Chapter 10

Mike stood in his perfectly tailored black tuxedo with a glass of champagne in his hand. He scanned the room. The huge ballroom was full of men in tuxedos and women in ball gowns. When Mike attended his first charity gala with the company, he was impressed by all of the glitz and sparkle. Years later, he was no longer mesmerized. It was the same people doing the same thing year after year. But this year would be different. Because this year, he would be with Jane.

At the thought of her, Mike imagined the kiss that almost happened in his apartment. His lips had made contact with hers, but she had pulled away before he could actually kiss her. He wanted to kiss her badly and not like they had kissed at the Snowball as kids. He wanted to taste her, to feel her skin beneath his fingertips, to kiss her so hard that her lips bruised and her cheeks flushed. Lost in his daydream, Mike didn't see Jeff Thompson, his boss, walking towards him.

"Enjoying yourself?" Jeff asked with a glass of wine in his hand.

"It's a great event as always," Mike answered, pulling himself from his thoughts.

"And where is your special guest? We have a very large sum of money to hand over to her tonight."

"She'll be here," Mike replied, hoping that were true. He hadn't spoken to Jane since he had invited her to the gala. He knew that he and Jane were on thin ice, but he also knew that she wouldn't bail if it meant getting money for the children she helped.

"It's too bad Margaret had to miss the gala this year," Jeff said. "I know she always looks forward to it."

"Yes, well, I'm sure she's enjoying Paris fashion week," Mike said. He almost blurted out right then and there that he was going to break up with Margaret, but he bit his tongue. It wasn't the time or the place. Besides, Margaret deserved to be told first. Mike had tried breaking up with her already. After inviting Jane to the gala over the phone, Mike had called Margaret to have him meet her for dinner so that he could end things for good. He wasn't going to be one of those guys who broke up with someone over the telephone. He was going to do things right. When she answered the phone, however, she informed him that she would be going to Paris and that he better have a change in attitude by the time she got back. Mike almost broke up with her right then on the phone, but didn't. Maybe it was because it was the easy thing to do – to keep putting it off. After all, it certainly made things easier at work. But Mike knew that he couldn't keep avoiding her. Eventually he would have to do it. And the sooner he did, the sooner he could be with Jane.

"Well, enjoy yourself, Michael," Jeff said. "Introduce me to your guest when she arrives."

"Yes, sir," Mike said.

As Jeff walked away, Mike heard footsteps behind him. He turned and nearly gasped. Jane was standing there with a form fitting, strapless black dressed that hugged her in all the right places. It flared out with black feathers towards the bottom. Her hair was pulled up in an exquisite bun with soft, curly tendrils falling around her ears. Her eyes were dark and she a bright red lipstick on. Mike nearly salivated.

"Hi," she said, approaching him, her high heels clicking against the floor. The feathers on the dress twirled with her every movement.

"You look incredible," Mike managed to say although his mouth had suddenly gone very dry.

Jane looked down at her outfit, slightly embarrassed. "I should. I spent two month's salary on the dress and the hair and…"

"It's not the dress or the hair," he interrupted. "It's you. You're stunning."

Jane wasn't sure what to say. She felt speechless. She knew she should just thank him and move on with the conversation, but she had never had a man look at her the way he was looking at her. It wasn't just desire for her body that so many other men wanted. He was looking at her like he wanted all of her. Her body, her mind, everything. And Jane realized she wanted him to want her. Isn't that why she bought the more expensive dress even though it cost more than she could afford? Isn't that why she bothered to put on makeup even when she never wore any? She wanted him to notice her. But then she had to remind herself that he was off limits.

"Where's Margaret?" She asked.

"In Paris."

"Oh," she replied quietly, not sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"About Margaret…"

"I don't want to talk about her. I…"

"I'm breaking up with her," Mike blurted out.

"What?"

"I'm done with Margaret. I should have been done a long time ago. And I'm sorry. I know I haven't been very fair to you."

"You don't have to break up with her because of me," Jane said quietly.

"Yes I do. Because I'm falling for you."

"I…" Jane began. She didn't know what to say. She wanted to tell him that she had feelings for him too and that she was glad he was breaking up with his girlfriend, but no words came. She just felt confused.

