Daddy Issues, MJ.

ii.

Gabriella had spent the last half-hour doing nothing other than crying on her bathroom floor. She couldn't phantom the idea of a pregnancy during such an important stage of her life and her academic career.

Her hopes, her dreams, could all be shattered because of a party. A stupid party. Soon, there was an abrupt knock on the bathroom door. "It's me, Gabi, I'm back from the store." Called Aileen from the other side of the door.

"Come in." She said with a soft sniffle. Aileen entered, a grocery bag in hand as her gaze grew emphatic seeing the state her best friend was in. She was a truly a sight for sore eyes.

Aileen pulled a tabloid from the grocery bag, kneeling down to hand it to her. Gabriella's eyes scanned the cover, and tears began to fall from her deep brown eyes once again as she continued reading.

'Pop sensation Micheal Jackson announces his first solo world tour!'

Aileen had yet to tell Michael about what she suspected was happening, she wanted to be completely sure of her pregnancy before she went jumping to conclusions.

"I also— um.. I got you this." She pulled a pregnancy test from the bag, holding out towards Gabriella. She hesitantly accepted it, staring at it for a while as Aileen headed for the door.

Before leaving, she turned to look at her. "Gabi?" She muttered, tears welling up in her eyes. She wasn't sure why she was so emotional, it was Gabriella's decision to make, not hers. "Yeah?" Gabriella replied, looking up from the test and at Aileen with glossy eyes.

"Whatever happens, whatever you decide to do- I'm here for you. Nothing's gonna change that, 'kay?" She meant every word she had uttered, she knew that having one tiny mistake change the entire direction of your life couldn't possibly be easy. She also felt a sense of guilt and responsibility for what had happened, after all, she was the one who made her go to the party.

Aileen left and headed out to give Gabriella the necessary space and time she needed to process the outcome.

Meanwhile, Gabriella let out repetitive, shaky, breaths, trying to calm herself down. "It's now or never, Gabi." She said to herself. And with that braced herself for ever possible outcome. Good or bad.

Aileen had returned, and didn't even have to ask what the results of the test were when she saw the state of shock Gabriella was in.

"I'm pregnant, Aileen. The most important year of my college career and I'm fucking pregnant." She huffed.

There was no emotion in her tone. No sign of anger or happiness in her glance. She behaved as if she were already numb to it all. "What are you gonna tell to Michael?" Aileen asked.

"Micheal, the worldwide pop star who just announced his first tour?" She said, sarcasm dripping from her monotonous voice. "Nothing, I'm telling him absolutely nothing." Aileen opened her mouth to speak but Gabriella immediately intercepted, "Nothing."

"But, Gabi, he's the father he deserves to know." Aileen reasoned. Gabriella released a heavy sigh, aware that her best friend was right but afraid to admit it. "I just- I doubt he wants to put his career and life on hold anymore than I do. It's all so sudden and frustrating—" Aileen shushed her, placing a finger over her lips. "He'll understand, I promise. You just need to tell him."

She nodded, "Alright. I'll tell him, we have make a decision together." Aileen returned a nod as well, grabbing her car keys. "Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be I suppose."

Soon, they had arrived at Michael's palace-like home. Gabriella felt a sense of shame and embarrassment having to face him for the first time since they'd had sex. She found it odd how they engaged in small talk with one another as if they hadn't seen each other's naked bodies and hadn't made love to each other. Intimacy and vulnerability were once foreign to Gabriella and now she wished she had kept it that way.

And once greetings and niceties were exchanged, it was time for her to tell him the truth. "Is there any specific reason you stopped by?" Micheal asked, looking down at Gabriella, his eyes wandering her body.

She felt helpless and under his control while under his gaze, it was a feeling she didn't quite enjoy. She needed complete control in every aspect of her life at all times, which was exactly why this sudden redirection was so frustrating.

Fuck it, he deserves to know. "I'm pregnant." She blurted with no initial thoughts beforehand. If she had dwelled on it for even the slightest bit too long, she never would've told him.

Micheal stood still for a moment, narrowing his eyes at the brown-eyed girl. "I hope you won't take this the wrong way but, I'm not sure that  I believe you." Gabriella's mouth fell open at his words. "Why would I lie?"

"Fans lie about things like this all the time. For some temporary attention or something of the sort." He said with a soft smile and a shrug, he genuinely didn't intend to offend her. "I don't know what kind of woman you take me for but I am not a 'super fan' of yours. My life is over, I wouldn't lie about something like this."

The room fell silent for a moment after her rant. He continued staring at her as she avoided looking into his eyes. Finally, he spoke. "Alright." Suddenly, Gabriella let out a breath of relief that she hadn't even noticed that she was holding in.

"Can I— can I hug you?" Micheal asked awkwardly, Gabriella hardly knew him and she could already clearly tell what his love language was. But nevertheless, she simply nodded and they embraced.

The pleasant scent of both vanilla and cinnamon filled her senses and her knees nearly buckled. "Woah there," He said with a laugh, "Can't have you falling over with our baby in there." She winced at his painful choice of words.

'Our baby.'

Then it hit her. She was having a baby with a stranger, but not just any stranger. She was having a baby with Michael Jackson.