I cannot express in words how much that royally sucked last night. I lost all of your reviews on the board, but still have them on my e-mail.

Alenor: Does she have the OK? Or did Lilly just say she'd RATHER Mia date Michael than Tina?

Liss: Later, MUCH later, there will be another character you can try to track down and torture her with.

erasde: Not a SWEET song (as you'll see once again in this chapter), but another song by that band that is very sweet will appear later.

By the way, everyone: Go to and listen to some tunes. You can hear the song made famous here (but I think it has a new title). Clones and Acetate are also really good.


MICHAEL:

When we went to the bar after rehearsal we bumped into someone I really didn't want to see ever again. You can guess who it is I bet.

Go ahead. Guess. Seriously.

"Hey baby," Serena said, sitting on my lap.

I stood up, making her fall. "Excuse me?"

The guys tried to hide their laughter. I had just been asked a question regarding my so called relationship. Manny had been the one to finally ask if we were together or what the deal was. I was about to answer, truthfully that I had no idea when she hopped onto my lap.

She blushed. "Can I talk to you, alone?" she asked, looking at my scowling friends.

I rolled my eyes and led her to a secluded area of the bar. This was a quiet dive, Cappy's, that we liked to just go and relax in. Listen to some old music. Hardly anyone ever bothered us. Except for her. "How'd you know we were here?"

"You guys always come here on Wednesday nights," she replied, happy she remembered. Hey, who knows, maybe that would have impressed—who am I kidding?

"What do you want?" I snapped.

"Look, I made a huge mistake," she started.

I found myself focusing on her lips. But not in a sexual way at all. I noticed the cold sores. "Well, yeah."

"And I can see you are drinking away your sorrows."

I nearly choked on air with that one. "Huh?" I could see my friends out of the corner of my eye. They were pretending not to be listening and doing a terrible job at it.

"You guys only come here in the bad times for the band. Clearly you have not gotten over us," she said taking my hand.

"Serena, when I agreed that you made a mistake, I meant as in for yourself. I'm happy now."

"You always hid your true feelings," she said, pushing my hair away from my face.

I grabbed her wrist.

"You know what?" I said thinking quickly.

"What?"

"I'll make a deal with you."

She looked puzzled. "Huh?"

"You agree to come to my show on Friday night at the Orleans Club and I'll consider taking you back."

"Aw, baby, I always like coming to your shows. It's so romantic how you write all your songs about me. Remember that one about the glass of wa-"

"Yeah, well, I got a really good one on Friday for you."

She beamed with excitement, "Goodie. I'll let you go back to your boys now. Love you," she said kissing my cheek.

"Eight o'clock, sharp," I instructed.


MIA:

I learned that song over the next few days, then we went to the club alone on Friday night. "Mia, let me come too," Tina begged.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it's Michael. I mean, to hear you in your debut, but also it's Michael."

I rolled my eyes. "We're going out with the band afterwards."

"Good. Then you can hang with them and I can try my womanly wiles on Michael. Come on Mia, you know how I feel about him. I'm completely in love with him. He's my Mr. Rochester."

I tried not to laugh. He was no Mr. Rochester.She was still reading way too many romance novels, "Fine."


Michael picked me up at seven the night of the set. "We have to get Tina," I started.

"No can do," he replied, taking my guitar. "She won't get in."

"But I will?" I asked, buttoning my coat.

"Yeah. You are a princess."

"Oh. But can she come out with us after?" I was really hoping he'd say no for some reason. I didn't want to throw up when I saw her hanging all over him. Plus, it'd break her little heart that he wasn't interested.

He shrugged. "I dunno. We'll be in the bar for awhile, ya know? Probably drink a little before we go out. Drunk bowling, fun right?"

I smiled, "Interesting." I think we both knew what that meant. But again, we couldn't actually say it out loud. Cuz then we'd be saying that we were totally conscious of what we did when we drank.


"Oh, hi there Mia," a shrill voice said backstage.

I turned and saw Serena looking as perfect as ever. He hadn't mentioned her coming to the show. "Uh, hi."

"Is Michael around?"

I just stared.

"No?" she asked.

"Oh, uh, no."

"Darn. I wanted to give him a kiss good luck. We're back together you know," she said wiggling some friendship ring he'd given her while they were together. She'd always been embarrassed of it since it was so small. I liked it though. It was simple, very different from the stupid things I had to wear when I went to Genovia for State Dinners. Crown Jewels are NOT my style.

Since when? "Uh, when did that happen?" I asked, forcing a smile and forcing back my tears.

"Oh, Tuesday I think. I'm not sure. It all happened to quickly. You know how he's so romantic and stuff."

Why hadn't he…..then it hit me. He asked me if I thought Serena would like hearing this song. He had seduced her into coming here. "Oh right. Now I remember. He mentioned it the other day."

"Isn't it the best news?" she asked.

I felt bad. She looked almost sincere. "What happened to Old Ma- I mean, Kingston?"

Her face turned to stone. "What do you know about that?"
"Well, Michael and I are best friends. We tell each other stuff-"

"We broke up. His children found out about it. Didn't like the idea of the two of us dating before the old lady croaked."

