Michael's point of view

To be honest, as time was flying by, I had the feeling that this wasn't the brightest idea to invit June over. Janet, June, Jessica and I were sitting in the living room, and I swear we could have heard flies if we listened carefully. The silence was killing me, and everytime I wanted to say something to June, Jessica just cut me off so I don't speak directly to her. Thank God Janet was here.

"So, tell me about what it's like to be the best known model on this planet?" Janet asked June, who was seated just next to her with her glass of water in bewteen her hands.

"Oh, I'm not this well-known," she said, blushing. "But I guess this is pretty cool. I really love what I do."

"I can see that, you're glowing," Janet said, and she was right. "Isn't she, guys?" she asked, looking towards Jessica and I, who were seated across from them, on the other couch.

Thank you, Dunk, I said to myself. This question actually made me uncomfortable, and feeling Jessica's stare on me made me quite nervous. I knew she was waiting for me to answer, but I didn't know what to say so I don't hurt her feelings, or so she doesn't start a fight with June. I knew both can be real feisty, and I didn't want any violence in my home.

Jessica never left my hand for a second, she stayed glued to me, and I think she was acting a bit too much, but then it hit me: she wasn't acting. She was jealous, and she wanted to show June I was hers, and no one else's.

"She's always been," I said with a nervous smile, not even looking at June.

Jessica made me uncomfrotable, and I don't think she was aware of this. I acted like an idiot. I was the one who invited June over, and now, because of Jess' behavior and also because of what I've done, I couldn't even look at June in the eyes because I was afraid Jessica notice the way I looked at her: like someone who's in love.

"She's fine, but she's nothing compared to Naomi Campbell. No offense," she said, giving her a fake smile, and I squeezed her hand to make her stop. "What?" she asked, looking at me. "I'm just being honest, and I didn't say this to be mean."

"None taken. Coming from you, I don't expect anything to be nice, ma chérie," June answered, mirroring her fake and sarcastic smile. "I met Naomi, and she's really beautiful, you're right on this point."

I could feel the gap between June and Jessica: June gained in maturity, while Jessica was acting like a jealous school girl. To be honest, I didn't like it at all. She wasn't even cute. When June was jealous, she was cute but it's not the case for everyone.

"Is Karl being a good mentor to you?" Janet asked kindly, seeing the conversation between those two was going nowhere.

"Honestly, I love him. He's the one who taught me everything I needed to know about this job, and he made sure I lacked nothing," she said, but I could feel she didn't say everything about him. "But he sometimes acts like he's my father or something, and I don't quite like this part of him."

"I know the feeling," I snorted, thinking about the way Frank used to be with me.

"That's how Frank used to be with you, right, honey?" Jessica asked me with a fake sad look on her face, rubbing my arm. She was really pissing me off at this point.

"Yes," I shortly answered.

It's unbelievable: everytime Jessica oppened her mouth, there was an uncomfortable and awkward silence in the room right after.

"Um, Jess, would you come with me for a sec, please... baby?" I asked her, playing the same game as her. I plastered a huge forced smile on my face, and I could see in the corner of my eye that June was looking at the both of us skeptically. "We'll be right back," I announced. "Excuse us."

I left the room with Jessica, and headed towards the kitchen, closing the door behind the both of us.

"What is wrong with you? Didn't I tell you to behave when June got here? What game are you playing?"

"I'm not playing any games, Michael! I told you I don't like her, and it's not like me to fake things, so I just show her I don't like her, period," she explained nonchalantly.

"Are you serious? Don't you think about me in all of this?"

"Thinking about you? What do you mean?"

"I'm the one who invited her, and you keep making me uncomfortable since she got here! This was supposed to be friendly, so I can catch up with her, but you don't let me talk to her," I explained, slightly irritated.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Michael, look. She's honestly the prettiest woman I've ever seen in my life, and she's your ex. I feel a bit threatened by her being here."

"You shouldn't. You should trust me."

"Trust you? We're not even a couple! I don't even know what we are. Friends with benefits? Friends who made a mistake? I'm lost, and I don't know how to act in front of her."

"I don't know what we are, all I know is that I'm married to you, and yes, maybe what we did was a mistake, but like I already told you, I'm still trying to find out what my feelings are for you. I need time."

"You need time, but I'm not sure having June around will help you figuring out your feelings for me," she said, and I could see the sadness on her face.

"Jess, she's moved on, can't you see it?" I asked her.

"Well, that's the problem Michael. No, I don't see it, because everytime you guys look at each other, I can feel the chemistery between you both. Can't you see that?"

