Also a hint of HIStory
1995
"Now, Y/N, tell us again, how did you and Michael meet?" The interviewer was sweet enough. Very respectful and didn't ask the horrible questions usually asked to Michael and I.
"Oh, I love this story."
1977
"Josie, can you help me with my dress? I can't grab the zipper with these gloves, and I can't take them off without a ton of hassle." I fix my hair in the mirror, double checking everything before I have to go out. I stand straight and suck in a bit out of habit and feel the fabric case my torso in a binding satin cage. I turn and smile at my friend and change my voice. "Oh thank you! You're more helpful than my mice friends. Have you seen them anywhere? I feel that they've gone to look for food." Josie rolls her eyes at me and gives my shoulder a playful shove. "Oh whatever Cinderella. Better get out there before wicked stepmother catches you being late." I gather my skirt to walk through the backstage area without destroying the dress. I glance at the clock posted for the guests and hurry a little in my heels to make it to my spot in time. In my haste I bump into a boy my age, his arms wrapping around my waist before I can fall too far into gravity's embrace. My eyes are wide as I take in the handsome stranger who saved me. He strikes me as familiar as I smile at him and go into character. "Oh thank you! I can be so clumsy! I guess I really need to stop running in these slippers! Have a nice day!" I make it to my spot on the dot, guests waiting for my, or should I say, Cinderella's appearance. I greet guest after guest. I sign and smile for every person who walks up to me. One of the last families in line contains my handsome savior. He stands with an older woman, an older man, a beautiful young woman, and a pretty little girl. I hope that he and the young woman are just friends, but I snap myself out of it quickly. It's not like I'm going to see him again, so why worry?
"Oh, hello! I'm so happy to see you again! Thank you again for saving me. You'd make a very good prince." The little girl giggles and teases at my savior, the other woman joining in. "Prince Michael. Has a nice ring doesn't it, Janet?" The older woman, I'm assuming to be one of their mothers, mediates. "Now La Toya, you know better than to tease Michael. Though he does look like a prince."
"Michael" bumps the woman, hissing out a "Shut it, Toya!" I giggle both to diffuse any tension, and out of genuine humor. "Yes, Prince Michael does have a nice ring to it. Would you like to have a portrait done with me? I would love to be in a picture with you all!" The group crowds around me, cheesing for the camera. After a couple shots, the two girls demand that Michael and I have our own picture made just the two of us. As we pose together, he whispers in my ear, "What time do you get off?" I smile at him, staying in character. "The spell is broken at two." We pause our conversation as the camera clicks. Giving me one last hug, he murmurs "Meet me at Space Mountain when the spell is broken." I smile and wave at the family as they leave, and greet the last of the guests.
1995
"So you both met at Disneyland? How fitting is that?" Michael and I shared a look between the two of us. "Very fitting."
1977
"So you mean to tell me that not only did you meet a cute boy while in costume but he wants to basically go on a date with you while at Disneyland?" I unpin my blonde Cinderella wig and shake out my natural hair as Josie questions me on my shift. "Yes, actually. He looks familiar, but then again, I see so many people in a day, I've probably seen him while in costume before. But he wants to see me at Space Mountain once I'm changed. His name is Michael." Josie makes a face at me through the mirror. "Ooh, Michael. Did he have 5 brothers with him? Maybe he's Michael from The Jacksons. If he is, remember that Jackie is my favorite, and I've got dibs." Now it's my turn to shove her. "Yeah, right. Why would the world famous Michael Jackson want to go on a date with a girl playing Cinderella. And he didn't have 5 brothers with him. He did happen to have a girl named Janet and a woman named La Toya with him. But I'm sure those are common names." I clean my space and give myself one last look in the mirror before heading out. As I exit, Josie calls out to me. "Remember, I've got dibs on Jackie!"
