MICHAEL:

We walked mostly in silence. I felt bad about how I was kind of an ass to her the afternoon before. But considering the day I'd had I couldn't help it.

When we got to her building, "Okay, take it easy," I said reluctantly. I couldn't think of anything better to say? What the hell is wrong with me? I say that to my buddies, not Mia.

"Hey, did you want to watch that DVD? I have it too," she said casually, taking off her mittens.

I agreed quickly and walked up to her apartment. I had no idea what DVD she was talking about, but that didn't matter. Getting to be alone with Mia? Come on, what other red blooded twenty year old male would pass up time alone with the girl of their dreams?

"Mom, mind if we watch the Weezer DVD in my room?" Mia asked, poking her head into the kitchen.

Oh. Duh.

"Who is we?" Miss Thermopolis asked, handing Rocky his sippy cup.

"Michael Moscovitz."

Her mom's eyebrows raised, then she looked at her husband who was smirking.

"Fine, but behave yourselves."

We laid on her bed on our stomachs. I saw her make a quick check., made sure she hadn't left her dirty panties or her Queen Amidala's were lying around. I knew about them, heard her talking to her mom one time. They had been stolen or lost or something.

I actually kind liked the mess. It reminded me of my life. A mess. But I'd still be able to find things if I needed to. Or I could just come here and realize that she has just as many problems as I do.

Well, minus the homosexual father and geriatric loving girlfriend, well, ex-girlfriend. That's all.

Half way through the DVD, Nappy walked in. "Hey baby," he said, ignoring the fact that another guy was lying in his girlfriend's bed.

"Oh, hey," she said jumping up. "Um we're watching something right now. The game hasn't started, right?"

He shook his head, "Nah. I'm gonna hit up the diner. Come with?" he asked.

"Um, I have too much homework and stuff," she replied. "Plus Michael is over," she said, looking at me on the bed…with shall I say a grateful smile.

I felt like the third wheel though. "I should be on my way anyways."
"Why?" she asked. "Date?"

They were both staring at me. "No. Just thought it'd be-"

"No big deal. I'll see you later, Amelia," Nappy said patting her on the bottom. That was kind of….well, I didn't like seeing him do that to her. Not that I wouldn't mind it much. "See you later Moscovitz."

I stayed and helped Mia with her trigonometry homework. She had gotten much better with her notes since I last tutored her. "How's the band?" she asked, closing her book.

"We're cool. Don't forget, the gig on Friday night. You still coming?"
"Yeah, I asked Tina she was excited."

"Cool." I was somewhat relieved that the blonde haired Adonis wasn't going with her.

"Is your girlfriend going to be there?" she asked.

"Um, no."

MIA:

I walked him to the door around eleven, "Thanks for coming over and walking me home," I said. There has to be something else to say. Something that would make him want to stay. To be my lifemate and…okay. Reminder: you have a boyfriend Mia. A very cute and sought after one at that.

"No problem. I had fun. Um…" he looked like he was searching for something else to say to me. He was all cute and tapping his foot off the doorway. "It sucks that you can't come to Boston next week. Did you ever get around to asking your mom?"

"Ask her mom what?" Mom asked, coming out of Rocky's room.

I felt my face turn scarlet. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom ,but she was mildly embarrassing. She wasn't wearing a bra and it was cold. Plus, the bottom of the nightie she was wearing was hardly covering anything. You could see everything. "Um, about a concert in Boston next week," I mumbled.

"Who's playing?" Helen asked, leaning against the doorway of the hall.

"Weezer is doing a special show there for college kids. I know someone at Harvard so…"he said, staring at the mask that she made that was on the wall behind her.

"That sounds like a nice trip. When would you leave?" she asked, leaning against the wall and getting comfy. She didn't realize that she was totally embarrassing me.

"Probably Thursday night."

Mom, I love you but go away. You are totally embarrassing me. "Mom-"

"Mia, you should go! You have that new February vacation thing now."

The school just changed how they did the school year, much to most kids dismay. We no longer had a month off after Christmas. This is good for me 'cuz now I don't have to be in Genovia for a whole month. Only a week. We now had two weeks, going back to school on January second.

Then we got two more weeks in February. Then Spring break. It was supposed to be more efficient. "But Dad…Grandmere. I'd never get out of lessons. Remember when we totally thought I had mono last year? They didn't care. Well, Dad did. But I don't think that he'd OK skipping out for a concert for a band that he fully believes will lead me to drugs and sex."

"So what? Skip 'em. I can cover for you. I'll tell them we're going to Versailles. It'll keep them out of my hair for a little while."

My right side of my lips went up. Mom totally rocked. "Really?" A weekend with Michael? Alone? No boyfriend? No girlfriend? No Lilly?

"Totally. You should check out BU while you are there. They have a great writing program. I think you'd fit in. It's a lot like New York, minus your grandmother and father."

I looked at Michael, "Is the offer still open?"

"Yeah," he said hoarsely. "Totally."

"Then I'd love to come." Woot. Michael alone in a Harvard dorm. Shit, Harvard? I'm going to feel beyond dumb.


Michael and I met up again after my Princess Lesson on Tuesday. We went to the public library so he could help me study and we wouldn't be distracted by the TV or my little brother running around wearing my mom's bra.

