✧˙°. — SINCERELY, MICHAEL
𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉 𝟩: 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇
chap 1 | chap 2 | chap 3 | chap 4 | chap 5 | chap 6
𝐒𝐘𝐏𝐍𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐒: 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝖺 𝖼𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗂𝖽 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽 𝖼𝖺𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗒 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗅𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗆𝗂𝖼𝗁𝖺𝖾𝗅 𝗃𝖺𝖼𝗄𝗌𝗈𝗇. 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖻𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗌 𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗌𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗅𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝗈𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎, 𝗉𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗏𝗈𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺𝖼𝗋𝗈𝗌𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖻𝗈𝗍𝗁 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌. 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖻𝗅𝖾𝗆? 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝖾𝖾𝗍 𝖿𝖺𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝖺𝖼𝖾, 𝗒𝗈𝗎'𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗒 𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖿𝖺𝗏𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗈𝗇.
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓. 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗉𝗂𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗌𝖺𝖽𝖾, 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝖻𝖾𝗅 𝖺𝗂𝗋, 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗂, 𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗒/𝗇, 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌, 𝖼𝖾𝗅𝖾𝖻 𝗋𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾, 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀-𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾, 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗎𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝖿𝖺𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗎𝖻𝗅𝗂𝖼 𝗌𝖼𝗋𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗒, 𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗌𝗍; 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌/𝗂𝗌𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇, 𝗆𝗎𝗍𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗅𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌, 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗉𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗌, 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿, 𝖾𝗆𝗈𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝗏𝗎𝗅𝗇𝖾𝗋𝖺𝖻𝗂𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗒, 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝗇𝗈 𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗒/𝗇'𝗌 𝖺𝗉𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗒𝗈𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝗎𝗍𝖿𝗂𝗍 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖼𝗋𝗂𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌, 𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗒 𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀
· · ─ ·ʚ 📍𝐀𝐓𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀, 𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐀 𝟕:𝟏𝟖𝐀𝐌 ɞ· ─ · ·
waking up in a hotel was always disorienting for the first few seconds.
for a brief moment, you stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling, wrapped tightly in white sheets and surrounded by a room that didn't quite feel like yours yet. sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows across the suite, casting a soft glow over the furniture and painting strips of gold across the carpet.
then everything from yesterday came rushing back. lunch, the drives, the concert. your eyes immediately squeezed shut. “gosh.”
you rolled onto your side and buried your face into the pillow, hoping that somehow would make you less aware of the fact that you'd spent the entire drive back to the hotel thinking about him. unfortunately, it didn't work, and after another minute of pretending you could fall back asleep, you finally dragged yourself out of bed.
the suite was quiet as you wandered into the bathroom.
when you turned on the light, you groaned. hotel lights can be so bright.
you reached for your toiletry bag that sat on the sink, grabbing your toothbrush and toothpaste.
· · ─ ·ʚ 𝟕:𝟑𝟎 𝐀𝐌 ɞ· ─ · ·
when you stepped out the bathroon, you walked to the sitting area in the suite, walking over to the windows.
below you, atlanta was already awake. cars moved steadily through the streets, sunlight reflected off the glass buildings downtown, and far below, the city was beginning another day that had absolutely nothing to do with your current crisis.
which somehow made it feel even sillier.
you settled onto the couch with a blanket you packed draped over your legs and reached for your phone.
the screen lit up almost immediately.
you answered before the second ring.
“good morning, y/n.” his voice sounded lower than usual. a smile tugged at your lips before you could stop it. "morning."
there was a brief pause on the other end, followed by what sounded like movement. a door opened somewhere in the background before closing again, and for a moment you pictured him pacing around a hotel suite just like you were.
"did i wake you up?" he asked.
"no." you glanced at the clock on the wall. "i've been awake for a little bit."
"how long is a little bit?"
the conversation drifted naturally after that, bouncing between nothing and everything at the same time. one minute you were talking about how late the concert had ended, and the next you were talking about the shoot waiting for you later that morning.
“you said you have to be there before 11?” he asked.
“yep. i believe we actually start shooting at 11:30.”
"for me that's sleeping in."
you laughed. "you are such a liar."
"you were on stage until almost 11:30."
"exactly." the mans logic made absolutely no sense, but you found yourself smiling anyway.
there was a brief pause before he spoke again.
"just answer the question."
"what would've you gotten?"
you narrowed your eyes immediately, though he couldn’t you. "that's suspicious."
"just answer,” he chuckled.
with an exhale, you tilted your head. "french toast… maybe with a yogurt parfait..”
he hummed thoughtfully. your suspicion immediately doubled. "what are you planning?"
you snorted. "that's a lie."
"maybe.. i’ll see you later. have good morning.”
before you could argue any further, he laughed and ended the call. you pulled the phone away from your ear and stared at the screen.
something told you that conversation had not gone the way he intended you to think it had.
· · ─ ·ʚ 𝟏𝟎:𝟒𝟕𝐀𝐌 ɞ· ─ · ·
by the time you had arrived at the studio at 10:15, the entire building was already moving.
stylists crossed the room carrying garment bags over their shoulders. assistants balanced coffees and clipboards while light technicians adjusted lights large enough to temporarily blind somebody if they looked directly into them. music played softly through overhead speakers while conversations overlapped from every direction.
you were currently sat at the vanity, halfway through makeup while your hair sat in rollers when jennifer appeared beside your chair looking unusually confused.
that alone caught your attention.
she blinked once. "someone sent you breakfast."
there was only one person it could possibly be.
“excuse me,” you told the make-up artist, chloe before you walked out the dressing room, following jennifer into the foyer, toward one of the tables near the large windows.
sitting there were several white bakery boxes and a chilled jug of orange juice. the smell of cinnamon hit you before you even got close enough to see what was inside.
your mouth immediately fell open.
french toast, a yogurt parfait, with a bunch of to-go cups of syrup.
exactly how you'd said it.
resting neatly on top was a folded note. you opened it.
figured you'd forget to eat.
don't make me be right twice in one week.
- m
for a moment, you just stood there staring at it. then smiling, then trying not to smile, then completely failing.
jennifer muttered from beside you. you looked up. "what?" she pointed directly at your face. "that smile."
your eyes dropped back down to the note. the smile somehow got worse. "it's breakfast."
