The Bad Tour(ture): 2nd Edition

Chapter 10 - Up Again

I went to sleep and woke up with the same phrase in my head. I kept hearing it over and over again. Billie Jean is not my lover.

Michael made us sang it over and over again. He was hearing a pitch problem and he singled me out. It was very frustrating. The most frustrating and toughest rehearsal I ever went through. I didn't feel comfortable doing the show and I felt like he was mad at me. He didn't smile at me once. I thought maybe it was because the way I left his room. It was rude and he probably figured out that I lied to him about me and Greg.

I just couldn't go on with the show feeling the way I did. I asked to meet him in his room but his assistant told me he was unavailable. So I waited all day until we got to the stadium. I got dressed and then went to his dressing room. There were a lot of people in there and I wanted to talk to him alone. I walked up to him as he was talking to some wardrobe people. He wasn't dressed yet.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Once again, no smile. "About what?"

"Rehearsals yesterday."

He looked around the room, thinking. He looked annoyed with me. He started walking towards the bathroom. He motioned for me to join him. I guess it was the only place we could be alone. I stepped in and he shut the door. "Yes?"

"Was I that bad yesterday or were you just picking on me?"

"Picking on you? One thing I thought you would've learned about me by now is that I don't mix business with pleasure. I wouldn't 'pick' on you just because I'm mad at you for something that has nothing to do with my show."

"Okay well then what was the problem?"

"We fixed it already last night."

I sighed and looked down. "Well...are you mad at me?"

"I have no reason to be mad at you."

I looked at his stern face. "Then why do you seem so uptight?"

"Look, I'm sorry but right now is not the time to be talking about this. I don't want to get pissed off before I have to go on the stage. Is there anything else?"

I couldn't believe the way he was talking to me. "No just forget it." I opened the door and stormed out of the bathroom. As I was about to leave, I saw Jamila sitting on a couch. Michael walked out and passed me and went straight to her. They hugged and each other and kissed one another on the cheek.

I walked up to Frank. "Did Jermaine surprise him?" I asked with sarcasm.

"No. No word from him."

"Well did you tell Michael?"

"No, I didn't get a chance too. But now that I know Jermaine wasn't here to see him and really here for Jamila, I guess I should."

"Yes you should."

"But you weren't even 100% sure it was Jermaine. I don't want to start anything and look like an idiot when I figure out it wasn't really him."

"It was." Frank was starting to piss me off even more than Michael already had. "Ask her."

"No way. Not before the show."

"Fine, I will."

"No," he whispered as I walked away and up to Jamila.

"Hey," I said to her. "Where's Jermaine?"

Michael looked at me with the same disgusted look. "What?"

"Jermaine. I saw her and Jermaine yesterday at the hotel where my parents were staying."

Michael looked at Jamila. "Jermaine's here?"