Jacob & Aaliyah: You Belong to Me

by Domaneque Banks

  "Bitch what you doing still up?!" He said loudly.

  "Travis shut up and take your ass to bed! Damn you aggy!" I snapped.

  I hated when he came back in here all damn loud after going out to drink with some of his bum ass friends. We already were shacking up in a fucking hotel and I didn’t want to get in trouble or get kicked out until I had a solid plan for sure that me and Mac were gonna get together.

  "You don’t tell me what to do. You need to come over here and give me some of that good pussy you got.”

  "Hell no, my period on!" I quickly responded lying my ass off.

  "Okay ain't nothing wrong with your mouth though!" Travis barked.

  "Well you still ain’t getting that. I'm tired I have a busy day tomorrow.”

  "For somebody who don’t have a job you always damn busy." Travis replied. “You know what? Never mind, I don’t want any of your wack ass head anyway. You suck at it anyway.” Travis replied before laying down on the bed and snoring like a loud gorilla not even two minutes later. I swear Mac needs to go ahead and give me the green light on what we gonna do, because I'm getting so tired of this shit. I sighed turning over in the bed.

  Chapter 9 - Jacob

  Finally, the last of the guests were leaving my condo. The service and burial was all a blur. Aaliyah went back home to Detroit to attend Tori's funeral. Today she was supposed to be returning and I was glad. I felt destroyed on the inside and had no one to talk to about how I was feeling. I couldn’t eat or sleep, thinking about everything that had went down. Usually when shit was falling apart I had Quentin to turn to. Now that he was dead I felt conflicted and angry. Closing my business down and taking a break was the only thing keeping me sane. I knew I had a lot of clients that depended on me, but right now I needed to give myself time to heal. Looking around my place I noticed I had a lot of cleaning to do.

  Knock. Knock.

  " Who is it?" I asked.

  " It's Amanda."

  Now what could she possibly want? I hadn't spoken to Amanda since the day that I had to fire her. All of a sudden she was just popping up at my house without calling or texting to see if it was cool. I was going through a lot right now and I didn’t have time for any of her unnecessary bullshit. Opening the door, I allowed her to come inside.

  "So what's going? As you can see I'm kind of the middle of something and I don’t want to really be bothered.”

  "I'm sorry, it's just I heard about what happened to your friend Quentin and I just couldn’t stay away. I had to know if you would be alright." She stated looking concerned.

  "Well I'm straight. I'm as good as expected to be. Now if you don’t mind I have a lot of cleaning up to do. I have had a lot of company here and I need to get my house together." I said sternly.

  "Do you need any help? I'm not doing anything today. Please let me help you out Jacob." Amanda said hugging me.

  I don’t know what it was, but I melted into her embrace. Maybe it was because Aaliyah was gone and I needed comforting but as soon as Amanda placed her lips on mine I hungrily kissed her back. As she started to unbuckle my pants I quickly had to regain my composure and think about what I was doing. If Aaliyah even found out that I possibly fucked Amanda again it would ruin my chances with her and I couldn’t have that.

  "Wait hold up I can't do this." I told Amanda letting her go.

  "Jacob please don’t push me away now I need you." She said stroking my arms.

  "No, you need to go back home to your husband. Stop calling and texting me and just showing up at my house. I told you that we can't be together.”

  "It’s somebody else isn't it?" She asked having an attitude.

  "Really Amanda, you gonna start with this shit today out of all days? Look, I just buried my best friend a couple of hours ago and all you can do is come over and try to find a way to make this shit about you. I have told you over and over that I don’t want you. What we had was a one time thing and you making it more than what it is. If you really were concerned about me then you wouldn’t have come over with only the intentions to get some dick. Now get the hell out my face and out of my house!" I fumed holding the door open so that she could let herself out.

  "Jacob, I'm really sorry. I don’t know that I was thinking. I honestly came over here to just make sure you were okay. I’m truly sorry for your loss." She stammered closing my door behind her.

