Author's Note: Okay, relax and breathe everyone. That last part was part of All My Life's prequel which is currently untitled. The breaks I tried to put in didn't show up when I posted. I knew I was posting tonight again so I didn't try to fix it for the hundredth time. A new character is introduced in this chapter. I so own him.

Mia:

I jumped out of the bed and lit some candles that he had bought from our first night together. Then I went into his closet and pulled out his Trivial Pursuit cards.
This was something we did when there was nothing else to do, trivia. He was soooo much better at it than I was though. "But," he started as I sat on the end of his bed.
"Yes?" I asked.
"It's gotta be strip Trivial Pursuit. Every time you get one wrong you take something off."
"But you are half na-"
"No arguments. Let's get this started. What Italian city claims to be the birthplace for pizza? Come on, you know this one!"
"Naples," I replied. Since pizza was our favorite food we knew that. We are total dorks that look up information about EVERYTHING on the internet. "What kind of wood is used to make the sticks for Popsicles?"
"Gee thanks, give ME the hard one," he said with a smile. "I have NO idea."
"Then take those shorts off young man!"
"What sixteenth century invention led peasants to complain that it would take off ten days of their lives?" he asked after he tossed his boxers at me. He was totally naked now. I knew I would be getting the tougher ones so I could join him.
"Wasn't that the calendar?" I asked.
He was shocked that I had the right answer. "Yeah, how the hell did you know that?"
"I have my Grandmere....give me another."
"Who became the first lefty to fan 20 batters in nine innings of a baseball game?"
Okay, sports. "Um...Roger Clemens?"
"WRONG, Randy Johnson. Next take off that silly tank top," he ordered with a snobbish face. "What game do Britons call noughts and crosses?"
"Lacrosse?" I guessed.
"Hand over the bra," he said with a snap of the fingers. He loved teasing me. "How many teeth do an adult platypus have?"
I didn't even bother trying to answer. I slid out of my pants and tossed them at his face.
"Okay, might as well take it all off, you'll never get this next one, it's a sports one," he motioned for me to hand over the panties. I no longer was embarrassed about my body around him. This could be because I now had breasts, but mostly because I loved him and I knew he adored me.
He took in the view of my body by candle light. A slight smile came upon his face, "Mia?"
"Michael?" I whispered back.
But we didn't have to say anything else. We just simply laid down and cuddled. I know he would have rathered us have sex, but it just didn't feel right.
"Michael, do you think there are photographers outside?"
He rubbed his eyes sleepily, "I dunno, maybe."
"How are we going to explain me leaving in the morning?"
"Just say you went out a different exit that no one knows about..." he said with a yawn.
"We have to figure SOMETHING out," I said throwing my arms in the air. "I mean, honestly..."
"Then have Lars hire a stand in or something...we'll have her come in and then leave a few hours later, that's all. We can sneak you in here."
He always made things so simple. That's one of the reasons I loved him.

