Chapter 18

"Why can't I just call him? It's been a week and a half!" I exclaim, frustratedly standing next to the landline in the hallway.

"Who do you think you are, raising your voice at me? Do you pay the phone bill?" My father snaps at me.

"God!" I mutter, annoyed beyond belief.

I was getting worried. Michael and his brothers should have been back home four days ago. But I hadn't received not one call from them. What was going on?

I'm about to angrily go up to my bedroom when my mother catches my forearm.

She leans into my ear and says, "Go to the den. There's a vintage dial phone. You're father thinks it's just an antique. You can have it."

"Thank you," I smile gratefully and change directions, almost running to the den.

I have to know what's going on with Michael. I just hope everything's alright.

I scope out the den and my eyes land on the yellow phone. I quickly grab it, dialing the number Michael gave me before he left on the way to my room.

The phone rings up to six times and I'm laying on my bed before somebody finally picks it up.

"Hello?"

It's a female voice. I know that I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but my heart takes a hit.

Is there someone else to keep him busy? Someone close enough to him to answer his personal phone? I don't know what to think.

Pushing aside my pain and confusion, I force myself to end the awkward phone silence.

"Um, hi. I just wanted to speak to Michael Jackson."

"He's not available right now. He and his brothers are rehearsing at the moment. May I take a message?"

"Just tell him that Aniko called, please." I say.

"Sure. Goodbye know," and the phone clicks off.

I hang the phone up and grab a pillow, screaming into it. In an attempt to release all my feelings bottled up inside.

Could he have known that he'd be away for longer than one week? Now that I think back, he did pack quite a lot of clothes.

Whatever the case may be, I just want him here. Holding me.

I need him like a compass. Like a knife. Like a lit match in the darkness.

I lay there and close my eyes until my mind absorbs the rest of my being.

-

I spend the Thanksgiving break volunteering in the children's hospital and helping out in my father's church.

I just returned from the hospital back home. Of course, they all wanted to see Michael again.

I spent so much time there, that they'd offered me a job, which I accepted. They give me happiness, and help take my mind off of Michael's absence.

I feel annoyance, realizing that tomorrow is school once again. I'd rather stay in that hospital. Those kids are inspiring.

I learned that Sophie, the girl gave me the advice to marry Michael, has a terminal illness, anemia. The medical director told me she has nine months to live, at the most. But she's a six-year-old warrior.

I lock my mom's blue Mini, making sure it had enough gas for her to go work tomorrow.

I step inside the house and lock the door before walking straight to the flight of stairs. I hear a small sound. I frown and listen again.

The phone in my room is ringing.

I leap up the stairs, nearly tripping, barge into my room and lunge at the ringing phone.

"Hello?" I try to recollect myself, not wanting to sound flustered over the line.

"Hey, it's me."

Hearing his voice made my heart soar.

I clear my throat. "So. You finally called."

"Ani, we've been so busy. You wouldn't believe it! Much busier than I initially thought. We've performed at Hard Rock three nights in a row, we've got an interview coming up, it's just crazy."

He pauses, probably waiting for me to say something, but I don't, what should I say? Nothing came to mind.

"How are you doing?" Michael asks.

I shrug, then realize that he can't see me.

"I'm okay. I work at the children's hospital now."

"That's great! Tell them I say hello," I can sense his smile.

"Sure."

"I miss you so much, we're on a plane ride right now." He says.

"Oh, you are?"

I know better than to get my hopes up. Because if he was coming back, he would have told me right away with excitement in his voice.

"Yeah. This is so hard for me to say..." He sighs.

"We're leaving. We're moving back to Hayvenhurst."

I close my eyes, pain washing over me. He's leaving. Why did I fall in love with a pop star?

"And after we do, we're going on tour."

It seems like there's no end. This means that I won't be seeing him for six months, at the least.

"Ani? Say something," Michael whispers.

"What do you want me to say?" I snap, in a voice that doesn't even sound like my own.

I heave a sigh and pull at a handful of my hair.

"I'm sorry that things aren't going as we planned. But I know we can get through-"

"Michael," I cut in, "I need to ask a serious question."

"Yeah, sure." I can sense the anxiousness in his voice.

I swallow.

"Are you sure you can handle a girlfriend? Long-term, might I add."

"What? Where are you going with this Aniko?"

I loop the telephone cord around my finger. "I called your number earlier, and a lady answered. Now, I'm not assuming anything-"

"This is about you being jealous, isn't it?" Michael says.

"Look, if you've found someone else, all you had to do was tell me." I reply.

Those annoying, unwanted tears begin to well. I blink them back impatiently in an attempt to ward them off.

"I can't believe what you're implying. I'm not cheating, I care about you way too much to ever even think of doing that." He immediately gets defensive.

"Well, why did she answer your personal phone? And who was she?"

"Oh, come on. Aniko, do you realize how stupid and insecure you're acting? Why is all of that important?" Michael sighs. I can detect a little frustration.

I gape, tightening the cord around my finger. "Oh, so now I'm a stupid, insecure hoe?"

"That was months ago! I thought you let that go!"

"I did! But not when you throw more insults in my face! What happened to you?" I raise my voice.

"You're being so difficult, I could be writing a song instead of having a screaming match with you!" Michael's volume equals my own.

"Go do it then!" I cry into the speaker. "You're not worth the tears!"

I slam the phone back into the cradle and flop onto my bed in pure defeat.

I know full well that he's worth every last one.

In an instant, I grab my journal from the shelf and rip it open to the next blank page.

I just want him to keep me warm
Through the night's shadows
Can't he touch me with his love?
And make me feel alright

I gently bite on the end of my pen in thought, trying to continue.

So many emotions were swirling around in my brain. Hurt, sadness, agony, guilt.

I roll my eyes at myself and look at the analog clock on the wall in front of me.

It's 11:18.

I amble into my bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth.

Then I climb back into my bed, slowly, as if I'm afraid my bones are brittle, and can break easily.

Just like my heart.

-

News that Michael, Randy, and Marlon were withdrawing from the school spread like wildfire.

Every corner I turn, there's soft talking about them, especially Michael.

It's like I couldn't escape him. Even if he is thousands of miles away.

"Ani, what's been going on with you?" Cera says, coming up behind me at my locker.

When I look down the hallway, an administrator is cleaning out Michael's locker.

"A lot of things, that I'll tell you about later."

She nods in understanding. "Okay. I'm always here. Whoa, who gave you that?"

She points at my neck and I look down in confusion.

I take it off and push it deep into my jeans pocket.

"Just someone."

--

Chapter 18

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~Joy ✌🏼️