1990 was a year that had come and gone in the blink of an eye. It was a great year for me, besides the heartbreak that I faced. My career had taken off and all of my dreams had come true and I even had surpassed them. I met Michael and me and him had become inseparable. The holiday season was fantastic. I went home in November and stayed till after the new year. It was great to see all of my family again.

1991 was off to a great start. There was nothing that I could complain about.I celebrated my 22nd birthday with family and friends. A couple nights after, Michael took me to dinner because he wasn't in town on my birthday. My house was almost finished. I just had to design a few more rooms as far as decor and then I could officially move in.

I was also discovering myself and my self worth. It was a long journey, but a learning lesson at the same time. I was learning a lot about myself.

My career was beginning to get bigger and bigger. I was booked back to back. It was draining, but I still pulled through.

The only bad thing was the tabloids. I was beginning to become a favorite topic in the press. It seemed as every man, whether famous or not, I was pictured with or seen meeting, I was now "dating" them. They couldn't be further from the truth. I wasn't dating anyone and I was happily single. And truth be told, I wasn't someone who just slept around. Not that I knock women who do, it just wasn't me. I had only been with one man in my life and that was Aiden.

By the way, I haven't heard from him, but I did see him through the press sometimes because of his growing soccer career in the USL. I was proud of him. I wasn't going to hate on him because he broke my heart. He was one of the best soccer players I had ever seen. He deserved it.

Michael and I had grown closer and closer. We hung out more often and talked every time we could. We still hadn't done anything with each other. Not even a kiss. Even though I wanted him to kiss me, I liked how slow we were taking it. We took our relationship one day at a time and if that happened to evolve into something more, then it would. We didn't want to rush into it.

Today though, I was on my way to Neverland for the first time. I was super excited. Michael always talked about Neverland and how it was a place of wonderment. He had a break for a few days and so me and a couple of other people like Janet, Macaulay Culkin, his siblings, a few of Michael's nieces and nephews, and a couple of Michael's other friends were gonna be there.

He was busy in the studio. He was releasing his album this year and he still had a few songs to work on. Sometimes, he'd call me while I was in another country and it'd be 4 AM his time.

As Calvin, Wes, and I pulled up to the black gates that were embellished with gold and crowns and read, "Neverland," I got super excited. I was still a Michael Jackson fan despite us being the best of friends.

I would still hear his songs come on the radio and I would scream, singing along as if his number wasn't in my cell phone. Even when we were together listening to music, I would put on anything Michael. Whether that was the Jackson 5, The Jacksons, or Michael in his solo career.

I'd be jamming to the music and I'd look at Michael and be like, "Do you not realize how legendary you are! This is my shit, right here! You are a musical genius!!" He'd always laugh and wave me off, being humble.

I was amazed at the landscape as we pulled up to the main house. It was perfect. Every lawn was mowed, all the bushes were trimmed neatly, and overall it just had a peaceful serenity. It was beautiful. I looked towards the front door and it was opened with Michael standing on the porch in his usual red button up, black slacks, and loafers. He had a smile on his face. Wes got out and opened my door, and the hot California sun hit me. I turned back and grabbed my rounded frame Ray Bans and put them on.

Michael skipped down the stairs and hugged me. "Hi! I'm so glad you made it! How was the drive? I hope it wasn't too bad," he said sincerely. I smiled, hugging him back. "Hi! It wasn't too bad. You live very far though." I was right though. Neverland was in the middle of nowhere. I don't even know how Michael had found this location. He laughed at my response.

"You look pretty. I like your sunglasses," he said, grabbing my hand and leading me away from my car. I blushed, "Thank you. This place is beautiful Michael. I can't even accurately describe it," I said looking around once more.

"You haven't seen nothing yet. Wait till I give you the tour." He led me in the house and I gasped at the beauty of the dark oak wood that was throughout the entire house. "Wow," I said stunned, "This is just...I don't even know the words! You have amazing taste Michael," I said looking around. He smiled and thanked me.

We walked into the kitchen and Janet screamed when she saw me. "ASHLEY!!!" she ran over and engulfed me in a bear hug. "Hi Jan," I said laughing at her excitement. "You never call! Michael keeps you to himself! It's not fair!" she said, pouting. I felt Michael wrap his arm across my shoulder and pull me into him, "That's because she's mine," he teased sticking out his tongue at her.

She flipped him off and he gasped while Janet and I laughed high fiving. Janet and I talked for a bit, catching up before I heard Michael come back in the house with a bunch of children's voices. I turned around and was met with a whole bunch of cute little kids approaching me.

