Hands Down

A/N: Yes, another story! I was planning on taking a little break with my writing, but that didn't work, did it? I just got this wonderful idea for a Michael POV story (just Michael, no Mia) and I couldn't resist. So... here we are.

Time period: It starts when Michael finds out that Mia is the one giving him the letters.

It sounds really un-original and typical, but it's not. I promise you its not, it just starts out that way.  On with the story...

Chapter One

Damaged Eardrums and New Revelations

"I can't believe you don't know who sent you these!" my sister Lilly exclaimed, holding the love notes I had received over a week before. I stared at her, puzzled, and continued to type in some random html onto my brand new laptop.

"And you know who sent them?" I asked her curiously, my fingers moving over the keyboard rapidly. I doubted she knew, but hey, it was worth a shot.

"Yes," she said simply. That caught my attention.

"You do?" I asked, disbelievingly. How would she know?

"Of course I do."

"And...?" It was becoming frustrating. Why did she make it so difficult for me to get valuable information? Believe me, I really wanted to know who wrote them, and the fact that Lilly knew something made me curious.

"Mia!"

Mmmmmmmm...Mia... wait, what?

"What about her?"

"SHE SENT YOU THE NOTES!" Lilly said, too loud for my poor, poor eardrums. You would think I was used to her screaming. Wait a minute, did she say...

"M-Mia sent me them?" I asked, stuttering. I couldn't believe it. Mia?! The girl who I've been in love with for, oh, let's see, pretty much my entire life. Scratch the time I thought girls had cooties.

"Yes, you dolt, Mia!" She must have seen that dazed look that comes whenever I think about Mia because she finished, "And I know you like her too."

That must have been the understatement of the year.

She stomped out of my room, satisfied she left seeming smart and superior. She always needs to feel smart and superior. It can be very annoying at times.

I tried to comprehend what she just told me. Mia liked me? No, she loved me (her own words, not mine) if anything that Lilly said was true. I quickly forgot about my laptop and flopped onto my bed, staring up at the plastic stars on my ceiling. Was Lilly telling the truth, or was she lying? I wouldn't be surprised if she was lying. She has this crazy idea that Mia likes me back and she's always trying to set us up, which always ends up embarrassing me to death. But if what she said was correct, if Mia had been sending me those cards, then she had been right all this time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a bitter person (or the most part), but I hate it when Lilly's right about something, because then she always feels the need to rub it in my face. Ah... sisters, hate to love 'em, love to hate 'em.

I stayed sprawled on my bed, smiling to myself. If she was right, then Mia loved me. Oh, what a thought. I hoped and hoped she was right.

But even if Mia did write the cards, how would she ever found out I liked her? I knew Mia would never have the courage to tell me herself, so I would have to tell her. But how? I can't just go up to her and say, "Hey, I like you too." It just doesn't seem right.

And what about Kenny? I couldn't just go behind his back like that, right? I mean, sure he's a freshman. And he's not the brightest kid in the world. But he doesn't deserve to have his girlfriend stolen from him... or to be cheated on.

I forgot about Kenny. I didn't feel like dealing with him right then. I'd figure it out.

But at the moment I needed an idea. I had to make it special, original, my own.

And then it came to me.

I smiled to myself and grabbed my laptop, getting to work right away. I would need to finish by tomorrow morning.

I woke up the next morning sprawled across my bed, my head resting on my laptop, which was still on. I must have fallen asleep. I looked at the clock (which read 7:30 a.m.) anxiously as I jumped up out of bed and grabbed an empty Sony disc off my desk, which had become cluttered. I sighed. I would clean it later. I changed into a simple t-shirt and a pair of jeans absentmindedly.

I popped the disc into the drive and double checked my work before I converted it onto the disc.

...98%...99%.............100%

The compact computer binged loudly when it was done. I took the disc out of the drive and shoved it into a case impatiently, running down the hall into the kitchen, my book-bag slung across my shoulder.

"What's up with you?" Lilly asked, swallowing a piece of pancake.

"Nothing," I said innocently.

I sat down and grabbed some food, shoving it into my mouth. I felt my family staring at me and looked up.

"Hungry?" my Mother asked. "Here, have some more pancakes..."

"Sorry Mom, no can do, gotta catch the subway," I replied, rising from the table.

"You've got time..." she said. She sounded disappointed that her "family breakfasts" weren't going as nicely as she planned.

"Yeah, but I have to get there early. I have to do some stuff for our booth. You comin' Lil? Or are you catching a ride with Mia?"

"Mia," she said simply. I took that as a signal to leave, and ran out the door into the cold December weather.

And so began the worst day of my life.

A/N: There's the first chapter! Tell me if I should continue.