Author's Note: I'm going away for a few days starting tomorrow. Seeing my Sox clobber the stankess (that's what my four year old niece calls those overpaid losers) at Yankee Stadium should be an adventure...I'll let you guys know how that goes. Okay, enjoy this...kind of short for my liking...

Oh, and someone asked if this is part of the All My LIfe Series, of course not silly! Just kidding. In that story they never ever ever dated, they only slept together (what a hussy..note sarcasm please). That I do believe may end up as a triology but the third installment won't be out until the fall. SUffer through the Joshua story (not really he's quite sweet once you get to know him...and there are talks of him becoming a Joshua Tree...brownie points for those of you who know what I'm saying) Okay, now read this and review. I want some good e-mails when I come home from NY.

- Kristin

Michael wasn't all that upset by my plans to go out. "I have rehearsal anyways. Not a big deal. Sneak over after?" he asked, lowering his voice.
I nodded, "Like that is even a question?"
I wish we weren't on the phone right then. I wanted him to be in my room, cuddling with me in my unmade bed. Keeping me warm.

I was freezing. It was Friday night and me, Lilly, Tina, some kid named Dan, Shameeka, Eddie and some of Eddie's friends met outside of Lilly's apartment. I had called and told Michael to come there instead of my house after he'd gone out with his friends, less likeliness of us getting into any trouble.
We all walked the five blocks to the club, and I, as I said earlier, was freezing my butt off. I swore I would never again wear a tank top unless it was the middle of July. Or I was going somewhere nice with Michael. I wouldn't have to worry about being cold then, he would hold me close and keep me warm. The very thought made me sigh out loud.
"What's wrong?" Eddie's friend, Travis asked.
"Oh, nothing, she's just thinking about my brother, her boyfriend," Lilly said, emphasizing the boyfriend portion. "He's in college ya know."
The guy nodded and rolled his eyes at me. "That's great, what's his name?"
We talked about Michael a little bit, but then moved onto other things. Like how he wants to model eventually. I offered to take some pictures since I have a really nice camera. Maybe he could use them in his portfolio someday.

MICHAEL:
That was the most hectic week ever. I had to go back to the bookstore three times before the books I needed for anatomy came in.

I hate school bookstores. But I did manage to pick up a stuffed animal for Mia. They were selling little lions wearing Columbia University t-shirts. She always says that my hair resembles a lion's mane when I first wake up. It'd be a nice surprise for her. I decided to mail it to her as a prize for putting up with all my bullshit.
I ended up at the dorms on Friday night. I called Mia quickly and we decided it'd be a better idea for me to go to my parents place to see her that night. "I love you," I said, receiving many stares from my new friends.
"You too babe...what should I do if someone tries to dance with me?"
I laughed, "Tell them you are with Eddie?" I offered.
"Ha, well, I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure," I replied. I didn't like how easily she took that suggestion.
"Love you babe," she said before she hung up.

"So, things are serious with this girl?" a new friend named Caleb asked me on Friday night. He handed me a drink.
I nodded and smiled slowly, thinking about her.
"I'd say so!" one of the girls said cheerfully, "That's great, that you guys are still so close...ya know, even though she's still in high school," she said, like the words high school were actually forbidden on campus.
"She's more mature than most girls I've met here," I replied coolly. Everyone laughed. She turned red.
"I'm sure she's great. You in for a game of asshole?" Caleb asked, dealing out the cards

I stumbled back to my parents place much later than I had planned. I entered my old room with ease. There were boxes of my parents office supplies in there now. Only a mattress was there for the nights I would be around. I flicked on the light a bit too quickly and then shut it off. My eyes hurt.
I should probably go find Mia. No, forget it. Too tired. Too...drunk. I soon realized I wouldn't have to go find her. She was already in my bed, wide awake and with a worried look on her face.
"M-Michael?" she stammered.
I fell next to her. "Yeah?" I said softly. God did it feel good to lay next to the woman I love and adore after a night of immature drinking games.
"Where've you been?"
"Out."
"I thought we were going to meet up after?"
"We are, right now," I said, finding this entire conversation hilarious. That would be the alcohol speaking. "Why don't we make out?"
She gave me a disgusted look. "You are drunk right now, aren't you?"
I smiled stupidly, "So you don't want to make out?"
"How'd you get here?"
"Subway silly."
She looked utterly disgusted with me, but that didn't register in my mind. "Well that's great. I hope you had a blast," she said getting up. "You know, if you didn't want to see me at all tonight you should have told me instead of having me get my hopes up and getting excited about seeing you. I would have been fine if you hadn't said you wanted to see me. Next week don't bother making plans with me."
This hit me suddenly, "Why not?"
"Because. Eddie invited me to see some common family friends upstate- "
"Fine, go with Eddie next weekend. I don't care!" I lied. Well, at the time I was just frustrated.
"Fine, I will!" she said as she stormed out. I assume she went to Lilly's.
The fact that we had just had a fight didn't register into my mind though. I just thought of how hot she looked when she was angry. And about how nice my boxers looked on her. I fell asleep laughing.

