When We Were Younger... (Book One) (MJ Fan Fic)

36~ What Happens In The Dark..

~Shanelle POV~

"See if you turn this one slightly to the left a bit more, you will hear the levels even out to a place you want it to be." Smokey's soft voice rings my ear delicately while I watch his finger glide across the soundboard to each knob before us. "It allows the singer to be heard over the beat, not hiding behind it. So they can get really groovy, ya dig?"

I nod and force out a chuckle once he giggles for the mood of laughter and happiness is vacant from my body. I glance over to the clock that is displaying 12:32 in the afternoon and calculate that we've been going at this for about 4 hours or more. I'm starting to feel hungry so I'm not surprised when my stomach begins to growl once the music stops playing as if wanting everyone to hear it roar. But as if turning a blind eye to it, Smokey continues on with his knob twisting and feet tapping to the rhythm still being sounded in his head. It wasn't much longer before his silky voice was being heard, belting out audible words and phrases here and there but majority was mumbled. Hummed melodies never heard of before blasting the groovy instrumental I helped him put together earlier.

"How do you think this song should sound?" I hear him ask, still busy turning knobs and pushing buttons to eye me for my answer so, take this time to ignore the rumbling of my stomach and focus in on possible ideas to write about but guessing I was taking to long for his liking, he finally turns to me and presses with a sly smirk, "I'm sure there's something that's happened in your life recently that deserves to be heard, Ms. Superstar. Come on now. Think."

Quick flashes of the other night began to race through my mind as if cues to do so while I try my best to hide the pain creeping back into my heart.

"Diana? What are you doing here?"

Peeking over Michael's broad shoulders, I couldn't help but notice her eyes sparkle with amusement at the sight of Michael shielding me from her presence as if she was infected with some disease.

"I'm here for you, Michael." Was all she spoke, leaning to her right a bit to send me a hello nod that I didn't return. "You weren't next to me when I woke up and seeing the state you were in when you showed up at my front door, I just had to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine, Diane." Michael sort of snaps back, me raising a brow towards his back at his rushed tone. "You can leave now."

"Yeah, I don't even know why you came here in the first place. He already rejected you once, there is really no need to go out of your way to get rejected again." I cut in, wriggling my fists free and sliding to his right to be seen in all my fury but anger leaves my body gradually when her face shows genuine confusion to my words.

"Rejected?" She squeaks back, eyes now falling onto Michael who couldn't bring himself to look at the two women before him, biting his lip and looking at his feet instead as if his worn down sneakers were more interesting. "I think you should tell her the truth, Michael. Of what really happened. She deserves that much, don't you think."

My head snaps and locks onto Michael, studying his nervous behavior as I prep my body to feel the pain of a shattered heart. "You stopped her before anything could happen, right? Isn't that what you said?"

"Shanelle, I-" he tries to plead back, reaching out for my hand when I take a well needed step from him slowly. "Shanelle, I tried-"

No one had cut him off but nonetheless he halts his explanation, staring me down as if trying to speak with his eyes but I wanted to hear words. I wanted him to be a man and tell me his potential wrongs.