Michael smiled and introduced me to all of them, and when he got to the last one, he jumped in front of Michael, "Hi. I'm Macaulay, but you can call me Mac," he said, winking and grabbing my hand while placing a kiss on it. "Move!" Michael said, laughing and pushing him away. I laughed at the both of them, "Hi Mac! It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm a huge fan!"

Mac and I talked for a bit, while Michael stood by Janet watching our interaction, biting the corner of his lip with both eyebrows raised. I excused myself and walked over to him, "Oh what's wrong? You scared he's gonna sweep me off my feet?" I said teasingly. "No," he said, not really convincing me.

We went outside to get ready for the water balloon fight. As staff were filling up the balloons, we were picking teams. "Ashley, you're on my team," Michael said, waving me over to him.

"Yeah, no. I wanna go against you," I said, smirking deviously. Michael looked taken back. "I hope you know I am the Michael Jordan of water balloon fights. I'm gonna beat you so bad."

"Yeah?" I asked, "Wanna bet?" He smirked at me and nodded. "Okay, if I win, I get three tries at dunking you in the dunk tank and I want a snow cone after," I said confidently. He laughed at me. "Okay fine. But if I win, I get to kiss you." I smiled at him and stook my hand out. He shook it. "You're on Jackson," I said while gathering my team to scheme.

After my team came up with an incredible plan to win, we walked over to Michael and his team who were by the water balloons. "What were we last time? That was good. Visions of do--" "Visions of doom!" Mac said, interrupting him. Michael winked at me.

After a few more minutes, we began to walk to our bases and I bumped into Janet. "You betrayed me! Why are you not on my team!" I yelled playfully at her. "Sorry, I still love you, but I know Mike is gonna win." I rolled my eyes and Michael jogged up to us.

As I reached my base, Michael started to walk away to his base backwards. "Get ready to kiss me, Richmond!" he yelled, smiling. I just smirked at him. I had to win. I was in too deep now.

The object of the game was whoever's team took all of the other teams flags first, won. If you got hit by the opposing team, you had to give them your flag.

A siren went off and we went at it. On my radar was Michael and I was on his. The rest of my team and his were going at it. It was a tied game. Mac was cheating by throwing buckets of water on people, but it was all fun and games. I got Janet out and took her flag. That's what she gets for not being on my team.

The last two were me and Michael. I hid behind a shed waiting for him to walk by in search of me. My team knew of my plan and they were gonna help me. I heard Michael's footsteps and I stepped back to hide. I aimed my super soaker at him and I missed because he twirled. "You missed! You missed!" he yelled.

He then came running after me and I ran towards the huge field by the creek. I booked it. My track and field conditioning had came in handy. I lost Michael because I was too fast. As he chased after me, my team tried ambushing him.

He started dodging the ambush. He was distracted, so I grabbed a huge bucket that was filled with water and dumped it on him. "HA!!! I WON!!!" I yelled at him doing a little dance. He laughed at me and nodded his head. My team and I cheered all high fiving each other. Michael and his team walked over. "This was a one time thing, Smiles. I will beat you every time after this," he said teasingly. "Yeah, yeah. To the dunk tank we go," I said, pulling his hand.

Michael got on the dunk tank and I stood at the line with the ball in my hand. He shook his head at me and I smirked. The first two, I missed purposely. On the last ball, Michael became relaxed because he thought I would miss. I threw the ball and it hit the bell perfectly, sending Michael right in the tank. I laughed as he plugged his nose.

Everyone cheered as Michael came up for air. "I'm on your team now," Janet said to me. "No, no. What happened to that "Mike's gonna win" attitude you had earlier," I said, raising my eyebrows at her. She pushed me playfully and Michael walked over to us soaked.

We started to walk back to the main house for lunch and me and Michael walked behind everyone. I laughed at him being soaked. "Shut up. Next time, I am going to annihilate you," he said pouting. I laughed.

"You know," I said as I pulled him by his collar behind a tree, "I was hoping you'd win so you'd kiss me," I said seductively. We were close together and he looked down at me and smiled. "Yeah? Well, how about we both have our cake and eat it too?" He said, smirking. I smiled back and licked my lips. He started to lean in and so did I. Right when his lips were gonna touch mine, I spun out of his arms. "Nice try Jackson, but I won. Call me the queen of water balloon fights now!" I yelled to him as I ran off towards the group.

He ran back up to us laughing as we approached the pool. He smacked my ass playfully and I gasped. "Michael!!!!"

