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Fan Fiction

Author: Trang
Genre: Romance
Chapters: 4
Started: 25. May 2001
Finished: 03. June 2001

CHAPTER 2

And then he saw her light-brown and golden curls falling down over her shoulders, eyes like deep pools of green looking up, gazing directly at him, locked with his, and the sweetest, most sincere smile on her face. And Angelo forgot the words to the song. A horrified look crossed Paddy's face as he realized the instrumentals to the song were going on, but Angelo wasn't singing. After a few tense moments, he quickly improvised and sang over Angelo's part himself.
Angelo looked over at Paddy confused, wondering if something had happened to him, while Joey poked Angelo with his elbow, hopefully snapping him out of whatever he had gotten himself into.
Johnny looked at Angelo and followed his gaze down into the crowd. And he knew. She was there. He didn't know which one she was, but he knew that's what had stopped Angelo, and it made Johnny grin.

After Angelo's small "incident" the rest of the song, and the concert, went quite smoothly. The finale of the show was amazing and the roar of the crowd continued for several minutes after the Kellys had disappeared from the stage.
Michelle and Samantha's voices were quite hoarse from all the screaming and their ears rung loudly. Neither one of them wanted it to be over, they wished the concert could've lasted forever. As they started leaving their places, their eyes were glued to the stage, hoping that the Kellys would jump back up there and do one more song, but of course they didn't, the show was over.

Michelle's smile slowly started to fade as she was brought back to reality. Those months and months of anticipation were over, the concert was done, and now all she had to look forward to was the hope that The Kelly Family would come around again next year, and that she would be able to get tickets to the show.

As they passed by the front corner of the stage Michelle felt a strong hand reach out from behind a barrier, grasp her by the wrist, and pull.. hard. She was about to scream for help when another large hand clamped down over her mouth, cutting off any sound that might escape. "SHHHHHH!" the owner of the hands whispered.

She saw herself being pulled back, underneath the front of the stage and she began to panic. Her father had always warned her about being careful in large crowds, and about strangers, and the dangers of being alone with them. And now it was happening. She knew what would happen if she didn't get away. Her eyes grew wide with fear, as she still couldn't see her kidnapper behind her, pulling her farther and farther away from the crowd of girls and Samantha.
"Samantha!" her mind screamed.
She would turn around and realize Michelle was gone, and then she'd come looking for her. But could she reach her in time, how would she find her? Her mind raced, lost and confused. She only knew one thing. She had to get away, any way possible. So she opened her mouth and bit down as hard as she could on the hand that muted her calls for help.
She heard a cry of pain from her captor as both hands set her free. She instantly pulled away, but was caught again by the wrist before she could run. She squirmed and struggled to break free again until she heard a soft, calming, familiar voice behind her.
"Will you stop already?"
She spun around quickly and was met with Angelo's pain face.
"What do you think you are doing?!?" she demanded.
"I had to see you again" he said, gazing down at her.
"So you're practically kidnapping me?!?" she screamed in confusion.
Angelo brought a finger up to her lips.
"Shhh… not so loud... Do you realize what would have happened if that entire crowd of teenage girls you were near saw me? Or if they knew I was here right now? Let me just tell you, I definitely wouldn't be standing here talking to you."

She looked up at him and saw that he was smirking.
"Well you scared me to death!" she whispered "I thought you were some stranger, and that you were going to do something horrible to me!"
"Yeah, I could tell that after you bit me" Angelo said.
He pulled up his hand and showed her the broken skin. Michelle took his strong hand in both of her small, slender ones.
"Oh my goodness, look what I've done to you!" she lightly touched it, and she felt as if she was going to cry "I'm so sorry… if I only knew... I wouldn't have..."
He looked down at her. The way she touched him was so gentle, a total contrast to the girl he had met a few hours earlier. She was just full of surprises.
"No, it's my fault. You just did what you thought you had to do. I'm sorry I scared you." he smiled. "You know… I think you've grown in the small time I've known you. A few hours ago, you only came up to my chin, and now look, the top of your head is almost at my nose."
Michelle dropped his hand and looked up at him, as her face turned all shades of red. She stepped back and held out her foot, turning it a little to show off the shoe she was wearing.
"They're platforms!"
He laughed, and Michelle's heart leaped at the sound of his laughter. She put her foot back down and smiled back up at him.
"Why did you feel you had to see me again?" her heart pleaded it would be an answer she wanted to hear.
"Well I realized that when I got back in the car to come back here, that I never got your name."
"It's Michelle" she whispered.
"Michelle." he said it softly and she felt her heart stopped "What's wrong?" he looked down at her, worried.
"Nothing… just to hear you say my name… it's... amazing."
"You're amazing, Michelle." he took her by the wrists, much more gently than he had a few moments ago, and pulled her towards him, bent his head, and kissed her.