"it's breakfast he sent to your photoshoot."
"because i told him what i wanted."
"and he remembered," she said, matter-of-factly.
you opened your mouth to argue, then immediately closed it. because she was right. again.
you carried everything back toward your vanity, setting the breakfast down carefully beside your makeup products and hair tools. the contrast was almost funny — expensive cosmetics, designer clothes hanging nearby, and a container of french toast sitting right in the middle of it all.
you sat down in front of the mirror, pulling the chair closer.
for the first time that morning, you actually relaxed.
the studio was still loud around you. people were still rushing, but sitting there with breakfast in front of you, you felt oddly calm.
you lifted the lid of the french toast container.
the cinnamon scent filled the air again.
you blushed. in the middle of everything michael had going on — rehearsals, performances, interviews, traveling — he still thought about something as small as whether or not you'd eaten. after all, he did ask.
· · ─ ·ʚ 𝟏𝟏:𝟎𝟑𝐀𝐌 ɞ· ─ · ·
by 11, the studio had gotten even busier.
the first setup was supposed to start soon, but nothing in fashion ever went exactly according to schedule. assistants moved clothing racks across the floor, photographers adjusted cameras, and stylists debated last-minute changes before the shoot officially began.
you were finishing your yogurt parfait when one of the assistants stopped in the doorway with a clipboard.
"first setup is pushed back a little."
you looked up, turning your head towards the doorway. "how much?"
“just 15 minutes. 11:45.” a few people around the studio sighed in relief. apparently, everyone needed the extra time.
you took another sip of your orange juice, glancing around the room. "fashion is so dramatic."
jennifer laughed from beside you. "you say that like you're not part of it."
she smiled. "you love it."
you couldn't argue with that. this was your world. the cameras, the clothes, the creativity.
· · ─ ·ʚ 𝟏𝟏:𝟏𝟓𝐀𝐌 ɞ· ─ · ·
you were wearing a silky ivory camisole with a square neckline, accented by contrasting charcoal satin trim and off-the-shoulder straps. paired with it were tailored charcoal pinstripe trousers with a low-rise fit and softly flared legs. you wore simple black pointed-toe heels, along with gold bangles on both wrists and a gold necklace stack.
your hair was still in rollers from blowout you’d did, you only asked the stylist, who introduced herself as brooklyn to touch it up after the humidity from the concert.
your makeup was a soft glam. it featured a warm taupe and espresso eyeshadow that blended together into a subtle wing, a touch of champagne shimmered on the inner corners of your eyes, whilst your eyelashes were defined by mascara. it was all complemented by a rose blush and deep-brown lined lips with a nude gloss.
you were standing near the vanity while a stylist made a small adjustment to your outfit when a few conversations lowered. from where you stood, you noticed a few people looked toward the entrance with hints of gasps.
the sudden change caused jennifer to peek her head out the doorway.
“jen?” you furrowed your brows. did something involving the shoot go wrong? it better not have.
“good morning, everyone,” a familiar voice spoke. you heard the smile in his tone. everyone greeted back in unison, a mix of “good morning” and polite hellos filling the studio as people attempted to turn their attention back to their tasks.
the smile that washed over your face was immediate. you didn't even try to hide it.
jennifer glanced back at you, catching it instantly before turning toward the foyer. she lifted her hand and waved him over in your direction, a small smile playing on her lips.
you heard footsteps getting closer, steady, and unhurried, cutting through the background noise of the studio.
suddenly, you became very aware of yourself — the way you were standing, the fact that chloe had you still holding a makeup brush you weren't even using anymore, and how your hair was still in rollers.
the second your eyes met, his expression changed.
that familiar smile appeared. “hi,” he said softly.
“hi,” you replied, trying to act normal even though you knew you probably weren't doing a very good job.
michael looked at you for a second longer than necessary, taking in the outfit, the finished makeup, the whole transformation from the person he had seen sitting across from him at lunch yesterday.
you laughed lightly. “what?”
he shook his head, still smiling. “i was just going to say you look beautiful.”
your expression softened.
he took notice. “what? i just told the truth.”
you looked away for a second, turning to jennifer. "i'm so sorry, where are my manners.. michael, this is my assistant jennifer. jennifer, this is michael."
they exchanged 'hello's and 'how are you?'s.
before you could change the subject, brooklyn appeared in the room.
she cleared her throat with a small laugh. “i hate to interrupt whatever this is, but i do need her back in the chair for a few more minutes.”
you nodded. “you’re staying?” you asked shyly, turning back to him as you sat in the chair.
after you sat, you’d noticed jennifer and chloe had left the room.
“i told you i was coming.” the answer fell from his lips like it was nothing.
michael stayed where he was for another second, watching as the stylist gathered her tools and prepared to finish the last few details.
you glanced between him and the chair sitting near the corner of the dressing area. “you know you can sit, right?”
you laughed. “well duh, silly.”
he glanced around like he was genuinely unsure. “i don't want to get in the way.”
“you're not.” you gestured toward the chair. “come on.”
a small smile tugged at his lips as he walked over and took the seat. he settled back comfortably, resting one arm against the side of the chair while watching the room continue around him.
it was almost funny. the same person who you had just watched on stage in front of thousands of people the night before was now sitting quietly in the corner of a dressing room, watching someone take down your hair rollers.
“you look very serious over there,” you teased.
michael looked up. “i am serious. making sure she doesn't pull your hair.” you laughed.
brooklyn smiled from behind you. “don't worry, i won't hurt her.”
“i know, just teasing,” he replied quickly. you looked at him through the mirror.
“where’s bill?” you asked. he tilted his head toward the foyer. “he found a chair out there.” you nodded.
“well.. you've been awake for a while?” you asked, changing the subject. michael nodded. “yeah,” he shrugged, looking down at his hands. “barley slept. late night. rehearsals, everything.”
“and i had to get ready to come here.” you understood he didn’t mean it the way it came out. you quickly looked back at yourself in the mirror, bashful. “you didn't have to come this early.”
brooklyn continued working, carefully removing the last few rollers while you tried very hard not to react. “how was your morning?” you asked, distracting yourself.
michael thought for a second. “trying to get through calls i didn’t really want to answer. then.. i called you and thought about breakfast."
you looked at him through the mirror. he nodded. “you sounded like you hadn't eaten.”
