ARIAH'S NERVES WERE sky high ever since the moment she found out that Michael Jackson was coming over to visit. He did that sometimes when she was younger, but he would always bring one of his brothers or sisters with him. Unlike this particular time, it was never just him. This made Ariah want to do every extra thing she could to make herself look better, more appealing, and just gorgeous for Michael.
"He's going to be here any second, do I look okay?" Ariah asked as she rushed into Stella's bedroom. Her sister looked up at her with softened eyes and a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Sis, you look beautiful." Stella reassured her sister, pushing a strand of hair away from her sister's face. "Just relax, Ri. Mike will love you the way you are."
"He loves Brooke." Ariah mumbled and started to feel sorry for herself. "He can't love me."
"This is why you need to make him love you." A smirk appeared on Stella's face as she pulled out a rather intimate piece of clothing out of a nearby drawer Ariah's eyes widened, seeing a lingerie suit for the first time in reality. She had seen models wear them in movies or commercials, and even magazines. She had seen them in stores, but never had she ever touched one physically or seen one such as the one Stella had. Red and lacy, very lacy. Any guy would die looking at a girl wearing that. Ariah just knew it.
"I'm not wearing that! No, Stella!" Ariah shrieked, causing Stella to laugh hysterically. "Do you wear that for Jason?"
"Sometimes, sure." Stella shrugged nonchalantly. "We've gone hard a few times and it was because of this."
"Jeez.." Ariah was just embarrassed and couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I'm a shy girl, you already know this."
"Okay, forget it. It's killing you already, I can see it all over you." Stella sighed and Ariah groaned again, a bit louder this time. "Just let it happen naturally. Don't plan it out, just let it happen when the time feels right."
"Is that what you did with Jason?"
"Possibly." Stella winked at her and ran a hand through her hair. "It may or may not work for you though. Everyone is different."
"I know that if I tell him, I'll start talking nonsense and it'll get messy." Ariah whined and her sister just chuckled.
"Feelings are messy, sis, but you'll be okay." Stella nodded in confidence. "You will."
To Ariah, feelings were more than messy.
They were so complicated.
"Mike's just a buddy, he doesn't care about all of this, Linda!" Ariah heard her father's voice booming in the kitchen. The girl wasn't frightened, but she was more nervous. It sounded like he could get violent, but she knew her father well. He would never do that. It was just the tone and volume of his voice that was directed at her mother intimidated her sometimes.
"I just like to have the house neat, Paul!" Her mother insisted in power. "Leave me be!"
It was true, Linda did have a spirit of excellence. She hated any type of mess and clutter. Cleanliness was what she needed to be surrounded by at all times, it seemed like.
"Fine, I don't give a damn anymore."
Ariah's eyes shut tightly, hearing her father use such language in conversation with her mother. The young girl didn't like when her father spoke like that. She just wished they would quit arguing and make up. That's what she really wanted.
"Which is why you decided to cheat, right?" Her mother yelled at him. "Right?" She repeated, getting even angrier.
"Linda, I don't have the time of the day to do this." The doorbell sounded right after Paul made that commented, which meant Michael was there. Ariah rushed up to her room and when she got up there, she saw Zuri sitting on top of her bed.
"Hey, sweets." Ariah smiled at her and sat down next to her little sister. "You okay?"
"I don't like when Mama and Daddy fight." She shrugged and it looked like she had been crying, which broke Ariah's heart to pieces.
"Look, we're going to be okay." Ariah pulled her closer, into her lap. "They're going to be fine, don't worry."
"If they're going to be fine, then why are they always ar-ar-arguing?"
Ariah felt like crying, seeing Zuri so distraught over her parent's issues. It was heartbreaking to see someone as young as her little sister be so sad.
"It'll be okay, baby." Ariah kissed the top of her sister's hair, trying to convince her own self of what she was telling Zuri. "Michael's here now, why don't you go down and say hello?"
"Really?" A smile crept onto her lips and she hopped off the bed in excitement. "I'll go see him and I'll tell him you're up here!"
Before Ariah could respond to her sister in any way, Zuri was gone. The little girl ran almost as fast as lightning, it was incredible.
Ariah hummed a simple tune to herself and when she just happened to glance at the entrance to her room, Michael strolled in and he kind of waved at her.
"Oh, hello." She spoke uneasily, but barely above a whisper. It was just the fact that Ariah wasn't ready to see Michael yet. She still had to make sure she looked okay.
"Your sister told me that you were up here and needed comforting."
"I'm fine." She mumbled under her breath and gave Michael a smile, trying her hardest not to break down in front of him. The girl didn't want to embarrass herself. She got up and went to her vanity and looked for a pair of aviators, to disguise her sad eyes. They gave it all away.
"Listen, sweetheart," Michael gently grabbed her arm, while she looked down in her drawer to search for her glasses. "I'm always here to talk. Anytime. Day or night, I'm here for you. I promise, Ariah."
"Thanks." She sighed. "It's a lot. My parents, they can never have a conversation without screaming at each other. It's sad because like, they're my parents. The two of them together adopted me and they made me feel special. They made me feel like I belonged and now, they're breaking up. I think it sounds selfish of me to say this, but when they are together, they empower me." I explained my true feelings about my parents' situation to Michael. "Without them being together, I feel like I'll just be even sadder and my self-esteem will disappear. My confidence will be gone.
"They will always be your parents, Ariah." He pointed out, but Ariah didn't find his choice of words comforting or appealing. "Even if they do split up, they will always be your parents. They will always believe in you and make sure that you're empowered, sweetheart. It'll be okay."
"I hope so."
Michael sort of monster-clawed his hand into Ariah's stomach and tickled her, causing her to laugh and instantly move his hand away from her.
"Smile, sweetheart."
"No."
"I'm going to tickle you again."
"I'm not smiling."
"Yes, you are." The entertainer started to wiggle his fingers into her sides, causing her to squirm and stifle the biggest laugh ever. "I can see it coming." He continued to tickle her and soft giggles finally escaped her lips while his fingers wiggled up and down her sides.
"Okay, enough." She grabbed his hands and sighed, letting them drop. "I'm going to get you back one of these days."
"Sure you will." He winked at her. "I'm going to go back downstairs before your father gets suspicious."
"He's already suspicious."
Michael and Ariah turned around to see none other than Paul himself, standing in the doorway, staring the two of them down with crossed arms. Ariah rolled her eyes and Michael started laughing.
"Hey old man!" Michael was still chuckling and Paul wore the straightest face ever, which didn't seem to phase Michael at all as he still was making jokes. "We were having casual conversations. I was Mr. Kite and Ariah was Lady Madonna." Michael went over to Paul, snickering loudly and holding his hand out for him to shake. He stared at him for a moment and finally, shook his hand.
"Come with me." Paul whispered in Michael's ear and they both walked out of the room, without saying goodbye to Ariah. It hurt the young girl, to say the least. Michael was over to visit with the whole family, yes, but she wished she could have more alone time with him. It would make her a bit happier, since she was already feeling down. She wished she could have him. Her feelings kept growing for him and it was a devastating shame to know that she couldn't have him fully the way she wanted. It was heartbreaking, very heartbreaking.