[MJFAs 2019 Winner - Best Short Story]
The fourth day of the week.
The day before Friday.
Just any other day.
But to Valerie, it's everything. It's the one day that she belongs to Michael Jackson.
Sex, drugs, and alcohol are his life. He doesn't d...
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~NOVEMBER 1988, LOS ANGELES~
Valerie's skin tingled with excitement, feeling every fibre of her being vibrate with anticipation. She could barely stand still, she had a wide, permanent smile on her bright face, and she chattered senselessly to her blue-eyed, blonde-haired friend, Christina. A type of electric current surged through the charged crowds of fans, yet Valerie felt the energy pump through her veins stronger than anyone else there.
Backstage at the arena was simply chaotic. Thick cables hung from the ceilings and sprouted out of the grey walls. Fans and people and crew members and press swarmed through the place. The air was hot and hazy, smelling like smoke, sweat and alcohol. Valerie and Christina waited somewhere towards the end of a long line of about 30 people, a spectrum of strangers, but they had one thing in common: they were all fans of music icon Michael Jackson, and tonight, they were lucky enough to meet him in the flesh. Valerie had brought along her copy of the Bad CD, hoping to get it signed.
"It's gonna be so worth you sneaking out of the house for the concert," said Christina.
"Not even," objected Valerie, twirling a lock of her ash-blonde hair around her finger, wearing a look of contempt which silenced her friend in mild shock. Then she broke out into a grin and smiled, "it's gonna be totally worth it!"
Christina shook her head and playfully pushed Valerie's arm. "No duh! So, what did it take before you could get out of there?"
"Hm...like, two arguments, and on top of that, my dad hid my house keys, but I found them because the only place he can think of leaving them is in that same old plant pot; he said if I go, I can't come back."
"But it's your birthday, Val."
They both moved forward in the line. Each step they took brought them closer to the superstar.
"I know," sighed Valerie, "and they still said no. I'm 24 now; they can't keep me on a leash forever."
"You should be able to be free, like a bird. Live your life on your own terms,"
And she wanted to. More than anything. Her life was tedious, filled with simple tasks, yet it lacked stimulation. She rinsed the same routine day in, day out, having worked a lousy, soul-draining 9-5 office job around the same monotonous people. She needed something; a spark of adventure. The concert hadn't started yet, but she was the most excited that she had been in a very long time, and she didn't want the night to ever end. But little did she know that her world was about to be flipped upside down once it was over.
"Hey," said Christina, "we're gonna have a blast."
Valerie nodded, beaming. "I know. Thanks for helping me make this a totally awesome birthday, Christie."