Michelle had been kissed before... but it was never like this. His kiss made her breath catch her in throat, and her mind went blank. She couldn't seem to think of anything, except how Angelo's lips felt against her own. It was wondrous, and at the same time, completely frightening. It seemed to last forever, but as soon as Angelo broke away, Michelle felt that it had ended to soon.
Michelle looked up at him, a stunned and amazed look on her face. Angelo took one look at her and turned away, focusing his eyes on a spot on the ground.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that" he mumbled softly.
"No… it's..." Michelle was surprised to find her voice came out barely a whisper.
"No, I really shouldn't have done that. It's just that I'm not that kind of person" Angelo started to explain "I just met you today, yet every time I come around you, I end up doing something completely not like me at all…"
"I'm sorry" Michelle mumbled and looked down at her feet.
Angelo put his hand under her chin and lifted her face so her gaze met his.
"You don't have to be sorry. I like the fact that every time around you there's a new surprise." he smiled.
She smiled back.
"Do you really mean that?"
"Yeah. I do."

Michelle's heart sank as she realized it was getting late. Samantha was probably looking for her by now. And Angelo had to get on that bus. She realized then that she would probably never see him again, other than on the tv or in teen magazines. Tears started to glisten in the corners of her eyes.
Angelo saw them.
"What's wrong?"
Michelle closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"You're going on to another city tonight. I'll probably never see you again. You'll go on and forget about me, although I'm sure I'll never be able to forget about you." tears slowly started to roll down her cheeks.
"Come with me" he said simply, almost effortlessly.
Her eyes shot open and looked at him.
"What? Are you crazy?"
"Probably. Like I said, whenever I'm around you it makes me do things... crazy things. But from what I can figure right now… it's the only solution I can think of." he grasped both her hands in his own "Please Michelle, say you'll come on tour with me." Angelo gazed down at her.
"Angelo, you know I can't. I'm only seventeen and it's still part of the school year!" her eyes welled up with tears "I would do anything to go with you, it's every girl's dream come true, but it's just not possible…"
"I know. I knew the answer when I asked... just false hope I guess. I'm sorry, please don't cry." he wiped a tear from her cheek. "Then..." he looked at her with pleading eyes "Will you wait for me?"
"Will I.... What?" Michelle searched his face, confused. Her heart was beating so hard, it felt as if it would leap from her chest.
"Wait for me... Listen, when 13th December comes, the day after the tour ends, if we both still want to be together, I'll come back. We'll meet... where we met first... at 5pm. And if either of us has found someone else, or moved on, the other person will know if they don't show up."
"You would come back… for me?" Michelle's bottom lip quivered as she spoke.

He took her hand and started to lead her around the back of the stage.
"We'll just have to make the few hours we have left tonight last for the next couple months!"
Michelle's legs felt like jell as she followed Angelo, and she thought she heard someone faintly calling her name... Then she realized it wasn't in her mind, someone was calling her name. Samantha! Michelle had completely forgotten about her friend.
"Angelo, wait! My friend is looking for me!"
He stopped.
"Ok, go get her, she can come with us. Does she want to meet the others?"
"Oh my gosh, she would die!" Michelle felt Angelo's hand release hers, a little reluctantly, and she ran off to get her friend.
She found Samantha arguing with a security guard.
"Now you're going to have to leave miss. The show's over, everyone has to go" he said sternly.
"But you don't understand!" Samantha protested "I can't find my friend. She has to be here somewhere!"
"Samantha! I'm here!" Michelle called out.
"Hey you're not allowed back there. Come out from there at once!" the guard called. He already had Samantha by the wrist and he stalked over to get Michelle as well.
"Ouch!" Michelle shrieked as the guard grabbed her harshly by the wrist. "Would you kindly take your hands off me and my friend?"
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" a voice behind Michelle demanded. She felt the guard's tight grip instantly release and saw Samantha's eyes grow wide. "Sorry, sir, I was instructed to get everyone out of the arena."
"I understand" Angelo said calmly "But these girls are with me."
The guard nodded and quickly turned away, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Are you ok?" Angelo asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine" Michelle said, rubbing her wrist gently "Are you ok Samantha?"
Samantha couldn't speak, but she managed a small, almost undetectable nod. She quickly realized her mouth was hanging open and shut it.
Michelle couldn't help but laugh.
"Samantha... I'd like you to meet Angelo. Angelo... this is my friend Samantha."
"A pleasure to meet you" Angelo said, shaking her hand and grinning.
Samantha just nodded again and swallowed hard. He let go and took Michelle's hand again.
"Let's go." he said.
"Where are we going?" Samantha finally spoke.
"I'm taking you guys back to our hotel. We have a small party there tonight. You don't have to go if you don't want to, but I'm sure the others would love to meet you both." he looked back at Samantha to see her reaction.
"Of course we're going!" Samantha said enthusiastically.

