𝙴𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚂𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

𝙱𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝙻𝚊𝚜𝚝

☾
1984
Los Angeles
Word Count: 18k

  Tonight felt surreal—almost like a dream, too perfect to be real. The kind of night you never imagined would actually happen, and yet here you were, bathed in the shimmering glow of the Shrine Auditorium's lights. You wore a satin blue dress, its slit tracing the curve of your leg, clinging to your body in all the right places. Soft glam makeup adorned your face, your lips a subtle shimmer, eyes framed with a delicate touch of shadow. Your hair was pressed and curled to perfection, each lock falling effortlessly over your shoulders. It was the kind of moment you had only ever envisioned in fleeting daydreams.

Standing among artists and celebrities, your heart beat wildly in your chest, an erratic rhythm that matched the deep thrum of bass drums you had once heard in a studio. You weren't like them, not these polished icons with their practiced smiles and polished words. But tonight, you weren't just anyone—you were his date, Michael's date, standing beside the man who was the very reason the room seemed to pulse with electricity.

And God, were you proud of him. Every time his name echoed through the auditorium, the applause roared, screams even from the balconies. Eight times, he was called, eight times he ascended that stage to collect yet another Grammy, his presence lighting up the room with a glow that only he could radiate. You watched from a few feet away, awe swirling in your chest as you clapped until your hands tingled.

But beyond the accolades and the spectacle, it was being there with Michael that made the night feel magical. You remembered the way you met so clearly—six years ago, Tower Records, him flipping through a new stack of arrivals. A stranger to you then, though the connection was immediate. It started with small talk about music, a passing conversation that evolved, deepened, until suddenly you were both calling each other every night. Even while he was on tour with his brothers, the phone calls continued, just the two of you, lost in your own little world. Music, life, dreams—you talked about everything, and as time went on, it became harder and harder to imagine life without him.

For you, something changed along the way, something subtle but undeniable. You noticed the way his gaze lingered on you, just a beat too long. How his hand, when it held yours, stayed warm, his grip tighter than necessary. The way he would fall silent just to listen to the sound of your voice, as if it was all he needed to hear in that moment. His hugs were different too, lingering, his arms wrapping around you in a way that felt more intimate than casual. Slowly, each gesture, each glance, pulled you deeper into him, until you were falling. Falling so deeply that now, standing here, you felt as though you were on cloud nine, an intoxicating high that you never wanted to come down from. But did he feel it too? Did he notice?