A/N: Hmmmm.... Gorilla or Come Together??? Damn it! It's actually so hard for me to choose between two videos with both of my mans being daddy af! But since this book is always about Michael, then Come Together it is! Haha. Enjoy this steamy and dramatic chapter (also, back at it again with the song punz 😉). - Alex xoxo
~Ariana~
Mark protectively grabbed my hand to drag me away from Michael as I watched him disappear into the crowd.
"This is ridiculous Mark, I don't see the point of us staying here tonight. If he thinks that he can handle Chandler all by himself, then why did he bring us along into this mission?"
Mark waited until he sat me down on the bar stool as he ordered two pints of beer for the both of us, "I used to think the same thing when I first met Michael, but now, I'm starting to think that he just needed some kind of backup," Mark shrugged as he immediately picked up the glass of beer to chug the alcohol down his throat.
I watched Mark's face squirm at the burning sensation he must be experiencing in his throat. I'd take he's not the type who drinks in a daily basis.
I slid my own drink away from me as I wasn't planning on getting wasted tonight. Since that night in Purgatory, I became more cautious with what I've been given in nightclubs (or strip bars, I suppose), especially with an offer with drinks.
My ears decided to pick up on the music that was playing in the background as I looked at the feral crowd hollering at the girls strip teasing for them. No wonder I will never, ever go back to a place like this, it's disgusting.
However, the more I paid attention to the music, the more I recognized the voice behind the mic. I stood up from my seat to make my way towards the stage. Mark noticed my departure as he grabbed my arm to stop me from going any further, "Hey, you can't just go out on your own, we need to stick together, remember?"
I ignored Mark's warning as I managed to lose his grip on his arm. I continued to follow the music to the front of the stage where the intense heat grew, I started to worry for my makeup to melt too much as it could reveal parts of my true identity, and Chandler hasn't even arrived yet.
After going through a sea of intoxicated people, I finally made it to the very front of the stage where I could see the band rocking out their music with... Peter?
I didn't know Peter had a gig here tonight, I thought his main reason to be here was to have a meeting with his producer. Apparently his plans might've been set aside for this.
But it wasn't just Peter who surprised me the most. I also saw his once sweet and innocent girlfriend, Natalie, strutting her long model legs on the catwalk, like a Victoria's Secret Angel, as she ripped her black skimpy dress in half to reveal a leopard print bra that perfectly accented her skinny model body underneath.
The crowd went wild as it seemed like in my eyes that she was a real professional on this stripping business, like she has been doing this since she was born.
Natalie ignored the money being thrown at her as she stepped down the stage towards one lucky guy in the crowd.
It was very unfortunate when I saw Natalie's fingers tugging on the collar of a yellow button up shirt that I knew too well off. I didn't just felt jealous, I was also enraged at both Michael and Natalie for allowing this to happen, mainly Michael. Like, where did the plan on keeping a low-profile go?
Yet, Michael still allowed this girl, who's being a skank, to touch him in the most inappropriate places. I knew it without looking at Peter, that he was infuriated with what was happening right in front of me, I know I would too if Michael was my boyfriend.
I watched in horror as Natalie started to remove his disguise, the amount of work he had put on was thrown down the drain the more I recognized his real face. Natalie was starting to recognize him too as she quirked a playful smile on her lips. This bitch better not mush her dirty mouth on Michael, otherwise she would really get it from me. And you'd think Molly was bad?
Thankfully, Michael appeared pissed as he should be, and I actually cheered him on, but he couldn't hear me because of the music that was still playing in the background.
Natalie then moved her mouth in speech, but no sound came out, well at least for me. Michael furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief as he said something to her back against the loud music. This back and forth argument between Michael and Natalie eventually ceased as Michael sighed in defeat.
He made his way to Peter, who shoved the mic stand against Michael's chest as he hissed something under his breath before he made his way backstage. Michael nervously placed the mic on the clip before the bass guitar started plucking a chord progression with its accompaniment of the cymbals from the drums.
Michael then stepped forward to the mic to produce the first note from his mouth, and God, it was beautiful and sexy at the same time.
