Hold Me Tight, And Don't Let Go (On Hold)

Chapter 15: The Way You Make Me Feel

March 3, 1988

I stood in the back of the dressing room, My hair in curls flowing down my back. I wore a tight black short dress that showed my curves perfectly and heels that made my caves look bigger than they really were. I was in New York, Madison square garden to be exact and Michael was in the middle singing his song The Way You Make Me Feel. This was the part of the show that I had to replace Jaslyn in. Which I honestly didn't mind considering the fact that she and Michael was supposed to be doing a lot of hip touching and what not in the show.

"Theresa!" I heard someone knock.

"Yeah?"

"We need you on stage." It was Frank of course. We had a complicated relationship, he was against the fact of Michael having a girl friend so we were kind of....I don't know the right word for what we were. I knew that he was just like everyone in Michael's camp; all want full control of him keeping him from his family and some of the people he loved. Michael didn't notice it but I certainly did. It didn't take rocket science to figure that out.

I stood up and opened the door. He was standing there with the cigar in his mouth. I fanned away the smoke." Excuse me." I said as I pushed passed him.

"And Theresa?" he said.

I turned and looked at him." Yeah?"

"Good luck out there." he said giving me a smile.

I gave him a look." Oh..Kay..." I said and slowly turned around. 'Weird.' I thought. I shook my head and walked out towards the stage. As I stepped up the sound of Michael's voice and the crowd filled my ears. As soon as my cue came I walked out onto the noisy crowd and everyone cheered. I started the routine running away from Michael as he sung the song.

I made gestures with him, letting him play with my hips and sing to me. The adrenaline, the noise, the excitement of being on stage with him was out of this world. I couldn't describe the feeling I had. As I moved with him. It was like......it was like making in love with him through dancing.

At point of our performance we were dancing together and I was teasing him, telling him to come on he danced his away over to me and that point I was in my own little world, like it was only us. There was no crowd there was no band no cameras. It was just us. I stood there as he sang the lyrics "They way you make me feel, you really turn me on, you knock me off of my feet..My lonely days are gone." Then the funky beat came on and he began chasing me again.

I stopped center staged and stood there as he made his way back to me. I held my hands out in front." Come here!" I mouthed. He danced over towards me..I grabbed his shirt and and was about to pull him into a hug like we had rehearsed. But instead our lips were locked in one another. I could hear the crowd go wild and the boys in the back cheering Michael on.

When we parted I gave smiled and showed some love towards the fans then walked behind my the microphone and watched as he continued the show. Christina gave me a smile and a wink as we started the back up vocals to his other songs.

The show ended with amazing feedback we all had an opportunity to bow and get the love from all his loving fans. Michael walked off stage and I followed behind him catching with him." Hey!" I said as I grabbed his hand." Come here."

"What?"

"What was that, on the stage-"

"Michael, Theresa!" I heard someone say in an angry tone of voice. We looked up to see Frank standing there his cigar hanging off his lip. " Get in here!"

I looked at Michael with a raised eyebrow

" See what you did?" I asked.

He didn't say anything. We walked into Michaels dressing room and Michael grabbed a towel off the back of the chair. He sat down and sat on his lap.

" Tell me, what the fuck was that?"

"Don't use that word." Michael said dryly

" What was what?" Asked at the same time.

" That kiss, that's what!" His fave was beet red I tried holding back my smile bit I couldn't help it, it spread across my face."You know better than that!" he yelled at me." Do you-"

"Wait, wait, wait." I laughed." I know you are not blaming this on me."

"I am because it was your fault."

"How the hell was it my fault? I was following the routine!"

"That kiss was not apart of the routine!"

" Frank, don't..." Michael let his sentence trail, he just laid his head back and closed his eyes. I knew he was tired just by the way rubbed his eyes and groaned. But I could also tell he has become frustrated by Frank.

" Michael you have to be mindful about these kinda of things, " Frank said calmly." You can lose-"

"I am not going to lose any of my fans," he sighed." Beside, I think they knew something was going between us any way. Now they know. Stop making a big deal out of nothing."

"But she-"

He shook his head." She was following the routine like she was supposed to. I was the one who changed it."

He stared at him for moment then back at me." If your covering-"

"I'm not covering for her, its the truth." He lifted his head to make I contact with him." I deliberately changed the routine so the world could know about us, now all that has to happen is for one of us to have interview and confirm and..." he threw his hands up and let them fall lazily down." Its done."

" Have you lost your mind?"he asked.

" No I have not, I know what doing." he said." Are the cars ready? I would like to go back to the hotel, I'm tired." he asked, changing the subject.

Frank sighed." Yes, they're ready." He mumbled as he walked out the door.

Michael let out a frustrating sigh." Baby, get off of me." he said softly in my ear.

I stood up and walked behind the chair wrapping my arms around his neck and kissed cheek." Do you want me to massage your shoulders for you?"

" No, I just want to go to sleep."

I stood up and walked towards the door." I'll go get my things."I said. He nodded and began getting out of the costume he was wearing. I opened the door and walked out into the hallway closing it behind me.

When I turned Frank was standing there, he still didn't look happy but I expected that." Let me tell you something, ma'am..Don't you come here and think you can interfere with Michael's life, he does not need to be in a relationship right now and I don't need you ruining everything I've worked for!"

"What..."

"I suggest you keep your limits or I will have you fired. He said then walked away."

I stood there stunned, absolutely stunned.