"There's so much more room in the limo without Michael here, isn't there?" Lilly asked on the first day of school.
I shrugged. I already missed having him sit next to me in the limousine. I missed the smell of his old room clinging to his blazer. I missed seeing the clean shaven look on him.
"Hello, earth to Mia!" Lilly said, waving her arms around wildly.
"Oh, sorry."
"So, what is your schedule like?" she asked.
"I have chemistry first thing. Then I have geometry. Mr. G says that if you are bad in algebra you are usually pretty good with geometry."
"I took it last year, it was pretty easy. Michael hated it though."
"Doesn't matter, I can't have him tutoring me anymore anyways."
"Who is that?" Lilly asked, looking out the window at a boy sitting on the front steps with a really big man standing behind him.
"Bodyguard," I say simply.
"Huh?"
"He has a bodyguard."
"Oh," she said as Lars opened the door for us. We got out and walked to the front doors. Hardly anyone was there yet. But then again, Lars said this year we would leave early for school to avoid traffic.
Lars nodded toward the large man looming over the boy. The man nodded knowingly back.
I started walking by Gupta's office and she knocked on the window, motioning for me to come into the room. Lilly waited outside the office in her favorite chair that she sits in everytime she's in trouble.
"Yes Miss Gupta?" I ask nervously. I couldn't have done anything wrong. It was the first day of classes for crying out loud! In fact, there were no classes yet!
"We have a new student this year, from a small country near your home."
"Near Bleecker Street?" I asked, very confused.
"No, near Genovia. He is the Prince of Cabonia."
I had heard of the country in the many Princess Lessons from Grandmere. But she never said that it had a royal family, nor a prince my age, which I am surprised about. "Right, we have a small border with them in the north," I replied.
"Well, I have spoken with his parents and they thought it would be a good idea for you to show him around a little bit. Afterall, you are both royalty. He doesn't make friends very easily," she hastily explained. "I thought you two might get along very well."
"Is that the kid out front?" I asked, motioned to the front door.
"Yes. His name is Edward. Would you mind bringing him to all of his classes?" she asked, handing me his schedule. "You two have been put in most of the same classes."
"Okay. Why is he here though?" I asked, glancing at the card she had given me.
She rolled her eyes, "I suppose we are a beacon to American royalty!" she said dramatically. "Now go along and get Edward."
A beacon to American royalty?
I told Lilly I would be showing around the new kid and that I had to get him from the front steps. "Edward?" I asked carefully. He was reading a magazine.
"Yeah?" he asked, turning toward me.
"Hi, I'm Mia-"
"Oh right, that girl my parents told me about. You are the princess, right?" he asked, standing up and brushing off the dust from his pants.
"Right. We're in a lot of the same classes so Principal Gupta thought it would be a good-"
"I know."
"Okay, I'll introduce you to my best friend Lilly," I said, re- positioning my back pack.
He put the magazine in his messenger bag and followed me inside. "Lilly, this is Edward, Ed-"
"Call me Eddie," he said softly.
"Okay, Eddie, this is my best friend Lilly."
"Hi there Eddie. Mia, I have to go to the cafeteria before everyone gets here. Maya hardly makes any breakfast anymore since Michael left."
"Okay, I'll see you in G&T," I said with a wave. "So, Eddie."
"So, Mia," he said with a laugh.
"I don't mean to be rude-"
"But what am I doing here?" he asked, finishing my thought . MIA: "Yeah," I said with an embarrassed laugh.
"Well, I didn't like my other schools in Europe. I hated them in fact. So, my parents started researching schools in America, and found out that the Princess of Genovia attended Albert Einstein High School in New York. So here I am."
"So because of me?" I said laughing. I led him to my locker so I could leave all of my binders in there, and to put up pictures.
"Basically, yes. I convinced them that if this school was good enough for the Princess of Genovia, it's good enough for me."
"I'm glad I was a good negotiating tactic," I said as I pulled out my pictures.
"Who's the guy?" he asked, noticing at least a dozen of me and Michael.
"My boyfriend, Michael," I explained.
"Is he a civilian?" he asked, taking a picture from my stack.
"If you mean not royal, then yes," I replied.
"They actually let you date?" he asked.
"Of course they do. My Grandmere adores him."
"I've met her before, she terrifies me!" he said laughing. "He must be good if she likes him."
"How is it that you know about me, but I know nothing about you?"
"Because I have always known about my royal blood and you have not."
I closed my locker door and started walking toward chemistry with Eddie. "So, how long have you been in the States?" I asked.
"A few weeks. I saw you at the airport when you returned from your holidays in Genovia."
I pretended to be offended that he hadn't introduced himself.
Lana appears from around the corner. "Mia, who is this?" she demands. Now that Josh was away at Stanford she was on the prowl. I guess being divided by her dad and by distance really made her realize other guys existed.
"Eddie, this is Lana Weinberger."
He was nice to her, gave her only the important information about himself, but not that he was a prince of a small country. But he didn't realize that as long as he was good looking and had a penis Lana would drool.
Lana started acting strange right then. "So Mia, did you want to come over on Saturday?"
Eddie looked at me, waiting for my answer. "Actually, we were going to catch a movie on Saturday night," he said after I was a loss for words.
"Cheating on Michael?" she asked with a cocked brow. She was hungry for gossip. "Interesting, did good old granny make you break up with him after those terrible pictures in the papers?"
Lilly came up behind us, "No, but she is allowed to hang out with other males. My brother trusts her. Besides, he has his gig at that eighteen and up club on Saturday nights. You know the one, where they let us in because we are with the band and they took your fake ID and laughed?"
Lana's jaw dropped. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing. Lilly had definitely embarrassed her in front of the new boy.
Eddie put his arms around both Lilly and I and we walked to first period together.