I stared at the ground. "Well, I'll give him your message," I said turning and walking into the 'dressing' room (aka, a room the size of a closet).


"Hey," he said languidly.

"Serena told me to give you this," I said, boldly kissing his cheek. Okay, she hadn't said that but I got to soberly kiss his cheek. Woot. That's a big step isn't it?

He blushed, "Oh, you saw her?"

I nodded and sat on a counter. This was a really tight fit but we fit perfectly….you know, in the room. Not together. Oh forget it. "Yeah. Congratulations."

"You know-"
"I know," I said laughing slightly. "I know."


When we got on stage I glanced at Serena looking so proud right up front. I heard her telling people about Michael. That he was her boyfriend. Poor girl. Doesn't know what is hitting her.

Her face turned blank as he started singing though. If she was actually human (I insist she is a femmebot), then I would swear she was crying. She looked truly hurt. But then I just forgot about my solidarity towards her as Michael said the words "Going down on the partners at the firm…". I mean, she did have quite a few cold sores now. Last time I saw her she was clean as…well, something clean.

Other people loved the song. "That is the best therapy I have ever had," he admitted afterwards, "And I'm totally over it. You know…Serena. I'm over Serena."

"How could you!" she screamed, coming backstage.

He grinned at me, "How could I what?"

"Do that to me!"

"Do what?" he asked.

"Sing that song about me?"

He shook his head, "It's all subjective, Serena. If you think it's about you then fine. Believe it. But I don't like writing songs about girls that I couldn't give a flying shit about," he finished. Okay, he was lying through his teeth.

"Ugh, well, you will hear from my lawyer," she screamed. Then she looked at me. "Don't you look so smug. We all know that he'll just screw you and then forget about you."

I looked at him. Okay, technically we have 'screwed' (I hate that word though). He's hardly forgotten about me. "Serena, we're friends. We don't mess around."

She snorted, "Yeah. Let's see how long you last."

"Give my regards to Kingston!" Michael said waving to her.

I made a face at her as she turned to leave.

"Was she always like that?" he asked. "Was I blinded by love?"

"I dunno. I avoided her from the day I saw her in the lunch line and she sneezed all over my salad and didn't apologize."

He grinned, "But I did buy you a new one."

I made a face, "Yeah, well, she's just a skank. Toss her back in the water and keep fishin."

"How do such awful words come from such a sweet little mouth?"

I shrugged. "Okay, ready to see everyone?" I asked after some uncomfortable silence.

"Yeah, come on," he said pulling me out to them.

Michael drank beer and I had a Cosmo. The guys thought it was a really girly drink and I needed some girliness. It was okay. A bit strong though. Gave me courage to rub Michael's thigh under the table.

I ignored my cell phone ringing in my purse. It would be Tina wondering where I was and what time I was picking her up. I'd blame Michael. She never got mad at him since he's you know, a God or something.


"Bowling?" Manny asked after a couple of hours.

We left, and I forgot my coat, so Michael put his on me. "Won't you be cold?" I asked with a giggle.

"Nah. I'll be fine. I'm so fucking hot that my body radiates heat," he explained jokingly.

"I'll go get your coat," Orlando offered, running back.

"He wants to bang you," Kevin said laughing. "So fucking badly."
I laughed, "He'd have to lose the hair and the puppy dog act."

I liked hanging out with the guys. They didn't treat me like a piece of glass. They didn't censor themselves around me and I didn't want them to. This was what life as a teenager was supposed to be like; not dinners with foreign dignitaries. I hardly even needed Lars though (okay, he's still always thirty feet behind us at all times but whatever). If a guy even looked at me the wrong way they'd all give him the Big Brother Glare. Well, not Michael. I hope he doesn't think of himself as a big brother figure. Gross.

I jumped on Michael's back and he carried me piggy back style to the bowling alley.


I kicked everyone's asses. "Booo yah," I said giving them all high fives. I hit Michael last and he pulled me in for a long hug.

"We were on a team," he argued to everyone else. "I win too."

I started laughing, "Fine. We win together."

"Mia, I walk you home," Orlando said, pulling me away from Michael.

"She's staying at my house with my sister," Michael lied. I hadn't planned on it. I had my entire apartment to myself. What was he....

"But-"

"Right Mia? Lilly's waiting for you," he said, letting go and then linking arms with me.

I rubbed my eyes, "Yeah," I said laughing. "She's my bestest friend ever," I explained to Orlando. "So I have to be spending nights with her sometimes. But now I have to go pee. I'll be right back."

MICHAEL:

"Is she a lesbian?" Orlando asked me when Mia left us.

Everyone started laughing. "Why?"

"Because she says she spend night with Lilly."

"So since she rejects your cheesy advances, she's a lesbian?" Kevin teased.
Orlando looked sincerely hurt.

"Sleep over jack ass," I said smacking him in the back of the head. "Bye guys."

"Meet us after you drop her off. I know a party where there are some chicks," Kevin called to me. He was always going on about the chicks. I hated that word though.

"I'm already too trashed," I replied.

"You can handle some more," they argued.

"Nah. Bed for me. I got to work at noon."

That made them shut up. Waking up before noon on a Saturday was unheard of.