Don't you like it when I lie? Well, I intended not to lie to you guys, but I found some time to toss this one in. I've tried, literally ten times to post this but it wouldn't let me. Seriously. So maybe that's fate telling me the chapter sucks. Who knows. You know what to do now.

PS: Lucie, I'm in the mood to negotiate.

We spent the next week holed up in his apartment. We acted like a regular old couple. Not a rock star and a princess. I cooked him dinner (that he pretended to enjoy) and he did laundry (and I pretended I didn't mind my white polo shirt turning pink). We did regular old chores and sucked at them. And we loved every minute of it.

He woke up early to get the paper while I made breakfast for us. We went for a jog every afternoon around one o'clock. And then we would return home and take long baths together and talk about when we were married.

"Will I get to wake up with you?" he asked, wiping some bubbles off my arm.

"That's a silly question. Of course-"

"No. You know what I mean, Mia. How often are you going to be away?"

I turned to him, "Michael, no matter where I go I want you there with me. I don't want to wake up without you by my side."

He kissed the tip of my nose, "As long as you want me there baby, I'll be there."

I smiled. I liked these quiet, New York nights. They were so different from the nights I spent in Genovia. I didn't have a benefit to attend to, or deal with people sucking up to me. After I became the sovereignI would never have nights like these.

"Michael?"

"Yeah?" he asked, nuzzling my neck.

"Why do you love me? I mean, you are going to be giving up so much…"
"What am I giving up?" he asked, continuing the nuzzling.

"Let's see, your dreams of being a musician, your friends, your family, and your citizenship to the United States."

"And what am I getting in return?" he replied easily.

I lifted my foot up and had my toes playing with the faucet, "A crown?"

He laughed and placed his hands under the water and onto my hips, "Other than that. I am getting a gorgeous wife with an amazing body. Travel expenses all paid up…no responsibility for what moron is in office for the United States…"

I giggled. He hated the past three presidents. "What about your career though?"
He fell silent.

"Michael?"

"I'll be okay. I'll learn to deal with it."

But I didn't want him to have to deal with it. I know that if he had to give that up there'd be something missing in his life. I just wanted him to be happy, and I doubted that he ever could be if he didn't have music in his life.

MICHAEL:

The band met up a day before Mia and I were scheduled to leave for Genovia. "Our fearless lead singer has been asked to do a duet with Micca," Mr. Richards, our manager announced. "And I have graciously accepted on his behalf."

My jaw dropped. "Excuse me? No. We don't do that music first of all, and secondly," I started, "I'm leaving for Genovia for my girlfriend' s father's wedding."

"You start recording tomorrow," he said, tossing the music at me.

I stared at my bandmates who looked equally surprised. "I can't do this," I argued.

"Look, Mia will understand if you come the day after her, won't she?" Nolan asked.

"It's be great publicity," Lewis agreed. "Think about it. I mean, you are leaving us you could at least help us this much."

"I'm sorry, what else am I supposed to say?" I snapped. "It's not like I have much of a choice here. I have to help them out as much as I can!"

"Michael, where are your loyalties? Me or them? We were supposed to announce our engagement this week!"

"I'm only going to be a few days behind you," I explained.

"Yeah sure. Until Micca wants to do a sexy video shoot."

"Why are you acting so damn jealous all of a sudden?" I asked.

"Me? Jealous?" she said, sounding outraged.

"Uh, yeah."

"Because a gorgeous world famous pop star wants to do a duet with an unknown? Michael, she wants to jump your-" she started before we were interrupted by the phone.

She grabbed it, "Hello? Mia…yes I am his girlfriend. Yes, he's right here. Who is this?" she asked. She got her answer than handed me the phone, "It's her."

"Hello?" I asked, watching Mia stalk out of the room.

"Hey Mikey! I'm totally psyched about tomorrow! I was thinking maybe we could go over the music tonight…at my place?"

I shook my head, "No, I don't think that's a good idea. My girlfriend is going to Genovia in the morning so I want to spend time with her."

"Oh…she's going away again? By the way, she sounds like a real catch."

"Yeah, after I finish up with you I'm going over as well to uh…do some stuff with her."

"Stuff? Sounds hot. You do know we are shooting a video, right? I could fax over the story board to you-"

"When?"

"We'll start on Saturday-"

"No. I'm going to Genovia on Wednesday."

"Oh come on Michael. You can meet her next week. I really want to get this done. And this is your career... I understand you are leaving the band?"