"well," you started with a small smile, "thank you."
before he could respond, brooklyn stepped back. “okay, almost done.”
you looked at your reflection.
your hair finally fell into place, the last few adjustments being made with a comb before the shoot started.
“what about you?” michael asked. “how was your morning?”
you laughed softly. “stressful,” you gestured around you.
brooklyn finished the last touch and moved away. “gorgeous,” she smiled.
your hair now freshly held soft curls in a middle part all over again. “thank you.”
“see?” michael asked rhetorically as he nodded. “you got through sitting here,” he smiled.
to you, this simple little moment felt more intimate than anything else, because he was there. just there. sitting in your dressing room and watching you get yourself together like this was the most normal thing in the world.
“jennifer!” brooklyn snapped you out of the trance.
after a brief moment, jennifer immediately appeared in the doorway, already smiling before she even stepped fully inside. the second she saw you, her expression changed into one of genuine excitement.
“oh my! you look like a doll! you’re so beautiful,” she clasped her hands together, hiding her smile with it. she looked so happy.
“thank you, jen.” you giggled.
“i mean it. everything about this look is perfect. the hair, the makeup, the outfit… they really did their thing.” you smiled at your reflection in the mirror, standing now.
jennifer turned to glance at michael, dropping her hands. “also, you have a very supporting audience member who agrees.” the room shared a laughed.
a few moments later, chloe came in to add more gloss to your lips. “alright, y/n.. we're ready for you!” you nodded with a small ‘thank you.’
you looked toward the door, then at michael.
“c’mon. you can sit with bill?” you raised your brows, a shy smile tugging at your lips.
“alright,” he returned the smile.
and with that, you all walked out the dressing room, toward the lights.
the energy immediately hit.
the quiet, comfortable atmosphere of the dressing room disappeared, replaced by the familiar buzz of the studio. assistants moved around with clipboards, stylists carried clothing pieces from one side of the room to the other, and the photographer was already going through revisions for the next setup.
as you walked toward the set, your eyes drifted toward the foyer.
bill was sitting comfortably in one of the chairs near the entrance, watching everything unfold from a distance. he looked up at the sound of footsteps and immediately smiled when he saw the 5 of you walking out.
you lifted your hand, giving him a quick wave.
michael noticed, glancing between you and bill.
bill gave michael a small nod before returning his attention to the room, giving the two of you your space without making it obvious.
you turned back toward the set as someone called your name again.
you took a breath then looked back at michael one last time.
he smiled. “go ahead. i won’t go anywhere,” he nodded.
· · ─ ·ʚ 𝟏𝟏:𝟒𝟕𝐀𝐌 ɞ· ─ · ·
you stepped onto the set, the familiar brightness of the lights immediately catching your attention.
a floor-to-ceiling backdrop of flowing matte black drapery caught in soft, elegant folds. the fabric pooled naturally at the base.
centered, but facing to the left in front of the backdrop sat a curved white boucle accent chair with rounded edges and a plush silhouette, while a tall leafy plant in a black planter rested just beside it.
the photographer, marc adjusted his camera while the assistants made a few final changes around you. someone fixed the one of the drapes of the backdrop, someone else adjusted the reflector, and the stylist gave one last look over your outfit before stepping away.
“alright, y/n,” marc called. “whenever you're ready.”
you walked over to the chair and sat sideways in it, body angled towards the camera.
one leg tucked beneath you and the other bent comfortably in front. your right elbow rested along the arm of the chair as you gently propped your head against your hand, a slight tilt of your head.
“beautiful,” marc said as the camera flashed.
you moved your left hand to rest against your body, hand laying on your knee. your eyes moved as if you were looking to the side, like it was a candid.
“hold that. that’s perfect.”
michael had spent years learning how to watch without being noticed.
it came with the territory.
from stages to award shows to recording studios as well as cameras, interviews, questions, expectations. there was rarely a moment where he could simply exist without feeling like someone was paying attention.
but sitting in the corner of that studio felt different.
for once, he wasn't the person everyone was looking at.
he was watching you, and he enjoyed it.
of course bill noticed. he'd worked with michael long enough to know when something had his attention.
"you like it here?" he asked casually.
michael looked over. "what?"
bill nodded toward the set. "the shoot, silly.”
michael glanced back at you.
you were standing beneath the lights, listening to the photographer give directions before the camera started clicking again.
now, you were draped over the front the chair. you were leaned forward with both hands planted firmly against the rounded backrest for support. one knee rested on the seat cushion, the heel of your shoe lifted whilst your other leg extended toward the floor behind you. your head was turned to look directly into the camera.
there was something different about seeing you in your element.
on the phone, he knew your laugh. at lunch, he knew the way you smiled when you were trying not to. but here? he got to see the version of you that everyone else knew.
"yeah," michael answered quietly. “she works hard.”
that was what he liked most.
it wasn't just that you looked beautiful, he already knew that. it was the way you carried yourself.
the way you listened to the photographer and immediately understood what he wanted, how you thanked every assistant who helped you, how you smiled at people who probably wouldn't even remember the interaction later.
you were kind when nobody was watching, and michael began noticing things like that.
· · ─ ·ʚ 𝟏𝟐:𝟒𝟏𝐏𝐌 ɞ· ─ · ·
the first look went by faster than you expected.
before you knew it, marc was lowering his camera, looking directly at you while the assistants were already moving around the set, preparing for the next setup.
you smiled, lowering your shoulders slightly now that the first look was finished. "thank you."
"come here for a second." he motioned you over to the monitor.
you crossed the set, heels clicking softly against the floor as he pulled up around 2 dozens of shots. immediately, your eyes widened.
marc laughed. "good reaction."
you leaned in closer. the photos were stunning.
the lighting hit exactly where it needed to, the outfit photographed beautifully, every detail the team had spent the morning perfecting suddenly made sense.
"told you,” he clicked through a few more. "this one." you nodded immediately. "that's my favorite."
