Chapter IV: If Your Girl Only Knew

synopsis: you are dating jackie jackson but as time passes you feel tempted by his brother michael. especially now that you are joining them on the victory tour as their stylist. this is a fic set in the 80s for the messy bitches who live for drama! it has multiple chapters but each chapter can be read on its own tbh

authors note: heyy chapter four is finally here. im on vacation so im a bit late sorry! i really hope yall enjoy its about to get messyyy. again, im not a native english speaker so dont come for me please. also this is an unapologetically black fanfic. if youre not black you are free to read this but just keep it in mind. feel free to comment or send me a message mwah💋

previously:

chapter I

chapter II

chapter III

TW: infidelity, strong language, drama

July 21st, Florida — 1984

It was late July, two weeks into the Victory tour.

Tickets were selling out fast. So was the merchandise.

And for you, the Victory tour money was rolling in just as quickly. Your work as a stylist on tour had been rewarding.

Because of the Victory tour dollars, you opted for a new look.

Now, jet black curly extensions touched down your back, nearly reaching your waist. In the past, you could afford high-end clothing if you saved for it, but these days you were dressed in designer from head to toe, even for casual outings.

Wherever you went, people turned their heads. You looked like money. You smelled like money.

You were getting ready in your hotel suite while Jackie snored without a care in the world.

Turning your head toward the alarm clock, you checked the time.

8:00 a.m.

“Jackie,” you said, poking him, hoping he’d wake up.

He murmured and rolled over.

“What time is it, babe?”

“Eight. The meeting is in about an hour. Please get up.”

He sat up and placed a kiss on your lips.

You refused it. “Come on, you know this is important to Michael. I’m gonna have breakfast with LaToya. I’ll be waiting for you.”

In an hour, you had a meeting with Joseph and management at Michael's request.

Shortly after that, the boys had a press conference with CNN about the tour. Yet there he was, sleeping without a care in the world.

Part of that was your fault.

Jackie knew you would stick beside him. You handled his scheduling conflicts with tour executives and cleaned up his mess before it could negatively affect him.

While your mind was still on your sleeping fiancé, you were greeted by LaToya, sitting alone at a table in the hotel restaurant.

“Hey, girl,” she said when she spotted you.

“Hey. It’s gonna be such a long day.”

“Ugh, girl, tell me about it. Press conferences are the worst, especially when they gotta perform that same night.”

Being on the road made you lose track of time.

“Are you ready for the day?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m ready. Don’t know about Jackie, though.”

LaToya rolled her eyes.

“What did he do now?”

“Girl, he’s been partying so much lately. I mean, I love me a good party too, but we on tour. He should at least take some responsibility.”

“Well, my brothers have always been party animals on tour. It’s nothing new. Parties and women are their favorite ways to pass the time when they’re on the road.”

“That’s okay, but we got something serious going on now. I’m not weird for thinking he should settle down a little, right?” you asked, glancing down at your ring.

LaToya heard you loud and clear, but she didn’t say much after that.

It was very on brand for a Jackson, actually.

They had this unspoken loyalty rule when it came to each other.

If someone outside the family criticized one of their siblings, they’d never fully agree, at least not publicly, even when they knew you had a point.

“I’m curious about this emergency meeting Michael scheduled, though,” you said.

“Oh, don’t worry. I know everything. I know what he’s gonna say.”

“Please share.”

“Michael wants to leave the tour.”

“What?!”

LaToya nodded. “Crazy, right? Janet called from home yesterday. She said they’ve been receiving loads of angry letters from fans.”

“Angry letters from fans?”

She looked around to make sure no one was listening before explaining the situation.

“Joseph and the tour promoters set up a money order ticketing system that doesn’t even guarantee a fan a ticket.”

“LaToya, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“I know, but he’s my father, so hush,” she snarked.

“Well, what are they gonna do? Michael can’t just leave. Too many shows are scheduled. I even left my job for this opportunity, girl.”

“It’s up to Michael, I guess. He’s gonna tell us his final stance during the meeting.”

If Michael left, it’d be a blow to everyone, but it wouldn’t be completely out of touch.

Life on tour wasn’t always sweet.

You had underestimated the tension between the brothers.

Petty disagreements would quickly escalate into full blown battles. Some days, a brother would refuse to rehearse because someone had hurt his ego. Other days, they communicated exclusively through managers, assistants, and lawyers.

One day they acted like loving brothers.

The next, they barely spoke a word to each other until it was time to step on stage.

The atmosphere made everyone on the tour uncomfortable. Everyone except Joe.

As long as the checks kept coming in, he turned a blind eye to the growing tension between his sons.

“LaToya, I gotta check up on Jackie. This meeting is serious, so I have to make sure he shows up. I’ll catch you at the meeting.”

She nodded and waved goodbye.

When you got back to your suite, you saw Jackie talking on the phone. You heard him say words you couldn’t comprehend.

The moment he saw you, he ended the call abruptly, placing the phone back on the landline.

“I’m ready to go, baby,” he said.

“Alright. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”

There were only fifteen minutes left until the meeting, and Jackie hadn’t eaten yet.

He quickly ate breakfast while you told him to meet you in the conference room.

You were nervous as you made your way to the meeting in one of the hotel’s conference rooms. Just like Michael, you were on tour against your will, but never once had quitting abruptly crossed your mind.

When you entered the room, Joseph, Michael, and Bill were already seated, followed by tour executives, lawyers, and assistants going through files. Everyone had a glass of water except Michael. He loved his orange juice.

“Good morning,” you said, your voice echoing through the room.

People looked up but didn’t say anything. That’s when you knew there was a lot of tension. A big decision was about to be made.

“Hey,” Michael said after a while, giving you a nod. His leg was shaking uncontrollably.

Not another word was spoken until you heard some quarreling coming from the hallway.

LaToya and the brothers walked in and took their seats around the table.

Michael’s lawyer, John Branca, started the meeting.

“I’m gonna announce this quickly and clearly. Michael feels that the tour does not correspond with his personal values. Therefore, he wishes to depart from the Victory tour.”

Joseph sighed.

“Michael, why are you doing this to your own family?”

Michael didn’t respond. He looked emotionless, wearing his large black shades in broad daylight.

“Branca,” he signaled, allowing his lawyer to speak for him.

“Michael has been receiving letters from fans stating that they are disappointed in him. They feel as if he has turned his back on them and made his concerts exclusively accessible to the elite.”

Joe sighed after hearing those words.

“Okay, but we have a business to run. If they can’t afford it, then that is not our main concern. Plenty of others will.”

Those words hit a nerve.

Michael took off his shades and kept his eyes locked on Joe’s.

“I refuse to let my success make me forget where I came from and the people who got us here.. our fans. I’d rather not perform as of tonight than exploit the hands that feed me,” he said firmly.

The tour promoters took notes and whispered their thoughts to one another.

“How about a vote on the ticketing system so we can get this out of the way as soon as possible?” one of the tour promoters suggested.

The record label and tour executives were also tired of the constant battles surrounding the tour. Every issue had to be solved quickly, which you understood.

“Joseph, give us a simple yes or no regarding changing the ticketing system. We’ll go around the conference table after you,” another tour executive said.

“No,” Joe said without hesitation.

“No,” LaToya said.

“No,” Randy said.

“Hell no,” Jackie said, squeezing your hand under the table. “Baby, we need this money,” he whispered in your ear.

We need this money? Oh boy, you thought.

After Jackie, it was your turn vote. You agreed with Michael a hundred percent. Never switch up on your day ones.

“Yes,” you said, looking at Michael. He looked confident, yet his leg was still shaking.

Jackie scoffed at your vote.

You didn’t respond. You were sure Michael was right. The ticketing system was a disgusting cash grab.

“No,” Tito said.

“I get your point of view. But people need to get paid here. Not only the band, but our staff too. Our stylists, caterers… You know I love you, Michael, but I’m gonna have to say no,” Jermaine said.

Marlon took a sip of his water and thought about it for a few seconds before saying,

“Yes.”

“Well, then I think the answer is clear,” one of the tour promoters said. “I consider this meeting done.”

Joseph looked pleased.

“I appreciate you all for stopping by. Until next time,” he said with a smile from ear to ear.

You and Jackie stood up, hand in hand, and left the conference room.

“What a drag,” you said.

“Michael’s pushing it. The Jacksons are still musicians. We make music for a living. Just because he released two big albums doesn’t mean he gets to put an end to everything that doesn’t fit to his liking. He’s ungrateful!”

What Jackie said made you see him differently.

All of a sudden, you saw a side of him you couldn’t relate to.

He called his own brother ungrateful for standing up for what was right.

“Jackie, please. You listen to me carefully. Michael is not ungrateful. He just put himself in their shoes. They’re the ones who got you and your brothers everything. Don’t you forget that,” you said.

“I can’t believe you’re actually siding with him. I understand you two have a close brother sister bond because of our engagement, but that doesn’t mean you have to support him in everything. He can be wrong.”

No, Jackie. You’re the one who’s wrong, you thought.

But you didn’t say that out loud.

He wouldn’t have understood anyway.

The money and fame were getting to him.

An hour later, you and your coworker Whitney dressed the brothers. Today’s outfits were supposed to give business since the topic of the press conference was serious.

“I can’t believe Mike ain’t showing up today. He knows this conference is important for our image,” Tito said while you added finishing touches to his look.

His words took you aback. Michael not showing up to a televised press conference that could set the record straight was unusual.

“Wait, he’s not coming? When did you last see him?”

