𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑋𝑜𝑛𝑒

𝑉𝐼𝐼

We weren't finished yet, I still had a stack of questions left to ask. The director called for a change in location, suggesting we move to the back balcony of Janet's beach house. Janet took the lead, effortlessly gliding across the room, and the crew and I followed her. My heart raced as I trailed behind, trying to shake off the lingering feelings from our earlier exchange.

She slid the glass door open, and I stepped onto the balcony behind her. The moment I did, it took my breath away. The view was nothing short of stunning. The endless expanse of clear blue water stretched as far as the eye could see, meeting the horizon in a seamless line. Below, the soft, untouched sand glistened in the sun, almost begging to be walked on. It was serene, the kind of place that made you forget the world existed beyond this peaceful sanctuary.

The weather was perfect, warm, but not too hot, with a gentle breeze rolling in from the ocean. Janet stood there for a moment, taking it all in, her back to me, her presence still commanding even in silence. The way the sunlight hit her, casting a soft glow over her skin, only added to the surrealness of it all. I had to remind myself to breathe, to stay focused on the job at hand, but being this close to her again, in such an intimate setting, made it hard to keep my composure.

She turned slightly, gesturing for us to begin. The crew quickly set up, but for a moment, it was just the two of us standing on that balcony, the world moving around us, while we remained still. It was as if the ocean and the sky were watching, aware of the unspoken history between us.

We sat down on two cozy lounge chairs, angled just right so the audience would have the stunning ocean view behind us. The waves crashing against the shore set a calming rhythm in the background, but the energy between us was anything but calm. The cameras were back on us, and the director gave a signal for the interview to resume.

I flashed a wide smile for the camera, slipping back into my professional mode. "Welcome back to Planet Groove, I'm Mariah, and we're here on the balcony of Janet Jackson's Malibu beach house. And let me tell you, it's absolutely beautiful out here."

I turned to Janet, who smiled with a soft chuckle. Her laugh was contagious, lightening the mood, even though there was still this charged undercurrent between us.

"It really is," I added, making her laugh again, that sweet, melodic sound that always seemed to have a way of cutting through any tension. She relaxed into her chair, and for a moment, it felt almost like we were just two people, enjoying the day together, until I remembered the cameras, the questions I still had to ask, and the fact that we weren't alone.

The conversation was flowing effortlessly, and Janet seemed genuinely amused, her eyes sparkling as she laughed along with my questions. We were both comfortable, but I knew it was time to bring up a topic that everyone was curious about, her love life. It was part of my job to touch on it, even if I already knew the answer.

"So, Janet, how did you and René get together?" I asked, carefully placing the question. "It seems like you two have been together forever."

She hesitated, licking her lips before biting down on them. "For twelve years," she said, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

"How did you two start dating?" I pressed gently.

Janet laughed, clearly flustered. "It's a long story," she admitted, trying to play it off lightly. "I had to pull it out of him... we started off as friends. It's a long story," she repeated, laughing again as she looked down, almost as if she was trying to recall those early days without giving too much away. "Then we started dating."

She lifted her head, her eyes drifting to the sky. "Oh, look at the kites," she said, suddenly diverting the conversation, her tone light, trying to shift the focus away from René.