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Knowing Your Worth

        "If I make top 5 and become more famous, will you still be with me? I don't want to lose you with all the fame, the money, the fans and all the rumors. I want you to stick by me, will you?" Michael asked in a serious, but also scared tone.
        "Oh of course! I'd never let you go- well unless you cheat on me! But I know you wouldn't" Hailey said and kissed his head. "Don't you stress, okay?" Hailey asked and Michael nodded.
         Hailey jolted up, making Jay jolt up awake as well.
         "You okay?" Jay asked her, holding her cheek. Hailey sat up, and shook her head.
        "N-no... I just had a dream... but, it was a real memory of Michael and I" Hailey told the younger boy. Jay nodded at her to continue.
     "I told him I wouldn't break up with him, unless he cheated on me" Hailey said, and the brown haired boy nodded.
         "And he did cheat on you..." Jay said to the girl, making her nod.
         "But I can't just break up with him, ya know? He's my husband, and we have a baby girl together" Hailey said, her eyes starting to water. Jay sighed, and opened his arms for her.
          "Come here" he said softly, and Hailey moved over into his arms. He wrapped his arms around the girl lovingly and Hailey leaned into him.
          His warmth made her feel better, and a little more secure. Sure she was still broken, but it felt good to have someone by her side.
          "Thank you" Hailey said softly, and the boy nodded.
          "I'm always here for you, okay?" Jay told her girl, who nodded against his chest. "And you can break up with him, Hails" he said, making the girl look at him.
          "N-nO I CAN'T JAY!" Hailey yelled, and Jay rubbed her back. "H-he's my husband and I-I love him a l-l-lot!" Hailey stuttered, as tears ran down her face. Jay shook his head, hating that he was always the one to comfort her when Michael made her cry or hurt.
         "You can, Hailey... you can divorce him. You can share custody of Skylar" Jay said, giving the girl options.
          "But I-I don't want Skylar to grow up with divorced parents, Jay" Hailey told him, as more tears ran down her face. "B-besides, we just need to talk it all out" she said, leaning into the boy again. Jay sighed, and placed a kiss on her head.
           "I understand... just think about it, okay?" Jay asked, and Hailey nodded holding onto his hoodie. Jay smiled as she did so.
         "What time is it?" Hailey asked, and Jay looked at his phone beside him.
         "1:30 in the morning. We need to get some sleep, especially you" Jay told Hailey, who responded by pulling up a blanket and laying back onto him.
         "What about Sky? Who will take care of her?" Hailey asked, and Jay rubbed her side again soothingly.
          "I will, okay? Now rest up, and we'll talk in the morning. If she needs anything, I'll get her" Jay said, and Hailey smiled in appreciation.
           "Thank you... so much" she said, before wrapping Jay's arm around her and falling back to sleep.
           Jay stayed awake for a few more minutes, just to capture the moment. He was holding Michael's wife in his arms, while Michael was on tour being an asshole. Sure it wasn't all of his own fault, but he could've explained to her.
        Jay yawned, and started to drift off himself. He knew this was only going to change for the worst or the better. He just hoped Hailey would make the right decision.
         The next morning, Hailey yawned and rubbed her eyes. She looked around and noticed she was on the couch alone. She sighed and figured Jay ditched her.
         She got up off of the couch, only to see Jay holding Skylar in his arms. He met eyes with the girl, making her smile.
         "Good morning Hailey! I made breakfast and feed Skylar her formula" Jay said, and Hailey's heart started to warm up. He's a good guy, and always has been.
         "Thanks Jay, means a lot" Hailey said as she walked towards the kitchen. She smiled when she saw he made pancakes which were her favorite thing to eat for breakfast. "You really didn't have to do this...." she said, looking at the boy.
         Jay just shrugged, and smiled as if it was nothing. He wanted Hailey to feel the love and warmth that she needed to.
  He watched her as she sat down on the chair. She started to eat the pancakes, and Jay could tell something was still bothering her. He sat down next to her, still holding her baby in his arms.
        "Talk to me" Jay said, rubbing her arm. Hailey sighed and looked at him, with a tear running down her cheek.
        "I-I'm so lost a-and hurt Jay... I just don't know what to do... he's changed o-over the years. And don't get me wrong I love him a lot but..." Hailey said, making Jay raise his eyebrow.
        "But?" Jay asked, as Skylar started to cry. Jay started to rock her, and he smiled. He started to beat box, and Skylar looked at him quickly. She was so intrigued by what he was doing.
        "Guess she likes beat boxing" Hailey said with a smile on her face. Jay smiled and nodded at her.
         "She does. But tell me what is the "but" that you were getting at?" Jay asked and Hailey started to shake. She wasn't ready to admit it, but it was the truth.
          "But I'm sick of him always hurting me... but that's what happens... couples fight, couples have ups and downs. We just have to talk it out and move on from this" Hailey told him as she took another bite of her pancake.
         "I-yeah..." Jay said, not wanting to force her to change her mind. She can't stop loving Michael. She's right, couples have ups and downs.
          Hailey's phone rang, and she sighed once she saw the caller ID. It was Michael, and she didn't want to talk to him.
          "Who is it?" Jay asked, and Hailey pushed her phone towards him. "Oh..." he said, and looked at her. "Are you going to pick up?" He asked and Hailey shrugged.
         "Should I?" She asked, and Jay shrugged back at her.
         "It's your choice" he said, and Hailey hung up on him. Jay looked at her, and she smiled softly.
          "I don't need that negativity in my life now or later. If he actually cared about me, wouldn't he have told me the truth the day of?" Hailey asked the boy next to her. Jay nodded at her, he wasn't picking sides he was being honest.
"Can I just say something?" Jay asked, and Hailey nodded. "You're gonna hate me b-but I was part of that plan..." he said, and Hailey sighed.
"I kind of figured, but go on..." Hailey said, a bit disappointed.
"Brady and Chance brought me to New York. They made me take off his ring, a-and I didn't exactly want to. I didn't want to cause you more pain then I already did" Jay told her, and Hailey nodded.
"And...?" She asked, taking a sip of her orange juice.
"And I was a bit buzzed and gave the ring to Drew. I didn't like what I was doing, so I left. I only did that to please them... t-they just wanted to make Michael's life hell" Jay admitted and Hailey nodded.
"They as in all of them?" She asked, and Jay shook his head.
"Sergio was the only one that was sane and stopped Michael. But I was being used because they couldn't do that themselves so they used me... I'm sorry Hailey, and I understand if you hate me again since I'm-" Jay was interrupted by Hailey.
"You're not the reason that happened. Michael has a mind of his own, and he could've said no and stood his ground on not going. Regardless, he could've known not to drink so much!" Hailey said, starting to get angry at her husband.
"I'm sorry this is happening to you... you deserve so much better Hailey, you really do" Jay told her, and looked at Skylar who was fast asleep in his arms.
"You know why Jay? You're right, I do deserve better" Hailey said with a smile. Talking this out, defiantly made her know her value and worth.