“At the meeting. He skipped hair and makeup.”

Before you could add your two cents, the door opened.

Michael walked in.

He was fully dressed. Just not in the outfit you had assigned him and his brothers.

Instead, he wore a white, sparkly military jacket with tailored black pants and his glove on his left hand.

Not exactly the right outfit for a CNN press conference that thousands of Americans will be watching, you thought.

Shortly after, Joe stormed in, desperately searching for his son.

“Michael, we can talk about this!”

“I ain’t gotta talk to you. My point is clear,” Michael argued.

You put the pieces together and figured that Michael had forced Joe and the tour promoters to end the ticketing system that overcharged fans through his lawyer, Branca, with a legal document.

Management hated it.

His brothers weren’t happy either because they needed the money.

But Michael had made himself clear.

Either the system changed, or he wasn’t performing.

Looking at him standing there in resistance, you realized something.

Michael and you were very alike. Sure, your mouth was sharper. But it came down to the same thing.

You both refused to take part in things you didn’t believe in.

You weren’t allowed to admit it because of your job, but you loved that Michael ignored your styling instructions today.

By wearing something different from his brothers, he was making a statement.

A statement through fashion.

He then sat down to get his hair done.

Everybody went back to normal, and you continued focusing on dressing the boys.

“Jacksons, CNN and BET press conference in ten minutes. Please finish up and meet them in the room,” a tour manager announced.

The boys put on their black aviators and walked out of the room.

You didn’t get a chance to speak to Michael because of his chivalrous act.

Instead, you watched from the sidelines as dozens of microphones were shoved in their faces.

“Michael!”

“Please, over here, Michael!”

“What about your fans, Michael? Do they not matter to you anymore?”

The reporters bombarded them with ridiculous questions.

Michael leaned toward the microphone on the stand in front of him.

“I would like to take this moment to adress the ongoing situation,” he said.

“We can’t hear ya!” a reporter interrupted from the back of the room.

Michael stepped over to another microphone, causing even more photographs to be taken with every move he made.

The flashes were blinding.

“Can you hear me now?” he asked.

“Yes. Thank you!”

Before he spoke, he turned his head to glance at you.

Your stomach felt a little funny when he did that. Like a firework going off inside your body.

You smiled and whispered, “It’s okay.”

Hearing that, he relaxed, and his eyes went straight back to the cameras.

“The other day I got a letter from a fan in Texas named Ladonna Jones. She’d been saving her money from odd jobs to buy a ticket, but with the current tour system, she’d have to buy four tickets and she couldn’t afford that.”

“Did you get to talk to Ladonna in person, Michael?” another reporter shouted.

He ignored the reporter and proceeded with his speech.

“I’ve asked our promoter to work out a new way of distributing tickets…”

He turned his back to the reporters so he could catch another glimpse of you.

Knowing what he wanted, you reassured him again.

“…and finally, there is something else I would like to announce today. I decided to donate all the money I make from our performances to charity.”

Randy looked at you and Jackie to see if you were just as stunned by his decision.

You weren’t.

Jackie was.

After finishing his speech, Michael walked off the stage, followed by his security guard, Bill.

“Which charity?” a reporter asked.

The question almost made him walk back onstage.

One of the tour executives, Frank, answered instead.

“The charity hasn’t been decided yet.”

Michael nodded in approval.

Then he raised his sparkly gloved hand and waved goodbye.

The sound of clicking cameras only grew louder while his hand was in the air.

The brothers walked off the stage one by one.

You and Jackie were the last to leave, hand in hand as usual.

As you all walked out, flashes hit your back.

Michael’s POV:

July 22nd, Encino — 1984

Finally, I was back home enjoying a rest period.

Mother, Janet and I were watching Charlie Chaplin films with my monkey, Bubbles.

Bubbles was reenacting the characters’ movements.

“He’s so silly,” my mother laughed.

For once in a while, I was at peace.

Tour was unbearable some days. The greed of my family weighed heavily on me and my fans. Once I stepped on stage, though, all the frustration faded away.

Aside from performing, something else gave me relief on tour.

Jackie’s girlfriend.

I was so fond of her that I had to get away.

But who can blame me when she kept looking better day by day? I knew I had to move on.

So that’s what I did.

As of now, I wasn’t actively looking for girls. If a nice one came my way, I’d happily give it a shot.

My crush may have faded, but my brother cheating on her kept me up at night.

Not because of my admiration for her, but because she was a friend to me as well as LaToya. She and LaToya were inseparable.

Talking with them, laughing with them, knowing what Jackie was doing behind closed doors…

It was too much of a burden for me to carry on my own.

While I watched the film, some of my brothers walked in.

Jackie, Randy, and Marlon stood around the television, watching.

“We were just about to shoot some hoops,” Randy said.

“Yup. If you get bored of the movie, you can hang with us, Mike,” Marlon said.

“Oh, that’s nice. You should join them. Sounds fun,” mother said.

“Sure,” I said. “Take good care of Bubbles, Mother.”

I petted my little friend to reassure him that everything was okay.

Then I walked toward the basketball court with my brothers.

I could use some good fun with them after our tense discussions on tour.

“Feels good to be back home,” Marlon said.

“Yeah. Finally in a family setting after being surrounded by stylists, tour executives, lawyers, and managers of all sorts,” I said.

“Hey, not too much on my baby stylist,” Jackie said.

Looking at Randy’s face, you could tell he found it cheesy that Jackie called his girl baby stylist.

“Nothing against her,” I said.

“Of course not. That girl’s a real stunner. I’d be damned if I lost her. She fine, got a mind of her own, and she’s full of ambition,” Jackie said.

“Really? Well, what about that other girl you got?” Randy asked, staring at him.

Jackie chuckled.

“Which one?”

Marlon and Randy burst into laughter.

“That’s wild, brother,” Marlon said between laughs.

“I’m actually thinking about starting a family with her after the tour,” Jackie said.

He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm… maybe move far away from Encino. Three kids… I can see it so clearly.”

I wasn’t sure if he was still seeing Denise or if he was busy with new women.

It didn’t matter either way.

Jackie was planning to build a family on top of a relationship that was already broken.

Still, I didn’t say a word.

“Hi, boys,” LaToya said as she walked through the gate.

As she got closer, I noticed her hands were full of shopping bags.

The moment I saw them, I already knew where she’d been.

“What’s up, Toya?” we all said.

“Not much. Saw my girl, and now I’m here.”

“Is she still going to that house party with her roommates, or did she change her mind and decide to kick it with me tonight?” Jackie asked.

LaToya gave him a condescending look.

“Not everything is about you, Jackie. Besides, she hasn’t seen Jody and Rochelle in weeks. It’s understandable.”

He sucked his teeth and looked at her sideways.

“If you say so.”

Then he walked off the basketball court and headed back inside.

“Aw, man,” Randy said. “You really gon’ let LaToya get to you like that?”

Jackie didn’t respond.

It was clear there wasn’t going to be a basketball game.

Randy looked at me, hoping I could make Jackie change his mind.

I knew I couldn’t, so I shrugged my shoulders.

“Aight, then.”

He walked off, and Marlon followed shortly after.

It was just me and LaToya now.

“Am I the party pooper here?” she asked.

“Far from it. Jackie’s just easily irritated when it comes to his girlfriend.”

Looking at my sister’s face, I could tell she genuinely felt like she’d done something wrong.

“It’s nothing, Toya. Please don’t cry. You know how Jackie is sometimes.”

She nodded, trying to hold back her tears.

It bothered me because I adored my sisters.

Rebbie, Janet, LaToya… all of them.

I couldn’t stand seeing them hurt, especially by my brothers.

They could be too harsh on the girls.

“Come here,” I said, opening my arms for a hug.

She didn’t hesitate and rushed into them.

I could hear her sobbing into my sweater.

While my sister cried her heart out, my mind drifted back to Jackie’s cheating.

“I’m sorry for being so emotional, Michael. Add the tension on tour, and everything hits harder. It’s like our family isn’t as tight as it used to be,” she said, wiping away her tears.

“I feel the same way.”

“You do? Why?”

“Too many things going on at once.”

LaToya frowned.

“I thought the ticketing issue was resolved. Why do you still feel so bad about it?”

“It’s not only the ticketing,” I said, followed by a deep sigh.

I was this close to getting everything off my chest. Visions of Jackie and his girl breaking up because of me swarmed my mind, but they weren’t convincing enough.

“Toya, I’m gonna tell you something, but you gotta promise to keep it to yourself,” I said, staring off into space.

LaToya is a gossip, but when it comes to family business, she doesn’t play.

And so I revealed it all.

I don’t even know how I said it. My mind went blank, but my mouth kept spilling Jackie’s dirtiest secrets.

Once I was done speaking, I took a deep breath and looked at my sister.

Her mouth was so wide open it could’ve almost touched the ground.

“She’s one of my best friends, Michael. How could he do this? How are we gonna make sure she doesn’t get hurt?”

“It ain’t our place to interfere, Toya,” I said. “I just needed someone to talk to about this. Someone who cares about both Jackie and his girl.”

“Understood,” she said. “Poor girl. She gave up so much to be with him.”

“Mhm. That’s what I’m thinking. It even keeps me up at night.”

“Well, I’m glad you told me. We can talk about this. Just us two.”

I nodded, then gave her another hug.

“Thank you, Toya.”

“Maybe this will cheer you up. Jody and Rochelle told me to tell you that you could stop by their place tonight. They’re having a chill house party with their friends.”

I wasn’t so sure about going.