  The nerve of that bitch coming over here getting all in her feelings. Amanda could save all of that emotional shit for her husband. I didn’t have time to play around with her. I admit she almost had me because I was horny, but the only woman I wanted right now was Aaliyah. She was expected to come back home tonight and all I wanted to do was check up on her and make sure she was okay. Nothing else really mattered to me at this point. She was the only person I truly had left. Deciding to call her just to hear her voice she didn’t answer. I knew she was probably busy and needed time to herself. Until she came back I would just sit and drink my sorrows away. I swear this shit was hurting like a motherfucker and I was so unsure if I would ever feel the same again.

  Aaliyah

  Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my entire life. I didn't know if I was coming or going. I tried to be strong for Victoria's mom, but I broke down when they finally lowered my best friend's body into the ground. I sobbed and all of the family and everyone just tried to help me take it all in but I was unable to control the sorrow I felt in my heart. All of the pain and hurt that I felt when my father passed away had resurfaced. Me and Tori had been so close and bonded over so much. She was literally the only friend and sister that I had and trusted. With her being gone who could I run to when shit was starting to fall apart? I didn’t even wanna talk about damn Danyelle. She didn’t even know that I came to town and it was better that it stayed that way or I would end up choking the shit out of her for the smart ass remarks she made regarding Tori. I didn’t mean for it to slip about Devonte but I couldn’t help it. Danyelle was a selfish whore who only thought about herself. She was jealous and vindictive. I don’t why I trusted that she would act like she gave two fucks about what happened but after that night I promised myself to never open up to her about shit else again.

  Hopefully she would just shrug off what I said about Devonte and keep it moving. I didn’t have time to be worrying about going to jail or much being arrested for killing my ex. I missed Jacob so much. I was planning on staying in town for two extra days just to make sure that Tori's mom was good, but I needed to get back to Vegas. I knew that Jacob was hurting and that as strong as he tried to make himself seem he needed somebody too. He loved Quentin just as much as I loved Victoria. Packing my bags, I saw I had a missed call from Jacob I hadn't seen that he called due to my phone being on silent. I needed to really do better with that. I never kept my ringer on loud and Tori would always fuss at me about it. I laughed to myself remembering the argument that we had about it a couple of months back. Damn, I missed her already. My whole heart felt shattered just thinking about living the rest of my life without my best friend by my side. Trying to stop the feeling of bursting into tears I decided to give Jacob a call back. I didn’t want him to think I was ignoring him.

  "Hello," he said answering the phone.

  "Hey babe." I said, happy to hear his voice.

  "Hey, when you coming home? I miss you and I really don’t wanna be alone right now." He said somberly.

  "I'll be back first thing in the morning. I just finished packing up. I just wanted to call you to make sure everything went well with the funeral and burial,” I said.

  "It went as expected. I'm just really torn up about everything, Aaliyah. Quentin was my boy and now that’s he's gone I'm not sure if I'll be able to get over it." Jacob told me truthfully.

  "Jacob, everything that you feel, I feel too. This weekend has sent me on a whirlwind of emotions. I'm trying to be strong because I know Tori wouldn’t want me to be sad and I know Quentin wouldn’t want you feeling that way either.”

 
"I know he would probably be cussin my ass out right now seeing me sulking over him." Jacob tried to laugh.

  "Same here, Victoria would be chumping me off.”

  "So how are we supposed to pick up the pieces?" Quentin asked.

  "I don’t know where or how to do that Jacob, but we have to find a way to try. We can't let our friends down. As long as we stick by each other's side we can get through it together." I told him.

  "Well just come back here I'm waiting." Jacob said.

  'I'm coming, let me go so I can pack." I told him throwing my heels in my luggage.

  "Okay Aaliyah?" Jacob questioned.

  "Yeah?"

  "Do you blame Quentin for Victoria's death? If you do I wouldn’t blame you. I know he was the one driving. I just don’t want you to hate him for it." Jacob begged.

  "I don’t hate him. I know I said that I blamed him, but I can't fully put everything on him. Victoria had been drinking too. She could have been the one driving and then what? It would be easy to blame her. All I know is that everything happens for a reason. I'm not sure why this fucked up thing played out the way that it did, but I'm grateful that I have time to heal from it and we can both help each other through it." I told him as my phone beeped letting me know my cell was about to die.

