So Sudden

Lisa stopped the kiss and looked up.

Michael just stared at Lisa in complete shock. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He slowed his breathing down before he turned around to see what Lisa was looking at. There Crystal was with tears in her eyes. At first there was complete silence for neither one of them knew what to say. Michael's first reaction was to defend himself.

�� "Cristy, it's not what it looks like." Michael said, standing.

Crystal nodded. "I know."

Michael smiled broadly. "Good."

�� "Yeah Mike. Good." Crystal turned around, and slowly walked back to the house.

�� "That girl can take cheating pretty well." Lisa said after she made sure Crystal couldn't hear her. Michael paced back and forth, running his fingers through his hair.

�� "Lisa...Lisa..." He said. He shook his head.

Lisa laughed. "God, you are so confused! But Mike, you know what you want and you want me."

�� "Lisa, I can't do it. I just can't. I can't deal with you right now."

�� "Because of Ms. Cristy?" Lisa asked smiling. "Get real, Mike. You met the poor girl on the Internet. She is a FAN, that's all she is. A fan."

Crystal jumped into the queen-sized bed of the guestroom and stared at the pale blue ceiling. She was so sure about Michael. But she knew Michael was just like James. He just wanted to take advantage of her and she decided to accept that. She wasn't mad at Michael, she was mad at herself for thinking she had a chance with him. Michael knocked softly on the door.

�� "Come in Michael." she said.

�� "You okay? You understand that what happened--"

�� "Yeah. I do." Crystal said. Michael didn't look so sure. He sat down on the side of the bed.

�� "How do you feel? Is the medicine working?" Michael asked.

Crystal nodded. There was an awkward silence.

�� "Mike?" She asked. More tears came to her eyes.

�� "What is it?" Michael asked.

�� "You don't love me." Her voice quivered and she started crying.

Michael's eyes widened and he hugged her. "Cristy, I do! I do."

�� "No you don't. You're just like every man out there. Maybe even worse." She sobbed. She looked into his eyes. They were filled with worry. Michael opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. He couldn't say anything so he looked down at the bed sheets. Crystal stood and walked out of the room and down the stairs, leaving Michael alone with his thoughts.

�� "Hey princess!" Jeff greeted when Crystal entered the kitchen. He was reading a newspaper. Crystal sat down across from him.

�� "Guess what?" Jeff asked.

�� "What?"

�� "Michael's broke now." he laughed. "Sony never ceases to amaze me."

�� "Yeah," Crystal said. She paused. "Is he going broke?"

�� "No," he laughed. "Why would you say that?"

�� "I wish he was."

�� "uh oh." Jeff put down his paper. "What happened?"

��� "Do you know Lisa Marie?"

Jeff's eyes widened and he thought for a moment. "He didn't--"

�� "He did."

�� "That's not like him." Jeff said thoughtfully.

�� "It is now."

Michael sat on the bed and tried to settle his thoughts, but he couldn't. Lisa pulled him in and trapped him. Why did he fall so easily for her kiss? He knew that there were still feelings left for her, deep down inside.
But Crystal.
Crystal was something he had never experienced before. He truly loved her and truly cared for her. But he was afraid to get into another new relationship. He was afraid of getting hurt. He was hurt too much already. He buried his face in his hands. He didn't know what to do. Lisa had won him again and for what reason? He didn't even know.

�� "MICHAEL!!!!" he heard Jeff practically scream up the stairs. Jeff's voice shook a little, he seemed so terrified.

Michael ran down the stairs. He stopped at the second step. "What is it??"

Jeff and Crystal were at the bottom of the stairs. Crystal's arms were folded and she gave him a glare.

�� "I just got a call from Janet's agent. Janet was in a plane crash. She's in the hospital now, we don't know what condition she is in."

Michael didn't look like he believed it.

�� "A plane crash, Mike. A plane crash." Crystal said.

Michael quickly looked at Crystal. Then he laughed.

�� "I get it. You're trying to get back at me, right?" Michael said, voice quivering. "I mean, this...this can't be true, can it? I mean, not to me? Right?"

�� "No, Mike." Jeff said seriously. "I just got the call. Just now. I'm sorry."

Michael swallowed hard. He tried not to but he started crying. He leaned against the banister and tried to wipe his tears. Everything just crashed on top of him and he felt he was pushed down too far.

�� "Jeff, that isn't my sister is it?" he wept. "This isn't my life, is it Jeff?"

Jeff had decided to take him to Hayvenhurst where the family was. He begged not to go but soon he finally gave in. Crystal requested to stay at Neverland. After Michael left, Crystal wandered into Michael's room. She saw his computer.

�� "This is where it all started." she said as she sat in front of it. She turned it on. She got connected to the Internet and went into Instant Messaging under her name. She didn't know why she wanted to be on the computer. She guessed it was because she was lonely once again. Someone sent her a message. It was someone named "JaChas".

�� " Crystal, you think you are so powerful, don't you?" the person said.

Crystal's eyes widened and she realized who it was.

�� " James?" she typed.