An: Chapter eight, already! Zowie!
Shout ins:
Gina: Thank you!
MissEmmy: Thanks. It's been tough getting everyone to stay in character. I don't know how well I'm succeeding, either. I'll consider sending the lyrics. But really, it's pointless. Oh, I might have to...just because it's insane enough.
Imaginelet: Thank you for the correction! I KNEW when I wrote that I was gonna get the two mixed up! I'll try to correct that chapter, soon. :) The consort rules are from "Princess in the Spotlight" (the second book) so I can't take credit for them. They are funny, though, aren't they?
Daydreamer-022: I have to come see the update! Eek! Um, it does feel a little fast but it's retrogressing. Grandmère is trying to scare Michael off and...from the looks of things, he's not ready to be scared off. Hopefully, M and M's thoughts at the beginning of this chapter will help clarify. :D I know. Michael's wonderful. ( sigh) Here's more...
Sylvia Sylverton: Thanks. (pats her shoulder sadly) We all do...
Michael: (stretches) Sorry, girls. There just isn't enough of me for all of you. It's tough but...thanks for not crying. There's a pro.(winks at Sylvia)
Lilly: I would have to disagree.
Michael: (groans) Naturally.
Lilly: If we cut you up into two inch sections and store you in freezer bags, there would be enough for at least, a third-world country. Am I right?
Michael: No.
Lilly: (punches his arm) Yes, I am!
Michael: Brilliant comeback there, Lilly.
Lilly: Hypothetically speaking, though, it's a physical possibility that if we...
Michael: Hypothetically, how would you feel if I threw you out the window?
Renee Dumont: My dear pink princess, :D, hey, thank you for reviewing! Let's see...you've already read "Better than Perfect." Good. Um, what else...I think Margaret Rose's story is the reason I wrote this one. She's going at it from the other direction. I really wanted to have a story that depicted the relationship between Mia and Michael in the face of the press. Where Michael was awkward at first but got cool and used to the limelight. In this story, my object is not to break them up and get them back together again. It's really to portray a possible way for the stories to go eventually. The ending will be futuristic and hopefully, different enough from "Better than Perfect." No, they're not going to be driven apart. There will be no Mikey M. Okay, so...I'll read "Forevermore" soon. :) I'd love to know what you think of this chapter.
CrackQueenC: I made you like it...a lot? I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Here's more. :) (hugs)
Burnt Rice: Thank you. I'm flattered! Again, If you haven't read "Better than Perfect," go read that. It's the best PD fic I've read in my entire life. So...yeah. Done now. Thank you! :) Let me know what you think of this chapter, if you can. :D
aPPle-FrrEAk: That's okay. I'm so glad you came back! (Hugs) Here have a muffin. They're yummy. Thanks for reviewing. :)
WhiteRabbit5: Thank you! Here's the update...and it's your "sister's friend's cousin"? So who is your sister's friend's cousin? Nick? Ted? ROBERT? Heheh. WHO? I must know. My insanity depends on it. Thanks. (hugs)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Princess Diairies. And, as I haven't made my first million, yet, there isn't much point in suing me.
I don't own Rooney or their song, "I'm a Terrible Person."
I don't own the lines Michael uses in the shout ins. They're from "Third Rock From the Sun."
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Michael's POV
The door to my room swung open. I staggered in and let myself fall across the bed. Hang homework, for once. Pavlov's wet nose found my hand and I reached back to scratch behind his ears.
Maybe I had spoken a little hastily. I definitely cared about Mia. But give up my citizenship? Yeah, right.
The easy thing would have been to back out. Dump Mia and look for a nice, low-maintenance relationship.
Fortunately for this story, I'm not that stupid. Sure, it might be difficult dating a princess. But who said dating was EVER easy? It's not like I swore on my first born son to marry her. Yet. One crisis at a time.
It might have been simpler going out with a regular girl. But I didn't want Mia for the sake of having a girlfriend. I wanted Mia for the sake of...Mia.
She was never a hot topic in the locker room. Her grades weren't spectacular. She could be shy and insecure. Her rambling got annoying, after awhile.
But when Mia Thermpolis smiled at me, I remembered why I ate veggie burgers, why the penguin house was the greatest place in the universe, and why the heck I ever considered giving up my American citizenship.
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Mia's POV
I was trying not to freak. Michael didn't say anything about marriage. He was just going along with Grandmère so he could still date me. Right?
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Lilly's POV
My brother is an idiot. He just barged into the kitchen and said he had decided to transfer out of his AP programming class. To take (of all things) FRENCH! His one real talent and he throws it away...for a FRENCH CLASS! Moron.
So I (being the sensitive, insightful individual that I am) decided to confront him about his utter thoughtlessness.
"Michael, WHAT is your problem?"
"Not now, Lilly," he said, using that strained voice he gets when our parents try to analyze him. Which he needs, by the way.
