tabloid junkie (Michael Jackson)

April 1ˢᵗ ─ 9:20 ᵖᵐ

The second he heard the two syllables of his name, he tore his mask off, I gasped, remembering him lying motionless on the floor of his apartment room. "How...?" I whispered, mostly to myself.

"Do you know how fast it is to recover from being shot while wearing a bulletproof vest?" He grinned at me.

I shook my head. "Bulletproof vest? How did you even-?"

"James informed me Michael was coming to kill me, so I knew what to do." Richard sighed.

"But what if Michael had shot you in the face?" I asked, puffing my chest out in anger. "And you're saying James told you Michael was going to kill you like it was his choice."

Even Richard looked confused now. "It was his choice to come into my fucking apartment to try and kill me."

I sighed, letting out a laugh. "James was the one who told Michael to kill you, Richard, he threatened Michael. And now you're kissing James's feet and being his bitch because you think he saved your life when he's the one who put it in danger!" I realized as I spoke.

His grip tightened on my arm. "Like I said, shut up Diana."

"What is my sister doing here?" I asked in a low and threatening voice.

Richard shrugged. "I guess she's kissing James's feet too."

I fought against his grip as he dragged me toward Gloria who'd pulled her mask off also.

Gloria's expression was impassive, she no longer looked like the sweet little girl I used to help avoid Richard's eye sight.

This Gloria approached Richard holding a box shaped bag, he took it carefully as if one wrong movement and it would explode.

Richard slowly pulled the handle over my neck, and grabbed something from his back pocket.

It was duct tape, which he used to tape the bag around my waist and neck, I was confused. "What's in the bag? What are you doing?" I asked.

Richard grinned. "You'd better stay still, Diana. Because that's a bomb right there. And it's going to explode in about...20 minutes."

I let out a gasp of fear. "Richard, I-"

"Uh, uh. Diana shut up."

I blinked away tears. "Please...after everything you've done to me, ruining my childhood and you're just going to kill me?"

"Sorry, Wesley. I need the money."

I was wondering why Michael was so quiet, I turned to see him, he was still sitting in the chair, he was confused and he looked shocked. He must have seen Richard's face, we weren't even that far.

"Gloria, is the gold packed?" He asked my sister, who nodded without another word.

"Alright, we're good to go."

He sat there in silence, as he heard sirens from outside. "Alright, everybody out!" He roared. "Out! Get out!" He waved the gun at the hostages, and then everybody began to race away like ants.

I turned, while everyone was still running and saw Michael hadn't run yet, Richard turned toward him. "What are you still sitting there for? Get out."

Michael shook his head no, and then Richard pointed the gun at him.

"Michael, come on!" It was Janet, she grabbed him by his collar, without noticing what was happening and pulled him from the room.

When the ballroom was silent, Richard turned to me.

"I guess it's just you and I, Diana."