Author's Note: Okay Lucie, here is your update....

There is a reason none of you know Michael's name. Only three people in the entire world know it...at least his real name in my universe. One knows it because I needed help finding one obscure one. You will all find out when you need to, that is, IF you ever need to.

Gatorchick007: I hope your first day of school was good. Don't stress.

HGill: Would my universe Michael cheat?

AHHH: Of course I am updating this story. You should go do the same over in Mediator.

Trouble....: You are welcome.

Choo-Choo: I do know how people would treat him. My ex boyfriend broke up with me twice and I took him back (moronically) twice. My family still hates him. He never confessed his undying love to my family. I do not like this boy and I dumped him. That was fun.

Months went by quickly. Her father started almost to like me again. He even invited me out for a drink when I turned twenty one in January. I mean, sure I had drunk when I was underage, but it's a big deal to have your first legal drink.

"You know how my mother feels, right?" he said as we sat at the bar.

I nodded quietly. This was really awkward...sitting in a bar with my girlfriend's father. But then talking about the status of my relationship with said girlfriend with said father is about ten times weirder.

"She thinks you two will be over once Mia graduates. What do you think?"

I stared at him point blank in the eyes. "Sir, with all due respect, I love your daughter. No one is going to make me stop loving her. People have in the past and they've failed. I couldn't live without her and I don't ever want to try to."

That seemed to agree with him. He clunked his bottle with mine and smiled. "I can see where you were coming from...the pressure and everything. Everyone had expected me to marry Helen, Mia's mother. That's when I kind of started feeling...suffocated. It wasn't her fault, I don't blame her at all. She didn't want to marry me either. She wasn't interested in the whole royalty thing. I...as much as it hurt to see Mia hurting I can see where you were coming from.

"The Thermopolis women are...there's something about them, huh?" he asked me.

I smiled slightly, "No kidding. She's...she's just amazing."

Then we continued on talking about my band and school and my plans after graduation. Everything was eerily normal.

Her senior prom. It could have VERY well been a disaster. Her grandmother refused to help her with a dress because she was taking me to the prom. Her grandmother refused to allow Paolo to do her hair or makeup.

Her mother took her to Bloomingdales for a dress. And then her mom did her hair and makeup. She was terrified. "Michael, be prepared for me to look terrible," she complained on the phone. I had called her before I came over just to make sure she was ready.

"Impossible," I replied.

"Ugh, you've only been to formal events when professionals have taken care of me. Now I have my mother, who is probably the ditziest person alive, doing my make up. I probably only have like, half the make up on."

"Mia, you do not need make up," I replied. "I fell for you before you had all the professional help."

"Michael, you know what?"

"What?"

"You are perfect. Too perfect. I love you."

"Naw," I said modestly.

"I'll see you in fifteen?"

"You bet," I said before I hung up.

I got to her loft and waited for her in her living room. Mr. Gianni was chaperoning the event and was bringing Miss Thermopolis as his date. They never went on dates now that they had Rocky. This was a big night for them as well. "You look nice, Michael," Mr. G. said, straightening his tie.

I nodded, "Thanks. You too."

"You know, if you hurt her, I'll kill you."

I looked up in surprise, "Huh?"

"You heard me."

"With all due respect, sir, it's been over a year since we had broken up. Over a year since we got back together. Not once have I ever given the impression that I was going to hurt her. Not a single time. When she went to Genovia in the summer I stayed put. I barely even went out other than to band practice. Then over the winter break I wrote to her every day. Anytime I'm not at class or at work, I am here. Doing homework with her. I think I've proven to everyone that I am devoted completely to her. I don't understand quite why I should have to, but I guess her situation is a little different."

Mr. G slapped my shoulder good naturedly, "You have to understand where I'm coming from, right?"

I nodded. "I'm not going anywhere though."

Miss Thermopolis came in wearing a long black dress. "I love going to these things. Even if it is as a chaperone. Oh, hi there Michael...you look....handsome."

"You look beautiful," I replied with a shit eating grin. She still was getting used to me. I didn't get it though, it had been a year since we had gotten back together. Why couldn't they get over it?

I pondered this and therefore did not notice when Mia came into the room. Her mother cleared her throat to get my attention. I looked up from the floor and saw her. She was wearing an off the shoulder black gown. Very simple. Very clean lines. Nothing like the other dresses her grandmother had provided for her...and I liked it. Her hair was in loose curls and outlined her face.

