She Likes the Boys in the Band [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 7: Roses Are Red

"Should I wait here for you?" My bodyguard, Steve, asked as he put the car in park.

"Well, you wouldn't have to wait if you had let me drive myself." I retorted. "But since you insisted on escorting me, yes, please wait."

He rolled his eyes but chose not to respond to my sarcastic comment. Instead, he hopped out of the car, quickly observing the area before pulling the door open for me.

I grabbed the bouquet of flowers that sat next to me before sliding across the leather seat and out of the car. Steve eyed the flowers in distaste, but didn't say anything.

"What?" I questioned, looking down at the flowers. "What's wrong with them?"

He shrugged, turning around to get back in the car.

"Steve." I called, grabbing his arm to stop him.

He turned back around with a deep sigh. "She hates roses, Mike. You know that."

I wrinkled my eyebrows, deeply confused by his statement. But then, it hit me.

"Oh my god." I groaned. "She hates roses. How could I forget?"

Steve gave me a knowing look, an all-knowing look, that made my heart rate speed up a bit. Lately, it seems like everyone can see right through me. He walked past me and around to the trunk of the car, popping it open. 

"Here, let's swap." He spoke,  pulling out a bouquet of orange tulips. "I got them for my wife, but she would probably prefer roses anyway. Take these to Sasha and I'll take the roses to my lady."

I released a deep breath as we exchanged flowers. "Steve, you're a lifesaver. Thank you."

He nodded, offering a small encouraging smile before returning to the driver's seat of the car. 

I set off toward a side door, where a younger guy stood smoking a cigarette. I nodded in his direction as I approached him, and his eyes widened.

"Oh wow, MJ!" He exclaimed. "I'm your biggest fan, brother!"

I smiled, extending a hand. "God bless you. What's your name?"

"Dee." He responded, shaking my hand eagerly. "Well, Derek, actually, but my rap name is Dee."

"Nice to meet you, Dee. How long have you been rapping?" I questioned.

"A long time, MJ. Ever since I learned how to read." He responded, fishing something out his pocket. "This is my demo. You should listen to it. It's really good, I promise."

I lifted an eyebrow, impressed by his confidence. "I'm a little busy at the moment." I spoke, gesturing toward the flowers. "But I'd love to listen to it. As a matter of fact, do you see that black Range Rover over there?"

He nodded with a wide grin.

"My bodyguard is inside. Go give him the tape. Tell him I sent you."

He giggled in excitement, flinging his arms around me. "Thanks, MJ. I won't let you down, man."

I couldn't help but chuckle as he broke the embrace and sprinted across the parking lot toward Steve. He seems like a really good kid.

I continued inside of the building, trying not to draw any more attention to myself. Luckily, it's always easy to blend in at places like this. I shielded my face with the flowers, weaving past groups of camera men and ducking behind racks of clothing.

After a few minutes of ducking and hiding, I finally made my way to the set, where it looked like a scene was in progress. I stood to the side and watched, still trying to lay low.

The set was constructed to look like a little girl's bedroom, decorated with hot pink wallpaper and pony stickers. A small actress sat in the bed, the covers pulled up to her chin and a horrified expression on her face. Just then, there was a loud booming sound, causing her to jump with fright.

"Susie, let me in!" A shrill voice called.

The little girl began to whimper, pulling the covers over her head.

"Let me in!" The voice shrieked again, this time followed by the sound of the door breaking. The little girl screamed at the top of her lungs, scrambling out of the bed and to the corner of the room.

A blonde woman dressed in a long, white, blood-stained robe stepped into the room with a ghost-like demeanor.

"What's wrong, Susie?" She whispered, taking slow steps toward her. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Cut!" A familiar voice yelled. "Cat got your tongue, Jill, really?"

The woman, who just a few seconds ago was a terrifying demon, burst into laughter.

"Sorry, Sasha. I forgot the line." She giggled. 

Sasha stepped onto the set, and I smiled at the sight of her. I love seeing her in action like this. When we first started dating, I used to sneak on set all of the time, just to watch her work.

"Can someone get Jill her lines, please?" She called. "Let's take a ten minute break!"

As she walked off the set, she just so happened to glance in my direction, and she stopped in her tracks when her eyes met mine. She stood in place for a few moments, just staring at me, as if she was struggling to believe that I was really there.

She finally journeyed the rest of the distance between us, and I was surprised to see a genuine smile on her face. I can't remember the last time that she looked so happy to see me.

"Mike? What are you doing here?" She asked.

I whipped out the flowers from behind my back. "Happy Anniversary, baby."

She grinned, lifted the flowers to her face to smell them. "Michael, this is so sweet." She beamed. "Thank you."

I nodded. "It's the least I could do."

She rested a hand on the side of my face, pulling me down to her for a soft kiss. "I love you." She whispered.

I could tell that she meant it, and it made my heart skip a beat. With everything we've been through, I was honestly beginning to wonder if she truly loved me anymore.

"I love you more." I responded.

And it's true. I love her with every ounce of my being, and I always will. But the question is: am I still in love with her?

She noticed that we had attracted a bit of attention, as a small crowd of people stood around us with wide smiles on their faces.

She giggled bashfully. "I'm gonna get back to work. You're more than welcome to hang around if you'd like. You can even sit in the director's chair."

I brushed a hair out of her face, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'd love to."