"Here come old flat top, he come grooving up slowly, she's got Joo Joo eyeball, he one holy roller, he got hair down to his knee. Got to be a joker he just do what he please."
The bass did that plucking sound again as Michael started to loosen up on stage by tossing his jacket aside to reveal the colour yellow from his shirt to the crowd as they cheered him on before he sang the next verse of the song;
"He wear no shoe shine, he's got toe jam football, he's got monkey finger, he shoot Coca-Cola he say, 'I know you, you know me'. One thing I can tell you is you've gotta be free."
Michael removed the mic from its stand as he strode across the stage while singing the chorus of the song before he paused to allow room for a short applause from the audience. For once, they were all cheering on someone who at least have proper clothes on.
The different red, green and blue lights illuminated on Michael's face that was already dripping from sweat. He looked so hot, he decided to untuck his shirt and his white shirt ripped slightly open to allow air to flow into his body more. Does he know that he just raised the room temperature by a hundred degrees from that brief action he made on stage? Because it sure felt like he did.
"He roller coaster, he's got early warning, he's got muddy water, he one mojo filter he say, 'One and one and one is three'. Got to be good lookin' cuz he's so hard to see."
"Come together, right now, over me."
At this point, Michael was dancing along to the music as he got so immersed into it, it was like witnessing Michael becoming into the music. It was purely amazing as I haven't seen this entertaining side of Michael.
Maybe I was wrong when I said that I was close to him. Maybe I'm missing the part where I actually get to know him. I should've engage myself more with him, just to get to know him better.
During the ad-libs of the song, Michael then started to touch himself and make swirling hip movements in the air which caused every girl in the club to faint, or even close to fainting.
I could be wrong, but I had a feeling that Michael already knew that I was watching from the crowd. Despite the warning Mark gave me about Michael earlier, a small part of me still hoped that Michael wanted to perform this song as a way to seduce me, to arouse me, but then again, I could be wrong.
My thoughts on Michael faded away when I spotted Natalie again coming up to Michael on stage as she touched his chest while Michael sang. Michael widened his eyes on what she might do to him as he tried to back away, but he was too late when Natalie brought his face into hers, morphing their lips together as they were locked in a kiss.
My vision went red as I angrily stalked towards Natalie so she could finally get a piece of me. Molly was right, I should've pulled on her hair the first time I've met her.
"Ariana! Stop!" Mark yelled beside me against the music as I climbed up the stage to rip Natalie off Michael. My Michael.
"Hey whore," I spat those words like they were fire as she turned around to face me. Interesting, she acknowledged me when I called her 'whore'.
Before Natalie could even guess on who I was, I gave her a loud slap on the face as everyone on stage stopped at what they were doing to witness the drama unfold.
"You fucking, two-faced slut, how could you do this to Peter? Michael's not interested in you!"
Instead of crying like a sook, Natalie turned her head towards me with laughter that abnormally doesn't sound very pleasant. She looked between me and Michael in amusement before she continued, "Are you that confident that Michael would choose a fake like you over someone who's more beautiful and sexy like me?" Is this bitch for real?
"Natalia, shut up."
"For the love of God, Michael, it's Natalie."
"What the fuck's going on?" Peter entered the scene as the entire club booed at the interruption. What a way to make a scene, Ari.
"Oh love, your friend, was being mean to me, I was just doing my job until she-" Natalie broke down into her fake tears as her and Peter were engaged into a hug while Peter brushed her hair soothingly with his fingers. Peter looked up angrily at Michael and I, "What did you guys do?" Is Peter really buying on this bullshit?
"Nothing, I was protecting your relationship by not adding more fuel to the fire she started," I spat as I attempted to grab for Natalie once again but was held back by Michael.
"Let go of me!"
"No, you're just making it worst," Michael whispered calmly in my ear as I wiggled my way out of his grasp.
"Why are you not letting me hurt her Michael? Don't you want me to be angry at her?"
"No! That's not it-"
"Oh I see how it is, you liked her didn't you?" Michael was shaking his head no as he attempted to grab for my hands, but I didn't grant him permission to.
