Author's Note: I highly suggest you check out a special addition on the Tall Drink of Water site.
Hannah: Maybe in the next one. I promise, your hard work will not go to waste.
Alenor: If you like Louie I think you should go to the writing section of my part of TDOW. It's highlighted in red.
Tina: I didn't know you knew Louie so well…but yes, a football player.
Melissa: Get ready to kick some ass. She may be around for awhile.
Rsy: Yes there will be more to the story. There always is.
Ellie: It's a government conspiracy. Actually, no, it's not. Sarah Jane had another name…I forget what it was but it was something a bit fancier (not that there's anything wrong with Sarah Jane). And Serena was made a looong time ago (so long ago, that while writing the second part of this story I forgot her name). And Sadie…well, I just like that name. It was between Sadie or Molly. And Sadie sounds a bit edgier, and she'll be edgier later. Trust that.
Liss: Don' t post this part yet. I have something for it to be used for you.
MIA:
"You got back with-"
"Her name is Sadie. I never said anything cuz-"
"Yo, dude. C'mon, let's go," Kevin said impatiently.
"Yeah, I'll explain later," he said to me.
I ignored his plan of walking out the back door. I couldn't leave without Lars nearby. "Hey, Louie," I said meeting my brother by the bar. "You like it?"
"You guys are amazing," his date, Dee replied. "Seriously. Do you have a demo or something?"
"Yeah, we recorded at the end of August. We're shopping it around right now."
"An EP maybe?"
"I'll ask Michael if he has any copies. We gave a ton away at our first show of the fall."
"Mia?" Michael's voice said from behind me.
I turned and saw him standing next to what I would have thought was Kate Bosworth. Stupid two eye colored surfer girl. "Yeah?" I asked, eyeing her up and down.
"This," he said, holding her hand, "Is Sadie."
I extended my hand, "Very nice to meet you finally. I've heard so much about you." Lie. Lie. Lie. I'm a pathological liar and I like it.
She didn't respond, nor did she take my hand.
"Sadie, shake her hand," Michael mumbled, embarrassed.
"Y-You are a princess," she stammered. "A real life princess!" she screamed so the entire bar could hear.
No one ever recognizes me, but now they did since she was making a scene. I smiled weakly at Michael as she started jumping up and down. "Oh my God! You are Prince Louis! You love Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd! And...and you hate smokers...the first time you did a speech for Genovia you called it Geneva!"
Louie was totally blushing right now. He'd been terribly embarrassed by his flub and this girl was throwing it inhis face.I gave Michael a dirty look. This girl was worse than any teeny bopper I'd ever met.
"And they did that cover story on you! On People magazine I mean…was that really your room? Michael was telling me how you are like a little sister to him just the other day!"
I glared at Michael. He knew I hated when people acted like this around me. Complete strangers, fine whatever. But he could have prepped her a little better. "Mia we should totally go shopping and you can—hey, do you know Prince William?"
I sighed lightly, "Sure, we'll go shopping. And yes, I do know Wills."
She turned to Michael, "I love how she says that so casually! Like how I say, 'yes I know Michael Moscovitz'."
I looked at Louie, who was smiling at the memory of his first introduction to England's future king. His ears were burning bright red.
"He's totally cute, isn't he?" she gushed.
What the hell was Michael dating? A Barbie doll? "Not when you've seen him throwing up in the fountain. I have to go. I'm hanging out with my brother-"
"Can we come?" she asked quickly, grabbing Michael's arm.
"No, sorry. We're still getting to know one another," I lied. "Good night Michael."
I turned a heel and left the bar room. People were watching me. Whispering. Great. I'll never be able to come in here again as just a guitarist. Now I'm a freak show again.
Michael ran out after me. "MIA!"
I turned, "I think I've had enough of you-"
"Wait," he said catching up to me and grabbing my wrist. I stare at it.
"What?"
"I'm sorry."
"How old is she Michael, thirteen?" I snapped. "I'd hope you would date someone a bit more mature."
He sighed heavily. "She's twenty three."
"A whole two years older than you? Talk about robbing the cradle," I said sarcastically. "Look, keep her away from me, got it?"