If it was just Jackie’s girl and her roommates, I would’ve gone instantly.

Their friends being there held me back because of my status.

I’m on my rest period, so I just want to lay back and be myself.

LaToya stared at me.

“Come on, don’t hesitate. Just go. It’ll do you good.”

“Why aren’t you joining?”

“I just saw them. Why would I go right back?”

Fair.

“Sure, Toya. I’ll go. Thanks for letting me know.”

Your POV:

July 22nd, Burbank - 1984

It was eight in the evening. You sat cross-legged on a fur carpet with your roommates and their friends.

They were having a cozy close friends gathering yet you didn’t know anyone. Slices of pizza were being eaten and Earth Wind and Fire’s records played back to back.

“So, tell us about that gorgeous ring?” a guy asked, looking at you.

“That ring means that she’s taken, Riley. Our roommate is engaged,” Rochelle answered for you.

“Engaged?” you heard their friends say around the room.

“Yes. And not just to anybody, she’s engaged to a Jackson!” Jody said, poking you.

Tonight was going to be laidback because Michael wasn’t showing up. Your roommates ended that quickly.

“Wait, like Blame it on the boogie Jackson?” a girl asked.

“Yes, Amara,” Jody said.

“Oh my god, I love them.”

Amara was a gorgeous girl from Nigeria. She had brown, long braids with golden beads at the ends. Her cropped tank top showed off her toned stomach. And whenever she spoke you heard a foreign accent.

“Who doesn’t?” another guy said. “Triumph is one of their best albums. And that little Michael boy they got, he’s onto something.”

“Can I guess which one you’re dating?” Amara asked you.

This is ridiculous, you thought.

“Sure,” came out of your mouth. You were less sharp. Tonight was all about making new friends.

“Hmmm.. is it Marlon?

You laughed. He was just a baby brother to you.

“Marlon?” you repeated, laughing.

“Yeah,” Amara shrugged. “He’s the second youngest. I don’t know, it just made sense.”

That girl doesn’t know what she’s talking about, you thought.

“It’s actually the complete opposite, Amara.”

“You’re dating Jackie?” she said as her eyes widened.

“Mhm,” you said, looking down.

Her reaction made you a bit self conscious. Jackie is older which some may perceive as strange.

“It’s no surprise a Jackson would fall for you,” Amara said.

“Really?” you said diverting your gaze back up.

“Yeah, you dress so nicely,” she said to you, admiring your outfit.

Tonight you wore a red bodycon dress that fell just above your knees. Paired with black Louboutins.

“That’s so sweet of you. Thanks.”

Amara gave you a smile. “You’re welcome.”

As you took a sip of white wine, you heard the intercom buzzing.

“I’ll get it,” you said, getting up.

Your roommates and their friends were chatting, smoking and drinking in the background as you held the phone close to your ear.

“Hello,” you said.

“Y/n?”

Michael.

You were happy, still you played it cool.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Hey, that’s mean. Your friends invited me.”

He sounded a little hurt by your teasing.

So cute, you thought.

“Sure, I’ll let you in,” you said, pressing down the button to open the door to the building.

“Jody, Rochelle, Michael’s on his way up here,” you said to them walking back to the circle.

“Yay!” Rochelle said.

“Guys, no need to freak out. Michael’s totally chill. Just don’t scream or take photographs then you’ll be good,” Jody said while looking at her friends to ensure they understood.

Their friends nodded.

The door buzzed.

Before you could get up, Amara did.

“On my way!” she shouted, walking over to the door.

You looked over your shoulder. Michael and Bill stood next to each other in front of the entrance. You smiled at Bill.

“Hey, come on in. I’m Amara,” she said to Michael, reaching out her hand.

As they shook hands, his eyes briefly dropped to the crop top that revealed her toned stomach before meeting hers again.

“I’m Michael,” he said still shaking his hand.

They both joined the circle. You scooted over so he could sit next to you.

“Hey. Good to see you. Did you have a nice day?" he asked.

“Yeah, I went out with LaToya."

You and Michael got carried away, lost in your own little world while everyone else kept the party going. You talked about music, movies. Pure escapism, as Michael likes to call it. He taught you that.

But then all of a sudden, someone burst the bubble.

"Michael, y/n, we're gonna play truth or dare," Riley said.

You really weren't in the mood for it. The peer pressure was high and by looking at Michael you could tell he wasn't too excited either.

"I'm in," you said.

Riley's eyes then shifted to Michael, waiting for his approval.

He gave him the green light by giving a shy nod.

"I'll go first," Jody said.

"What's your pick?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to call your ex boyfriend and tell him you love him."

Jody laughed out loud. "I ain't doing that!"

"Come on, don't chicken out on me now."

Riley tried to convince her that it was all for the love of the game. He miserably failed.

"Okay since Jody is such a chicken, let's do Michael," Riley said.

"Sure."

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Riley hesitated on what he was going to ask.

"Aha! I got a perfect question for you, Michael. Who's the prettiest lady in the room?"

You gave Michael a look, waiting for his answer.

To your surprise, he didn't say anything. His head went toward Amara. "She's pretty cute," he said, smiling.

His answer caught you off guard. You didn't feel chosen by a man that wasn't supposed to choose you to begin with.

tags:

In The Closet

synopsis: you are dating Jackie but feel tempted by his brother Michael. will you give in or keep it in the closet? this is a fic full of drama set in the 80s. it has multiple chapters but each chapter can be read on their own too

authors note: heyy here is chapter three. its quite a long one. i really hope you enjoy it. again, im not a native english speaker so dont come for me please! also this is an unapologetically black fanfic. if youre not black you are free to read this but just keep it in mind. feel free to comment or send me a message mwah💋

previously:

chapter I

chapter II

taglist:

@fullofmelaninsarcasmandepression

TW: infidelity, strong language, drama

Chapter III: V for Victory

Michael’s POV

It was a sunny day in Encino. Only four weeks were left until the Victory tour began.

I was chilling by the pool with my sister LaToya.

“So, are you gonna tell me about that party you went to last night, Michael?”

As she said those words, I thought about the eventful night I spent with my brother’s girlfriend. She introduced me to her roommates, and we went out dancing afterward.

“It was a lot of fun. I went with Jackie’s girl. Tito and Randy were there too,” I said.

“Jackie’s girl was there?!”

LaToya sounded surprised, which I didn’t understand at first.

“Yeah, she was. You got a problem with that?”

“Oh, no, not at all. She’s my friend. I’m just surprised because a little birdie told meee…” she answered.

Typical behavior from LaToya. She loves to gossip. Sometimes I even wonder if half the stories she tells me are really true.

“What is it you wanna tell me, Toya?”

“It’s just that I can’t believe she went out after what happened between her and Jackie last night. She was acting wild.”

“Acting wild?” I asked, genuinely confused because his girlfriend usually looked like she had everything under control.

“During our family dinner, they left for a bit after Jackie asked her to join the wardrobe team for the Victory Tour. I heard them arguing in his bedroom. I don’t think she’s excited to go on tour at all.”

Hearing that made me feel sorry for her because, at first, I didn’t feel like doing the Victory Tour either. Another thing I had in common with her.

“Is that so?”

“Mhm. Jackie is, like, totally forcing her to join, thinking he’s doing her a favor. When he told her that, I heard her throwing stuff at him. Then I think I heard her cussing him out, Michael.”

I chuckled.

“Well, whatever Jackie did, he probably deserved it.”

Jackie’s girlfriend spoke up for herself, which made her stand out.

“I know she’ll do a great job as a stylist on tour, even if it’s a little against her will,” LaToya said.

“I think so too,” I added.

The tour starts soon, and we’re in the final phase of rehearsals. Tonight, I have to catch a flight with my brothers to practice with our choreographer for two weeks. Those weeks are gonna be dreadful, but rewarding.

As I went on with my day, the conversation with my sister stayed on my mind more than I intended it to.

The next day, I found myself in New York practicing as if my life depended on it. So did my brothers, because they had to learn new choreography and songs from the Thriller album that they had no involvement in creating.

We practiced from Monday through Sunday for about two weeks. No days off.

It was almost as if we lived in the dance studio because the only time we left was to sleep in our hotel rooms, only to wake up and head straight back to rehearsals.

My brothers and I weren’t the only ones renting rehearsal space. Next door was an upcoming girl group associated with Prince. They called themselves Vanity 6.

I’m very shy, so I didn’t talk to them much, but somehow my brothers found time for them in between our tight schedules.

My brothers loved them, and the girls sure loved the attention.

One day during our break, we stopped by to see what they were working on.

A very provocative choreography that Jackie seemed to enjoy more than anyone else.

All three girls were pretty, but there was one in particular who caught his attention.

Her name was Denise, but she went by the stage name Vanity.

She looked nothing like his girlfriend back in Los Angeles.

Jackie’s girlfriend was well put together and sexy. Denise, on the other hand, was more of an in-your-face kind of sexy. She barely wore clothes and often dressed in provocative outfits. Usually, she wore black lace and leather, and she had big, curly, teased hair.

Everything she did, she did big.

It was impossible for her to go unnoticed because her clothes made sure she’d be seen.

Every morning before practice, Jackie would eat breakfast with her instead of us at the hotel. Then, at the end of the day, he’d always check on her and bring her little gifts.

Her favorite snack: a cold bottle of water during rehearsal breaks, compliments—he always found a way to do something for her.

This went on for days until she finally wrote down her number and handed it to him.

After that, I didn’t notice anything new happening between them. He stuck to his usual routine of doing little things for her.

