Shout ins:
lott2chee: Thank you so much for letting me know I'd uploaded the wrong chapter! And cute pen name. :)
Gina: I didn't mean to be cruel! I hope you liked the REAL chapter. :D
HziL: Lol. I sort of have this problem with fics that make it seem like Mia and Michael HAVE to break up. What ever happened to the beautiful relationship that actually lasts? Novel thought, I know. ;) Not that they won't have problems...oh, they will. And I will not give away the end so...anything is, of course, possible. Thank you for your review! :)
sweetpiglet: Yeah, I figured it out. (Sigh) Thanks. (Waves sweetpiglet off, absently) Yes, yes...(lost in sad daydream)
sugarbear14: Thank you! And it's ok, you don't have to agree with me about the oh so cool Carmine. :D Here's more.
fearless33: Thanks. I fully intend to. Have a big hug! (Hugs fearless) Here's more...:)
MissEmmy: Actually, yeah, I think about professional writing all the time. Some time soon I'll get around to sending my stuff in to magazines and that. It's not like I'll make money but maybe I'll get some free subscriptions...lol. I'm really flattered you're reading all this! It's very sweet of you. Thank you. (Hugs) Oh, and another chapter! Yay!
Metalhead13: Why, thank you. Lol. Your review made me smile. Yeah, Nick...someone told me he was stereotypical. He probably is but OH WELL. There are people in this world who fit the stereotypes or otherwise (gasp) we wouldn't HAVE stereotypes. Thank you, thank you a million times for reviewing! (Hugs)
Ira Gaines: Hey, you're the real reason I wrote this next chapter as quickly as I did. (Which wasn't all that quick but still) "Update" you say? Funny, I think I HAVE heard that word before...somewhere...hmm. Lol. Yeah, this thing I have called a life keeps getting the way of writing. Which is stupid because I love this story and I love all of you! (Many hugs) Oh, Tristen? LOLLLLLL...ok, if you knew the story behind him...Well, I don't think he um reads fanfiction and certainly not PD fics so I'm safe. He's actually a guy that goes to my church, heheh. And he seriously looks like he's 13 or 14. (He's sixteen or seventeen and a junior) But yeah, dude, he's an incredible drummer and he's so cute. I just want to hug him. If he even knew I existed, I would have a mondo crush on him. So now you know my scary little secret. Bwahah...thanks.
Victoria Preston: Thank you! I'm honored. Let me know what you think of this new chappy.
aPPle-FrrEAk: I promise to take a look at people's faces...lol. Um, yeah, well the goal of this story wasn't to get them together. It's really to show what their relationship might look like (I hope I'm not giving away too much). So...yes. Thank you! We'll see what happens with the article and Lilly and all that. So...here's more.
KlutzY: Thanks. Aww, you're obsessed with it? DUDE, no way. K, here s'more. :)
CelticInnocent: Thank you for loving it! :D
myinnocenteyes: I think Michael is romantic in a kind of off-kelter, whimsical way. At least, that's how I see him. Cuz he's intellectual and also hot. Lol. Somehow, the two merge. Anyway, yeah. Thanks.
imaginelet: Oh, Let, you're not a horrible reviewer! You're always so faithful! Thank you! Yes, Mia and Michael...we're going to have some interesting chapters coming up. ;) I liked the little concert thingy, too. Here's more story!
Sage1899: My thought is that everyone has depth. Even Lana Weinberger. People can act shallow but they still continue to have thoughts and feelings that stay beneath the surface. I strongly dislike stories where girls (or guys) are portrayed as complete jerks absent of emotion and motive to be jerks. Anyway, silly rant. I'm highly flattered by your reviews! And I will do my best to keep up with this story. :) (hugs) Here's another chapter if you want to read it...
Padfoot Black: But torture's FUN! Yeah, I like "That Girl Has Love," too. I actually like almost all of Rooney's songs. The song in this chapter...heheh. It's actually not one of my faves but it fit. And of course, RC sounds cool singing it, anyway. Thank you for your review. I'd love to know what you think of this chapter. :D
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own The Princess Diaries series. J'adore them, though.
Time frame: begins end of Mia's freshman and Michael's senior year. My details and time line are different from the book, however.
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Mia's POV
I always knew there was something extra cool about the fire escape. But it's even cooler when it's your boyfriend sitting there next to you.
Michael's hair always falls in his eyes when he's concentrating. And I always imagine reaching over and brushing it back. I wonder what he'd do.
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Michael's POV
Mia was looking at me. I was bent over my guitar but I could tell because I could hear her holding her breath. What makes us do that around each other?
I tried to shrug it off. I had to get those songs written.
Tristen had informed me that we couldn't have less than eight songs on our demo. Even though I don't really believe in organized government, I'm really glad we live in a democracy. I seriously think if we lived in a small third-world country, Tristen would overthrow the military coup and become our dictator. And he's got that whole "short" thing going on, like Napoleon. Except, Napoleon was French. And Tristen...isn't. Don't get me wrong. Tristen's cool. He's just a little intense.
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Mia's POV
I was trying my hardest not to be distracting. I had read enough interviews with rock stars to know they didn't tolerate distractions when they were making music. I knew better than to ask Michael anything.
I had to look two steps above me to where he sat, frowning at a piece of paper. He was tapping his foot and counting silently. It was really cute. But you know what the very best part of all this was?
