I let out a final note into the microphone, before my assistant enters quietly pointing at the phone in her hand. The music ended, "Michael Jackson" she says innocently, handing the phone my way. I give her a glare and smirk "You know you're really my friend when I let you interrupt recording sessions."

He laughs, "I would've done the same for you. I wanna ask you something.."

"No" I laugh "I am not going to sing on another track with you!"

"Ok but what about write a few? I've got a couple of songs, I really think you could write on. And I always appreciate a collaboration with my only competition in this business." he chuckles.

I roll my eyes, "stop it. How many songs from me?" I inquire. "2?" he says.

"I can do that, co-write?" I ask. He sighs "You never just give in to me, I've always gotta work for it." a chuckle leaving his lips "yeah I guess."

I laugh loudly, "You know I never loosen up on the first ask. Get your assistant to call mine and we can set up some studio time"

***

"You'd better take advice, never trust first impressions. I tried to hide this affair from their suspicions. So even if she's asking you to stay, you'd better know where you stand!" I sing, laying down a vocal track for Stevie Wonder who'd be a feature with Michael for this song.

Michael and I recorded this demo track as if it were ours, I did have to admit, every time we worked together we were unstoppable. The chemistry between the two of us was dynamic.

We sat in front of the engineering table, bobbing our heads to the demo. "Stevie's gonna kill this." I clap loudly.

"I kinda like it for you and I." Michael says, placing a finger on his chin before he slowly creeps his eyes to me. "No." I laugh, "let it go Jackson."

"Never!" He says playfully. I head back into the booth to record a few adlibs and riffs. Michael grabs his headphones and does the same. He grins at me as he repeats "She love me, she love me" into the microphone, igniting a vocal competition between the two of us as the song ends out.

Quincy Jones sat on the other side of the glass practically wide eyed, watching us go back and forth until the track ended. He stands and claps, "Ali... Smelly might have a good idea here.. the two of you on one track? Phenomenal."

"I told you. It needs to happen! Our second song is a duet anyway... what if you just... featured on it." He shrugs. He looks at my apprehensive reaction and adds, "just record it and let's see how it sounds. If Quincy thinks it's good, it's gotta be!"

"Fine. If I like it, I'll feature." I switch my notebook to the next set of lyrics I wrote for Michael, a song called "I Just Can't Stop Loving You".

Quincy was all set just from the first vocal track we did, and truthfully so was I. I couldn't deny the talent we had together. After a few more hours, I gave Michael a high five. "Yeah you were right. And this will be perfect because it's unexpected. Nobody could guess I'd be featured on your album. I'm still working on mine." I nod. "The fans will love this." I add.

Michael gives my shoulder a light squeeze, "I know." He says excitedly.

We both watch Quincy pack his things, "this was incredible. Just incredible. Smelly, I'll see you tomorrow morning. Ali as always a pleasure working with you." He hugs me. "Always Quincy!" I hug back,  watching him exit.

Michael checks his watch, "wanna catch a film?" He says casually. I look at him with a frown, as if he and I could enter any building casually. The two of us were very known, very famous, and could barely go anywhere alone, together was impossible.

"Come on, I've got hoodies and sunglasses. We can do this. Bill and your security is at the front, there's a fire exit behind the booth. Take a risk Tia!" He nudged.

"Los is gonna kill me if he finds out." I say grabbing a hoodie to pull over my head. "But let's do it." I smile, pushing the glasses onto my nose.

We sneak out the back door and head to the theater across from the studio we recorded in. Thankfully there was no word of the two of us being in the studio so no fans or photographers were waiting outside. We made a pretty slick entrance, until Michael got to the booth and sneezed, knocking his glasses off.

The ticket sales person, lost her mind. She ended up putting two and two together and figured out that I was with him, screaming both of our names loudly "Michael and Tia!!!" She hollers exiting the booth.

Michael grabs my hand and we run into the nearest storage closet shutting the door and locking it. I sat on a nearby stool. "That went well. Now what?" I ask. Michael looks at a nearby phone that hung on the wall. "We can call Bill. He'll get us out of here." The door started to wobble as fans got a bit rough trying to get to us. I squeeze Michael's hand tighter.

"Scared huh?" He teases with a smirk.

"Not really, I've been mobbed before just not in this closed of a space." I fold my arms. "Just call Bill" I add laughing, jumping from a thud at the door again.

Michael hangs up, letting out a sigh. "He is mad" he laughs. "He's on the way though." He says sitting next to me.

We both watch as the door rattled for what felt like an hour. "How many people do you think are out there?" Michael asks. I lean my head on his shoulder.

"Probably thousands by this point." I sigh. "Los is definitely gonna let me have it."

"Yeah, but it was worth it. We had fun almost getting away with it." Michael says, pushing his ear to the door. "How many fans do you think are mine and how many are yours?" He says.

"I'm sure they're mainly yours, you're really killing it out here. I'm still trying to make it like you." I admit.

"What?? You're the only one I compare myself to! Seriously, since we were kids. You have so many people that love you. Your music touches millions." Michael says, shock playing on his face.

"I appreciate that, but I don't think I'm where you are. I mean after Thriller, you just—blew up! You are the musical golden child."

Michael smiles, "thank you. But you have an incomparable voice, your dancing is phenomenal and I don't see any other artist in your range. You and I are practically the same." He says. "The way you maintain control of everything on stage and interact with your fans. I try to imitate that in my work."

This was such a boost of self esteem, Michael honestly thought I was an amazing performer. The reason I was always so hesitant about working with him is because I truly didn't feel worth it. I felt like his star shines brighter than mine and I'd be stuck in the shadows. I never thought to just give a collaboration a chance.

"Thanks Mike.." I blush twiddling my fingers. "He smiles at me for a while before the door rattles once more.

"Michael?? Tia?? You in there?" The door shakes. Michael opens the door slowly to Bill and Los clearing a pathway through our sea of fans. Michael grabbed my hand as I maintained eye contact away from Los, I knew he was pissed at me. I've never snuck off without him or anyone else.

***
The reception for Michael and my single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" was phenomenal. He and I topped charts internationally after we released a Spanish version as well.

I was currently on a press tour promoting my new album and our new song together. I was interviewing with a station out in New York. "So now that we have finally gotten a ballad from the two of you. Is there a performance in the works? Maybe another song? Would you make a song that you can dance together to?" The interviewer hints.

I laugh, "we have not discussed any other collaborations. I'd love to work with Michael again but we haven't talked about anything."

"I'm pretty sure we would all love another performance from the two of you together." The interviewer teases, causing me to laugh.

"Time will tell." I simply nod.