Punishment by Pop Star The Joint Effort CHAPTER 19

By now I feel like I've seen Bieber perform a million times, but tonight he's absolutely killing it. Every move and every note is perfect, but more importantly filled with passion, power, and confidence. The crowd's going wilder than usual, and I stop my foot from tapping to the beat. Bieber's panting at the end, but it's nothing like when he came offstage ill. This time he's simply exhausted all the determination and energy he has in him. I'm proud of him.

After Bieber finishes "#thatPower" and "As Long As You Love Me," a sudden silence goes over the stage. He appears to be whispering something to his audience, and they applaud and cheer. What the heck is he doing? Now I see him exit the stage and thus make his way through the curtain towards me.

"Is something wrong?" I ask him, confused.

"I need you," Bieber picks up a stool and leads me onstage.

Maybe a fuse is about to blow again? I follow but not without reminding him, "I'm not good with electricity, remember what happened last ti—" The girls start giggling as I get further out onstage and I start getting nervous being in front of so many people, even if they are a bunch of 12-year-olds girls like Bieber.

He places the stool down. "Have a seat."

I look at him questioningly and whisper, "Bieber, what are you doing? What's going on?"

And suddenly it hits me. I should've known, though I never thought he'd do this. I want to run but I'm so paralyzed by humiliation and shock and nerves and anger and upset and everything else.

"Let's have a round of applause for my mentor and friend, Jessica," Bieber says, switching to the hand mic.

No. This can't be happening.

"...How many 'I told ya's and 'Start over's and shoulders have you cried on before?"

The tension in my chest—I can't breathe.

"How many promises, be honest, girl, how many tears you let hit the floor?"

He's singing to me. Oh my God. He's freaking serenading me in front of everyone, I want to die. I barely hear anything he's saying.

"...If you let me inside your world, there's gonna be one less lonely girl."

The Beliebers are going crazy. I feel so betrayed. How could he do this to me? I didn't know one could feel betrayal from an enemy. He comes around the back of me and puts his hands on my shoulders and sings into my ear, which gets another cry of approval from the audience.

"I can fix up your broken heart, and give you a brand new start. I can make you believe..."

Tears start welling up in my eyes and I hold back a sob. He swaggers around me again until he's facing me and looking right into my eyes.

"I just wanna set one girl free to fall..."

I can't do this. I have to get out of here. My sense of feeling, or rather lack of, starts returning. He kneels down, looking up at me, and another cheer mixed with "AWW"s erupts.

"Her heart's locked and, know what, I got the key, I'll take her and leave the world—"

I get up and storm off the stage, the stool getting knocked over and crashing to the floor behind me.

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"I said I'm sorry!" he repeats, but I keep marching toward my room on the bus.

His manager tries talking to me, too, but I blow up. "No! You knew about this!" I don't care what I may have caused today in the media by my reaction and exit. I'm not taking a lecture. I don't care what happens to this jerk or his career. I think Scooter senses this and leaves his little "star" alone with me in the hall.

"I don't know what else to say."

"There's nothing TO say, you traitor!"

"How am I a traitor?!" the twerp asks.

"How could you humiliate me like that?!" I shout. "How could you expose—" I can't finish my sentence. Too many feelings would come out.

"I'm SORRY," he says again.

"No you're not!"

Then he does it again. "There's something else bothering you at the same time...Is it your aun—"

Don't even go there. "Just get away from me!" I'm shaking.

I'm almost to my room when he asks in a tone that I can't read, "What's your problem?"

I whip back around. "What's my problem?! I have many! But the worst of them is YOU! YOU'RE my problem!" I can't read his face; I can't tell whether he's shocked or angry or hurt or whatever but I don't care. I keep yelling. "I don't want to be here! I was forced to come against my will! I miss home, I'm under pressure, and I'm missing school!" My brain tells me I don't want to cry in front of him but my tear ducts rebel. "Maybe you don't get it because you have everything and you don't need school, nor do you have any interest in being smart! Maybe you don't get it, but school's important to me, Bieber! I want to go to school!" My voice cracks. "My life has been uprooted because of what happened. Now my educational plan is all screwed up and I won't be able to get my degrees for a longer amount of time." There is no stopping the sobs now. "If it weren't for you, none of this would've happened! This is all your fault!" An ache blossoms in my chest again, and then, "I HATE YOU!"

I run from the room, furiously wiping at the tears streaming down my cheeks but also feeling the pain in my heart with each step. I slam the door to my room and lock it, and then just cry my eyes out.

Maybe I'd been a bit harsh... No. What's the matter with me? I never asked for these complications, I have a right to be upset. I lie curled up for a long while on my bed with the lights out. Just before falling asleep, I hear a certain Canadian celebrity's lowered voice speak the words, "Turn her loose."