The Bad Tour(ture)

Chapter 31 - Be Not Always

I know Michael was maybe in a heightened state but I didn't like the fact that he was alone in his room with his ex...thing. I know she was Ms. Diana Ross but to me she was my boyfriend's ex-lover who stole his innocence and broke his heart.

I glanced over at Bill and Miko and they weren't paying me any attention, or Michael's door, so I pushed it opened further and saw Michael and Diana standing across from each other talking. He was smiling at her with attentive eyes as she was speaking. He looked at me for one second as I walked in and then gave her back his full attention.

He started softly laughing. "Yes, I know." He looked at me again. "Come here."

Diana turned her head back and looked at me. "Hi! Is this Ms. Shakira?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat trying to figure out how she knew of me. I smiled towards her as I walked closer to shake her hand but she grabbed me and hugged me to my surprise.

"Shakira, this is Diana and Diana this is Shakira indeed." I didn't need an introduction so I just giggled at him and said my hello to her.

"It's very nice to meet you," I said politely towards her. I had a sudden change of mood.

"Nice to meet you too," Diana said still smiling. Wow. She is quite beautiful in person like I imagined. It was now that I truly was seeing her as Ms. Diana Ross.

"What are you doing back here?" Michael asked me holding on to the ends of a black towel he had draped around his neck.

"I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your performance." I didn't want to mention the nomination in front of Diana, though I was sure it was the topic of their private conversation.

"Thank you," he said with a hint of indignity.

"Me and Stevie was rockin' out."

He laughed. "I have to change."

"Well I'll see you later on, honey." Diana leaned in on him and they kissed each other on the cheek.

"I'll see you too, Ms. Shakira." She kissed me on the cheek as well and made her way out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Well she's nice."

He looked at me, knitting his eyebrows together.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm so sorry." He looked so guilty. He grabbed me by my folded arms and brought me close to him. "Button, you know how much I love you, right?"

"Yes. Look, it's not that big of deal. You two were just talking. My new resolution is to trust you."

He smiled and slowly kissed me on the lips. "Thank you but I meant something else. I told her you were my girlfriend."

I took a slow deep breath.

"She won't say anything," he assured me.

"How do you know? And why-how was that even brought up in such a short period of time?"

"Well...do you really want to know?"

I nodded.

"I didn't tell her this tonight. We talked about it yesterday after rehearsals."

"You were hanging out with your ex behind my back?"

He chuckled. "She's not really an ex."

"Ex-lover."

"Well..." He shrugged his shoulders agreeing. "But we were just talking. And I was mostly talking about you. It was like a 20 minute pow -wow then we went on our way."