"Yes now! What possible reason could you have for studying French? I've thought about it all night and I can't think of any valid excuse! NOT ONE!"
My brother turned around, slowly, deliberately.
"And what are you WEARING?"
"It's called a suit, Lilly."
"Why? It's not a week day. No one's died. No one's getting married."
For some odd reason, his face got all red when I said that last part.
"Michael, WHAT is going on?"
"I have to go meet Mia's grandmother."
"Again?"
"Yes, again."
"Something's going on. Why won't you tell me?"
Michael just shook his head and headed for the door.
`I threw myself in front of it.
"You aren't going anywhere until you tell me what you and my best friend are plotting behind my back! Don't...don't you touch me! I'll scream. I- MICHEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Without warning, he picked me up, carried me through the living room, and dumped me on the sofa.
I sat up and bolted again for the door but he had already escaped. I could hear him panting as he jumped another flight of stairs.
"Michael!"
"Bye, Lilly!"
"RrrrGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Michael's POV
"No, no! It's one, two, THREE, four. Again. No, again! No. AGAIN!"
My legs ached. Two hours of waltzing will do that to you.
I felt even worse for the poor little maid Mia's grandmother bullied into dancing with me.
At last, I heard a, "Enough. We will have tea, now."
"Oh, good. I'm starving."
Clarisse Renaldo's penciled eyebrows wrinkled peevishly, "What?"
"I mean...I...tea would be...enchanting." It had taken me forever to memorize that.
Tea? Enchanting? Gimme a break.
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Mia's POV
Michael was PERFECT at tea. Grandmère only glared at him once. Which is, like, a record for her.
And it only happened when they first came out on the veranda to find me. Grandmère kissed me in greeting. Then I leaned towards Michael's cheek to greet him. And somehow, I found his mouth instead. His arms went around me and he was kissing me back. And for a second, I totally forgot where I was. That's how good a kisser Michael Moscovitz is.
But then, of course, Grandmère cleared her throat raspily and I came to and stopped kissing Michael.
You know what the weirdest part is? She seemed to be having a harder time than usual looking angry.
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Michael's POV
Being suddenly famous is a little surreal. Like Monday morning when we got out of the limo at AEHS.
It wasn't the first time I'd seen Mia get swallowed by cameramen. But it was the first time they didn't shove me out of the way.
"Mr. Moscovitz, is it true you plan to move to Genovia?"
"Michael, are a vegetarian?"
"Your highness, over here!"
"Hey, Princess! You and your boyfriend give us a smile!"
"Michael, is it true Princess Amelia is having your love child?"
"Your highness, is it true you're planning to join your boyfriend's band?"
"There are rumors about a record deal for Skinner Box! Any comments?"
I let myself be pulled through the crowd of paparazzi and flashing bulbs, Mia's hand in mine. Have to admit, it felt weird with all the press there but not...bad. Just different. Mia tugged on my arm right before we entered the building and turning, I put my arms around her and smiled for Tiger Beat. What can I say? I lead a charmed life.
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Mia's POV
Monday night, Skinner Box played at Beans and Barnacles Coffeehouse. And guess who was there? Well, yeah, me.
But so was LANA and all her popular cheerleader friends! Apparently, they have decided jocks are a waste of time and have moved on to being groupies. They were all over Tristen, Nick and Ted. Michael said later that they left Boris alone because every time any of them got close to him, Lilly bared her teeth. Personally, I think it was the whole "sweater tucked into the pants thing." Except, he wasn't wearing a sweater. But he had at school that morning. That's the point. I think they tried to hit on Michael. But he did a pretty good job of avoiding them all night.
They weren't the only people who showed up. In fact, by the end of the night, we had a complaint from the fire department that we were over maximum occupancy.
It was a great concert and I was really enjoying it. Until Michael said, "Hey, this next song..."
Whoops, hollers.
"Uh, here goes..."
Louder whoops and hollers.
Nick had started playing and Michael had started singing. So, DUH, I was listening!
"I'm a terrible person. I'm a terrible person. I'm a terrible person."
I frowned. Michael wasn't a terrible person.
"I'm a terrible person cause I've made up my mind...
I'm a terrible person cause I've led her on..."
Wait...what?
"And I'm the only one who knows what I've done to her...
Oh, yeah.
I'm much smarter now. I won't tell her friends before her...
Oh, I'm afraid
It's gonna be a bad day come Sunday
It's gonna be a bad day come Sunday
It's gonna be a bad day come Sunday
It's gonna be a bad day come Sunday..."
Huh?
"Well, I'm a horrible person," Michael was looking at me. He didn't look like he was about to break up with me.
All I could do was sit there, speechless. What was he trying to say?
"I read her diary."
Okay. WHAT? I felt a horrible, sick feeling in the pit of stomach. What? Did he...he...
"I'm not to be trusted. I told all of her secrets..."