However, Jackie’s girlfriend made sure she called every night.

She told him about her ideas for the tour and how much pressure she was under, but also how good that pressure felt because she trusted her own vision. She told him about fun times she had with LaToya and Janet at Hayvenhurst.

Jackie listened to her, but that didn’t mean he cherished her.

Besides, women caught his attention far too easily.

Especially Denise.

Two weeks passed, and we finally had the choreography down. Tomorrow, we’d be returning to Encino for the final preparations, which included the styling.

It was our last day in the dance studio, and we said our goodbyes to the girls of Vanity 6.

“I’ll be checking out the music video when it comes out. Wishing you girls all the best,” I said as I left.

I meant it.

The girls deserved their moment to shine, and they worked just as hard as we did.

That night, I had some free time, so I went to see a play on Broadway by myself.

When I got out of the theater, rain was falling over the city. Bright billboards lit up the streets while yellow taxi cabs drove through the night.

I made my way back to the hotel to get some rest.

Walking through the hallway, I turned toward the elevators.

As the elevator doors opened, I froze.

Jackie and Denise were all over each other, kissing passionately.

For a moment, neither of them noticed I was standing there.

I cleared my throat.

“Good evening.”

They immediately pulled apart and stepped out of the elevator.

Jackie turned around and winked at me.

He didn’t mind that I caught him at all because he’s not the first brother of mine who has cheated. Usually, I stay out of their business and keep my mouth shut.

This time, though, it stung a little.

His girlfriend was really nice. She was a good friend to LaToya too.

But she wasn’t nice enough for me to stir things up in the Jackson family.

Your POV:

Two weeks had passed. Tomorrow, Jackie would be returning to LA, and you couldn’t wait to be back in his arms again.

The past few weeks had been hard on you. You had to announce at work that you’d be leaving for months to work as a stylist on tour for the Jacksons. Your boss wasn’t too happy about that, but once he realized it would be good publicity for his fashion agency, he slowly came around to the idea of your temporary departure.

Not only that, but your boyfriend had convinced Joe to sign your boss a fat check to keep his mouth shut for the next few months, so that issue was definitely out of the way.

Speaking of Joe, he had been putting you through hell while his sons were away.

You were now part of the “wardrobe” team, as he liked to call it, but you were also dating his son. That meant spending more time around him than most of your coworkers. And everybody knows Joe doesn’t hold back when it comes to criticism.

He had approved certain costumes for the brothers that you were responsible for styling. Styling wasn’t the problem.

The clothes were.

The outfits looked a little too gimmicky for your liking.

You hadn’t said anything yet because you were waiting for the boys to come back so you could see how everything looked on their bodies before giving your honest opinion. If the outfits looked as bad as you suspected, you’d have another problem on your hands.

Changing the outfits with only two weeks left would be a challenge.

Since Jackie would be back in Encino tomorrow, you decided to spend the day with LaToya.

The two of you went shopping in Beverly Hills for cute clothes to wear on tour and got your nails done together.

During your boyfriend’s absence, you and LaToya had somehow grown even closer, which you didn’t think was possible. Besides your roommates, she was the only person you could truly count on in California.

After your shopping spree, the two of you had dinner at a high-end sushi restaurant.

“Are you really excited for Jackie to come back tomorrow? Be honest,” she asked.

“Come on, LaToya. You know couples argue every now and then. That little altercation you overheard didn’t mean a thing,” you answered.

“I believe you. It’s just that you’re my girl, and I want you to be happy.”

“Your brother is good to me. I’m lucky to have him. End of discussion. Now let’s have a good time and enjoy our food, alright?”

LaToya smiled and finished her sushi.

After dinner, the two of you had a little sleepover in her bedroom.

You put on facial masks, watched movies, and talked until your eyelids started getting heavy.

“I think I’m starting to fall asleep, Toya,” you laughed as you made your way to the spare bed in her room.

“Already?”

“Yes, already. I’m so sorry but we can finish the movie tomorrow maybe.”

Before drifting off, your thoughts wandered to Michael.

You hadn’t heard anything from him.

You wondered what he’d be like tomorrow.

The next morning, you woke up to sunlight on your face. Birds were chirping outside, and you could hear children playing in the neighborhood.

You jumped out of bed.

You wanted to look your best for your man after not seeing him for two weeks.

“Morning, beauty,” LaToya said as you walked out of her bedroom.

You took an everything shower, curled your hair, and put on a soft, natural makeup look finished with a glossy lip.

For your outfit, you wanted to look cheerful, so you chose a long babypink sundress.

Hours passed.

It was now three in the afternoon.

You, LaToya, and Janet were hanging out in LaToya’s room when you heard the front door open downstairs.

You knew exactly who it was.

You rushed out of the room.

A few seconds later, there he was.

Jackie.

Butterflies instantly filled your stomach.

Seeing him felt like the moment right before your first kiss.

He picked you up and kissed your cheek.

“My girl,” he said. “I missed you so much.”

You missed his touch and support. Sure, you talked on the phone every day, but it wasn’t the same.

“I missed you more. You have to tell me everything about New York later,” you said.

His brothers chuckled.

“I bet he will,” Marlon said while dragging his luggage into the living room.

You didn’t think much of it. They are siblings after all, so they loved to tease each other.

“Hey, I’m back too,” Michael said, holding your gaze.

You didn’t know how to respond because your mind immediately went back to that night out with him.

“How are you?” he asked after you ignored him.

“I’m fine,” you replied before taking Jackie’s hand.

You hadn’t seen your man in two weeks, and you weren’t about to let Michael get in the way today—even if you had entertained him a few weeks ago.

“LaToya! Janet! The boys are here!” you yelled.

The girls rushed downstairs and quickly got to talking to their brothers.

Once you had Jackie exactly where you wanted him, you locked the bedroom door behind you and pushed him onto the bed.

He looked up at you with amusement.

“Look what we got going on here.”

You didn’t bother explaining yourself.

Standing in front of the bed, you slipped off your sundress. You were left in your bra and panties.

Jackie’s eyes stayed fixed on you as you walked over and climbed into his lap.

“I can’t live without you,” he whispered into your ear.

A shiver ran down your spine as you heard the longing in his voice.

“I can’t live without you too. I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.”

One thing led to another, and the two of you were wrapped up in each other, kissing like you’d been apart for years instead of weeks.

For a moment, everything else disappeared.

Then, unexpectedly, your mind drifted toward Michael.

Specifically, the way he’d looked at you earlier.

The way his eyes seemed to linger.

You quickly pushed the thought away and focused on Jackie.

You’d missed him too much to think about anybody else.

But as your lips were brushing against his something felt different. Jackie wasn’t responding the way you expected. Even as you tried to pull him closer, he seemed distant, as if his mind was somewhere else.

“Baby,” Jackie said suddenly, pulling back. “I don’t think this is the right moment.”

You frowned.

“We haven’t seen each other in weeks. What the hell could possibly be wrong?”

You leaned in again for a kiss, but he pulled away.

“My family’s downstairs. I haven’t seen Janet and LaToya in a while.”

You looked at him.

“Are you for real? You ain’t think about that before sticking your tongue down my throat? I haven’t seen you in weeks either, but it’s alright though. Go talk to your little sisters or whatever.”

Jackie didn’t care. He got up and headed for the door. Before you knew it, he was gone without giving you another glance.

You sat there staring at the closed bedroom door.

Something felt off.

Maybe it was the flight. Maybe rehearsals had been exhausting. Maybe he was just tired, you thought.

You tried to brush it off but the feeling stayed with you.

The next day, you had a meeting with the wardrobe team for the Victory tour.

The team consisted of four people: two costume designers, Theodore and Angela, and two stylists in charge of fittings: you and another woman named Whitney.

Whitney was cool and well into her mid-thirties.

The real obstacle for you was Theo and Angela. They were both in their fifties and had decades more experience. You hated the clothes they had assigned to the Jacksons, but like you promised yourself, you would wait until you saw the outfits on the brothers before saying a word.

And that moment was now.

You found yourself in a huge meeting space divided into three rooms. One room held racks full of outfits for every member of the group. Another was meant for photoshoots.

The room you were in now had a large conference table and a whiteboard.

You sat at the table alongside the Jacksons, tour promoters, Joe, Katherine, the rest of the wardrobe team, and LaToya.

“Good afternoon, everybody. Today we’ll be reviewing the tour wardrobe. The day will consist of fittings and test shoots so we can see how everything looks on camera,” one of the tour executives said. “I hereby give the word to the wardrobe team to present what they’ve been working on.”

You nodded. “Let’s start with Michael.”

Looking around the room, your colleagues agreed.

Michael and you left together for the fitting while everyone else stayed behind discussing the tour.

The two of you made your way to the fitting room.

You rolled over the rack assigned to him and started explaining which pieces needed to be worn together.

As you put the outfit together, disappointment hit you.

The look didn’t suit Michael at all. It made him look like a background singer instead of the talented frontman he was.

The outfit looked like some strange mix between their Triumph tour and the Motown days. A hot mess.

Trying your best not to show your true feelings, you guided Michael toward the photography area for test shots.

This process repeated itself for every member of the Jacksons. It was exhausting.

Out of all the brothers, Randy was the most difficult to work with.

He was very vocal about hating his outfit. Honestly, you hated it too. But you were simply doing your job and trying to make the best of the materials Theo and Angela had given you.

Randy didn’t care.

He just needed somebody to blame. And that somebody was you.

By the end of the day, all the Jackson brothers got together for a group shoot in their tour outfits so everyone could evaluate the final result.

