Set Me Free (Michael Jackson Fanfiction) (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-One

Michael shoved Randy into their father's office upstairs.

"OW, MAN! GET OFF ME!" Randy shouted, pushing Michael away from him. "YOU KEEP YO HANDS OFF ME!"

Michael shut the door behind them and pointed a finger in his brother's face. "You have a serious problem, you know that? Don't you ever talk about my woman like that again."

Randy stepped up to him. "No, you the one with the problem. What you gonna do about it? You lucky I don't knock yo punk ass out right here and right now!"

Michael face was hard as stone. "Do it then," he challenged in a low, threatening tone, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Since you want to hit me so badly, go ahead and do it. Prove to me that your family means nothing to you anymore."

"My family is the Rolling Skulls."

Michael's frowned deepened. "Have any us treated you that awful where you feel like you have to disown us?" He came a little closer. "Randy, you and I have always been close. When you were small, I was the big brother you used to follow around the most. What have I ever done to wrong you?"

Randy smacked his lips and leaned his hip against the large mahogany desk. "Man, all of y'all were holdin' me back."

"Holding you back from what, becoming a criminal?"

Randy crossed his arms. "From becoming my own man! I ain't tryin' to be no preacher!"

Michael grimaced in confusion. "Who said you had to become a preacher? Tito's a mechanic, Jackie's a landscaper, Jermaine is a general manager at a restaurant, and Marlon is studying to be an engineer. Dad never forced ministering on you or any of us."

With a hard pout, Randy diverted his eyes, but he didn't say anything else.

"Randy, what's going on? What's the real reason you left home?"

"I done already told you! I ain't tryin' to live by Pop's rules."

"Is it really that unbearable though? I mean, all he wanted was for you to go to college. You're a Jackson, which means you're a smart man. And you need to do something with that talent."

"I already am. I helped Diesel steal three cars last week," he said smugly.

Michael sighed helplessly. "That's not using your talent, Randy. That's wasting it."

"Man, you just hatin' cause I'm goin' my own way. I ain't gonna be stuck runnin' some old church."

"I remember not too long ago, you used to care about that 'old' church just as much as I do. And I think, deep down, you still do. What are you running from?"

Randy stood up abruptly. "You don't know squat about me! What you needa do is stay in yo lane." He tried to walk past him, but Michael palmed his chest. Randy hollered in agitation, "WHAT, MAN?!?!"

A knock came from the other side of the door. "Aye, Mike! Everything all right with y'all in there?" Tito asked.

"We're good," Michael responded calmly before turning his attention back to Randy. "Look, you're my little brother and I love you. And despite what you may think about us, you're always going to be a part of this family," Michael pointed down at the space between them.

Randy was showing him a bored expression.

It irked Michael, but he swallowed down his vexation, so he could get his point across. "Whenever you're ready to put this pathetic lifestyle behind you and grow up, call me and I'll do everything I can to get you out of it, alright?" He patted Randy's shoulder twice, "I love you, brother," and turned to leave him.