"Did you enjoy the way her fingers glided across your bare chest? Did you like the feeling when she placed her sweet cherry lips on yours? I bet you like the way you penetrate her with your dick while you two were 'having fun under the sheets'!"
Michael flinched uncomfortably when I said the last part, what I said may be false, but the look I saw in his eyes were full of guilt and regret.
"No Ariana, I would never-"
"Stop with the lies Michael, I noticed the way you hold her as she kissed you right in front of my face. In fact, you looked like you were engrossed with her..." I trailed off as tears started to fall from my eyes. Just the thought of Michael being with someone else alone, can lead me into an emotional wreck.
"That's not t-true," Michael stuttered as he realised at the lie he just told me. It was written all over his face, they slept together.
"I'm done Michael, I've given you a chance and you wrecked it, I'm going home," I stepped back from Michael as he watched me go with his eyes being glossed over. Michael, those tears better be fake.
I ripped the blond wig from my natural hair and slammed it on the ground as the party goers made a path for me to walk through, not really caring if people were staring at my makeup which was already ruined by the sweat and tears from before. I just wanted to be back in my apartment in LA, in my bed, with my best friend to rock me to sleep as we have a Disney movie marathon together.
I wanted to be away from Hawaii, Natalie, Peter, Michael. What did I ever do to get my life very fucked up over and over again? My life was perfect without Michael, I should've left him when I had the chance.
Tears welled up in my eyes so badly, I began to lose sight at where I was going when I bumped into someone by the entrance, "I'm sorry," I tried to sustain my strong voice to the person, but my body then felt weak to the bone when I realised who I just bumped into.
"Sir," my voice faint as my lips quivered at the sight of Chandler. The moment that I've not been waiting for.
"Ariana, it's been years since I last saw you," Chandler casually spoke in a very menacing tone, like he knew something that I don't.
"It has been sir," I replied politely as Chandler chuckled at something that was meant to be funny.
"Oh Ariana, after years of separation, you haven't changed a single bit." This guy's just as annoying as Michael, worst!
"I'd hate to break it to you, but you don't know me."
Chandler chuckled again at my sentence as I furrowed my eyebrows to study his actions, "Ariana, Ariana," Chandler said my name in a sing-song voice as he took a step closer to me, I instantly backed away with my hand readying on my side where the gun was, "Believe me when I say this, Michael has told me stories about you." He has? But I thought-
"He has told me everything from your love for music to your favourite food to your tragic relationship with him. I pity the boy, he was very heartbroken when he left you." There's no way in hell that Michael and Chandler had a heart-to-heart conversation that would be loosely close to this one.
For all I know, the things Michael told me about his relationship with Chandler, could be a way to frame Chandler as a bad guy to me, but then again, I don't know what to believe anymore at this point.
"Where are you off to darling? The night is too young for you to leave such an, exciting place," Chandler stressed on the word 'exciting' as every word that fell from his mouth caused my hand to protectively inch closer to the handle of the handgun.
"Sorry to ruin the night for you sir, but I really need to head on home, here is not the right place for me to settle down," I tried to escape from Chandler's conversation, but with no luck, Chandler's grip on my arm tightens every time I made an effort on breaking out.
"Where do you think you're going, girl?" my breath hitched at Chandler's sudden change in behaviour from gentle to manipulative. Oh God, what is he going to do with me?
I didn't answer back as I stupidly called out Michael's name for help, and why did I do that?
"Whenever you need me, you can always call my name, little girl, and I'll be there."
Oh right, Michael's so called commitment from earlier. I mentally scoffed at the thought of Michael actually saving the day, he doesn't have time for damsels in distress like me, he's probably too busy rejoicing at the fact that I was out of the picture for good.
Chandler continued to hit me in attempt to silence me, "Shut up, you shut up, you really think that your wimp of a hero will come rescue you off of your feet?"
"She should, cuz here I am," like on cue, Michael came up to Chandler from behind and punched him, full on, on the face as they got engaged in a fist fight.