"Start drawing your triangles with straight edges," he said, drawing an isosceles.

"I hate math."

"Am I in a time warp?" he teased, handing me my pencil back.

I bit the eraser off. It was a really disgusting, but I couldn't help it. I always kept a spare eraser handy anyways. "Very funny."

"Remember when we went to see Rocky Horror…that Halloween…when I was a senior?"

I tapped the pencil against the desk. "Yeah. It was my mom's wedding. I was dressed in a big ugly poofy dress."

"Nah…I mean, the dress was pretty. That is… you looked nice, not ugly. I do believe I told you that as well."

"Well, anyways, what about it?" I asked after allowing a silence.

He looked really thoughtful, "Nothing, it was fun though, wasn't it?"

"Oh, a blast. Kenny sat next to me."

"So did I though," he quickly reminded me. "And then we went to Round the Clock."

I smiled. I remembered this all too well. I had been hoping that Michael had been this JoCRox character that was e-mailing me. I thought he would confess it that night, but he didn't. Kenny did. And I started going out with him that night. Ruining any shot that I had with Michael, well, the shot that all my friends said I had with him. "I had fun that night."

Awkward silence. "Well, anyways. You have other homework, right?" he asked, shaking his head and losing his gaze at me.

"Er, yeah."

"I'm gonna go find a book to read while you do that. Then I'll walk you back."

"You don't have to wait. I have Lars," I said pointing to my bodyguard who was sitting inconspicuously in the stacks.

"I don't mind."

I have to say, it was totally nice having a girl from school, who is actually a heinous bitch to me (a transfer that Lana befriended), walk by and make fun of me. Okay, that's not the nice part…wait for it…wait for it…

"You almost done," Mia?" Michael asked, leaning over the back of my seat and placing his chin on top of my head.

I saw her, Brooke's, jaw drop. Michael did look particularly good that day. He actually washed his hair and had just the right amount of whiskers. "Almost. I just have to finish writing my outline for the English term paper proposal."

He pretended to be aggravated by this. "Gawd Mia, hurry up so I can go ravish you," he said.

I looked up at him oddly. He winked and glanced over at our audience (Brooke was with some other snotty looking girls that went to another school. I'm almost positive she was whispering about what a freak I was). "Michael, I told you, after last night I'm just too tuckered out."

He smirked, "Hurry up Thermopolis. I don't like people staring at you like that."

"Oh my sweet protector," I teased. Okay, yes he was really that but it's not liked I'd admit that. Not to him. Maybe Shameeka. Not Tina anymore (since she claims to be in love with him). Never Michael.


I threw my hair into a high ponytail and looked in my closet. It was the night of the concert. Well, their gig at least. Not really a concert right?

What would I wear? I didn't want to dress to look like a groupie. I tossed on a pair of ripped jeans. They were the most comfortable things in the whole world. Then I threw on a white tank top that most referred to as wife beaters.

"Mom! Have you seen my boots?"

"Hall closet!"

"No, not the Doc Marten's. The ones with heels. I'm wearing my ripped jeans and I don't want the bottoms to get ruined in the snow."

"Oh, I borrowed them. They're in my room," Mom replied with a smirk. "You look nice," she said, handing them to me. "Won't you be cold?

"Michael said it gets hot in there and I should wear a tank top. But I'm bringing my hoodie. Yeah. There's supposed to be a party or something afterwards, but I won't be home late. I might meet up with Napoleon later. Or I might sleep over the Moscovitz's. I dunno."

"With who? Don't forget your cell phone."

Oh. Right. She doesn't know our little nick name for him. "Uh, I meant…Howard. Howie."

"You call your boyfriend Napoleon? Why….You know what, I don't wanna know. You should wear a button to liven up that top."

She grabbed a box of buttons she's collected over the years. "Here, this will be perfect for a concert," she said, handing me one that said "MY SEXUAL PREFERENCE IS OFTEN".

"Uh Mom?"

"I know it's just a joke. Besides, you'll be with Michael. If anyone says anything he'll give them one of his evil eyes and they'll back off. I like that he's so protective over you. Anything…you know…going on there?"

I shook my head, "I'm with Howie," I replied.

"I'd go with that button," she insisted. "It's not political at all. All my other ones will get you attacked by those damn Republicans that are out there."

"Cuz there are a lot of Republican college kids," I said, still searching.

"It's not like I'm telling you to go out and have sex," she started, helping me pin the button on. "I know you are a mature responsible girl though. And you are bound to want to explore that part of your life eventually. With the right person."

I could tell she didn't think Howie was the right person. Just based on how she said 'with the right person'.


I sat with my friends backstage, sucking on ring pops. "Cherry is the best," I declared.

"Lime," Tina argued.

Lilly got up to go to fix her make up.

Tina sighed, "How hot is he?"

"Who?" I asked, concentrating on my candy and avoiding the eye contact that Orlando, Michael's friend, was trying to make.

"Michael of course. Look at his hair."

I bit my lip. He did look really good tonight. He hadn't washed his hair in what seemed like days, but it didn't even look bad. I love how he dressed. He didn't wear the type of clothes that Napoleon did. Napoleon was preppy. Michael wore jeans that I just know he wore in high school. And a bright yellow shirt that advertised for a cab company. He hadn't shaven.

In a word: perfection.