"Michael, I dare you to go dance on the high diving board," Mac said as he walked over to us. And of course, Michael did it.

He went up there, marching and dancing when Mac and I schemed to climb up together and push him in. Before we pushed him, he slightly turned around and as we pushed him he grabbed my arm, pulling me in with him. "NO!!!" I screamed as Michael screamed out too.

As Michael and I came up for air, I heard Michael scream out, "I'm gonna kill you Mac!! Mac, I am going to annihilate you!" while Mac yelled back, "I know!!" running off, away from the pool.

Michael then turned to me and I widened my eyes at his mischievous smirk. I saw him dive into the water and I tried to hurry and walk out the pool and right as I went to grab the railing to get out, I felt two hands grasp my ankles and pull me under.

Water got in my nose, and as I reached the surface I saw Michael busting up in laughter. I frowned at him and he swam over. "Awww, I'm sorry," he said fake pouting. When he got near me I splashed him and dipped under and swam to the rail to get out. He scoffed at me as I got out laughing.

Michael got out and we started ringing out our clothes, Janet and everyone laughed watching us. I pouted and Michael was still laughing. "I hate you," I said playfully to him, walking off. He ran up next to me and bear hugged me. "You could never hate me!!!" he said laughing. "Unfortunately," I said, rolling my eyes.

As Michael and I walked up to the front door, Janet held out towels for the both of us. "Y'all something else," she said, laughing. "That was him!!!" I said defensively. "No! You tried to push me in! You deserved to be pulled in!!" Michael said back in defense. "Oh whatever." I said pushing past him playfully. "Y'all are a mess," Janet said again. Michael and I looked at each other and then at Janet with a 'are you done' face.

"Come on," Michael said, pulling me towards his master suite, "I'll get you something dry to put on." I nodded and grabbed his hand. Michael's master suite was huge. It was two stories and there was stuff everywhere. Not necessarily messy, but just clutter. He had art on the walls and there were books and CDs all over too. Mickey and Minnie Mouse plush toys too. I loved it. It exemplified him and his childlike spirit.

I watched Michael as he walked around the room. He walked into the closet and came out with a navy blue button up shirt. "Will this work?" he asked sweetly. I smiled and nodded at him, thanking him. He told me to take the bathroom and so I did. My shorts weren't soaked because they were drying from the hot summer sun. I tucked in Michael' shirt as it hung off one shoulder and relooped my belt. I walked out and Michael was changed. He was wearing the usual red button up and black slacks.

Michael and I walked in the bathroom to fix our curls and as I ran my fingers through my curls to untangle them and give them volume, Michael stared at me. "What?" I asked, shyly under his glare. "I love your hair like that. It's beautiful," he said, touching them gently. I laughed. "No, no. Let's talk about your curls mister. They are heavenly. You are heavenly," I said, biting my lip.

He waved me off and shook his head. "What? It's true. You are the most handsome man I've ever laid my eyes on. Don't ever doubt that you're not good looking," I said truthfully. He smiled at me and said, "Thank you. I appreciate that. But you. You are the most beautiful woman in the world and your curls make you even more sexier," biting his lip hard. I blushed and thanked him.

We went downstairs and ate lunch with the rest of the group. After we walked around, went to the zoo, rode some rides, and before we retired to the main house for the night, we watched Back to the Future Part III.

I sat in front of Michael and remind me to never do that again. He threw popcorn, jellybellies, sugar daddies, and everything at me and Janet during the movie. It got to the point where Janet turned around and threw her entire popcorn cup at him.

The movie was great and now we went back to the main house for banana splits and then it would be bedtime. The kids all sat on their sleeping bags while devouring their ice cream watching Rugrats and talking amongst themselves. Michael, Janet, and I drank some wine in the kitchen worn out from our long, but fun day. "Them chilren' wore me out!" Janet exclaimed, taking a sip of wine. Michael and I laughed, nodding in agreement. "It was a fun day though. Especially since I beat Michael in the water balloon fight," I said as I stuck my tongue out at him.

We all laughed and talked some more until we got tired. We went out to check on the kids and they were all knocked out. I mean mouths open, slobbering, snoring, everything. We snickered and turned the TV down. "Goodnight you guys. See you in the morning," Janet said as she walked off. "Goodnight!!" we both whispered to her.

Michael looked at me, "Wanna go to my room?" I nodded and he grabbed my hand and led me to his room. We were laying down and talking to one another and slowly, we both drifted off to sleep in his bed downstairs.