Chapter 6: It's only just begun.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mia or Michael. Both of them belong to the author of the Princess Diaries and so on and so forth. I also don't own the songs "California" (By Phantom Planet) or "Media Life" (By AM radio)

Authors note: Woot Woot! IIII'MMMM back! Hahaha, I know you haven't heard from me in a while but here I am! Thanks to robtaymattlouned for the encouragement to keep writing.

The lights were glaring at me as I stepped onstage with my yellow guitar. The club was comfortable, not totally filled but yet there was a good amount of people. I searched the crowd and was able to find Mia standing near the middle of the standing area only, talking to the girl that we had met at the cafe, Emily. I quickly caught her eye and smiled as I began our set.

"Hello Connecticut." I yelled out into the crowd. "How are all of you tonight?"

I got a crowd of enthusiasts. "Good!!"

"Well, we are Skinner Box from New York, and this is our first stop on our first tour ever!" I shouted once again. "Let's get going."

We figured that for our first show, we would start out slow and then work up the crowd.

"Do you ever come outside? Or will you always stay and hide? And never get anything done, but you say you're comfortable." I sang into the microphone, looking out at the crowd.

Chris and Taylor joined in. "In your shell, but it's more like your private hell. You can call anything you want to but I can tell. You're miserable with your own life, and unless you change, you're going to die." We all chorused at once. Then I broke off.

"Old and alone, still waiting by the phone, with your magazines television and a radio I'll bet you'll never know life until it passes you by...Media Life, Media Life, why don't you open up your eyes?"

"See what it's like, see what it's like to not be desensitized, Media Life..." Chris and Andrew sang, finishing up the song.

The room rang with applause, screams, whoops and yells. I never felt so…appreciated in my entire life. We went along with our set, singing the rest of our songs for another hour. In the end, I could tell that they liked us by the way they clapped and screamed...and ran to the merch table too. I quickly craned my neck to find Mia but she was nowhere in sight. I was beginning to get nervous before I heard a noise from the side of the stage.

"Pssst.... Michael!" someone was whispering loudly.

"Mia!" I yelled, grabbing her arm and pulling her into a gigantic hug. I quickly landed my lips onto hers and kissed her.

"Oh Michael!" She said, pulling out of our embrace.

"What is it?" I asked, placing my guitar down for Lucas.

"I brought Emily back!" She exclaimed, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the dressing rooms.

"Hey, Michael!" I heard Emily say as we entered the dressing room. Taylor and Chris were already there.

"Hey, Emily!" I responded, giving her a quick one-armed hug and then turning to Taylor. "Wow, we played an amazing set, guys...I mean..."

"Wow." Mia finished my sentence, laughing and then giving me a quick wink.

"Hey, Michael?" Somebody asked, knocking on the door. It was Andrew.

"Yea, what's up?" I asked grabbing a water bottle from the cooler backstage.

"I've got a couple of fans here who want autographs and pictures and stuff, can I send them in?"

"Oh sure! Nice, Mia...will you go grab me a pen please?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "Sure, where are they?"

"In the back room."

She turned and walked to go grab it. The five or so fans then entered.

"Hey guys!" I said, greeting them with a friendly smile. "What's up?"

After a couple moments of silence, one fifteen-year-old girl finally spoke up. "You guys were really amazing out there tonight."

"Yea, I mean that first song you played Media Life was really cool." Another one joined in.

"I also really loved California, it's funny be --"

"Cause you guys aren't from California." Another girl responded, finishing her sentence.

"Thanks you guys, these really mean a lot to us." Taylor said, standing behind me. "Do you want pictures and autographs?"

"Oh my God, yes! Thank you!" They all shouted at once.

After every girl had gotten a picture with every guy and each of their autographs (Mia had yet to bring me a pen...oh well.) the last girl turned to me.

"Is that your girlfriend? Can I get a picture of you two?" She asked, motioning to me and Emily who had been standing in the back the entire time. She moved forward at the girl mentioning of her, I stepped in; Mia had just come into the room.

"Actually, no; this is my girlfriend." I replied, throwing my arm around Mia's waist and smiling for the picture. Mia didn't seem to mind about it, but the smile that crept across Emily's face at the mere mention of me and her going out was still bothering me.

Two hours later

"Alright everybody, the bus is ready to go!" Lucas shouted, shoving the last amp into the back of the bus. "Damn, this is too much work for me." He muttered under his breath.

I walked inside the bus, only to find Mia and Emily hugging goodbye.

"I really can't stay? I mean...it's cool with my parents!" Emily said, hugging Mia.

"I really want you to! There are only two problems, we don't have a bed and what would you do?"

"I can sleep on the couch, and I don't know...I could help out. Aren't you doing the two-day Sonic Music Festival in South Carolina?"

"Yea, we are." I responded, making my presence known.

"Michael, hi." Mia smiled weakly; I could tell that she was lonely for a female friend. I wrapped my arms around her waist and sat my chin in the crook of her neck, looking at Emily.

"I mean, we could always use an extra roadie or merch gal. Ha, maybe you and Mia can do merch at sonic!" I suggested for Mia.

Mia then whispered in my ear. "What is Sonic?" She asked, sheepishly.

I responded. "It's this two day music festival featuring up and coming bands from all over the U.S." I couldn't help but smile, she was so cute when she didn't understand things.

"Are you serious? I mean, this would be the opportunity of a lifetime!" Emily responded, getting excited.

Mia then responded. "I don't know, you have to make sure it's cool with everybody, I guess."

Emily then rushed out of the bus to find everybody else and ask them. I led Mia over to the couch.

"Are you cool with this?" She asked me.

"Are you?" I asked back.

"Totally.," she smiled back, weaving her hand through mine.

"They said it's cool!" Emily yelled back, bounding onto the bus.

"Are you serious?" Mia asked, squealing.

"YES!"

"We are going to have SO MUCH FUN!" Mia yelled, pulling her to the back of the bus. "So anyways, know I'm not the only girl and you can sleep with me I mean...if that's cool with you, if not the couch is comfortable. The bathroom is right here and Andrew sleeps here, Michael sleeps here, Chris sleeps here, Taylor sleeps here, and I sleep here." She said, but kept continuing as I walked off the bus.

I could already tell that Emily was going to lead to a couple of problems.