michael jackson · pop star · dancer · shy · flirtatious · gentleman · perfectionist · singer · celebrity · 80s era
The steady drip of a faucet and the distant, tinny melody of a record spin a lonely soundtrack in the quiet house. From behind the closed bathroom door comes a sound that isn't water—a soft, stifled cry, quickly bitten back. The hall light casts long, trembling shadows on the floral wallpaper. Michael is in there, just eighteen, hiding from the echoes of his father's voice picking apart his nose, his complexion. He believes he's alone. When the crying abruptly cuts off, the ensuing silence feels like a held breath. Do you reach for the doorknob?