Michael's POV

I bury my hands in my jacket pocket keeping my head down, as I trudge through the parking lot. I managed to sneak through the kitchen doors, going through a path to the parking lot. Luckily the parking lot was dark, and empty enough for no one to see me.

I squint my eyes slightly, seeing Prince in a white trench leaned up against his car. He looks up slowly as I walk closer to him.

"I swear they're better be a good reason why I'm up at this hour." I sigh out as he pulls something out of his pocket handing it to me. "What's this?" I chuckle opening the wad of paper, staring at him. "An eviction notice?"

"No, but it's about to be Tatiana's if she doesn't watch out." Prince mutters as I raise an eyebrow looking down at the note.

"These would look nice at your funeral. I'm always watching...." I mutter out loud. I furrow my eyebrows looking up at him. "What the hell is this?"

"She got that before the concert--" he says rubbing his bottom lip. "I guess she's been getting other weird stuff lately too."

I scrunch my face up as I read it again slowly, processing the words as if it didn't hit me the first time. I pause looking up at him. "Other weird stuff..?"

"That's what she said." he shrugs, as I clench my jaw slightly.

"Why would she tell you this and not me? Why didn't she tell me?"

"I dunno man...maybe she likes me more." he smirks, only making me angrier. He chuckles at my face and looks away. "Man relax, she didn't want you worrying."

"Well how the hell do you think I feel now?" my voice raising.

"How would I know? I ain't Dr. Phil..." he says rolling his eyes. I shake my head running a hand over my mouth, pacing back and forth.

"Will you take your dick out of your jockstrap, and breathe?" Prince says sucking on a tootsie pop. "Did it ever occur to you that she didn't tell your ass because she loves you?"

I stay silent, before smirking angrily. "No. No she does not love me. She can't even open up to me, because of the things I had done in the past--things like this." I say gripping the note in my hand angrily. "And that is my own fault--which is why..." I stop pacing as I stare in space.

"Why what?"

I stay silent looking down. "Why I-I have to let her go."

Prince's POV

I shoot my head up.

I was already shocked that Michael was opening up to me in the beginning--but this....he just put me in the twilight zone.

"Let her go?" I choke out. "You given' her to me that easy?"

"I'm not giving her to anybody. I just have to let her go. This--" he looks down at the letter before crumbling it up in his fist. "Will never keep happening if I hold on to her." he swallows hard. "I-I have to let her go."

I stare at him. "Man, you got that disease called stupid."

"What?"

"Will you man up?" I put the sucker back in my mouth. "If I was in your shoes, I'd never let a girl like that even go down the street. Much less break up with her."

"I have too, okay? I love her--I can't see this keep happening to her over and over because of me."

"Get your head outta your ass, man. It ain't just you they after. It's her too--"

"Because of me."

I give him the side eye before continuing; "Do you know who it even is?"

Michael opens his mouth for a moment, before looking away. "No."

"So you just gonna let a couple of letters break ya'll? Maaaaan---"

"I don't want to see her hurt-- I don't want to hurt her again."

I stare at him blankly. How dense can he possibly get?

"What do you think is gonna happen when you go back in there and tell her it's off? Huh?"

He shrugs as I suck in my cheeks.

"You're dumb. Dumb as hell. You can't look at her and tell she loves your ass? I dunno why, but she does."

Michael looks away stuffing the note in my pocket. "My love life doesn't concern you." he mumbles, beginning to walk away.

"Come on man--" I throw my hands up. "I'm just saying-- I can tell she loves you, she's just scared."

"Don't you think I am?!"he suddenly  erupts looking back at me. "I don't want to repeat my mistakes in the past! I'm scared too! I'm terrified! Because-- fuck! I love her, and then I screwed it up--" he chuckles as tears suddenly brim in his eyes. "Being so in love with her thinking she would hurt me like everyone else; pushing her away--" he chokes out. "And then this happens.." he waves the note around. "I feel helpless, and I can't put her through this again."

I stay quiet, suddenly feeling sorry for Mike. In all honesty he wasn't a bad guy at all--and for the first time in his life he's actually getting something he deserved all along. Love.

"So you're gonna do what you did before? Run again when she needs you the most."

He stays quiet his head down. I stare at him before speaking softly;

"Don't do it. Remember anything beautiful is worth getting hurt for. The worst thing that could happen is getting hurt because you walked away, and didn't fight for it."

He stays silent taking in my words, before leaning against the car next to me. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"I don't know--" he mumbles. "Listening, I guess--and telling me."

I stay silent before smirking, slipping on my glasses slowly. "I still don't like you." I say opening up the drivers side of the car. I hear Michael chuckle softly.

"It's mutual." he says quietly, making me smile slightly. I slip in the car before driving away into the night.

Tatiana's POV

I open my eyes the sunlight bathing my skin as I lay on my side.  I moan from the tapping sun-light against my face, wondering how long I'd been sleeping. I blink, shut my eyes, blink again. I yawned, managed to fully open both eyes. I furrow my eyebrows , running a hand over my face as I roll on my back slowly.

"Mmm--" I groan staring up at the ceiling, closing my eyes again. I furrow my eyebrows slightly, trying to remember how I even got in the hotel. Last night was a complete blur, and my brain was fogged.

I look down at myself realizing I'm wearing Michael's t-shirt. I blink slowly looking over, at the empty side of the bed, as I sit up. I look up seeing the bathroom lights out and door open.

"Michael?" I call out, getting up slowly. I walk around the suite peeking my head in each room, only being met with no Michael.

I sigh running a hand through my hair, as I lean against the wall.

Suddenly the door opens, and Michael walks in slowly. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail, his curls in every direction. Deep circles framed his usual sparkly eyes, which were now glazed over with exhaustion. He gently closes the door, as I look up at him.

"Hey--where were you?" I ask softly as I lean in to kiss his cheek. He moves his head away gently before walking past me.

"Out. I couldn't sleep. Insomnia." he says quietly.

"Why didn't you wake me up? We could've watched a movie or--"

"I needed to be alone." he says icily, his back turned to me as he slips off his jacket draping it over the chair.

I furrow my eyebrows, feeling a small sting. What was with him?

"Do you want some tea or--"

"No." he mumbles, kicking off his shoes.

"Michael what's wrong?"

He shakes his head before looking at me. His posture lunched over, as if a giant boulder was laid on his shoulder and he couldn't straighten up or catch his breath entirely. He looks over at me, and stares at me for a moment before looking down.

"Nothing." he whispers softly before going in the bathroom, locking the door.

I stand there alone, looking down when the door suddenly swings back open. He stares at me.

"No, it is something." he says his eyes slightly darker than usual.

The next thing I know, I'm pressed up against the wall--both of my wrists being held down as Michael stares in my eyes.

"We're going to stop playing games. I love you, and as much as your stubborn ass doesn't want to admit it--you love me." he whispers huskily. "I know about the letters. And if you think I'm going to let anything get in the way of us, your absolutely crazy." he whispers his face close to mine. "Damn it, Tatiana--I love you and you love me; that's how it's always been and that's how it always will be. And nothing on this damn earth is going to take you away from me. From this point on you aren't going to hide any of this from me. Are we clear?" he says in a deeper voice,  as I stare at him completely speechless.

I've never seen this side of Michael before, and honestly I don't know if I should be turned on or scared. I can only nod, before he lets go walking into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Sorry, this update took awhile. My phone broke, and I've been stressing looking for another. The next chapter will have more gifs!

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moonwalkergal