Author's Note: Amber's Chapter! Hope everyone enjoys it!
Chapter 2: Thunderstorms
" I don't wanna ever love another, You'll always be my thunder, so bring on the rain, and bring on the thunder."-Thunder, Boys Like Girls
I drag myself into my tiny studio apartment, cursing the rain that is so hell bent on falling. Of course, what can I expect? This is the Pacific Northwest I'm talking about. It's always raining. Always. It ridiculous really. Sunny days are few and far between, and you can always tell when it's a nice day in Tacoma. Want to know how? Because everyone, and I mean everyone will be out that day, striving to soak up as much vitamin d as they possibly can before the sun disappears behind incessant cloud cover. I shake my long blonde hair laughing slightly. If Gabby were here she would tell me how ridiculous I look doing that. I pick up my phone noting the time, quickly dialing my best friends number.
" Gabby, hey, I know your about to be here any second now but I'm going to be a little late, I just got in from pulling a double shift and I need to take a shower, brownies are on the counter if your hungry," I say to her voicemail, clicking the phone off quickly as I walk to the bathroom stripping clothes off as I go, sudden excitement setting a flurry of butterflies skittering and flapping madly in my stomach. In just a few hours I will be face to face with Michael Jackson, and I have never been so excited for anything in my life.
I let the hot spray of the shower pour over my face, closing my eyes dreamily as I think of Michael. I wouldn't say that he is an obsession of mine. That sounds kind of creepy. So what if my knee's go weak whenever I hear his voice, or blood rushes to my face when I see him perform. Its perfectly healthy. I mean look at him. All that gorgeous black hair, and those big, emotion filled eyes. And those hands. I shake my head as my mind starts to wander, and I jump slightly when my bathroom door snaps open.
" Woman, get a move on, we're all ready behind schedule," Gabby says her voice echoing off the walls of my tiny bathroom.
" Close the door, your letting the heat out," I hiss, snapping the water off. I poke my hand out of the shower curtain pulling one of my soft pink towels from the towel rack. I wrap it tightly around my body before stepping out of the steamy shower, " What's the hurry? We have four hours before it even starts."
" Did you forget? We have to get dresses, after dresses, its hair and make up, and we all now what traffic is like on the sixteen after four," she rattles on as I slip into a pair of jeans, pulling my favorite teal sweater over my head.
" Your so obsessive you know that? You know, I've thought of sneaking into your apartment and setting your clocks an hour back, and I mean every clock, just to see if your world would actually fall apart if you weren't on time for once," I murmur brushing my hair stifling a giggle when she turns slowly, her hand wrapped around my hairspray.
" Try it and that favorite purse of yours that you left at my place gets it," she threatens and I roll my eyes at her.
" You honestly think I would do that? I would get phone calls all day from you, freaking out because you went to this class late, showed up at work late," I mimic her tone perfectly, " I wouldn't do that to myself." I giggle when she bumps my hip with hers and we link arms, singing at the top of our lungs.
I take a deep breath as I look in the mirror, smoothing my hand over the baby pink chiffon material of my one shoulder dress. I spent way too much on this dress, and I know I will be eating yogurt and top ramen for the next month to make up for what I spent. But hey, its not everyday that I get the chance to meet Michael Jackson, and I want to look my best.
" Lilli, I'm going to count to three and if you aren't out of that bedroom, I'm leaving without you," Gabby says through the door, and I roll my eyes pulling open the door to reveal myself to her.
" Gabby, untwist your panties for two seconds," I say playfully spinning around in my dress, " What do you think?"
" It's beautiful, your beautiful, now lets go," she says grabbing my hand trying to pull me through her apartment.
" Wait, wait," I say stopping her, turning her around. I stare at her for a minute. Her long black hair falling in a cascade of waves, her make up done perfectly making her uniquely large green eyes pop, " You look beautiful Gabby, really beautiful. I can't believe, after all this time, that we're finally going to meet Michael." She smiles softly before hugging me, and just as we're pulling a part a huge clap of thunder tears through the living room and we both jump letting out small screams. We look at each other our eyes serious as we walk slowly to the window. I pull open the shades and we gasp as we watch the rain falling in a thick blanket outside. I tug on one of my curls and bite my lip nervously.
" You have got to be kidding me, look at the way its coming down out there, my hair doesn't stand a chance in that," I whine fighting the urge to stamp my foot.
