run of the mill.

3rd

Shawn smoothly switched lanes in the busy Florida traffic while holding Beyonce's hand in his lap as if it was second nature. His thumb occasionally caressed her palm but he did it so rarely Beyonce was sure it was some sort of accident or by nature. "Where are we going?" she asked again.

Shawn's profile smiled. "Baby, if I ain't tell you when we was getting dressed, why would I tell you now?"

Beyonce bit her lips and tried to think of an answer that would sway him into divulging the location. She had been asking all morning and he was being as stubborn as a mule. "Cause I said please?"

Shawn shook his head and smiled a little more. "You didn't say please," he pointed out comfortably.

"Please?"

Shawn brought her hand up to his lips and kissed the back of her hand lovingly. "You'll see."

Beyonce made a face and snatched her hand away from his playfully. "Gimme back my hand you slobbery butthead."

Shawn laughed aloud at her childish ways and glanced at her every once in a while as he drove. "You mad?"

Beyonce flicked her eyes to him with her bottom lip poked out and her eyebrows furrowed just a little. She didn't say anything for a while and then grabbed his hand when he thought she wouldn't be talking to him anymore until they got to where they were going. He just grinned and continued to drive.

"Neiman Marcus?" Beyonce said as valet opened her door for her. She climbed out and looked around only briefly before she saw a swarm of camera's coming and hurried to Shawn's side so that they could go inside. "Why are we here?" she asked him curiously as they stepped inside. Shawn greeted a short Mexican man with a nametag and then watched him lock the door behind the both of them.

"We appreciate this," Shawn said shaking his hand again and walking further into the store. "We're here to get you a dress for a party tonight."

Beyonce looked up at him and for a brief moment there was a smile and excitement in her features. And then Beyonce frowned as though she just remembered something. "What party?"

Shawn wrapped an arm around her neck and headed towards the women's department. "The premiere party I'm taking you to tonight."

Beyonce stopped walking and Shawn was forced to stop with her. She looked up at him with her eyebrows raised high on her face, showing the beginnings of wrinkles on her face. "What?"

"There's party tonight and I wanna take you. The whole teams gonna be there and I figure this is the time for you to meet some people-."

"And they need a tent to throw over the event in case it starts to rain right?" Beyonce said stubbornly as she folded her arms defiantly.

Shawn smiled and rolled his eyes. He took her in his arms and Beyonce simply pouted and folded her arms across her chest tighter. "Beyonce you're not fat," he said somberly. Beyonce got her workout machine, the Total Gym and had sent the thing back last week, bickering the whole time. 'Why do they call it total gym if it don't work out everything? Walker Texas Ranger fucker.' She had achieved her missing undefined six pack but that was it. Everything else stayed, or became a firmer version of itself. 'I'm getting a gym membership!'

"I ain't skinny either," she mumbled.

"I don't like skinny women," he countered hugging her to him to finalize his words. Beyonce went into him and put her head on his chest. She hated being this big. She'd never been this big in her life and she didn't understand that those were the feminine curves she had inherited from her lineage. "I think you look perfect."

Beyonce grinned shyly into his chest and Shawn must have felt it through the material of his shirt because he grabbed her arm softly and lead her to the department.

They greeted the strict looking attendant and she introduced herself as Jacqueline. "How can I be of service to you?" she asked in a foreign strict, perfect English way.

Beyonce looked at Shawn and back at Jacqueline in stupor. Sometimes she felt so... tiny and insignificant. Maybe it was because she had no idea how to adapt to being waited on, hand and foot. Shawn wrapped an arm around Beyonce's shoulder and told her that were interested in some sort of evening dress, not a gown, for a party that night.

"Yes, of course Mr. Carter." Beyonce was still surprised people knew his name. She had to remember that it was their job to know. "I will bring some samples. Feel free to look around." Jacqueline grabbed her hand and held it out from her body without notice. She scanned Beyonce briefly and nodded. "36-24-39."

