Author's Note:

Jesse'sBabe: There would be no more story if they did it like that? The original story (whoops) would totally ruined. And Schilling is a wonderful name based on a wonderful person. Okay, he himself is not. His name is named after the Great Curt. But trust me, from what I just re-wrote today about him he is NOT a fantastic guy

Liss: I don't wanna know why oral sex with fruit hits home. Really, I do not. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Lucie: You do not review but Happy Supa Sweet Sixteen. And really, read the rest of this cuz it's all new basically

Handsoff: Booney's story is awesome. But almost doneNo wonder, she's a Sox fan. That automatically makes a great writer (JUST KIDDING)

Everyone else, Happy President's Day. Go George. Go Abe. It's your birthdays

...well, close enough. Thanks for the reviews guys. The reason I haven't updated in a while is because I changed this. Quite a bit. Cut out a lot. Added a lot. Made Mia seem like a jerk a little bit. But don't worry, you'll feel pity soon enough for her. thinks...> yeah, in a few months storywise. This is by far, my longest story. And I have another lined up that is just as long if not longer.


MICHAEL:

I left not too much later. She did, after all, have an exam the next day. And I too have classes to keep up with. And a bruised ego to heal.

"You okay?" she asked as I snuck out the window.
"Yeah, why?"

"I just...Nevermind. I'll see you tomorrow at rehearsal."

"Yeah, tomorrow Kiddo."


The next day I had a voicemail on my cell phone.

"Michael, it's me, Judith. Look, I asked you to come back to the dorms because I wanted you to meet one of my residents. I think you two would really hit it off. She's a junior chemistry major. Really pretty. Give me a call and I'll set everything up. Oh, her name is Sarah Jane. You definitely need to see her. Call me later. Bye."

Sarah Jane? Yeah, right. Too sweet of a name to be my date.

But yet I called her two days later and set up a date for Friday night. She would meet us after we played at this battle of the bands thing at The Bar.


"Hey, thanks for helping me on Monday night," Mia said sweetly on Friday, before the show. "I think I did really well-"

"Uh huh," I replied, eyeing Schilling sitting patiently off to the side. "I think your boyfriend wants you back."

She turned back to him and smiled. Then signaled that she'd be right there. "Well, we'd really like to take you for dinner sometime."

"We?" I said laughing. "No thanks. I'm all set for food."

"Then…maybe I could take you for dinner. To say thanks for…everything."

I smiled, dinner alone with Mia? Almost date like? "Sure. When?"

"Well, how about tonight? Schilling said he can't stay too late for this cuz he has to help his dad."

"Oh. Tonight? No I can't. I have a date."

"A date?"

"Yeah. Judith introduced me."

"Oh. Um, okay. Never mind then. Some other time."

"Tomorrow?"

"No, I have to go over Grandmere's. She's been so spastic lately. Something is going on, but no one is telling me."

"Oh. Some other time," I replied. "We're almost on, let's go."


MIA:

A date? Who the hell does he have a date with? And more importantly, why didn't anyone tell me about this?

Oh. Right. I'm not his girlfriend. But why didn't he tell me himself?

We played Tall Glass of Water for the crowd and then waited for the results. "I can't stay," Schilling said, kissing my cheek. "Sorry babe."

"Why not?" I asked in a voice I did not recognize as my own. Whiney.

"Because my dad needs me," he replied easily. "Okay? I'll see you soon. Good luck. You rocked tonight."

With that he disappeared and I was left alone with Manny. "What the hell do you see in that guy?" he asked, watching the man leave.

"He's very sweet," I replied.

"Oh?"

"And he's funny," I continued.

"He exudes that," he said sarcastically. "Continue. I'm all a twitter."

"And he gives me the freedom I like," I went on. "Huck never liked it when I hung out with you guys alone."

"That's because he was jealous. He wanted us for himself," Manny teased.

I playfully punched him. "Who is this girl Michael is going on a date with?" I asked casually.