"Ariana, go!" Michael yelled over Chandler after giving him a punch on the abdomen.
Without hesitation, I ran out of the club and into the carpark where Mark parked the car. Shit. Mark has the keys.
I pulled out my phone to call Mark's phone, biting on my acrylic nails anxiously on every ring the phone made against my ear.
"Come on, come on, come on, pick up!" I was then pacing beside the car when I heard a bullet whipping past me, just missing me by a few inches.
"Shit!" I ducked behind the car from the bullets that were being fired at me as I fumbled around my jacket for my gun.
Okay, so first aim with good posture, then focus, then pull the trigger. Easy. "Come on, Ariana, you can do this!" I whispered to myself encouragingly as I reloaded the gun with my shaking hands.
Once the gun was all loaded up, I quickly jumped up to fire a few bullets at the gunmen before hiding back down behind the car. I wasn't sure if I shot all of them, or none, but now, I felt more in danger as I heard gun shots being fired nearby, rusty soles of boots can be heard scraping against the gravel of the road every time that person took a step closer to the car.
I was already trembling in fear with my hands covering my ears from the deafening noises of the bullets being fired. The feeling was like standing close to a fireworks display.
I was so concentrated at keeping my composure, I didn't notice the warm hands that belonged to Mark's as he brought me up in a standing position before he engaged me in a reassuring hug, "They're gone Ariana, Michael took care of them."
My shoulders relaxed at the knowledge of Chandler's men taken down as I cried onto his stupid red flannel shirt, "Shh, it's okay," Mark cooed with his voice unusually close to my ear.
"Mark!" Mark's warm breath left my ear lobe to face Michael's direction as he asked him 'what?' with his deep gruff voice vibrating against my ear.
"We gotta go now before the police arrives," exhaustion was clear in Michael's voice, and right on cue, sirens can be heard in the distance before Mark fumbled in his jean pockets to toss Michael the car keys.
"Aren't you driving?" Michael's defensive tone caused me to jump in Mark's embrace, I don't even know why I'm relying my safety on Mark now rather on Michael, he could be a bad guy for all I know.
Mark continued to soothe me in hushed whispers before he responded to Michael, "Ariana is being traumatized, she needs support by someone she trusts."
I could tell at this point that smoke was escaping through Michael's ears and nostrils with his face peach red, "Ariana trusts me whether you like it or not," Michael's voice was in a deep growl, something that I never heard of from Michael, and in a way, it was scaring me.
"And Ariana also trusts me, so if I were you, get in and start the car before the police catch you with a damn gun in your hand and take you in as a suspect, whether you like it or not," Mark mocked Michael's tone as the sirens were coming to a close.
"Ugh, shithead," I heard Michael mutter, and I think Mark heard it too, but he simply ignored it while he guided me through the backseat of the car.
"Thank you," I croaked quietly at Mark who said nothing but with a warm and comforting grin that says 'anytime' before he slipped himself inside the back to accompany me throughout the car ride back to the hotel.
Throughout the whole ride back, all I've been thinking about was how excited I was to return back to my old life before I met Michael a few days ago, but I also knew that in my heart that I really don't want to leave him. Because, dare I say it, despite the things he did to me to hurt me, my strong feelings for him still lingered in my chest, and it hurts. It hurts so bad.
A/N: Ugh, what the hell Mark? You're supposed to have a bromance with Michael, not an actual romance with Ariana *hits Mark repeatedly until he gets knocked out*. Also, Ariana is not getting her shits together, and we all know that she wanted Michael's D like let's be real guys (ugh, so frustrated with her, and I'm the one writing the story, teehee).
Okay so the aftermath storm of cyclone Debbie (my Aussie fam, you probably know something about this) hit my area and because of that, I won't have school tomorrow, meaning extended updates, yayyyyyyyy (that's why I was able to get this chapter done so quickly 😁).
Sending all of my prayers and love to families out there who possibly couldn't get home tonight due to flash floods. ❤
Vote/comment if you like the new new.
Till next time my lovelies.
- Alex xoxo