You've been hit by, you've been struck by a love at first sight
Saturday nights were always a good time to hit the streets and have fun. The bars and clubs were always filled to the max with people who loved to escape the chores of regular life and to just forget for a couple of hours. One of the most popular nightclubs in town was named Club 30's.
Rose stood at the bar, watching her customers. She was a waitress at Club 30's and the young twenty-six year old couldn't help but enjoy the sight. Those who came to this hotspot always arrived dressed in a 1930's to 1950's cocktail attire and danced the night away. Rose was currently wishing she was one of them.
"Cristo!"
She winced and slowly turned around. Her boss was coming her way, looking rather unimpressed. Rose, along with her other co-workers, didn't really like her boss. He was demanding, a workaholic, and only cared about the nightclub. Fortunately, he was retiring in a few days and their new boss seemed like a very nice woman.
"Yes, boss?" Rose sighed, trying to hide her dislike.
"Stop staring at the customers! That is not what you are being paid for! I don't want people to stop coming to this place because my employees are not working!" he snapped angrily.
"So what would be a good reason?"
A young man appeared behind the boss. He was tall, fairly good-looking, and had a laid-back attitude. The boss clearly didn't look happy to have him there.
"Hello, John," Rose said, giving him a small smile.
"Hey, Rose," John replied, smiling brightly. "There are a few people who just arrived, Rose. You attend to them while I take care of the boss."
"What's that suppose to mean?" their boss exclaimed.
Rose nodded and began to make her way toward the customers when John put a hand on her elbow. She looked at him in surprise.
"How about I buy you a drink after work?" he proposed hopefully.
"Um, no thanks," Rose said. With that, she walked away as fast as she could.
She reached her customers, who were looking at the place in awe. She flipped her waist-length, black, wavy hair behind her before saying:
"Welcome to Club 30's. Follow me for your seats."
She led them to a table near the stage. As they sat down, she took out a pen and notepad from her apron and poised herself to take their order.
As she opened her mouth to speak, the music suddenly stopped playing and everyone gasped. Rose spun around and saw a newcomer at the door to which everyone was staring at. He was dressed in a white suit and tie with a blue silk dress shirt underneath along with a white fedora hat on his head. He had black, curly hair and dark brown eyes as well that were travelling across the room, looking at everyone. He was the most handsome man Rose had ever laid eyes on and her breath caught in her chest at the sight of him.
His gaze caught with hers and Rose shyly looked down, cursing herself for staring. But, still curious, she glanced sideways on time to see him walk toward the jukebox, slip a quarter inside and get the music to start playing again. Once it did, it seemed to break everyone out of their trance and return to their activities.
Rose shook her head quickly from side to side to shake off the trance and slowly returned to her customers, who were looking slightly bewildered.
"Um, anything to drink?" she asked, a bit overwhelmed herself.
They both jumped and stared at her, making it clear that they had forgotten about her.
"Two...Two martinis, please," one of them replied.
Rose scribbled their order down and quickly made her way to the bar. She gave the bar tender the order and watched him make the drinks, pondering over the sudden appearance of the mysterious stranger.
"I saw you looking at me."
Rose suppressed a small squeal of surprise and turned around. There he was, standing in front of her and smiling at her, looking amused. He took a step closer and Rose backed into the bar, uncertain of what to do.
"W-Well, I wasn't the only one!" she countered nervously, knowing that it wasn't a very strong argument.
He chuckled.
"No, I suppose you weren't. But there was something different about you, about the way you were looking at me. I'm not sure what it is but I like it," he said, grinning.
Rose said nothing.
"I'm Michael Jackson, by the way," he added, giving out his hand.
Rose hesitated but took it.
"Rose Cristo," she said, shaking his hand.
"Rose...What a beautiful name," Michael said, gripping her hand longer than needed. She blushed.
"Martinis are up, Rose!" the bar tender called, placing a tray with the drinks on it on the counter.
"Oh! Thanks, Carlos!" Rose replied, grabbing the tray.
She turned to Michael.
"It was nice meeting you but I really have to get back to work. Excuse-me."
Rose walked pass him, her heart beating slightly faster than normal. But Michael wasn't planning on giving up so easily; he caught up to her and walked next to her with ease. Rose looked at him, startled.
"Mr. Jackson—" she began.