"Do you want to dance?" Mike asked, saving her from whatever it was that she was about to say.

Jane looked around cautiously. "I don't know how." At first Mike said nothing in response. Then he laughed. It wasn't just a nervous chuckle. It was a loud, boisterous laugh. Jane was surprised at his reaction and a little hurt. "You don't have to laugh at me, I…"

"I'm not laughing at you," he assured her. He took her hand. "It's just that that's exactly what you said to me when I asked you to dance at the Snowball. I asked if you wanted to dance and you said you didn't know how."

"And what did you say?" She wondered.

"I said 'I don't either. Do you want to figure it out?'"

"And then what happened?"

"And...then we danced. So, what do you say? Do you want to figure it out?"

She nodded. She knew she shouldn't. She knew she should just accept the check from the company and be on her way, but dancing with Mike was too tempting.

Mike put his drink down on a nearby hightop table. He took Jane by the hand and let her to the middle of the dance floor. He pulled her in close, putting one arm around her waist. He settled his hand on her lower back. She placed her right hand on his left shoulder. They began to dance to the string quartet that was playing on the stage nearby. Other couples were dancing around them, but Mike didn't pay attention to them. He just stared at Jane as if she was the only one in the room.

"I had another dream," Jane said as they swayed to the music together.

"About what?"

"We were walking together in the woods. You were walking with your bike. You had a cut on your chin."

"Another memory," Mike told her. "Some bullies at school pushed me down. That's why I had the cut."

"You told me about them. About the bullies."

"And you understood me," Mike said. "I didn't need to be ashamed that I was being picked on. You just got it."

"What do you think would have happened to us if I stayed in Hawkins?" Jane asked. "If my father hadn't taken me away."

"I don't know. Maybe we would have started dating. Maybe Hopper would have eventually let you go to school and we'd be high school sweethearts that everyone else is disgusted by because we were always so in love. And maybe we'd have gone to the same college together."

"Or maybe we would have broken up," she suggested.

"Maybe, but I don't think so. We can't change the past. All I know is, you're here now and I don't ever want to let you go again."

"Mike…" Jane said. Things were getting dangerous. He shouldn't be talking to her that way. Even if he said he was going to break up with Margaret, they were officially still together. And he was at a function with all of his colleagues and Margaret's father. The last thing they needed was any public display of affection.

Before she knew it, Mike was leaning in towards her. Jane knew he was going to kiss her and this time she wasn't going to pull away.

"Michael!" A shrill voice nearby called out.

Mike and Jane pulled apart. They both saw Margaret standing before them in a short, sparkly gold dress and matching gold high heels. She had her hands on her hips.

"Margaret," Mike exclaimed, surprised. He immediately stepped back from Jane. "What are you doing here?"

"Stopping whatever this is," she said, pointing to Jane.

"We were just dancing," Mike protested.

Other people stopped dancing and started staring.

"Isn't she the woman who you were doing contract work for? What is she doing here?"

"I invited her as the company's guest," Mike explained. "She works for the department of human services. She's receiving the check."

Margaret scoffed. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Margaret, come on," Mike said. "Nothing was happening. We were dancing. That's all."

Margaret ignored him and turned to Jane. "How dare you try to seduce my fiancé."

Jane looked at Mike. She felt the urge to cry. Fiancé? Mike hadn't mentioned that part. Last Jane knew, Margaret was just his girlfriend and according to Mike, he was going to break up with her. Had he lied to her just to get her to dance with him? Had he asked Margaret to marry her all while helping Jane? While they were getting close?

"Wait...that isn't…" Mike stammered.

Jane's sadness turned to anger and something shifted in her brain. She concentrated all of her energy on Mike. Margaret was by his side, gripping his arm. Jane made the slightest movement with her head and suddenly Margaret's high heel broke. She started to fall. Mike went to help her, but suddenly lost his balance. They both ended up on the ground, Mike falling with a hard thud onto his back. He felt stiff as a board, like he couldn't move. His arms were pinned to his sides and his legs felt like they were glued together.

"What the…" Margaret shrieked, grabbing her broken shoe.

Mike ignored his whining girlfriend. Jane had used her powers. As his paralysis wore off, Mike got to his feet. Margaret was reaching out for him to help her up, but he ignored her. Mike looked around the room, but Jane was gone. By this time, others had assisted Margaret to her feet. She was sobbing hysterically even though Mike knew she wasn't hurt. Mr. Thompson approached them.

