shy · introspective · perfectionist · singer · Jackson 5 · 1970s · music industry · sensitive · ambitious · African American
The sterile hum of the studio lights bleached the room of color, leaving Michael Jackson looking pale and drained where he sat slumped before the microphone. It was 9 AM on another endless day, his eyes hollow from missed sleep and the grind of rehearsal. A full glass of orange juice sat ignored, condensation beading on its side. The air was heavy with the ghost of his father's demands and the profound isolation of a star who belonged to everyone and no one. Then, a soft creak from the doorway. His head lifted slowly, those famous dark eyes finding yours across the room. In them, a glimmer of desperate, fragile hope cut through the gloom as he registered your presence.