"No, I don't, because there's nothing like this between us anymore. We're done, I moved on, she moved on. We're just two people with a common past, that's all. Nothing more, nothing less," I explained to her in a calm voice.

I was lying to her, but I had to. I hoped I'll be able to move on sooner or later, because for me, it's clear June moved on as well.

"Maybe you should leave the house for today," I advised her.

"What? And leave you both alone in the house you once shared together? No way!"

"Jess, please. You need to trust me," I said, placing both of my hands on her shoulders. "I asked her to come over so she and I can have a talk, but since you're here, I'm not myself, and I'm sure she noticed it. I don't want her to think that I'm not comfortable talking to her in front of my wife," I explained to her. "And I'm sure Josh would probably happy to spend some quality time with you. You guys didn't spend a lot of time together these days."

Jess gave me a hug, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her head on my chest while I rubbed her back gently, "Do you still love her?"

"I probably will always love her, because she was a part of my life, and she made me happy like no one has ever made me, but I moved on," I lied again. I couldn't tell her I still love her without hurting her feelings deeply. As much as I hated liars, I needed to lie.

"I believe you," she said, breaking the hug. "So I'm going to come back home to my son now," she weakly smiled at me. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," I smiled. "Be safe."

June's point of view

"She's quite rude," I stated out loud.

"Hey, don't judge her," Janet said. "She's just being protective," she shrugged.

"There are ways to be protective, she's just being mean, Jan, let's face it," I declared, looking straight at Janet.

"Maybe, but look at you. You're amazingly beautiful, girl," Janet told me with a huge grin.

"Stop flattering me," I laughed.

"I'm just being honest," she shrugged. "So, what is it like to be back here?" She asked me, after taking a sip of her glass of water.

"It's weird and amazing at the same time," I admitted, looking around. "I love this place."

"I know you do. But the real question is, do you still love my brother?"

"Are we being forward now?" I laughed.

"Don't dodge the question," she warned, pointing a finger at me.

"I'm happy he's happy," I shrugged, not wanting to answer the question straight. "He's happy, right?"

"This is not what I asked you, June," she said. "Did you really move on? Because I know you didn't."

"And how do you know such a thing?" I snorted.

"Stares don't lie," she said with the same grin on her face.

"Why are you smiling like this? Even if I actually didn't move on, what's the point? It's not like everything was forgiven between us, and it's not like he wasn't happily married," I said, frowning.

"Oh um, for nothing," she nervously chuckled and took another sip of her water. "How can someone as beautiful as you is still single?"

"I'm not interested to be in a relationship," I just said, being honest.

"Why?"

"Because I don't feel like it, officer," I teased, laughing.

"Because you didn't forget about my brother," she said, nodding.

"Will you stop?" I asked, throwing a cushion in her face.

It took half a second for Janet to respond to my attack, and this conversation ended in a cushion war. I was laughing my ass off, trying to escape Janet across the entire living room. I could hear her infectious laugh as well, and it made me laugh even harder.

"Imma beat your ass, Barbie!" she threatened, laughing, and I giggled at the use of nickname.

"You're not beating anyone's ass, Jackson!"

At the second I said this sentence, I received a cushion on the top of the head, and when I left my hidden place, Janet was running after me. I took off my heels in the process, and run across the entire house, trying to escape from the crazy woman who was hunting me like a dear. As I looked behind me to see where Janet was, I found myself bumping into someone, and falling on my ass.

"Ouch," I said, making a face.

"Oh God, I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Michael asked, helping me up. "I didn't see you, where are you coming from?"

"I'm fine, my butt is hurting a bit, that's all," I laughed. "I was coming from the living room. I was trying to escape your crazy sister," I chuckled, and Janet finally joined us.

"Damn girl, how can you be so fast?" she said, breathless.

"She's not that fast, as I can remember," Michael teased me, and I finally had the feeling that he was him again. "I'm sure I'm still faster than you," he bragged, and I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Oh yeah? Well, I guess there's only one way to figure that out," I said, smirking. "The last one in the library is a stinky sock!" I quickly said, and began running through the house towards the library.

"Cheater!" I heard the two Jacksons yell from behind me, and I laughed at them, still running.

As I ran the faster as I could like my life depended on this race, I could feel Michael getting closer to me, and I tried my best to run faster than him, but it was no use: Michael passed me in a second.

"Tired already?" Michael teased, running in front of me.

"Never!" I told him, passing him again.

