Michael laughed as he conversed with his manager in a rather animated fashion. He had had quite a bit to drink, but so had everyone else at the celebratory party for yet another successful tour of his. Though his entire world - you - wasn't there with him, he had managed to be a good sport at the party that had been so affectionately held for him. You'd been a little sick from the relentless work you'd been heavily involved with for the past few months, so it had been decided that you needed your rest. Michael had hoped to make it back home soon enough, for all he really wanted to do was be with you.
But the party had unfolded to be far more interactive than he had anticipated, and soon enough he had become very distracted with everything that was going on.
From across the room, a young woman eyed him intently, as if he were the only person there. She had managed to get an invite to the party, but only because she had been a friend of a friend of a fellow colleague on Michael's team. Her unruly brown hair was casually pulled back into a mid-high ponytail, and from the way she was dressed - it was clear that she had hoped to make a statement.
Her large, dark brown eyes appeared to grow more intense with each moment that passed. All she could focus on was Michael.
She was married, but no one would have guessed, considering the fact that she did not care to have her wedding ring on for that night.
Though it wasn't too obvious, the way in which she had dressed and presented herself was awfully similar to the woman that wasn't there - you. Her appearance was so different from her genuine features that it would have been impossible to have recognized her as Sasha.
After a few more minutes of watching Michael, she decided she wasn't going to wait any longer. The night would soon draw to an end in a couple of hours, and if she was to hopefully get what she wanted, she was going to need to act quickly.
She tilted her chin up slightly before making her way through the crowd, gearing in Michael's direction. Of course, he hadn't noticed her, but she'd had the perfect remedy for that. Right when she had gotten close enough to him, she pretended to lose her balance, catching Michael's attention almost immediately.
In true Michael fashion, he instinctively handed his glass to Frank in time to reach out and keep Sasha from falling. If she hadn't been the great pretender she was, she would have broken into a satisfied smirk right then and there.
"Hey, are you alright?" Michael asked with general concern, gently helping her steady herself.
When she looked up at him, his eyes widened slightly at how much she seemed to resemble you. Since he was quite intoxicated, he didn't know what to think when he saw her face - all he knew was that he had been a little more open to helping her now that she greatly reminded him of you.
"Sorry," she feigned a nervous chuckle as she straightened up. "I'm quite clumsy,"
"It's....fine," it took a little longer for him to give her a fluent response, considering the fact that he was inebriated. "Sorry," he shook his head slightly. "I'm a little...intoxicated," he cleared his throat, mimicking her apology.
"Really? I couldn't tell," she giggled a little too enthusiastically, but Michael hadn't been sober enough to have noticed it.
Michael merely laughed in response, giving her another thoughtful glance before he brought a hand to his head, feeling just a little dizzy.
"Hey, Mike, you alright?" Frank frowned at him with concern. "I think you've had a little too much to drink," he chuckled. "We should get you home before you get wasted any further," he snickered.
"Or he could lay down for a bit in one of the rooms upstairs," Sasha quickly intervened, placing her hand on Michael's arm.
Since the party was being hosted at a beach-side mansion, her suggestion was plausible. However, it was also very unexpected.
Frank narrowed his eyes when he saw how close Sasha was to Michael. He cleared his throat and stood his ground. "I think we ought to get him home," he repeated. "His wife must be worried about him," he emphasized the word that he believed Sasha needed to remember.
"And leave his own celebratory party so prematurely?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Can I ask who invited you?" Frank didn't care to mince words.
"Alright, Frank, that's...enough," Michael held his hand up. "There's no need to be harsh with this young lady," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as his headache grew worse. "Actually...I don't think....being in....a moving vehicle will do me any good at the moment," he swallowed. "I think I might need to lay down for a bit,"
"Mike," Frank stared at him as though he expected him to change his mind.
"Can you....tell (Y/N) that I'll try to be home soon enough....and if I don't return tonight, I'll be there tomorrow morning," he added. "Tell her that I love her, alright?"
Sasha tensed up at the last few words, but she hid her disapproval well.
"Mike, I don't think that's a good idea," Frank shook his head with an expression of dread. "You're drunk,"
"Nothing untoward is going to happen...I can reassure you," Michael replied. "I just...need to lay down," he slowly turned to follow Sasha, not knowing what would become of that night. "Please, I need to you to give that message to (Y/N) so she knows,"
Frank stood there for a moment, looking sadly at Michael - almost as if part of him knew that he was going to be indirectly allowing something terrible to happen the minute he walked away. But, Michael was a grown man, and he had always been one to make his own decisions.
The manager took in a deep, defeated breath. Then, he gave a slight nod before turning to walk away as well.
