Running Back Into You

Prologue...

Encino, CA; Michael's Condo: April 19, 1986

"Netty, I have something that I need to really get off of my chest. I-I...I just don't know how I'm going to put it all in words or how you're gonna take it...." Michael sighs, looking down at the floor.

Dawnette scooted closer to him, taking his hand in hers, rubbing her thumb against his soft skin. "Baby, you can tell me anything. I'm pretty sure it isn't that bad...is it not?" She asks, reluctantly.

Whatever it was, she knew that deep down inside it was something terrible. She wasn't sure if she was ready for him to tell her what it is that he needed to get off his chest. All she knew was that it wasn't going to be good.

Not even.

"Netty, you know how much I love you, right?"

Dawnette nods her head at this. "Yes, Michael, I do. I love you, too."

"And you know I wouldn't hurt you intentionally, right?"

She furrowed her brows at him, perplexed. "Baby... what's with all of the questions? Wha--"

"I'm engaged!" He shouts quickly.

And just as fast as those words came, that's about how as fast they went through one ear and out the other. Just. Like. That. Dawnette removed her hand from Michael's and slowly stood up from the love seat they were both sitting down on.

"What?" She asks, trying to make sure she heard him correctly.

To be honest, she's not sure if she did or if her ears were just playing tricks on her, or, maybe if Michael was playing with her. Yeah, that's what is was.

He's playing with her.

He's playing, right?

"Michael, what did you just say?" She asks once again.

Michael sighs, rubbing his hands over his face. "I-I'm engaged, Dawnette. That's what I said. I'm getting married. Baby, I--"

He stopped himself right there, when he saw her eyes, those beautiful, brown eyes well up. And not long after, the tears fell like little rain showers. He hated to see her cry and upset. It hurts him to see her feeling that way. He didn't want this to be said but it had to.

He didn't mean to hurt her in this way. Not even close. He loved Dawnette. She has been his best friend since his Jackson Five days when his family had first just moved to Encino years ago. He never knew that their friendship would transform into something more than what it was really suppose to be: friends.

All it took was that one passionate kiss that they shared and the friends with benefits sprung to life. In the beginning, everything was great. He was enjoying the arrangement of things and so was she. But, all of that changed when one night she asked for him to be her first.

He was a little hesitant and not sure if she was in her right mind and just speaking out the side of her neck, but in her words, she was really serious. So, he made love to her for the first time. Never in his life has he ever taken a girl's virginity and Dawnette was his first.

That's when her feelings began to get much deeper for him than his were for her. When she said that she loved him more than a friend, he didn't know how to respond to that nor take it. It was just so...fast. He wasn't expecting that from her.

But, to make her happy, he would say it back though he meant it, but in another way. As her friend. They were suppose to be only friends with a little sex here and there on the side, but not catching feelings. Yes, he loved her, but not in that way. Yes, she loved him and in that kind of way.