MIA:

His song was great. And what girl wouldn't want a rock ballad sung just for her? I mean, it sounds kind of slow, but the way Michael sings it is absolutely perfect.

He told me that we were going to go out with the band the next day and some shots would be done then. They were making a home video for their webpage that Michael had set up. The music video they were making was rather small in scale so some of the footage (of me and Michael) of that day would be used for the scenes of me and Michael in the video.

The next morning we stayed in bed and started doing the Times crossword puzzle from the previous weekend. Then things started getting out of hand. Just as we started fooling around the phone rang. "Hello Moscovitz residence," I said in a funny voice.

Michael laughed and twirled my hair around his finger.

"Mia? What...okay I see why he's late now. Tell him we are going out now so he better show up. We'll meet you guys at the front door of your building," Tony said quickly.

I liked how he said your building. Like Michael and I really lived here. We had our own place. "Okay."

We hung up and I dragged Michael into the shower where we spent half the time kissing and the other half actually bathing.

I decided to wear a white princessy flowy skirt that had little seagulls on the edge (think of the dresses in Stepford Wives and cut off the tops) with my old red Rooney seagull t-shirt. Michael approved of the shirt because he remembered when I bought it. I had gone to the concert with him when I was seventeen.

Joshua hated Rooney. He really believed that they were gay. Little did he know that they were peace loving heterosexuals who would embrace his hatred and yet still make fun of his mediocre musical taste (ie, Shakira or Christina Aguilara).

"What shoes should I wear?" I asked, putting a ribbon in my hair as a headband.

"I dunno. Those ones," he said pointing to my ballet flats.

"Geez, and the magazines are complimenting you on your style?" I teased. You couldn't read a magazine lately without his picture in it. Everyone thought he was the next big thing. The next Gavin Rossdale. The new leader of male fashion. The GAP wanted him to model their spring line (he obviously rejected that offer). I loved to tease him about this.

"I'm not accepting that position as fashion guy. I'm just me," he said stepping out of the bathroom to show me that he still wore his ripped jeans and a t-shirt with Albert Einstein on it. "Ode to where I got my educational start," he said with a laugh. He grabbed his wallet chain and waved me over. "You look nice."

"Thanks," I said kissing his cheek. "Let me just put on some make up."

"Miiiia..."
"Michael James, I must look my best at all times," I replied, looking in the mirror.

"But you are just with us. I know how beautiful you are."

I turned to him and knew he wasn't saying that just because we were late. He really meant that I was beautiful no matter what. "Fine."

"Plus, when you are on video we'll be sucking face so no one will see you," he said as he opened the front door.

"Whoa, forgot. I must wear make up so I don't look like crap. Plus, Grandmere always said that a Princess can never leave home without a little bit of makeup. What if people wanted my picture? Then they showed it off to their friends and they were like 'That girl is a princess? Doesn't look like a princess.' ?"

He sighed and shut the door. "I'll be in the kitchen."

In the elevator Michael turned to me, "Did you bring a brush?"

"What do you need one for?" I asked, looking at his peach fuzz. He almost resembled Adam Levine from Maroon 5 for a second there (you know, when he had a closely shaven head).

"Well," he said hitting the emergency button on the elevator, "Because I'm about to messify your hair when I kiss you."

"Kiss me?" I asked as he cornered me. "Why Mr. Moscovitz, where ever did you come up with an idea like that?" I asked, feigning shock.

"I don't like huge displays of public affection. I am getting over the hand holding and the light kissing but full on making out isn't for the public to see." With that he fully kissed me. "I've missed kissing you for the past two weeks babe."

"I couldn't tell," I teased wrapping my arms around his neck. "But your friends are going to kill us."

He rolled his eyes and hit the button again to let us go.

They did cheesy introductions, "Hi, I'm Nolan. I like long walks on the beach and listening to bedtime Magic," Nolan said in a flamboyant voice (a/n Bedtime Magic is a radio program here in Boston. The DJ has the most soothing voice you could ever imagine and the music is totally mellow. I'm just putting it in here because boys around here say that all the time to pick up girls).

Michael capped it off explaining to 'their people' that they were going to bring them around New York and show them all the sights. Nolan added in that they would cap the night off in the red light district for the viewing pleasure of the male audience (I think he was joking).

We spent the day walking around the city. We bought the cheesy Statue of Liberty hats and the I LOVE NY t-shirts. The guys wore those, I kept up the Rooney shirt. I had just found it again and wanted to wear it a lot. We did the things that tourists love to do. They dragged me to the taping of TRL (I can hardly believe it is still on!), and had me take a picture with the naked cowboy in Times Square. Why does my fiancé like to torture me?

But there were points in the day that it was just me and Michael. He sought out strawberry ice cream for me when the shop we went to ran out. I tried to pretend the camera wasn't there capturing our little time together but it was hard.

"We are going to look like total dorks," he whispered into my ear, then kissed me softly.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because we are feeding each other honey roasted nuts in Central Park," he replied.

"But isn't that the whole point of the video?"

He grinned evilly. "This is just some fill in stuff. They had taped us during concerts last year. I didn't know they were doing it... but I dunno. If you look on our website you can see some of the videos."