"Look," I started. "I don't have to do this at all. I'm just doing it for the guys. Let one of them be in the video. I'm not doing it."

"Hmmm," she started. "We can put it off a few weeks. But we want this done by November. That's when my album is coming out. I need this to precede it."

"You don't even know if the song is going to come out well."

"Michael, I am Micca. You are the next big thing. I know it will be gold."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, whatever. We can meet for breakfast or something. I'll call in the morning."

"Okay, here's my number," she said before she rattled off her cell number and her home number.

I walked into my- our bedroom and saw Mia furiously unpacking my stuff from her bags. "Mia, what are you doing?" I asked as she tossed a collared shirt at me.

"What does it look like?" she snapped.

"Like you need a chill pill."

She gave me a look.

"Mia, I'm just coming a day after you-"

"Do you understand how this is going to look to my father? It's going to look like you are abandoning me again-"

"Whoa, again?" I asked, sitting on my bed.

"Well…not again, but you know what I mean."

"No, I clearly do not," I said sliding my finger against the little piece of her tattoo that was revealed from under her low slung pants.

She pulled away. "Michael, I need you in Genovia."

I saw tears in her eyes. "Mia, I know. But I just have to do this one thing. I never ask you to give up anything for me-"

"Oh great, like I'm not feeling like shit for making you give everything you know up?"

"Mia, stop being so over dramatic," I said with a sigh. "It's one thing."

She glared at me. I definitely overstepped here. "Michael James Moscovitz, I have never known you to be such a jerk!"

I looked at her and realized that her hands were shaking. I hadn't ever seen her so upset. "Mia, do you seriously want me to give this opportunity up? I will if you want me to."

She fell onto the bed, "I am being over dramatic aren't I? I'm sorry Michael," she said with a sigh.

I wiped her tears from her cheek, "No, I see where you are coming from babe."

"I am such a moron. I-I'm just petrified that you are going to realize that I'm not worth-"

"You are so unattractive when you are whining," I said, kissing her belly.

She giggled, "I'm sorry. I hate wasting all this time being angry."

"We could do more adventurous things," I said with a wink. I love making up after a fight.

I carried her bags into the airport and to her private plane. I am so happy that I am the potential prince consort and therefore do not have to deal with security. "I'll miss ya hot stuff."

"I'll see you…when?"

"Hopefully tomorrow night. Really late."

She smiled, "Good. You'll be there in time for the concert in honor of my dad and Callie."

"Concert?"

"Callie was a big Kenny G fan-"

"Yeah, actually, I might not be there until Friday," I teased.

She playfully punched my stomach. "You better not leave me. You never know, I might go running back to Robert."

I rolled my eyes. Robert was the guy she used to date who her father wanted her to be with. "Yeah, tell that Italian stallion I say hello, okay?"

She winked at me and kissed my cheek softly. "I'll see you in a few days babe."

I noticed she was wearing my engagement ring again, "I proposed?"

She smiled and wiggled her finger in my face, "Yes, it was terribly romantic. I'll take it off after I land. I want it for luck. And then we'll announce it when you come to Genovia."

"Okay babe," I said kissing her cheek. "We'll discuss how I propose when I get there."

"Sure thing. Oh, I almost forgot," she said taking a magazine out of her bag. "Here, page one twenty seven. Wait til I leave."

Once she was on the plane I opened up the magazine to see my pictures under the fashion 'do' list. "What the...?" I mumbled.

The blurb underneath the picture explained that I was the lead singer of the up and coming band, Bueller, and that I was dating the princess of Genovia. They had several pictures of me with my band and even more of me with Mia. The blurb discussed my unique uncaring style. I guess that is en vogue now.

I tossed the magazine into a trash barrel and ran to catch a cab.

The next day I spent hours trying to make this piece of crap called a song work. I'm sorry, but I hate the damn song. If it wasn't for the band I wouldn't do it. The song sucked. Micca wouldn't stop flirting with me. "Michael, come to dinner. There's someone I want you to meet."
I sighed. I still had some stuff to pack, but I was starving. "Fine."

We walked into the restaurant, much to the papparazzi's delight. What was the boyfriend of Genovia's princess doing with Pop's reigning princess? "Who am I meeting?"

She scanned the room until she found the person she wanted me to meet. "Oh, there she is!"

I put my gaze to where she was waving. Oh dear.....