"I dunno her. Judith is setting them up."

"Yeah, he said that…it isn't Judith, is it?" I asked nervously. Judith was way smarter than I was. What competition was I compared to her?

"No, Sarah Jane I think. One of Judith's residents or something," he replied.

"Oh. Sarah Jane? Isn't that a little….hokey?"

"Why don't you ask him all these questions?" he snapped.

"Because," I started slowly. "I wouldn't want him thinking I cared or anything…."

"But you do," Manny replied. "If you care about him, you should let him know. So this stupid game you guys have been playing all year will just END."

"No. Not really. Just…curious as to why he never mentioned it to me. And there is not a game going on."

"Do you tell him about every date you have with Schilling?"

There was a reason I never said anything about those dates. They weren't anything like times with Michael. Yes, we were romantic. He bought me flowers at least once a week. And he'd put his arm around me when we went for walks. We even went into one of those camera booth things and did goofy poses together.

But Michael would call those cliché movie type dates. He liked to do quirky things, or at least I assume he would. Like, when we hang out, we don't do average New York things. We'd go listen to a band one night. Or see a movie and then go to Round the Clock for pancakes. Schilling would never consider something like that proper for a date for a princess. No. He's taken me so very nice restaurants and even mentioned going to Washington D.C. one weekend to see his dad together. He was getting kind of serious.

"No," I finally answered. "I guess you are right."

"Course I am. Let's go see the new Colin Farrell movie you were talking about earlier. That'll cheer you up, right?"

I smiled and nodded. "After the results."


MICHAEL:

I kept my distance from Mia after we did our song. I didn't want her image to be on my mind as I went on a date with another girl. She'd invade my thoughts way too much. I needed a healthy relationship.

We didn't win that night, but we hadn't really expected to either. The winner had already gotten a record contract and was pretty popular to begin with, but we still won second prize.

"Good job," Mia whispered, hugging me tightly. Damn her. Damn her shampoo. Damn her damn soap.

Her smell attacked me all at once. "Thanks," I replied kissing her cheek. "You sounded…great."

She started saying something but Manny came behind her. "Ready Mia?"

"For what?" I asked, as they backed away together, laughing.

"We're going to a moooovie," she replied as if it was obvious.

"Oh, wait-" I started to say. I stopped myself. I couldn't go to the movies. At least not with them.I had a date.

"What?" Manny asked with a smile in his eyes.

"Don't buy candy at the theater. They totally rob you."

She gave me a weird look and promised not to buy the candy there. At least she was with Manny. She'd be safe with him at least. He'd never put a move on her. Not when he has that Rosie character waiting in the wings.

"Michael?" I heard Judith's voice say as I got tapped on the shoulder.

I turned slowly, still eyeing Mia's figure as she walked out of The Bar. "Yeah?"

"This is Sarah Jane."

Ever hear of love at first sight?

"H-Hey," I stammered. "Nice to you meet. I mean…Nice to meet you."

She smiled shyly and shook my hand. "Likewise."

"I thought we'd go see a movie?" I suggested. "Then go to get some food."
She nodded and smiled widely. She looked kind of familiar. I just couldn't pose where though. "Okay," she said softly. "Sounds great."

"Let's go. See ya Judith."


"I love Colin Farrell," she said smiling. "Guilty pleasure."

"If he's your guilty pleasure then we are okay. As long as you aren't into S M."

She blushed but smiled, "Not on the first date."

Her humor was a lot like mine. Sarcastic, but not mean. I felt like someone was staring at me. I turned and didn't see anyone.

"Michael Douglas," she said, doing the word scramble on the previews.

"Not bad," I replied.

Then I felt something hit my head. I turned quickly and saw Manny and Kevin throwing popcorn at me. I waved and then turned around again. If Manny was there, then Mia was as well. Mia would be witnessing me on a date. A date that totally did not involve her. A girl that didn't even know Mia existed.

