SWEETHEART • MJ [ORIGINAL]

Two.

LOUNGING AROUND THE McCartney household was typically Ariah's weekend ritual. She had a few close friends, but she didn't care to be bombarded by the media as soon as she stepped out onto the streets of New York City.

This Saturday was no different. It was humid outside and everyone, including her parents and siblings were out and about. Ariah chose to stay indoors and forced herself to choose between watching The Jetsons, her favorite cartoon, or listening to some of the vintage soul records that her father owned.

Celine, the maid that lived with the McCartney family, lightly knocked on the Ariah's bedroom door before entering her room. "Ms. Ariah, dear, the phone is for you."

Ariah was sitting at her luxurious window seat, looking down onto the busy street in which she lived on. When Celine entered the room, Ariah greeted her with a smile.

"Thanks. I'll pick it up in here."

Celine nodded and left as Ariah rushed over to her exquisite vanity set, where her personal telephone sat.

"This is Ariah, yes?" She answered, not knowing who it could possibly be.

"Ariah! Hi, sweetheart. It's MJ."

Sweetheart. Hearing that affectionate name come from Michael always made her heart flutter.

"Hi, MJ." She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. She tried everything to make the arising blush in her cheeks disappear. "How are you?"

"I'm okay, but the real question is--how are you? I heard about your parents. I'm hoping you're okay. Are you?"

His compassion and concern made Ariah fall for him deeper than she intended to in the first place.

"I will be okay." The young girl reassured herself, but Michael wasn't sure if that meant he should show more worry or just leave the whole situation alone. After all, it was family business. "I do appreciate your concern, Michael."

"It's nothing. I told your father that I'd always be there for your family, for you. Anytime. Day or night." He promised the girl. "Whenever you need me.." He sang, but his voice trailed off, with hopes that Ariah would finish the lyrics to a song he recorded back when he was the forefront of The Jackson Five.

"You'll be there."

Ariah smiled widely, finishing the lyrics to I'll Be There, a song the two of them both loved dearly. It was one of those Jackson Five hits that were meaningful and precious to all. The song wouldn't ever go out of style. The song couldn't ever go out of style, for it would be forever prevalent in someone's life.

"Exactly." A small chuckle escaped Michael's lips. "You know, sweetheart, I actually need your opinion on something."

"My opinion?" Ariah was surprised that Michael Jackson would come to her for anything.

"I don't need your father's opinion on everything." He insisted and Ariah found him amusing.

"Just most things, right?" Ariah teased, attempting to flirt with him.

"Ariah, please." Michael laughed, noticing the flirtatious sense of humor that Ariah possessed. "I don't need your father to help me choose album titles. This album is going to be a good one, I can feel it. It's basically done and the singles are fine. I just need to figure out a name, preferably off of one of the singles."

"Billie Jean?"

"She's not the focus of the album."

"What are the names of the songs on the record?" Ariah inquired, already feeling the excitement of a brand new album.

"There's Billie Jean, which is the first single." Michael explained to Ariah, as he looked them over on his track list sheet. He wasn't supposed to share this information with anyone outside of his team, as it was confidential. In Michael's mind, he figured Ariah wouldn't tell anyone else. He trusted her. "Another song that your father and I did together, it comes out tomorrow. It's called The Girl Is Mine. I think you'd really love it."

"I can't wait to hear it!" Ariah exclaimed as she looked up to see her father walk into her bedroom.

Paul saw Ariah on the telephone, smiling and giggling. He could only wonder who on earth she was communicating with and why she seemed so happy. Not that he didn't want for her to be happy, because he did. He wanted all of his children to find the most happiness they could in the middle of their family circumstances.

When she glanced over and saw her father, Ariah waved to him. Mr. McCartney immediately waved back. Then, he left the room with an idea of who she may have been talking to on the telephone.

"Ariah? Are you still there?" Michael asked after about a minute of silence.

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry, MJ. I'm here." Ariah quickly managed to say, not remembering any of the song titles he had just rattled off to her. "What were the last two song titles?"

"Human Nature and Thriller."

"If you want my opinion, those last two sound more like album titles. I'd go with Thriller." Ariah thought aloud. "Sounds pretty awesome if you ask me."

"Thriller it is." He spoke in a tone that let Ariah know he was smiling. "That will be released sometime soon as single. Thank you, sweetheart."

"Anytime." It was heartwarming to know that she helped Michael choose an album title. "When you win a Grammy for this album, which I know you will because you're you, you better thank me."

"Of course, sweetheart." He chuckled, biting his lip in the process. The musician himself could only hope for the best with the record and maybe, just maybe, he'd win an award of some sort for the album.