Just my imagination once again
Runnin' way with me.
Tell you it was just my imagination
Runnin' away with me
- "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) by The Temptations
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1972
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"You'll never get fat!" Jermaine exclaimed, "You guys are always moving! I don't get it! Don't y'all ever wanna take a second to just lay back and chill?" He was relaxing on one of the patio chairs, sipping on a glass of ice cold lemonade that Mrs. Jackson had made.
"Why sit when you can ride your bikes through the neighborhood?" Michael countered, raising his eyebrows challengingly as he helped you adjust the seat on your bike, "Besides, you don't do anythin' but sit back like the lazy bum you are, Erms. You should do somethin' besides 'relax' or 'chill' or 'daydream about Hazel'."
Jermaine narrowed his eyes at Michael before reaching out and threatening to swat at his head. You let out a giggle as you watched the two brothers playfully harass one another. However, it didn't last long, especially since Michael was determined to get your bike seat at the perfect height. Every time the two of you went for rides, you always had trouble putting your foot down to bring your bike to a stop. It didn't take Michael long to notice this, so he wanted to help you out by finding the perfect position for your seat to be in. As much as he enjoyed your little bike rides, he wanted you to enjoy them just as much as he did.
"How's this?" Michael asked, stepping away from the seat. He kept one hand on the handle as you stepped closer to the bike. Swinging your leg over, you took a seat on the newly-adjusted seat. Immediately, you felt the tremendous difference in comfort while sitting on the small object. Seeing your eyes light up, Michael's face broke into an eager grin.
"Is that okay?" He asked, eagerness clear in his voice, "I tried to approximate the right height for you."
You nodded eagerly, letting a small giggle escape your lips. "This is perfect, Mike!" You answered your best friend, twisting the front of the bike by the handlebars, "No one could've done it better! I sure had trouble with it."
"That's because you had trouble moving the seat itself," Michael replied teasingly, earning a playful glance from you.
"Yeah, yeah. You're stronger than me. We've been over this before, Mike. Now, come on! I'm ready to ride this thing while there's a little bit of daylight left. Is your bike all set?" You asked, kicking the stand up.
Michael nodded. "Uh huh!" He replied, running to grab his own bike, which was leaning against the side of the house.
As you watched Michael settle himself on his bike, you couldn't help feeling incredibly grateful for having him as a best friend. You'd never met anyone with as much in common with you as he did. When it came to your love of climbing trees, playing tag, and watching the sunset, he was the only person who understood how magical those experiences could be. Furthermore, he, too, had expressed his gratitude for you.
Since his days were, oftentimes, consumed with his work, he rarely got the opportunity to feel like a kid. When you came into his life, however, you brought him the magic of childhood that he thought he would never have the time to experience. After the numerous nights that he'd spent gazing up at the stars, wishing that the universe could bring someone into his life that understood the craving for childish adventures, his wishes were finally granted.
Michael pedaled to the gate, motioning for you to follow him. You positioned your feet on your pedals before riding your bike to follow his path. He leaned forward, taking the time to stand up from his bike and unlock the gate. Once the gate was opened, he held it open for you to ride through before following behind you.
As the pair of you rode down the street, the warm breeze blew over your faces. You wore a blissful expression as the wind moved through your hair, blowing it behind you as you cruised down the street. Large houses stood on either sides of the street, framing it with peaceful suburban appearance. However, the large houses were also surrounded by vegetation, which prevented you from seeing the setting sun. In order to get a good view, you and Michael were riding farther up into the hills, hoping to find the perfect place for you to stop and watch the sun disappear behind the horizon.
While riding up the hill, the two of you kept your eyes out, looking to see if any places looked appealing to you. However, you didn't concern yourself with this completely. Both of you enjoyed riding your bikes together, so you were focusing a lot of your attention on enjoying the ride, as well.
Looking over, you could see your best friend pedaling vigorously. The golden evening light was reflecting off of the metallic material of his bike while it highlighted the smooth surface of his brown skin. The curly texture of his afro, which neatly combed and cut, was more visible under the fading light. You couldn't help admiring his joyful expression. Whenever he was happy, it made you happy. You wanted nothing more than to bring a permanent smile to his face. Feeling your gaze on him, he glanced at you, giving you a sweet smile in return. You giggled before focusing your attention back to the street.
When the two of you reached a decent height, you noticed a small empty field in between two houses. A large For Sale sign was positioned in front of it, showing that the land had not been purchased by anyone to build a home, yet. Michael noticed it at the same time that you did, and the two of you glanced at one another, smiling eagerly. He nodded his head in the direction of the empty field before steering his bike to the left. You followed his actions.
Excitement grew within you as the two of you laid your bikes on the curb. Taking in your surroundings, you couldn't help noticing how perfect this place was. Since you'd traveled up into the hills, the field looked out to a wondrous view of the San Fernando Valley skyline. The field was carpeted by a collection of slightly unkempt grass. Two gates from the adjacent houses bordered each side, giving the two of you a bit of privacy. As you walked to the edge of the field and looked down, you noticed that it dropped down into a canyon. It was the best view that you could've asked for.