But hey, she is dating that moron Schilling, right? Why should I feel guilty? I put my middle finger in the air as I put my arm around the back of Sarah Jane's seat. I heard Mia tell them to knock it off. Suggesting they change seats. Or to see another movie.

"Hey, I'll be right back," I said getting up. "I have to call my sister back. She called earlier and I forgot."

"You have a sister? How sweet. And you are so caring to be calling her back."

Wow. Lying on the first date can't be a sign for good things to come, right? "Yeah. I'll be right back."

I made sure she wasn't looking before I sat with my friends. "Mind knocking that shit off?" I asked harshly.

"Who's the chick?"

"She's not a chick," I hissed.

"She's Sarah Jane guys," Mia said laughing.

"How'd you meet her?"

"It's a blind date," I said, making sure she was not listening. "C'mon guys, give me a break."

"He's right," Mia said slowly. "We are here to enjoy the naked bum shots of Colin Farrell and not to torture Michael on his date."

"Do we get to meet her?" Kevin asked. "She looks hot."

"You have only seen the back of her head," Mia argued. "Who can tell? Maybe she has a deformity on her face. A huge mole eating half her face!"

"Thanks, Mia. She's really actually quite pretty."

"Let us meet her," Manny said with a whiney voice.

"No way amigo. Now leave us alone."


She didn't hold my hand during the movie. The only contact we had was when our hands brushed by one another en route to get popcorn. She was blushing all the time. She crinkled up her nose at the really cheesy parts and laughed with her whole body.

I can see myself falling for this girl and it's only the first date. Maybe I would get past this infatuation with Mia and move on to something more. Something better.

"So I came here from Kentucky," she started her biography over a stack of pancakes from Round the Clock. "Colleges out there weren't me. I like the big city."

"Big city?" I teased.

"Well, yeah," she said, embarrassed. "I'm from a town that has less inhabitants than the average dorm building."

"Impressive," I replied.

She looked at her watch. "Oh, I better get back to the dorms. My roommate will be worried."

I looked at the clock. It was only one o'clock. "Oh, okay," I replied. "Let me walk you back."

So I rode on the subway with her to the NYU campus and we joked around a lot. I told her about the band and how I wanted to make it into something real. But I never told her much about me really. Who would want to date a guy who is dealing with a homosexual father and the impending divorce of his parents?

Um. Not many. I'd talk to Mia about that stuff. She understood better.

"I had a good time tonight," she said searching her purse for her keys.

"Me too," I said quickly. "A really great time."

"Um…"

"I'll call you? Maybe we can do this again some time."

"Yeah. I'd like that," she said with a triumphant smile. "Here, this is my number," she said writing it on my hand.

"Okay," I said uncomfortably. I hated anything messy. I liked order. Mia was the messiness I dealt with in life. Everything else had to be in order.

"I'll see you when I see you then," she replied, finding her keys.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Good night."

No good night kiss?


That would come later that week. We ran into one another the following Monday morning in the library. "Hey," she said nervously.

"Hey, I was going to call you tonight," I started. "How was your weekend?"

"Fine."

"Mid terms?" I asked, looking at the size of her backpack.

"Oh, yeah," she said self consciously. "I have an astronomy exam. Can you believe I took that stupid course? I mean, I thought it'd be an easy grade."

"I like astronomy. Want some help?"

So we spent the nights that week, after band rehearsal, holed up in the library. It wasn't until Thursday night that I finally worked up the nerve to finally kiss her.

We took a study break at Serendipity. "You have whipped cream," I started wiping it off with my finger, "On your nose."

"That is the best part," she said sipping her hot chocolate. "Whipped cream I mean. And I don't mean that the way it sounds."

"Didn't know you mid westerners had a sense of humor like that," I teased.

"I'm glad to see east coast boys are just as stuck up as I had been told," she replied in a teasing tone.

