We rode the elevator heading to our rooms in silence from our busy day. I couldn't wait to just take a shower and relax. I'm mentally and physically drained from this press tour because of the release of my album, 'HIStory,' but it was all worth it. I'm able to see the fans and see so many things as I travel the world.

I've been just everywhere from the US to Germany to Prague and so forth. I also had just come back from LA and New York for the opening of Magic Johnson's new cinema and the VMA's press for the award show in September that I was accounting for my actual comeback from the album.

I've been receiving great feedback from the new album. Fans seem to be enjoying it and it's getting a lot of media attention because through my music, I'm able to tell my story about what I was feeling and still how I feel about the '93 allegations.

In a way, this is me saying kiss my ass for all those lies told about me through tabloids and even to the parents who accused me of such a horrible thing that I'd never ever do.

Although, Sony is talking about another world tour and I am absolutely not on board with it. I told them that Dangerous was my last tour ever and look what happened then! It was hell trying to put on a show and dealing with something so mentally draining and traumatizing. They didn't even care. They saw that there were days when I couldn't even get out of bed and they'd still make me go put on a show. I am not doing that again.

And touring itself is just something I don't wanna do. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing and performing for the fans, but it sucks the life out of me traveling from country to country, city to city, on top of not being able to sleep and rest like I'd like to. And one major thing, being away from home for so long. I don't want to be away from Ashley that long. I miss her like crazy already. I just keep telling myself, one more week until I get to see her.

The elevator dinged and out stepped Bill and Wayne first. I leaned off the wall and started walking out, "Tired Joker?" Bill asked. "You have no idea," I said readjusting my Ray Bans on my face. Him and Wayne both chuckled at me. "Have you talked to Smiles?" Bill asked.

I smiled at the mention of her. "Not since I left New York," I said, glancing at Bill, "I'll call her after I settle down for the night." Bill nodded as we approached my door. Wayne opened it for me, "Goodnight Mike," he said and I nodded at him, walking into the suite.

I went to close the door but Bill stopped it with his foot. I looked up at him, "This came for you today," he said handing me a letter, "And I found this while I was out today, so I grabbed it for you," he said with a smile. "Thanks Bill," I said, smiling at him. He nodded, removing his foot from the door, "Night Joker," he said. "Night Bill," I said, closing the door.

I walked further into the suite, heading towards the bedroom. I placed the letter and package on the nightstand, taking off my jacket and shoes. I headed to the bathroom, turning on the hot water for the shower and started to undress.

I showered for about 30 minutes, trying to wash away the day and loneliness. I dressed in my striped red and black pajamas, heading into the kitchen. I grabbed a water from the fridge and saw food placed on the counter. I looked at it and saw that there was shrimp scampi prepared for me, but I wasn't hungry. I covered it back up and headed out of the kitchen turning off the light.

I pulled back the covers, crawling in the cold bed. I turned on the TV to watch some German cartoon. I looked at the clock and saw it had just just turned to 2 AM. I sighed when the stuff that Bill gave me caught my eye.

I sat up and grabbed it off the nightstand. I looked at the white envelope with "Michael," written in a cursive font on the front that I knew all too well. I smiled, flipping it over and opening the letter.

I unfolded the letter and started to read aloud.

"Dear Michael,

I know you're probably thrown off at the fact I wrote you a letter, but I'm laying here in bed, missing you like crazy, so I just thought what the hell, let's write him a letter.

Now, I know I won't be able to top the letters you write to me because you literally write songs for a living but, I'm going to try my best. So bare with me.

It isn't easy being so in love with you and not being able to see you everyday. There are times when I'd do anything to look in your eyes or hold you in my arms, even just for a few minutes. Without you, I feel incomplete, like a part of me is missing when you and I aren't together.

That's why every morning, the first thing I do is look at the photo I keep of you and call you right away. My day can't start without doing that. Hearing your voice prepares me for the day and reminds me that you are here by my side and I hope you know that I'm there with you, by your side.