"What is going on?" He asked Mike angrily.

"I...I have to go," Mike stammered. He wasn't exactly sure why he was still standing there. Mike took off, running through the ballroom. He raced outside. The valets all stared at him as he burst through the doors. He saw Jane at the end of the street, trying to hail a cab. Mike ran over to her. When he saw her coming, she tried to turn down the street.

"Leave me alone," she said, rushing off to get away from him.

"You know I can catch you in those heels," he replied, already not far from her.

Jane abruptly stopped. She took off her shoes, standing barefoot on the sidewalk, proving to him that nothing would stop her from getting away from him. She had half a mind to throw the shoes at his head.

"Get away from me or I'll call the police," she warned.

"That's what you said when I first saw you on the street corner."

"Do you think that's funny?" She asked. "Do you think this is funny?"

"No. Of course not."

"Just leave me alone."

"Jane…"

"No! Every time I try to walk away from you, you get me to come back. I'm not coming back this time. I'm done. This...whatever you and I had or might have had...it's over. We're done."

"I don't want to be done."

"You have a fiancé!" She yelled.

"She's not my fiancé."

"You lied to me! You said you were breaking up."

"We are. I will. I just haven't had a chance yet."

"You haven't had a chance? That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard."

"Jane…"

"I don't want to hear anymore lies. Whatever Margaret is or isn't...you're still with her. And that's fine. I can't compete with her." As Jane said it, she felt the sadness rushing in. She had met a guy who finally understood her. A guy who didn't think she was weird. A guy who apparently wanted to do more than sleep with her, but he was with someone else. And the truth was - Jane couldn't compete with the gorgeous, sexy Margaret. Jane wasn't well traveled or exotic. Jane didn't have money. She had nothing to offer him.

"There's no competition," Mike said.

"You can say that all you want, but you know it's not true. I'm not glamorous. I'm not rich. I don't have anything and she…she has everything."

"That's not true," Mike assured her. "You are the one who has everything."

"I don't even know what I'm doing here. A few weeks ago, you were just a stranger on the street. Now I find myself getting dressed up just to impress you. I find myself wanting to be with you. I find myself listening to every word you say about my past even if it's not true."

"It is true. All of it."

"How do I know that?"

"You've seen the proof!" He yelled. "You've seen the photographs and the newspaper articles. Your dreams are memories."

"Or maybe they're just dreams."

"You opened a locked door!" Mike exclaimed, feeling panicked. "You dented a can of soda with your mind!"

"Maybe you rigged those things to make me believe it."

"You don't really think that," he said more quietly. "Besides, how could I have rigged what just happened. You did that. You broke Margaret's heel. You made me feel practically paralyzed. And how do you explain the dreams you've had about you and me?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm done. I'm done with whoever it is you think I am. I'm done with trying to remember the past. I'm done with you. I'm going back to my old life. When I was just Jane Smith who had a memory loss problem."

"Don't say that," he said. "After all we've been through, how can you say that?"

"That's what I want," she told him. "I want to forget about all this. Forget about you. Forget about the girl I used to be."

"Jane…"

"Goodbye Mike. Don't bother following me."

Jane stepped to the edge of the street corner. She raised her arm up and a few moments later, a taxi pulled up to the curb. She lifted the bottom of her dress up so as not to trip on it as she opened the door to the taxi. Mike could see her 'friends don't lie' tattoo clearly on her ankle.

"Jane!"

Jane climbed inside the taxi and slammed the door, keeping her eyes straight forward, away from him. Mike just looked at her through the window.

"Jane please," Mike said. She didn't even look at him. "Eleven!"

Jane turned to face him. She caught his eye just as the taxi drove away. Mike watched it until it was out of sight. He had lost her.

Author's Note: Ok so I'm very happy that we finally got to this chapter. When writing, I usually have a "scene" or idea in my head that shapes the rest of the story. This was the moment that came to me first and that started this whole story. Anyway, I hope you liked it and I promise there's more Mileven to come. All hope is not lost! As of right now, there are 8 more chapters (but that is likely to change) so stay tuned!