Girls in High Places

Chapter One

He was dreaming of plush, green lawns surrounded by cotton candy of different colors and a choir of angels singing in the background. He smiled as he snuggled deeper into the pillows, reaching out for the pretty heavenly being that was leaning towards him with a tray full of the most scrumptious-looking chocolate truf…

“Hey, Mikey…Mike, wake up!”

“Don’t wanna,” came the muffled refusal, a frown creasing his features as the angel disappeared from view with a ‘poof’. He desperately tried to conjure up at least the tray of truffles, but the incessant shake of his shoulder and that grating voice, finally forced Michael to open his eyes with a low curse beneath his breath. He spun around to stare into the excited features of Marlon…and it didn’t take long for him to realize that his brother wasn’t alone.

Two girls giggled as they sat on his older brother’s bed, huddling together as they blushed at the sight of the Jackson 5 lead singer dressed in only a pair of black pajamas bottoms. They looked to be about his age – sixteen or seventeen – and they were dressed in the latest bold print mini-dresses that showed off their long bronzed legs to his gaze. They wore too much make-up and perfume though and Michael was unable to resist sneezing in response to the waft of rose and orchid that assailed his senses.

“Well, brother?” Marlon asked with a wag of his brows. “What do you think?”

Michael rolled his eyes and sighed in defeat. He knew the routine by now. He just didn’t think Marlon would be doing the same thing their older brothers had done back when they were younger. Usually, he was forced to pretend he was still asleep when the girls would come into the room, but after so long, Michael knew his mind wouldn’t be able to take it and almost always left to stay in the hallway until their business was done.

“Fine, fine,” he finally grumbled, swinging his legs off the bed and snatching a pillow and blanket. “Just hurry it up, man.”

“Whoa there now,” Marlon was saying, jogging after his striding younger brother, while winking at the bemused girls in silent apology. “I didn’t just bring them for me, Mike. Stacy here…” He pointed to one of the girls, who looked up shyly at Michael. “She’s a really big fan of yours, eh? She’s feeling pretty lonely, Michael.” He winked knowingly.

Michael counted to ten in his mind, trying to control the urge to remind (yell! at) Marlon that their day had been a hectic one, as they only arrived back at the hotel room barely two hours ago; dawn would soon break and another chaotic day awaited them. Michael needed all the rest he could get and definitely no time to have fun with some girl at this ungodly hour…no matter how pretty she was.

“Come on, Mike,” Marlon cajoled, nudging Michael’s arm gently. “You’ve got to live a little.” He lowered his voice into a whisper. “You’re the only one who hasn’t…”

“…and I intend to keep it that way,” Michael hissed back in response, although his features were hot with embarrassment at what Marlon was insinuating. “You seem to have forgotten that we can’t…do…do…”

“What? Have sex?” Marlon smirked as he watched his brother squirm with discomfort. He really couldn’t understand why Michael was so squeamish and shy when it came to matters of the opposite sex. Considering he was the one who got the most girls willing to throw their panties at him whenever they were on stage or in other public appearances, to see the shy kid before him irritated Marlon a little.

“Jesus, how old are you, Mike? You’re almost seventeen?” Marlon asked. They were still talking in harsh whispers so the girls wouldn’t hear them…not that the girls were paying much attention. They were too excited to be in the room of the famous brothers and were concerned with eyeing and touching everything they could get their hands on.

“It’s not a matter of my age…” came the low mumble, his gaze lowered to the floor as their giggles reached him.

“You don’t like girls?”

“Of course I like girls!” He blushed as he realized how loud he had been and lowered his head again as the girls had glanced in their direction. “Look, Marlon, I don’t want to talk about this, okay? Have fun with them and just call me back in when you’re all done.”

“I’m doing you a favor here,” Marlon replied, throwing his hands up in defeat. “You should be thanking me for even finding a girl who won’t blab to everyone that she slept with you. What’s the worse that could happen, eh? She takes the pill. She won’t get pregnant, if that’s what you’re worried about. And you still have that condom Jackie gave you right?”

Michael, glad for his dark features or he was sure Marlon would have noticed he was a bright red, tried to look upset. “Yes, I still have it…”

“Good. Now make use of it, goddamnit!” Marlon slapped an arm around Michael’s shoulder and pushed him back into the room. “Stacy, honey,” he called out with a grin, in a sing song voice. “Mikey’s ready for you.”

Michael tried to back away, whispering desperately. “Marlon, I’m not…please don’t…”

“Hi, Michael,” Stacy greeted with a shy smile as she rose to her feet. She was much taller than she looked and her voice was quiet with a faint accent Michael couldn’t quite place at this time. Marlon, for his part, was already pouring himself and his girl, glasses of wine he must have gotten from the bar downstairs, while dimming the lights to make the room even more intimate.

Michael felt himself getting dizzy.

“Are you okay?” Stacy asked, reaching out to place a hand on his bare arm in a gentle motion.

Michael, already taut with nerves and frustration, all but jumped out of his skin at the contact and took an involuntary step back. He shivered and watched in growing dismay as Stacy’s pretty features seemed to fall with disappointment.

Oh geez, he thought quickly. She thinks I don’t…

“Stacy…” he began in a thick voice, trying to explain, but she was already shaking her head and taking a step back as well.

“It’s okay. I understand,” she said, trying to smile as her eyes welled with tears of humiliation. “Uumm…Anita,” she turned to her friend, who was laughing and giggling as Marlon nuzzled her neck. “I’m going to wait for you downstairs, ‘kay?”

Hardly waiting for her friend to reply, Stacy brushed past Michael, reached for her handbag and ran out the door without a look back.

“Well, don’t just stand there, Romeo,” Marlon sneered. “Go after her. Way to make your fan feel special.”

“Shut up,” Michael mumbled as he grabbed a t-shirt to slip into before running out the door himself. He had to find Stacy and fast before things got out of hand.

Man!

This was definitely not the way he had planned to spend his first night in New York.