All I Didn't Say ✧ Michael Jackson

Chapter 5 | You're Scared Too

"Did you really tell her that I wanted to hang out with her?" Right now, Michael's in the car with Frank, heading to the hotel.

"No," Frank says, smoothly lying.

"Liar." Michael laughs but he's trying to take this conversation seriously.

"Michael you need to go out, meet people... meet girls." Frank opens the window and lights up a cigarette.

"Just for your information, I do know a lot of girls." Michael lifts his chin up, feeling confident.

"Have you have made out with one of the girls you say you know?"

"That doesn't matter. Not your business." Frank laughs.

"Look," he turns to Michael and pulls his mouth away from the cigarette. "You need to have fun. I'm giving you a chance. She's a good person and not to mention," Frank coughs. "Her body..." Michael smirks and looks away, feeling embarrassed. "I mean, who needs a good car when you can get lost in curves like hers?"

"Becoming a little romantic, are we Frank?" Michael looks out of the window and the view is now coverd by a gigantic hotel.

"I'm just trying to tell you-" Frank's voice just became unhearable to Michael. His mind was now reminded of Aria. He couldn't help but think of what made her break her promise. "Were you even listening?" Frank asks when they finally enter the hotel lobby.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm just too tired." Michael takes his room card out of his pocket.

"Just promise me you'll think about it."

"About what, Frank?"

"Her. Call Tatiana, go out with her. She's your chance of having some fun before you're stuck on Tour."

Oh, the Tour. Michael was about to travel the whole world in a few weeks. His anxiety goes high up just for thinking about it. "I'll consider it," Michael says and Frank smiles proudly. "But I won't promise anything." With that, Michael turns around and heads up to his room.

He knows Aria is staying on the same floor as him and Michael feels the need to apologize to her.

"It says DO NOT DISTURB." Aria yells after Michael knocked at the door, making him look at the sign around he door knob.

"Aria," he breathes soflty. "It's Michael, I-" before he could even finish the sentence she had already opened the door. Aria looks at him, her eyes are red and swollen from crying and her hair is messy like a nest. She doesn't say anything, she just goes back to bed and covers herself, leaving Michael at the door.

He walks in the room in silence and sits on the bed. They stayed like that for infinite minutes. It's like they're talking through the silence itself. No words, no sound. Just two pair of brown eyes watching each other. Eventually, Michael gets up and walks towards her closet. He takes out her pajamas and hesitates before opening the underwear drawer. Michael does open it anyway and takes out a simple black bra and black panties. He thinks it is kind of fair since Aria knows everything that Michael wears - from shoes to perfumes and underwear.

"What are you doing?" She asks when he throws the clothes at her face.

"You stink," he says and she lifts herself up, looking offended. "Go have a shower." Michael demands and she stays sitting there for a while, just watching him - he's he for real right now?, she thinks. - but she stands up and walks to the bathroom, not saying a single word.

When Michael hears the water running he stands up and makes up the bed. Next, he opens the glass door that leads to the balcony and grabs a bottle of wine. Soon after, Aria comes out of the bathroom with her hair still wet.

"Come here," he says. "You smell better now." Michael jokes and Aria rolls her eyes while sitting down in front of him.

"Why is there only one glass of wine?" Aria asks and runs her hand through her hair.

"I won't be drinking," he shows her a glass of orange juice and she frowns. "Photoshoot tomorrow morning." Michael takes a sip of his juice and encourages Aria to taste the wine.

She smells it and then leads her lips to the glass. "Wow, it's so good."

"Wild cherries, strawberry and rose combined with woodsy flavors." Michael explains and Aria wides her eyes in surprise. "You're drinking Castello di Ama." Aria giggles.

"Since when do you know anything about wines, Michael?"

"Oh for God's sake," Michael gasps. "Have you forgotten about who my manager is? It's Frank who gives me all the lessons." They both end up laughing. Aria smiles and closes her eyes, feeling the fresh wind hitting her face. Michael doesn't take his eyes off her.

"I'm still waiting for you to apologize." She says still with her eyes shut.

"I'm sorry," he whispers yet loud enough for Aria to hear. "I didn't mean to be rude. I'm really sorry, Ari." Michael reaches out for her hand.

"I know you are," she says and opens her eyes. "I should've been there on time."

There was a breef silence. "About that," Michael starts. "Why?" That was, honestly, the only question Michael wanted to know.

"Do you ever feel like life is giving you... signs. Like your intuition is always lighting up about something and you can't just let that go?" Aria exhales.

"Yeah."

"I feel that about my father." She reveals. "It's like I feel him near me all the time,-"

"You think he's dead?" Michael asks frowning.

"No! See, that's the point," Aria smiles. "I think he is alive and something within me wants to find him."

"That's why you went back?"

"I thought maybe he had stayed in Gary. I remember him always saying how much he loved living there so, that was the first thing in my mind." Michael doesn't say anything. He's thinking about this whole situation. "Am I a fool for wanting to find him? Say something."

"You're not a fool, Aria. You're a sweet hearted girl. You're hopeful, that's good." Michael smiles. "And he's your father after all, so follow your guts. I'll do what I can if you need my help."

"Thank you but," she sighs. "I prefer to do this alone."

"As you wish," Michael takes a sip of juice. "But if you ever need anything just come to me." Aria smiles. Knowing she could count on him was already half the victory. "What's scaring you, though?" In front of Michael, Aria wears no filter. She seems to be transparent, so it's easy for him to know what she's feeling.

"Joseph." Michael nods like he was expecting that answer already. "He would," Aria pauses and drinks the wine. "Joseph would kill me if he knew that I'm looking for my father. It's as if I'm offending him because he was the one who took me in."

"I won't let him do anything to you."

"How can you be sure of that? You're scared of him too," Michael's sudden frown shows that he's hurt by that statement. He feels that she's saying that he can't protect her. "It's the truth, Mike. He's mean... heartless."

"Not to you, Aria. You were not the one who got beat up everyday."

"He beat me twice, okay? He broke my nose and I had to tell Mother that I had fallen." Aria laughs about it and that managed to get a smile on Michael's lips.

"I remember that," he says. "You were so clumsy, everyone believed that story."

"You didn't." Aria looks at Michael. Their eyes were locked.

"I didn't." He whispers. The trance his broken when the phone inside the room rings. Aria stands up and answers.

"It's for you Michael."