Aya.

One day I woke up feeling excited I didn't know what but I had this feeling that it was going to be a great day. Later on that day I stopped by Michael's home in an elevated mood, when I was outside the gate of the estate, there were more cars then usual, the cars looked familiar, I guess Michael's brothers stopped by. I was actually quite excited to see them again.

I get along very well with Michael's family, I'm mostly closest  to Michael of course, Janet and LaToya, the brothers I get along great with they treat me like their little sister, well Jermaine he's okay but every time I'm around him he always gives me a look that makes me feel very uncomfortable, I talk to Rebbie from time to time, in fact ever since Michael told her about the art building she visits now and then, she even invited me to the recording studio to watch her work on her album. Michael's parents I talk to, well only Katharine I haven't said a word to Joseph yet, we still act like strangers.

Katharine was so sweet and understanding, when we talked you could see her motherliness shine, the way she talked about her children, she spoke about them like they were still little kids especially Michael, she would tell me how concerned she was about Michael, like how he's so glued to his work that he's not out enough, she was also concerned about Michael's weight.

"I feel like Michael lost some weight", she said.

"Well maybe he has, but I don't think it's something to worry about", I replied.

"Michael is already thin as it is, I have a feeling if he loses more weight it might lead to something bad", she said concerned.

She also told me stories about the time when they lived in Gary Indiana, and all the good times they spent there, from the way she was telling the stories it seemed like she would rather be back in Gary Indiana then in California, my observation of the Jackson family wasn't the same observation I had when I was a little girl, the family I see face to face isn't the same family that's presented to the public, when I was a little girl I thought the Jackson family were the perfect family, just the way they were together in public really showed they cared for each other, but there are a lot of things the public doesn't know about the Jackson family, like they didn't know that the family didn't approve of Janet's relationship with singer James DeBarge, they didn't know that Joseph has a child with another woman, or that Joseph has had multiple affairs with other women, they also didn't know that Michael and Joseph don't get along at all.

As I walked into the estate I rang the doorbell, as I rang the doorbell I heard yelling it sounded like an argument, eventually the door opened it was Janet, she looked extremely annoyed and fed up, and it seemed like she was about to leave the estate.

"Janet what's going on", I asked.

"They're what's going on, their at it again I'm sick of it, I don't want to be here right now", Janet replied, as she left the estate in frustration.

I quietly walked into the house, the yelling was coming from upstairs, I looked up and saw Michael speed walking across the upstairs hallway, "DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME!", Joseph yelled. Suddenly a door slammed, it almost shuck the whole house.

"Will you stop this, it's gone too far", Katharine raised her voice.

"I don't care, I'm his father AND HE'LL DO WHAT I SAY!", Joseph yelled again.

What was going on, I became frightened and concerned about Michael, Kathrine and Joseph came downstairs, when Joseph passed me he glazed at me like I did something wrong, Katharine passed me by too, she didn't look at me at all, I think she was too mad at Joseph to pay attention to anything.

The negative atmosphere was so overwhelming that it shattered the elevated mood I had. Once Katharine and joseph walked outside, I immediately ran up to Michael's room.

"Michael are you okay", I asked, as I knocked on the door.

He gave no response, his absent response made me very worried, "okay Michael I'm coming in", I said, as I walked into Michael's room. He was sitting at the edge of the bed with his hands on his face, I slowly walked towards him and sat beside him, "Michael are you okay", I asked again. he nodded his head to tell me he was but it was pretty clear that he wasn't. "Michael I saw what happened, what was that all about", I asked. He took his hands off his face and faced towards me with tears in his eyes. "Everything is not okay, why does he always have to be in the picture", he said with frustration.

I wiped the tears from his eyes and gently rubbed his shoulder, he felt so tense you could clearly see Michael was having a hard time especially with his father, who is always in his business. Michael look so fed up I mean who could blame him, he has to do an album he didn't want to do, he doesn't like the promoter Don King, and to make things worse he's not getting along with his brothers.

"What was the argument about", I asked.

"We deciding which songs were good enough to go into the album, but there was one song I thought wasn't good enough so we had a vote on it , it was an unfair vote I got out numbered as usual, I tried to explain to them why the song didn't fit with the album, but they didn't even listen, I was sick of being out numbered all the time, so I walked out of there and Joseph followed me, then led to the heated argument", he explained.

I always said it to him and I'll said it again Joseph really needs to get off Michael's ass. "He also said that, hanging around with you is too much of an distraction and that you are a bad influence on me", he explained.

I was so shocked I didn't know Joseph felt that way about me, all I've ever done or said was for Michael's wellbeing, so that's why he always avoided me.

Michael had a furious facial expression, he slammed his fist on the bed, "He has no right to say that about you", Michael said furiously.

"Michael, it's okay", I tried to calm him down.

"No, he doesn't even know you, who gave him the right to judge someone without knowing them", he replied with anger.

I calmed Michael down once more and told him that it was going to be okay, I told I'm to go back to the studio and talk to his brothers, make them listen but not in a brutal way.

"What if they don't listen again", he asked.

"Trust me, they'll", I replied, Michael smirked.

Michael when back to the studio were his brothers were, I was about to follow him but Katharine stopped me, Michael went on ahead without me, Katharine and I were in the living room talking.

She wanted to know how Michael was doing since I talked to him, the conversation was basic at first but it took a very unusual turn for me.

"You and Michael spend so much time together, I heard he tells you everything", she said.

"Yeah, we tell each other everything, I guess we're just comfortable telling things to one another", I replied.