Beyonce cringed and looked away at the calling out of her measurements. She was right, which was remarkable but horrible at the same time.

"Word?" Shawn said eyeing her more carefully with a gleam in his eyes that made her feel naked. She rolled her eyes and walked over to a rack, carelessly picking through the things. She left Shawn and his silly looks to his own activities since she presently was embarrassed about her numbers being called out like that. Her eyes found a cute knit sweater and she flipped the tag over the view the price, nearly dropping it when she read the number in the thousands.

Beyonce curiously flicked another tag over and when she viewed the same thing more or less over and over again she stepped away, scared she would suddenly start spouting red paint through her pores and ruin the pieces. She turned and searched for Shawn, finding him sitting in a chair beside the dressing room. "Baby," she called before she got to him. "These prices are... crazy."

Shawn looked around at the clothes and then back at her, shrugging in a nonchalant manner. "Yeah," he said looking back at his phone. "You find something?" he asked distractedly.

Beyonce gave him an incredulous look. "No. And I won't. Let's go to a mall or something. How 'bout Macy's?"

Shawn shook his head. "Quit thinkin' about money, Beyonce."

Beyonce rose her chin in the air and told a bold face lie. "I'm not."

Shawn smirked. "I can see dollar signs oozin' out ya ears."

Beyonce dumbly touched her own ear and heard Shawn laughed, meaning he'd seen the gesture out of the corner of his eye. "Fine," she said. "I'll find the most expensive dress and shoes I see."

"Fine," he said looking at her with an amused twinkle that almost pissed her off.

"And a purse!"

"Good."

Beyonce gnawed at the inside of her lip and finally gave up with a shrug and a sigh. Whatever, she thought, knowing she couldn't pick up anything over a few dollars. She had been cheap all her life; it was a hard habit to break. Not to mention she was raised by a single father and nobody's pockets were tighter than daddies.

There was the sound of wheels and Beyonce watched Jacqueline roll a cart of hanging dressed out to them. Shawn stood and crossed to her and Beyonce wasn't sure what was said between the two that made Jacqueline nod dutifully and stiffly before continuing to roll the cart. Beyonce met her in front of the dressing room and before she could even look through the pieces, Jacqueline stood in front of her and pulled out scissors.

And then she cut the tag off of every dress on the cart.

Beyonce flicked her eyes to Shawn and he simply shrugged and attempted to play innocent. "I'm sure she does that all the time."

After Beyonce had been looking at the cart for a while, eyeing each dress in her size, she felt Shawn standing next to her. She knew it was him, she could feel it. She could feel him.

"I think you would look perfect," he said as he moved hangers aside and pulled out a red satin, patterned pencil dress. "In this."

Jacqueline came out of nowhere and nodded. "I agree. It is perfect for her curvaceous figure."

"Yeah, your curvaceous figure," Shawn said against her ear and Beyonce shivered. She hadn't realized he'd come that close.

She shook her hand stepped back. "Thanks but no thanks. I can't fit that."

"Of course you can, my dear. All the dresses on the rack are perfect for your size. I chose them myself."

Beyonce looked at the stiff sales associate and almost glared. 'Whose side are you on here?' she thought bitterly. She looked at Shawn and he smirked. "Shawn I'm not wearing that," she said with finality as she walked around the other side of the rack to get away from him and view more dresses. She could see him walk around to her side and she prepared her mouth to tell him no. "No," she said with her eyebrows raised. "I'm serious I'm not wearing that thing." Shawn pushed against her side and put his free hand on her far hip and pulled her against him slightly. "No, get off me. I'm serious. Oh what you finna whisper in my ear now? You just gon' start whisperin' and I'm s'spose just climb into the dress and say 'ok Shawn'? Oh you think you got it like..." Beyonce tilted her head to the side and listened carefully to what he was indeed whispering in her ear for only the two of them to hear. She opened her mouth to object again and closed it abruptly with his personal words. "The whole thing?" she asked him. "For how long?" she said like she couldn't believe it.

