warnings : this was s'pose to be a blurb.. got a lil carried away.. anyway, angst but immediate comfort after.
IMAGINE,
bawling beneath an oak tree on the playground.
whether the oak tree is at your school park or at a local park is up to your interpretation.
your knees are pulled flush to your chest and your sobs are silent, shouders shaking with every fast exhale.
you dont know michael — not yet— and you're young with a loving family but somehow you've never felt more alone.
these older girls have been bullying you for days, commenting on your physique that hasn't yet filled out, and the white school dresses you wear, sometimes even going so far as to spill lunch food on your clothing.
quiet dragging footsteps catch your ear and your posture instantly stiffens, thinking it was one of the older girls trying to put their hands on you. but you still dont look up from your knees, leaning closer into them in fact as if bracing for impact.
but you were wrong, instead of the loud patronizing screams of the girls, it was a softer voice. a sound so comforting and quiet you could´ve missed the words if you weren't listening hard enough. "hi.."
slowly you lift your head, eyes bloodshot from crying. "hi.." you wipe your eyes and nose quickly, slightly embarssed from being caught crying.
instead of forcing you into conversation, michael rocked back and forth on his cuban leather heeled shoes, twiddling his fingers behind his back.
" ´m sorry.." he whispered, a quiet shame in his tone.
"for what?" you ask, sliding your legs a bit higher to rest your head on your knees, now facing him with curious eyes.
"for botherin' ya.. you were cryin and i - uh - i interrupted that." his mid western accent croaked. "i just was wonderin what could´ve possibly upset ya. i hate seeing girls cry."
you pat a spot next to you in the grass as michael continued, slinking down next to you. "plus, my mother doesn't like when my sisters sit in the grass with dress on.. so i knew somethin' was really wrong if you were willing to mess up that pretty white dress in this field."
you sigh, realizing he was right and your mother would kill you once she saw the green stained patch on the back of your dress. as the conversation progressed you explained to michael what you were going through and he listening intently, nodding along to make sure you knew he was listening.
in turn, he made you promise to not tell anyone as he admitted who exactly he was, and was thankful that you didn't make a scene. in your emotional turmoil, you hadn't realized you were talking to michael jackson until he told you directly.
he also made you promise again that you wouldn't tell anyone about the brutal lashings his father gave him, even mentioning that one time left him with a scar that was still tender to the touch.
"i love your rings.. and your bracelets.." michael smiled, gesturing to the colorful jewelry that adorned your fingers and the silver bangles on your wrists.
you grin, mimicking him and gesturing towards his hands and arms. "i love your jewelry too, dude. its real funky."
michael laughs loudly at this, his head falling back slightly. "wanna trade?" he asks playfully, nudging you with his arm.
"that ring is pretty nice.." you shrug, eyes dropping to the shiny silver ring settled on his pinky finger.
"i was jok.." michael begins, before stopping. "y´know what.. i do like that thin bangle.."
your eyes drop to the bangles on your wrist, two thin bangles and two big bangles. in an instant yoúre removing them and passing them to an eager michael, whose eyes are lighting up as if it was christmas day, (something you didnt know he didnt celebrate until way later because he wanted to seem normal in front of you) because to him, making a new friend and receiving new jewelry was christmas day.
he passes you the ring and surprisingly it fits, you place it on your pinky with a proud smile.
michael checks his watch, a reluctant look on his face. "i have to go now or they´ll be looking for me ... but maybe we could trade jewelry again sometime... "
he rises, and wraps his arms around you in a brief hug before he could think twice about it, inhaling the fruity scent of your perfume.
as he stands one of his older brothers rounds the corner, eyebrow raised. michael rushes back over and turns around one more time to wave you goodbye, a small smile on his face.
you lift your hand somewhat shy even after your long conversation. you could see his brother poking him and teasing him before they faded into tiny specs in the distance.
unbeknownst to you, this was the short beginning of an extremly long friendship, full of jewelry trading, jokes, and unwavering loyalty.
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆⋆✴︎˚｡⋆⋆✴︎˚｡⋆⋆✴︎˚｡⋆⋆✴︎˚｡⋆⋆✴︎˚｡⋆⋆✴︎˚｡⋆⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
yes i wrote this solely to talk about his jewelry as an adolescent...sue me🥹