"absolutely." he pointed again. "and this one."
after you went through all of them, marc spoke. “well.. i have to get the next set together. if you need anything, tell jennifer to grab me, okay? just relax until then.”
when he stepped away, your attention drifted, just slightly, toward the foyer. toward michael.
he was sitting beside bill, one arm draped over the back of the chair, listening to something bill was saying.
you — without really thinking about it, lifted your hand and motioned him over. his entire attention shifted instantly.
bill’s focus immediately followed michael’s gaze before letting out an airy laugh.
michael shook his head and stood anyway.
“how do you feel?” he asked as he finally stopped beside you.
instead of answering, you pointed toward the monitor like that was the answer itself. it was. "look."
he leaned forward slightly. his eyes moved across the photographs before he then looked at you. "...wow."
"that's exactly what you said this morning,” you rolled your eyes as he smiled. "which one's your favorite?" you asked.
you followed his finger. "really?"
you glanced back at the photo.
it wasn't the most dramatic shot from the set. it wasn't the one with the strongest pose or the most interesting lighting. if anything, it was one of the simpler ones.
he pointed toward the photo again. "that smile. you’re a natural, honest.”
it wasn't a posed smile. you hadn't even realized you'd been smiling when the picture was taken. he was right. it was completely natural.
"i think somebody said something funny."
"maybe." you glanced over, seeing a smile on his face as he still looked the monitor.
for a moment, the two of you stood there looking through the photos together. every so often he'd point something out, and every so often you'd disagree just to be difficult.
"you know, you're your own toughest critic. every picture you've liked so far has been the one everybody else liked too."
"...have you been paying attention?"
he looked almost confused by the question.
you tilted your head at him before the sound of someone wheeling a clothing rack past the 2 of you caught your attention.
the next outfit. the realization made you groan dramatically.
luckily, it was your last look for the day.
michael immediately laughed. "what?" you pointed toward the rack. "that."
he looked it over. "looks nice,” he teased. “you'll survive."
you stared at him whilst he smiled. suddenly, you just might’ve understood why bill looked so amused all the time.
"c'mon," you said, finally stepping away from the monitor with a shake of your head.
the two of you made your way back toward the dressing room while the crew prepared the next setup. people moved around carrying garment bags, makeup cases, and lighting equipment, the studio becoming even busier than it had been an hour ago.
by the time you reached the dressing room, chloe was already waiting for you. she stood behind the vanity chair, her hands rested on the back of it. "there she is."
you smiled apologetically.
you obeyed immediately, dropping back into the chair.
michael returned to the chair he'd been sitting in earlier, settling comfortably against the wall like he'd been there all morning.
which, at this point, he practically had.
chloe picked up a triangle powder puff, lightly patting your face while another stylist started smoothing out the outift.
for a few minutes, the room settled.
"you know," michael started. you looked at him through the mirror. "what?"
"i think this is harder than my job."
chloe immediately laughed. "absolutely not."
"you're on a world tour,” chloe spoke, furrowing her brows.
he gestured around the room. "all i have to do is sing."
you smacked your teeth at his comment while chloe reached for the lip pencil.
"all you have to do is sing?"
chloe pointed the liner at him. "i'd like you to know she was calm until you got here."
"that's not true," michael shot back playfully.
"it is." her attention shifted back to you.
michael leaned back in his chair, a soft smile on his face as he watched you through the mirror.
and every time your eyes accidentally met his reflection —
neither of you looked away quite as quickly as you probably should have.
for a few moments, the room settled again.
brushes moved softly across your face. hangers shifted against the clothing rack. someone quietly debated shoe options with a stylist near the corner.
through it all, michael stayed exactly where he was, occasionally joining whatever conversation happened to be taking place.
"how much longer?" he asked.
your chloe looked at him through the mirror. "why?"
"uh-huh,” she smiled, "five minutes."
michael’s face dropped, "oh."
"you thought i was almost done, didn't you?" you laughed. "that's adorable."
he shook his head with huff.
a few moments later, one of the stylists wheeled the outfit closer from the corner.
immediately, everyone's attention shifted.
it was an ivory two-piece set with a silky, long-sleeved blouse with a deep v-neckline, and a softly ruched bodice that cinched your waist. adjustable drawstrings trailed from each side of the top, while the bishop sleeves gathered into fitted cuffs. the bottoms were low-rise tailored pants. the heels you were going to wear now were still strappy, but now gold.
the stylist smiled. "that's exactly the reaction i wanted."
"i don't even know where to start."
you stood from the vanity chair, walking closer to inspect it.
michael stood too. almost automatically.
"wow what?" your head turned to her.
you were still smiling when the stylist finally clapped her hands together. "okay, enough." everyone looked over. she pointed directly at michael. "you. you have to go.”
"i just got comfortable." michael put his hands up in surrender. the room immediately exploded with laughter.
"and now you're leaving."
you laughed so hard you had to look away. michael glanced over at you. "you're enjoying this way too much."
"a little.” you burst into another fit. “ok maybe a lot.”
he sighed. "unbelievable. i'll be outside."
you raised a brow. "don't tell me what to do."
and then he finally stepped out into the foyer. the door closed behind him.
you groaned instantly. “stop.” everyone started laughing once again. "seriously, leave me alone."
"we are leaving you alone."
"you're literally all staring at me."
you buried your face in your hands. that only made them laugh harder.
fortunately, the outfit change gave you a reason to escape. for the next twenty minutes, you were too occupied with fussing over the ruched waist, tightening the side ties into neat bows, and instructed not to wrinkle things to think about anyone outside the dressing room.
"you’ve said that three times."
you laughed. "okay, okay."
eventually, your heels were on your feet and everyone stepped back.
you turned toward the mirror.
for a moment, nobody said anything.
then — "oh." the stylist was speechless.
"that's the one,” jennifer pitched in with a giggle.
your stylist nodded immediately. "really."
you looked at your reflection again. you had to admit it, this outfit was gorgeous down to a t.