Michelle felt completely awkward riding along in the limo with Angelo, while Samantha drove her car behind them, since she couldn't leave her car at the street. It wasn't really a sense of physical discomfort. In fact, this was the most comfortable vehicle she had ever ridden in. It was more the fact that she felt she didn't deserve to be sitting in it. She took the thought one step further, realizing she didn't deserve to be sitting next to Angelo Kelly either… He was famous, a superstar even, and she was... nobody.

The longer Michelle thought about it, the worse she felt. She should've politely refused Angelo's invitation to the party and gone back to Samantha's. What would she say to these people at the party? It was obvious she wouldn't fit in with the people there... and what about when she met the others? They would look down at her and think she was just some little teenager. Then she had a horrible premonition... What if they laughed at her? She wasn't sure if she could take it and brush it off lightly.

Angelo looked over at Michelle and noticed the look of discomfort on her face. She hadn't said a word since they got in the car... but he hadn't really said much either. Maybe it was because he was afraid... He couldn't decide what his problem was, but every time he felt the need to speak, the words that came to his mind never felt like the right thing to say. And once he thought he had found the right words to say to her, he looked at Michelle and tried to force himself to say them and they wouldn't come out.
So the tension in the back of the limo continued to rise and became more and more uncomfortable until both parties couldn't stand it any longer.

"Something's wrong…"
"Is something wrong?"
They both said at once, and Michelle blushed.
"I've just been thinking this entire time.." Michelle continued "I'm not going to fit in at this party at all. The others will take one look at me and laugh." she kept her head down, and her fingers toyed nervously with the ends of her shirt.
"They won't laugh at you Michelle, I promise. And I'll make sure you fit in." she still looked unconvinced. He took her hand and realized it was shaking a little, "Trust me."
With each moment he was seeing a completely different side of Michelle. At the restaurant she was full of defiance and anger, then backstage she was completely gentle and sweet, and now she was afraid and uncertain. And each side of her personality was so different, Angelo found it made her so much more attractive.
They arrived at the hotel and of course there was a huge crowd of girls awaiting for their arrival at the front door.
"Better go to the back" the driver called back to his passengers and Angelo nodded. 

