A/N: Sorry for these really long updates! I don't know what it is about the summer but it's made me incredibly lazy. I promise I'll pick up the pace and start writing everyday. That's a tough promise, believe me. Espescially how much I wanna just fall onto my bed and take another nap, but I'll do it. I feel bad that I haven't been updating as quickly as I used to. So I'll try and hold onto that promise. Erm, thanks? As always to my constant reviewer, Bookish. Stated beforehand, summer's made me lazy so sorry for the lack of replies. Also, a hit update. I've reached over 1,200 hits! Not exact number, but it's around there. Thanks for everyone reading, reviewer or otherwise! Seeing all these hits make me just giddy inside. Now, without further ado (or however you spell it, I don't know) here's your chapter. It's another one when Max and Michelle are in college. Thought I'd state that before I got confusion. Just a couple more chapters of them in college then back to the present and the climactic kitchen scene (that's a spoiler, btw, heehee). Stay tuned til then!

My Belle
Chapter Ten
Brutal Honesty
"So I put my arms around you, around you,
And I hope that I will do no wrong.
My eyes are on you, they're on you,
And I hope that you won't hurt me.

I'm dancing in the room as if I
Was in the woods with you.
No need for anything but music,
Music's the reason why I know time still exists,
Time still exists,
Time still exists."
-Dancing, Elisa

Immediately, once Michelle and Clarissa had met up again, she had asked profusely how their meeting had gone. Seeing as she never did find Max's shirt, she was still making a mess of their dorm even as Michelle entered. Her hair in a state of disarray, she sat Michelle down for a full blown playback on their conversation. Needless to say, she was highly disappointed. Michelle didn't seem to want to let go of her experience, so she simply said, "He surprised me" and was done with.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clarissa demanded, grabbing her friend's wrists.

She shrugged. "Nothing important happened. I just let him keep the hat."

"After that whole phone call and that walk to the friggin' coffee shop and you let him keep the damn hat?" Clarissa hissed in amazement.

Michelle nodded. "Yeah, I did. Besides, I have a ton of others. One less isn't going to end the world."

"It seemed like it did when you forced me to call him up," Clarissa grumbled childishly.

Michelle rolled her eyes. "I'm exhausted, I'm taking a shower." She got up and left, leaving Clarissa seated on the couch completely confused and frustrated.

Michelle's and Max's paths didn't cross each others for a long while after that encounter. They had little contact since Clarissa began to zip her trap and for once stopped talking about him. While he went out, she stayed in, and if she were to go out, he probably would never be in the same place she was. Clarissa never brought him up again in Michelle's presence and Michelle didn't mind his absence. It was always nice not having someone to distract you. Max, on the other hand, asked about Michelle every once and awhile, but Clarissa seemed to want to avoid the subject and would immediately start making out with him just to push the thought of the other girl out his mind. For the most part, it worked, but there was only so long until his curiosity got to him, and he longed to see her once more.

On a cool, spring night, after hours of dancing and partying, Max and his friends and Clarissa, Joyce, and Nancy gathered together on the street corner before the two parties took off. As Clarissa went to hug Max, he instead side swept her, pulling her to the side. "Bring that Michelle girl the next time you go out."

Clarissa made a face. "But why? She isn't that fun."

Max shrugged. "I wanna say hi. Maybe update her on the current state her hat is in."

Clarissa sighed, preparing to say no, but Nancy barged in on the conversation and agreed to take Michelle along herself. Not wanting to start something in front of the rest of them, Clarissa held in her angry reply for the walk home. She hadn't hesitated on telling Nancy off, but Nancy almost never cared about what she or anyone else said to or about her. So, she let Clarissa steam off for awhile before explaining calmly that it was their rightful duties as friends, dorm mates, and females to help Michelle ease out of her shell and loosen up. Clarissa had pouted during her long lecture but Joyce had seconded Nancy's point and gave up realizing it was a losing battle.

Michelle was in.

"What if I don't want to go?" Michelle chugged down on a beer, a book open on her lap, her legs sprawled across Joyce's lap on the sofa.

"Well, we're just gonna' have to make you then, huh?" Nancy answered, as she played cards with herself.

"You hear that?" Clarissa called from the bathroom. "She doesn't want to come!"