"alright," marc’s voice called from somewhere outside. "we're ready!.. oh gosh, fix that!”
you took a breath. suddenly, the nerves were back. not overwhelming though. just enough for you to acknowledge that they were there.
the familiar feeling before stepping in front of a camera. before you could dwell on it too long, the dressing room door opened after a knock.
he stopped the second he saw you.
the smile that had been on his face disappeared, but trust me, nothing was wrong.
it was because he'd forgotten whatever he was about to say.
you noticed immediately and so did everyone else. "michael?"
the room burst out laughing while your brows furrowed. "that's all you've got?"
he looked genuinely flustered. "i had something else."
michael rubbed the back of his neck, still staring. it was not helping his case. at all. he shook his head slightly.
"okay," jennifer announced loudly. "before i become physically ill from whatever this is, let's go."
and a minute later, the 5 of you were walking back toward the set together again.
you were met with layers upon layers of newspaper covering the wall and the floor. literally every inch of the walls and floor. it was honestly a beautiful contrast with your outfit.
marc looked up then smiled. "there she is.” the lights came back on while the music turned back up again.
when you stepped on to the set, marc looked at you intently. you raised your eyebrows in curiousity, noticing his camera was no longer hanging by the lanyard around his neck — but instead on the desk where the monitor sat. there was a remote in his hand.
he pointed up to the ceiling, causing you to look. the camera had a birds-eye view, using a heavy metal c-stand with a boom arm.
“for this,” he started, causing you to look back at him. “you’re gonna be lying down. jennifer should be coming back by now..” he looked around just as everyone else. “basically,” he turned back to you. “you’re going to be “reading” a newspaper with you on the cover.”
right after, jennifer appeared with said newspaper. she approached with a quick walk, handing it to you with a ‘sorry’ you tilted your head “girl, you’re fine.” she exhaled, stepping off the set.
you looked at it, the headline read..
“Y/N: THE RISING STAR EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT”.
you laughed. “how’d you guys get this?” you looked up. “we had it printed off.” marc answered. you nodded.
you had made your debut 5 years ago. seeing the article now felt strange, like looking at a completely different version of yourself.
you still remembered the first time you read it.
aaron had been sitting right beside you, grinning so hard his face probably hurt. he was so proud of you. he'd spent the rest of the day reading every positive sentence aloud, pointing at the headline every chance he got. if anyone had asked, you would've sworn he was more excited about your debut than you were. he sputtered countless compliments toward you.
“you’re going to be the people’s princess, watch. you’re already america’s sweetheart now.”
"oh my god, y/n, they called you a star in the making."
"i'm framing this article." and he did, at most 20 minutes later.
after, you squatted, dropping yourself onto the floor carefully. after all the hard work in the dressing room, you surely weren’t going to mess anything up before you even got comfortable enough to take pictures.
marc took the opportunity to turn to the monitor.
you ended up in a pose where you were lying on the floor, on your back, with one leg bent while the other stayed flat on the floor.
your head rests on the floor as you opened the newspaper, making it visible to the camera.. you held up in front of your face, just below your eyes. you peered into the camera.
“keep it up,” you heard him say before he snapped the frame. he pressed a button on the remote that he held on his hand, taking a few pictures.
you turned onto your front, laying on your stomach now. your feet kicked in the air. you still held onto the newspaper, it just laid out in front of you now.
“um..” you turned your head to marc. he looked back at you. “maybe a zoom in? where it looks like i’m looking down reading it?” you gave a shy smile. “of course,” he smiled back before turning back to the monitor.
you heard the click maybe a dozen times, assuming him zooming in. “okay y/n… i’m gonna take it now.” you heard, freezing so it was perfect. you heard the click another few times, flashing around you. “that was perfect, y/n,” marc complimented.
“would you like the props now?” you turned your head. a crew member was talking to marc.
he glanced at you for a moment before turning back to the person he was talking to. “yeah. thank you,” marc said. the crew member nodded as he turned away.
“ok..” marc leaned up from the monitor, turning down the music before walking over to you.
you sat up. “you’re doing perfect don’t worry. we wanted you to do some shots crouching. is that okay?” he gestured towards your heels. you giggled “yes,” you assured. he nodded, “good, i didn’t want you uncomfortable at all.” he smiled as he spoke before he turned around, turning a corner somewhere.
a moment later, the same crew came over with a box. 2 people followed. “hey, you can stay right where you are.” the person with the box carried, licking his lips at you as he placed the box down.
chloe took the initative to walk over, reapplying your lipcombo.
“you’re a beauty,” she complimented while you smacked your lips together. you smiled.
“oh! well.. thank you both.” you glanced between them, smile still on your face.
the man winked at you with a smile before he got up, walking away. you turned back to chloe who shrugged, confused as well.
across the room, michael had been half-listening to the photographer's instructions while watching you prepare for the next set of shots.
you were laughing about something.
then the props arrived. at first, he didn't think much of it.
crew members were constantly moving around the studio. people came and went every few minutes carrying equipment, clothing racks, cameras, lights.
completely normal. until one of them lingered.
michael noticed it immediately. his face dropped.
the man set the box down, but instead of walking away, after settling the ‘props’ down, he stayed there. looking at you.
michael had noticed him almost an hour ago.
not because he'd been paying attention to the crew, he really hadn't.
most of the faces blurred together after a while. assistants moved constantly. stylists came and went. photographers, makeup artists, lighting technicians. people everywhere.
but somehow, he kept noticing the same person. at first, he thought it was coincidence.
the guy happened to be near the set during the first look.
then again when the photographer showed you the pictures.
then again caught him staring at you while you had stepped onto the set.
nothing worth thinking about, except michael kept catching him looking. he didn't think much of it.. or at least he tried not to.
you were beautiful. people looked. that wasn't exactly breaking news.
still — when the crew member appeared again carrying a box of props, michael recognized him immediately.
the guy set the box down whilst chloe stepped forward.
"you're a beauty." you smiled politely. "thank you."
the crew member. of course.
michael looked down briefly, then back toward the set. the guy was smiling now. just lingering.
you thanked him the same way you thanked everyone else. kind, friendly. completely unaware. that made it worse.
you weren't encouraging anything. you were just being you.
"what?" bill's voice cut through his thoughts.
