Mr. & Miss JACKSON: The Beginning

Chapter 19: We Meet Again

Yours Truly Tour, July 1985
Los Angeles, CA 8:17 AM
Aliza POV

I just woke up and I'm in a doozy. Sometimes I wake up thinking I'm still back home.

I just got news from my manager that my album, Your Truly, is #2 on the billboard charts, Thriller still being #1...and I sold 22 million copies. I mean, wow. This can't be real. Who would have known little old me would touch the hearts and homes of millions of people. I was rushed to put an album out by Epic, I mean it was stressful.
The good news is, more than half the songs on the album; I wrote. The flip side was the producing, I had to fight with the producers so much because they wanted to change a lot of songs around.

Gene backed me up on a lot of my decision with the album but it came with an expense. The held onto my advanced just in case records didn't sell but my uncle, who's my lawyer, negotiated with the label so that if my records sold over 8 million, they would have to pay me an additional 30%. Needless to say, I made my first 14million dollars with just album sells. It's so scary having this much money but I'm dedicated to putting a lot of it into children born with facial defects and for the benefit of mute children.

I've cried so much in the last 5 months.
So numb to this new life and so grateful. God is real. Truth be told, a lot of people in this industry aren't open to helping one another. If it weren't for my uncle and the help of Gene, I wouldn't know this business. I've picked up the phone maybe a hundred times to call Michael to ask for help but I couldn't. I just kept hearing Sarah's words
'He's not who you think he is'. He never called me. And for stupid reasons like that I never called him. Besides, he's been out in the press hanging with Brooke Shields and other stories have leaked about other women he's in the company of.

Tonight, after the concert I'll be attending a dinner held by Motion pictures. I hear Every year they invite main stream stars to honor them. I ran into Frank, Michaels manager-who's not my favorite person-and he told me Michael will be there with Latoya. Well that's after I asked if Michael would be there. I don't wanna come off wrong but I just don't wanna get to close to him.

Later that evening 7:33 PM
Motion Plaza Hotel
Motions Picture Dinner

Aliza POV
I'm so tired, I almost didn't come to this dinner but I already committed and it's not like me to back out of this, especially at the last minute. As excited as I am I can't not shake the feeling of being exhausted but I'll do my best to interact with everyone.

I walk in the banquet with Kim on my arm and we follow the hostess to be seated. On the way I walk pass a table with Michael, LaToya, Samuel L Jackson, And Johnny Depp. Whew. They were just on my tv back home now I have the pleasure of dining with them. I wave and kiss LaToya on the cheek quickly and wave to MJ. He waves barely making eye contact. Whatever. I don't know why I expect so much from him.

MJ POV
I see Aliza and my heart races. I'm really unsure how to approach her. I feel stupid a little but I don't want that to show yet I don't want to seem too eager. Someone taps me on the shoulder and I turn around it's a photographer. He ask if LaToya and I would take a pic...

About 25 minutes into dinner and I'm annoyed to the max. Aliza hasn't look over at me once since she sat down. LaToya picks up on my energy and now I'm embarrassed.

"Michael, Michael, are you okay? She places on hand on my shoulder

"Yes, I'm okay" I say enthusiastically not wanting her to ask me again. "I'll be back" I whisper to LaToya placing my table napkin back on the table.

I walk over to Aliza table, on the way, greeting and shaking some people's hand. I hurry and go sit in the chair next to her while it's empty.
"Hey. Aliza how are you" ....

Aliza POV
"Um hey" I say looking around and confused. Why is he here
"You look great. Congrats on all the success from the album"
"Thank you, Michael" if only he knew how much that meant to me.
"Aliza, you never called me"
I almost choke on the champagne. Quick Liza, say something.
"Oh I figured you were busy...dating and all"

Michael looks down, like a child that's caught in a lie.

"Keeping tabs on me?"
"Nope. News spreads" I say looking ahead and avoiding eye contact
"I uhh-I really wanted to speak to you. Can we go somewhere and talk?"
"About?"

Just as he starts to reply, Kim walks over

"Oh-no don't get up. I actually have to use the ladies room. I'll be back" Kim says leaving
"Look, Michael, I admire you and I'm so grateful to even be here but I can't focus on that right now"
"Focus on what?" He says sharply
"I don't get you. You're here wondering why I haven't called yet you didn't call me and you were on the town playing Mr.Man."
"I tried calling you-"
"Should have tried harder"
"Come on" he grabs my hand lifting me out the seat.
"Michael-what-what is going on?"

He leads me outside the banquet hall into the stairwell to be by ourselves

"What is this" I ask angrily
He stares at me up and down. Fire in his eyes
I'm breathing heavy...
"You think you're so clever-you think come here and just like that I-"
"Can you go out with me? Please?" He asks me and suddenly I see a softness in his eyes
....I look away and down biting my lip. Shyness takes over
"Yes" I whisper looking up

MJ grabs my hand and smiles

"BUT-only if you stop playing these games with me. You're hard to read sometimes."
"I won't. Wanna get out of here?"
"I'm glad you asked, I'm tired. But Kim is here with me I should go be with her"
"Don't worry, I'll set her up with LaToya. She'll be okay. Let's go"

He grabs my hand and we run out the building into the car waiting...

AUTHOR NOTES
FINALLY!!! Aliza is straight old school. She was not playing with MJ. Let's see how this goes...

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