" That's why they invented umbrellas Lilli, now seriously, lets go," she says, grabbing my arm pulling me from the apartment.
" Fine but I swear if my hair turns into a puffed up mess I'm holding you personally responsible Gabriella," I hiss ducking under the umbrella she opens and we hold onto each other, our curses mixing together as we dash across the parking lot.
" Look we're only like the fifth people in line," I say grasping the umbrella tightly in my hand trying not to shiver against the cold.
" I know," Gabby murmurs, her lips barely moving, " It's crazy. We left late and there was hardly any traffic."
" Admit it," I say bumping her shoulder lightly, " My short cut saved us."
" Fine, fine, your short cut saved us," she giggles, hugging me lightly. Silence falls over us as more and more people pull into the parking lot of the Tacoma Dome. And slowly the line starts growing steadily. I cast a glance over my shoulder laughing loudly.
" Looks like just about every single woman in Washington State showed up for Michael," I say turning back around.
" I know this is insane. It reminds me of Cinderella. All of the single, eligible women who showed up for the prince, only this, this is a million times bigger," she says shaking her head, " Oh look their opening the doors. You ready for this?" I nod my head slowly taking a deep breath.
" I guess it's now or never," I say linking my arm with hers as we make our way through the door.
" Would you look at this place?" Gabby whispers to me as we take a seat at a table closest to the front of the stage, " Its, amazing." I sit down, my eyes wandering as I take in the transformation that the Tacoma Dome went through for this party. The lights are dimmed, casting shadows throughout the entire building, dancing off the hanging crystals.
" Its unbelievable," I murmur, " This place looks entirely different. Would you look at all of these flowers. It smells so good in here, like a rose garden on a spring night, its insane."
" I know," she says suddenly grabbing my arm tightly, " Oh. My. God." I shake her hand off of me getting caught up in the surroundings, my eyes transfixed on the way the lights bounce off the crystals dancing over rose petals. " Lilli. Lilli. Lilliana!"
" What?" I half scream turning to look at Gabby, whose eyes are fixed over her shoulder.
" Its Michael, he's here," she says and I follow her eyes my heart slamming into my throat as I realize she's right. Michael's here, dressed in a black suit, his dark hair pulled in a low ponytail.
" Oh, oh wow," I stammer grabbing Gabby's hand tightly in mine. We sit staring, transfixed by his mere presence. I watch as he takes a few steps towards our table, and I swallow harshly, trying to steady my breathing. Then something unbelievable happens. The lights flicker as thunder claps overhead loudly rattling the windows of the building, and I close my eyes on a prayer. " Please let the lights stay on, please let the lights stay on." I open my eyes to darkness, my breath hitching inside of me. " Gabby, Gabby."
" I'm right here, its okay," she says her hand taking mine as my eyes adjust to the sudden darkness. I hate to admit it, and Gabby is the only one who knows this about me, but I am terrified of the dark. And thunderstorms. Put those two together and I'm on a one way road to panic attack town.
" Its okay? Its okay? How is this okay? We were two seconds away from meeting Michael Jackson and now the lights are out, we're stuck in the Tacoma Dome with thousands of other females, and did I mention that there is a thunderstorm going on around us?" I ask, my voice close to a screech.
" It's going to be all right," she reassures me gently, " Come on we're going to find our way out of here." I slide out of my chair holding her hand as we walk slowly our hands outreached so that we don't bump into anything. " I found a door handle."
" Well open it," I say, clutching onto her shoulders.
" Ladies and gentlemen we ask that you all stay calm and remain seated, the back up generators should be kicking in any second now," a man's voice bellows through the building and as if by magic the lights flicker back on. I let out a breath, and steady myself against the wall of the room that Gabby had found.
" You all right?" she asks, her hands resting on my shoulders as I nod my head and press a hand to my stomach. I take a few breaths letting the urge to vomit pass by, and lift my head slowly. I feel my eyes widen as I look over her shoulder and see Michael standing in the corner of the small room, his dark eyes curious as he watches us.
" Gabby," I murmur turning her around, " Its Michael." The three of us stand in shocked silence, staring at each other. I open my mouth to say something when another clap of thunder rumbles over head and a flash of light pierces the room. I let out a scream my eyes rolling into the back of my head and I don't even feel my body hit the floor.