Summary : Michael told you youâd be in the music video for âYou rock my worldâ so why are they searching for actresses?
A/n : I love Chris Tucker yall bye. Requests open
The first time Michael brought up the You Rock My World video around you, he was lying across the couch in the studio lounge with a fedora tipped over his eyes while you flipped through a magazine beside him. The room smelled like coffee, expensive cologne, and the stale air-conditioning that never worked properly at Record Plant. He sounded casual when he said it. Too casual.
âTheyâre casting for the video next week.â
You looked up. âOh? Finally.â
âMhm.â He smiled lazily beneath the hat. âItâs gonna be cinematic. Real film energy. Chris is in it. Marlonâs in it. Real smooth.â
âItâs gotta feel believable though,â he continued. âChemistry is important.â
You didnât think much of it then. Michael talked about chemistry constantly when it came to performances. Chemistry with dancers. Chemistry with cameras. Chemistry with lighting. He obsessed over details nobody else even noticed.
So you nodded and turned the page.
Then he added, âTheyâre testing actresses.â
âYeah.â He sat up slowly, removing the hat. âFor the club scenes.â
You blinked at him. âI thought I was doing it.â
And suddenly he wouldnât look at you anymore.
Instead he reached for a bottle of water, twisting the cap unnecessarily slowly. âWell⌠I just thought maybe itâd be easier with someone who does this professionally.â
A strange feeling settled in your stomach.
âYou literally asked me three weeks ago if I wanted to do it.â
âI know, I know, but the director was talking about dynamics andââ
He sighed. âHer nameâs Vanessa.â
The name hit immediately because you knew exactly who Vanessa was.
Vanessa was always around the studio, always giggling too loudly at Michaelâs jokes, always touching his arm a second too long. She practically glowed whenever he entered a room. Even the assistants whispered about her crush.
âYouâre joking,â you said quietly.
âItâs not like that.â
âShe likes everybody.â
You laughed once in disbelief. âMichael.â
âShe just fit the vibe they wanted.â
âThe vibe of a girl whoâs in love with you?â
His expression hardened slightly. âDonât start.â
âDonât start?â You stared at him. âYou asked me to do it first.â
âBecause I need chemistry on camera!â
The second the words left his mouth, the room went silent.
Your face changed instantly.
Michael noticed it too late.
ââŚWow,â you whispered.
âThatâs not what I meant.â
âSo I donât have chemistry with you?â
âYouâve been with me for two years.â
âYou know what Iâm trying to say.â
âNo, actually, I donât.â
He stood up, frustrated now, pacing the room. âYouâre taking this personally.â
âBecause it is personal.â
âThen why pick the one girl everybody knows wants you?â
âThat has nothing to do with it!â
You stared at him for a long moment before grabbing your bag from the couch.
âFine,â you said quietly. âUse her.â
âUse whoever has more chemistry with you.â
The day of the shoot was torture.
But one of the costume girlsâSandraâhad begged you to come because she missed you and said the set would be boring without you.
Standing in the middle of a massive club set in downtown Los Angeles while fake smoke curled through flashing lights and everybody rushed around preparing cameras.
The second you walked in, heads turned.
Not because you were famous.
Not because you were dramatic.
But because you looked stunning without even trying.
Low-rise jeans, fitted black top, glossy lips, your hair falling perfectly over your shoulders. Effortlessly beautiful in a way that made people stare before they realized they were staring.
Chris Tucker noticed first.
âOh HELL no,â he yelled across the set, making several people laugh. âMichael, you got THIS at home and hired somebody else?!â
You burst out laughing despite yourself.
Michael, standing near the monitors, froze.
Chris walked toward you dramatically, clutching his chest. âGirl, you are fine.â
âNo, no, let me speak. This is injustice. This is a crime against music videos everywhere.â
A few staff members nearby laughed in agreement.
âIâm serious,â one makeup artist added. âShe shouldâve been cast from the beginning.â
Michael shot them all a look.
Chris immediately noticed.
âOhhh, somebody mad already.â He grinned.
Chris turned back to you. âCome sit with me since apparently people on this set make poor decisions.â
And somehow that became the theme of the entire day.
Chris stayed beside you constantly.
During lighting setups, he sat next to you making jokes until your stomach hurt from laughing.
During breaks, he brought you snacks before anyone else could.
At one point he leaned over dramatically while Michael rehearsed and whispered, âIf he donât cast you after today, I will.â
You nearly choked laughing.
And unfortunately for Michael⌠so did you.
Because Chris made you feel noticed.
Meanwhile Michael spent half the day trying not to look at you and failing miserably.
Every time he glanced over, Chris was making you laugh again.
Every time he passed by, someone was complimenting you.
âYou look incredible today.â
âSeriously, camera would love her.â
âShe and Michael naturally match better.â
And Vanessa heard it too.
Which only made her clingier.
During one take she kept touching Michaelâs chest between scenes, smiling up at him while makeup fixed his collar.