"Mia, really…she's a great girl-"
"Once you get to know her, right?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Well I don't plan on it. What's the point?" I asked rhetorically, looking at my brother. He shrugs, wanting nothing to do with my and Michael's argument. His date lookedsemi amused. She understood why I was pissed off. "You'll cheat on her and dump her within six months and never have the time to mention it to me."
He made his determined face. "Mia knock that off. You will like her, really. She's funny-"
"Michael, I don't care," I snapped. "Really, I don't. Fuck whomever you please. Why should it matter to me? I'm just your little sister-like friend, right?"
He stared at the ground. "Mia, I didn't mean it like-"
"Well your message has come in loud and clear. Go fuck Sadie. Cuz that's all it is," I started, gaining my composure. "It's only sex. It's nothing more than that. No feelings. If you did actually care about her you'd have told me a long time ago about her."
He sighed.
"Besides," I continued, turning away, "We both know where you will sleep tonight."
Louie made a face at Michael. Warning him off.
"Whatever Mia. Be like that. I'll….I'll…."
"And you got into Columbia?" I mocked, turning back to him. "Get back to me on what you'll do."
I turned my heel and gestured for my brother and his date to follow me.
"She doesn't seem like Michael's type," Louie said later that night, after we'd walked Dee home.
"Who?" I asked, already trying to forget that ordeal. The three of us had spent the night bowling and my feet were killing me. They always did after bowling. Usually, I had a piggy back ride home or to a taxi or something. But it's not like I can ask my brother for that. And Lars? Forget it.
"Sadie. She seems too…airheaded."
"I dunno, maybe he's going through a phase," I replied, letting my hair out of the bun. "She seemed highly annoying."
"She was just star struck. How would you have reacted to meeting someone like you if you weren't you?" he asked, pulling out his toothbrush from his overnight bag.
I turned to him, "It's too late to think like this. I'm sure she'll be gone in no time."
"But what if she's not?"
I shrugged.
"You know, Dee thinks you were overreacting a bit."
"Pfuit, what does she know?" I snapped, kicking off my boots and staring at the counter in the kitchen.
"She meant, overreacting for someone who has another boyfriend and claims not to be in love with Michael."
I made a face. "He doesn't do commitment. Not fully anyways. Here, stay in Shameeka's room. She's out in California doing some shoot."
"I'm sleeping in a model's bed," he announced to no one in particular.
I laughed and turned to my room. I know he's in there. He'd taken the secret stash of M&M's I hid behind the portrait of Dad and I that I had leaned against the wall but never put up. Only he knew about those.
He was given a key once I was able to make a copy. I pretend that I don't know he's there though. I enter my room in the dark. I place my keys on the table as you walk in, and flipped on my tiny lamp that my MawMaw gave me when I was a little girl.
I absentmindedly flip on the TV. I change, not acknowledging that he was lying in my bed half asleep."Just in time for Conan," I said with a sigh, flopping onto my bed next to him. I turn to him and smile. It's weird. We're in a fight, but yet, we still have to see the other before we go to bed. "I don't like fighting with you," he mumbled as I laid my head on his chest and prepared for sleep. "And I'm really sorry about Sadie."
I lay in silence. Listening to his heartbeat.
"And I really do care about her," he said softly. So soft that I almost believe him.
"Okay," I whispered back. "But for now, can you just sing?"
I was laughing the following week as Lix tickled me. He had prepared a picnic in Central Park for our six month anniversary. "Stop it," I argued weakly.
"Fine," he said resting his chin on my belly. "Only if you let me kiss you in public."
My stomach churned. "I dunno. Grandmere hates seeing the pictures…she doesn't want me going around like Mischa Barton or something."
He rolled his eyes. "Can you believe it's been half a year already?" he asked, ticking some bare belly.
"No," I said thoughtfully. The time had gone by so fast. "It's been a good year," I replied with a smile. I'm terrible. I am a cheat. Well…not really. If you think about it. We had never actually decided to be together over the summer. So I didn't cheat on him. Knowingly. We decided when I came back that we'd count it towards our grand total. So our one year anniversary would be April 23. Which, I hear, is the same night that Sarah Jane and Michael broke up.
