Life Behind the Curtains: $old. (Shawn Mendes Fanfic)

Chapter 24

All these events are not connected to real life incidents. Please don't hate 😅

***

He stands up, "Well, I'm going to need another one then," and he grabbed another bottle and sat back down on the couch.

I was curious, so listened carefully. And boy, was I surprised.

"Summer 2018. I was young, stupid. I had just released my third album and my fame was skyrocketed. I didn't quite understand.

She was a little older than me, but that's how I liked it anyway. She was a model, and blonde too. 

Hailey. She was as bland as her name.

She approached me, we talked. Sooner or later, I fell for her, but fuck, I don't even know what I saw in her anyway.

Now that I realize it, it wasn't even love anyway. More like an infatuation, a desire that needed to be filled. I don't know what I was thinking."

He took in a sharp breath, emptying the contents of his third vodka bottle. 

I think we both know how this ended.

"Heck, I even took her to the Met Gala, knowing the media would swarm all over us like mosquitoes.

But I didn't care. I thought it was real with her."

He looked away for a moment, a brief layer of hurt shone through his dark brown eyes. I let him continue. It seemed like he needed someone to listen to him.

"She dumped me. 

All of a sudden. With absolutely no explanation.

Then I found out a month later that she got married to Justin Bieber. The guy who absolutely hated me for beating his record in music.

Fuck. It hurt. It still does. It doesn't help that they are literally in every event I attend, being all cute and couple like. 

But I now realize, she was only in it for the money. She didn't care about me, never did. She only really cared about my body. It was the money and the fame that led her to me. I had showered her with expensive gifts and raised her status as a model.

Biggest mistake ever." 

I'd heard about the big ruckus when Shawn brought Hailey to the Met Gala. Everyone had. The media had put so many twists on the story that I just didn't know what to believe.

But now, it all made sense.

The empty bottle topples on the table, landing lopsided. It distracted me from what I was planning to do.

"Shawn," I inch closer to him, "It's not your fault. Don't put yourself down because of it." He sighs, looking my way, but his eyes look hollow and empty. It's like he was looking right past me.

"To be fair," I rest my hand on his cheek, alarming him, "I don't want you because of your money, heck I already have too much and it doesn't make me feel any better." 

He swallowed heavily, and I continued. "I don't want you only for your body," I say, leaning closer to whisper the last part, "Though it is amazing as hell." I couldn't help but giggle at my own words, and he broke into a smile.

"I'm here for this," I say, pointing to his forehead, signalling his brain. His hands encase mine as I lower them, "And this." I could hear the beat of his heart as I rested my ear against his chest.

"You're cute," he gave me a toothy grin, pecking me on the forehead, as he wrapped his arms around me. I don't even remember how I ended up sitting on his lap, but it felt good.

God, I'm so drunk. But I like it.

Damn, the alcohol Shawn drinks is rich and heavy. I suddenly feel like all wind has been knocked out of me and I close my eyes.

Huh, I didn't know I was that tired.

Shawn P.O.V.

I was all wrong about her. Amber is nothing like what I had initially thought.

She's different from Hailey. She understands me. I needed her to listen to me, and she did. She didn't interrupt me once when I confessed to her.

She is sweet, kind, gorgeous as hell, and sometimes defiant. But I like that about her. I like all of her.

I give her a tight squeeze from the waist as I look at her sleeping in my arms. She has a low alcohol tolerance. Damn she only had ¾ a bottle and she is totally out of me.

Meanwhile, I'm on my fourth bottle and feel just fine. Well, that's a lie. I feel queasy, and everything around the room is starting to spin. And my head is pounding.

But that's okay.

I have her, so everything will be okay.

***

Oh shit. Shit. Shit shit, shit. Amber had alcohol. She's not supposed to have alcohol, she's pregnant?!!

Fuck. I've been a father for two days, and I already fucked it up.

"Amber, Amber, wake up," I say to her. Her peaceful body was sprawled among the white sheets. I had carried her up to bad last night, as she was wasted.

Fuck. Why don't I think about others for once? Why do I have to be so selfish. This is our child. "Whatttt," she groaned, her sexy morning voice evident as she opened her eyes.

"I can't believe I didn't even realize, I'm so stupid. Fuck, I'm sorry, this is all my fault," I pulled at my hair, trying to think of something, anything.

"Shawn," she put her hands against both sides of my face, "Calm down. What's wrong?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inviting the warm sensation of her skin against mine.

"You're not supposed to have alcohol. It's bad for the baby. Our baby." Her eyes widened in realization, and a small string of cusses fell out of her plump lips.

"We should go to the doctor," I tell her, getting up and popping a few pills. Drinking like this was normal for me, so my body kind of got used to it over time. 

I don't think Amber was used to this, as the moment she stood up, she lost her balance and almost toppled over. "Careful," I gave her a small smile, steading her with my hands.

"You alright?" I ask her, just to make sure. She nods, a shaky smile on her lips, "I think so. I don't know what's up, I can usually take more alcohol than this."

"Well, that's what we're about to find out," babe. The last word emits out of my brain, and I'm thankful I didn't say it out loud and make a fool of myself.

Even though it's so obvious I like her. A lot.

I pass her one of my hoodies and tell her to put it on. There's no time for either of us to take a shower, so I sprayed on some cologne and laid a coat on Amber's as well. 

"Oops," I smirk at her, and she rolls her eyes at me. I didn't fail to notice her discreet smile.

Now she's going to smell like me the whole day and it's going to drive me crazy.

"Come on," I say, gripping her hand as I lead her out the front door. I've never been so anxious to meet the doctor.