For All Time

Shhh!

"Michael! Shhh!" Ebony whisper-yelled into the receiver. Here she was: Huddled into a ball, receiver in hand, and international pop-star on the other end.

You see, Michael was supposed to have his full break, but something had come up. Apparently, there was a movie about a mouse that was coming out. How did that involve him you say? Well, Michael was slotted to do the track for the movie. The song was entitled 'Ben'.

Anyways, Michael was across the country and away from his friend. Ebony and Michael had become great friends—she came to visit him often and she always brought him some of her homemade cookies. She wanted to learn to bake like her mother, and apparently Michael was her designated taste-tester. A conversation about her first batch of cookies is what had the pair of pre-teens on the floor, attempting to suppress their laughter.

"It wasn't even that bad!" She whisper-yelled.

"Yeah, right! I almost lost a tooth, E!"

"You still ate it!" She whined in her defense. How dare he make fun of her?

"I had no choice!" He laughed as he leaned against the wall of his hotel room.

"Yeah, Yeah. So what are you up to, Mr.Star?"

"Just got in from being in the studio. I'm not supposed to be talkin' much, but we can talk now. I'm supposed to be drinkin' tea and restin' my voice. They told me the song was done, so I don't know why I have to do all that," Michael sighed.

He was glad he finally had a real friend, someone he could vent to an that would listen. He was also glad he had his own hotel room. Michael was so used to piling up with his brothers on the road. Everything was so much better once they got signed with Motown. 

"Well, maybe they'll have a show for you to do or somethin'."

"Maybe," He shrugged, popping a piece of bubblegum into his mouth. "How is everybody? You enjoyin' school?"

"Everyone is okay, and it's boring. I wish I was traveling and stuff like you are."

"It's fun sometimes," Michael admitted. "Sometimes I'm just tired."

Ebony pouted at the sadness in her friend's voice. "Remember our plans though! When you get back? We're gonna ride our new bikes together! And remember the party your parents always throw?"

"Yeah!" Michael perked up immediately. "It's gonna be so much fun, E. I can't wait. But I should get to sleep. I have press in the morning."

"Booo!" She spoke into the receiver.

"Boo you! Night, E."

"G'night, Applehead." He shook her head and stood to her feet. An audible 'click' could be heard as she placed the phone back onto the receiver and stretched her joints. Once everything was just the way she found it, she then began to creep upstairs. She climbed under her blankets and was out like a light.

Michael hung up the phone and spit-out the bubblegum into the trash. Snuggling up to his stuffed Mickey-Mouse, he went to bed with a small smile. Atleast he had some normalcy with Ebony's family. They welcomed him like their own and didn't treat him different because of who he was. They had no idea how much he appreciated it.