A/n: Thank you, my darlings, for the reviews! They've been so sweet. I put shout-ins at the end.


(If you haven't been reading my other story, I must tell you I dislike the term "shout-out" so I say "shout-in" instead. Because I am a freak. So...)


Rating: Still PG because that's the label I put on just about everything.

Although, sadly, high school should be rated R for everything- indecent exposure, adult language, sexual content, drug content, thematic events, and violence. What a sick, sick world we live in. (Whoa, that was...cynical. Ick.)


Spoilers: I don't even know exactly what a spoiler is but...I kind of mix the books and movie up. Michael looks like Robert Schwartzman/Carmine of Rooney fame (I think Disney could not have done better casting Michael-Carmine is adorable.)



Disclaimer: Princess Diaries...I owneth them not. Woe, woe, a thousand times WOE!!!!!!!!!!


****

Michael's POV


I have never felt so afraid of my own voice before, "Uh...he...hello?"

"Hi, this is Gregory Jordan from the Times. I'm trying to reach Lily Moscovitz. Is she available?"

Drat. "Uh, uh, yeah." I looked at my sister, who was studying her purple nail polish with the determination of one trying to discover the meaning of life. "It's for you," I sighed, dejectedly.

"Who is it and what do they want?" Lily demanded, looking up at me. Man, she's short. "Some guy from some newspaper."

She needed no further explanation but snatched the phone from me.

Maybe I should go kick a wall or something. Release all this pent-up anger no doubt brought about by some horrible childhood scarring involving circus clowns and my 6th grade science teacher.

Ok, where did that come from? Don't get me wrong. I love my parents in a sort of familial way but anyone who feels it necessary to delve into the psyche of man should be sent in exile to a desert island where they can do no further harm to the human race. Particularly, their children. (Sigh) I need therapy.

****

Lily's POV

Don't misunderstand. I love my brother...in a sort of familial way. But I didn't feel that sorry for him, either. It's not like he hasn't had eight whole YEARS to confess his ardor for Mia. His lack of resolve to do so is his own problem.

So I put aside all thoughts of my role as sister/counselor and gently pried the phone from my brother's murderous grip.

"Hello?" A reporter...this could be interesting.

"Yeah, is this Lily Moscovitz?"

"It is. May I ask who I'm speaking to?"

"Oh, right. Gregory. Gregory Jordan. From the Times."

"The...Times? Which ones?" I just love messing with their heads. Michael just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, shut up, you'd do the same thing if you were me."

"Excuse me?" the journalist on the other line sounded confused.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Well, uh, I was hoping for an interview for the paper."

My ears pricked at the word "interview."

"Really?" I hope I didn't sound eager. Give the press an inch, they'll take a mile. "About what? My cable show, my recent boycott of the deli, my activist convi-..."

"Actually, I was thinking more of a human interest angle. Regarding your relationship with the princess of Genovia?"

I should have known. The powers that be were scheming against me. My best friend, who could care less about public attention, was the sixteen-year-old monarch of an entire country. While I, who desire nothing more than to host a national controversial talk show on a major network, am confined to discussing my best friend with major networks. (Sigh)

"Ms. Moscovitz? Are you there?"

I sighed again, "Yes, I'll do the interview."

"Great!"

"Yes. Great."

****

Mia's POV

I plunked the receiver down. It WOULD be busy. That sucks. Phone companies suck. Everything sucks. My life is so horrible.

I decided to dial again. I mean, how long could it stay busy? Unless, Michael was online working on Crackhead. But he'd already finished this month's issue. He could have been on, anyway. Then he wouldn't have to talk to me. Omigosh. He was avoiding me! That's why the line was busy.

No, that was stupid. He called ME. He WANTED to talk to me.

The phone rang. That HAD to be him.

I practically ripped the phone from the wall, "Michael?"

"Mia, I understand that you have deep, passionate feelings for my brother, albeit hidden in some deep-seated animal libido, but please restrain yourself. It could have been ANYONE calling. How embarrassed would you have been to spill out your secret lover to a prying quisling?"

I love my best friend but she can be really annoying. First, she knew exactly what I was thinking and second, she used a lot of words I didn't know and since WHEN did she refer to her brother as my secret lover? Omigosh. She KNOWS. Kill me now.

****

Michael's POV

I am going to strangle my sister one of these days. I swear, one night I'm gonna just go in there and do her in. Quickly, quietly...