"I have something for you," he said sitting up and reaching into his pocket. "Here," he said handing me a box.
My stomach churned again. "Oh…I dunno…" Is it bad that I wanted to throw up?
"It's not that," he said laughing. "Not yet at least," he said with a wink.
I opened it up and found a small gold band with a red amthesyst and two smaller diamonds. Much smaller diamonds. "Oh, Lix, it's too much," I protested. I hate gold. I really do. I'm more of a silver girl. Just look at any pictures of me in the tabloids. I only wear silver.
"No, it's not enough," he replied, taking it from the box and putting it on my finger. "Mia, I know this is it for me. You are the one. But it's going to be awhile until we can settle down together. I have my career to start up and you have all four years of college to look forward to. Wear this on your right hand. So everyone knows you are taken."
I hated those words. I am taken. Tied down. "Great," I said forcing a smile. He didn't notice that though. He laid back and stared up at the sky.
I stared at the ring. I did love him. I really did. That's why I didn't say anything.
Even if I was no longer the heir I needed to keep up appearances. I was a female and had to behave myself. Grandmere kept seeing my pictures in US Weekly and other tabloids and was always telling me how awful my hair looked now that I dyed it and was letting it grow out.
And she thought I was taking far too many friviolous classes. Art History was not necessarily part of my major (International Affairs and European History), but it wasn't a picnic either. I had just spent two nights in a row memorizing sixty slides my professor has shown us since school started. According to the National Enquirer I wasbest friends with Hilary Duff and that we partied together last week.
Correction: I was at a club, with Felix, and I happened to see Hilary. She asked me where I got my necklace. I told her that my grandmother gave it to me and she'd bought it in Indiana.
Another popular rumor was that I was engaged to a 'mysterious musician'. Felix isn't really mysterious. And Iwas totally not engaged.
"Amelia, you must start behaving yourself," she said after thewhole engagementissue. "You must set an example for young girls."
"I know, Grandmere."
"When will you be arriving for the Christmas festivities? You are scheduled to give the Christmas Eve national address-"
"I might stay here," I replied. "Maybe take in the short winter class session. There is this music course-"
"Amelia, you must be joking with your dear old grandmother. You will be arriving on December 22nd. I do believe your school administratortold my assistant that your final exam will be the previous day. I think you can use the time to say your goodbyes toyourgirlfriends."
I rolled my eyes. She hated that I had more guy friends than girl ones, and pointed it out constantly."Grandmere, I dobelieve that Louie will becompletely compentant to do the speech."
"Amelia MignonetteGrimaldi Renaldo! Do not sass your grandmother. You will come here and sit inthe Parliment meetings. TheForeign TradeMinister would like to hear your thoughts on the problem we are currently having with the United States."
I hated this.
"She has a point," Felix said over lunch that afternoon in late November
"What?" I snapped.
"I mean…you should keep your hand in the business of Genovia, ya know?"
I glared at him. "No. I don't want to. I want my own life."
"That has been your life for as long as I've known you."
"But it isn't the life I want," I explained, scraping my tofu salad into the garbage disposal.
"It would help you out, ya know? You have a job guaranteed when you graduate."
I sighed. "I have no intention of even living in Genovia-"
"Well, of course you won't," he said laughing. "You'll be touring with us."
My mouth dropped. "What?"
He knew he said the wrong thing. "I'm going to need you with me on the road. You are my inspiration. Plus, someone has to be around for the kids-"
"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves. I have homework to do. Maybe you should go back to your place."
With that I stormed out of the room and slammed my bedroom door.
A knock came to it about five minutes later. "Go away," I said pouring through my notes to get my homework assignment.
"It's me," Michael said opening the door slightly. "I let myself in. What's wrong?" he asked.
I sighed, "Hi."
"Um, maybe this is a bad time, but we were thinking about doing a rehearsal. You know, before the second demo and all."
I nodded and bit my lip, "Sure. Let me just change."
