Anticipate some strides in the Michael/Mia relationship in the upcoming chapters. Oh, and when Schwartzibrow updates the story out of the kindness of Schwartzibrow's heart, Schwartzibrow expects lovely words of encouragement and unadulterated glee over Schwartzibrow's diligent efforts.
Mia's POV
My hero!
He totally just shut Lana down. I know this is mean, because her dreams were just crushed and all of that, but…
HA!
Michael was still holding my hand, looking down on me with a strange expression. "So Lana's really like that in real life?"
"Oh, yeah. The movie people got the characterization of everyone down pat. Except Kenny, he's so not that cool."
Michael dropped my hand and walked over to the mini-fridge. "Want something to drink? I don't have any more scenes today."
"Oh! Okay, then. I'll have a Sprite."
He tossed me a can and grabbed a Coke for himself. "Let's watch a movie or something. Unless you have to go…"
There is that Algebra homework. And the project to finish for World Civ…
"Sure! Your choice."
"Of course it is," he said, grinning. "Let's go with…Home Alone. 'Tis the season, after all."
If "the season" is a month before Christmas, then rock on.
He put the movie into his DVD player and turned to face me. "I've got an idea."
"Oh, yeah?"
Michael walked closer, raising his arms. "I have a feeling you're not ticklish."
"Um…" I still wasn't catching on.
That is, until he started tickling me, wrestling me onto the couch. Then it was kind of hard not to get the idea. "Michael, stop!" I gasped, giggling helplessly. "Stop!"
Finally, he relented, grinning down at me. "I do believe you're a wee bit sensitive to my powers."
Tell me about it.
Michael's POV
I'm a complete dork.
But I just kind of couldn't help myself. She was standing there looking so cute and sweet and…
NO. No no no no no!
I don't think she's cute. She's mildly sweet.
I'm Michael Wilson and I've got girls lining up to be with me. I'm a master at my craft and smooth with the ladies. I…
Aw, screw it. I'm Michael Moscovitz and I'm hopelessly in…
Like. Yeah, I like Mia. And I just want to kiss her sometimes. It's a schoolgirl crush.
Except without the pigtails or plaid skirts. Because I'm a man. And I have big-man-dude crushes that I will get over with absolutely no problem at all.
Plus, she has a boyfriend. So it doesn't even matter.
I didn't think Kenny actually existed. I just thought they had made him up to make Mia look better, but I was way wrong. The little schmuck is out there, just grinning his head off because he's got an adorable princess as his girlfriend.
Adorable in a completely irritating way.
I popped some popcorn and went to sit on the couch with her as the movie started. But as I was walking to the couch, my hand—as if independent from my body—flipped off the light switch, throwing us into almost complete darkness, save the light from the TV screen.
"There," I said, breathing rather heavily. "No glare."
She smiled as I sat down beside her and grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch, draping it over both of us. "I love this movie."
"Oh, me too." I relaxed, even scooting a little closer to her. "So…Kenny's your boyfriend?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Believe me, it's not like in the movie. I was guilt-tripped into going out with him because he does my biology homework."
"Can't you do your own homework?" And not go out with some nerd?
"Not really," she said, smiling sheepishly. "The thing is, I'm actually kind of terrible at everything but English."
"You're not an idiot!" I did all my high school courses with a tutor, and they were extremely easy. So simple that I finished up in three years. I'll do college eventually. Probably soon, so I'll have an excuse to get away from these crap films.
"Sure seems like it."
My hand found hers underneath the blanket and gave it a quick squeeze. "Well, that's not what I think."
I quickly turned my eyes back to the television, but it was unbelievably hard to concentrate on the shenanigans of Kevin McCallister.
"What if you had someone to tutor you? Like, a friend? Would you break up with Kenny then?"
It's not necessarily that I want to be with her, I just don't want anyone else to.
Mia seemed intrigued by the idea. "Well…who?"
"Me. I mean, when I'm not working. Plus, I have a break coming up and I can help you then."
"You wanna help me? But I haven't done anything for you! I could pay you, if you want."
"I don't feel right about you dating someone you don't even like," I said kindly. "Just dump him and I'll be cool."
I could she was confused. "Okay, then. But Michael, why do you care so much about Kenny?"
Before I had to invent an answer, the door to my trailer opened and Lilly poked her head in.
"Michael?" she said, sounding most amused. "Why are you watching a movie with Princess Mia in the dark?"
At least no one could see my bright red face. "No reason. I mean, we were—"
"I should get going," said Mia, sitting up and looking around for her bag. "I've got piles of homework to do."
"Call me if you need any help!" I said. She smiled and walked out the door quickly, pulling on her coat.
"Call me if you need any help!" said Lilly in a flippant voice that was in no way similar to my own. "Geez. Whipped much?"
"Don't be stupid," I said gruffly, fiddling with the fringe on the blanket. "We're friends. Friends help each other out."
"Friends also snuggle in the dark," said Lilly, raising her eyebrows.
"We weren't snuggling!" I cried indignantly. "What do you want, anyhow?"
"Beverly wants to see you."
"I've been nice to Mia!" I moaned. Too nice, some might say. But I seriously hate these meetings with Beverly. Talk about painful.
Lilly just laughed. "I know. But Beverly's just heard from Hilary Duff. She wants to do a movie with you."
Oh, crap. I thought quickly, then sneezed. "Sorry," I managed to say before I sneezed again.
Lilly watched patiently as I sneezed a record six times in a row, and then handed me a tissue from the pack in her pocket. "I'll just tell Beverly you're not feeling well, then?" she said, a slight smile on her lips.
"Would you?"
The trailer door closed and I stretched out on the couch and closed my eyes, anticipating a short nap. It was probably sleep-deprivation that was making me so weird lately. So I'd just catch a few winks and be perfectly back to normal again.
Before I could be sucked into the sweet world of slumber, though, my cell phone rang.