"Michael!"

She was screeching at this point. Maybe I should just do the deed now and get it over with.

Wait. Did she say what I think she said?

I was on my feet, hurling myself over furniture in my haste to reach that phone. The last thing I needed was Lily scaring the girl of my dreams off. Mia was sweet but she was pretty shy. A thing like this would push her farther away from.

"Mia, please. It is so painfully obvious you two are infatuated. I wonder it has taken this long-..."

I yanked the phone away from her. "Mia," I forced myself to spit out.

"M...Michael?"

I sighed with semi-relief. As least she hadn't hung up on me. Yet. "Yeah, hey, um...how are you?"

****

Mia's POV

Just hearing his voice made my heart pound.

"Um, yeah...I'm fine."

"Oh, that's good."

I suddenly remembered, "Um, hey, did you call me earlier today?"

"Yeah." That's weird. I could almost HEAR his smile. Awww, his smile.

"Oh, well, uh, what did you-did I-did you-I mean, why did you-did you need-...?"

****

Michael's POV

She kept stammering and it was getting hard to understand her.

"Why did I call you?" I guessed finally.

"Um, yes," she said, meekly.

I smiled again. I loved the way her voice got all shy and low when she was embarrassed. Sigh. Ow!

"Uh, just a second, Mia." I covered the phone and growled, "Lily, WHAT is your problem?"

She jabbed the pen into my back again, "Just TELL her."

"But..."

"NOW!" My sister can sound pretty threatening, even if her growl makes her look more like a pug than ever.

"Fine."

****

Mia's POV

I was beginning to panic. What was taking him so long? He was probably thinking up some nice little way of telling me to get out of his life. Not that I'm exactly IN it but ya know...anything possible.

"Mia?"

My pulse sped up again. "Yes?"

"I...I..."

"You...what?"

****

Michael's POV

"I...ow!" I began to contemplate the murder of my sister again.

"It's ok," I could hear her gulp on the other end, "Just tell me. It's not a big deal or anything, right?"

"Well, I-aaah-ok, ok, uh..." I pushed Lily across the room and tried to finish my sentence before she got back to me with her pen. "I was wondering if-you'dgooutwithmetomorrownight?"

"Um, what?"

Oh, great. Did that mean I had to repeat myself?

"Would you go out with me tomorrow night?"

Lily was rolling her eyes, "Fine, take the easy way out, you moron." Nice girl, my sister.

****

Mia's POV

I think I stopped breathing about then.

"Mia? Mia, are you there?"

I couldn't move. Couldn't think. Couldn't...Fat Louie brushed by my leg and I recovered my senses. "I'm here," I told him robotically.

"And?"

"Uh..." What was I supposed to say? "Sure."

SURE?????????? THE BOY OF MY DREAMS JUST ASKED ME OUT ON A DATE AND I SAY "SURE?" I must be the biggest retard on the face of the planet. I really must be.

****

Shout ins:

imaginelet: Oh, my darling let! I was wondering if any of my newsie girls would follow me over here! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Michael rocks. (Hugs)

Michael: I WOULD rock but STUPID here hid my guitar. (glares at Legs)

Gina: Thanks. Have brownies.

Michael: Oh, yeah, sure...give HER brownies...but me? Nooooo...we can't even give him back his own PERSONAL PROPERTY!

lacey: lol...thank you! Here's more...let me know what you think of this chapter. :D Have some brownies.

Purplemartian33: I'm evil...heheh...yes...well, (clears throat) I mean, NO, I AM NOT EVIL.

Michael: (darkly) Yes, you are.

Legs: No, I'm not.

Michael: What did you do with it?

Legs: (innocently) With what?

Michael: Don't give me that crap! Where's my guitar?

Legs: I swear...I...

Mia: (enters, also innocently)

Michael: (forgets about guitar) Mia, hi, how are you? Can I help you with algebra?

Mia: Um...ok.

MissEmmy: Thank you...I'd love to know what you think of this new chapter. You can have brownies, too, if you want.

Maia4ever: Thanks so much. You know, it's interesting you should mention that. I love that movie but I wasn't directly thinking about that quote. Maybe it was subconcious...(plays creepy music) you've just crossed over into...the subconcious...a land of shadows and creepiness and deja vu...heheh. Eat a brownie. Yum

a/n: Please review if you've gotten this far! :D Love you all, Legs