New Beginnings (Sequel to: It's Complicated)

Chapter 34: What's Best

Justin's POV

As I downed the third beer of tonight I dialed Chris Brown. He was doing some great things with me in the studio, he even had me do a cover to Don't Judge Me. Chris has inspired me to do a lot of things. When he got to my house we went to the studio downstairs.

"How ya been buddy?" Chris asked me.

"Oh I'm alright," I said. "I just miss her. A lot more than I thought I would."

"She'll be back," Chris patted my shoulder. "She loves you. Just give her some time."

"Scooter said she couldn't keep her hands off of Chace last night at the Billboard Awards."

"She's making you jealous," Chris laughed.

I shook my head.

"Well are you jealous?" He asked.

"Of course I am, that's my wife."

"See you idiot," Chris hit me lightly. "She's making you jealous. Listen, just sit down and write. Just write how you're feeling and make it into music."

He handed me the notebook I've been using since I was twelve and I sat down. I wrote and wrote. I made music and I recorded it. After the sun rose and my kids were awake I took them to the aquarium and then to Scooter's where Shawna was sitting with Chace by the pool.

"Wanna join us for a barbecue?" scooter asked.

"I'd love to," I smiled.

I went and sat down on the other side of Shawna in a lawn chair. She looked over at me, smiled and looked back at the pool. Fredo and Jessica were swimming and Carter was floating around in the water on his toy.

"So," I smiled at Shawna and Chace. "Wonderful day we're having huh?"

"Oh it's beautiful," Shawna said as she closed her eyes and continued to tan.

I looked over at Chace who was looking at Shawna. He smiled at me and looked back at the pool.

"I'm going to get some tea," Shawna sat up. "Do you want anything?"

"Nope," I said.

"No I'm fine," Chace said.

She got up and went inside. I took her seat.

"Listen," I said quietly to Chace. "She's still my wife. Hands off buddy."

"You can't stop me buddy, last time I checked she hates you."

"Doesn't matter she's mine."

"You don't own her," Chace hissed. "You're not all high and mighty Justin. Face it."

Shawna returned.

"Move Justin," she said.

"Nope," I smiled and crossed my legs.

She rolled her eyes and took my seat. I put my arms around Chace and Shawna.

"We're all going to have so much fun tonight," I smiled.

Shawna quickly removed herself from my grip and sat back in her chair. I watched my kids play with Fredo and then Shawna joined them. I watched my family play in the water, laughing and smiling. It hurt me knowing that I wasn't the reason Shawna was smiling anymore.

"You know," Chace said to me. "She's not trying to get with me. She loves you a lot."

"You said she hated me," I said.

"Well you deserved that. But I can see from the both of you that neither of you are happy. It's all fake."

"I'm not happy," I looked at him. "If we're being completely honest here, she's my happiness. Yes my kids bring me happiness, but nothing like Shawna. Shawna has been there since we were twelve. Both of us are twenty three now and I just can't imagine life without her."

"It's not easy," Chace said. "No one said it would be. You made some mistakes, so did Shawna. And now you're paying for your consequences."

"What mistake did she make? She's fucking perfect."

"I thought you knew," Chace said.

"Knew what?"

"When Shawna and you were broken up during Coachella she was all over Derek and Chris Brown. She kissed them," Chace said.

I got up and stood at the edge of the pool.

"You're such a hypocrite," I said to Shawna.

"What are you talking about?" She looked up at me.

"YOU CHEATED ON ME TOO," I yelled.

She got out of the pool, "I kissed two guys. That's not as bad as you fucking someone on our couch."

"Cheating is cheating."

"We were broken up," she said.

"DOESNT MATTER WE'RE STILL MARRIED. I CANT BELIEVE YOU!" I screamed.

"JUSTIN YOU HURT ME," she yelled and pushed me.

"YOU STILL CHEATED ON ME AND THEN GOT ON ME FOR CHEATING ON YOU."

"That isn't the point Justin!" She said. "You hurt me and I was drunk. I did some stupid shit that night."

"I don't care if you were drunk," I said.

"Woah what's going on out here?" Scooter came over.

Fredo got out of the pool and Jennifer took the kids inside.

"YOURE A FUCKING HYPOCRITE SHAWNA."

"Justin I did nothing wrong!"

"Yes you did," I said. "And you decided to keep it from me."

"I wasn't hiding anything from you. It was all over the news," she said.

"Why would I watch the news?"

Shawna rolled her eyes.

"You're pathetic," I said.

She pushed me harder and I fell backwards. Scooter held her back as she tried to punch me.

"YOU FUCKED A HOE ON OUR COUCH AND YOURE CALLING ME PATHETIC?" She shouted.

"Shawna calm down," Fredo said.

"NO HES A PIECE OF SHIT," she yelled.

She stopped moving as much and Scooter set her down. She reached her hand up and slapped me across the face. She walked away.

I felt tears going down my face. What was I thinking? I immediately regretted calling her pathetic and a hypocrite. It was so childish and now she really hates me.

I went and sat back down by Chace. Scooter came over and sat down.

"I think what's best for the two of you is that you keep some space. Leave her alone for awhile. Let her take the kids for awhile."

"Just call me and tell me how she's doing," I stood up as the tears streamed down my face. "I just need to know how she is."

"I will," Scooter said.

I looked at Chace, "take care of her. She likes to cuddle while she falls asleep and her favorite food is hamburgers. Oh and she'll make you watch 22 Jump Street a thousand times but you have to laugh every time because that's what she does. And you have to get her to sleep. She's always asleep late and up early. She's funny, even if you don't think so laugh at her jokes. And when she's in the car, hold her hand. She likes that," I told him.

"She doesn't want me," Chace said.

"I can see the way she looks at you, those big brown eyes and that stunning smile. She used to look at me like that," I said. "Don't lose her, it'll hurt a lot. She's loyal and you will never find someone like her."

Chace nodded.

I walked into Scooter's. Shawna put her head down and I walked past her. I got to my car and slammed the steering wheel. I started to cry. The love of my life was going to be somebody else's and I've never felt more hurt before.