Before The Storm - A Michael Jackson Love Story

Chapter 45 - Got To Be There

Michael's POV
-
"I'm sorry, I still cry sometimes. It still hurts." Ariana said, pulling away from our hug and wiping her tears away quickly. My heart broke seeing her like this because of me and my actions.

"Hey, don't apologize for being heartbroken, please. You have every right to express your emotions." I explained to her.

She nodded, taking a napkin and dabbing under her eyes so her makeup wouldn't run, "Just looking at you in front of me after all of this time brings back a lot of emotions."

"It's the same way for me, I thought I'd never speak to you again, Ariana." I paused for a moment getting choked up. Ariana looked up at me with soft eyes, "But I couldn't move on with my life without you, I couldn't live with myself knowing I hurt you deeply and didn't try to fix us."

Ariana continued to stare at me and sat there quietly before she spoke, "Did you know that song Selena sang at the Grammys was about you?" She asked unexpectedly. But I didn't blame her, I want her to get everything off her chest.

I took a deep breath, remembering that night at the Grammys. I knew the second I heard Selena's song it was about her and I, "Yes I know. I knew the moment I heard it."

"W-Why did you react the way you did?" Ariana asked, "You were the only one who stood up, and you looked at her like she was an angel on earth."

Her last comment stung a little bit, the only angel on earth I knew about was the one sitting across from me.

"I guess I was in shock, and I couldn't believe she had wrote a song about her and I. And I guess some feelings were still there for her."  I said truthfully. Selena and I did have a connection, and that doesn't happen often with me.

Ariana swallowed hard looking down at her hands, "I knew it." She said quietly.

"Ariana, I just want to be honest about everything, no stones left unturned, remember?"

She nodded, "I do appreciate you telling me, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt me." Ariana said looking back up at me from her hands, "What made you fall in love with her?" Ariana asked me suddenly.

"Ariana-"

"I need to know. For me to move on, I need to know, Michael. I know she's a beautiful girl, but what was it that made you fall for her?" She asked, her voice full of concern.

I didn't know how answer her without hurting her feelings, I never thought she'd ask me anything like that. "If it will help you heal, I'll tell you." I said.

"It will." She verified.

I took a deep breath, "Selena is a very optimistic girl, I could sit and talk to her for hours about anything. She didn't judge, she just listened. When you and I weren't speaking, Selena was there physically and emotionally. She was open to anything and everything, no matter how crazy I sounded, she was always just as excited as I was." I said, looking up at the tree above me. I could feel Ariana's stare burning right through me, I hesitated and looked down at her, she held her head in her hands and she was looking down.

"I can't do this, I'm sorry." Ariana said picking up her head and standing up from her chair quickly. She attempted to walk away but I quickly stood up and grabbed her hand.

"Ariana, don't go."

"You don't understand how hard this is for me, Michael." Ariana said through her tears.

"I do, I do understand. That's why I'm here with you tonight coming clean about everything. Anything you want to know, I will tell you." I pleaded with Ariana. "I just want my girl back." I said with my voice cracking, I was on the verge of tears.