The limo pulled around to the back and delivered Angelo and Michelle safely into the hotel, with one of the bodyguards following behind. Samantha pulled in behind the limo and handed her keys to a hotel worker.
"Find somewhere to park it, please." she smiled sweetly, and followed Angelo and Michelle inside.
They took a mirrored elevator to the top level of the hotel, where the private party was taking place in. The view over the city was breathtaking as Michelle stepped off the elevator and looked at the walls, which were all large windows looking out into the picturesque city skyline.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Angelo asked.
Michelle just nodded, and then her attention was pulled from the view by the strange sense that everyone was looking at her.
Of course everyone in the room was looking at her. Michelle began to panic. She had to leave, running away was better than facing the embarrassment of staying. But Angelo would not let go, he squeezed her hand, trying to give her some confidence and then started across the room.
"Come on, it's ok, let them look if they want to."
He walked over to where Johnny was having a light drink at the bar. Angelo tapped him lightly on the shoulder and Johnny turned around.
"Hey Angelo! Nice you could finally make it! We thought we lost you along the way!"
"Yeah, I made it, Johnny. I'd like you to meet Michelle. Michelle, Johnny." Michelle just smiled at the man.
"It's nice to meet you." she glanced over her shoulder to make sure Samantha was still there "And this is my friend Samantha."
"It's nice to meet you both" Johnny said, looking back and forth between the both of them.
Then he looked up at Angelo and lifted an eyebrow, a smirk slowly growing across his face.
"So... is this the one we have to blame for ruining the concert tonight?"
Michelle was extremely confused. Then she realized that Johnny was talking about Angelo's mistake during "I can't help myself."
"Yup, this is the one" Angelo said.
"Well what are we going to do about you, little miss? There's no excuse for what you did tonight" Johnny said, laughing inside, while taking a sip of his drink.
Michelle's confusion grew into anger. She did not to be treated like a child, and she was certainly not to blame for Angelo not knowing his part.
"First of all, I am not a 'little miss.'" she threw back to the man "And second, I don't see how Angelo not knowing his music is in any way my fault!"
Johnny nearly choked on his drink. He coughed as he set the glass on the counter and burst out laughing. Angelo couldn't help but to laugh as well.
"I don't see anything funny about this" Michelle said.
Johnny's face went completely blank and he looked at Angelo who stopped laughing as well. Then he turned to Michelle.
"I'm sorry if I was a little condescending. Do you know how many times he has sung that song?"
Michelle thought about it... it had to be in the hundreds…
"There is no possible way that tonight's 'event' was from Angelo 'not knowing his part'." Johnny looked at Michelle in complete seriousness, but said nothing more.
Then he stood up next to Angelo and smacked him on the back, and whispered a question into his ear that Michelle couldn't hear. Angelo nodded.
Then Johnny walked past the two of them to Samantha and took her by the hand.
"Would you like to meet the others?" he said politely.
"I would love to" Samantha smiled.
As Johnny led her over to Jimmy and Paddy she looked back over her shoulder at Michelle and winked.
Michelle forced a smile for her retreating friend and then turned to Angelo.
"What did happen during the concert tonight?" she was still extremely confused.
"I forgot the words to the song" Angelo said, and Michelle saw his cheeks grow a light shade of red.
"And what does it have to do with me?" she asked curiously, hoping for some sane kind of explanation.
"Because I saw you... and I couldn't remember the rest of the song" he whispered.
Michelle's eyes widened. That was the most wonderful and sweetest compliment she had ever received. Her heart beat three times as fast as she remembered the moment when Angelo had looked down at her in the audience and their eyes met, and now it happened again. He looked at her the same way and her mind went blank.
"You don't know what to say, do you?" Angelo said, as a lazy grin grew across his face. Michelle shook her head "Now you know how I felt up there on stage..."
"Well, I guess you should be relieved that I can't go on tour with you then!" Michelle laughed "Otherwise you'd be distracted at every show and the guys might get frustrated with your lack of concentration!"
Angelo smiled softly.
"I would have been willing to take that risk."
Michelle felt her heart soar, but something was still bothering her, nagging at the back of her mind.
"Angelo, what did Johnny whisper to you right before he left? Was it... about me?"
"He..." Angelo couldn't look her straight in the eye "Asked me if you were the girl I met at lunch today. When I got back… I um... talked about you quite a bit."
Michelle's smile grew brighter. She thought Angelo was a little embarrassed about admitting the fact, but Angelo wouldn't let her know the real reason he was avoiding her eyes. He couldn't possibly tell her the truth yet: that Johnny had leaned in and whispered 'Never let this one go...' and Angelo had nodded in agreement.

He took her hand in his and walked her over to where Samantha was talking to Jimmy and Paddy.
"I just wanted to tell you that I thought you guys did an amazing job tonight. I swear, every time I see you guys the show gets better!" Michelle heard Samantha say while she was vigorously shaking Paddy's hand.
"Thanks, really, I mean that" Paddy smiled "It's always good to hear that people still like the show."
Samantha saw his beautiful smile and almost melted into a puddle.
"Jimmy, Paddy" Angelo pulled his attention towards the girl next to him "This is Michelle. She's the girl I met today. Michelle, I'm sure you know this is Jimmy, and that's Paddy."
"Oh, so you're the one who..." Jimmy smirked and almost started laughing, until he felt a sharp jab in his side from Johnny's elbow.

Jimmy looked a little confused and Angelo and Michelle both laughed.
"I guess Johnny learned his lesson..." Michelle said between giggles "But yes Jimmy, I'm the one."
Jimmy was still lost, but he shrugged it off. He looked around the room.
"It looks like the party's really dying down. Hey guys, we have to get up pretty early tomorrow, it's gonna be a long bus ride."
Johnny bounced around a little.
"Aw Jimmy… do we have to?" pleading like a child no older than 9 or 10.
"You can stay up all night if you like, I just love my sleep, or what I can get of it" Jimmy said. "Paddy, wanna stay?"
"No, I think I'll go too." 
"Oh, ok" Jimmy frowned as well. "Well, I'll see you guys bright and early tomorrow!" he turned away with Paddy. Maite run after them too.

