Disclaimer: Meg Cabot owns everything except the ones you don't recognise.

And haha, yes, I did make Michael a jerk in this story, but don't worry, he'll get better!

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Michael's POV...

What is going on? Is she stalking me or something?

I seriously can't get away from her. I rocked up to the front of the school ready to begin the tour, yet another way for me to earn a scraping of money, and she was here waiting. I almost couldn't believe it when I read her name from the list, but it was her alright, I knew it as soon as she said, "Um, yes." Such a typical Mia response.

And now I'm expected to lead this informative tour with the thought of Mia weighing on my mind? Not possible I tell you. That girl is poison. She gets into your mind, and there is nothing you can do to get rid of her. Almost like Holly. Except Holly really won't go away, it's not just the thought of her that won't leave me alone.

"And just over there is the Human Resources department, if you just head towards the grey door, please," I babbled on.

It's a good thing I have the tour information memorised and that I've been leading school tours for the past year because otherwise I would have real trouble doing this today. I may be talking about the school and the things we are seeing, but I'm not thinking about them. Not in the least.

Right now, I'm thinking about the last time I saw and spoke to Mia. Not yesterday in the hall, but three years ago...

Mia and I used to be pretty close actually. She may have been my sisters best friend, but I always thought we had a connection. But obviously the thought wasn't reciprocated.

I started to get these, I guess the only way to describe them is love poems, in my locker. They were cards, with little poems scribbled on the inside. At first I thought it was a joke, because really, who would be sending me love poems? But then Lilly tells me it's Mia who's sending them.

Still thinking it's a joke, I discard her "information," not believing Mia would ever feel the same way about me as I did about her. Especially since she was dating the school Anime freak Kenny Showalter at the time.

But Lilly insisted I was just being dense not to realise that Mia was, and I quote, "head over heals for you, dipshit." So I thought about it, and I watched Mia closely, and I began to think that maybe it was her. And that maybe I should do something about it.

Eventually I took Lilly's advice and did something about it, I made a special computer program that would tell Mia that I felt the same way. I believe I even went as far as to say that I L-O-V-E-D her.

But of course, stupid me, she freaked out. Either she hadn't been the one sending the cards in the first place, or she is even more dense than me, because she left for Genovia the next day, without speaking to me.

When she came back it was a mutual decision to never speak about it again. Actually, the fact that we didn't speak to each other at all about never speaking about it again means that it was a mutual decision to never speak again. She avoided coming over until I moved into my dorm at Columbia, and whenever I went home I always checked to see that she wasn't going to be spending the night with Lilly or anything.

Only I can't avoid her now. She's everywhere. She's in the hallways, she's on the school tour, she's in my head during the day, she's in my dreams at night. She's everywhere.

I think the best thing to do is cut her off cold turkey. Like cigarettes. I'll avoid any conversations or interactions, I'll make it clear that I have no interest in speaking with her. Hopefully she'll get the message.

"Just up the stairs to the left is the Dean's office, and to the right is the receptionist's desk..."

The tour went on for another half an hour. Half an hour of avoiding eye contact with her. Half an hour of hoping she wouldn't ask any questions like that preppy girl she was with kept asking. Half an hour of hoping she won't come up to me after the tour to chat.

It also meant that I had half an hour before I had to meet Holly, to take her to lunch. And now that half an hour is up and I have to meet her.

All of a sudden I wish that half an hour was longer.

I dismissed the group and headed towards the tall oak tree at the front of the school, having spotted Holly standing there waiting for me.

"Michael!" someone behind me called out. I recognised the voice and quickened my pace, not even turning around.

"Hey," she said, catching up and walking along beside me. "Um, how've you been? I haven't seen you in a few years."

Ok, cool as a cucumber, Moscovitz. Just give her the brushoff.

"Yeah, well, I'm good," I said simply, not stopping even for a second.

"Uh, do you want to catch up sometime? Grab a coffee or something?"

Great. Just what I didn't want her to say. I didn't want her to say that because doing that was exactly what I wanted to do. But I can't. Can I?

"Maybe. Look, I've got to go. I'll see you around," hopefully not though.

I quickened my pace even more and left her behind. As soon as I got to Holly I gave her a quick peck on the cheek, purely so Mia could see, and kept walking, pulling Holly with me.

"Who's that?" she asked, just as I knew she would.

"Huh? Oh, no one. Just some girl." I turned around to look at Mia once more before stepping outside the school grounds.

I feel really rude, but hey, I've got to cut her off. If I don't I'll end up falling for her again, and I really don't want to do that.

"So, where do you want to go for lunch?" I asked Holly.

She quickly forgot about Mia and steered me towards a nice restaurant.

A nice restaurant. I offer to take her to lunch, expecting to get something from a hot dog vendor or a fast food place and she takes me to a nice restaurant!

There goes the money I made from the tour this morning. I may as well have not even done it.

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