His knee was almost even with my face and it looked like such a perfect place to put my head. So...I did.
His dark head snapped up for a moment and he stared at me. Then he kind of smiled, like he was trying to swallow a laugh, and looked back down at his notes.
And so I was sitting there, trying to decide if this was a good thing or not, wishing I had some paper to make a list, when...all of sudden...his fingers were winding around my hair. I looked at him but he was writing then, still playing with my hair. Then he stopped and looked at me.
"Thank you, Mia," he said, seriously.
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Michael's POV
"For what?" Mia looked taken aback.
I held up the piece of paper, "It's finished."
"The song?"
"Yeah," I picked up my guitar, running my fingers along the frets.
"Oh, good! Um, Michael?"
"Hmm?" D, no, d minor.
"Why did you-what did I-why did you thank me?"
"Well, you...ahh, how 'bout I just go ahead and play it?"
"But..."
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Mia's POV
He was already playing the starting chords so I just sort of trailed off. He looked at me, waiting for me to finish, but I shook my head. He shrugged and bent his head...and then he started singing in that low, husky way he does when he's singing by himself.
Tell me you didn't think love was...
Valentine's Day,
Walking on the moon,
Or staring at the Milky Way
I don't feel mushy
I just want to tell you my dreams
Oh...ah...ahh..."
His voice got all high, then.
"You can keep your heart, little girl
Cuz all I want is just to play with your hair
Tell me you didn't think love was...
Letter jackets
Class rings
Flowers in your locker
I won't die without you
My world will only fall apart
Oh....ah...ahh
You can keep your heart, little girl
Cuz all I want is just to play with your hair"
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Michael's POV
I changed chords, still wondering if Mia liked the song.
"You can keep your heart, little girl
Cuz all I want to do is just hold you tight"
Chord change.
"All I wanna do is just play with your hair.
All I ever want is just to sit here and play with your hair..."
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Mia's POV
Ok, so I started to cry. I couldn't help it! He was so...
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Michael's POV
Oh, great. Now she was crying.
I felt my eyes start to water. Allergy season just never went away, I guess.
****
Mia's POV
Michael reached down and pulled me up to sit next to him. I sobbed all over his shirt. Sheesh, I didn't think PMS started until next week. I am such a baby.
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Michael's POV
I'm not sure what I did but I guessed I had better fix it. Fast.
"Mia, what's wrong?" I tried to sound unconcerned.
****
Mia's POV
My eyes must have been red and gross-looking, by then. I looked at him but I wasn't quite sure what to say. In fact, I had NO IDEA what to say. I mean, I wanted to...to...tell him...but I couldn't. I mean, what if that's not what the song meant? I mean, it was...just a song, right?
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Michael's POV
"Hey, don't cry." Wow, original thought, Moscovitz. Aren't we articulate?
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize." Why was she sorry? What did she do? I began to panic. It's not just Lilly! The entire female population is completely insane!
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Mia's POV
Even though, I was crying my eyes out, I couldn't help but be a little more than thrilled when Michael ordered me to not apologize. I just love it when he tells me what to do. Sigh.
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Michael's POV
Well, for some reason, Mia stopped crying. Actually, she was sort of smiling. Uh oh. That couldn't be good. Wait, it's Mia! I want her to be happy.
Fat Louie sauntered out onto the fire escape. As a rule, I'm not really an animal person but Mia's cat was pretty entertaining. Especially when he ate their laundry. Bet their vet bill wasn't that funny, though. I thought he was going to go sit on Mia's lap, considering he's her cat and all. But instead, he looks at Mia, looks at me, stares at my lap, and makes a flying pounce for it. He must not know what I did to Lilly's cat, "Freud." Whatever. Cats are almost as weird as girls.
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Mia's POV
Fat Louie actually sat on Michael's lap! I was pretty impressed considering he hates my dad and only tolerates Mr. G. Even my mom can't get that close to him when I'm not around. But there he was, anyway, ignoring his own cat rules, sitting curled against Michael's leg, purring and sharpening his claws on Michael's Gap jeans. MICHAEL'S GAP JEANS!
"Louie, no!" I made a grab for him but the monster took off, running swiftly back through the door into the loft.
"Oh, Michael, your jeans!" There were long white marks across his stonewash pants and I felt like throwing up.
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Michael's POV
"Mia, chill," I laughed. "It's no biggie."
"But they look new and Gap is a really nice brand and Fat Louie is so dumb and I am so sorry and I'm sure I can get you another pair of jeans and well I can't believe I let him do that I'm so incredibly sor..."
Does she HAVE to worry about EVERYTHING? I inched my face close to hers and suddenly very quiet, she swallowed and looked at me.
"Mia, chill," I repeated, before my lips met hers.
A few seconds later, I heard her whisper, "Okay." And then she kissed me back.
****
a/n: Well, there you go...oh wait, NO NO NO!!!!!!!!! DON'T LEAVE, YET! A TEASER FROM THE NEXT CHAPTER!
"Dude, didn't you see it?"
"What?"
Nick held up the National Enquirer.
I stared dumbly for a moment before saying, "That's me."
The guitarist nodded, "Yeah, and Moscovitz?"
"Huh?"
Nick opened to an inside page, "That's US!"
To be continued...please review if you can! :)