  "Okay call me when you get in babe." Jacob said as he hung up.

  Everything I told him was the truth. I couldn’t blame all of this on Quentin. Somehow I would have to make peace with this situation and trust that things would be okay. If I didn’t, I would slowly sink back into the state that I was in right after I lost Devonte and I would be damned if that happened again.

  Danyelle

  Sitting outside the balcony of my motel room I was flipping through the Daily News when I saw the obituary of Victoria.

  "Damn, so the hoe is really dead." I muttered up underneath my breath.

  I knew it was a pretty fucked up thing to say, but I didn’t care. Victoria never liked me and the feeling was mutual. She was just as stuck up as my sister and always would say little sneaky shit behind my back like I didn’t know. Then Aaliyah was just as grimy, because of instead of coming to my defense she would let the bitch sit there and talk about me.

  "Poor tink. Well good riddance!" I said laughing throwing the newspaper on the deck table.

  "What you out here laughing about?" Travis asked peeking his head through the balcony door.

  "None of your business." I snapped.

  "Damn, I just asked a question! You better watch your fucking tone with me Danyelle. Lately you been having a moody ass attitude. Don’t make me whoop your ass up in here!" Travis threatened.

  "Well shit, you would be unhappy too if you was paying all of the bills and shit. Stop acting like a little boy and maybe I'll start to show you some respect." I barked not believing I actually said what I said.

  "Bitch, what did you say?" Travis asked grabbing out of the chair.

  "You heard me, you weak as hell. Get a fucking job and stop using me to pay for your shit and.….”

  WHACK! Before I knew it, Travis had slapped me in the face so hard my head was spinning off of my shoulders.

  "Whatever nigga you fucking now must have made you lose your mind Danyelle!" Travis roared as he grabbed me by my hair and dragged me inside the motel room.

  "Please stop!" I screamed.

  "Hell no! I see you not talking that big shit now. Don’t you ever disrespect me again. I own your ass and if you think that you gonna talk to me like one of the dudes you fucking for my money, you got me all the way fucked up!" Travis fumed as he threw my body against the wall like a rag doll.

  What the fuck was I thinking about? Had he actually just admitted to me that I had been his hoe the whole time in our relationship. My flesh was burning in pain and the tears were rolling down my cheeks. All this time I thought that Travis really loved me, but truth be told he only needed me to take care of him. As Travis whooped my ass all I could do was cry and wish that Mac would come save me.

  "I don’t see you getting smart now!" Travis said as he grabbed my face and drew spit. The saliva slithered down my nose mixing in with the blood.

  "Travis, stop please. I can't take anymore" I begged. If Travis didn’t stop then I would die. His weight alone was enough to destroy my small frame. When he finally stopped hitting I ran into the motel bathroom and locked the door.

  "Open this door! Don’t lock shit in here!" Travis demanded.

  I didn’t respond. I crawled into the corner and wept silently hoping and praying that he would just leave. Then I heard a knock at the door. One of the rooms next doors must have heard the commotion or called management.

  "Great now I can get put out for this shit!" I thought to myself. Listening through the other side of the door I heard Travis speaking to someone.

  "Everything good over here. Y’all need to mind your business and stop worrying about what I have going on.

  "Sir, we heard a complaint of a domestic dispute going on and we just want to make sure everything is okay. Its police policy to investigate when something is reported.

  Knowing that now was my chance to get free from Travis I decided it was now or never.

  "Please help me!" I yelled running from the bathroom in pain.

  "What the fuck?" Travis said, not believing I had come out from the bathroom while the police were there.

  "Omg ma'am did this gentleman assault you?" The officer said as I burst into tears hiding behind him.

  " Yes!" I screamed, “he just attacked me because I wouldn’t do what I wanted him to do please help me!" I begged.

  "Sir, I'm going to have to place you under arrest!" The officer told Travis firmly grabbing and throwing him up against the wall roughly in order to place the handcuffs on him.

