Book 1- 1965 (Michael Jackson)

Chapter 22- That Four-Lettered Word

                                                   Chapter 22- That Four-Lettered Word

                                                      Date: Wednesday, November 3, 1965

                                                                      Time: 4:22PM

                                                                   MICHAEL'S POV

        "Do you wanna say that again to me?" Joseph cornered me, making me shrink a little.

        "Sure thing," I replied confidently, "You can stuff it up your-"

        Joseph grabbed hold of me, and slapped my back a few times. Trying to be strong, I just gave hiom a dirty look and walked back.

        Man, he didn't know how much he hurt me. I felt like crying on the spot. However, as he stomped past me, I only allowed myself to rub my back.

        "Again! And Kayla, try not to be so slow at the intro. It has to be perfect. PERFECT."

        Once Joseph turned away, Kayla turned from her spot and stuck her tongue at him. Marlob noticed, and began to giggle. Uncontrollably.

        Oh, no.

        Joseph turned around from Tito, who was trying to adjust his guitar strings without breaking them. "What's so funny?!"

        Marlon's eyes widened, and he quieted down. After relaxing, he uttered, "I, um, uh..."

        Kayla shrunk a little, and turned back to her piano quickly. I shot a glance at Marlon.

        "... It was a dream from last night. It was real funny."

        Jermaine piped up. "Right on, Marlon! I had this cool dream last night, where I was-"

        "Jermaine!" Joseph snapped. Jermaine backed down from talking. "Sorry."

        Joseph strightened his back, and turned to Marlon once again. He stared at him, opened his mouth, and... closed it. He went back to the center of the room, where he sat in his lawn chair.

        "Again," he shouted, "'Hound Dog'!"

        Just as Jermaine started singing, the front door flew open. Jackie (who was in front of the door) toppled over, on top of Jermaine, who knocked the tambourine out of my hand.

        "Hey!" I shouted. "I was using that!"

        "It wasn't intentional, Michael," Jermaine apologized, rubbing the back of his head. He shot Jackie a sharp look, and he huffed in response.

        I turned my attention to the front door. In the way stood Rebbie, who looked like she was glowing. She had the biggest smile I'd ever seen on a girl before, and her eyes sparkled, like dew drops in the early morning.

        Wow, what happened to her?

        "What happened to you?" Tito asked.

        Amen, brother.

        Rebie twirled her hair a little, and joyfully replied with, "Oh, it's that four-letter word. You know, the-"

        "Salt?" Marlon questioned. "You're happy about salt?"

        Jackie shot him a strange look. "No, Marlon! She's in-"

        "A pile," Jermaine cut in, giggling, "A big old pile of-"

        "Love!" Jackie shouted. "She's in love!"

        Everyone's eyes went back to Rebbie, who began to blush. "Maybe," she answered quietly, "just a little, with-"

        "With who?" I cut in, interested in what she had to say.

        "Oh, that's great, Rebbie!" Kayla called from the piano bench.

        Rebbie's grin only got bigger as she said the boy's name. "Nathaniel. His name is Nathaniel Brown."

        "Oh, you mean that guy that you've... been after for a while, now? That one you've had a crush on?" Joseph questioned, wearing a slight grimace.

        Rebbie nodded slightly, eyeing the ground (and still beaming). "Yes. Oh, isn't he just... ravishing?"

        La Toya scoffed from the other room. "Ravishing? Only if you call chopped liver ravishing, because that's what he looks like! Chopped-"

        "Shut up, La Toya!" Rebbie shouted, suddenly getting upset. "He's gorgeous, like... like a prince Charming!"

        "Ewwwwwwwww," Jermaine exclaimed, "You're gross!"

        Rebbie turned to him, grinning even wider. "And YOU are the ugly frog!" She snickered a little.

        Marlon and Tito began chuckling along with her, which only caused Jermaine to grumble.

        "What does that make me?" I asked, wanting to know.

        Rebbie tapped her chin for a couple seconds, and replied with, "Michael, you can be the best man."

        "The best LITTLE man, that is," Jackie chimed, trying to give off a James Bond look. 

      ... He ended up looking like Elvis Presley, with that lip. Marlon and I sniggered a little, in the background.

         Rebbie ignored us, and finally said out loud, "No one is using the phone, right? Imma call him right now."

        Joseph rolled his eyes, and walked off into the kitchen. "I'll need a Budweiser for this," he grumbled silently, as he stomped out of the room.

        Marlon and Jermaine watched Rebbie walk out of the room, with a skip in her step. Once out, they exhanged looks, and grinned devilishly.

        I watched as they slithered out of the living room, and into our bedroom, where Rebbie was holding a model 701 rotary phone. She didn't notice the two in the room, and she continued dialing.

        She picked the phone up, and started talking to the other person in the line.

        "Nathaniel? Is that you?"

        Suddenly, Jermiane and Marlon nroke out into harmony.

        "I fallllll...... toooooo piiieeeeecccccceeeeessssss!"

        "Shut up, boys!"