Is it Real or Not?

Chapter 16

Michael's POV

Its December now and my album, Dangerous, just came out about a week ago. The reception has been great and Im really excited. Me and Carter have been doing great and we're getting closer everyday. She basically lives at Neverland, even though she refuses to move completely in.

I was sitting upstairs in my office, when Avery walked in. She stood in front of my desk and handed me a manilla envelope for behind her back.
"I received your tour contracts today. Feel free to look over them." She told me.

I nodded and opened the envelope. I pulled out the contract and it was really thick. "The lawyers look over this?" I asked.

"Yeah," she answered, nodding. "Everything's all good."

"Ok. I'll sign these later." I put them back and set the envelope to the side. I looked up and Avery was still standing there. "Anything else Ave?"

"Well," she started. "I was reading through some reviews of the album earlier. All of which were positive, by the way." She added quickly.

"Okayyyy" I said.

"There was one review that caught my eye though and I think you should read it."

"Ave, you know I don't read reviews. All I care about is what the fans think."

"Ohh yeah?" She questioned. She pulled a newspaper from behind her back and threw it on my desk. "You're gonna wanna read this one."

I picked up the paper and saw that it was The Harlow, which is the paper that features Carter's album reviews. I turned to the reviews and saw that Carter had done a review on Dangerous. I put on my glasses and started to read aloud.

"Michael Jackson's latest musical effort, Dangerous, has been a long time coming (four years). The entire world has been waiting to see what the musical genius and the world's biggest superstar would come up with next
Jackson's choice of working with producer Teddy Riley was the one of the best things to happen to this album. Riley's amazing beats, alongside Jackson's voice on tracks such as, I Can't Let Her Get Away and She's Driving Me Wild, showcase a new and diverse side of the King Of Pop."

I stopped reading and looked up at Avery. "What's so bad about this?"

She shook her head. "Keep reading."

"The album as a whole, however, just doesn't make sense. Its too "all over the place" with the different musical styles. It seems as though Jackson doesn't know what direction he wants his music to go in and Dangerous is a prime example of that. Don't get me wrong, the songs are amazing and enjoyable.....Separately."

I squinted my eyes. "The hell does this even mean?"

Avery sighed. "Keep going."

"For attempting to be different, Jackson gets a A+ for effort but sometimes too much is really too much. With all this being said though, Dangerous is a wonderful album and it receives two thumbs up from me."

I closed the paper and set it on my desk. "Did she just slam my album?"

"Just a little bit Michael," Avery said holding her thumb and poiner finger together. "Just that much."

I scoffed. I didn't know how to feel. I was shocked, upset, and mad. "I just spent almost a year and a half on Dangerous. She knows that. Why would she say that?"

"I don't know but it is her job Mike," Avery explained.

"Whatever."

"Don't" whatever" me!" She laughed. "Look, I gotta go but don't you say or do anything you might regret, ok?"

I nodded. "Fine. Come on, I'll walk you out."

I got up and we walked out of my office. We went downstairs and ran right into Carter. She was just getting here.

"Hey Applehead. Hey Ave." She greeted us.

"Hey Carter." Avery said, giving her a hug. "We're still on for lunch next week?"

"You got it."

"Good. Well, I'll see y'all later." Avery gave me a look that said "be nice" before she walked out of the house. Carter came up to me and gave me a huge hug. I hadn't seen her in a couple days and I missed her so I hugged her back, even though I was upset.

"I've missed you Applehead." She said, looking up at me.

"I missed you too Carter." I replied. She raised her eyebrows at me.

"Ok, what'd I do?"

I squinted my eyes at her. "What are you talking about?"

"You called me Carter, and not "baby". You only say my name when you're mad or upset with me."

I sighed. She knows me too well. "I saw the review you did on Dangerous."

"Okayyyy," she said, waiting for me to go on.

"What do you mean, "okayyyy"? You slammed my album Carter."

She took a deep breath and took a step away from me. "I didn't slam it Michael. I just gave my honest opinion."

"Do you know how it felt to read that knowing you wrote it?"

"Honestly, I don't see what's the big idea. I was just doing my job, just like all the other people who wrote reviews of your album. And since when do you even read reviews anyways?"

"Those other people who wrote reviews aren't my girlfriend Carter, you are! You know how much work I put into making Dangerous."

"Michael, you really need to calm down. Its not like I said that it completely sucks and that nobody should buy it. Obviously, my opinion doesn't even matter cause your album has been #1 on the charts since it came out and Black or White is still in the top five." She reasoned.

"All that doesn't matter!" I exclaimed. She scoffed and raised an eyebrow at me. "Ok, it does matter but your opinion means more!"

"Michael," she came up to me and put one hand on my chest and the other behind my neck. "I didn't mean anything by it. It was nothing personal. It doesn't change the fact that I love you and I hope it doesn't change the fact that you love me."

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, then opened them again. "Of course it doesn't change that," I told her. I wrapped my arms around her waist. "Just let me know next time. You caught me off guard."

"I will." She nodded. She stood on her tip toes and rubbed her nose against mines. "Im sorry Applehead."

I sighed and gave her a chaste kiss. "Its ok baby. But how about you make it up to me?"

"How?" She asked and I kissed her passionately, hoping she'd get the idea. She pushed me away and smirked. "I think I can do that."

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