Not mine, although I seriously wish Michael was mine, he's so cute.

Happy Reading!

I can't believe how much time took for getting ready. I mean, it's just a coffee meeting with Mia for an interview for the Atom. I mean, seriously, I didn't have to wear what I am wearing right now.

But too late to worry over that. I can see her now and Lars now and...

My God, Mia is looking so gorgeous today. I can't help but stare at her.

Stop it Michael, I told myself. She has a boyfriend now.

Okay, here goes nothing.

I walked over to her.

"Hi, I am sorry for being late."

"It's okay," she said, giving me that smile that always melted my heart.

She took out her iPhone and pressed some buttons.

"So, it's okay if I record this?"

I laughed.

"I said it was."

"I know, but I need to record you saying it. I know it's stupid."

I was still laughing. She was the same Mia I left here almost two years ago.

"It's not stupid. It's just kind of weird. I mean, to be sitting here being interviewed by you. First of all, it's you. Second of all…well, you were always the celebrity."

She looked uncomfortable.

I should be one who should be feeling uncomfortable. Or elated, depending upon how you look at things.

"Well, now it's your turn. And thanks again, so much, for doing this. I know how busy you must be, and I want you to know I really appreciate you taking the time out to meet with me."

Seriously, she's thanking me?

"Mia...Of course."

She took out her journal and became all professional.

"Okay, so first question: What inspired you to invent the CardioArm?"

You, I wanted to say. But instead, I said,

"Well, I saw a need in the medical community and felt I had the technical knowledge to fill it. There've been other attempts in the past to create similar products, but mine is the first to incorporate advanced imaging technology. Which I can explain to you if you want, but I don't think you're going to have room for it in your article, if I remember how long the stories are in the Atom."

Yeah, and long articles.

"Uh, no, that's okay—"

Then, a wild urge made me say it.

"And, of course, you."

Mia blushed.

"What?"

It was a pleasure to watch the colour rise on her cheeks.

"You asked what my inspiration was for inventing the CardioArm. Part of it was you. You remember, I told you before I left for Japan, I wanted to do something to show the world I was worthy of dating a princess. I know it sounds dumb now, but…that was a big part of it. Back then."

"R-right." she stammered."Back then."

"You don't have to put that in the article if it embarrasses you, though. I can't imagine you'd want your boyfriend reading that."

Yeah, a boyfriend whom I hate with all my heart.

"J.P.? No…no, he'd be fine with that. Are you kidding? I mean, he knows about all that. We tell each other everything."

Really,Mia?

"Right. So he knows you're here with me?"

Mia was looking down now.

"Um. Of course! So where was I? Oh, right. What was it like to live in Japan for so long?"

Uh, someone is changing the topic ; I see her nostrils flaring, so I know J.P doesn't know that she is here with me.

So...

Screw you, John-Paul Abernathy Reynolds IV.

I took a deep breath and answered her.

"Great! Japan's great. Highly recommend it."

She rubbed her eyes.

"Really? So are you planning on…Oh, wait, that question's later…Sorry, my grandmother woke me up really early this morning and I'm all disorganized."

Oh, Clarisse Renaldo in the Loft means trouble.

"How is the Dowager Princess Clarisse?"

Dead, I hope.

"Oh, not her. The other one. Mamaw. She's in town for my birthday party."

Really?

"Oh, right. I wanted to thank you for the invitations to your party."

I was seriously surprised when I received the invitation today morning.

"...the invitations to my party?"

She sounded baffled.

"Right. Mine arrived this morning. And my mom said hers and Dad's and Lilly's came last night. That was really nice of you, to let bygones be bygones with Lilly. I know she and Kenny are planning on going tomorrow night. My parents, too. I'm going to try to make it, as well."

Going to try to make it? Real smooth course I am going. I am not going to miss it for the world.

But I couldn't say that to would think that I am still in love with her or something.

Of course, I am still in love with her. But she had a boyfriend now, inspite of what Boris have told me.

Mia said something under her breath.

"What was that?"I asked.

"Nothing." she said."Nothing. Okay, so what did you miss most about America while you were gone?"

Easy.

"Uh...you?"

She blushed.

"Oh, ha ha. Be serious"

"Sorry. Okay. My dog."

I am not even joking. I swear, I missed Pavlov very much when I was in Japan. That is why I named my company after him.

"What did you like best about Japan?"

What did I like best about Japan? She must be kidding me. But I knew I had to answer that.

