Michael Jackson Imagines

Scars to your Beautiful

“Michael I’m scared” 

“It won’t do anything, I promise Lez, just hold it once”

“It’s a snake Michael, you know I’m terrified of snakes”

“But that’s what we promised to do today, face each other’s fears”. 

Michael and Leslie had been friends since Elizabeth introduced them at her 65th birthday party. They had a vibe that matched each other’s. As Michael moved out of the loud room, where the D.J. was blasting his songs on full volume, into the silent sweet-scented garden, he saw Leslie sitting alone on a quiet little bench staring at the moon. She looked like a Wordsworthian poem, the quaint light from the moon highlighting her soft features, the little shadow forming on her nose acting like contour as her pink lips curved into a smile when she saw Michael approaching. The moon heard their conversation and so did the rising sun and both knew that this was the beginning of a friendship that would last a lifetime. 

A few months later, Michael had just returned from the bad tour. He was exhausted but he missed Leslie more and so he picked up the phone and invited her to come over to neverland. She agreed instantly for she had missed him too. Michael ran across the hall when he heard the doorbell ring and opened it before grace, the housemaid, could. Leslie threw herself into Michael’s arms and he held her tightly. They had missed each other a lot. There was nothing much to do that day and so they both decided that they would face their biggest fears and help each other overcome it. The fear would be decided by the other person. It was Leslie’s turn first and so Michael went to the room upstairs and brought muscles, his boa constrictor, down with him. 

“No please don’t come near me” Leslie screamed

“It’s non venomous Lez and trust me it will not hurt you”

“No” Leslie closed her eyes as Michael came closer. 

“Look at me Lez, do you not trust me?”

She slowly opened her eyes. 

“Touch it. Touch the snake” Michael said with a naughty smile, but Leslie was too scared to notice Michael’s innuendo. 

“give me your hand” Michael said and took Leslie’s cold shivering palm and gently rubbed it against the skin of the snake that was coiled around his neck. “see, it’s not so bad, now you have to hold it”

“No” Leslie said and retreated he hand back with a jerk

“look at me Lez” Michael assured her. “Just hold the tail”

Leslie very hesitantly moved her hand forward and touched the tail. “That’s it” Michael kept assuring gently. He lifted the tail, uncoiled muscles a little and placed him in Leslie’s hand while still holding his head. As he saw Leslie get a little comfortable, he slowly put down muscles’ tail on the dining table and placed the head on Leslie’s hand. She froze with terror. 

“I’m going to kill you Michael” she mouthed barely moving her lips and not moving her face at all in fear that the snake might also move. After a few minutes, realizing that the snake was actually very docile, Leslie fear started cooling down. She was still afraid though, but just brave enough to look at the snake in her hand. She handed the snake back to Michael. 

“See it wasn’t that difficult now was it?” he said going back up to drop muscles in his room. While Michael had gone to his room, Leslie went to the bathroom and picked out a few towels and a bowl of water. Today, she wanted Michael to overcome his biggest fear and she knew it would be more difficult than holding a snake. But she had to try. 

Michael hopped down the stairs to the seating area. He saw the bowl of water and towels kept on the table. 

“what’s all this Lez?”

“Sit down Michael” she gestured towards the sofa next to the table. He sat down and Lez sat down next to him, turning towards him and taking his hand in hers. “We’re facing our fears today, right Michael?”

“Yes” he replied, still confused

“well, today I want to see you without any makeup on your face”. 

“What! No, that is not going to happen” Michael said getting up angrily

“Michael please” Leslie said holding his hand and pulling him back down. 

“No, Lez please, make me do anything else but this. You of all people know how insecure I am about the way I look. Please don’t do this to me” 

“Michael that’s what we promised we would help each other do. Overcome our fears. You helped me with mine now let me help you”

“I SAID NO LESLIE” Michael shouted suddenly scaring Leslie. She looked down as her eyes brimmed with tears. “I didn’t mean to shout. I’m sorry”. Michael brought his hand to her face and lifted her chin up gently. “Leslie, I can’t do this”

“Please try to Michael. Once just once let me see you just as you are” 

“Okay” he replied meekly. 

Leslie dipped the white towel in the water, squeezed out the excess and brought it to Michael’s face. He closed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw as Leslie slowly started wiping off the foundation. She began with the forehead. Gently moving Michael’s soft curls out of his face as she continued to wipe his face. The brown coloured foundation mixed with his tears flowed down Michael’s face. Leslie moved down towards his doe like eyes neatly shaped with a black liner. She wiped off the eyeliner and the mascara. As the makeup came off, the spots due to vitiligo started appearing. Leslie kept going, wiping off the lip colour and finally the final dab of foundation around the lips. She put the towel down and caressed Michael’s cheek with her fingers. 

He opened his eyes which were now red with crying. “See Lez this is who I am. This is why I wear makeup because without it I am an ugly fucking monst….” his speech was stopped abruptly as Leslie crashed her lips into his. Michael was confused at first but then kissed her back passionately. He held her waist and pulled her closer to him and she coiled her hands around his neck. 

“I love you Michael” Leslie said as they broke the kiss

“I love you too Leslie. I love you so much” he replied and kissed her again. 

“so, you don’t think I’m ugly?”

Leslie took Michael’s hand and placed it on her heart. “I swear on this beating heart Michael, you are one of the most beautiful people I have ever known. Scratch that. You are the most beautiful person I have ever known”. 

He pulled her in and hugged her. As he held her in his arms, he glanced straight at the mirror kept on the opposite wall and for the first time, his reflection smiled at him.