He didn't get up. Instead he started reading my Cosmopolitan. "Forty two ways to please your man," he said out loud. "I have to read this."
I laughed and threw my hair into a clip then peeled off my sweat pants and grabbed my jeans. I saw him peek over the edge of the magazine.
"Black panties?" he teased. "Was someone expecting to get some today?"
I waved him away. "Oh please. Don't go there," I replied.
He looked at me questionably, but didn't push. Things were getting to be somewhat normal. It had been almost three months since our last encounter. Which is going to be the last encounter. I swear.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Um, mind if I put on a clean shirt, loser?" I asked with a laugh.
"Want me to leave?" he asked.
I thought for a second. "You've seen it all anyways. No biggie."
He gulped and went back to his magazine.
"Here," he said showing me new lyrics. (song Always on My Mind- Phantom Planet...yes, I was quite obessed with The Guest whilst writing this story)
Everyone in this place can up and move away.
For all I car this town is already dead and empty.
I'm told that I'm a victim of obbession, that's what my friends say.
I'm a fool for letting her tempt me. I turn pale when she walks by.
I am lost in her eyes.
She is always on my mind.
She is always on my mind.
She glances over, but she keeps walking down the street.
All I can do is hope she is thinking of me.
If I could blink, if I could breathe if I could get my legs to move,
this could be the day I get this girl to love me.
I turn pale when she walks by. I am lost in her eyes.
She is always on my mind.
She is always on my mind.
She had her head turn…
.oh I must have called out loud.
She is always on my mind.
She is always on my mind…..
If I could blink. If I could breath.
If I could get my legs to move then this could be the day that I get this girl to love me.
I turn pale when she walks by.
I am lost in her eyes. She is always on my mind.
She is always on my mind. She head turn.
Oh I must have cried out loud. She is always on my mind.
She is always on my mind.
She is always on my mind.
She is always on my mind……
"It's good. You wrote it?" I asked with butterflies in my belly.
"Um, kind of. With Kevin."
"Who's it about?" I asked hopefully. " Sadie?"
He laughed, "No. It's not about anyone in particular. Just the idea of the perfect girl."
I nodded. Great. I had thought it might have been about me. But then again I never saw him turn pale when he saw me. And he could totally function around me. He was telling the truth. It was some other girl.
"You are getting it wrong," Michael said standing behind me after the others left to go to a bar.
"Huh? How?" I asked, positioning my fingers.
He stood so close to me that I could smell what he had for lunch (I know, gross huh?). "Ever hear of a tooth brush?" I teased. "How was the tuna sandwich?"
He turned red, "Yummy. More in the fridge. Here, watch where I put your fingers."
I was back in grade school again. He was teaching me once again. God. He probably saw what I said in the magazine and is freaked out. Probably thinks I'm in love with him and takes whatever it was that we had for more than it was. "What are your plans tonight?" he asked me as we packed up our stuff.
"Oh, Kate and I are watching Sex and the City marathon."
"Oh, right. Has Shameeka been around lately?
"In and out," I replied. "Fittings and shoots. She's up for a big campaign. Guess wanted a new face."
"Fancy," he teased.
"Where's Sadie?"
"I'm meeting her at Hard Rock," he replied, making a face.
"Tourist," I teased.
"Look, I'm sorry you don't like her. Or that she likes you too much-"
"I never said I didn't like her," I said too quickly.
"Yeah. Right. Why else wouldn't you join us any time she's with us?"
That could have a plethora of answers. Instead, I shrugged.
He rolled his eyes. "No Felix?"
"No. He has other plans," I replied, turning my ring inwards.
"What's that?" he asked.
"Nothing." I hadn't worn it in front of him before. I wore it to class, but always put it back in my pocket before I went out with Michael.
"No," he said. "That ring. Where'd you get it?" he asked, taking my hand. "I've noticed it before but now I wanna know why you're hiding it?"
I sighed heavily. "It's from Felix."
He looked shocked. "Engaged? So the National Enquirer got it right?"
"No," I said a bit too quickly. "I mean, no. He wants everyone to know I'm taken though."
