Sharing the Spotlight *Jelena Ballerina Series* (Part 2)

Chapter 10: A Little Piece of Advice

Justin's P.O.V.

When my mom left, she wasn't happy with me. She expected more out of me. For me to not cheat on my girlfriend. Especially after what happened with her and my dad. Sure, they figured things out. For the most part that is. They're able to be in the same room together. It's just a good thing that my dad is always traveling so they don't have to be in the same room.

My mom stayed awhile to just talk to me. But she could tell that all the questions she was asking me only made me upset. Which she took as her cue to leave. She told me to call her later. How am I supposed to call her? All I can picture is the disappointment across her face.

A few hours after my mom left, Taylor showed up. Her being here only made me feel worse. That was until she revealed her true intentions of being here. When Taylor explained that Selena hadn't sent her and no one knew she was here, I knew why she was here. Taylor's been in my position before.

She advises, "Let me tell you this. Actually, let me give you a little piece of advice. Justin, I know that crying helps, but it isn't the cure for this mess. If you really are feeling guilty and you want to fix this more than anything, then you'll march upstairs and change then leave this apartment and fight for Selena."

By the look in her eyes, I can tell what her biggest regrets are. Cheating on Forrest and not fighting soon enough to get him back. Sure, she got him back. But if she waited a day later, would she have gotten him back? I don't want to take that risk with Selena.

"You're right," I concede.

Without hesitation, I jump up from my seat. I get up so fast that I send my chair flying to the floor. Only there's no time to pick it up. Hopefully, there's enough time for me to win Selena back.

Upstairs, I am in new clothes. I stare at my outfit that I was wearing before. It's sprawled across the bed. Shaking my head, all I recall are the terrible memories of my mistake. There are only bad memories wrapped in these clothes. Memories I wish that I didn't have. I can't dispose of the memories themselves, but I can surely get rid of these clothes.

From my unmade bed, I wad up the clothes then head for the fire escape. When I'm outside on the fire escape, I'm under New York's moonlight. Time wasn't a concern of mine for today. Only Selena was. I felt like I was only in the apartment for an hour. Turns out that I was in there for the entire day.

Looking down at the balled up clothing, I feel disgusted holding them. Without hesitating, I hurl the clothes over the fire escape. They catch air. Somehow they manage to untangle themselves from the ball I threw them in. They flutter down and I don't bother to see where they land. My hopes are that a garbage truck runs them over and over until they are shreds.

The clothes from last night weren't enough. I need to get rid of more. Through the apartment, I run back up the stairs. Taylor hears this and gets up from her seat in the dining room. She calls my name, but I'm too busy to reply.

I angrily strip the comforter and sheets from the bed. Only, I'm struggling. All I want to do is throw them off the fire escape. Why do they have to make this so hard on me? Taylor hears me grunting and she comes rushing into my bedroom. Just in time to see me battling with the first tucked corner of my sheets.

"What are you doing?" Taylor asks.

Not giving her a real answer, I just command, "Help me get this off."

"Don't you think that we should, well, that you should—"

I interject, "Taylor, please, I'm getting there. I just need to deal with this first. Just get on that side of the bed and start taking off the sheets." Taylor nods her head then goes over to the other side of my bed. While Taylor starts to help take off the sheets of the bed, I realize that this won't be enough. I think that I need to get rid of the mattress too. Only, it won't fit out the window of the fire escape. Damn.