Brad was everything a girl could ask for. He was a listener where as most guys just pretended to hear what you had to say. He was always aware of her feelings, making sure there wasn't anything wrong and that she was feeling fine. Unfortunately for her, Brad wasn't the man she wanted. The man who held her heard was the one who'd shattered her heart and still insisted she was the one who was at fault.

"You're not starting to regret this are you?" Brad asked reading her thoughts.

"Part of me." she agreed honestly.

"I'm not going to apologize. I will say that I only kissed you to stop your negative rampage, but after that I was lost. The moment I felt you return my kiss I lost control. I've imaged it for so long. I love you Shelby, I have for years. I want to take care of you." Brad said gently rubbing her lower back.

"I don't even know what to say Brad. I know I love you as a friend, but it doesn't extend beyond that. Honestly I've never had a reason to think of you like that. I've always been so wrapped up in Justin to see past him, but he's made it very clear that he wants nothing to do with me." Shelby sighed.

"You can't deny what's happened between us. Please give me a chance Shelby, please give me a chance to love you." Brad pleaded, his feelings laced in his voice.

Shelby lay unable to move. He wanted a chance to love her, what could she say to that. Her heart cried out in pain while her mind told her to go for it. She would have someone to be there for her, to care for her, to help her with the girls. Oh the girls needed a father figure so badly. Her heart told her not to give up on Justin, that he would eventually come around--after all he was Danielle's father. It was her mind that won in the end when she sat up, clutching the blankets to her naked chest and told Brad.

"All right, let's give this a try."

Brad sat up beside her and wrapped his arms around her. They sat there for several moments before they had to get up so Shelby could shower and get ready for her sound check and then the show.

"Wanna go shower together?" Brad asked with an evil grin on his face.

"You are horrible." Shelby laughed then playfully swatted him away.

"Just thought I'd offer." Brad shrugged.

Shelby chuckled and slipped into her abandoned t-shirt and then got up. She walked into the bathroom and started the shower. She turned around and poked her head out the door into the main room and looked at Brad.

"Are we gonna tell anyone about us?"

"I think it'll be obvious to those around us." Brad shrugged. "Now hurry up and get in the shower."

"I'm going I'm going." Shelby rolled her eyes then went back into the bathroom. She waited several moments then yelled. "You coming?"

"What?" Brad hollered back.

Shelby giggled and stuck her head back out. "You coming or what?"

"Are you serious?" Brad asked coming to the door.

"Yes, get in here and shut the door." Shelby nodded stripping off her shirt.

Brad obliged her request and shut the door behind him. They stepped in the shower and tried to go as fast as they could so they could get out and be ready by the time it was time to leave.

JC and Ryan had the girls along with them when they went to the coffee shop down the street. The girls sweet talked their way into going to the park where they played for over an hour. The four of them were walking down the hall to Shelby's room when they met Justin storming by.

"Justin!" JC called.

"What?" Justin stopped then turned around and stalked over to them.

"What's up?" JC asked seeing his friends stormy face.

"Nothing. I was just going to the venue for sound check." he answered.

"This early?" JC raised an eyebrow clearly not believing him.

"I wanted to think." Justin shrugged.

"You'd have to take a cab because the van service is limited here. Everyone has to go over at once in the same vehicle." JC explained.

"Bullshit." Justin growled.

"Bad word." Danielle gasped.

"Watch your mouth." JC said smacking him upside the head.

"How are we going to fit everyone in one vehicle? There's a ton of us." Justin glared at JC.

"The crew is already there. We only have nine people going and its a big fan." JC answered.

"Whatever."

"What crawled up your butt and died?" Ryan asked.

Justin opened his mouth to answer, but Danielle interrupted him by crying out.

"Have to pee!" she said crossing her legs holding herself.

"Come on honey." JC said picking her up.

They quickly walked the rest of the way to their room, Justin reluctantly dragging his feet behind them. JC knocked on the closed door hoping that she'd answer quickly. What they hadn't expected was Brad answering the door dripping wet wearing only a towel around his waist.

"Pee!" Danielle exclaimed unaware of the awkwardness between the adults.

"Hey baby, go into the bathroom." Shelby said coming to the open door also only wearing naught but a towel. "Y'all wanna come in? That way we're not standing in the hallway?"

She held the door open for the trio who shuffled in behind her. She had to admit it was a big awkward, especially considering Justin was one of them. She mentally laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation. Hours ago she was telling him where to go and now here she was half naked in only a towel with her new boyfriend--that felt so weird to say--also naked in a towel. Brad did have a moment to throw on a shirt and boxers and when she moved back in the room he was zipping up his pants.