When you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did.

Standing together, the outfits looked dreadful.

This was the 1980s. This group had a global superstar who had just released Thriller, yet their wardrobe wasn’t giving that vibe. They looked like washed-up performers struggling to stay relevant.

After the shoot, everyone returned to the conference table for the review.

The photographs were spread out for evaluation.

You stayed seated while everyone looked over the images.

Joe noticed your distance.

“Don’t you want to take a look?”

“Thanks, Joseph. I’ve already made up my mind.”

Your answer drew attention.

People frowned. Theo looked at you.

“Care to explain?”

You didn’t move to Los Angeles for romance. You came for success.

“I’m afraid I’m not fond of the designs at all. In fact, I think they make your boys look like has-beens, Joseph.”

Everyone gasped except Joe and Michael. They didn’t even flinch.

“Has-beens?” Joe repeated. “That’s really what you got to say? You’ve been on this project all this time, and now—two weeks before the boys hit the stage—you come to that conclusion? Huh!”

His disbelief stung. For a moment, it made you question your own talent. But you refused to back down. You didn’t want your name attached to something you didn’t believe in.

“People can change their minds, Joseph,” you said. “The clothes don’t flatter them. It’s the 1980s. What they’re wearing makes them look like forgotten stars from the seventies. And that’s not the image you want for your boys, I assume.”

LaToya and Michael’s heads kept turning back and forth between you and Joe, like they were watching a tennis match.

Finally, Jackie stepped in.

“I think you should listen to my lady, Joseph. She’s young. She knows what’s trending. Give her a chance.”

Joe turned toward him.

“So now you gon’ tell me what to think and how to run my business?”

“Joseph, give me three days,” you said quickly. “I’ll come up with a new concept. We can keep these costumes as backup. Just give me a chance to deliver. I won’t disappoint you. I promise.”

Joe’s eyes shifted between you and Jackie.

The room was painfully silent.

Then one of the tour executives cleared his throat.

“Mister Jackson, we’re running short on time here. We have another meeting scheduled after this one, and we’re already falling behind. We’ll need you to make a decision.”

Joe stared at Jackie for another moment before looking back at you.

“You better not be bullshitting me. If me or the boys ain’t satisfied with your new concept, I’m taking your ass off the wardrobe team.”

You nodded.

“Understood.”

You gathered your things.

“I guess I’d better get to work. Please excuse me.”

Then you left.

You went straight back to your apartment. There wasn’t a second to waste.

On the way home, you stopped at every store you could find, buying magazines and articles featuring Michael and the Jacksons. You needed material for your mood boards.

But the second you walked through your apartment door, you crashed onto the couch. The stress hit you all at once.

Joe’s words replayed in your head.

Why did he have to humiliate me like that? In front of everyone? In front of Jackie? In front of Michael? They probably all think I’m some overconfident failure.

Tears streamed down your face. Then you remembered Jackie defending you.

At least I have him, you thought.

You wiped your face and walked over to the landline, dialing your mother.

“Well, hello, sweetheart. I’ve missed you. How are you doing?”

You told your mother everything—well, almost everything. When she asked about Jackie, you lied.

“Everything’s going great with Jackie. He treats me so much better than any other man I have dated.”

“I love that for you.”

“Mom, I’m going on tour with the Jacksons for a few months. I’ll be working as a stylist. And, um… I was wondering if you’d like to come visit soon.”

“You’re going on what now?”

You already knew she wouldn’t appreciate it. Your mother always wanted you to make your own name.

“It’s temporary,” you explained. “Think of it as something that’ll help push my career.”

“Push your career? Sweetheart, you can accomplish anything on your own. Just because you’re dating Jackie doesn’t mean you should leave everything your father and I worked so hard for behind.”

You understood her concern.

“I already signed the contract. But I’m keeping my job at the agency. Once the tour ends, I’ll go back to doing my own thing. It’s only temporary.”

“Temporary, hmm…” she said.

You could hear the hesitation.

“So are you coming to visit?”

“I’ll have to check with your father and work, but it’d be nice to see my baby girl again. So take that as a yes.”

As she said those words, you felt weight coming off your shoulders.

“Great. I’ve got to get back to work, Mom. I’ll call again soon. Love you.”

After saying goodbye, you got right back to it.

Cutting out magazine photos. Pasting articles. Building mood boards.

The biggest issue with the existing costumes was that they didn’t reflect the brothers’ personalities.

You wanted them to feel like themselves while still looking cohesive as a group. Flipping through magazines, you kept your eyes on pictures of Michael.

Military jackets, aviator shades, sequins, sparkle.

Maybe every brother should include small elements of Michael’s style. Every member needs some sparkle. Not enough to copy him, just enough to unite them as a group.

You designed looks that highlighted their builds and personalities.

Open shirts, fitted silhouettes. Outfits that showed off their physiques.

You worked like a maniac for the next two days.

You ignored Jackie and the rest of his family. Not only them, but everyone else in your circle as well.

Your ideas became concepts as time passed, and the concepts became complete mood boards.

Dozens of them covered your apartment walls.

You looked less like a stylist and more like a detective trying to solve a murder case except your clues were clothing.

Jody and Rochelle checked on you every now and then, bringing food and making sure you hadn’t completely lost your mind.

Finally, day three arrived.

And you were all set. The ideas that once sounded impossible now felt complete.

You couldn’t wait to prove Joe wrong.

You stood on the sidewalk waiting for Jackie to pick you up.

You looked hideous. You hadn’t slept properly for days. Normally, you looked like your profession: polished and put together. But today, your polished look had been thrown right out the window.

Your outfit was baggy black Adidas track pants and a fitted black V-neck tank top. As for shoes you wore a pair of black Adidas sneakers to match.

You hadn’t slept well, so you wore enormous shades to hide the fact that you looked like a zombie.

Jackie’s Italian sports car pulled up. The expression on his face said everything.

“Don’t look at me like that. Your daddy had me working like a damn dog.”

Stepping into the passenger seat, you slammed the door shut.

Jackie took another look at you and laughed.

“Baby, I ain’t never seen you look like this before. Whatever you’ve been doing these past few days better be worth it.”

You didn’t have the energy to respond.

During the ride, Jackie played your favorite records. He even rubbed your thigh while driving, reassuring you that everything was gonna be okay.

Usually when you complained, Jackie would brush it off with a joke. But ever since New York, he’d been listening to you.

Minutes later, you arrived at the meeting. Everyone was already seated.

The second you walked in, people stared. They had never seen you looking this rough.

“There she go!” Joe shouted. “Miss Lady Stylist. Miss 👏🏾 Lady 👏🏾 Stylist 👏🏾. Come on now. Let’s see what you’re working with.”

Taking a deep breath, you opened your work bag.

One mood board, then another, and another.

People looked at you funny. But the funny looks left their faces once you covered the walls.

You began presenting, explaining how every brother would have his own identity while still fitting together as a group. The military influences, the sparkles, the aviators.

By the time you finished, one of the executives was already on his feet, clapping.

“That’s very on-brand for the era we are in right now. Terrific work.”

“See?” Jackie said proudly. “I told y’all. She knows what she’s doing. We need her on our team.”

Joe nodded. He gave you no praise.

“Theodore. Angela. The old costumes are no longer needed. From now on, her concepts are the blueprint. I expect everything to be finished within a week.”

Then he walked out.

Theo and Angela looked horrified. They only had a little over a week to sew your ideas. But that wasn’t your problem anymore.

“Good work.”

You turned. It was Michael.

He stepped closer, studying the mood boards.

“How did you manage all of this in only three days?”

You laughed tiredly.

“Look at me. That’s how. I ignored everybody, including myself.”

Being a perfectionist himself, he seemed genuinely impressed.

“I’ll catch you later.”

He patted your shoulder before walking away.

Mission accomplished.

Michael’s POV

A week after the stressful styling fiasco between Jackie’s girlfriend and my father, I finally had a quiet moment before the tour.

Jackie had invited LaToya and me over for dinner at his girlfriend’s apartment because her parents were in town.

I thought it was a little weird that I had to come. Sure, I liked her roommates, and I liked her too, but why did I need to be there meeting the parents?

Unlike the first time I met her roommates, when I showed up dressed like I had just stepped off the set of my Beat It short film, I kept it casual this time.

I wore a pullover over a button-up shirt with a bowtie. For shoes, I stuck with my regular loafers.

LaToya, on the other hand, did not dress casually at all. She wore a long sleeved ocean-blue dress and a matching headband.

“Y’all ready?” Bill asked us.

We both nodded and made our way to the car so he could drive us over to Jackie’s girlfriend’s apartment.

Jackie wasn’t with us because he was helping his girlfriend cook dinner.

How romantic, I thought.

As I looked out the window, the streets started feeling familiar. I knew we were getting close.

I was excited. Not because of her parents. Not because of her roommates.

Not at all.

Jackie’s girlfriend gave me a glimpse of a normal life. That’s what I was excited for.

LaToya and I knocked on the door once we reached the top floor.

My brother opened the door.

“Come on in!”

The second I stepped inside, my eyes started looking for his girl.

Instead, I was greeted by a woman who looked just like her, only a bit older.

“Hello, Michael,” she said warmly.

“You must be her mother,” I replied.

“Yes. I am accompanied by her father.”

“Nice to see you,” he said, giving me a firm handshake.

Her mother was sweet and warm, like a ray of sunshine. Her father was assertive, but not in a rude way. Not in a Joseph kind of way.