It was something about how she teased me and gave me my shit back in my face that made me do it. I walked her back to her dorm that night and fully intended on kissing her. She had actually let me hold her hand. I figure this was a good sign, right?

We stood on the steps of her dorms and were killing time. We both knew what was going to happen. It was just a matter of making it happen. So I leaned up and kissed her lips softly.

She smiled and blushed.

"Sorry-"

"No, I liked that," she said quickly.

So I applied a little bit more pressure to her lips this time.

But then I heard my name. "Sporto?" a guys voice said from behind me.

I turned slowly, recognizing the sleazy voice. "Hey Schilling."

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

I looked at Sarah Jane. "What does it look like?"

"Wait, you aren't gay?" he asked, laughing. "Mia told me you were gay."

Why the hell would she say that. "No, I'm not," I replied. "This is Sarah Jane."

"But I already know her," he replied. "We are neighbors."

I looked at her, "Yeah. He lives next door to me."

What a small fucking world. "Oh, great."

"Isn't it though?" he teased. "Mia says hi, by the way," he continued, opening the door.

"Who is Mia?" she asked quietly.

"He hasn't' even mentioned his female best friend? What kind of guy are you Moscovitz?"

"She's in the band, remember?" I asked.
"Oh, right. I remember now. How does he…"

"I'm her boyfriend," he replied, holding the door open. "So you two….what's the deal? Mia loves hearing gossip."

I hated how he said her name. Like he owned it. "None of your business," I said harshly. "See ya Schilling."

"I'll be right back down," he replied. "I'm sneaking over to the loft for some late night action," he said with a wink.

He left us alone. "What a pervert. Didn't you say she was only in high school?"

"A senior," I replied hoarsely. He'd ruined my plans for a possible make out session with Sarah Jane. Now I'd be thinking about how he was touching Mia like I had only months ago. "I gotta go."

"Okay…."

"Why don't we go out tomorrow night? I know this great band is playing down on Nickel Street. My friend Andy is in the band."

She smiled weakly, "Sure. Sounds great."

I kissed her cheek and left after she got safely into the building. I started walking in the direction of the subway station, but found myself hailing a cab and directing it to Thompson Street.


"Hey," Mia said, opening her window. I saw she had her reading lamp on and hovering over a book.

"Hey."

"What's up?" she asked closing the window behind me.

"Nothing. Why does something have to be up?"

"No reason…why are you looking around like that?" she asked.

I was making sure Schilling was not in here. From the looks of it, he hadn't been, at all. She had her dirty underwear peeking out of her laundry basket and her Judd Womack poster was still up over her desk. She managed to place Weezer over her bed. Best of both worlds I suppose.

"Nothing."

"Why are you here?" she asked carefully, going to her desk and closing her journal.

"I dunno…I kind of just missed you."

"Missed me?" she asked, sitting on her bed.

I nodded. "Mind if I crash here?"

Her lips turned into a smile. "But we have school tomorrow."

" But we have school tomorrow," I teased, imitating her, "So? No one will have to know. I'll just lay at the foot of your bed and make sure no monsters come by." And by monsters, I mean Schilling.

"Unnecessary," she replied with a giggle. I started back toward the window. She thought I was a freak. But she grabbed my wrist, "But acceptable. Let me just change into my pajamas. You can get into bed."

She said those words so easily. As if we'd been living together for years and this was our bed. A bed we had slept in together so many times. So I kicked off my Converse sneakers and got under the sheets.

She returned from her bathroom and looked at me strangely. "You sleep with all your clothes on?"

"Yeah."

She looked at me skeptically. "You are weird sometimes."

She climbed into bed and I automatically curled around her form. "My parents are signing the papers next week," I announced.

She held my hand close to her beating heart. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Is there anything-"

"Just be there, okay?" I whispered, eyes closed. "Just be Mia Thermopolis."

"I think I can manage that," she said with a smile in her voice. "Not well, but I try."

"That's all I can ask for."