SWEETHEART • MJ [ORIGINAL]

Twenty.

"ARIAH, UP NOW." Paul lifted the covers from over his daughter in her huge canopy bed. When he did that, the girl curled up into a ball, still mostly asleep. "Ariah, up now." He repeated, more firmly. At the intensity of his tone, his daughter knew to get up.

"Hi, Daddy." Ariah slowly arose, sitting up. She stretched and while she did, Paul caught a clear glimpse of her neck.

"Don't move." Paul whispered, looking at his daughter's neck that was covered in love bites. He wondered how he missed all of those marks before.

"What?" Ariah groggily asked, finally opening her eyes to see her father studying her neck. She immediately looked down, knowing she got caught in a lie.

"He touched you."

"Who?"

"That boyfriend of yours."

"Michael?" Ariah laughed, but she was nervous that her father knew the truth. "No, nonsense. He did not."

"Yes, he did. I know it, just look at your neck." Paul shook his head, trying not to think of what Michael could've done to his daughter. "Come to the studio with me. We've got a meeting."

"We've got a meeting?" She asked. "Why do both of us have to go?"

"Well, you're my daughter and you're the girlfriend of one of the biggest stars in the universe. You've got to be involved now." Paul spoke blandly, without any type of emotion. "Come along now. We need to hurry and you know how long you take to get ready."

"Fine." Ariah mumbled, stepping out of bed as her father left her bedroom. Her personal telephone rang and no one ever called her except Michael, so she knew it was him.

"Hello?" She answered, hearing Michael chuckle on the other line.

"Good morning, sweetheart."

"Hi, Michael." Ariah smiled, being happy to hear his voice. "It's good to hear your voice. I had a dream about you."

"Oh, no.." Michael felt the heat rising in his cheeks. "Not again.."

"Relax!" Ariah laughed at her boyfriend. "It wasn't that type of dream. It was a happy dream."

"Don't get me wrong, I like the wild dreams. But, happy dreams are the best kind, I think." Michael honestly told his girlfriend, making her sigh happily.

"You're adorable! I hope we stay together for a long time."

"Ariah, sweetheart.." Michael spoke with a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Yes?"

"I have something to tell you."

That sentence alone scared Ariah out of her mind. The girl was fearful to even ask what exactly he wanted to tell her. She was silent, so Michael made sure that she was still on the other line.

"Ariah?"

"Yes?"

"Do you trust me?"