"I didn't say that," Michelle replied, tossing her empty bottle to the side and gesturing for Joyce to hand her another one. "It was just a 'what if' question. I still haven't decided."

Clarissa loudly huffed as she entered the main room, her curlers in her hair.

"He asked for me?" Michelle said out loud, twisting a strand of her black hair around her finger. "Why would he do that? And after so long?"

"Same thing I thought myself," Clarissa smoothed cream onto her face.

"Maybe he's interested," Joyce suggested, her dimpled face lightening up.

They all paused for a second to mull that over and then replied in unison, "Nah."

"Is that paper due tomorrow?" Michelle asked Nancy.

She shook her head.

Michelle shrugged. "Guess I'm free then."

Joyce and Nancy clapped, while Clarissa sighed loudly, a large glob of cream that had stuck to her lip flung off and landed on the carpet. The others rolled with hysterics as she scowled at them, completely negating the work of her facial, though not observing it at the time.

The next day, the four girls met up at a bar at just about the same time Max's crew arrived. They exchanged hellos and hugs, while Michelle stood outside the circle feeling a little out of place.

Max stepped forward and addressed her. "So we meet again."

"Only it wasn't a chance encounter like I wanted," she replied. She snapped her fingers. "Damn."

"Well, we can't always get our way," he said, holding the door open for her. She nodded as she stepped in and he followed after her, letting go of the door, in turn slamming it into Clarissa's side.

The group established themselves at a table but soon everyone had departed to the dance floor where a band was playing and the music was thumping. Michelle took her seat, making sure no other customers would saunter over and take a chair. Max hesitated on leaving her, but she gestured for him to go ahead.

"I'll stay here and get everyone drinks," she shouted as loudly as she could.

He nodded and went off.

The night went by in a blur and the group was rarely all together at one time. They stayed for a moment, drinking and chatting amongst themselves, but then Scott, one of Max's friends, spotted a pretty girl from across the room and got up. And so did the rest of the guys leaving the girls by themselves which just wouldn't do. Nancy and Joyce soon left after they were called over by a small group of men in the corner and Clarissa and Max were easying up somewhere on the dance floor. Michelle was the only one who had stayed put, drinking her beer occasionally, her eyes darting around the premise at all her scattered friends.

Max had somehow broken away from Clarissa and landed into the seat across from Michelle.

"How'd you lose her?" she asked, naturally assuming since the last time she had caught sight of the two they were nose to nose swinging irregularly to a fast song while everyone else was jumping around. Michelle didn't have the imaginative capacity to visualize what they must've been saying to each other nor did she want to.

"She's so drunk at this point, she thinks any random guy that passes by is me," he explained. "I left a poor guy over there with her. I'm sure once she starts kissing him she'll know there's something wrong. There's nothing like the feeling of my soft lips."

"I'll take your word for it," she replied, smiling.

"Or I can always demonstrate. I'm not shy."

"No, thanks," she giggled.

The original crowd was dispersing and the few couples left joined together on the dance floor for one last slow dance. A familiar tune began to play and Michelle perked up.

"I love this song," she told him as she swayed to the music.

"When the night has come,
And the land is dark,
And the moon is the only light we'll see."

"You wanna dance?" he asked her.

She immediately stopped moving and shook her head. "Oh, no. I don't dance."

"But you just said you loved this song," he pointed out.

"No, I won't be afraid.
Oh, I won't be afraid.
Just as long as you stand, stand by me."

"Yeah, but did you notice the entire night my ass was planted on this seat?" she quickly replied.

"It's slow, no one's going to notice if you mess up," he offered.

"I don't know…" she looked around the room hesitantly.

"Oh, c'mon," he said in exasperation. He reached across the table and pulled her forcefully up.

"Okay! Okay! Calm down!" she hissed as she followed him.

He dragged her into the middle of the swinging crowd and situated her in front of him. He pulled her arms around his neck and slowly eased his hands down them, feeling the Goosebumps he was leaving behind at his touch. After he had reached her elbows and they're bodies were slowly coming together, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"So, darling, darling
Stand by me
Oh, stand by me
Oh, stand
Stand by me
Stand by me."

"See," he whispered. "Not so bad."

"You better keep your hands where they are," she commanded.