"I try to stay out of that stuff. So wait, the video is already being made?"

"They had pictures of us and stuff from the tour, remember Nolan's brother following us around with the camera?"

"But I thought that was for black mail. You know, for the stupid things you guys do when drunk."

"That too. But it's for the fans as well. And he was showing me some clips the other day and I thought it went well with the song. I mean, parts of us performing then of you and I after leaving together. It's showing that I can have fun with my band but then go home and feel right when I'm with you. It's very poetic."

"I bet. Why didn't you tell me all this stuff?"

"I was going to have it be a surprise for you but oh well, what can ya do? I can't keep secrets from the woman I love."

"Hey, Michael favorite musician?" Nolan's brother Leo asked, holding a video camera up.

"John Lennon of course."

"Princess?" Leo asked, looking at me.

"Billy Joel," I replied cautiously. Michael did NOT like Billy.

"What t-shirt are you wearing?" he asked.

I stood up and proudly displayed my worn out Rooney T. "I'm spreadin' the Rooney love today folks."

"Rumor is you have a crush on the lead singer. It's in all the gossip magazines," he said, imitating a nosy reporter.

I looked at Michael and blushed, "Maybe a small one."

"If I were a chick I'd have a crush on him," Michael said coming to my defense. "What a dream boat," he added sarcastically.

Leo put down the camera. "I hear he's going back into acting. He might play the love interest in the movie based on Mia's life."

"Which one?" Michael asked.

"Um, you," Leo said, not knowing about Joshua.

"Those casting directors have good taste."

"That reminds me, I have to talk to Lucie about the book. It's coming out in late November," I said tossing another nut to a squirrel.

Michael smiled nervously, "How close are you and Lucie?"

"We were really close back home. But we drift apart, then we get close, then drift....it's an endless pattern."

We spent that evening with Lilly and Tony in our apartment. I had made dinner (or attempted to) and they brought the drinks. We ended up playing Trivial Pursuit, girls versus boys. We totally kicked their asses. Michael may have gone to Columbia, but playing Trivial Pursuit Celebrity edition? No contest.

MICHAEL:

I have to admit, being away from Genovia was fun. Being with my friends again was the best. Getting to play my guitar once again was...great.

And having Mia here with us again feels natural. She normally feels uber uncomfortable around people she hardly knows but from the moment she met my band she fit right in. She jokes and teases them. She lets them know her opinion on the girls they date. I only wish she was here to stay.

"So, Moscovitz," Tony started, "When should we start auditioning a new vocalist?"

It was the night of our first show. We were performing at freshman orientation at Husson College in Bangor Maine. Mia had left three days before and I was finally in a good mood because of the shows.

"I don't know. Mia and I haven't talked about when we are getting married so..."

"You really are going to live in Genovia?" Lewis asked, putting his fingers on the keys of his piano.

I shrugged, "For the most part."

"We won't really be the same without you," Nolan said suddenly.

We were all looking kind of down, "Boys, come on. I don't want my opening act looking so down," Micca said coming into the area we were sitting in. She winked at me.

"We'll be fine baby," Nolan said brushing his hand down her arm.

She smiled weakly, "Yeah. Michael, what is this rumor I am hearing? That you are leaving the band?"

I shrugged. We weren't letting people know about it yet. "No."

We played in front of mostly girls. No one had heard of us, but by the end of the show I think we made some new fans, a lot of them bought the CD that was being sold at the merchandise table.

"We have to thank your little brother for helping us out, Tony," I said patting his back. I immediately regretted it though because he was completely sweaty.

"Yeah. I have to go give Lilly a call," he said running to our bus.

I shrugged and made my way to the bus. "Hey, Michael," Micca said as I walked out of the gymnasium.

I turned, "Oh, hey Michaela."

"Aren't you going to do some signing?"

I laughed, "Yeah, people will want my autograph."

"Yeah they will. You guys are great. You have an amazing stage presence. I heard you opened for Beast last year."

"Yeah, we did. I'll see ya," I said jogging over to the bus.

"Oh, hey Lill," I said, answering Tony's cell phone the next night. "What's up?"

"Hey Michael. Where is Tony?"

I looked toward the other end of the bus and saw him playing Playstation with Nolan, "He's playing Grand Theft Auto," I replied.

"That is the stupidest game ever. Tell him I am looking for him."

"Right now?" I asked.

"Let him keep playing, it's not that important..."

"Okay little sister-"

"How is Mia doing?"

I sighed. Mia wasn't doing all that well. Her father was shipping her off to so many different functions that left her head spinning. "Eh, she's doing her job." I remembered that she had done the PETA shoot that day. I wonder how she was dressed.

"When are you going back out there?" she asked, bringing me back into reality.

"I'm not sure. I'm giving her a call later about it I think. I hadn't realized how much I would be missing her."

"When are you announcing your engagement?" she asked.

I smiled, "Just a few more weeks. In the first week of September."

"So you'll have to see her then, right?"

"Maybe she'll come out here and meet up with us in New York. That's the last show."

"I'm sure she will. I gotta go though. I'm really tired."

"All right. Later, Lill."