"I wish Michael could tell me things, I feel like I always have to read his mind, he use to be so open and honest with me then everything changed when he grew older, he became extremely shy and distance", she sadly said.

"Yeah, Michael told me he did notice that change in himself", I replied.

"He told you that too, I guess you don't miss everything", she smiled.

When Katharine smiled at me I knew it was a fake smile, trust me I know a fake smile when I see one, I use to fake smile all the time. From the tone of Katharine's voice she sounded upset, maybe it was because of the argument.

"It's nice to see  Michael happy, especially around a woman", she continued.

"Well Michael and I are close friends, we get along very well", I added.

"Are you seeing someone", she said out of nowhere.

"What do you mean", I responded confused.

"Do you have a boyfriend Aya", she asked.

"No", I answered.

The room was silent it became too awkward, I was wondering why Katharine would ask me that, "do you like Michael", she suddenly spoke. Once she said those few words my eyes widened, I knew she wasn't asking do you like Michael as a friends because I've already answered that question before.

Why did she asked that, she knows there's nothing going on between Michael and myself what was her purpose. Before I could give my answer a voice yelled out "mother" from a far, then the voice came closer to us it was Latoya, "Mother it's Don King he's on the phone, he wants to talk to you", she said. Katharine walked out of the room with Latoya, I took a breath of relief, I dogged a bullet, if Latoya hadn't come in I wouldn't know what to say to her, I know myself and Michael are just friends but... it's just... well, I honestly didn't know.

After the conversation I had with Katharine I follow Michael to the recording studio, it was so nice seeing his brothers again, they were so sweet, I guess Michael got through to them I knew they would listen, it's hard to stay mad at Michael. It was an incredible experience seeing Michael and his brothers record in the studio, it was like a dream come true, I loved every minutes of it. 

When the recording section was over, we all walked back into the house, we sat at the living room and talked and laughed for awhile. Tito told me funny stories about there days in Gary Indiana, it was so funny I burst out laughing, I couldn't helped myself. Until Joseph comes in the room and tells the boys to go to CBS record studio because Walter Yetnikoff wanted to talk to them, but Jermaine didn't go.

"What aren't you going", I asked.

"He said the Jacksons not the Jackson 5, since I'm not apart of CBS records there is no need for me to go", he answered.

So it was just myself and Jermaine in the living room alone together, suddenly Jermaine came over to me and sat beside me, I started to feel a little uncomfortable,  I didn't mind Jermaine sitting beside me but he was sitting far to close, we started talking but it was mostly about me, he want to know more about me, but I told him everything before.

"Is it hard keeping up with your education and your job", he asked.

"No not at all, they don't interfere with one another on my schedule", I answered.

"So what do you want to do when you finish college", Jermaine asked.

"I want to be a animator, for children's cartoons, movies and stuff like that", I answered.

"Really that's nice, I mean you'll be more better as a model or an actress, your very beautiful", he said.

"T-Thank you", I replied.

"I mean it, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen", he smiled.

Jermaine touched my thigh and leaned in close toward me, he tried to kiss me, I quickly leaned back in utter shock, I stood up and got the hell out of there. I couldn't believe what just happened, I didn't want to believe that just happened, Jermaine just made a pass at me, why, why did he do such a thing isn't he married to Berry Gordy's daughter. Why would he do that to her, to be so sneaky and unfaithful.

But... oh no, how to tell Michael.

As the day went by, I was still in awe of what just happened, it was bothering me so much I could think straight. The moon rose and everyone left the home, Michael and I sat in the living room together talking about our deep thoughts, the situation that happened earlier was eating me up inside. I wanted to tell him but I just couldn't, I'm afraid it might effect our friendship and that's the last thing I want, but what kind of friend would I be if I wasn't honest to him. It was just so hard to decide, one hand is saying don't tell him it will ruin everything, and the other hand is saying tell him, you don't want him to find out the difficult way.

I like Michael he's my closest friend, If I didn't tell him it would just eat me up more, I have to tell him, it's the right thing to do.

"Michael can I tell you something", I said.

"Yes, what is it", he replied.

"N-Now Michael p-please don't freak out when I tell you this", I hesitantly said.

"What, what is it", he replied as his eyes widened.

I started to have second thoughts, "maybe it's not such a good idea", I thought. I shuck my head I had to do it, it's only fair if he knows, I closed my eyes, "Jermaine made a pass at me", I spoke out. I slowly open my eyes, Michael was in front of me with his eyes wide opened, "do you mean he tried to kiss you", he said. I nodded my head, the room suddenly became silent, Michael must have been shocked.

"Are you okay", he said calmly.

"Yes", I answered.

"He didn't hurt you did he", he asked.

"No", I answered.

Michael sighed, he looked pissed, but at the same time he was calm about it, I could understand why Michael didn't go berserk, Michael knew it was common behavior for Jermaine to hit on women, even if he was married or not, it didn't matter to him. Michael once told me to put my defenses up when I'm around Jermaine, "Be careful when your around him, he's a sweet talker, so he might appear to look harmless, but he's really sneaky, especially when it comes to women", Michael told me. I thought Michael was exaggerating, Jermaine didn't seem to be that kind of person, but I was wrong, I should have listened to Michael.

When I got home I couldn't help but wonder how Michael felt about all of it, he seemed calm, but Michael wasn't the type of person to share his feelings, maybe I shouldn't worry, maybe he was going to be alright, if he wasn't alright he would tell me, he trustiest me and I trust him, I just hope that bad situation doesn't effect our friendship.