"Probably the people. I met a lot of really great people there.

I'm going to miss some of ones I haven't brought over here with the rest of my team a lot."

"Oh. Really? I mean so you're moving permanently back to

America now?"

Of course, I can't wait to see her on a daily basis.

"Yeah, I have a place here in Manhattan. Pavlov Surgical will have its corporate offices here, though the bulk of the manufacturing will be done out of Palo Alto in California."

"Oh. So-"

But before she could continue, I had to ask her.

"Can I ask you a question now?"

"Um…sure."

She sounded tensed.

"When am I going to get to read your senior project?"

I could see she totally didn't expect it.

"See, I knew you were going to ask me that—"

She was totally blushing.

"So, if you knew, where is it?"I asked.

She took a deep breath.

"I have to tell you something"

Oh no. I know that look she has on her face right now. It is her I-am-so-busted look.

"Uh-oh. I know that look."

"Yeah. My project's not about the history of Genovian olive oil presses, circa 1254–1650."

Okay. I knew she was lying when she told me that. I mean, Mia hates Genovian olive. Then why would she write about olive farmers?

But I pretended to be surprised anyway.

"It's not?"

"No. It's actually a four-hundred-page medieval historical romance novel."

Okay...

What?

My girlfriend-oops, my bad.-My ex-girlfriend wrote a 400 page medieval historical romance novel?

"Sweet. Hand it over."

"Seriously. Michael—you're just being nice. You don't have to read it."

What is wrong with her?

"Have to? If you don't think I want to read it now, you're high. Have you been smoking some of Clarisse's Gitanes? Because I'm pretty sure I got high once on the second hand smoke from those."

"She had to quit smoking. Look, if I e-mail you a copy, will you just promise to not start reading it until I've left?"

Seriously? Clarisse quit smoking?

The 8th wonder in the world.

And also, she's going to e-mail it to me now? Sweet.

"What, now? You mean this minute? To my phone? I completely and totally swear."

I can't wait.

"Okay. Fine. Here it is."

I checked my phone to see a new e-mail, with the title.

'RANSOM MY HEART, BY DAPHNE DELACROIX.

"Outstanding. Wait. Who's Daphne Delacroix?"

"You said you wouldn't read it!"

Mia's face turned red.

"Oh my God, you should see your face. It's the same colour red as my Converse."

"Thanks for pointing that out. Actually, I changed my mind. I don't want you to have a copy anymore. Give me your phone, I'm deleting it."

"What? No way. I'm reading this thing tonight."That was when she jumped on me and started wrestling the phone from my hands, spilling the hot chocolate in my hands to jeans."Hey—cut it out! Lars, help, she's attacking me!"

Lars shrugged.

"I'm only supposed to intervene if someone is attacking her, not if the princess is attacking someone else."

Traitor.

Mia was still trying to wrestle my iPhone from my hands.

"Give it to me!"

"No-"I started.

That was when a waiter came near us and raised an eyebrow at us.

"Is there a problem here?"

"No."I said immediately.

"No"Mia glared at the waiter.

"No. Please excuse them. Too much caffeine." said Lars.

Thanks Lars, for saving our butt. The last thing I want is our face on the front page of The Post with the captions.

'PRINCESS OF GENOVIA THROWN OUT FROM CAFE AFTER A SQUABBLE WITH MULTI MILLIONARE EX-BOYFRIEND.'

That was when she noticed the coffee stain on my jeans.

"Sorry, Michael. I'll pay for dry cleaning…."

She'll pay for dry cleaning? Has Clarisse's lessons of courtesy gone to her head?

"Don't be stupid…"That was when a thought came to me.

"...are you still recording this?"

She switched of her phone.

"Not anymore."

She checked her watch.

"Oh, I am sorry, Michael, but I have to go.I am taking Mamaw and Papaw sightseeing today."

Both of us got up and she stuck her hand out to me.

I looked at it.

"I think we can do a little better than that, can't we?"I said.

Then I held out my hands to give her a hug.

She laughed and said,

"Of course."

And then we hugged. I heard her take a deep breath. After a few seconds, she let go of me, I noticed, reluctantly.

"Okay, see you later."I said, as she walked out of Cafe Dante.

As I walked out, I swear I saw Mia looking at me...

Maybe, there is still hope for me...

Did you like it? I hope you do. I was having my exams and couldn't complete it till Friday. When I read this part, I really found it amusing and wanted to write it in Michael's POV.

Please review. I really, really need your opinion...