"Just make yourselves at home, I'm going to get dressed and help Danielle in the bathroom." She said grabbing her things.

She quickly went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She dressed as fast as she could. Opting for an old look she hadn't warn in a while. She wore a black and yellow pleated skirt that fell a few inches above her knees and a black tank top with yellow fishnet sleeves that said 'Blondie' on it. She put on a pair of black and yellow knee high striped socks and then to top it off black high top chucks with bright yellow laces.

"You done honey?" She asked Danielle who was still sitting on the toilet.

"Yes, jus' watch you." Danielle smiled at her mother.

"Alright babe, why don't you go out there with the others." Shelby told her daughter after she'd finished and had washed her hands.

"Okay mama." Danielle said skipping out the door.

Shelby chuckled then turned to her makeup. She normally did her own makeup for the shows and she figured she'd just do it a little thicker today so she wouldn't have to do it when she got to the club. She opted for thick eyeliner on both lids and bright yellow eyeshadow with glitter and a light lip gloss. To finish the look she added some dangly star earrings and a matching necklace. Around her wrists she found a few black and yellow bracelets that she hadn't worn in ages. Looking herself over in the mirror she felt confident and went back out into the main room.

"Mama mia look at you." Ryan said whistling between his teeth.

"Shut up Ryan." she laughed punching him on the shoulder.

"You do look good Shelby." JC smiled reassuringly.

"She always does." Brad smiled at his girl, putting an arm around her waist causing her to blush.

To Justin it brought him back in time to another time when she wore something very similar...

"Hello?" Justin answered.

"Sir, this is you're wake up call. It's 5:00am."

"Thank you." Justin hung up the phone and turned his attention back to Shelby, who was still clinging to him.

"That was our wake up call. Come on Shelby, time to get up." Justin said moving away.

Shelby pulled back and dried her face with her shirt. She looked over and saw her suitcase sitting on the other bed.

"You can go ahead and take a shower, I took one last night." Justin offered as she sat there looking lost.

"Thank you." Shelby nodded.

Getting up, Shelby went to her suitcase and dug out everything she'd need for the bathroom and her clothes for the day.

Half an hour later, Shelby emerged from the steam feeling better, and yet a little awkward. She was wearing one of the outfits they'd bought for her at Hot Topic. She wasn't used to wearing skirts and was feeling very self-conscious. Her ensemble considered of the black tank-top with long yellow fishnet sleeves with "Blondie" written on the front, and her yellow and black pleated skirt that came a few inches above her knees. She wore a pair black and yellow striped knee high socks and a pair of bright yellow converse to finish the outfit.

Justin had gone down the hall to ask Joey something and when he came back, Shelby was putting on some yellow and black bracelets and when he saw her, his jaw dropped.

She looked amazing. She'd done her makeup with yellow eyeshadow and glitter. There was really no way to describe what she looked like. She looked funky and yet cute at the same time. He felt it in his stomach, and his heart.

"Do I look okay?" Shelby asked self-consciously.

"You look great. I love it." Justin smiled sincerely.

With his comment, Shelby visibly relaxed. She didn't know what she would have done if Justin didn't like it. Yet she still hadn't seen any of the others.

"Are you hungry? We have a half an hour before we leave." Justin asked.

"Yeah, I could go for somethin." Shelby nodded.

"Alright, after you m'lady." Justin smiled holding the door open for her.

"Thank you kind sir." She curtsied as she walked by.

She waited for Justin to shut the door, then grabbed his elbow, and had an escort to the breakfast room.

The first thing Shelby heard when she walked in the room, were whistles and cat calls. Knowing that they were whistling at her, she looked behind her and all around to see where they were looking.

"Haha, funny." Chris said.

"What?" Shelby did her best to look innocent.

"Innocent my foot." Justin laughed.

"You look very good today Shelby." Joey took in her look.

"Thank you," she blushed.

"Very funkadelic, yet not overboard." JC nodded.

"Any comments to add, Lance? I know you all do everything together." Shelby smirked.

"Yes, I have a comment I'd like to add. You look hot." Lance grinned.

Shelby didn't expect that comment and when she heard it, she ducked behind Justin. "Hide me." she whispered.

"Why should I hide you?" Justin his head to try and look at her.

"Because Lance just said I look hot." She said wrapping her arms around his waist from behind.

"Oh, I see, well maybe you do." Justin said putting his hands on her arms and guided them to the food. "Come on out, Velma. It's time to eat."