But I woke up vomiting. Mia had brought in a bucket at some point in the night after I fell asleep. She heard me and came into the room to see me with my face in the old bucket my mom used when Lilly and I had the flu or something. She sat down next to me and rubbed my back.
"Do you want some ginger ale?" she asked with tired eyes. I loved how she looked early in the morning. I looked at the wall clock. Only seven in the morning. I had come in at about three.
I had a headache. I looked at her with tired eyes. She grabbed a towel and wiped my mouth of anything that had escaped the bucket. "No. Sleep is good."
I started falling back into my pillow but she stopped me, "No, you hafta shower and brush your teeth. THEN you sleep, okay?"
"I can't stand up on my own just yet."
She lifted me up and put all of my weight onto her back. This was a cute way of walking. She started the shower and peeled off my shirt. I hadn't bothered to get changed when I fell asleep. I still had on my jeans.

"Did I say or do anything stupid?" I asked carefully.
"Yes, allow yourself to get to this point," she said rolling her eyes. "Nothing wrong with drinking, Michael, but it just bothers me that you say you are gonna be somewhere and you come back drunk, and late."
I brushed my teeth. I am sure that vomit breath is attractive.
I stood up and let her undo my zippers. I liked when she babied me. I felt like she was taking care of me. "You're kind of smelly," I said, peeling off the strap of her tank.
"Oh?" she asked with a cocked brow.
"I think you should take a shower."
"Michael, what about your parents?"
"They are at the gym now. Personal trainers have them until ten. Then they go get breakfast afterwards."
She smiled. Sure I was still drunk, but that didn't mean I didn't want to see my girlfriend naked in the shower with me.
I sat on the edge of the bathtub and watched her do a mini strip tease. She was all embarrassed about her lower half, so I got behind the shower curtain and started lathering up. She joined me a minute later, back turned toward me. "You know what?" I asked, squirting some bath gel into a dime size piece on my left hand. I lathered it and began touching Mia with it.
"What?" she asked, turning only her head.
"You are the most beautiful woman in the whole world. I adore you."

MIA:
After he said that I felt a little more comfortable with his seeing all of my body parts. I mean, sure I was ready to have sex with him, but he wouldn't be getting the chance to stare at my...well, my southern goodies.
I turned to him completely. He lowered his gaze to meet my eyes. "Hey, I wasn't done with your back...." He teased with a smile.
I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him good and hard. I knew it would probably be a bad idea to start it, but so what? I had seen his erect penis at least once up close, who cares if I saw it again? Well, I do, because I wanted to.
He put his hands on the small of my back, sending shivers down my spine. He could feel the smile in my kiss.
"We need to stop," he said. "And I need to get some sleep..."
I let him finish up his shower, but he was so slow in doing it! He kept looking at me while I washed my hair. "What?" I said laughing. I was glad our little fight earlier had been forgotten.
"Nothing. Just spacing out..."

I went to his gig that night and met some of his new school friends. One girl was treating me like a little kid when he introduced us before he went on, "Ohhh, you are the little girlfriend he mentioned!"
I smiled widely, "Yes, I am his girlfriend," I said, I wasn't going to play her little stupid catty games.
"I am guessing you aren't coming to the club with all of us later, are you?" she said, putting her head sideways.
"No, Lydia. She and I are going to catch a movie after we are done here," Michael answered for me. "Is that okay, Mia?" he asked, looking concerned.
I smiled. Movies are good to make out in.... "Of course babe, no problem."
"You aren't coming, Mikey?" Lydia asked.
He held back a smile and squeezed my hand, "Um, no. I want to be with Mia tonight," he said, he put his hands around my waist and kissed me. "You'll sit right up front?" he asked with a wink at me, ignoring Lydia.
"I have my spot all set," I replied, putting a piece of his hair behind his ear. "You look so scruffy," I noticed.
"It's my sexy without trying look," he cracked.
"I like it when you don't shave...sometimes..."
He smiled, "But I thought you didn't like how it scratched your face."
"Women are allowed to change their minds, aren't they?"
He kissed me softly on the lips and turned to go backstage.

"So, how long have you guys been together?" Lydia asked. Geez, for someone who obviously doesn't like high school girls she sure does like talking to me.
"Almost a year."
"That's the toughest part. It's around the time where you start thinking about whether or not you want to be together anymore," she said, pretending to be concerned.
"Yeah, well I'm not worried."
"Maybe you should be."