Believe it or not, I was actually the first one in the library. I didn't know I could make it, but I guess I won thanks to the coach Karl hired for me so I can work out.

"Beat you!" I cheered, taking my breath.

"What happened to the slow you?" he asked me, and I laughed a bit.

"I work out," I shrugged.

"You? Working out?" he asked in disbelief. "I didn't know you like to work out."

"I don't, but I have to," I sincerely told him, taking a seat on the couch.

"Karl is making you, right?" he asked, taking a seat beside me.

"Yes and no. I'm a model, so I have to work my body, you know. He hired this coach for me, so I don't have a choice but work out," I explained.

"I see," he nodded. "You lost weight, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I lost a bit of weight, but not that much. Is this that obivous?" I asked, looking at my body.

"Well, for me it is," he said, and looked down. "It's not like I used to know your body like the back of my hand," he said a little bit lower, blushing.

"You got a point," I chuckled nervously. "Where's your wife, by the way?" I asked, frowning.

"She left," he simply said. "I'm sorry for what she said. It wasn't really nice of her."

"I don't mind, I get she's jealous. I'm your... ex, and I know I wouldn't like my man to invit his ex over in the house I share with him," I said, trying to sound convincing. "But allow me to say that I don't like her," I admitted.

"I understand," he giggled a bit. "But know I'm really sorry for what she said. She just keeps saying that she's mad at you for what you've done to me," I admitted. " But I keep saying that you did this for my own good."

"If this can comfort you, I suffered as well," I said, looking at my hands.

"So why did you do it?" Michael asked, and I didn't know he would want to talk about this. I was quite taken aback.

"I already told you why," I sighed. "I was broken. I was sick. I didn't want to put you through all my drama, so I decided you should have the life you deserved, because I didn't deserve you."

"Can I ask you something?" Michael asked in his angelic voice of his.

"Shoot," I gave him a little smile.

"Do you regret... breaking up with me?" he asked, looking at the floor and then at me with a shy expression on his face.

"Michael," I sighed. "Let's the past remains the past, ok? You're happy with your life now, and I'm happy with mine."

Michael's point of view

I looked at her and her beauty, and all I wanted to say is that I never stopped loving her, that my marriage with Jessica was fake, that I wanted to be with her and no one else. I didn't care if she'd turn me down, I just needed to get this weight out of my chest.

"There's something I have to tell you," I admitted, looking at my sweaty hands.

"What? You're not like other guys?" she said, laughing, referring to the line I say in my Thriller short film.

"You're crazy," I laughed along with her. "But seriously, there's really something I need to tell you," I seriously said once my laughter died down.

"I'm all ears," she smiled.

"I--"

"Hey guys!" Janet appeared from nowhere. "Pit came by to see you, he's not staying long, so if you want to see him, you better go now," my sister informed June.

"Do you mind if--" June began, but I cut her off, waving my hand.

"No, no! Go ahead, I'm not going anywhere," I gave her a reassuring smile, and she left the room, leaving me and Janet alone.

Janet came further in the room, took a book from the coffee table, and tapped the top of my head with it.

"Ouch! What was that for?" I whined, rubbing my head with my hand.

"Were you going to tell her what I think you were going to tell her?" she scolded, hissing.

"What was I going to tell her?" I played dumb.

"That you still love her and that your marriage with Jessica is fake, duh!"

"I'm sorry Dunk, but I have to tell her. Even if she turns me down, I have to, it's too much to bear."

"And you want to break Jessica's heart? It's not like you, Mike. It would be selfish to do such a thing to her. She's been with you when June left you, she's been a good friend to you."

"Yes, a friend. I don't need a friend, Jan. I need someone to love, and the only person I'm in love with is June. I want my life to be with her. I want to be married to her, I want her to bear my children. It was and will always be her," I admitted to my sister. "What I did to Jess was awful, but I was acting out of distress. I needed to move on because June did, but I can't. I'm weak, and I just can't stop loving her."

Janet laughed a bit, "I don't think she's moved on, Mike."

"W-What? How do you know?" I asked her, shocked.

"I just know it," she shrugged. "I think she's trying to protect herself because she thinks you moved on," Janet told me, and I rubbed my forhead. "Mike, you just got her back. Take your time, ok? Try to be friends, and see if you still want her to be more. Ask yourself the right questions so nobody gets hurt."

I nodded, and smiled at my little sister. She always has the right words to comfort me when I need support, and she's such a good adviser. Everytime I have a problem in my personal life, I know she'd be here for me.

And I was going to do just what she told me to.