Stay|The Jodeci Collection|Aaliyah & Devante Swing

Chapter 7:Lotus

After the meeting, Lashawn was the first to get up so he could yank me out as fast as possible. He pulled me out of the room and down the hall. Devante had attempted to follow after me but Lashawn was too fast. Devante had this look of worry and concern. Does he know.

Lashawn pulled me to the last studio at the end of the hall, Studio C, the only soundproof studio. Some couples went in there to do the do, some went in there to smoke weed sometimes. For me and Lashawn, he pulled me in there so he could beat the crap out of me. It was no different this time. I had mustered up the courage to start yelling before he had even pulled me in the studio.

Devante was the first person I saw. I saw the fear in his eyes, the concern he had for me. I yelled his name, needing him to save me in this situation. He ran after Lashawn, trying to get me away from him. He was yelling and cussing.

I was yelling and crying. People were now gathered outside of Suge's office, watching this madness happen. I could tell this was breaking point. He's been trying to hide this abuse thing for months and now he's just doing it in public. I was scared of what he was gonna do to me when we got in this studio.

Devante had finally gotten to me just as Lashawn had gotten to the door. I held onto Devante, allowing him to pull me away from him. Once again, Lashawn was faster and stronger. Lashawn pulled me away from Devante and threw me into the room. He walked in and closed the door behind me, starting to beat the crap out of me.

He picked up anything he could find and hit me with it. Music stands, microphones, sound equipment. He pulled my hair, punched me in my face, beat me with his belt. Threw me into walls, kicked me in my sides, cut me with a pocket knife, stomped on my body. It was like anything he was ever mad about, he took out on me.

I could hear Devante on the other side of the door, begging Lashawn to let him in. I could hear sirens, people screaming, Devante trying to get in the door, my body being thrown all around the room. I could see the look in his eyes, he had rage, evil and death in his eyes. That wasn't Lashawn, that wasn't the man I had grown to love and that I fell for. He was different.

I then heard the door open, seeing it flying off of it's hinges. Suge had kicked the door down and Devante ran in. Suge came in the room and handled him. Devante came to my side, scooping me up in his arms. I could barely see him but I knew it was him.

I could feel his arms cradling my almost lifeless body, holding my head as he wiped my hair out of my face. I held onto his arm for dear life, thinking that the more I held, the more I could see him and the more I could hear his voice. I heard cops, I heard people crying. I heard Devante crying. I looked up at his face, seeing his eyes fill with tears. He mouth pleading me to keep my eyes open.

For me to stay with him. It got harder and harder for me to hold onto his arm as my body was slowly giving up. I felt him hold me tighter, almost like he was trying to give me some of his strength. I couldn't speak, I didn't know what I was gonna say to him. There were many things I wanted to say. I wanted to say I loved him, I never meant to hurt him, he's the love of my life, I couldn't live without him.

No matter how many things were in my brain to say to him, I couldn't get them out. I felt my eyes closing, I felt my hand slipping away from his arm. His voice started to fade, his face started to fade. Everything started to fade. I felt myself starting to fade. How did I get to this and what did I do to deserve it.