Remember The Time: An MJ Love Story

Part 5

"Y'all, it's been awhile since I've shopped like that," I laugh.

After spending most of our time at Chanel, Coach, and Adidas, me and my girls have a seat at the Billy Goat Tavern.
"I haven't had a burger like this in forever," Tya sighs, happily.
She's the new face of J'adore, so my girl has definitely been missing some good eating.
"You know modeling is a cut throat business, Ms. Marie," Gilana warns before sipping her drink.

Tya smiles confidently and laughs, "Well, someone better hand me a knife."

We all start cracking up. I've missed being crazy with my friends. Sipping my coke, my mind wanders over to Michael. I wonder what he's doing. Probably making guys and girls faint, making them cry, and scream their head off. I know that no chick better not be all over him. It will be hell to pay if that happens. I shake my head. Where did that come from? Geg laughs, shows her phone to Tyawana and they both start giggling.

"What's so funny," my out of the loop ass asks.

Finally, Geg shows her phone to me. It's a message from De'Tarrio with the heading 'Look whose in town'. The photo is of a poster of Michael. I shrug.

"So?"

They exchange a smile. Uh-oh. They take hold of my arm and jerk me out of my chair.
"We are going to go meet the man you have called your future husband finally," Geg says.

"I already met him. See? We don't have to go see him again," I protest.

"Consider this another one of your gifts," Tya says. Another one?

"Did y'all get me another male stripper," I ask them both.

They glance at me, then at each other and smile again. Yeah, on my twenty-fourth birthday, my friends decided it would be funny to get me a male stripper. When I saw this guy, he was absolutely gorgeous. So, he's in the middle of giving me an incredible lap dance when my cell phone rang. I tried to reach for it, but the stripper got to it first and stuck it in his thong.

"Come and get it bae," he smiled seductively.

To make a long story short, I punched him in the dick, rescued my phone and kicked him out. He did give me a good lap dance, though.

When we get to the Water Tower Place, Jesus. To say it's a crowd is an understatement. This is pandemonium. Girls, screaming and crying. Guys, screaming and crying. Paparazzi snapping it all. When a photographer from People sees me, he's quick to come over.

"Kierra! I didn't know you were a fan of the King Of Pop," he smiles while taking my picture. I shrug, smiling.

"Have been since I was thirteen."

After the impromptu photo session, I'm finally in line to see Michael. I'm stuck behind another fan girl.

"Ohmigod! Michael, I love you so much," she squeals.

I know I shouldn't be jealous because people tell me they love me all the time, but I am. I also don't miss the fact that her voice has the same smooth deepness as Toni Braxton's. She don't have to act like that with him.

Michael being as sweet as he is, kindly replies, "I love you too."

When she walks off, my heartbeat starts to increase. I just saw him, why am I so nervous? Our eyes meet and the corner of Michael's mouth quirks up in a smile.

"Well, well, well if it isn't America's favorite journalist. I didn't know you were a fan, Ms. Kierra," he tells me.

Like he didn't already know! Biting my lip, I nod my head.
"You're even more beautiful off camera," he flirts, obviously not caring about people around us hearing. Oh, but his smile is contagious.

"Thanks," I reply. My heart rate just went back to zero.

"While you're here, you should go to Lumen," I throw out. Hopefully, he'll pick up on the fact I asked him out again.

"What's Lumen," he asks.

"It's this club in the West Loop. It's fun," I say. Michael's eye gives off a spark of realizing. Finally. He smiles then.
"Okay, I'll check it out sometime tomorrow," he states, nodding.

I pout a bit. There goes my birthday date. My photo gets handed back to me.
"Thanks, Michael," I grin.

"Anytime," he replies.
I walk away from him and join my friends. 
"Let me see," Geg says, reaching for it.

"Wait a second. I didn't even read it yet," I respond.

When I do finally read it, I make sure I'm a few steps ahead of my friends. The message makes me smile as I read,

'You, me, and Castaways. 9:30. Hope you make it.
P.S. You make me nervous too.'

I start smiling like a fool and don't notice the telephone pole in front of me until I go head first into it.
"Shit," I hiss.
Man, that was embarrassing. No doubt that photographer got a field day out of that one. I hear a few snickers anyway. "What's funny," I ask, laughing at myself.