  "Man I ain’t do shit! Get the fuck from off me!" Travis snarled.

  As the officer read Travis his rights the other officers partner assisted me and told me he would get me to the nearest hospital. I felt so ashamed. All the other motel tenants stood outside watching me bruised and looking like trash.

  Dragging Travis out he yelled and cursed everyone out. I had never seen this side of Travis before and was just happy that he would finally be away from me. I had to call Mac to let him know to meet me at the hospital. I just didn’t want him to see me looking all crazy.

  "Bitch this ain't over! Imma fuck you up for lying on me!" Travis yelled as spit flew from his mouth as the police escorted him into the car.

  I was shaking in fear and truly had a reason too. Travis didn’t give a fuck about me and here I was actually starting to give a fuck about leaving him for Mac when all he did was see me as a piece of meat to supply his fucking habits. How could I have been so stupid and blind for doing his dirty work for the past two years of my life? I could admit that I had been slacking. Here I was 26 years old, living in a motel and fucking niggas for money to support me and my man.

  The feeling of disgust and shame that I felt was upon me as the neighbors watched Travis being locked up and me getting into the car with the other policeman to go to the hospital. I was fucked up pretty bad and the last thing I wanted was for motherfuckers to sit and try to judge me. I couldn’t call my mother to tell her what was going on she would cuss me out about letting a man put his hands on me, and reaching out to Aaliyah wasn’t even an option. She only gave a fuck about herself and all she would tell me is that she told me so and to find a real job. Whatever that’s supposed to mean.

  All I could do was lie my head back and try to relax. As soon as I knew I was okay I would be calling Mac. Right now I needed him more than ever. With Travis being gone I would need a plan to stay out of his reach in case he made bail. If I didn’t I for sure would be a dead woman.

  Chapter 10 - Jacob

  Aaliyah had finally made it back into town. I was so happy to see her. With everything that had gone on I just needed to feel her touch and her arms around me. Even though me and Aaliyah were just getting to know one another, I felt like I
had known her my whole life. She was caring and easy to talk to and I respected her because she didn’t chase after me like most females had done in my past. The fact that she had remained loyal to me throughout everything that she heard about me and Amanda was enough for me to consider her worth keeping around. Nobody had ever made me feel so comfortable to be around besides my ex Claudette.

  Fixing her another glass of wine I sat on the couch beside her and just stared at her beauty. Aaliyah was sexy as hell. Even though she and I were both going through hell, you couldn’t tell. Her long brown hair flowed around her face and she rocked a t- and shirts and still looked as if she came out of a Victoria's Secret Fashion show.

  "Why you watching me?" She asked.

  "Just admiring your beauty that’s all." I said.

  “Well, thank you!" She said trying to hide her smile.

  " I know things were kind of just starting between us before everything happened, but over the past couple of weeks I just wanted you to know that my feelings for you have grown stronger Aaliyah. I mean I couldn’t imagine going through this alone, and you have been the only person that I could trust to understand how I'm feeling. " I told her, grabbing her free hand.

  "Jacob, I feel the same way. Besides Victoria's mom you are the only person who knows exactly the pain that I feel. Do you know that I called my sister right after Victoria passed and all she had to say was that she didn’t care and that was she was happy that Victoria was dead? " Aaliyah told me pouring another glass of wine.

  "What? I can't even believe that she told you some fucked up shit like that!" I said in shock. “Why would she even say anything so harsh?" I questioned.

  “Me and my sister Danyelle never really got along. She’s always been jealous of me and Tori's friendship, and of me to be completely honest. Ever since our father passed away Danyelle just lost her grip on life. Fucking random dudes for money and not even trying to find a real job. It's like she's not even motivated to try to fix her life or do better. No matter how much I have tried to help her, she always puts the blame right back on me. Jacob, I know I might not have been there for her like a sister is supposed to be, but I did try to motivate Danyelle to be something other than a hoe. I knew that when our father died that it took a heavy toll on us. Shit it hurt the hell out of me but I didn’t turn to the streets and use my body to fill the void.