I walk through Tomorrowland, enjoying the music and keeping an eye out for the large Afro of my Prince. I see him standing at the building for "America Sings", and I walk up to him. "Hi, my name is Y/N, Cinderella told me to meet a Prince Michael here?" He flashes a smile at me and chuckles a bit. "That would be me, but you can just call me Michael." He takes my arm and leads me to the indoor roller coaster. As we climb into the cars, I feel the nerves start to build up. "Michael, I forgot to tell you. I'm afraid of heights." He laughs softly in my ear and wraps his legs around me. "Don't worry, girl. I won't let you go, or my name isn't Michael Jackson." The little vehicle starts to roll out of the station and I hold my breath in anticipation of what's to come.
1995
"So the both of you have been going strong since '77? Happy eighteen year anniversary then." Michael places a hand on my knee and gives it a little squeeze. "It actually took a little longer than that. But that's my fault. I never gave her my number or anything." The interviewer leans in close, like a daughter hearing her parents love story for the first time. "If you two didn't get together then, how did you meet again?" I smile at Michael and turn back towards the camera. "Well, Michael came back to Disneyland in '79 to film a tv special and I got moved to play Tinkerbell the week before. Apparently I'm very good at playing blondes."
1979
"Alright, Y/N, you're going to be on a rig, "flying" down. You're going to tap your wand, and we'll let you down. Nice and easy." I nodded and took a big breath. Under my green costume, a tight harness was cinched around my waist and connected to wires that would hoist me into the air. I sucked in a breath and was yanked into the air above the castle. Getting my cue, I acted out the original intro to the Walt Disney tv specials, pretending to tap my wand, and waited for them to yell cut. As they did, I waited for them to let me down. I watched the man behind the controls fiddle, then alert another man behind the scenes. The director lifted a large megaphone to his lips and I was filled with anxiety at his words. "You're gonna be up there for a bit more. Somethings wrong with the hydraulics, but you'll be fine." I swallowed down my nerves best I could, and struggled to keep my eyes off of the ground looming under me.
My knuckles gripped the wires holding me until my hands turned white. A dark skinned man walked below me in an orange sweater and several people swarmed over to him. Their words were faint from the distance but I could decipher enough. "Mr. Jackson, we're having some technical difficulties with our Tinkerbell. Your filming is unfortunately going to be pushed back." The man tilted his head up to look at me stuck in the rig, and I heard the words coming from his lips. "That's perfectly fine. And please, call me Michael." My eyes widened at the thought of Michael standing below me. I convinced myself to let go and hold on with just one hand to wave at him, but my motion sent me leaning and I quickly slapped my hand back around the thin strings holding me several feet in the air. I watched him murmur in someone's ear and send them scurrying away to another man. I observed the interaction while slowly winding my arms through the wires, wrapping them from my wrist to elbow. When I glanced back down to Michael, he was holding a megaphone to his lips. "Hey there! I'm sure it's awfully lonely up there, so I'm getting scaffolding so I can join you. Is that ok?" I nodded, letting a puff of air escape my lips to try to adjust the dramatic bangs in my eyes. Once again, the megaphone was lifted to his lips. "Would you like some music to distract you? Music always takes my mind off things and helps me relax." I nodded again and attempted to relax a bit. "Any requests?" I let my voice carry down my reply: "Disco, please." Michael chuckled a bit and soon the funky drum heavy music filled the air. I closed my eyes and let my legs swing a bit to the beat. The song switched over to another club hit, and a strange hydraulic sound faded to the background. I started to sing along to the song playing, but I interrupted myself with a small screech. My eyes snapped open and I was met with a toned hand gripping my ankle in the air. "Hi, I'm Michael. It's nice to meet you. I thought you could use some company." I giggled and pointed my foot under his hand. "It's nice to see you again Prince Michael." I saw the recognition fill his dark eyes and smiled at him. "Y/N? It's been so long! How've you been?" His palm was a comfortable temperature in the California heat. "Well, I've been good. Besides getting stuck up here, I've been good. Got moved from Cinderella to Tink just over a week ago." He nodded and let him thumb rub