It's the night of the Grammys. Me and Keenan are all dressed up waiting for the limo Michael sent. "Where is this limo?" I whined, tapping my foot. "Be patient Jayla, it'll be here at any moment. I'm sure." Keenan said looking out the window. "See there it is!" A long white limo came pulling up outside the driveway of our house and I ran outside. "Is Michael in there?!" I asked the driver as he opened the door "Jayla!" Michael smiled as he opened his arms for a hug! "Hi Keenan! How are you guys?" I gave him the biggest hug. I haven't seen him since the day we recorded the song "we're great! I'm excited." Michael, Keenan and I talked all the way to the Grammys. When we got out of the car there were flashing lights and people screaming, and a lot of stars, some people I've met before. I grabbed Michael's hand and we walked towards the door meeting up with his security and getting to our seats. We were right up front! This was amazing. "Thank you for inviting me Michael!" I said before we the Grammys began. "I'm going to love it" Michael just looked at me and smiled. "No problem"
1988 (16 years old)
I looked at my Grammy from 1986 on the wall smiling. Then grabbed my bag from off my bed and headed out the door. I was on my way to the studio to meet Michael, he wanted me to come sit in on one of his sessions. Earlier this year I told him I had always dreamed of being an entertainer. Now he's deciding I'm old enough and wants to put me under his wing and help me with my career. It's 1988 and I'm 16 years old now and I've started writing songs, I haven't submitted anything yet, but I think I'm ready now.
I get to the studio and hear Michael and Siedah Garrett recording a new song for his new album coming out next year. I walk in and sit next to Quincy "Siedah, you have to sing this right...this is studio time we're running on!" Quincy says through the microphone. Michael starts giggling "I'm sorry Quincy it's my fault, I keep throwing popcorn at her" Siedah laughs and shakes her head "I told you it wasn't me" I smile and wave through the glass. "Hi Michael" I say even though I know he can't hear me. He smiles and waves back and begins recording again. I watch in amazement while they sing and I notice Michael looks a bit different. He looks really good. Really good.
During a break in the studio, Michael finally got a chance to come talk to me. He gave me a really big hug and smiled. "I'm so glad you could make it! How is everything? I haven't seen you since New York in February." "I know! Everything is pretty good. I've actually been writing some songs and I wanted to give them to you. Maybe talk to you about recording them?" I said shyly. "I'll look at them when I get the chance. I'm sure they're great" he took the papers and swiftly looked through them. "I'm really glad you could come Jay. Are you gonna stay the whole session?" He asked. I blushed "If you want..I can" He smiled again, this time giving me butterflies.. What's going on? Am I developing a crush? "Well I hope you can. I wanna introduce you to Siedah, she writes songs too! She wrote Man in the Mirror for me." Michael says snapping me out of my own thoughts. "Ok" I say trying to catch my breath.
Michael's album Bad has finally released and it's doing crazy numbers, topping almost every chart known to man. It's almost as big as Thriller. I give him a call to say congrats but of course no answer. I'm sure he'll call back. I'm glad he introduced me to Siedah, she's been a big help at getting my music out there to artist and I'm starting to get my own money come in. It's awesome. Getting paid this much money at 16 is crazy. My mother decided that public school may not be the best for me anymore and we hired a homeschool teacher I agree, ever since I started working with Michael school has been a lot more difficult to deal with. Things are going really well, but I can't help but think of how I haven't heard from my brother Keenan in a while. It's been about a month since he moved to California, so I'm nervous. I hope he's ok. My phone rings and I'm hoping it's my brother but it's Michael "Hey Mike" I say a little disappointed. "Hey Jay...what's wrong?" He asked sounding concerned and equally disappointed. "Well I haven't heard from Keenan in a while and I'm a little worried." "I'm sure he's fine" he reassured me. "He's probably really busy. He's been high in demand as an engineer recently" Michael said. I can hear him smile through the phone so I giggle a little. He always makes me smile. That crush is getting bigger and bigger every time I think of him. I shake my head. "So what's up Mike?" "Oh." He says "I'm going on tour I'll be gone for a year and a half." "A year and a half!?" I can't hide my sadness. "I'm gonna miss you Michael...like a lot!" I say sadly. "I'll miss you more, Jay, but I'll call you of course! It'll be like I never left!" He says excitedly. "You promise?" "I promise" I smile. There goes those butterflies again...
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You Are My Life
Fanfiction"If you would've told me at 13 that this would be my life, I would have never believed you..."