Beyonce's face contorted into a smile and she giggled. "Ok Shawn."

Beyonce had been pinched, poked, and prodded in preparation for that night to an extent she didn't want to analyze. She was positive that the things that Jacqueline did to her in that dressing room were illegal. Beyonce wanted to demand dinner and a movie after they were done. The woman had gotten to second base in little over an hour!

Beyonce got her hair done in their bathroom of their condo and stood in the mirror looking at it. She shook her head furiously and not a strand fell out of place. It was like they were scared to move because of the intimidating hairdresser and only asked Beyonce one question that was asked upon her arrival. 'How much of this if fake?' Beyonce gave her a perplexed look through the mirror as she picked through her air. 'Come on, all you girls come in with weave in your hair. No need to lie to me. You think Lebron James' girlfriend doesn't sow that in?'

And then there was the flamboyant makeup artist that snatched her face around so much she felt like a bobble head when he was finished. He had gone so far as to actually airbrush her face with some foreign machine that T had never mentioned to her.

"You ready?" Shawn asked from the couch in their room. "The limos outside baby."

Beyonce slipped on her own silver peep toes, remembering the last time she wore them for Shawn, just moments before they made love in his dorm room. She grabbed her gorgeous purple clutch purse and threw an 'almost' over her shoulder at her waiting date. Beyonce stuffed some necessities into the small bag and then stood in the full length mirror, touching her bare neck that shimmered with some sort of perfume and eyeing her own pillowy breasts that were just waiting for the perfect moment to spill over the top of the cocktail dress. She turned around and smoothed a hand over her butt in disdain.

"Seriously," she said aloud, looking at it protrude. "I need a good firm girdle."

Beyonce slid her diamond flower ring on her finger and eyes her only other pieces of jewelry, two diamond earrings that she discovered could be borrowed from a jeweler. Beyonce sighed and walked out of the bathroom, slicking down her already slick hair subconsciously. "I'm ready."

Shawn did double take worthy of America's Funniest Home Videos when he spotted her coming from the bathroom. Shawn stood from the chair and walked to her, eyes her from her red toes to her bobby pins. He dropped his phone back on the couch and rubbed his hands together slightly. "You look," he said once he was standing close enough to graze her high breasts with his chest. "Beautiful."

"Thank you baby you too," she said looking over his Armani jacket, Calvin Klein long sleeve white shirt, True Religion jeans, and some unknown sneakers Beyonce would have borrowed if she had been just six shoe sizes larger. Beyonce eyed the diamond studs in his ears and the nice pinkie ring and watch set he wore. It was a gift from a jeweler. They just randomly sent it to him because he was famous. Odd, rich people. Beyonce blushed and rubbed a hand down her front delicately. "You don't think it's too tight? It feels too tight baby," she said looking over herself again.

Shawn loved the bashful nature that Beyonce had when she was truly self-conscious about something. It was downright adorable. Shawn only wished that Beyonce could see herself the way he saw her. She was sexy as hell to him and the added weight that she hated so much only added to her gorgeous figure. She was angrily harboring all the ill will she could for the figure women went under the knife to achieve. He could only hope that the next diet she tried didn't work, just as the other one didn't. He loved having more to hold onto when she lay stretched out next to him at night.

"You know I've never been in a limo this big before," Beyonce commented as they sat in traffic. They were just around the corner from the party and traffic was ridiculous for some strange reason. Beyonce turned to Shawn and he looked back at her and smirked.

"I can buy you one," Shawn said looking at her.

Beyonce grinned at him and shook her head. "No thank you. I don't wanna drive a limo."

Shawn rolled his eyes playfully and told her that wasn't what he meant but she only giggled and shook her head. "I'm alright."

