Chapter 44

We near the studio slowly. I honestly can't think, at all. I feel so uneasy, and I have a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach.

My gut is annoying me.

I glue my gaze to the building in front of us. By now, my Espresso has been long finished, but I keep forgetting and putting it up to my mouth anyway. Something is going wrong with me.

"We should go in," Janet says calmly, though when I look at her, she seems nervous.

"Could I just ask something?"

She nods. "Yeah."

"Why do you care so much? Not that I'm complaining, but I'm really curious. You're really involved with what's happening with Michael and I and I want to know why."

She sighs. "Alondra, he's my brother. If he is cheating, which I don't want to be true as much as you, I don't want him to disappoint me. And not just me. You, and my whole family. This is not how my mother raised him, or any of my brothers. It's not right. Also, I care about you and your happiness. You have been through a lot, with Michael alone. I know it's not easy being with a superstar, I've tried it."

I snicker. "You're one yourself."

Janet smiles. "You get what I mean. But ever since Michael has met you, he's never been this content in his life, I think. So someone who makes him feel like this deserves to feel that way too. It's mutual."

I study her face. Nothing but a look of genuine concern.

"Thanks for everything."

"No need, really," she starts to exit the car and I do the same.

I almost jam my hand in the car door. I'm jittery beyond belief. To steady myself, I lean against Janet's grey Ashton Martin for a few seconds.

Then I follow after her into the studio.

Michael's POV

Tatiana arrived thirty minutes ago, while I was trying to scribble some lyrics down in my journal.

The same journal that Alondra drew a portrait of me. I kept getting distracted, always flipping back to it, reading in her loopy handwriting what she loved about the features of my face.

Next to my eyes, it read:

His eyes are so brown. They get lighter in the sunlight, they become almost transparent. Whenever they meet with mine, it's seems like they can view my soul. I've never seen such eyes.

I had to smile at that. She would never tell me if I didn't ask her. It made me feel nice.

I started reading what she said about my nose, but I was interrupted by someone walking into the room, despite the fact that a put a 'Do not disturb' sign on the door. I glance up from the journal.

She stood there, smiling at me. I couldn't return it.

Though, she did look beautiful. Any man who said otherwise would be lying.

She wore a sundress, which I didn't understand because the days have started getting chilly. Her hair was back to her normal curls. My eyes veered down to her long legs. I took a hard swallow as I looked back up to her face.

"I thought I would be coming to your apartment," I finally spoke.

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry, Mikey, I just really couldn't wait to see you."

She settled in the chair next to me and I quickly push the journal under my leg.

"What was that?"

"It's just my journal. I was trying to pen down some lyrics. But you disturbed me." I rolled my eyes, referring to the sign that was clearly on the door. But I wasn't really bothered.

She smiled and put her hand on my lower back. "Sorry about that."

I nodded. "We just-- we really need to talk."

That was thirty minutes ago. And now, we're out of our seats, outraged, basically having a screaming fest.

"I can't believe you Michael! Playing with my feelings like that," Tatiana fumes.

"I'm not playing with your feelings! How could I, when I don't even know what my own feelings are!"

"Then why am I here?" She asks.

"I wanted to talk to you. Screaming will get us nowhere. I don't want to let go of--"

The door opens. I throw my arms up in utter annoyance. "Oh, what now?"

I quickly turn my head to see Teddy Riley in the doorway.

He clears his throat. "Sorry, Mike, but Alondra and Janet are here to see you."

My heartbeat quickens as I look back at Tatiana. "You need to go."

"I'm not going anywhere until we work this out." She states firmly.

"Tatiana, not now. We can work things out later, maybe come by Neverland sometime. But you have to leave." I say impatiently.

She huffs, steaming tears fogging her eyes. "I hate you."

I chuckle, though not finding that the least bit funny. "No, you don't." I kiss her cheek as she wipes her tears away.

"You don't hate me." Without another word she quickly leaves the room.

Teddy stares at me. "What are you doing?"

"I wish I knew." I sigh before following him out of the room.

~

I wait in the black-patted chair. Janet is giving me a reassuring smile every once in a while, but I know its fake.

I hear voices. Two. One male, which is obviously Michael, and one female, but I can't really hear her voice, even though they sound like they're both yelling.

Then, Teddy's voice, who went to get Michael, interrupts them and they fall silent. Well, not silent, but more quiet.

A few more murmurs. Then, a girl comes rushing out of the room with her head down, I can't see her face. But I feel like I know her. She might be crying. She hurries out of the studio.

Confused and rattled, I sit up straight in my chair and anxiously await Michael's appearance.

After some time, Michael and Teddy appear. I get up from my seat as he nears me, giving me a small grin.

"What are you doing here? You too Dunk," he asks, opening his arms to me for a hug.

I reject, my eyes following the trail that the upset girl used, how she beelined from the studio. I turn back to him.

"Did you make that girl cry?"

Michael looks at me blankly. "What girl?"

"The one who just left. I couldn't see her face..." My sentence falls flat as I peer at his eyes, mine suddenly grow in size.

"Was that Tat--"

Then Michael grabs my arm and lifts me up, running with me to another room, with polished floors and mirrored walls.

When he puts me down, I push him back.

"Who was that?"

"Dance with me."

I shake my head as he pulls my hips toward him. I want to question him further. I want to know. "Michael, please just tell me."

Instead, he kisses me over and over again, saying, "I love you." My throat starts to close.

The music starts. Its an instrumental track, no lyrics. I can't focus to determine if I've ever heard the song.

I slowly raise my arms to wrap them around his neck. He bends down to kiss my forehead.

What am I doing? Why am I letting him hold me in his arms?

His arms. When I think of all the places that I could be, that's the only place that pops into my brain.

But why? Why, when he's hurting me? When there's a chance that he could be cheating on me? It doesn't make sense, but when he's holding me, I only think of that. Being with him. That's what I'm trying to hold on to.

I close my eyes as he rests his forehead against mine. Tears start to flow from my eyes.

My eyes. That are tired of crying.

My ears. That don't want to hear lying.

My heart. That is slowly dying.

--

Chapter 44!

What do you guys think? Should I update again today? Give me your thoughts! I've already started writing the next part... hehe! 😁

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~Joy ✌️