The sky was now becoming a deep orangish-red. The vibrant glow captivated both of you. Michael took a seat on the grass before looking up at you. He patted the spot next to him and smiled charmingly. You let out a giggle before settling yourself next to him.
The two of you sat in a comfortable silence. You wanted to take in the sight while you had the view. Sunsets always seemed to be the shortest parts of the day, but that was what made them so special. You had to take in the time while you had it.
After a few minutes, Michael decided to break the silence.
"So, this is the first time you've ever had a sleepover?" He asked, looking over at you curiously.
You nodded your head, still gazing at the sunset. "Yeah. I've never felt comfortable enough with someone to have a sleepover. The kids at my school are . . . nice, but I've never gotten the opportunity to grow close to them the way I have with you. You're my best friend in the whole entire world, Michael."
Michael smiled softly. "You're my best friend, too, Y/N. And I feel the same. Sometime, I used to think that the only people I would be close with would be my brothers. I never got the chance to make any real friends before you. I was just so busy," he said, sadness taking over his expression.
You turned to him and grabbed his hand. "But, the universe brought us together and answered both of our wishes."
His smile grew slightly as he gave your hand a gentle squeeze. "Yeah. I guess it did."
He was silent for a moment, seeming to be thinking about something. "I wish Joseph would leave the whole thing alone. He goes on about how he thinks you're goin' to distract me or somethin'. He knows that won't happen, but sometime I feel like he wants me to be alone. I don't like feelin' lonely. He'll go to extreme measures to make sure of it, too," he said, shuttering as he thought about his father.
"Being lonely isn't fun, at all," you agreed, tightening your grip on his hand, "and I'm sorry you have to deal with that, Michael."
You paused for a moment. "Is he your worst fear?" You asked quietly.
"Who? Joseph?" Michael asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Mhm," You hummed, nodding your head.
"Mm, yeah, I am afraid of him. He just gets so mad. I fight back, sometime, though, and that only gets him madder. I can't help it, though. I don't like it when he yells at me and hits me. I don't want it, so I defend myself. One time, I even threw my shoe at him. He got so mad. Most of the time, though, I'm lucky and manage to outrun him."
"You threw a shoe at your father?" You asked, widening your eyes as you pictured the altercation in your head.
"Yeah. He couldn't catch me, though. I hid under the bed and he couldn't reach me under there."
"I'm sorry, Michael," you said, looking at him. Your heart ached as your thought about Michael's experiences with his father. He didn't deserve to be treated that way.
"'S'okay," he answered before coming to a pause.
"What about you? What are you afraid of?" He asked, turning to you with a curious expression.
"Oh," you answered, looking away as your cheeks heated up, "The dark."
"The dark?" He repeated, never taking his eyes off of you.
"It's so silly, I know. It's just that it reminds me of being alone. In the dark, you can't see anyone or anything around you. You feel so lonely. And, in the dark, you have time to be with yourself. For me, that doesn't always go well. I tend to think about things that fill me with grief a-and sorrow," you explained, continuing to look away.
Michael scooted closer before wrapping an arm around your shoulder. "What do you have to grieve?"
"Deceased family. My dog. Just," you reached up to wipe a falling tear, "stuff I wouldn't think about in any other place but the lonely darkness."
Michael pulled you closer, allowing you to lean your head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Y/N. I really am."
The sun had nearly disappeared behind the horizon. You nodded to acknowledge Michael's sympathies before pointing to the view in front of you.
"It's almost down. Let's see if we can spot the green flash," you spoke, looking out at the setting sun.
Michael nodded, turning his attention back to the darkening sky. As the sun flaunted its final glow for the valley to see, the tip began to disappear behind the horizon. As portion of the circle grew smaller and smaller, your eyes widened as you anticipated the brilliant vibrant flash. At last, after a minute of waiting, the green light flashed for a split second from behind the horizon and the sun disappeared completely.
"Woah!" You both exclaimed, turning to look at each other.
"That was incredible," Michael said softly, "Worth the wait."
"Definitely," you replied, standing up, "Come on. Let's get home so we can see the stars from the treehouse."
As the two of you rode back down the hill, the sky began to turn a deep blue. You let out a scream of joy as you held your legs out to the side, simply enjoying the ride down. Michael laughed before imitating your movements, screaming as well.
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"Are you two settled up there?" Mrs. Jackson asked, her soft voice strained as she tried to talk loud enough for the two of you to hear her.
"Yes, Mother!" Michael responded loudly, standing up to peek his head out the window, "We're good to go!"
You and Michael were having your very first sleepover. Ever since you'd built a treehouse in his backyard, with the assistance of your family, the two of you had been dying to spend the night in the wondrous wooden structure. You were incredibly thankful for the helping hands of your father and older brother, who didn't hesitate to assist with the building process. Michael's father, unfortunately, tended to remain out of the picture. Nevertheless, you were grateful that the treehouse was built and sturdy enough to hold a handful of your belongings.
