Nothing But Pain » Michael Jackson

8.

Lilac coughed slightly. "Are you... hungry?"

Michael smiled a little. "How could I be thinking about food at a time like this? But no, I'm fine. I don't eat as often as I should, anyway."

"Well, that'll change while you're staying here. I'll just make scrambled eggs or something. Is that ok?" Lilac stood up and walked over to the kitchen.

"I'm fine-"

Lilac raised her eyebrows as she poured oil into a frying pan.

"On second thoughts, I'm ravenous. Scrambled eggs sound good. I'll be in my room, call me when they're finished." Michael stood up, smirking, and in a few long steps he was in his temporary bedroom.

He changed into his pyjamas, consisting of an old Disney t-shirt and blue-striped flannel pants, and sat delicately on the end of his bed. He grabbed the phone on his nightstand, and dialled Frank's number. Michael prepared himself to sweet-talk his manager, something he didn't do often, into letting Lilac tour with him.

"Frank Dileo." Frank answered with a grunt, as if he had just been woken up.

"It's me," Michael said. "I need to ask you a favour."

"What?" The middle-aged manager snapped.

"You know this girl I'm staying with, Lilac Williams? Yeah, well you now how you always say that I need a girlfriend? Well, I kinda have a bit of a crush on her..." truth "... and I may ask her out soon..." lie "so, if we become a couple, maybe she should join the tour?"

The was a pause on Frank's end of the line. "Isn't it a bit soon? You barely know each other, and right now isn't the best time for a girlfriend, as you're about to face millions of screaming girls who have it in their mind that they're going to marry you and make babies with you."

Michael blushed, glad that there was no one around to see. But now he had to think of an excellent whopper of a lie to get Frank to agree.

"The thing is, Frank, we have gotten quite acquainted in the bedroom, if you know what I'm saying," Michael felt his face burn, and he silently prayed that he wouldn't go to hell. "So we know each other very well. And it gets a bit lonely on tour, cooped up in a hotel room all by myself, so why not? The fans don't have to know. Neither does the media. Actually, it would be preferable if no one knew."

Having spent his whole life in the spotlight, Michael knew what it was like to have your every move followed. He didn't want this to happen to Lilac, so he decided to try his best to keep her anonymous. For now, at least.

Frank chuckled. "Well, why not. And anyway, it's not my decision to make, it's yours. Go ahead."

Michael pulled his fist in down by his side, celebrating his victory. "Ok, great. I'll talk to her about it tomorrow. Thanks."

"See ya, Mike."

"Bye."

"DINNER'S READY!" Lilac yelled from the kitchen.

"Coming!" Michael yelled back. He slammed the phone back into its socket, and walked over to the kitchen.

"You look cosy." Lilac commented as she saw him. Michael conjured up his most adorable smile. "Tank oo." He said.

"Naw! You are so cute. Anyway, here's dinner. My speciality, scrambled eggs with feta cheese and chives."

"Ooh, looks delicious. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm gonna get changed, so when you're finished just put the plate in the sink and I'll wash it later."

"Okay." Michael said, nodding.