He laughed and shook his head. "Whatta guy you've got there. I've gotta go. There's a big frat party that my friend invited me to. If I wanna go I have to eat quickly with Sadie."
"You? Frat?"
" Me. Alcohol," he said laughing.
I smiled. "If you can't make it home you can stay in Shameeka's bed," I offered softly.He was always stumbling into my place since it was closer, or so he says. He'll probably bring home a girl tonight and I'd pretend to be nice to her while I made coffee tomorrow morning. "Okay. Just remember-"
"What?" he asked quickly.
"Wear protection," I replied as I left the room.
MICHAEL:
Ryan and Manny came to the party with me. Sadie called to say that she couldn't make it that night. That her roommate's boyfriend just dumped her so they were having a night of mourning.
"Wow. I forgot how hot college girls are," Manny said thoughtfully. "I should come back," he said winking at some girl that looked like she was in high school.
I took a long sip of my beer. Looking around. I could find someone for the night. I had to. After seeing Mia getting dressed I needed something to help my sexual frustrations out. I mean, someone. Not something. And Sadie…well, she wasn't exactly what I was looking for. I needed something a bit more dangerous.
A blonde Kate Hudson look alike caught my eye. She was standing by the stairs laughing her head off, holding a red beer cup. "Gotta go," I said to my friends. "See you at home."
"Hey there," I said coming up to her.
"Hi yourself," she said smiling. "I was wondering when you were going to come by."
"Name is Holt," I said rubbing her back. I got friendly when I was drunk.
"Hannah," she replied.
I pulled her to the middle of the party and we started grinding against one another, not really talking. I didn't want to. I wasn't out to find love. I didn't want it. I fell for Mia and look at me now.
We started making out right there amongst other couples. "Wanna go to a room?" she asked with glowing eyes. I nodded. I wanted to talk as little as possible as she pulled me out of the crowd and started kissing me again.
Hannah and I went into an empty room and I let out every possible frustration. "Holt can't be your real name," she said after we did it.
I sighed, "Why not?"
"Holt is an insanely hot guys name. Only model types can pull it off. No offense, you are no model."
I turned my back to her. "Yeah, whatever."
She left her number on my cell phone.
I left, deleted it, and went over to Mia's apartment. I'd had my danger for the night. Now I needed to feel safe.
I climbed into bed.
"Your pants are on the floor," she mumbled. "I washed them today."
"You really are the best," I whispered.
"Are you drunk?"
"No. Well, maybe. Should I be?"
"Please go shower," she asked softly. "I don't like falling asleep to some strange girl's scent."
I ran into her bathroom and bathed away the smell of cheap perfume and sex. I really hated how I smelled after I slept with a strange girl. With Mia…it was different. I never said that I slept around still to her, but she knew. She referred to the girls as my groupies.
I walked into her room again and looked at her as she slept peacefully.
"You forgot to get dressed," Mia replied, not taking her eyes off the paper the next morning. In the middle of the night I'd slipped out of my pajama bottoms, as was tradition.
I looked down. "Yes, I did. What time is it?" I asked, going into the fridge.
"Put on clothes and I'll tell you. Do NOT sit down."
I reluctantly went and put on some shorts then returned. "What time is it?"
"You can't look at your own watch?" she said laughing.
"Why should I? I have you for that."
She rolled her eyes, " Two o'clock. Don't forget, you have a big chemistry test tomorrow."
I nodded. "I know it already. Wanna go catch a movie?"
"Can't," she replied, closing the paper. "Felix is coming over. We are meeting Louie for a late lunch. Wanna come with?"
"Where?"
"Spiegel's," she replied. "Very yummy," she said feeding me a nature chip she was snacking on.
I chewed on the cardboard. "Um, sure. When?"
"Get dressed. Louie will be here any second."
I sighed and went to her room to throw on last nights clothes. I still had laundry to do.
Eating a full meal with Felix was disturbing. Even though he and Mia had been together for months I still hadn't quite gotten used to him being around. Having him paw after her. Having his hand on her lap. Having him love her as much as I did. Having her love him.
"Michael," she started later that week.
"Yeah?"
"I need to talk to you about something….kind of important."