"Call me Michael, please. I'm only twenty-nine, you know."
"Michael, then. Is there a reason why you are following me?"
"I told you earlier: I like you."
"I guess that's fair enough..." Rose trailed off, knowing she won't win.
She returned to her customers, who were staring at Michael with wide eyes, and gave them their drinks. She walked back toward the bar and halfway there, Michael stopped her.
"Dance with me," he told her.
"What?" Rose replied, not believing her ears.
"Dance with me, Rose," Michael repeated.
"Michael, I'm at work! And besides," She lowered her voice," I'm not dressed for the part."
"Oh, really?" Michael smiled. "Look again."
Rose looked down and gasped. She was now wearing a red 1950's cocktail dress with black satin gloves and high heels instead of her waitress uniform. Her long hair was twisted into an elegant knot on the back of her head and her jade green eyes were highlighted with smoky eye shadow. Her wish of being a part of the customers instead of the employees was coming true.
She stared at Michael.
"How—?" Rose began, unable to find her words.
"Does it really matter? C'mon, let's dance!" Michael exclaimed cheerfully.
He grabbed her hand and led her toward the dance floor. Rose unconsciously followed, still dumbfounded over her sudden change of clothes.
They were among the other dancers and when Michael began to dance in front of her, it was then Rose realized where she was.
"I-I don't dance," she stammered shyly.
"Oh, I bet you do! You're just a bit shy to show it, that's all," Michael said encouragingly. "Look, I don't expect you to do something like this."
He moonwalked away from her, spun on the spot and landed on the tip of his toes, freezing there. Rose gaped at him as everyone around them applauded.
"That was amazing!" Rose exclaimed in awe as he came back.
"I can do a heck of a lot more than that. Maybe I can show you some time," Michael said, glowing with pride.
"I'd like that," Rose replied, smiling at him.
"Then it's a date. Now, enough chit-chat; let's dance!" Michael exclaimed.
He began to dance, motioning her to do the same. Rose eyed him for a bit at first, deciding. Then, giggling, she shrugged and slowly began to dance along with him though keeping her distance.
It didn't take long for Rose to realize that something was happening to her. She felt her shyness melt away and found herself coming closer and closer to Michael to the point she pressed herself against him. Michael had a hand on the small of her back and Rose had her arms wrapped around his neck, both becoming more intimate as time passed.
Michael smiled triumphantly. It was working; he was using his magic to take away her shyness to be able to expose her true nature, the side of her that she was too shy to show. He had a hunch that she enjoyed these kind of things but refrained herself from letting anyone see. He had also used his magic to change her clothes as well.
As they danced, Rose said:
"I don't know what's happening to me. I'm not usually this...outgoing."
"Want to be let in on a secret?" Michael asked.
"Okay!" Rose giggled.
Michael leaned in and whispered in her ear.
"I have magic," he said softly.
Rose looked at him sceptically.
"Michael, we just met. This is not the time to be joking around about things like that," she scolded.
"It's not a joke and I can prove it! How can you explain your sudden change of clothes and your disappearing shyness?" Michael replied, not surprised by her reaction. "By the way, your boss is coming."
Rose looked over his shoulder and gasped. Her boss was indeed coming their way and he was looking furious. Rose sprang away from Michael and her newly acquired confidence suddenly evaporated.
"Cristo! What are you doing? Fraternizing with a customer and what on earth are you wearing? Go in the back and change immediately!" her boss roared through his teeth.
Rose glanced at Michael and saw that his eyes had doubled to the size of tennis balls. He caught her eye and winked before looking straight into her boss's eyes. Suddenly, her boss was wearing a dazed expression and smiled at them pleasantly.
"Well, I must head back to work. Have a nice evening," he said before walking away.
Rose stared at her boss's retreating form in pure astonishment. Michael cleared his throat and she returned her attention to him.
"Now do you believe that I have magic?" Michael asked expectantly.
"To be able to drive my boss away with no objections like that and to know who he is without being introduced? I'd have to say yes," Rose replied, walking straight into his arms and beginning to dance with him.
It was Michael's turn to stare at her.
"Wha—?" he said, blinking in surprise as they danced.
"What is it?" Rose asked, looking up at him.
"You...You came straight at me. No magic required."
