Shady's obsession

27.

It had been months since I left Justin, and I'd been slowly healing and trying to move on with my life. I was happily dating Marshall Mathers, the man who helped me when I was at my lowest. But as much as I was grateful for him, I couldn't help feeling guilty for moving on so quickly.

The fear of Justin finding out about us and coming after me never left my mind. And now that he'd become popular and his music had taken off, I felt like he could pop up anywhere, lurking in the shadows.

I was of course excited to attend the event Marshall had invited me to but I couldn't help but feel on edge. What if Justin is here? What if he sees us together? What if he tries to hurt us? My hands started to shake as I held onto Marshall's arm, and quietened my thoughts.

Then, I spotted him, Justin was there, and he was performing on stage. I could feel my heart racing as I watched him, wondering how he would react when he saw me with Em.

I looked over at Marshall, who looked back at me with concern in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, squeezing my hand.

...........
Third person pov

Justin took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to contain the rage that was boiling inside him. He knew that he couldn't let his anger get the best of him, not now. He had been working hard to heal himself and control his anger problems, attending therapy sessions and practicing meditation.

As he opened his eyes, he saw Hazel and Marshall looking at him with a mix of fear and curiosity. He could see that they were waiting for him to explode, to unleash his fury upon them. But he surprised them, and himself, when he spoke in a calm and measured voice.

"I'm happy for you, Hazel," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm glad you found someone who treats you right and makes you happy."

Hazel and Marshall exchanged a look of disbelief. They had expected Justin to be furious, to lash out at them, to make a scene. But instead, he was being... civil? It was a side of Justin they had never seen before, and it left them both feeling uneasy.

Justin took a step back, his eyes still fixed on Hazel. "I know I messed up, Hazel. I know I hurt you. And I'm sorry. I've been working on myself, trying to be a better person. It's not easy, but I'm trying. And I hope that one day, you can forgive me."

Hazel looked at Justin, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew that he had hurt her deeply, but she also knew that he was trying to change. She wasn't sure if she was ready to forgive him yet, but she was willing to give him a chance.

"Thank you, Justin," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I appreciate your apology. And I hope that you continue to work on yourself, for your own sake."

As Hazel and Marshall continue talking, Justin started to feel more comfortable around them. He even started joking around, trying to lighten the mood. "You know, I used to be so obsessed with Em, I'm sure Stan had nothin on me," he said with a chuckle.

Hazel couldn't help but laugh at his comment, feeling relieved that he's wasn't taking things too seriously.

Marshall smiled,as he saw the tension between Justin and Hazel dissipate.

They continued chatting and joking around, Justin's previous anger was replaced with a more lighthearted energy. Hazel felt grateful for the small moment of peace,she knew that it's wasn't always going to be easy to move on from past hurt and trauma, but she felt like it was another step in the right direction.

.........

Justin approached Eminem after the event, asking if they could talk in private. He agreed and led Justin to a quiet room.

"I just wanted to say, man, that I'm still a huge fan of yours. Your music has helped me through some tough times," Justin said, looking at Em with admiration in his eyes.

Eminem smiled and replied, "I appreciate that, man. It's always great to hear that my music has made a positive impact on someone's life."

Justin nodded, then hesitated before continuing, "I used to compare myself to Slim Shady a lot. I thought that's what it meant to be a real rapper. But I've realized that the alter ego is just a part of your artistry. It's not who you really are."

Em nodded in understanding. "I get it, man. I created Slim Shady as a way to express the darker, more outrageous aspects of my personality. But it's just one side of me. It's not the whole picture."

Justin nodded, feeling relieved. "Yeah, I see that now. And I just wanted to thank you for all the inspiration you've given me over the years. No matter what, I'll always be grateful for that."

Em smiled, placing a hand on Justin's shoulder. "You're welcome, man. Keep doing your thing."

"Just, treat her well, treat her better than I did." Justin sighed.

"I will." Em nodded.

"And congrats on everything you've achieved lately, just remember to give yourself a second to soak it in, I told you, you had potential." Em smirked.

"Yeah man, I will, anyways I better go my manager is probably waiting for me." Justin shook his hand and rushed out of the room.