Misconceptions are the enemy of the truth. Misconceptions are defined with perplexities and anger. Words can be twisted. Emotions will arise with negativity all because of misconception. A troublesome word it is that can terrorize a relationship, a bond. Unfortunately for me, misconception has taken it's toll on my relationship as well, claiming Jesse as it's victim. Therefore leaving me to straddle the fence of truth in order to prohibit anymore damage.

"I fucking hate you Michael!" Her last words before she ended our conversation. Five words with so much meaning behind them. I knew she didn't mean it then, but it still hurt knowing she dared to even screech those five words. "I hate you", a spear to my heart and poison to my ears. I didn't mean to anger her. I didn't mean to hurt her. I didn't mean anything by my actions.

I may have not been in the right mind set since her announcement of this quite attractive man offering to be her coach out of the blue. It seemed suspicious to me at the time, so I waited for a month secretly hoping she wouldn't accept his offer.

After a month, despite my guilty prayers, she indeed did accept. When she accepted, I didn't know what to do. Therefore I made a desperate decision out of insecurity. And now, my punishment has been served with a platter of anticipation and regret.

Anticipation for her to call apologizing for her words and offering to mend and disseminate our verbal quarrel and come to a general census. Regret for even allowing my insecurity to lead me to such a drastic decision. Meanwhile, I'm allowing Brooke to guilt trip me into forming a casual friendship.

After the dinner with Elizabeth and meeting her new boyfriend, Brooke brought it upon herself to manually invite herself to my next concert. Initially, I wanted to tell her that I didn't own any spare tickets, but woest me, she had her own.

Liz thought it was strange as well that Brooke has a new found interest in "mending" and developing a "friendship". I casually explained to Liz that this was just for her closure. I was willing to do anything just to have Brooke finally gain her "closure" and leave me alone. Huge mistake.

Two months later, she's dragging me to her outings. Introducing me to her friends, and even inviting me out for private dinners. Each week there was an event with her. I was perplexed.

Shouldn't she have other male companions to accompany her? Why am I the one she's dragging around? I needed answers then and haven't received an ounce of a clue since.

With Jesse not answering my calls because of my "relationship" with Brooke, I have finally come to the conclusion, with the help provided from a recent, long sermon of Bills, that I need to end this now before it goes any further. This hole is deep enough.

Before my flight to Rosemont, I need to finalize my this decision with Brooke and proceed to mend things before my concert in Rome. I don't want to visit Jesse and Rome with the acknowledgement that there is still a glacier between us, especially if that means for the proceeding next eight months I won't be able to focus. I want to elatedly share my last eight months of the Bad tour with Jesse. I can't have her angry with me. It's too much to bare.

"Has she called since this morning?" I desperately ask, pacing the hotel suite as I contemplate my next few moves.

I'm playing chess with this situation. One wrong move and I will be standing along without my queen. That's impossible in chess. A king standing without his queen. Yet, here I am standing on the board without my queen while my enemy vastly approaches with swift moves of her own. I want to carefully claim my victory and walk away with the right of "check mate".

Dear Lord, help me.

"No. But yes, I did call her and even left a message with Rafael. He says she hasn't been talking. She just goes to her rehearsals or her performances and returns to the hotel" Bill informs me, approaching me slowly.

"I feel like a complete asshole. Was I wrong? I mean I just... I don't know" I exasperate in defeat, plopping onto a nearby armchair.

Taking the next armchair beside me, Bill clasps his hands together and glances at the ground before answering.

"I can't tell you that much Michael. You obviously love Brooke enough to allow her to compensate for whatever you did to her, but you have to understand the difference between compensating and allowing someone to use you. She's obviously using you. And you've allowed it. As for Jesse, she probably needs time. I mean you guys love each other a lot. You were jealous, for some reason, I don't understand. But, i don't agree with your actions. You should've told her. But, whatever happens, I'm here for you" He expresses, gently patting my back.

"But what do I do? I want Jesse to stop hating me. She told me she fucking hates me. Bill that hurt like hell.." I whimper, feeling the sting of tears.

I'm appreciative of Bill. Throughout the months he has slowly changed his demeanor towards Jesse's and I relationship and has become more open and supportive of Jesse. He actually likes her, he even loves her. And for that I'm proud of him, but the only downfall is now he's even more protective of her than I. I understand his motives, but it can backfire. For instance these past two months it has been backfiring.

Lately he has been ridiculing me for the domino effect of my current dilemmas. Instead of helping me, he has been blaming me and preaching to me through sermons that has only one main idea, I messed thing's up, now I have to clean thing's up. Those sermons have served no means of use for me.

"Jesse loves you Michael. She'll come around. Meanwhile, Miss Shields's will be here any minute.You need to fix this Michael, the media has had a long enough field day with this. I don't care how you do it, but get it over with" He stresses, standing from the armchair.

I watch him silently, wishing he would tell me how. How do I tell Brooke I'm done with her game? How can I do this alone? The moment I need his consolation, he has nothing to offer. Great. just perfect.

Peeking through the blinds of my balcony, I catch the heart warming glimpse of my fans. God I love these people so much. Somehow they always seem to cheer me up. I wish I could thank each individual below for their constant support. Though the media fabricated lies about Brooke's and I fibbed "relationship", my fans stood tall and denied each allegation. My fans know the truth. My fans know that my heart lies between them and Jesse. I don't know what I'd do without these beautiful beings.

