Forever and a Half || Michael Jackson

Chapter Eleven - You Are ... Perfect

Chapter eleven – You Are ... Perfect

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Once we've arrived back home, we enter the back door into the kitchen. I can't stop thinking about Michael and Clover; it's not a relationship I'm worried about ... it's losing my only proper friend. It's a little scary.

"So," I start, "What now?"

He hasn't spoken since I asked him the question of whether he liked Clover or not. He must be feeling awkward, to say the very least.

"Don't know," he answers quickly.

I furrow my eyebrows and sigh. Did my question really get to him that much? I know he probably feels embarrassed that I asked, but he doesn't have to try to avoid speaking to me because of it.

"W-Well, I was thinking we should just stay in the rest of the day," I state.

"Sure."

"What's wrong, Michael?" I suddenly find myself asking, "Tell me, please?"

"Wrong? Nothing," he assures me timidly, "Why would you—?"

"You've been funny since I asked you about Clover."

"Oh," he murmurs.

"Just "Oh"?" I question.

"Y-Yeah. I'm gonna go have some ... alone time now, if that's okay."

Wow ... he is trying to avoid me. My question must really have gotten to him badly, if he's trying to get away from me, now.

"Michael—"

"I won't be long," he assures me, giving a fake smile, which quickly returns to a straight face, "Just a half hour; something like that."

"Right," I mutter.

He then nods, and walks slowly out of the room. Unlike any other time he walks away, I don't follow him; instead sitting down at the table and burying my head into my hands in a slightly-confused daze.

Today's visit to dad ... and Clover ... was nice. It gave me a chance to speak to dad for the first time in ... I don't even know how long. The visit today was the most alert and active I've seen him since mom died. It really made me happy seeing him smile, even if it was only a little.

And Michael ... it was nice seeing him smile genuinely today, after he tried to kill himself. I really believe that he's slowly starting to cheer up after the initial stunned, disoriented feeling of losing his family.

Of course, he won't ever get over such an awful event, but I think he's gradually learning to live with it. It's funny what grief can do to a person ... it really is.

*  *  *

About half an hour later, I'm still sat in my chair at the kitchen table. I'm wondering what Michael's spending his free time doing, to be honest. I know he's doing it just to avoid me.

Should I go check on him?

No ... he'll just find another way to avoid me.