Jackie’s girlfriend looked exactly like her mother, but she had her father’s personality.

They must be proud to have a daughter as talented as her, I thought.

“Michael?”

It was her voice.

Just hearing it gave me a sense of happiness.

“Hey,” I said.

She was wearing a fitted black blazer that made her look like she was about to close some big business deal, paired with a black miniskirt and open-toe heels decorated with silver Cuban-link chains.

The clothes themselves weren’t necessarily expensive, but she made them look that way. She styled them that way.

“Let’s eat, everybody. Food’s ready,” she said.

They prepared some soul food: collard greens, biscuits, and yams. It taste familiar and good.

I couldn’t believe Jackie had even helped cook.

While we ate, I found myself watching them.

Jackie and his girlfriend looked deeply in love.

They were happy.

Every now and then, they’d lean over, whisper something to each other, and start giggling.

“Now that we are all gathered here I have something to get off my chest,” Jackie suddenly announced.

He reached down and grabbed a shopping bag from beside his chair.

Inside was a small red box. When he opened it, there was a silver ring with a huge diamond sitting on top.

He took her hand and looked her in the eyes.

“I know it’s only been six months, but I’ve never been so sure. With this ring, I promise it’s gon’ be me and you forever, baby.”

She smiled immediately and held out her hand so he could slide the ring onto her finger.

“No way,” her roommates said as they watched.

Her parents and my sister were over the moon. They gave them their blessing.

It all made sense. This was why we were all invited here. Jackie wanted the people closest to her to witness him giving her a promise ring.

What a bold move for somebody who’s being unfaithful.

But knowing Jackie, maybe this was his way of covering up his behavior and guilt.

He’s ruining everything, I thought.

He’s ruining her.

He’s ruining himself by cheating.

And he was definitely ruining me.

If there was ever a chance for me to build something with her, I had already lost it. Even if Jackie cheated, he still had her tied down.

And I was too late.

Your POV

Tonight was the night. The first show of the Victory tour.

Days passed and somehow Theo and Angela managed to bring your ideas to life.

You were backstage, rushing around and adding the final touches to Michael’s looks.

Everything you had designed for the Jacksons looked great on them.

Outside, fans were already screaming and going crazy, waiting for them to hit the stage.

Your parents were in the crowd too, there to see your work and support your soon-to-be fiancé.

“Are you nervous?” you asked Michael while adjusting his outfit.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time. I feel at home on stage. I should be the one asking you.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, your mother and father came all the way out here to see your work and the family you surround yourself with.”

“Just like you, I don’t doubt what I do, Michael. I thought you knew that,” you teased.

He looked like he wanted to tease you back, but he decided not to.

He had to lock into performance mode.

You fixed his military jacket but tugged on his sash a little too hard by accident.

Suddenly, Michael was way too close to you.

Just a few inches away from your lips. Neither of you moved.

It was wrong, but it felt so right. You stayed there, breathing the same air, eyes locked.

His eyes really do have that sparkle, you thought.

Then you glanced down at your hand and saw the six-figure Cartier promise ring.

Reality hit you, and you quickly stepped back.

Jackie had spent real money on you. He treated you well. He was good to your parents. You had no business looking at his brother like that.

“Alright, everybody! Time to hit the stage on a count of three!” a tour promoter shouted.

Michael gave you a tight-lipped smile before walking off with the band.

“Best of luck,” you said quietly as you watched him.

His back was turned, and you admired him for a second. His broad shoulders, his long legs…

In The Closet

synopsis: you are dating Jackie but feel tempted by his brother Michael. Will you give in or keep it in the closet?

authors note: heyy here is chapter two i really hope you guys like it. again, im not a native english speaker so dont come for me please. also this is an unapologetically black fanfic set in the 80s. if youre not black you are free to read this but just keep it in mind. feel free to comment or send me a message mwah💋

previous chapter:

Chapter I: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

taglist:

@fullofmelaninsarcasmandepression

TW: infidelity, strong language, drama

Chapter II: Endless Night

After the proposal to work as a stylist on the Victory Tour, you found yourself in Jackie’s bedroom while the rest of the family was downstairs, unaware of the trouble in paradise.

You stood on one side of the room facing Jackie while he leaned against the wall on the other side, listening to you.

“Jackie, I don’t want no part of this.”

“No part of what? A job is a job. Styling is what you love to do, so I’m giving it to you. Your wish is my command,” Jackie argued, pointing a finger at you.

“Oh, so you gave me a gift now? Well, I got something for you, nigga,” you shouted while grabbing a pillow and launching it at his face.

Jackie dodged your pillow attack. He picked up something from his nightstand and shoved it right in your face.

You flinched, thinking he was going to attack, but he held his hand steady, the object right in front of your eyes.

As you took a closer look, you started to realize what it was. He was holding the contract for you to work as their stylist on the Victory Tour.

You had already accepted the offer in front of Katherine and Joe. Ain’t no turning back now.

You snatched it out of his hand and placed your signature where needed.

“This is the first and the last time I accept these kinds of offers from you, do you hear me? I don’t do no handouts. I refuse to be shoved behind the Jackson—”

Your words were interrupted by the sound of people having a good time downstairs.

“Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” blasted through your eardrums as they turned up the volume.

“Ooo!” you heard someone yell downstairs.

You and Jackie exchanged a look because you both knew it was just Michael getting his groove on.

You took a deep breath as you began to calm down.

“For our relationship to work, I need you to respect my wishes. Seriously.”

Jackie gave you a nasty side eye. You could tell what he thought of you just by looking at his face—an ungrateful woman trying to create distance between the two of you.

“Word to my brother Mike, you always wanna be startin’ somethin.”

Those words made your heart sink. This was the man you loved and trusted. How could he make such a backwards and insensitive statement using his brother’s craft?

“Very funny, Jackie,” you shouted as you looked for another pillow to throw. “Very fucking funny!”

“Girl, that is enough. You don’t wanna go on tour? Then don’t go on tour. You had the opportunity to refuse the offer, but you accepted. Now you’re all up in my ear complaining about a decision you made. Tour starts next month. I’ll see you there.”

Jackie pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on and walked out to join the others.

As he opened the door, you heard LaToya squeal, shocked because she got caught listening.

“LaToya!” you heard Jackie shout in a serious tone.

This was followed by her making all sorts of excuses about how she just so happened to be there.

Jackie was wrong, but not completely.

You could have refused. But you didn’t.

Then again, how were you supposed to speak your mind in front of his parents? You didn’t want to leave a bad impression. He had to understand that, you thought to yourself.

You got your act back together and headed downstairs. You needed a break from this environment, so you decided to head home earlier than planned.

“Katherine, thank you so much for the lovely dinner. Sorry to say it, but I have to go back home.”

“Oh, but we are just getting started. Are you sure you don’t want to stay a little longer?”

“I would’ve loved to, but I’m feeling a little ill.”

“I see.” Katherine leaned in to give you a warm hug. “Until next time, sweetheart. You take good care of yourself, alright?”

“Mhm,” you said as you turned around to head out.

“Mr. Bray will be taking you home,” Michael said. “And uhh, I’d have to join you on the ride because I have a party to attend tonight. If you don’t mind, of course.”

“Fine. I don’t mind,” you said with your back turned to Michael as you walked out.

You didn’t give a damn. Whatever option got you home the fastest was good enough for you.

“Take good care of my lady, Mike,” Jackie said.

You sat in the car waiting for Michael, watching some of his pets through the car window. He was taking quite some time.

After what felt like a lifetime of waiting, you saw movement at the front door of the house.

He walked out wearing his signature black aviator sunglasses and a red jacket that made him look like he had just stepped off the set of his Beat It short film.

You saw him go from Michael to Michael Jackson in real time.

“Alright, Bill, let’s hit it,” he said as he stepped in.

The ride was painfully silent. Neither one of you spoke a word to the other.

“You like clothes?”

He broke the silence with such an awkward, innocent question—his voice soft and gentle.

“I do.”

“Have you been enjoying LA?”

“I am. I miss my mother, but my roommates make up for it.”

“Roommates?”

“Yeah. Two girls, Jody and Rochelle.”

“You have to introduce me.”

“Like right now?”

“How much time we got left, Bill?”

“We should be arriving at hers in five minutes. So that leaves us with about an hour of free time before we gotta move over to the function.”

“Yessir!”

Michael’s face lit up.

You were thrilled to show him your place, but you were afraid of the girls’ reactions too.

Jody and Rochelle were born and raised in LA. Both coming from successful Black families, you were certain they’d had some celebrity encounters before. Still, it would feel insane to have Michael kicking back at their place like nothing. Especially now that he was wearing one of his recognizable outfits.

Bill stopped the car in front of the apartment complex.

“Want me to come with, Mike?”

“Thanks, Bill. No need to accompany us. I trust her.”

You got out of the car and looked behind you to check if Michael followed.

He looked lost because he wasn’t used to these kinds of spontaneous plans due to his fame.

You lived on the top floor so you had to take the lift with him. Now it was just you two. You studied his face.

“You can take those shades off if you’d like. No one’s gonna sneak pictures of you in my home, I can promise you that.”

“I’d like to keep them on,” Michael answered while sliding his hands over his legs.

The boy was nervous.

As you got near your apartment, you heard your roommates chattering. You turned your key in the lock and, as the door opened, you saw that they both froze, fixated on the man standing beside you.

They had met Jackie before, but this was different due to his skyrocketing fame.

After some silence, Jody locked in and acted natural to make Michael feel comfortable. You could tell she was starstruck, but hey, at least she tried.