He didn't. He couldn't.
"To all the guys in town, they all laugh and slap me five, oh yeah...
Luckily, she doesn't have dirt on me, cause I'm the cleanest guy...
Oh, I'm so afraid...
It's gonna be a bad day come Sunday...
It's gonna be a..."
I tuned out the rest. I couldn't believe it. I should have known he never cared about me. It was all about being famous and a princess and being on tv. Just like Josh. And all the other stupid guys at my school.
I stood up. They were finishing the song and I had to get out of there. I couldn't breathe. Michael was bowing to the crowd. Did he have any idea what he was doing to my heart?
I caught his eyes for a second. And then, turning, I ran. Blindly, stumbling, over chairs, and people, and crates of vanilla coffee beans. Out onto the sidewalk. It was getting dark but I didn't care. I hoped I would get mugged so I never had to face those dark, chocolate eyes again.
And behind me, I could hear Michael's voice, still calm, still reassuring, "Mia? Mia, what's wrong?" The applause in the background went on as Nick stepped up to the mic, "Hey, you guys rock the house! Thank you."
The tears were falling fast and I had to stop to brush them out of my eyes. And then I felt his knuckles under my chin. He pushed my face up. But I closed my eyes tight. I didn't have to look at him if I didn't want to. I couldn't help it. Another tear squeezed out and fell on his wrist.
"Mia, what's wrong?" he asked again. I opened my mouth to say something but to my horror, I only cried harder. And even though, Michael was a complete jerk and I had decided that I hated him, I let him pull me against his chest. Michael smells so good and strong...But he had hurt me. But I didn't hate him. But he felt so safe. But he had read my diary. But I loved him...
I heard him sigh, "Mia, I'm sorry."
"How could you do that to me?" I heard myself sobbing.
"I...I just got so..caught up in everything, I didn't realize what I was doing to you."
"You didn't REALIZE? How could you not REALIZE what you were doing?"
"Mia, I know! But it happened so fast! I mean, one day I was just Michael Moscovitz, computer geek with a stupid little band no one has ever heard. The next day, I'm Michael Moscovitz, rock star boyfriend of the princess of Genovia. I just...I felt so...important. Like people actually cared if I was alive or not."
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Michael's POV
I can't believe I told her all that. This was supposed to be a nice, little apology and it was turning into a confessional. Whiny voice, "People actually caaaaaaaaaaaared." Who am I...Lilly? I suddenly felt the urge to do something manly like...belch or run naked through Central Park. ANYTHING to get rid of that uncharacteristically girly moment I'd just had.
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Mia's POV
"I cared about you..." I sniffed, "Before you were famous."
"Yeah, well, I'm slow."
I was just starting to feel sorry for Michael when I remembered what he'd done. I sobbed anew, "I just don't understand why you DID that, Michael! And then you wrote a SONG about it!"
"Mia, I told you I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...wait. What song?"
"I mean, I know I can be self-absorbed and possessive but..." I was practically screaming now, "Did you HAVE to read my DIARY?"
Michael let go of me and his eyes narrowed, "Excuse me?"
"What? You didn't hear me?" I was pretty much furious, again.
"I don't know," he said slowly. "Did you just accuse me of reading your diary?"
"Yeah, I mean...You don't know enough about me? You couldn't have asked me to tell you my secrets? You had to go snooping through my private journal that revealed the complete depths of my heart?"
"Mia, I'm not sure what you're talking about."
"You read my diary!"
"No, I didn't!"
"Yes, you...huh?"
"I didn't read your diary."
"You...didn't."
"No. What made you think I did?"
"You wrote that...that song."
"What song?"
"I'm a horrible person," I sang, "I read her diary. I'm not too be trusted...any of this ringing a bell?" I can be pretty sarcastic when I'm mad.
"Mia, it was just a song."
"But...you...you said your songs are about me."
"Yeah, most of them."
"But I have a diary."
"Most girls do."
I thought this was rather sexist of him but I was too busy being relieved to care.
"You didn't read...any of it?"
"Not a word."
I felt sort of stupid. But then the boy I had hated ten minutes earlier, and loved ten minutes prior to that, bent down and kissed me. And I forgot about feeling stupid.
"Can we go back in there now?" he asked, kissing me again.
"Yeah, sure. Of course. I mean, why not?
Michael put his arm around my waist as we walked back inside. Just before we got through the door, he asked, "Why would I read your diary, anyway? I already know what it says."
My heart stopped for the second time that night, "WHAT?"
He just nodded all serious, not looking at me but looking straight ahead, "It says, 'I luuuuuuv Michael Moscovitz...I luuuuuuv him so much..." Then he grinned at me. I shoved him and he laughed and kissed my cheek.
Michael was still laughing as we stepped over the vanilla beans. That's because he loves me.
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a/n: Chapter done. Review. I really liked this one for some reason. :)