The tour

Chapter 24

Both of them sat really awkwardly next to each other in the living room of Michael's suite while watching a movie. The thought of their last night in LA lingered in both of their minds, but none of them had the courage to bring up the subject.

Michael wanted to know why she had left in the middle of the night. He had woken up expecting to find her next to him, and she hadn't even left him a note. And the way she acted before the last show, he didn't know if it was just because she was nervous about the show or if she was nervous about seeing him again. And he hadn't known what to do, so he just did nothing. Once again he cursed at the fans who had interrupted their kiss on the balcony. He loved his fans to death, but their constant love and presence could also be a problem at times.

Next to him Kristina was wondering why he hadn't contacted her. Their time onstage had been amazing, but it was weird to her that he would share that night with her, then not contact her and then act like he was in love with her on a stage without even talking to her about it.

'You seem distant. What are you thinking about?' Michael interrupted her thoughts.

Kristina thought quickly.

'I was just thinking that it's crazy that you can't even go out on a balcony without a bodyguard because it's an apparent security breach. It seems a little extreme.'

Michael smiled a sad smile and sighed. He was sure she thought about LA as well, so he was a bit disappointed she didn't answer straight when he threw the ball at her court.

'I know. But that's their job. And I love my fans, I really do, but sometimes they don't know that they can hurt me physically. You know, when there are too many of them and things like that.'

'So you just have to stay in here except for when you're onstage?'

'And public appearances, yeah.'

'Wow...' Kristina mumbled.

That seemed almost like a prison to her.

'So you don't even go out and explore all the countries that you visit?'

'Well, sometimes, but not a lot. Not as much as I'd like. That's just not possible for me.'

'So... You've basically been all over the world, but not really seen it?' Kristina asked in wonder and turned towards him with her legs under her on the couch. She felt sorry for him. What kind of life was that?

'I guess so...'

'But you go out in disguise in LA all the time! Doesn't the creepy old dude work outside of the US?'

Michael laughed.

'You think he's creepy? I call him Al.'

Kristina laughed with him.

'I'm sorry, but Al is kind of creepy. You sure creeped me out the first day you watched me play.'

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean too. Did you think I was some old guy taking a mental picture of you to go home and touch myself to?' he laughed.

'Eeew, don't spill it out like that!' she laughed and so did Michael.

'Sorry. But no, it doesn't work. When I'm out of the country, the fans and the paparazzi are always more on the watchout for me, so they see through the disguises very easily. I guess they know how I walk or something like that,' he shrugged his shoulders.

He suddenly looked like a lonely little boy. Not the superstar he did onstage, or the man he had been when he had seduced her. This was a completely new side of him. Kristina felt like hugging him.