“What’s going on? Did you swap boyfriends tonight? Where’s Jackie?”

The word boyfriend got Michael acting all flustered. He began to move awkwardly. “Aaah, well um…”

“Don’t worry about it. How rude of us to not say hello,” Rochelle said as she walked over to Michael to shake his hand.

“I’m Rochelle and this is Jody. Welcome to our home.”

“Thanks. I like it in here.”

“Cool. Make yourself at home, Michael.”

He nodded and took off his shades.

“Wow,” Jody muttered while twirling a lock of her hair, mesmerized by his beauty.

You noticed how lost Michael was, so you chose to save him from the situation.

“We’ll catch you girls later.”

The girls nodded and went back to their conversation.

“It is very different from my home in Encino, but I like it. I can tell that this place is all you.”

He was right. You had picked out the decor for the apartment. The walls were painted red and the furniture was black leather. You went for a sexy, grown-woman vibe, and given Michael’s reaction, you thought you had done the job right.

You showed him around your room and told him some funny stories about your belongings.

His eyes watched every belonging you pointed at. He seemed to genuinely enjoy you talking about yourself and asked questions about your life.

“Enough about me. Let’s talk about you,” you said after a while.

“I work a lot. I’m working on some new projects that I can’t share much about now. But I love to dance. I can show you that if you want.”

You scanned your room. It was way too small to really get to dancing.

Michael noticed your hesitation and insisted.

“There’s this party from a producer I’m attending tonight. We can dance there if you want.”

Your internal conflict instantly kicked in.

You had a rough day and you had to announce you would be leaving your job for a period of time to join them on tour tomorrow. Was this even a smart idea?

But Michael was usually so quiet and had never opened up like this to you before. Sure, he hadn’t revealed as much as you’d like yet, but you had to start somewhere.

“Sounds fun,” you answered. “Give me a minute to change.”

Michael looked at you from the bottom up. “I think you look just right.”

“As you said, I look just right. Now I need to look my best.”

You pointed to the door. “You can wait over there while I change. Whatever you do, don’t come in here unless you want Jackie to go after you.”

He chuckled. “Oh, I’m not worried. No disrespect, I know you got a man, but it’s just Jackie.”

You were hit with a wave of shock. You were experiencing a side of Michael you had only heard stories about from your friend LaToya.

His words weren’t even the most concerning thing. It was him throwing shade at your boyfriend. And it turned you on.

“Get out,” you said as you playfully pushed him out of the room.

“Careful with those hands all over me, girl. You might hurt my brother’s feelings.”

You locked the door after Michael left because you were serious about not hurting Jackie’s feelings.

It was time for the most fun part about going out: dressing up.

You went through your dresses and judged them.

Too scandalous for a first night out with him.

Too boring.

Too childish, you thought.

Until you found a Versace dress that had been collecting dust in your closet. It was a beautiful tight black dress with gold, jewelry-like straps. Perfect for a night out with Michael.

You caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and added a few finishing touches. Black and gold matched, so you stacked three gold bangles on each arm.

Still not fully satisfied, you looked for that final “wow factor.”

You looked around and found the missing piece: chunky golden bamboo earrings your aunties back home would wear.

“Alright, Michael. I think I’m ready to go now,” you said, walking into the living room.

Jody and Rochelle gave you an approving look.

“Hot,” Jody said. “What do you think, Michael?”

“Good,” he answered, avoiding eye contact with you.

Oh, that man is definitely hiding something, you thought.

You waved goodbye to your girls. Michael stood still, not realizing you were heading out.

He realized you were leaving much later. “Oh, my bad. Goodnight, ladies,” he said to your roommates.

What a dork, you thought.

As the lift took you to the ground floor, he put on his shades.

You were greeted outside by Bill, standing by the car, ready to take you to the final destination of the night.

“Everything alright, Joker?” he asked Michael.

“Thanks for asking, Bill. I’m fine.”

This time you dared to sit a little closer to him during the ride. Both of you were still silent, but this time it was different. The silence was comfortable. You were both at peace, enjoying the views of LA and its beautiful palm trees.

As Bill stopped the car, you were faced with a sea of people waiting to get into the party.

You stepped onto the ground with your six inch black stiletto heels with a shiny finish.

“I got you,” Michael said as he hurried to your door to help you. His soft skin against yours.

“Thanks, Mike,” you said and walked towards the entrance of the club.

“Heyyy Michael,” a group of girls waiting in line said to him simultaneously, eyes full of lust as they watched him pass by.

Every woman at this function wanted to cut herself a piece of the cake, you realized as envious looks were thrown your way left and right.

Michael didn’t mind the women at all. All his attention was on you. Tonight was your night.

The sound of loud bass drums and DJs scratching records filled the room.

Michael moved his head to the beat. You could tell music is truly his element.

“You like it?” he said in your ear over the loud music.

If you wanted him to hear you speak, you would have had to get closer to his ear. But you were playing it safe, keeping your boyfriend in mind, so you just gave him a thumbs-up.

Jackie creeped back into your mind and you wondered if he was having a good night’s rest. You loved the guy. But you were having so much fun with his brother, so you pushed that thought away.

Michael and you were dancing body to body, swaying your hips together to that new jack swing sound that had slowly been on the rise in America.

You recognized a few people and two of his brothers, Randy and Tito, dancing in a booth getting girls. Business as usual for the men of the Jackson family.

And isn’t Randy in a relationship too? A damn shame, you thought.

“What’s good, Mike?”

Michael’s industry peers appeared and dapped him up.

“I’m all good. Enjoying good music and my company tonight,” he said while looking at you.

“Sure thing.”

The DJ cut the music and it was followed by a word from Michael’s industry friend, the one throwing the party.

“I want to thank you all for coming together tonight to celebrate the release of my new single. I wanna thank someone you may have no idea is in the crowd tonight. Please give it up for my brother MJ and his beautiful date.”

As he said the word “date,” you immediately looked towards the booth Randy and Tito were in, afraid of their reaction.

To your surprise, you made eye contact with them because they were equally surprised—but in a good way. A fun way. They didn’t think it was that deep, because to them you were simply Jackie’s girlfriend hanging out with their baby brother.

But it was far less innocent than that. This was the moment they should have seen the storm coming.

You noticed them go back to normal, flirting with all kinds of different women.

Maybe you fit right in the Jackson family after all, given your quiet but very much present, promiscuous vibe tonight.

Michael’s friend finished his speech and suggested a song to the DJ. The intro of “Billie Jean” started playing and the fellas got rowdy, hyping Michael up to do his little dance.

In no time, the whole damn club was around Michael, watching him.

As he danced, you couldn’t help but admire him a little too. There was just something about him that made him so special. He put his soul into every move.

The song ended and he said goodbye to his industry peers before returning to you.

“I told you I was gonna show you a little about me tonight. I hope you liked it.”

You loved it.

“There you are. I knew I could count on my brother. Thank you for looking after my lady, Mike,” you heard behind you.

You didn’t even have to guess you knew it was Jackie.

“Come on, I’ll take you home, baby,” he said.

He took your hand and pulled you away from Michael, not even giving you a chance to say goodbye.

“Wait,” you said. Jackie stopped, and you went back to Michael.

Standing face to face, he looked at you with his brown doe eyes, anticipating what you were about to say.

You got lost in his gaze and the world stopped around you two. Everyone else disappeared.

“I just want to thank you for tonight…”

You emphasized, “I really needed it.”

“My pleasure,” Michael responded.

You nodded and took Jackie’s hand.

authors note: i honestly dont know what this is. Lets say its a short and a messy drama fanfic. With potentially more chapters to come. this is an unapologetically black fic hence the use of AAVE. if youre not black you are free to read this but just keep it in mind lol. english is not my first language so please be kind! also the times of the tours and events aren’t accurate so dont come for me.

synopsis: you are dating Jackie but feel tempted by his brother Michael. Will you give in or keep it in the closet?

chapters:

Chapter II: Endless Night

Chapter III: V for Victory

TW: cursing, cheating, messy, drama

Chapter I: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

It’s the summer of 1984.

Your life is slowly coming together. You celebrated your birthday not long ago and are enjoying the age of 26. You moved to California to fulfill your dreams.

Lately, you've been earning a living as a stylist. A stressful job due to bratty clients, but since you are such a creative, you can endure it and prefer it over sitting in an office all day.

Your profession introduces you to all sorts of people, but it comes with its perks too. Every now and then, you have celebrities over at the workplace, which led you to meet the boy you've been dating. None other than Jackie Jackson.

You'd never think a Jackson would fall for a girl like you given your background. Your parents had to save money to pay for your studies in fashion, and you were certainly not from a wealthy family. But here you are. You're in love with a Jackson, and he loves you too.

The two of you laid eyes on each other for the first time during a photoshoot for a magazine. You were in charge of the styling that day. The shoot was not intended for The Jacksons, though. Your client was their sister, LaToya. Her brother Jackie accompanied her.

The shoot is a memory you cherish. You remember it vividly. You were so nervous during the days leading up to the photoshoot because you expected the Jackson siblings to be quite rude and snobby, but they were the opposite.

They were fun and easygoing. Especially LaToya. You got along with her very well and even exchanged jokes, talking about all the hot fashion trends.

The two of you became very friendly as you suggested different clothing options for her, and your nerves slowly faded away.

During the shoot, you could feel Jackie's eyes following you. He didn't say a word while you were working your ass off, trying to find nice clothes that would flatter LaToya. You could tell he enjoyed seeing the two of you get along.