The structure was sitting on a massive branch in a tree, adjacent to a fence that separated the Jackson house from the house next door. During the building process, you and Michael were adamant about wanting a view of the sky.
"When we have sleepovers in here," you'd said, trying to explain the concept to your father, "we have to be able to view the stars as they shine in the sky. Without that, we won't have the full experience!"
"Oh, is that so?" Your father responded, an amused expression displayed on his face as he sawed a piece of wood in half, "Well, then, we'll have to make sure we give you two the best view possible. Don't worry, honey, we'll give you the perfectly-sized windows that you'll need for the view."
Now, on that warm autumn night, you and Michael were settling into your sleeping bags. Though the two of you would never admit it, you were exhausted from the eventful day.
"Alright, sleep well. If you get too cold, come inside, okay?" Mrs. Jackson spoke.
"Okay, Mother," Michael yelled down, waving to her as she walked inside.
Michael settled in his sleeping bag next to you. The two of you were facing one of the open windows. You had a perfect view of the glowing silver moon and bright twinkling stars. It was paradise.
"I've gotta thank your family for helping with building this, again," Michael said, turning his head to look at you, "This is so cool."
"Don't worry about it," you answered, watching as Michael's eyes began to droop, "They took pleasure in helping us."
"Mhm," Michael hummed, nodding off, "Goodnight, Y/N."
"Goodnight, Michael," you answered, swallowing as you looked at his peaceful figure.
For the beginning of the night, you tried to fall asleep. You closed your eyes and tried to make your mind go blank. However, you were unsuccessful. As the night went on, the nocturnal animals began to wake up and begin their day, making noises in the process. You looked around anxiously, trying to find a way to relax yourself. When you looked at Michael, you could see that he was already in a deep sleep. You wanted that so badly.
Michael
I opened my eyes when I felt movement next to me. Looking over, I noticed Y/N's sleeping figure. At least, she appeared to be sleeping. It was difficult for me to tell, especially since she was facing away from me. Just as I was about to go back to sleep, I heard the sound of an owl and felt Y/N jump slightly. I furrowed my eyebrows before turning back to her.
When I stared at the back of her head, I tried to see if she was awake. I didn't know if she'd simply jumped in her sleep or if she was actually awake. I sat quietly, watching her carefully as I waited to see if she would move again. Soon enough, another sound echoed from outside and she jumped, once again. Then, our conversation from earlier this evening returned to my mind.
She was afraid of the dark. She was probably to consumed by her thoughts to go to sleep. I wondered what time I was and how long I'd been asleep. I immediately felt guilty for forgetting about her fear so quickly.
I reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. As soon as I came in contact with her, she jumped again.
"Hey," I whispered, "it's okay. It's just me."
She relaxed before turning around to face me. "Hi, Mike. What are you doing up?"
"Your imagination runnin' away with you, again?" I asked gently, eyeing her sympathetically.
Her cheeks grew a light shade of pink. "Is it that obvious?" She asked.
I sat up, placing my hands on both sides of me and scooting myself closer to her. Then, lying back down, I wrapped an arm around her. In doing so, I felt butterflies erupt within my stomach, which caused my eyebrows to furrow. This had been happening lately, but I didn't understand why.
Dismissing it, I returned my attention to calming Y/N down. "You know, there's a song like that by The Temptations."
"What? A song about a wild imagination?" She asked, looking at me curiously.
I nodded my head. As she stared at me, the moonlight reflected in her bright sparkling eyes. "Mhm. I can sing it, if you'd like. I don't know if it'll keep you up or help you go to sleep."
"Music tends to help me," she replied, "Besides, I like your voice a lot."
I felt my own cheeks heat up as I grew slight embarrassed. "Gee, thanks," I said quietly before clearing my throat.
"Each day through my window I watch her as she passes by. I say to myself you're such a lucky guy," I began singing, using a soft tone in an effort to lull her to sleep, "To have a girl like her is truly a dream come true. Out of all the fellows in the world she belongs to me. But it was just my imagination, once again, runnin' away with me."
I watched as her eyelids began to droop, causing content to fill within me. The singing was working.
Within not long, her head began to lean into my shoulder as she fell into a deep sleep. I let out a deep sigh, feeling my tiredness beginning to take over my own body. I was happy that Y/N had finally managed to fall asleep. I didn't want her mind to keep her up all night.
Leaning back, I looked out the window one last time. The brilliant moon looked back at me, immediately filling me with an immense sense of comfort and warmth. Inside me, I knew that everything would be alright.
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Hello, my loves ! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I've been waiting a while to update this book. I've been focusing on my other imagines book, so I haven't had the time to update this one.
If you have any ideas on what you want to see with this particular book, feel free to leave comments. I take all of your ideas into consideration, and, if I find the inspiration, you may just see your request in the next chapter. :)
Stay safe and healthy ! Lots of love ! And thank you for your continuous support !
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