The moment I hear your voice, it's like a feeling I don't want to leave. The sound of your voice is my favorite love song, I can listen to it all night until it puts me to sleep. Yet, still as I lie in bed in the dark and whisper your name into the darkness, and I imagine you're here with me, with your arms wrapped tightly around me as they always are. I especially miss the way you always reach out for me while you sleep when you are too lost in your dreams to even realize you were doing it.

And more than all of this, I miss the smile you always save just for me.

I love you even from thousands of miles away.

Forever Yours,

Ashley

P.S. I really hope you get this because if you don't and it goes to someone else, I'm never writing a letter again unless I can personally hand it to you.

P.P.S. Call me if and when you do get this :)"

I smiled to myself as I finished reading the letter. God, I love this girl. She makes me feel so loved and I wish she was here with me right now so I could give her all the kisses and hugs in the world.

I delicately set the letter down, grabbing the package Bill gave me. I felt the manila envelope and it was slightly heavy. I remember Bill telling me he found this while he was out today but I have no idea what it could be.

I flipped it over, opening it. I pulled out a Victoria Secret magazine. Ashley told me a few weeks ago that Victoria Secret was now opening a lingerie and swim line and that she was the first model to sign on.

They were also having their very first fashion show as Victoria Secret Angels in a couple days and Ashley was super excited. And so was I because seeing her in lingerie all the time? Oh yeah.

I smiled looking through the magazine as Ashley graced many of the pages along with Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Josephine Skriver, Veronica Webb, Beverly Peele, and many other of Ashley's friends.

I looked up at the clock debating if I should call Ashley, I mean she told me to in her letter. It was 2 in the morning here meaning it was 8 at night in the Bahamas where Ashley and all the models were before they flew to New York for the fashion show.

I picked up the phone, dialing her number. I waited anxiously for her to pick up. I hadn't heard her voice in two days and I missed her. On the last ring she picked up, "Hello?" she answered. I smiled to myself, "Hi baby!" I exclaimed happily.

I heard her gasp to herself, "Michael!? Oh my gosh, I'm so happy to hear your voice! Hi baby!" she said happily. I chuckled, "I'm happy to hear your voice too. How are you? I haven't talked to you in a few days," I said.

"I'm good. I miss you, but I'm good," she said, making me smile, "How are you?" she asked. I sighed, "I'm okay. I'm so over all the traveling and late nights, but it's whatever. And I miss you too," I said. I heard her chuckle, "Yeah, me too. I just have a few more nights to go and after the fashion show, I'm done for a bit," she said.

I sucked my teeth, "Lucky," I mumbled, but then I changed my tone, "I got your letter," I said softly. I heard her smile over the phone, "Did you!? Yay! I was so afraid it'd get lost in the mail," she said chuckling. I chuckled with her, "No, I got it and I love it. I think you topped all of my letters."

"No way. Your letters can literally be turned into love songs," she said, making me laugh. "Well, I still loved yours. It meant a lot to me and just what I needed today. You're always on my mind, but today was a lot more than usual." I heard her smile again, "You just can't live without me, huh?" she asked playfully.

"I can't," I said truthfully, "I'm so lonely without you. It's making me sad." She was silent for a few seconds, "I know," she said sympathetically, "But hey, think about this, in a week we'll be together again and that's a reason to be excited. I know I can't wait," she said, making me smile. "Oh yes, in a week, I get to see you naked," I teased.

"Michael!" she exclaimed before she laughed. "What it's true!" I said back. "It is actually true," she said, laughing a little. Next week when Ashley and I meet up again for the first time, we were going to be filming the short film for my next single, 'You Are Not Alone,' and part of it was inspired by Maxfield Parrish's painting, DayBreak.

"Are we going to be nude the whole video?" she asked slowly. I laughed, "No, and plus you're going to be covered," I said. "What is your definition of covered, Mr. Jackson?" she asked. "You'll have like this sheer wrap on your lower body," I said. "Oh great, sheer," she said sarcastically, "Definitely not see through or anything."