That was worlds ago. In this world, Shelby quite clearly was dating Brad. He felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach when he'd seen them both barely dressed, even though he'd chastised her earlier and basically blew up at her again.

"Are you ready to go?" JC asked.

"Yeah, just let me get my bag." Shelby nodded.

Her bag was just what it was. It wasn't a purse--it was, but there was so much stuff in it that it wasn't a purse any more--it consisted of her entire world. Journal, IPOD, snacks for the girls, wallet, cell phone, and anything else that you could possibly think of.

They left Shelby's room then stopped at Ryan's room to pick up Jason and Scott. They all got everything they needed then they were off. Broken Angel's sound check went really well and they sat in the audience as they wanted to for once watch Justin and JC's sound checks. Justin was up first as he would be performing first tonight.

He purposely chose the song he was going to be singing for reasons everyone knew. None of them were all too impressed with his choice--JC especially.

Hey girl, is he everything you wanted in a man?
You know I gave you the world
You had me in the palm of your hand
So why your love went away
I just can't seem to understand
Thought it was me and you babe
Me and you until the end
But I guess I was wrong

Don't want to think about it
Don't want to talk about it
I'm just so sick about it
Can't believe it's ending this way
Just so confused about it
Feeling the blues about it
I just can't do without ya
Tell me is this fair?

Is this the way it's really going down?
Is this how we say goodbye?
Should've known better when you came around
That you were gonna make me cry
It's breaking my heart to watch you run around
'Cause I know that you're living a lie
That's okay baby 'cause in time you will find...

What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around

Now girl, I remember everything that you claimed
You said that you were moving on now
And maybe I should do the same
Funny thing about that is
I was ready to give you my name
Thought it was me and you, babe
And now, it's all just a shame
And I guess I was wrong

Don't want to think about it
Don't want to talk about it
I'm just so sick about it
Can't believe it's ending this way
Just so confused about it
Feeling the blues about it
I just can't do without ya
Can you tell me is this fair?

Is this the way it's really going down?
Is this how we say goodbye?
Should've known better when you came around (should've known better that you were gonna make me cry)
That you were going to make me cry
Now it's breaking my heart to watch you run around
'Cause I know that you're living a lie
That's okay baby 'cause in time you will find

What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around

What goes around comes around
Yeah
What goes around comes around
You should know that
What goes around comes around
Yeah
What goes around comes around
You should know that

Don't want to think about it (no)
Don't want to talk about it
I'm just so sick about it
Can't believe it's ending this way
Just so confused about it
Feeling the blues about it (yeah)
I just can't do without ya
Tell me is this fair?

Is this the way it's really going down?
Is this how we say goodbye?
Should've known better when you came around (should've known better that you were gonna make me cry)
That you were going to make me cry
Now it's breaking my heart to watch you run around
'Cause I know that you're living a lie
But that's okay baby 'cause in time you will find

What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around
What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around

[Comes Around interlude:]

Let me paint this picture for you, baby

You spend your nights alone
And he never comes home
And every time you call him
All you get's a busy tone
I heard you found out
That he's doing to you
What you did to me
Ain't that the way it goes

You cheated girl
My heart bleeds girl
So it goes without saying that you left me feeling hurt
Just a classic case
A scenario
Tale as old as time
Girl you got what you deserved

And now you want somebody
To cure the lonely nights
You wish you had somebody
That could come and make it right

But girl I ain't somebody with a lot of sympathy
You'll see

(What goes around comes back around)
I thought I told ya, hey
(What goes around comes back around)
I thought I told ya, hey
(What goes around comes back around)
I thought I told ya, hey
(What goes around comes back around)
I thought I told ya, hey

[laughs]
See?
You should've listened to me, baby
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Because
(What goes around comes back around)
[laughs]

By the time Justin finished the song, Shelby was seething. She had heard the song before, but hadn't given it any thought. When he sang it with such animosity directed towards her it was obvious that he wrote it because of her. She thought of every horrible name she could think of and mentally called him each one of them. The nerve of him.

It was even more clearer that Justin blamed her for everything. Shelby wondered if she ever knew the real Justin or if they're entire relationship was a lie. He seemed more like the Justin she met originally who was mean to her. That seemed to be the real Justin deep down inside. It wasn't Britney who had corrupted him, it was just his own personality and he was trying to blame it on others.

Well to hell with him. She was done playing that game. She was done with Justin, done letting him play with her heart. She had Brad now--someone who actually wanted to be with her.