"what?" michael looked away from the set, turning to bill. the stupid part was — he wasn't annoyed at the guy. he really wasn't doing anything wrong.
"you've been staring over there for a while." bill stated. michael immediately looked away.
if anything, the guy’s reaction made perfect sense. michael understood it better than most. he'd spent the entire day watching people react to you.
"i have not. i was watching the shoot."
bill's expression suggested he didn't believe that for a second. there was quite literally a break right in their faces.
michael just wasn't sure why he cared. that bothered him far more than the crew member ever could.
when you glanced toward the foyer a few seconds later and your eyes immediately found his — he smiled before he could stop himself.
and when you smiled back?
the strange feeling from earlier disappeared completely as michael leaned back in his chair.
bill looked over then smiled to himself. michael seemed much happier now than he had thirty seconds ago, and he didn't even realize it.
“alright!” you heard from marc who was turning the corner. you looked around the set now.
surrounding you, the ‘props’ were vinyls and cds of your albums diamond life, promise, and stronger than pride.
a smile tugged at your lips.
seeing them all together like this felt strange. those albums represented years of your life. years spent recording, touring, promoting, performing. years of growth. years of learning.
"okay," marc called, checking the monitor. “now, were doing both birds-eye and pov. for this set, i want it to feel reflective."
you looked over. "reflective?"
"like you're looking back on everything."
you laughed. "that's a lot of pressure."
“good,” he said as he turned, picking up his camera from where it sat, and put the lanyard around his neck.
you immediately got into position at the sight.
your body was faced diagonal instead of right infront the camera. you crouched low with your knees together. one hand ‘reached’ out to grab the diamond life, your first album’s vinyl, while your other hand grabbed the newspaper, tucking it against your side where you could see the headline. your torso was leaned slightly forward like you were giving the vinyl your full attention while you looked at it.
“perfect!” marc raised his voice slightly before he snapped a few pictures. “now look at me.”
you obliged, straightening up your posture, turning your head towards the camera.
again, you didn’t notice it.
as marc explained what he wanted from you before you started shooting again, the man stepped around the corner carrying the remote for the birds-eye camera setup.
you didn't pay him any attention, you were too focused on following directions.
michael, however, recognized him immediately.
the same guy from earlier. the one who'd called you beautiful.
he stopped near the edge of the set, going towards the monitor while you got into position.
the crew member glanced toward you then smiled.
for some reason, his jaw tightened slightly. just enough for him to notice. the annoying part was that nothing was actually happening. the guy was doing his job — holding the remote, waiting to follow marc’s lead.
michael eventually looked away, turning his attention back to you.
when you fully got comfortable into your first pose, leaning to “pick” up the vinyl, the man waited for the perfect time to press the button.
“perfect!” marc shouted, pressing the button to his camera a few times. above the set, the mounted camera clicked. another shot. then another.
that made michael turn back to the man, just to see his reaction. he found him nodding his head at marc’s compliment.
nobody noticed except michael.
across the set, still completely unaware, you were smiling as marc showed you where he wanted your hands. that made michael feel a little better, because at least you hadn't seen it.
which was ridiculous. completely ridiculous.
but he wasn't ready to think too hard about why.
your body was now fully turned to the side. your head was slightly tilted away from the camera with one hand gently covering part of your face and the other rested loosely against your knee. your hair fully covered your face, not being able to see your side profile as it fell over your shoulder.
“stay juuussstttt like that,” marc said, taking pictures in quick succession. “i’m trying,” you giggled.
“just effortless. alright, y/n, you can do what ever you want now.”
you gently sat yourself on the floor, hands falling behind you as you propped yourself up. your head faced the ceiling, and with a slight head tilt to the side, you gazed into the birds-eye camera.
out of your peripheral, you saw marc jog over to the monitor, staring at the screen.
“wow, y/n.” you saw the camera shutter 5 times.
“whew..” you whispered to yourself.
you turned your body to lay to the side but facing the front, your legs curled up in a small bend. one of your hands laid on the floor while the other went to your hip elegantly.
marc took the intiative to jog back over.
when he held his camera back up, you gave it a direct gaze.
“i love that.” you heard marc say as clicks followed.
he lowered his camera slightly, “can i get 6?” not even a second later, you heard 6 pairs of feet shuffle from behind him.
they appeared on the set beside you.
“alright, i want each one of you to pick up something and form a circle around her face. y/n don’t move.” his voice was stern. “this is the last one for today.”
soon after, either a vinyl or cd surrounded your face.
marc took a moment to take the picture, zooming in some so hands weren’t made very obvious.
after the last 5 clicks, marc raised his hands with a bright smile.
“you did it!! flawless, honestly.”
everyone in the crew began clapping before you giggled.
“thank you,” you smiled as the claps died down.
“no, thank you. i can’t wait to work with you again tomorrow,” marc returned the smile. "i'll send the pictures to your manager, i'm sure you want to get out of here."
and before you knew it, people were already moving around the set again.
the same people that held the ‘props’ took them, someone rolled a lighting stand away. conversations picked back up now that the pressure of getting the shot was over.
“marc was right..” whispering to yourself with an exhale.
between the heels and how long you'd been crouched on the floor, your legs felt slightly numb.
without thinking much of it, you took it. "thank you."
"of course. you alright?" he helped pull you to your feet before letting go.
you laughed softly. "yeah. my knees just hate me right now."
he smiled. "well, for what it's worth, the pictures looked amazing."
you smiled politely. "thank you."
"i'm kenneth, nice to meet you."
"i'm y/n, nice to meet you as well."
before the conversation could go much further, jennifer called your name from across the room. "y/n!"
you immediately looked over. "coming!"
when you turned back, kenneth stepped aside.
"guess they're stealing you."
you laughed. "i'm so sorry."