I laughed, "Don't worry, no one will see anything. Trust me, I'm keeping your body to myself," I said and she laughed. "You are so territorial," she said. I scoffed, "I have to be! Have you seen yourself!?"

"I think I have baby," she said, holding in a laugh. "Whatever, laugh all you want. I just need every man who lusts after you to know that you're all mine. Despite them being rappers, actors, athletes, whatever the hell they are, they can't have you," I said. She laughed, "Were you like this with past girlfriends?" she asked.

I scoffed, "Are you crazy? No, and I'm glad I wasn't because we think Noelle is crazy now, imagine if she thought I loved her like I love you." She laughed, cackling, "Yeah, you got one crazy ass ex," she said.

"Oh do not even go there!" I exclaimed laughing, "Yours is just as crazy!" I said, making her laugh even more, "Yours actually believed he had another chance with you."

"So did yours!" she said back, "And not only that, she told you that in my fucking house!" she exclaimed and I tried holding in my laugh. "If I ever catch that bitch around my house again, I swear to God, I'm beating her ass!"

"What did I tell you about fighting?" I said and she sucked her teeth. "I'm fighting her. no and, ifs, or buts about it," she said, making me laugh. "I understand that, but baby she's proved herself to be crazy. I think we should just let the police and our security handle it."

"They haven't even found her yet! They're not doing enough for me. I want that bitch found and I want her brought to me before they throw her under the jail," she said. "They'll find her," I said, trying to be optimistic about the whole thing. "I hope so," she said before it went silent for a few seconds.

"Aiden left me a voicemail the other day," she said softly. "What!?" I spat, "What the hell did he have to say?" She sighed, "It was all bs," she said, "He just kept apologizing over and over and saying how he wants to make things right."

Well, I be damned. Didn't I tell him that he had one more time to try me? And this fucker is STILL trying to get her back.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "Please don't tell me you believe him," I said, closing my eyes. She sighed, "No, I don't," she said, making me let out the breath I was holding, "I just still can't believe he was behind some of this. Who Aiden has turned into is not the guy I knew growing up. Hell, the guy I knew even right before we broke up."

I sighed, "I know. I didn't think Noelle was the type of person she is either," I said. It went silent as we both thought back to what was happening. We try to continue life without thinking about it too much, but sometimes, like right now, we have to.

"I don't want to think about that anymore," she said softly, "What are you doing?" she asked. I smiled, "I'm laying in bed, talking to you as I look over this Victoria Secret magazine that features my beautiful girlfriend," I said smiling to myself, "What are you doing?"

"I'm also laying in bed talking to you," she said and I could hear her smiling to herself, "Looking at me in a magazine, huh?" she asked. I licked my lips at her on the cover, "Mhm, very sexy," I said quietly. "You like it?" she asked. "I love it. I don't know how I feel about people seeing you in lingerie but hey I can't win em' all."

She laughed, "Here you go." I laughed with her, "but no seriously, very sexy. I haven't taken my eyes off of it since I opened it," I added. "Do you like the lingerie?" she asked. I looked over the lingerie she wore for the new lingerie line, "Oh yeah," I said, licking my lips.

"Oh good, because they let me keep all of the sets," she said and I smiled to myself. "Is it Christmas?" I joked. She laughed, "No, but your birthday is coming up," she said and I smiled. "It is."

"What do you want to do?" she asked, "I have a few ideas but that's just for one of the nights we celebrate," she added. "What is it?" I asked. "Can't tell you," she sang. "Fine," I mumbled, smiling. "Have any ideas for yourself? It's your birthday, so I want you to have a say," she said.

I let out a breath, "Nothing specific is coming to mind, but I want to go somewhere just me and you," I said. I heard her smile, "Okay that's doable, but what about your VMA's performance days after your birthday? You'll need to rehearse right, for your major comeback," she said, making me smile.

"Aw, I didn't even think of that," I said sadly. I wanted to just be alone with her somewhere where we could just be normal people without all the crowds and paparazzi. "Hmm," she hummed, "Maybe we can just go right after the VMA's?" she suggested.