"Don't worry, I will," he replied superficially. He heard her swallow loudly. "Did I tell you you look nice tonight?"

Her eyes drifted towards her purple dress. "Thanks?"

"Do you always match your hats with your outfits?" he gazed up at the purple woven hat on her head.

She nodded.

"If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
Or the mountains should crumble to the sea"

She felt a little obligated to say something nice back to him, so she racked her head to find a suitable compliment. "Did I already tell you that you have pretty, blue eyes?"

He smirked. "Yeah, I think you might've mentioned it."

She nodded awkwardly. "Well…yeah, you do."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"Maybe we should just be quiet."

She agreed. "Yeah, I think all this nervous talking is killing the mood."

"I won't cry, I won't cry
No, I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me."

She sighed and subconsciously moved closer into him in the process. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he noticed this. He could feel her breathing against him, the rise and fall of her chest, and the loud heartbeat of his own hammering organ. He wondered if she could feel him too, the way they were dancing. He wouldn't have doubted it; he just hoped that she didn't find it uncomfortable. His fears were soon dispelled once she laid her head against his shoulder and her arms grew stronger around his neck. He hadn't counted on her to make such a drastic move; after all, she had sat at the table all night while everyone else was working the room. He would never have guessed that she would be the first to make a bold step. But here she was, in his arms, their bodies almost one, and at slow rotation to the music. It was almost perfect.

"And, darling, darling
Stand by me
Oh, stand by me
Oh, stand
Stand by me
Stand by me."

Until Michelle caught Clarissa looking at them from her seat on the bar. It was a look of jealousy and betrayal. Of course, how could Michelle be so inconsiderate? Clarissa had been fawning over Max for the longest time, and now here she was dancing so intimately with him. But it hadn't meant anything. Though, that wasn't how Clarissa was seeing it from her spot. A pang of guilt struck Michelle's conscience and suddenly what had at first felt so right, now felt terribly wrong. She let go of Max's grasp.

"Can we get some air?" she asked, a little out of breath.

"Yeah, yeah," he agreed swiftly as he followed her out.

They stepped out into the night and were caught in a sudden unnatural breeze. Michelle's dress flowed in the most graceful way and Max couldn't help but stare.

"Max, I wanna' make something clear," she told him, leaning against the building's brick wall. "That didn't mean anything."

"That?" he chuckled. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about!" she said impatiently. "I hardly know you and Clarissa's known you for a long time and—"

"Oh, so this is about her?" he interrupted.

Michelle sighed. "Wait, let me finish."

"Fine."

"What happened in there, that 'dancing', it was just that, a dance," she continued, a little out of breath and at a slight loss of her words. He could tell she was struggling. "I don't want you thinking anything or getting ideas because I don't want any miscommunication between us—"

He let out a large breath that stopped her words.

"Max, I may be a little naïve and a little conservative, but I'm not stupid," she said, her voice considerably lower. She bit her lip. "Don't lie to me and tell me you didn't feel something back there. I know you did."

"And didn't you?" he accused, faintly helpless and little desperate to hold onto the right words.

"The truth is," she stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm not interested in you. I mean, you're a nice guy, it was really sweet of you inviting me tonight, but I can only see us being friends."

Max nodded, pacing in front of her. Never in his life had he encountered someone so difficult. "Yeah, I understand."

"I'm sorry," she said, staring at her shoes.

No you're not, he thought. But he was. How incredibly stupid had he been to fall for some goody two shoes girl? He should've known from the start that it was never meant to be and now with his idiocy, he had to add a little heartbreak to that.

She was the first girl that had ever rejected him even before he had asked. For that, she was someone special. Just because they couldn't be together in a relationship, didn't mean they had to be completely cut off from each other.

And it appeared she had read his mind as well. "We can always be friends, Max." She stopped and snorted. "I mean, if having a friend that's a girl's okay with you?"

He took a spot next to her against the wall. "Why wouldn't it be?"

She shrugged. "Some guys have a masculinity problem. I think they call it a huge ego."

"Well luckily for me, I don't need a huge ego to compensate for anything, so you being my friend is…all right."

"Did I sense a little hesitation there?" she asked, beaming his way.

He shook his head dramatically. "No, not at all."