"well, hopefully i'll see you tomorrow."
with one final smile, you headed toward the dressing room area, not even crossing your mind of the pair of eyes that had quietly followed the entire interaction from the other side of the studio.
you headed toward the dressing room area while the crew slowly began breaking down the set.
jennifer stood near the entrance of the dressing room, waving you over. “come here for a second.”
michael stayed seated for a moment after marc called the final shot.
the room immediately came back to life.
crew members moved around the set but michael stayed where he was.
he hasn’t told you yet, but he’s watched you perform in front of thousands of people on a vhs tape quincy had. he'd watched you command a stage like you were born for it.
except here, there was no crowd cheering, no microphone in your hand, no spotlight following your every move. just you.
it was the little things.
how you blushed whenever someone complimented you, how you were patient when something had to get done, how you didn’t complain not one bit.
he'd spent years surrounded by people who wanted something from him.
but with you... it felt easy.
maybe that was what caught him off guard.
between talking on the phone often to now sitting here watching your photos come to life — you had already become someone he looked for in a room in such little time.
michael shook the thought away before it could settle too deeply. especially not when you would look over from across the studio a moment later and smiled at him like he was the only person there.
you looked at her curiously. “what happened?”
“nothing happened,” she assured quickly, laughing. “i just need you in the dressing room.”
you narrowed your eyes slightly. “need?”
“you’re dramatic. it’s not loud out here to you? you need a break y/n..”
you laughed, shaking your head as you walked over. “okayyy, my fault for assuming.”
jennifer held the door open for you, letting you step inside first.
the dressing room was much quieter than the studio floor, a complete contrast to the chaos outside.
your bags were still sitting near the vanity, along with a few pieces of jewelry and makeup products you'd taken off throughout the day.
you looked at yourself in the mirror for a moment. countless minutes of hair, makeup, posing, lights, and you still felt like the day had gone by too quickly.
“you did really good today,” jennifer said softly.
you looked over at her through the mirror. “thank you. i was so nervous.”
for a moment, the two of you just stood there.
jennifer watched you as you began removing the pieces of jewelry you wore, carefully placing them back into your bag. you were sure you were gonna use them tomorrow.
“it’s crazy,” you stated.
“what?” jennifer furrowed her brows.
“having moments like this.” you gestured vaguely around the room. “sometimes i still feel like i’m that girl who was nervous about releasing her first album.”
jennifer’s expression softened. “and now look at you.”
a small knock sounded against the door. both of you looked over. “come in.”
the door opened slightly. a familiar face appeared. “am i interrupting?”
michael leaned against the doorway with a small grin.
jennifer looked between the two of you.
“i suddenly have somewhere else to be.” she only smiled before disappearing down the hallway.
the door closed behind her.
michael stepped further inside. “so…” you turned toward him. “so?” he smiled. “you survived.” you laughed. “barely.”
he walked closer, glancing around the vanity as you put stuff in your bag. “you were good.” the compliment was simple. you smiled softly. “thank you.”
“no, really.” he looked at you.
you shook your head, still smiling as you finished putting the last few things into your bag. “you know, you’re very committed for someone who was supposed to just stop by.”
michael looked offended. “supposed to?”
you glanced over at him. “yes.”
he shrugged. “i was there.”
you rolled your eyes. “that’s your argument?” you asked rhetorically.
“so,” michael started with a shake of his head, looking around the dressing room. “how many more pictures do you have to take?”
you shrugged. “i believe 2 more looks tomorrow along with an interview.
michael nodded. “that's not too bad.”
“that's because you're not the one getting poked in the eye with a mascara wand at 10 in the morning.”
he laughed. you yourself tried to hold a serious expression. you lasted about two seconds before laughing yourself.
and judging by the grin on his face, that had been exactly his goal.
outside, you could hear a few crew members saying their goodbyes as they headed toward the exit. the studio was officially winding down.
“well,” you finally said, glancing at the clock. “you should get to rehearsals now. i need a nap,” you threw your duffle bag over your shoulder.
regardless, neither of you moved. neither of you seemed particularly eager to.
michael laughed. “a nap?”
“wowwww.” you said dramatically with an eyeroll.
“um.. can i come tomorrow, too?” he asked, a bit shy, voice low.
the question caught you off guard.
“you sat through this entire day and want to do it again?”
a grin tugged at his lips. “i handled it today. are you doubting me?”
you laughed. “you were bored.”
“i was not.” he shook his head, smiling. “i wasn't bored.”
you laughed softly as you stepped around him to grab your purse. michael lightly caught your waist, stopping you before you could get very far.
the touch wasn't forceful. barely there, really.
you looked up, his hand immediately dropped away. “you didn't answer my question.”
a smile tugged at your lips. “you're very persistent.”
you groaned dramatically, earning a laugh from him.
“yes, you can come tomorrow.”
his grin widened immediately. the two of you finally made your way toward the door.
you glanced over. “what?”
“we've been trying to leave for ten minutes.”
“michael.. that’s completely your fault.”
“that's not true.” michael looked genuinely offended, pulling the dressing room door open.
the hallway was much quieter now. most of the crew had already gone home. the remaining few offered smiles and waves as you passed.
you returned each goodbye with a smile.
by the time the two of you reached the foyer, the studio was nearly empty.
you spotted jennifer near the exit talking with bill, who was checking something on his watch. the second jennifer noticed you and michael walking out together, a small smile tugged at her lips.
bill glanced between the two of you, amused. but he knew why.
“are you ready?” you nodded at her question, handing her your duffle bag as she reached for it. “yeah.”
bill stepped forward, checking the time on his wrist.
the three of you made your way outside, the warm atlanta afternoon air hitting you as soon as the doors opened.
the sun was still high, nothing like the golden glow from earlier in the morning.
it was only 2:45, but your day already felt full.
you shifted all your weight to one leg, “same time tomorrow,” you said with a sigh.
jennifer immediately groaned. “don't remind me.”
bill checked his watch again. “11:15.”
“we didn’t need the reminder, bill,” you teased as you turned to him.
“thought you might’ve wanted it,” he teased back with a playful wink. michael laughed beside you. “i think bill is right.”
“you too? wow, honestly not even surprised anymore.” you shook your head as you 4 shared a laugh.
as everyone began making their way toward their cars, you turned back toward michael.
now, bill and jennifer we’re walking ahead of the 2 of you, carrying on with their own conversation.
“good luck tonight.” you stated.
“i figured you'd say that.” a small smile appeared on his face. “and you, get some rest.”
you laughed. “still teasing me about needing a nap, huh? you sound like jennifer.”
you laughed. “you tell me.”
