run of the mill.

25th

When the paparazzi found out that Beyonce and Shawn had broken up all hell broke loose. They were followed everywhere from the grocery store to work. Beyonce had almost lost her job as a substitute because they were attempting to get into the school. Of course the fact that she was working and had had Shawn's baby was greeted very... amusingly by the paparazzi. They scolded Shawn like he was some sort of dead beat dad or something. And since Beyonce had refused to do any interviews, he couldn't change their minds.

Shawn was a bit upset when she announced that she wasn't talking to any reporters or newspapers. "I'm done with all of that Shawn. I only did it for you. I'm not putting myself back out there like that."

"So what am I suppose to do? Just let them sit and talk about me any way they want? I need your help."

"... So?"

He was actually upset with her for a few days after that. He didn't really say anything to her that didn't have something to do with Jamie. But after a week or so he just went back to his normal self and Beyonce had no idea why. She didn't really care since she didn't base too much of her energy on Shawn. She spent most of her time trying to fall out of love with him. And it worked most of the time. Except when he held Jamie. Or when he blew on her stomach to make the infant burst into fits of laughter. Or when he touched Beyonce on her arm to lead her somewhere. Other than that, those brief moments, she was over him. She could look at him without wanting to run into his arms. She could see right through Shawn to the beast he'd actually become.

Beyonce finished mopping her small kitchen floor and washed her hands. She checked on Jamie who was dozing in a swing set and then fixed herself a cup of tea for the sore throat she was getting. She felt a cold coming on. Orange Juice, she thought. Gotta get some orange juice. Shawn was attempting to lay out on her couch but failing miserably because the furniture was small. Beyonce glanced at him and wondered why he was there if Jamie was going to sleep and he was trying to doze his damn self.

She turned back to her mail and continued to ignore him while she read through it. She was just setting her bills aside for Shawn when she came up on a tabloid. The magazine had been sending her one every month trying to get her to subscribe but she never did. She had the money but she didn't give a damn. That was people's personal business.

She glanced at the title and did her double take when she recognized the face in the corner with designer shades on. Shawn's picture was in the corner of the cover and the subtitle caught her interest even though it shouldn't have.

'Find Out Which Hottie's Got Football Star Shawn Carter's Interest!'

Beyonce was surprised at the way her heart thudded and her eyes narrowed in practiced jealousy. She couldn't help it but she rubbed the thought away and flipped through the pages despite herself. She was just causing herself pain. She didn't care. She shouldn't have given a damn. She was moving on and she was suppose to expect him to do the same. So when she opened the magazine and saw page twenty six plastered with a picture of Shawn and Angela Lindvall, the Victoria's Secret model with the airplane, she tried not to be shocked and hurt and confused. The arrangement was her idea. Her fault. She couldn't get mad at him for being a celebrity with a beautiful woman. That was what she had been asking him to do forever.

The article had more than one picture of them. Some in the airport. Some on some street with smoothies in their hands. Just plenty really. She touched her chest and read a few lines of the article before she couldn't stand to look at it anymore. She slapped it closed slightly and bit her nail. Beyonce glanced at the couch again and this time she caught his gaze.

He smiled at her and Beyonce guessed it was because he had her attention. "You going home any time soon?" she asked.

Shawn rolled his eyes and sunk deeper into the seat. "Nope."

Beyonce bit her lip and nodded like she was coming up with an idea. "Ok... then I'm going out."

His head jerked to her and he lifted an eyebrow. "You what?" Beyonce never went out. She never did anything without the baby.

She nodded like her idea was becoming better and better. "Yeah. I'm going out."

Beyonce stood and crossed to her room opening her closet and looking around for something extra... sexy. She flicked clothes past her in the tiny closet and realized that she hadn't actually moved on. Not really. She simply stopped living for him. Now she was living for Jamie. But she wasn't living for her just yet. And damnit, she thought as she grinned and pulled a fuchsia pocket pencil ~dress the rack, it was time to start.

"You're going out where?" Shawn asked following her to the bathroom where she plugged up her flat iron. "Like to Farrah's house?"

Beyonce grinned and shook her head. That was probably the only 'out' she ever took part in. But not anymore. She started the shower and turned to him. "No. Like to a club. Watch out."

She grabbed a towel and her shower cap from her room and shuffled past Shawn yet again to get into the bathroom. "But why?" he asked just as she was about to close the door. Beyonce looked at him and shrugged.

"Why not?"

She showered and stepped out, brushing her teeth and washing her face. Beyonce turned the fan on in the bathroom to reduce the steam on the mirror and then made an attempt at doing something to her hair. She didn't have time to fool around with it since it was almost eleven as it was. So she camouflaged it; straightened a few pieces in the front as a bang and putting the rest in a somehow cute messy ~bun.

She'd opened the door with the intention of walking out when she stopped short as Shawn standing in her way. He was leaned against the hall wall staring right at her like he had been looking at the door since she closed it. Beyonce put her hand on her towel subconsciously holding it so it wouldn't fall.

"Why can't you just stay here?" he asked immediately.

Beyonce shrugged and went past him into the bedroom. She grabbed the scented lotion and sat down to apply it. "Where's Jamie?" she asked.

Shawn gestured to the crib behind her and Beyonce looked back at the sleeping child. Sorry piece of furniture, she thought smiling to herself. Her grandmother use to say that. "Now why can't you stay here?"

"I don't want to," she said plainly. Beyonce walked to her dresser and grabbed the deodorant. She rubbed it on diligently. Beyonce opened the drawer and fished passed all her cotton to find what she was looking for. Beyonce pulled out a very thin, very black pair of lace thong underwear and slid them underneath her towel up her legs.

Shawn followed the fabric with his eyes and a dark look passed over his face. He clamped his mouth shut and looked back at Beyonce's pretty little hairstyle and her cute heart shaped face with those gorgeous hazel eyes. She didn't have on makeup yet and she was already gorgeous. He slapped the magazine he found on the dresser and looked at her.

"Is that why you're going out?" he asked accusingly.

Beyonce looked at the magazine and back at him. "What? No."

She turned her back to him and went to sit on her bed, playing with the phone she had sitting on the charger. Shawn watched her put the phone down and looked at him impatiently. "Can you leave so I can change?"