"Hm, well, I guess that I'm getting more comfortable with you."
Michael grinned and held her tightly. They swayed on the spot as the music took on a slower pace and the other dancers followed their lead. It was a peaceful night out on the town and they hoped it stayed that way.
Michael and Rose danced all night long, occasionally stopping for drinks. Whenever they did, Rose caught John's resentful glare and felt slightly guilty for turning him down then go have a drink with another man but when she looked at Michael, that guilt was soon replaced with happiness. She was feeling more and more attracted to him and eventually, she began to fall for him.
Michael was feeling it too; he was falling for this girl even though they had just met. But he didn't care; Rose made him feel a hundred times lighter and also made him feel happiness like he's never known it. He hoped to see her again after tonight.
As they danced, Michael spun Rose away and back. When she stopped in front of him, they realized how dangerously close their faces were. They slowly leaned in, forgetting about the world around them.
Michael's magical senses suddenly tingled and he snapped his head upward in alarm, causing Rose to look at him in confusion. Through the ceiling's window panes, he was able to see the shadows of armed men surrounding the building.
"Oh, no. No, no, not now," Michael moaned.
"Michael, what's wrong?" Rose asked worriedly.
Before Michael had a chance to answer, everything went black and screams were heard. He felt someone grab his arms and held him there with force but he was mostly worried about Rose, whom he could no longer see or hear.
The lights came back on and Michael found two henchmen at his sides, gripping him tightly. He also found Mr. Big standing in the middle of the dance floor, holding a terrified Rose hostage.
"Did you think that you could hide from me in a nightclub?" Mr. Big asked. He looked at Rose. "Who's your pretty friend?"
Michael did not answer; he was working his mind furiously, trying to find a way to free Rose. His eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets when he saw Mr. Big take out a syringe.
"Well, whoever she is, she's perfect to test my addictive narcotics on," Mr. Big said. Rose trembled.
"Do it and you're dead!" Michael snarled through his teeth.
"Oh, I will," Mr. Big said, smiling cruelly. He slowly approached the syringe toward Rose's arm, who began to thrash against him.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Michael yelled furiously.
The syringe exploded and Rose began to glow. Her peach-kissed skin became warmer and warmer until it became scorching to the touch. Mr. Big howled in pain and threw Rose away, shaking his hands to cool them. Rose collided with the ground but she quickly sat up, watching the scene with wide eyes.
Michael was trying to fight off the henchmen, who were still gripping him hard. Rose then realized that she was still glowing so she got to her feet and ran toward Michael. She slammed her hands in one of the henchmen's face, burning him, and he yelled, releasing his grip on Michael. Michael took the opportunity to punch the other henchman in the gut, making him double-over. He then hit the henchman in the back of the head and he fell down, unconscious. Rose ripped a gun off the belt of the henchman she burned and threw it to Michael, who caught it.
Michael wasted no time; he pointed the gun at Mr. Big and shot. The bullet sped through the air at the speed of light and hit its target in the heart. Mr. Big looked down in surprise before collapsing to the ground, dead.
All stood still, not daring to move. Suddenly, the henchmen began to run out, taking the bodies of their fallen boss and comrades with them. Michael grabbed Rose and held her tightly against him until the enemy had completely evacuated. Once they did, the entire nightclub cheered and began to make sure that everyone was okay.
Rose looked at Michael, who was currently watching a bunch of friends huddled up in a corner, looking absolutely terrified.
"You...You saved me," she said, her voice shaking a bit. "Thank you!"
Rose leaned in to kiss his cheek but at that moment, Michael turned his head to tell her that he would have never left her in danger's way and their lips met. Both pairs of eyes grew wide in shock but Michael was the first to close them and he kissed Rose in full. Rose eventually gave in and kissed him back, entangling her hands in his hair.
When they broke apart, both of them had a blush creeping across their cheeks.
"Um," Michael said, sounding nervous, "sorry. I got carried away."
"N-No, that's all right. In fact, I kind of liked it," Rose replied, not meeting his gaze.
"You did?" Michael exclaimed, not believing his ears.
"Yes, and if you don't mind, I'd like to do it again," Rose said, giggling at his surprise.
Michael smiled and took her in his arms. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed again. They spent the rest of the night together and before they knew it, they were making plans to see each other the next day.
The end
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