I bit my lip in thought, "Yeah, that could work," I said, "Will you be free?" I asked. "I'll have to check, but I should be. Late September is Milan Fashion Week, so if anything as soon as we come back from wherever you decide, I'd probably have to set out to Milan," she said.

"Okay, let's do that then." She cheered on the phone, "Yay! Vacation time! I'm so excited. Where do you wanna go?" she asked. "I don't know, throw out some ideas," I said. "Okay, for a tropical vacation, we can go to St. Barths, Turks and Caicos, Maldives, Fiji, Belize, Costa Rica. For more land/international vacations, we can go to Greenland. I've always wanted to go there since I love the snow. There's also Switzerland, Sydney, Canada, Africa," she suggested.

"All of those sound amazing," I said and she chuckled agreeing with me, "I don't know, you pick." She scoffed, "No! It's your birthday. You pick and I'll fund it." I shook my head, "No, I'll pay for it," I said. "No, Michael. It's for your birthday. You're not paying for it," she contested. "It won't even be my birthday anymore!" I contested back.

"I don't care, we'll still be celebrating it!" she argued back, "I'm paying for it. End of discussion. And you better not try to pay ahead of time or I will, I don't know. I'll do something," she said, making me laugh. "Promise you won't pay for it," she said and I stayed silent. "Promise me Michael," she said more sternly. "Fine, I promise," I said. "Thank you, now pick somewhere," she said.

"Let's go to St. Barths. It's beautiful there," I said and she cheered. "YES! I was hoping you'd pick St. Barts! Veronica went for her honeymoon and she said it was beautiful. I love how me and you are always thinking the same thing," she said, making me laugh.

"So, I'll confirm the dates, book the trip, all that good stuff," she added. "Okay, sounds good. What is there to do?" I asked. "Well, Veronica said there's plenty of hidden beaches to go to, we can go diving and snorkeling, there's zip lining, and also shops and boutiques everywhere. Oh! She also said every night in the town, there's events going on so maybe we could check those out."

I nodded, "Okay, this sounds fun," I said. "It does. I'm so excited! And I can't wait to just go away with you," she said, making me smile. "Me too. Bring some of your new lingerie," I said, making her chuckle, "Matter of fact let me just pack your suitcase."

She laughed, "You'll just pack lingerie. No clothes," she said as we both laughed. "Don't forget bikinis. I'd pack those too," I said. "Oh great, I'd just walk around in bikinis and lingerie everywhere," she said. "Yep," I said sarcastically as she playfully scoffed.

I sat in thought thinking about her and her body. "Michael," she said slowly after a moment of silence. "Huh?" I asked as she knocked me out of my trance. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Definitely not thinking about your body," I said and she laughed. "Yeah, you are, but that's okay because I do the same thing," she said.

I smiled to myself, "I really miss you," I said, deepening my voice. "I miss you more," she said seductively, "All of you," she added. The room became hotter as I thought back to her and I wrapped in the sheets in the middle of the night, whispering to each other in the dark room.

"Just one more week and we'll reconnect," she added. "Yes, with no clothes on," I joked about once again. I heard her laugh, "Yeah, but not much you could do with a whole production team around and cameras," she said and I laughed. "Very true, but there'll be none of them when I get you to the room," I said.

"Oh really?" she asked flirtatiously. "Mhm," I hummed. "What are you going to do to me when you get me to the room?" she asked. I licked my lips, "Anything I want," I said quietly. I heard her breath get caught.

"What are you wearing?" I asked. I heard her lick her lips and shuffle in the bed, "Just your shirt," she said. I groaned, "Nothing else?"

"Nothing else," she said. "What are you doing?" I asked her again. "Waiting on you," she said quietly. I swallowed, "Waiting on me for what?" I asked. "Waiting on you to tell me what to do," she said. I smiled to myself, feeling turned on at her tone of voice.

I love phone calls like this.

"Are you excited?" Alisha asked. "I'm more than excited," I said, glancing at her. I was on my way to Pantages Theatre in LA to be in Michael's short film for his newest single, 'You Are Not Alone.'