Return II

Prologue (Recap)

Previously on Return...

"Breaking news now on Fox News Channel, the Los Angeles Times and the associated press are now reporting: Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles this after-" the remote falls from my hand and hits the floor with a loud thud. I quickly shut the tv off before the reporter can finish. I fall to my knees crying. I cannot believe it.

As I hold my hands against my sobbing face, I can still hear the newscast from the kitchen. "Turn it off!" I scream. My head fills with lyrics from the man whose music I grew up with.

The King.

My idol. 

...

"Michael's youngest son... Prince Michael ll. He goes to my school, he's in some of my classes." her eyes widen and her mouth drops. "Way." I answer her mental "No way." 

...

"If I were you, I think I'd have a hard life." "What's that supposed to mean?" he asks with a frown. "Well, I mean losing your dad and all... plus going to a new school and having all these people hounding you about being a celebrity's kid." "I don't get hounded." "Oh... well I still think it'd be hard. But I also think that it'd be interesting and loads of fun." "Why's that?" "Because you're Michael Jackson's son. Why wouldn't it be fun?" he smiles and sits back in his chair. "So we've got oursleves a fan over here." I smile wide and bring my hand out from under the desk. I hold my index finger and thumb about half a centimeter apart and squint. "Just a little."

"Everybody expects a celebrity to be less human than a regular person. They look up to them like they're royalty or something and it's kinda funny. I never understood fame. I still don't. Everybody's like, "Oh my gosh, Michael Jackson! Ahh!" but to me, he's just a dad."

"Well, I never thought of it that way." "Yeah, nobody does." "I'm sorry. I'm sure you understand though. 'Cause along with fame comes priorities. I mean, you can't just be born to somebody who has been adored by people practically his entire life and expect to be normal." "Yeah, that's true. I mean, he's nothing like what the press makes him out to be. He's just like everybody else- human- but nobody wants to see past anything and it hurts me just as much as him. And that's why he left." each of our eyes widen and Blanket covers his mouth.

...

I take a seat on my bed while Blanket looks around my room. "Wow." is all he says and I smile. "I know. I can't imagine what it's like to go to someone's room and find that they have pictures of my dad all over the place." I say and look around as well. "It's not as weird as you think."

It feels as though I have known Blanket my whole life- though I had just met him yesterday- but there is some kind of connection. I don't know what it is, but I can feel it. 

"Nat?" my mother says, knocking on my door before opening it. "What friend do you have-" she trails off just as she meets eyes with Blanket. Everyone's smile disappears simultaneously. My mother gapes and Blanket's eyes widen. I look between the two of them confusedly as they stare at each other. "Blanket." she whispers and tears threaten her eyes.

"What the hell was that?" I ask sternly when my mother leaves. "Natalie..." he says softly, still staring down the hallway. "What?" "I know your mom." he speaks slower and slower with every sentence. "How?" "Because," he looks at me and swallows. "she's my mom, too."

...

I storm out of my room and down stairs. "Mom?" I yell. I walk around the dining room and find her in the kitchen. "If there's something you're not telling me, you better tell me now."