soothing circles on the juncture of my ankle. "Before you go, I want to stay in contact with you. I've thought about you a lot these past couple years." I stayed smiling at him and we carried on conversations. Once, he let me go to get some water to ease ourselves from the heat and I couldn't help but let my fear dissipate from his presence. "While I was down there getting us some water, I heard that someone who can help you get down has finally arrived. Your puffballed shoes will be on the ground shortly." I smiled at him again and gently swung my leg in his hold until the maintenance man had arrived on the set. Michael kept his hold on me as I lowered onto his scaffolding, his hands relaxed around my waist as he helped ease me down onto my own two feet. Once on solid ground, I was surrounded by backstage personnel, my harness stripped off and put away for safekeeping. As I was led to a folding actors chair to rest my legs and my nerves, I watched several of my coworkers dressed in costumes make their way out to the pathway of Sleeping Beauty Castle. I sipped my water and let the shaking nerves leave my body. I watched a small microphone be planted onto Michael's orange sweater as he was led to his spot. I let myself be transported away from the hot California sun as the sound of Michael's voice drifted to my ears. The smooth and velvety sound his innocent voice carried made "When You Wish Upon A Star" sound even sweeter and kinder than any other version ever created. I was ushered away, back to the cast member area to change out of the park provided costume and wig back to my street clothes. Through the walls of the dressing room, I heard the music start again a couple times from multiple takes being shot. The lengthy process of removing the wig, putting it onto the head provided, attempting to remove the shining green dress without assistance, hanging it onto the hangar and putting it in the correct garment bag, and making myself look like, well, myself again took longer than I originally thought it would. By the time I had made it back out to collect my things and say good-bye to Michael, shooting that specific segment was almost over. As I said good-bye to the crew members, a flurry of orange and tan raced towards me. "Y/N! Are you on your way out?" I nodded my head in confirmation. "Oh! Here, let me give you my number! Uh, does anyone have any paper?" One of the members of his entourage raced in with a sheet of paper and a pen, and then raced out. Michael folded and tore the sheet in half as he propped his leg up to write on it. Once he was finished, he handed me all three items and I stored the used scrap in my bag, propped my own leg up, and wrote my phone number on the blank sheet. "Here Michael. Were you wanting me to call you tonight or..." I trailed off, not sure how to interact with him anymore, now shy and nervous. "Oh! I should be done filming tonight. I'll call you when I get home. If I don't call later than eight tonight, you call me." I nodded and made a move to walk away but was stopped by the warm hands I had felt what felt like all day long. I was pulled back into the soft orange material and was enveloped in a comforting and addicting hug. "I'll see you real soon, girl." I nodded up at Michael and waited for him to let go. Once his arms relaxed and released me from my tangerine colored cocoon, I stepped backwards to head out the gates and to my little apartment.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't waiting for him by the phone. At seven on the dot my phone rang, and I practically sprinted to the phone on the wall. "Hello?" I heard a throat clear and a soft and gentle voice come through the speaker. "Is this Y/N L/N?" I confirm and we just start talking.
"Alright Michael, I don't know about you, but I have work in the morning and I need to get at least a little bit of sleep." His voice croons through the phone as we whisper goodnight to each other. Before we both hang up, he calls out my name. "Yes Michael?" "I, well, I was wondering, if you could possibly consider meeting me for dinner or a coffee or something along those lines?" I giggle sleepily into the hard plastic. "I would love to Michael, you just let me know where you want to go." I can practically see his smile in my mind's eye. "Alright Michael, I have to go to sleep now. Call me in the morning?" We finally hang up and I dream of Michael.
1995
"And it's history after that. Michael and I have been together ever since." The interviewer smiles and looks at the cameras. "That's it for tonight. Buy HIStory anywhere records are sold! Goodnight everyone!"
Sorry I've been gone so long. I've got so many WIP's and I'm trying to get them all done. Enjoy and until next time, You are here to change the world.
Lindsey
