the moment i saw you cry ☾ michael jackson

☾Chapter 14

"Now Allison, the first thing you need to learn about not getting into trouble at school, is to avoid the people who are disrespectful in class, are rude to other classmates, and disrupt other people's learning," Daddy tells me as we're standing outside in the backyard. "And if anyone does that to you, you tell a teacher."

  Apparently he's "teaching" me how be a good student. Ever since the fight I had with Cindy yesterday at school, he's been trying to give me pointers about behavior and rules and stuff.

  "Now, tell me, if somebody walks up to you on the playground and starts being mean to you, what would you say?" he demonstrates by walking up to me.

  "Back off!" I yell.

  "No, no Allison, you don't tell them to back off, you tell them to stop, and if they don't, you go and find a teacher, okay?"

  "I understand your concern Dad, but what's the point of any of this? We've been doing this for an hour and you've just been giving me examples of things to say instead of the things I already do."

  "Because the things you do say, Allison, is what gets you into trouble!"

  "I don't care! I'm not doing this anymore! I've had enough, goodbye!" I say and storm off back inside the house and up to my room.

  I shut my bedroom door closed and lean up against the door. I slide my back down the wall and bury my face in my knees. How could this even happen? This was all stupid Cindy's fault – if she hadn't pushed me too far for no reason then this wouldn't have happened.

  I hear the doorbell ring from downstairs and I hear Daddy talking to someone. I open my door and walk out of my room, peering down below the staircase. It's Lisa. What in the world is she doing here?

  "Hi Lisa," Daddy says as he hugs and kisses her.

  "Baby, why the long face?" Lisa asks, stroking his cheek.

  "Oh it's nothing..." he says sadly, rubbing the hand she's stroking his cheek with and kisses it.

  "Come on Michael, I can tell when something is bothering you."

  There was a pause for a moment. "It's Allison, actually," he admits. "She got suspended from school for two weeks for a brutal fight she had with another girl."

  "What? Oh, Michael, that's terrible," she says sympathetically.

  "Yeah I know. I don't know what to do about it." He rubs the space between his eyes and sits on the couch.

  He sighs loudly and Lisa begins rubbing his shoulders from behind. "Michael, you need to teach the girl some morals. I know that you're a nice daddy, but sometimes a kid's gotta learn something."

  "That's exactly what I said! She just won't listen to me every time I try to talk to her."

  "Look, Michael," she takes a seat on his lap, "Being a dad can be stressful sometimes. Of course, I don't have any kids, but if I did I would sit down and talk to them about it, and I mean really talk, don't just give up halfway because it's too difficult trying."

  He bites his lip. "You're right. Thanks, Lisa."

  She kisses his temple. "Of course."

  I sigh and walk back into my room, closing the door lightly so he doesn't know I was there. I lay on my bed and think about the situation. I'm lucky to have a dad who loves me at least, and although I feel like I am being kind of a brat, I should cut him some slack because I wouldn't have what I do without him. And he's my daddy after all, I love him. And I know how hard he's trying.

  I'm about to go downstairs to tell him that, when suddenly I hear a gentle knock on my door.

  "Who is it?" I ask.

  "It's Lisa, can I come in?"

  I hesitate to open the door at first, but figured I can't avoid her forever, so I fling the door open and there she stands, alone, her facial expression changing from sweet to concerned, staring at my black eye.

  She clears her throat. "Hey," she says. "May I have a little chit chat with you?"

  "Why?" I question.

  She invites herself in and takes a seat on my bed. "I like your room a lot. Very pink, very big."

  "Thanks..." I say.

  "So Ally, I just wanted to give you some advice. If you're having trouble at school, I suggest that you listen to your daddy. He wants to help you but he thinks that you don't want to listen to him."

  I shake my head. "Of course I listen to him. I'm just not in the mood to talk about what happened."

  "I know, I know." She looks around for a moment and then says, "You know, I wanted to talk with you more when we were at the park, but our conversation was, uh...cut short."

  "Talk? Talk about what?"

  "Just things. I'm just trying to get to know you better, that's all."

  "Well, you can ask me anything," I say, folding my arms and grinning.

  "You know your father doesn't like it when you fold your arms?" she asks, chuckling.

  I laugh. "Yeah, I know, he tells me all the time." My smile fades a little and then there's an awkward silence.

  "So...did you see me on the news the other day?" she asks.

  "Yeah, along with my dad. But I also saw myself with him the day he took me home."

  "Yeah that's right. Do you think that's why that girl was mean to you? Jealousy, maybe?"

  "Well I'm guessing she sees the limo being pulled up everyday, so after she found out, she probably is. Oh my God, now everyone is probably going to be talking about me!" I bury my face into the pillow.

  "Hey listen, even if they do, it doesn't matter. You know who you are and if things don't go according to plan, you can always switch to home school," says Lisa as I feel her rubbing my back. "And you know what? The media was always on my back as a kid. Elvis Presley's daughter this, Elvis Presley's daughter that, you know?"

  I get up. "Really?"

  "Yep, really."

  Hmm, well this is news to me. I had no idea she was his daughter, although I should've known by the last name.

  "Can I go speak to my daddy now?" I ask.

  "Oh, of course," she responds, standing up.

  We walk out and I run downstairs and embrace Daddy as hard as I can. He wasn't expecting it as he says, "Wow, someone's happy," and hugs me back.

  "Yeah, me!" I say. "Daddy, I'm sorry if I don't listen. I know you're trying."

  "It's okay beautiful, I forgive you. Just please promise to be a good girl for Daddy?"

  I look up at him. "Yeah, promise."

  "That's my girl."

  Lisa stands behind the sofa, not saying a word, until she nudges Daddy, mouthing something to him.

  "Oh right," he says. "Allison..."

  I sit up. "Yeah?"

  "We have something to announce," he says.

  Lisa sits next to him.

  "W-What is it?" I ask nervously, my face turning serious.

  Daddy takes Lisa's hand in his, both exchanging excited looks then tells me, "We're engaged."