I couldn't sleep on the cross-country flight from Georgia to California. Excited, I guess. That o nervous, hell I'd never been out of the South! I look over to my sleeping Friends sitting successivo to me. For my 18th birthday (which was back in March) they decided to take me to California since I've always wanted to go to Disneyland growing up.



"Okay, so, what are we going to do first?" asked my friend Clarissa. "We are here for the whole mese of June and it's your birthday gift so te pick!"

I look out the window of out hotel room, seeing a little bird on the sill, and get the idea.

"I say we go to the zoo," I said.

"Figures," Clarissa muttered.



Getting to the zoo I was pretty excited. I'm much too big an animal lover to not get as much energy as a kid when I see all the animals. I put my hat down a little più so the sun won't be in my eyes and go to the elephants. Then the birds.

"How do te have so much energy around animals?" Deedra (my other friend) said, panting a little beside me.

"I dunno. I think it's 'cause of the animals," I said. "Do te guys need a small break?"

"Yes!" they both said. I laughed and leaned on the side of the bench they were sitting on.

I heard a small sound that sounded like a monkey. I looked up in the albero above us and I almost gasped. None of the animali were allowed out of their places. Did this one escape? No, there would've been a big commotion if it did. I recognize it as a Chimpanzee as it gets closer to me.

Then it takes my hat and runs off.

"Hey!" I yell, chasing the chimpanzee. "Give it back!"

I keep chasing the thing and end up chasing it to some part of the zoo where oddly enough there were no people. I stop only when I bump into the person it ran past.

"Sorry!" I moved to chase the chimpanzee again when it went and climbs into the arms of the person I bumped into. I can tell it's a man da the obvious height difference of maybe half a foot. I use all my willpower to not let my jaw flap open when I see the owner of the chimpanzee is Michael Jackson. Now recognizing the chimpanzee as his pet named Bubbles. "Um...hi. Sorry, but Bubbles took my hat." I point to the black fedora with white stripes in his hand.

"Oh, sorry." He handed it back to me. "Bubbles is usually più behaved than this."

Bubbles then pointed on Michael's chest then on mine and went to the ground and held both our hands.

I felt my face get warm. "I think he wants us together for today."

"I guess," Michael detto with a small laugh.

For a good remainder of the afternoon we walk around with Bubbles around the part of the zoo Michael had reserved for himself to avoid the crowds. Talking we find we both have things in common. We both Amore animals, music, singing....

"You sing?" he said.

I blush a bit. "Yeah, but, like, mostly old songs o a lullaby when I'm bored o something. Even though I'm a girl I like to sing James Brown and Fred Astaire."

"Me too! What's your preferito song da Astaire?"
"Putting On the Ritz," I say with no hesitation.

"I wish più people were like you," he said.

"Huh?"

"Treating me like a person."

"Well I don't see any reason not to. You're still a person. Though I will admit te are very handsome."

My phone rang and I answered it to hear a frantic Deedra on the line.

"Where the hell are you?! We have been worrying about te for the past, like, eternity!"

"I'm with....a new friend," I say. I see Michael mouth a thank te and do a shrug to say "no problem."

"Well get out of there, okay? We're going back to the hotel." Deedra hung up after that.

"It appears I have to go." I tried to get my hand out of Bubbles' grasp, but he held on tighter and sounded in protest. I give him a baciare on the head and look at Michael. "I know this is weird to ask but would you....um..."

"Sure. I don't mind."

"Thank you."



A loud knock on the privacy glass brought me back to reality when Michael and I started talking.

"Where am I taking you?" the driver asked. I told him the hotel I was staying at and he rolled the privacy window back up.

"Hey, Shilo, I'm going on tour pretty soon, and would te like to go with me?"

I alsmot fainted. Micahel Jackson was offering me a spot in his tour! I nodded. Not trusting my voice.

"Can I see your phone?"

I handed him my phone and he punched in a number and handed me back my phone. I look at my contacts and find his name in there.

"Thank te so much. I mean this. Seriously." I hug him tightly for a few seconds, then the limo stopped. My door was opened for me da a man in a black suit. "Thanks again." He smiled and said,"I'll call" as the man shut the door.