MICHAEL:
We didn't start classes until the week after Albert Einstein did, so I was able to meet up with Mia outside of the school, right by the limo. She saw me and ran up to me. It had only been a day since I had seen her but I missed her so damn much. I twirled her around and then stopped to kiss her. I could see Lars rolling his eyes at us. But then again, I'm sure he's used to us being like this.
"I see you are completely over your fear of public displays of affection," she said as we pulled apart.
"I don't care who knows or sees that I like kissing my girlfriend," I admitted. "You have princess lessons?" I ask.
"Not today. Those start up next week when Grandmere returns."
A boy came up behind her and motioned for me not to say that he was sneaking up behind her. I didn't recognize him at all. He slowly came up and squeezed her sides. Considering Lars didn't think this was odd I couldn't either.
She screamed and laughed at the same time, "Eddie! Hey, this is my boyfriend, Michael that I was telling you all about."
"Hey there," the guy said with a slight accent. "She doesn't shut up about you."
"That's good to hear," I said with a smile. "You new here?"
"Michael graduated here last year, top of his class," Mia bragged for me.
"That's good," he started rolling his eyes at her, "And I think I said the same thing at lunch when you told me that. And yes, I am new here."
Lilly came up, "Michael, we're going back to the apartment to edit the tape from the summer. You can come if you shut up."
"I'll see you tomorrow, Eddie," Mia said, sliding into the limo.
"Yeah, later Mia, see ya Lilly. Nice meeting you Michael," he said, shaking my hand. What a weirdo.
"It's nice to have you in here," Mia whispered into my ear so Lilly wouldn't hear. "I missed you this morning."
I wasn't going to lie. I didn't miss her at seven o'clock this morning because I was dead asleep. "I'm sorry babe. Are you coming to the bar on Saturday night?" I ask.
"I dunno. I might go to the movies with Lilly and Eddie."
This was a first. She always came to my gigs. Ever since that night we got together. "Oh, okay then."
"Unless you need me there. I can skip the movie. I'll go-"
"Mia, go out with your friends. I don't mind. Are you going to come over on Friday night then?"
"Yes. No problems there my dear boy. And I'll be home early enough on Saturday for you to come over, okay? You can sneak in the fire escape."
"Maybe. But since you are going out with your friends, maybe I'll go out with Denis and Gabe-"
"Denis and I are going out after the bar," Lilly interrupted.
"Okay, so maybe me and Gabe," I said.
"Michael, if that's what you want then that's okay," Mia said softly.

"Why don't you skip out on Lilly today and we go get some pizza?" I ask.
She smiles, "Michael you are trying to corrupt me!"
"Am not."
"Are too! But I don't mind it . Lil, can we do this tomorrow?"
"Mia, tomorrow is going to turn into next week, into next month, into next year..."
"I'm not even good at editing! Tina is the producer, she should be helping you!"
Lilly rolled her eyes, "Fine. You wouldn't be much help anyways. You would want the time you threw up all the-"
"Lilly, don't put that in!"
"Fine. But practice safe sex you two..."