Shawn was beginning to wonder about her. Beyonce never bought anything, not so much as a hair bow and Shawn couldn't understand it. He thought that once he had the money to get everything she wanted she would surely invest in hundreds of unnecessary shoes and purses and all types of other shit she didn't need. It was his dream, what would make him the most comfortable. But when she didn't Shawn got curious. He called his accountant to see what his cards were looking like and Mike nearly shit on himself.

"You know, Shawn man I don't know what to tell you. The Visa, the Mastercard, Discovery and Express are all kinda brand new ya know? I mean besides the occasional dinner and her gym membership. She don't really buy much. Oh there's her phone bill... and a purse from Nine West..." Mike to a minute to register exactly what he was saying. He had never come across an athlete's girlfriend that didn't spend at least four hundred dollars a day. "I think I love her," he said whiskey. "Finally someone I don't have to keep my eye on!"

Shawn looked at Beyonce as she stared out the window with a look of impatience on her face. "I wish we could get there already. I'm afraid if I sit any longer, I'ma rip this dress."

He only grinned and grabbed her soft hand in his. Shawn kissed her lips carefully, being mindful of how much time she had put into looking decent and he didn't want to give her a reason to pout at him. Though it was kind of cute when she did. Shawn thought about messing up the makeup just so her bottom lip would stick out and she would whine cutely to him while she fixed it. The things other people thought were deathly annoying only made him feel more and more for Beyonce. "Why don't you let me take care of you?"

Beyonce grinned. "I'm taken care of."

Beyonce noted how insecure he looked briefly but he washed the look away before she could comment on it. "Do you have everything you want?" he asked quietly.

Beyonce touched his chest with her free hand. "Everything and more baby."

The car stopped and the two of them looked out the window. "Shawn who are all those people?"

Shawn smirked. "Their reporters."

Beyonce looked out of the window so closely Shawn was sure she would smash her face into the glass trying to get a better look. Shawn grinned and prepared himself for what was to come. There would surely be some convincing required of her part. Beyonce hated to be in the limelight. She hardly ever did anything simply because she was so shy about certain things. Not to mention being seen all over TV and in tabloids.

"Like a red carpet thing?" she turned back to him with a perfectly arched eyebrow lifted in the air like she was about to say 'oh hell no.'

Shawn looked past her and out of the window. "Well, there is a carpet out there... and it appears to be red from here. Or maybe that's fuchsia."

"Shawn Carter! I didn't know there were gonna be this many people," she whined and looked back out of the window. Shawn nearly grimaced at the use of his full name. He hated it on her lips. He liked the familiarity that came with Shawn. The only time she ever use his government was when they were in bed... or on the dresser like yesterday. Her fingers curled into a fist in her lap and Shawn took note of the defensive stance. He touched her chin and made her look back at him so that he could have her undivided attention.

"Beyonce you look beautiful. And I'm not going without you."

"But that's a lot of people Shawn," she said looking back out the window. Before Shawn could say anything else the door was jerked open and the driver was standing stiffly next to the door with a hand extended to help her out of the vehicle.

Shawn pushed at the small of her back and gently whispered a 'go' in her ear. Beyonce put her hand in his and stepped out of the limo carefully, being mindful of not showing her stuff like all the white girls did in the tabloids. Beyonce pulled at the bottom of her dress carefully and clutched her bag nervously, waiting for Shawn to get out behind her.

She felt his heat pushing against her back and then he stepped forward a little, letting the driver close the door. Shawn kissed the side of her head and Beyonce barely recognized the feel of his body pressed to the back of her and his lips on her temple. She was so distracted about not tripping and making sure she didn't have anything in her teeth. She hated the spotlight, hell she barely gave interviews after a game let alone on a red carpet Jermaine Dupre was standing on.

Beyonce shook her head slightly and let Shawn march her up the stairs to the carpet and camera's starting flicking as soon as they spotted the 'pretty boy rookie' with no prior drug abuse history, no children, and no family history of struggle or poverty. He was like a magazines wet dream. Who could dig up the most dirt of the most clean? They were really like vultures hoping desperately for a person to pick out.