You remember that while you were going through clothing options for his sister, he'd sit across the room on a folding chair, observing quietly.

At the end of the shoot, LaToya gave you her phone number, and after that, the two of you hung out from time to time—shopping trips, family dinners at their home, and partying at Studio 54. You had met a handful of incredible people and made connections that helped you climb up the stylist ladder. You went from being a nobody to a respected figure in the fashion business. Your clients became increasingly high-profile, all wanting you to make them look their best. You were focused on being successful, and your work ethic paid off.

But then something that you never considered happened.

A Jackson had fallen in love with you, and he wasn't going to let anything stop him from having you.

Jackie confessed that he had fallen head over heels for you the moment he saw you working with his sister. At first, you didn't mind because you saw him as your friend's dusty, desperate brother. But with time, Jackie got what his heart desired.

The two of you had been official for six months now, yet you still hadn't managed to find a good balance between work and your newfound love.

The more serious you became with your lover, the more clients stormed your way. Jackie was never the type to just wait around, as he was a successful man himself, being in a band with his brothers. Yet you could tell he didn't like not having his lady available whenever he wanted her.

This subject led to tension in your relationship, but since you truly love Jackie, you'd do anything to make it work.

It was a summer's evening, and you were at the end of your workday. You had promised Katherine and Joe that you would join them for dinner at their home in Encino.

As you were cleaning up your workspace, the phone rang loudly, the sound echoing off the walls of your atelier.

"Am I speaking to my baby?" you heard Jackie say on the phone.

"Yes, this is she," you answered, smiling. "You called at the right time. I'll be on my way to meet you soon."

"Man, why does a pretty lady like you have to work so damn hard? You know you ain't gotta do all of that. I can take care of you."

As he said those words, your heart fluttered. Your man is a sweet talker who knows exactly what to say to keep a woman hooked.

The fluttering feeling also reminded you of a heated fight you had with your man a while ago. He had invited you to go to the movies with him, but you refused because you had a dinner meeting to discuss the styling of a high-profile client.

"So you're telling me you can't spend time with your baby because of some random? How can you do that to me, girl?"

"Jackie, you don't understand. It's not just some random. I need this client to succeed in my career," you argued.

Whenever Jackie got upset, you couldn’t look him straight in the eye, so you looked down.

"Oh, so that's what it is. You need this person more instead of me. Don't you hear yourself? You sound foolish. Look at me! Do you even know who you with?"

You looked up at him. You noticed the hurt in his puppy eyes, yet you didn’t give up. This was your life and your career. Your parents didn’t work hard for nothing, and you would work twice as hard to repay them for their efforts.

"Jackie, please. You know damn well I don't want to get into this shit right now."

"But I'm tired, baby. I want to be able to spend time with you after a long day. I don't want you to work so hard for your clients when I can provide for you. Why don't you want to accept my offer? You would never have to work another day in your life."

Those words made your eyes roll. "I appreciate it, but I can't accept it yet. I feel like I have so much left in me. Just give me some time, okay? Once I feel like I've made my mark in the industry I will be all yours. I just need a little more time," you said while looking into Jackie's eyes lovingly.

Those words were sweet lies. You loved him but it didn’t erase your determination to become a prestigious figure in the business. But hey, anything that keeps Jackie Jackson quiet for a while.

"Alright. I get it, babe. Just a little more patience," he said as he held your face and his soft lips pecked yours.

You noticed you had been lost in thought for a second, so you ended your reminiscing and got back into the conversation.

"Baby?" you heard Jackie say into the phone.

You chuckled. "Sorry, I got distracted by my colleague." Another lie of yours.

"Well the reason why I haven't been your fulltime lover yet is because I enjoy my work and I've got goals to reach. And you know that, babe!" you said teasingly.

You heard a loud laugh. "Well damn, Miss Don't-Need-Nobody! When can I expect you to be here though? The food is almost ready. You know this dinner is important for the family, babe. Everybody gon' be here. Even Michael."

Those last two words surprised you. It had been months since you had last seen Michael.

You weren’t necessarily close to him, but you were not total strangers either. Let’s just say he was the kind of guy who kept to himself. You never had a real conversation with him, but that was nearly impossible because he mostly focused on his animals and music.

As Jackie Jackson's girl, you did your best to be a classy lady and avoid drama at all costs. But you couldn't help but secretly gossip with LaToya sometimes.

LaToya was like an encyclopedia of the Jackson family. The girl knew everybody’s secrets and kept you well informed on the latest tea about her brothers.

You know all about their mess. The affairs, business decisions, new music. Knowing what you knew because of your dear friend, it was clear the Jackson brothers were no angels. Including Michael. Sure, he was shy and quiet but the boy was bad.

Every Jackson seemed to get the women they wanted, and sometimes getting a girl hurt another's feelings along the way.

Recently, LaToya told you that Michael had agreed to go on tour with his brothers, which he had initially refused. The tour had been a sensitive subject in the family, but hearing what Jackie told you, it seemed like they had found a resolution.

Walking out of your workplace, you strutted down the street in your heels. Most of the time, you were well-dressed because of your profession. Your style reflected your personality. You dressed creatively, edgy, and sexy. Your go-to outfits were the ones that complemented your curves. Your hair and nails were always done, and you carried yourself with a positive, confident attitude.

You were a woman with ambition, and that energy followed you into every room you entered.

You hopped into a cab that had been arranged for you by none other than the one and only Jackie Jackson, of course, because he didn't like his lady using public transportation. In his words, he didn't want to deal with men hollering at you.

Jackie could get real possessive and jealous, which you claimed made you cringe, but deep down you loved it. It was how you could tell when he felt insecure about his place in your life.

It was the look on his face and the way he’d chase after you just to make sure you would never leave his side.

After a long ride to the Jacksons' home, you found yourself walking up the driveway toward the front door.

You reached for the handle, but much to your surprise, someone suddenly picked you up from behind.

"Oh my God!" you cried out.

"There she is! Miss Don't-Need-Nobody!" Jackie shouted.

The moment you heard his voice, you relaxed and played it cool.

"Put me down, Jackie."

It was going to be a serious family dinner tonight, and you couldn't afford to look or act a fool.

Your feet touched the ground again, and you turned around to find a face looking at you lovingly.

If you said you hadn't been looking forward to seeing him, you'd be lying.

"Hey, baby," you said excitedly, brushing your fingers against his sweet face.

Jackie held your gaze as your fingers caressed his cheek. Then he kissed you on your right cheek and took your hand, leading you inside their house.

"Let's go. Everybody's already here. And I know my baby gotta eat after working so damn hard."

Jackie and you walked hand in hand toward the dining room.

A table was covered with food, and just like Jackie had said, everybody was already there.

Janet sat next to Michael, followed by his brothers and their girls. Katherine and Joe sat together at the head of the table. As you scanned the room, you noticed your homegirl LaToya had saved a seat for you beside her.

Nice, you thought.

Still holding Jackie's hand, you made your way over to her. The two of you sat down next to LaToya.

Everybody greeted you warmly, and by the looks on their faces, you could tell they were happy you had come.

You enjoyed your food while sitting through Joe's distasteful jokes and endless business talk.

Every now and then, you zoned out and watched everyone else's reactions while Joe rambled on. Most of them stayed quiet when he spoke because he was the man of the house.

As your eyes wandered around the table, they landed on Michael's.

You expected him to look away quickly, but he did the opposite.

Joe was speaking nonsense about the sales of Thriller and how their family was set for life now because of him. That made you laugh.

Michael noticed, and his lips slowly curled into a smile while his eyes remained fixed on yours.

Joe had just said something ridiculous, so you rolled your eyes in response.

Janet and Michael both laughed when they saw it, and the three of you moved on as if nothing had happened because nobody wanted to risk hurting Joe’s feelings.

Suddenly, you heard the man of the house call your name.

"So! How has work been treating you lately?"

Caught off guard, you set down your fork.

"Um, it's been going great. I get to work with some really cool people, and from what I can tell, they're happy with how I dress them. The pressure is definitely on, though. But since we're all in the business, you know what I'm talking about."

Joe nodded.

"Right on! You know, Jackie and I have been talking, and I think the news would sound better coming from him. But since we're going on tour..."

Joe looked toward Jackie, signaling him to finish the sentence.

"Look, darling, you know I love you."

"Yes...?" you replied, exchanging confused glances between Joe and Jackie.

Joe watched the two of you like a hawk while trying his best not to laugh. He knew exactly what he was doing by putting you and your man on the spot in front of the Jackson family.

"And, um, I can't handle being away from you for long periods of time. We're about to kick off the Victory Tour, and I thought that..." Jackie said nervously.

Jermaine and Tito burst out laughing at their brother's hesitation.

Hearing them, Jackie cleared his throat and straightened up.

"It would be a great opportunity for you to work on tour. Join our team of stylists. That type of thing, you know?"

You were furious.

Jackie knew you came from a humble, hardworking family. And now he had basically trapped you.

You could feel eyes ogling at the table waiting for your response.

Snapping out of your thoughts, you forced the widest smile on your face.

"Oh Jackie, baby, I'm so honored! I would love to join you on tour."

You heard cheering around the table. The Jacksons clapped and celebrated your approval.

Everyone except Michael.

He noticed something was off. Of course the fucker did, you thought. That guy notices every little detail.

You caught him staring right through you, so you quickly looked away. The last thing you wanted was for him to realize how you really felt or, worse, tell Jackie.

I guess you could say your life was finally coming together.

Just not in the humble way you had always imagined.