was my sister, but I'm just starting to realize that I want you to be more than that. This whole album is dedicated to you, and you only. All those times where I was on the edge, you helped me stay on track. I always pray to God that you'll stay out of harm's way, all this time, you've been my homegirl, but I want us to be more than friends, you understood me when no one even cared to try, you've invaded my soul, Tiana. We're meant to be. Will you stay?"

My heart dropped onto my lap. I always wanted him to confess his feelings toward me so I can make him mine. Tears started streaming down my cheeks  as a large grin formed on my face. I was finally happy.

"I- Y-yes." I started babbling like a baby. I really had no control over my emotions at the moment.

"Shhhh." He brushed his thumbs over the wet spots of my cheeks where my tears once were, calming me down. He held me against his chest, I inhale, taking in the sweet aroma of his cologne. Time stops for a moment, before he lets go, not before planting a kiss on now my red cheeks. His large hand tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"You and I, could be one after all.

Our love, could be so strong."

Me and Donald have been laid up next to eachother all day listening to the album back to back. I think it's really great, leaving the church was actually a good move for Donald becuase it had to be done. If he didn't do that, chances are his talents would never be recognized.

I look over at Donald, he seems distant, caught in a daze, staring at the ceiling in deep thought.

"What's on your mind?" I ask in a sweet, low voice.

"After this album drops, I don't want us to flop." He responded, not taking his eyes off of the ceiling. "So I'm gonna make a second album two years after."

"You're already thinking about your second album? What else are you planning, solo careers?"

He chuckled. "Actually that's not a bad idea."

"Oh no, don't you pull a New Edition on us." I warned.

"Ain't nobody tryna be like New Edition. They not even all that."

I was this close to smacking them big ass ears of his big ass head...

"Boy don't be disrespecting New Edition like that! Didn't your mama raise you better?" I held my chest.

"Disrespect what? Johnny Gill sucked dick." He sucked his teeth.

"Talk shit about New Edition one more time and I'll give you a reason to beg me to stay."

"Whatever."

"So I was wondering, after this album drops, we're going on tour and I want you to come."

"I don't know Donald, that's kind of bold, leaving my parents here to on tour with you, maybe you should just go without me, that would be best." I tried to reason with him.

"You're going on this tour, Tiana." His nostrils began to flare, a fire started to ignite in his eyes and I can tell right away that he hasn't been taking his meds.

"Donald I already told you, I can't go. I don't sing anyway, I just helped produce some of the album."

"I already told Andre you're coming, so you're going." He cracked his knuckles, got up, and left the room.

Something tells me this wasn't going to be so easy...