Am I updating too fast?

Disclaimer: Meg Cabot owns all characters.

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Michael had left the school dance a few hours earlier. He'd had to fight his way through the hordes of press that were waiting out the front of the school, despite the fact that Princess Amelia had left. Apparently they were interviewing people about what had happened to Mia and her 'beau'.

Michael himself had refused to say anything. And he refused to pose for photos. He didn't know how the tabloids were going to construe what had happened earlier, but he didn't want to add fuel to the fire by saying the wrong thing. Especially since he didn't even know what had happened himself.

Sure he knew that Mia had overheard Josh talking about their plan to get Michael publicity by kissing her, but he didn't know how he felt about it all. Is he glad that it's all out in the open? Is he angry at Josh for inadvertantly letting Mia know that he is a scumbag?

IS he a scumbag? Lilly would certainly say so. And so would Mia, he presumed. But Michael knew that he wasn't. Not really. He'd had the opportunity to put himself before Mia, and go through with Josh's cruel plan, but he hadn't taken that opportunity. He'd chosen the good side, not the bad.

As far as Michael was concerned, he was a good guy deep down.

He was now lying on his bed at home, in the dark, and in silence.

"What is going on with me?" he thought to himself, since this was not the way school dances usually ended for him.

Oh no, sitting in the dark feeling guilty was definitely new. And he didn't even know why he felt guilty.

Could it be that he cared about Mia? Is that was his concience is screaming at him?

Michael didn't know. So he turned his stereo on, turned it up really loud and tried to forget about everything. Thinking only of the Pearl Jam goodness coming from the speakers.

* * *

When Mia awoke the next morning and walked into the kitchen, she found a copy of the 'Post' lying face down on the kitchen table.

She hastily picked it up, turning the front page over.

The page was segmented, it had a long column down the left hand side, and then it had five photos next to it. One was of her running down the stairs outside the school; another was of her and Lars getting into the limo; one of Michael bursting through the doors after her; another of him standing up the top of the stairs looking troubled and confused; and the last one was a computer generated picture of them both, with a broken heart embossed over it.

"Great," Mia thought, sitting down to read the artical. "I did give him exactly what he wanted."

Mia read the artical in disbelief. It claimed that the 'hot young couple' were having troubles in paradise. They'd interviewed some people, though surprisingly Michael himself had neglected to say anything. But that didn't stop Lana from speaking her mind, "Mia is just not cool enough for Michael. She may be a princess but she's still a loser."

Someone else had commented on Michael's past with other girls and said that Mia had probably found him in the arms of another girl.

The 'Post' however had their own version of what had happened. According to them, Michael had confessed his love, and she had thrown it in his face, thinking only of her country, and not this valient young Romeo's feelings.

Ha! Mia was so sure. It was actually the other way around. But she supposed that the pictures did relate well to their story. He certainly did look like he cared as he stood up the top of those stairs looking out at her running away.

But Michael Moscovitz did not care about her. The only person he cared about was himself.

* * *

Mia was trying earestly to get her mom to let her stay home on Monday morning. She'd spent the entire day on Sunday lounging around the loft in her sweats. She'd ignored the phone, hadn't been on the internet to check her emails and hadn't even answered the door.

She hadn't wanted to speak with Lilly or Tina, but now she had to go to school and face them all. And face Michael. Something she most definitely did not want to do.

Especially if he was going to be smug about getting his face on the front page of every daily newspaper and magazine that had come out already.

"Mom, please," Mia begged. "I cannot face them."

"Mia, the best thing to do in a situation like this is to face them. It's like ripping off a bandaid. You don't want to do it, but you do. You have to. Now go and get dressed!"

Mia knew her mom was right, she didn't want her to be, but she knew she couldn't avoid everyones questions forever. She just had to get it over with.

* * *

Michael had spent the entire rest of the weekend thinking about what had happened at the dance. He now knew that he had to talk to Mia to make things better, then he'd sleep better at night. But everytime he called or emailed, she wouldn't come to the phone, and she wouldn't answer the emails.

He'd even stopped by her apartment to see her, but no one came to the door. Either Mia was not home all day, or she was ignoring him. He just hoped that she was ignoring everyone, not just him.

Monday morning Michael walked out in search of his sister, he found her in the kitchen.

"Hey, Lil," he said as nicely as he could muster.

She just glared at him in response. In fact, she hadn't said anything to him since the dance.

"Um, I'm going to catch the limo with you this morning, ok?" he asked.

Michael never went to school in the limo with Mia and Lilly in the mornings. He preferred not to be seen with them. But he figured Mia couldn't not talk to him if they were in the same car.

"What makes you think either me or Mia is going to let you anywhere near that limo?" she asked him bitterly.

"Come on, Lilly, help me out here!"

"Why would I want to do that, Michael? You're an ass. You made my best friend cry, and I have no idea how or why but I am not going to forgive you for it. Find your own way to school."

"Fine!" Michael cried, having no intention of actually doing as Lilly suggested. No, he was getting in that limo one way or another.

He stormed off to his room to grab his things.

* * *

Mia and Lars pulled up outside Lilly's apartment building. They usually had to wait a few minutes for Lilly, but to Mia's surprise the door opened and someone hopped in. Someone who was most definitely not Lilly.

Michael opened his mouth to say something, but Mia beat him to it. "Get out," she instructed firmly, more firmly than she had ever said anything before. For Mia was not known for her assertivness.

"Mia, just listen to me," Michael objected.

"No, Michael, just get out. Lars?" Mia shot her bodyguard a look that said 'Get this guy out NOW!'

"You heard the princess, son," Lars threatened, opening the door and assisting Michael out.

"Mia, you don't understand! I didn't do anything wrong!" he protested as he was thrown to the pavement.

But Mia wasn't listening. She didn't care.

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