And then Chris leaned close beside you and muttered loud enough for Michael to hear:
Michaelâs jaw tightened instantly.
The breaking point came about two hours later.
Chris had his arm around the back of your chair while telling some ridiculous story involving Eddie Murphy and a fake monkey when Michael stormed over.
âI need to talk to you.â
You looked up calmly. âAbout?â
Chris raised both brows dramatically. âOhhhhhh.â
âChris,â Michael snapped.
âI ainât doinâ nothinâ!â
Michael looked at you again. âCome here.â
You followed him only because you didnât want a scene.
The second you stepped into the empty hallway outside the set, he turned around.
You folded your arms. âWhat is what?â
You stared at him in disbelief. âAre you serious?â
âHeâs all over you.â
âAnd I donât like it.â
You laughed sharply. âThat sounds familiar.â
âYou know exactly what I mean.â
âNo, Michael. Explain it to me.â
âHe keeps flirting with you.â
âAnd Vanessaâs what? Part of the lighting department?â
âThatâs different.â
âBecause itâs acting!â
âAnd Chris is joking.â
âHe keeps touching you.â
âAnd she keeps touching you.â
âItâs for the video!â
âYou literally said you needed chemistry.â
âAnd she conveniently already likes you.â
âThat has nothing to do with anything!â
âReally?â You stepped closer. âBecause everybody on set can see it except you apparently.â
Michael rubbed a hand over his face in frustration. âYou think I want her?â
âI think you like being wanted.â
âYou love attention,â you continued quietly. âYou love girls staring at you. You love people wanting you. And maybe you didnât think about how humiliating this would feel for me because youâre so used to everybody competing for your attention.â
âYou picked a girl who openly flirts with you over your own girlfriend.â
The silence afterward felt heavy.
Michael looked away first.
And suddenly the anger drained out of him, replaced by something worse.
Watching Chris flirt with you all day had made him insane.
Watching other men stare at you had made him furious.
And that was with someone you werenât interested in.
Vanessa wanted him openly.
And he had dismissed your feelings like they were irrational jealousy.
ââŚDamn,â he muttered softly.
You crossed your arms tighter. âYeah.â
Michael leaned back against the wall, finally quiet.
Then after a moment he sighed.
You looked at him skeptically.
âNo, really.â His voice softened completely. âI get it now.â
âYou didnât before?â
âI thought you were overreacting.â
âI wanted to punch Chris in the throat.â
You accidentally laughed.
Michael pointed immediately. âDonât laugh. Iâm serious.â
Michael groaned dramatically. âSee?! Thatâs exactly what I mean.â
The tension finally cracked slightly between you.
He stepped closer carefully.
âI wasnât trying to hurt you.â
He looked genuinely miserable now.
âYou shouldâve been my first choice,â he admitted quietly. âYou were. I just⌠got nervous.â
âYouâre real to me.â
Your expression softened slightly.
He continued, âWith you itâs not acting. And that scared me a little because cameras catch everything.â
âThat makes no sense.â
âIt does in my head.â
You shook your head. âSo you picked a girl obsessed with you instead.â
âWhen you say it out loud it sounds terrible.â
âBecause it is terrible.â
He sighed again. âI know.â
âI want you in the video.â
You looked away immediately. âNo.â
âNo. Now it feels like pity.â
âYouâre only saying this because we fought.â
âIâm saying it because I was stupid.â
Michael stepped even closer, voice lowering.
âWhen you walked onto that set today⌠I couldnât stop looking at you.â
âEverybody else noticed too.â
âThatâs not the point.â
âI know.â His eyes softened. âThe point is I hurt you when I shouldâve chosen you from the beginning.â
You looked at him finally.
âAnd I swear to God it wasnât because she likes me.â
âBut you liked the attention.â
âAt least youâre honest.â
Another long silence stretched between you.
Then Michael reached carefully for your hand.
âYou belong with me in that video.â
Your chest tightened slightly.
âYou already filmed scenes.â
âIâll reshoot them.â
âThatâs expensive.â
You searched his face for even a hint that he was only doing damage control.
âYouâd really redo everything?â
Your voice softened despite yourself. âEven the dance scenes?â
ââŚChris is gonna clown you.â
Michael immediately brightened when he saw it.
âYou saw me all day.â
You rolled your eyes but he could see you weakening.
âI donât want to feel second place.â
His expression changed instantly.
Michael shook his head immediately. âNo. Today I acted like an idiot.â
You stared at him for a moment before finally sighing.
âYou really wanna redo the video?â
âIâll start over tonight.â
He grinned suddenly, relief washing over his face.
Then, before you could react, he wrapped his arms around you tightly.
âYou scared me today.â
âAnd Chris was enjoying it way too much.â
Michael groaned into your shoulder. âPlease donât mention his name right now.â
You laughed softly for the first time all day.
And somewhere back on set, Chris Tuckerâs voice echoed through the hallway:
âMIKE?! YOU DONE APOLOGIZING YET?!â