“y/n!” jennifer interrupted from in front of you, pointing. you followed her finger, seeing the truck where your bodyguard sat. next to him in the passenger seat, you saw aaron.
immediately, your face lit up of the sight of your manager finally being here.
you finally turned back toward michael. “well… i’ll see you tomorrow,” you smiled. “good luck at tonight.”
“thank you,” michael opened his arms slightly. “come here.”
the invitation caught you off guard for half a second before you stepped forward and hugged him.
“thank you for coming today,” you said.
when you pulled back, he smiled.
you rolled your eyes lightly. “don't gas me, you already told me that.”
he looked over his shoulder. “i guess that's my cue.”
“alright.. i'll see you tomorrow,” you said softly, turning around to walk to the car. “see you.”
turning back once more, michael was already watching. you gave him a small wave. he returned it.
jennifer opened the backseat door. you slid into the row while she followed behind you.
“finally. there’s my superstar.”
you turned your attention to the passenger seat. aaron was sitting there, a small grin on his face.
you relaxed into your seat, letting out a breath you didn't realize you'd been holding. “really good.”
a smile appeared on your face before you could stop it.
“marc, the photographer was amazing. the whole team was.”
“michael jackson too, huh?”
you immediately covered your face whilst jennifer began laughing beside you.
“jennifer, cut it out. i’m disappointed in you too.”
“look, y/n.. you have to talk to me about these things.”
you dropped your hands from your face. “what things?”
“things like having michael jackson at your photoshoot. trust me, i’m not mad at either of you, i promise.
“you sound like it,” you replied with a bashful tone, “you’re doing the disappointed dad voice.”
aaron shook his head. “i just would have appreciated knowing.”
you sighed. “you’re right, ‘m sorry. i just didn’t think it was a big deal.” jennifer nodded in agreeance before you continued, “but, when you say it like that..”
“angel, don’t overthink it. all i’m saying is… next time something like this happens, maybe give me a little warning,” he nodded with a raise of his eyebrows.
after that moment the car pulled off.
the day had been long and a little overwhelming. still, you couldn't stop smiling.
by the time you arrived back at the hotel after you all went out to eat, you let out a long breath, dropping your bag onto the chair near the suite doors. “finally.”
aaron laughed as he followed behind you. “you say that like you just ran a marathon.”
jennifer rolled her eyes playfully, walking further into the suite. “you took pictures.”
“for hours.” you gave her a stern look.
you sat on the couch, kicked your shoes off, and finally giving your feet a break.
aaron watched for a moment before grabbing the folder he had brought with him. “alright.”
you immediately looked over.
you groaned. “aaron, i just sat down.”
“and now you’re sitting down while we talk.”
you stared at him. “that is the most manager answer you could’ve given.”
“that wasn’t a compliment.”
“i’m choosing to take it as one.”
a few moments later, all 3 of you were settled in the living room area of the suite.
you sat curled up on one end of the couch while jennifer sat on the other end, aaron sat across from you with the papers in his hands.
“okay,” aaron said, flipping through the pages. “tomorrow’s interview. nothing too complicated. they’ll probably ask about the album first.”
“blah, blah, blah. next.”
“how it feels seeing how far you’ve come.”
you smiled slightly. “that one always gets asked.”
“because it’s true,” aaron shrugged. “you have a lot to talk about,” he handed you some papers.
you settled them in your lap, not even taking a glance at them.
“a few years ago, i was just hoping people would hear my music.”
aaron smiled softly. “and now they want to know everything about it,” he nodded as he spoke, “and tomorrow, just remember that.”
“you’re not there because you got lucky,” his voice softened,“you’re there because you earned it.”
you smiled. “thanks, aaron.”
for a moment, the room went quiet after you finally had a chance to look at the papers.
the pages were filled with possible questions, notes, and reminders from your pr team.
you scanned through them, occasionally highlighting something or making a small note in the margins.
“okay,” you said after a moment.
you held up the papers slightly. “they really are going to ask everything.”
he smiled. “i told you. for instance, ‘what does success mean to you now compared to when you first started?’”
“okay, that one is harder.”
“why?” aaron leaned back against the couch.
“because the answer changes,” you answered in a duh tone.
he nodded. “that's actually a good answer.”
you looked down at the paper again. “when i first started, i think success was just… being heard.” you traced your finger along the edge of the page. “having people know my name. having someone connect with a song i wrote.”
jennifer listened quietly from beside you. “and now?”
you thought for a second.
“now i think it’s about creating something that lasts.”
aaron smiled. “there you go.”
“aaron, i can’t just say whatever comes to my mind.” you laughed softly.
“because it’s an interview.”
he pointed toward the papers. “they don’t want a rehearsed answer. they want you.”
“okay…” you nodded with a small smile.
aaron looked over. “next question?”
“‘who are some people who have inspired you throughout your career?’”
a small smile appeared on your face.
“good. it means you have people worth talking about.”
for the first time since sitting down, tomorrow didn’t feel quite as intimidating.
"alright, you wanna see your pictures?"
by the time the evening came around, the hotel suite had finally gotten quiet.
before your shower, aaron and jennifer had retreated to their own rooms after stating that you needed a break.
you were curled up in the suite’s bed, the blanket over your legs, when the phone rang.
you glanced over before you picked up the phone.
“hey.. what are you doing?” his voice was calm.
“just laying down,” you spoke with a huff.
he laughed softly. “what’s wrong?”
“my manager. didn’t even have my nap. shouldn't you be getting ready?”
“then why are you calling me?” you asked, confusion laced in your voice.
“oh,” a small smile tugged at your lips.
“yeah.” you looked down, tracing the edge of the blanket. “it’s okay.”
you could hear people moving faintly in the background, a voice calling his name.
“good luck. you’re gonna be amazing.”
“you think?” a small smile could be heard through the phone.
“michael, i know. i literally just watched you perform.”
“i’ll see you tomorrow. goodnight, y/n.”
ᝰ a/n: tried to soft launch michael being jealous..
ik this is long overdue, if you wanna bma i'm all for it tbh
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