Samantha's gaze followed Paddy until she couldn't see him anymore. Then she held up a picture.
"He gave me his autograph. I didn't even ask him for it." she smiled "I guess that's nice... Um, listen Michelle, I think I'm ready to go home. Are you ready to go?"
Michelle looked around the emptying room and then up at Angelo. He was smiling.
"It's ok. I should get to sleep anyway" he assured her.
Michelle frowned.
"Yeah, I guess it's time to go then. It went by so fast… Samantha will you go get the car and I'll meet you down there in a few minutes?"
Samantha smiled.
"Sure." she winked knowingly at her friend and made her way to the elevator.
Johnny had made his way back to the bar and set his glass on the counter before retiring to his room as well. Patricia, Barby and Joey had decided not to make an appearance at the party that night.

Michelle was afraid to speak, knowing that every word she said would be one word closer to the one she didn't want to say: 'Goodbye.'
"Please don't look so sad..." Angelo said, looking down at her. 
She brought her gaze up from the floor and looked up at him.
"From what I can see, you look just as sad as I probably do" she half-smiled, and fought the tears that were struggling to free the emotions that were building up behind them.
Angelo took her hand and turned it palm up. Then Michelle's eyes widened as he reached up around his neck, took off his necklace and placed it in her hand, and closed her fingers around it. She opened her mouth to speak, but he put a finger up to her lips, quieting any chance of a protest.
"I want you to have this" he said firmly.
"I can't take this. It's too much" Michelle said holding it back out to him.
"Please take it. So you won't forget me" he said with a note of sadness in his voice.
"I could never forget you Angelo" she said as she pulled a ring off her finger.
It was a ring one of her closest friends had given her before they died, something Michelle cherished more than anything else she owned.
"The person who gave this to me loved me very much... They're gone now, but I'm sure they would want me to give it to someone I cared about."
She placed the ring in his hand, clasped his fingers around it with her own, and held them there. She looked back up at his eyes and saw tears sparkling around the edges of his baby blues.
"So you won't forget me.." her voice barely came out, as her throat was choked with the oncoming of tears.
She broke down as Angelo wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. She cried on his chest, her tears falling onto his shirt.
"I wish you could hold me forever.." she sobbed lightly.
"I wish I didn't have to let you go" he replied, as he held her tightly, running his hand through her soft brown hair. 
Michelle looked up at him.
"You are coming back right? It seems like forever until 13th December, but I'll wait forever for you.."
Angelo nodded.
"Meet me there at 5 o'clock. I don't know how I'll make it until then without seeing you... but here." he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to her. "If you ever want to contact me, send a letter there, and I promise you it will get to me, wherever I am..." he walked over to the bar and took a pen off the counter and wrote a number on the paper as well. "That's my cell phone number. You can call me any time, ok?"
Michelle nodded as a few more tears slipped down her cheeks.
"I'll miss you.." she whispered, as they walked towards the elevator, Angelo pressed the down button, and the mirrored doors opened.
"I'll miss you too..." Angelo said softly, as they stepped inside, and the doors closed behind them.
After the doors closed, Angelo wrapped his arms around Michelle and kissed her. Michelle closed her eyes as tears slipped along her wetted cheeks. She kissed him with more emotion than ever she herself knew she had, and it surprised her that she had grown to care about him so much in such a short amount of time.

Through the kiss, Angelo tried to make Michelle and himself forget that in a few moments they would go their separate ways. And for a while it worked. Angelo wasn't a member of The Kelly Family, and he no longer had to get on a tour bus the next morning. Michelle wasn't an The Kelly Family fan who had to go back to high school the next day. They were just Michelle and Angelo, Angelo and Michelle, and in that moment, that's all that mattered.

The spell was broken as the elevator bell rung, signaling that they had reached the lobby floor. And as they both caught their breath, all their despair rushed back as well. The doors opened and Michelle stepped out onto the first floor. 
Angelo held fast onto her hand, wanting to stay in touch as long as possible, until the words came from her lips.
"Goodbye Angelo.." she said, and then he let go, and his hand dropped back to his side.
They both looked at each other for a few silent, longing moments, until the mirrored doors started to close between them.
"Goodbye Michelle.." he said.
Then the doors shut and he was gone.

As soon as the thick metal doors of the elevator had closed, and Michelle had disappeared from his view, Angelo slumped against the wall of the elevator, feeling weak. He slid down its smooth side as it went back up, floor by floor, taking him closer to his room, and farther from Michelle.
"Why do I feel this way?" Angelo just kept asking himself over and over in his mind. He couldn't understand how he had grown so attached to this unique 17-year-old girl in just a matter of a few hours. It didn't make sense to him, his whole world had been turned upside down in just one day…

CHAPTER 3