I had never seen her look so beautiful. Maybe it was because of the meaning behind the simplicity of her outfit. She could have had a designer dress and a professional do her hair, but she didn't because she wanted me to bring her to her prom. Me, the guy who didn't even want to go to my own prom three years before.

"Are you going to say something?" she asked, coming toward me. "Like, 'hi'?"

I smiled, "Hi."

She grinned and then made a goofy face at me. "Looking nice," she complimented.

"I'd say the same but I don't think it's good enough," I said, kissing her cheek. She turned red. After all these years she was still embarrassed to kiss, ever so politely, in front of her mother.

"We should get going," she whispered as her mother took dozens of pictures. "We are supposed to meet Lilly and the others soon."

"Okay."

When we saw the others I offered generic compliments, but didn't really even notice who was there. I only saw Mia. No one seemed to care about me anymore. That is, they seemed to have forgotten how I'd broken Mia's heart last year. They actually talked to me like they used to. I felt like I was finally part of her world again.

"I cannot wait until I leave for California," Lilly said during the meal.

"Our apartment is going to be so cute!" Shameeka said excitedly.

"Did you girls find a place?" I asked, sipping my soda.

"Yeah. And it's not too far from campus either," Shameeka replied. "We might buy a car together."

I looked at Mia who looked terribly sad. "You okay?" I whispered as the others continued discussing their plans for the fall.

She stared at me, her eyes glistening, "Michael..."

"So Mia, what are you doing?" Shameeka's date, Andrew, asked.

All eyes were on Mia. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Mia?" Lilly asked , squinting.

Mia's lip started to quiver. "I-I...I have to go to the bathroom."

We all knew that was a lie. She always ran to the bathroom when she was nervous. Not that she had to use it necessarily, it's just she hid in there. I followed her and pulled her into the coat room before she could make it to the bathroom. "Mia, what's wrong?"

She refused to look at me.

"Mia. You know, we ARE in a small place, you can't hide from me."

She looked up slowly. "I'm moving to Genovia right after graduation."

Now I knew exactly how she was feeling. I slid my back down the wall. I put my hands on my head, elbows against the knees.

"I-I didn't know h-how to t-tell you," she said between sobs. "I was kind of hoping that it'd just go away, ya know?"

"Will you be coming back at all?" I asked, peeking out between my hands.

She slid down next to me and put her head on my shoulder. "Grandmere says it'd stunt my progress to return here. In Grandmere talk that means that I'll still be dating you."

I started to feel the tears breaking through my eyes. "So I'm not going to see you again?" I asked reluctantly.

She started crying even more.

"Mia...don't do that..."I said wiping her tears, forcing myself to stop doing the same thing. "Please.."

"Michael, I-I can't go without you...I need you...I never needed anyone else. Only you."

I softly kissed her forehead. "Baby, we'll figure something out...I promise. Please, I don't want to see you cry."

She bit her lip to stop herself from crying. "What the hell are we going to do?"

We left her prom right after that. We walked around the city...well, I carried her some of the way because her shoes hurt too much. I loved having her so close. Giving her a piggy back and her kissing my neck. How was I supposed to live my life without her?

We went into an all night diner at three in the morning. Her mother was expecting her to stay at my parents place, so there was no curfew. I sipped at a hot coffee while she drank a lemonade.

"Are you upset about leaving your prom? I know you've wanted to go for-"

She grabbed my hand, "Michael, I got to spend the night with the guy I'm crazy about. A guy I may have to leave forever. I think I'm okay with ditching my little prom."

I was really surprised at her reaction. When I was a senior and didn't want to go to my own prom she found a way to convince me to go. Her lack of enthusiasm was completely a shock to me. "You sure?"

She leaned over the table and kissed me. "Tonight has been perfect, Michael."

"I guess I'll have a lot to live up to for next week, huh?"

"You mean, my birthday?" she asked softly.

"Duh. You have been talking about being eighteen the whole time I've known you...the past fifteen years or so."

She smiled slowly, "A lot of things happen when I turn eighteen."

I smiled and raised my eyebrows, "Such as?" I asked, kissing her.

"I'd be legal," she said with a mischievous grin.

"You could buy cigarettes," I teased.

"Yes, that is the very first thing I'll do when I turn eighteen."

An idea hit me. It was crazy, but worth it. I grabbed her hand. "Come on..."

"What?" she asked. I threw money down on the table.

"Just trust me, okay?"