We took a walk through Central Park instead. I guess that is the safest sex because it wasn't sex, right? I put my hand on her waist and started pointing out little signs of autumn. "I can't believe this time last year we barely knew one another," I said softly as we approached a bench.
"I know. Makes me wonder how long it would have taken us to get together if I wasn't a princess."
"I'm not dating your because you are a princess," I argued.
"No, I know that silly. But I mean, like, if I hadn't been a princess I would never have been upset about Lilly going off on monarchies, and I would have never run into your room that night. And then we would have never become friends, and therefore, never be together."
"We would have eventually," I said thoughtfully. "If we are truly meant to be."
"Which we are," she said quickly. "You are the only boy I could ever want, Michael Moscovitz."
"You are the only girl I ever want, Mia Thermopolis-"
"Hold that spot!" a guy with a camera yelled.
"They always have to ruin a good moment, huh?" I asked.
She stood up and took my hand. We started walking back to my apartment. "Did I tell you I am going to be doing a live interview next week?"
"What?" I said, trying to hold back a laugh.
"Don't laugh at me!" she said with a smile. "No, Grandmere is going to be hosting a big charity ball in December, a masquerade. It's this years version of that dinner you and I went to last year. But this time Grandmere thought it would be good to have a charity ball where anyone could buy a plate."
"If they have the money," I put in. "So how much does this cost?" I ask.
"It's about five hundred a head, but you wouldn't have to pay. No one I invite would have to pay."
"You plan on bringing other dates?" I ask.
"Of course not silly. Only you. But if Lilly or Tina or Shameeka decide they want to come then they don't have to pay. It's going to be a lot of fun."
"So you are going to start promoting it now?" I ask. "It's barely even September!"
"I know, but Grandmere also thought I was ready to do a real interview on television."
"Who is interviewing you?"
She smiled and tried not to laugh, "Barbra Walters."
"Now what is she going to try to make you cry about?" I ask as I put my arm around her.
"I don't know. I have a pretty good life. I have my mother and stepfather happily married with a little baby of their own. My dad and Grandmere are both healthy. I have a wonderful, loving boyfriend and a lot of great friends. I don't see anything that could make me want to cry."
"Watch Fat Louie though," I started. "Barb might send someone to kill him so you can cry."
"Michael! Such a thing to say!" she said with a giggle.
"Mia?"
"Yes Michael?"
"Who is this Eddie guy?" I ask.
Her face drops.
"You don't like him?" I guess.
"No, not that at all. He's just a new kid I'm showing around."
"Why you?" I ask. Usually Gupta has the popular smart kids show the newbies around.
She bit her lip as we entered the lobby of my apartment. "Probably because he's from a country near Genovia."
That explains the funny accent. "Oh. I see now. No biggie."

She kissed my cheek before she left. "I have some homework to do and I don't want to get behind after only one day," she explained. It was only six o'clock. Last year she would be arriving around now at my old apartment. She wouldn't even consider doing her homework without me with her. "Pick me up tomorrow?" she asks.
"Yeah. I'm starting my new job in the morning but I'll try to get there at two thirty."
"Okay I love you."
"Love you too babe."

I figured I should appreciate the times I could pick her up because once school started I would have no time. Here's the schedule for me for school:

MW – Advanced Freshman English 103, 9-10:15
Work 11- 3
Intro to Computer Programming 5:45- 7:45

MWF- Calculus 3:15- 4:30

T TH- Work 9-1
Literature Humanities 1:30-2:45
Music Humanities 3:30-4:45
Anatomy 5:30-8 (Tuesdays only)

It's not a bad schedule necessarily, but Fridays I'll have ONE class and that is definitely going to suck. Especially since it's in the middle of the afternoon. Somewhere I am going to have to find time to practice with the band.
When Mia came over on Friday night we cuddled and switched back and forth between girly movies and real movies. I didn't mind watching her movies since they made her happy, but I would never admit that to anyone. "Are you nervous about school?" she asked softly as we tried to go to sleep.
"Not really. I'm gonna be really busy though, between class and work and the band."
"And me?" she asked, worried.
"Mia, I will always have time for you. I love you."
I could tell she was smiling. "We'll both be really busy I am sure," she said in return. "Princess Lessons will be starting again. I have that awful interview next week with Barbra Walters. Plus I think I'm actually going to try to do well from now on in school."
"Why's that?" I ask.
"I wanna get into a good college so Grandmere and Dad don't make me go to Genovia when I graduate high school."
"They said if you didn't get into a good school they'd bring you over there?" I asked, shocked.
"Yes. They want an Ivy League school. Or maybe Wellesley College in Massachusetts. I think I'd go crazy."
"I would transfer to Harvard to be closer to you," I promised. "But I'm sure everything will work out. You could get into NYU-"
"Not good enough for them. I have to get into Columbia to stay close to you," she explained.
"Then I'll do everything I can to help you," I promised once again.
"Michael?"
"Yes Mia?"
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"
I laughed because she was asking such a silly question during all this tension. "I don't know, why?"
"I don't know if you don't, you are supposed to be the smart one!" I started tickling her stomach,
"But by the time I'm done with you, you will be the smarterest!" I said, making up a word.
"We really should get some sleep," she argued.
"Just let me kiss you," I said as I drew my lips close to hers.
"Only one kiss," she agreed.