Except they were worse than vultures, they didn't even wait until you were dead.

"Shawn over here!"

"Right here Shawn!"

"Smile big!"

"Lovely dress!"

Beyonce would have preferred standing behind Shawn or waiting until he finished his red carpet strut but he was not having it. Shawn wrapped her arm around Beyonce's waist and made her stand right next to him. Beyonce plastered a smile on her face and prepared to fake these pictures for Shawn if she had to. She was willing to fain interest for him.

"Shawn, Beyonce," One reporter called their names and Beyonce realized right then that she was famous. She didn't even know when it happened. She became 'guilty by association' like Kevin Federline. Random people knew her name and it was scary. "How about an interview for Extra?" the feisty redhead screamed over all the others.

Shawn stepped forward and Beyonce was so busy answering all the calls to turn her attention to the individual cameras, she didn't hesitate when Shawn pulled her to the redhead. "Well don't you guys look lovely!" she exclaimed with a big smile as she held the microphone loosely. Judging by her smile and brief eye contact, Beyonce wasn't sure if her compliment was sincere but she didn't comment on it.

"Thank you," Shawn said smiling lightly. He was really good at being the silent mysterious type when Beyonce couldn't get him to shut up.

The redhead turned to the cameraman and nodded tightly before smiling even wider and turning back to them. "I'm here with rookie Dolphin Shawn Carter and his company tonight Beyonce Knowles. So," she said turning her face smile on the both of them. Beyonce flicked her eyes to Shawn and back at the redhead. "Are the rumors true? Are the two of you dating?"

Shawn laughed aloud in a cool suave way that Beyonce soon discovered she liked and he pulled her closer to him. "Yeah, we're together," he said throwing a fond glance down at her. He was so nonchalant and casual about it. Beyonce was proud for some odd reason. She grinned and nodded at the reporter to back up what he said.

"And you're living together here in Miami?"

"Yeah," Shawn said simply looking down at her foot like he was putting his mouth right at her lips so that he could hear her.

"Beyonce, your folks got a problem with an eighteen year old living with a twenty-one year old man?"

Shawn looked at Beyonce somberly and waited for her to reply just like the reporter did. She looked down at the mic and back to the fiery redhead. "Yeah, I'm a daddy's girl just like everyone else."

The redhead nodded with that same airy smile like she hadn't even heard the answer that Beyonce said and just continued with her next question. "So we can only hope that this young relationship between two young people will last!"

Beyonce didn't like the way it sounded but she supposed it was just because she didn't like the reporter. Still she plastered her smiles on her face and looked at Shawn. He only smirked and grabbed Beyonce's hand, kissing her palm.

"Oh yeah it will," Shawn said. "We know it will."

"Young love isn't that cute! So, what's next your agenda? Marriage? Kids?"

Shawn chuckled, his arm now around Beyonce's shoulder and he responded brazenly. It was the most genius answer Beyonce had ever heard. "What do you think is next?"

The fast talking reporter actually stumbled over her words and Shawn, being as swift as he was, used that opportunity to exit very stealthily. They moved further down the carpet, continuing to smile and wave and put Beyonce on display. She was almost use to posing for full minutes at a time smiling in different directions and holding onto Shawn affectionately. She didn't want to be too far away from him in the midst of all these people. She didn't know any of them. Sure she knew of Reggie Bush and Paris Hilton, but she didn't exactly know them. Not enough to feel comfortable without her man beside her.

When they entered to giant midnight garden party, Beyonce's feet had already started to hurt but she said nothing. She still felt kind of cute even though she felt like a whale in a trash bag. Beyonce let Shawn lead her in by the small of her back and she was introduced to person after person. Most of them were his teammates and she only remembered a handful of their names because she had been so preoccupied with getting a good look at the women on their arms.