In the heat of this moment, I dare myself to disappear from their view only to reappear with a few tangible items of gratitude. The first item, my very comfortable hotel pillow. Daring to venture into the sound of bedlam, I step out into my balcony and glance below at my eclectic fans.

Each face different from the last, but all share one emotion, elation. With a few blown kisses, I wave to them and strain a salutation or two, before displaying before them my hotel pillow.

The crowd chants become beckoning screams as they began to reach upward for the pillow as if they could touch it from nearly twelve feet below my balcony. I giggle to myself and quickly scribble my signature and a meaningful message before throwing the pillow out into the sea of ravaging fans. I catch one last glimpse of the pillow before it disappears into the hands of the fans.

I find myself cackling wildly before take another item, my hotel robe and repeating my last procedure before tossing it into the crowd as well. I continue this routine before, being interrupted by Bill with the note that Brooke has finally arrived.

I blow one last kiss of salutation to the crowd before returning to my unfortunate reality. Stepping back into the den of my suite, I close the slide door and dare myself to glance towards the suites door.

"Hey Applehead! I was wondering if you'd like to do something fun since this is your last day in Atlanta? I would love to go to that new bookstore that opened a week ago. You know it's one of those humongous bookstores. It even has like a mini museum and library. Isn't that cool?" She beams, elatedly approaching me, only to quickly wrap her arms around my neck before I can manage to conjure a sentence.

I reluctantly wrap my arms around her waist, regrettably contemplating the moment I will have to wipe that beautiful smile off her face. I hate doing thing's like this. I honestly do. In the past, I would hire people to bare my bad news to someone for me. I hate hurting others.

But, I can't do that anymore. I learned with Frank that if I don't take the initiative to speak up for myself, then my words will never be taken seriously. I presume the same will go for Brooke.

"Brooke... I-"

"Michael I'm so glad you gave us another chance. I really am. I know I have been a bit crazy lately, but it's because I missed being around you. I missed us. And now I have another chance. Thank you" She sighs, releasing our embrace with a peck on my cheek.

My eyes fall to the suites wooden tile. Here I am again, breaking her heart for the second time. The guilt is eating at me. I can't break her heart like this. Looking into her eyes, I feel sorry for her.

She thinks she has another chance with me, but frankly I am in the same position. I can't be friends with Brooke, there's too many bad memories of our history. We weren't meant to be together as a couple, and we certainly aren't meant to be together as friends.

"Brooke... I-"

"I know you're happy with Jessica, but I want you to know if thing's don't work out, I'll be here" She flashes a hopeful smile.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. If thing's don't work out with Jesse? Thing's will work out with Jesse. I don't even know what possess her to think that things will fall apart between Jesse and I. What's even more insane is that she thinks I'll come running into her arms afterwards. What world is she living in?

I quickly step back and voice my concern.

"First, her name is Jesse, not Jessica. Secondly, there is no possibility of us getting back together. I have told you this I don't know how many times. Brooke we are through. Our 'us' is history. There is no plural. Look, I-"

"No. You're lying. You told me you loved me. Michael stop playing with my emotions! I told you I won't stand for it again!" She screeches,, her face reddening with anger.

What have I've gotten myself into?

"Brooke, calm down. I said loved, as in the past. You're twisting my meaning. I don't want a relationship with you and you said you didn't want one with me. So stop acting like I'm speaking another language or something. I love Jesse okay? Jesse Rose Edmond is my girlfriend, not you" I stress, secretly wishing Bill would appear and escort her out.

Brooke continues frantically screaming her points that are unfortunately making her seem even ore lunatic than she has already displayed herself as. I don't know what to do. I just want her to leave. She's done enough damage, leaving me with the burden of paying for it.

"Brooke! Calm down! Just say what you need to say and leave. Okay? There I said it! I want you to leave!" I fume, walking towards the door.

Her violent tears no longer have an affect on me. I stand tall and focused not changing my demeanor. I want her gone, end of story. I'm done trying to compromise.

"Please Michael, I know you better than her. She isn't me. Michael I love you" She pleads, crying hysterically.

I glance down at my loafers, avoiding her eyes. I don't want to be convinced otherwise. Yes, I didn't treat her well in the past, but neither did she. She decided to leave me in the dark and when I decided to leave, she tried to force me to stay. I'm giving her false pleadings anymore attention. Enough is enough.

"That's nice, Leave" I coldly reply.

I can't believe she has the audacity to claim that she is better than Jesse. That she can even treat me better than Jesse. She's nowhere near in comparison to Jesse. I've told her to stop living in comparison. I don't want a relationship. I don't want a friendship. I want this chapter closed, officially.

"Don't you miss us Michael? You can't tell me you don't miss out intimacy?" She continues to plead.

"I'm enough of a gentleman to say, you needed work then. Please, leave before I have Bill escort you out" I huff.

She glances at me a few minutes longer, her hazel eyes genuinely withholding pain. Her words are no longer heard as she dares to keep her gaze on mine before quietly dismissing herself. I open the door and quietly close it afterwards when she exits. Inhaling deeply, I run frustrated fingers through my curls and exhale deeply.

The chapter of Brooke and Michael has ended. There will be a huge mess to clean up after her ramshackle reign, but none of that matters, just as long as for now on it will be Jesse and Michael. Though I'm well aware I have a lot of explaining and pleading to do myself, I feel more at ease knowing that I just closed another horrid chapter of mine and now can proceed to the next chapter of broken pieces.

Finally...

To Be Continued....