I Lied [On Hiatus]

One Man's Insecurity

Shawn watched her mother move around like she was trapped. Aside from her thoughts, Cookie was just fine. The teen had sent Keyla home with her car and keys after a few hours. She needed this talk.

'Was it everything you would expect?' Cookie wondered aloud as Shawn chewed her lip. This question broke her concentration. She fumbled for an answer. 'Was it everything?'

Her mimick of the question was filled with confusion. She was trying to find some kind of answer to the meet in she had took part in four hours ago.

Cookie's laughter filled the air with no humor whatsoever. Only sad, pathetic feelings toward the girl. She had to have been some kind of saint to believe that giving Lucious Lyon a chance was like giving the Devil your firstborn.

'He'll never change. He didn't for our sons, for me, and he couldn't do it for you. That man's pride is everything. His struggle is real, but... But that doesn't give him the right to be Scrooge.' Cookie explained. She poured herself a glass of Jack. It was a small comfort for the heaviest weight on her shoulder.

'I don't want anyone to change... I want to see you all as you are. If I were not your family how you treat me, if I were your family how would you not treat me. These I can learn by watching you interact.' Shawn broke from her thoughts and slipped in her needs.

/

Jamal watched the girl closely as she ran her fingers over the large grand piano in his father's study. She pressed some of the notes sending a lingering melody into the air. Whenever he felt the urge to play, he played. It seemed they had something in common.

'Do you play?' He asked.

She jumped slightly but turned off with a soft smile. Her eyes were downcast though as she slowly pushed in more keys making a softer but more prominent melody increase.

'I can only play what I learned since I was five years old. My parents thought that I was bitten by the talent bug.' Shawn spoke with a shy tone as she sat fully on the seat and placed both hands on the piano. 'I could only hear one song though while I was playing. It never left my mind.'

Jamal sat down at her side and watched her with no judgment. She began to play and he stared at the piano as if it was cursed. There it was...

'You're So Beautiful...'

He remembered nights when he couldn't sleep and he'd hear his mother singing that to him while he tried to fall asleep. Her soothing tone could fight off the worst of demons. And now he wasn't so sure.

Shawn was right in front of him, but he didn't know what he was supposed to do with this opportunity. Grab it or Avoid it! His, their, he didn't know! Their father would give him even more hardship.

'That song used to haunt my dreams, until I accepted it as MY song. The one that would pull me from the fires of Hell if they were to come. Cookie told me that I had already entered Hell as I accepted you all as my family.' Shawn let her eyes roam over the guy sitting next to her. She didn't know who he was.

Her curiosity was a fearless being. She just wanted to know who her family was. Eighteen years being raised by a family that was not her own was creating major friction between what she should or should not do.

Jamal took a strand of her curls and twirled one with a genuine smile on his kind face. He was the one with the dimples that could turn you on or off depending on how he used them. They were weapons to be reckoned with.

'He's going to brand you. If you have talent, he'll take it and twist it into a gold mine. Money over Music.' Jamal let the curl fall back into place as his smile turned into a frown.

He was looking out for her. She was new to this family. This wasn't some normal, dysfunctional family. There was some mess going on each and every day that would make you run for your life.

'Don't make me out to be so heartless, Boy.' Lucious stated as he walked into his study and gave both of them a look of disdain. He never knew he had a daughter that was a given but he still had little respect for his son's lifestyle. 'I'm not here to just turn you all into Circus Monkeys. I'm giving you opportunities that other families would die to have.' He explained as he walked further into the room.

Shawn stood up and gave them both a look that said she was really uncomfortable. Jamal felt bad for her. Lucious just stared on with his wicked eyes. No emotion detected.

'And you... Cookie should have aborted you if you were this sensitive. This is a family of lions, only strength, only power.' Lucious hissed as he watched Shawn back into a wall.

The comment about her strength made her eyes bulge with anger.

'Who the hell are you to tell me? You draw fear from threats... I bet I could back up all this talk. Matter of fact, where's Cookie? I bet she could get me worldwide in no time. I'm just an upcoming artist, right? Watch me come up then.' Shawn switched up out of there quickly as possible and mumbled curses as she hurried to the door.

Being in his house was no longer a feeling of welcome but it was more of an attack to who and what she represented.

'Cookie, you were right. I got contacts all over... All I need is a great manager.' Shawn said as she climbed into the taxi with one last glance to the mini mansion.

One man's insecurity was another man's strength.