Author's Note:
Thoughtless: Thanks, I like them too.
Living: Here's another long one for you
Rader: They were just coming into the apartment when they were talking about that. He was in her room, out of hearing range.
SoCal: You can put away your kicking ass shoes now. There are fourteen pages left here. Not including a special part for the other site…which has mysteriously disappeared. I'll find it though. Anyways, about 2-3 chapters left.
Jacki: Alan Alda? I'm not gonna ask…
Loser 28: Um I would never EVER have one of my characters have an abortion. I think I've said that in another story before. But I dunno if you've read anything else, so now you know.
Everyone else: You make me feel bad with your reviews. You'll see why in the next week or so.
Michael:
Oh God. Those words can never be too good. Is she pregnant? Well...if she is, the kid isn't mine. She'd have been showing by now, right? Well, some women don't show very much. And Mia's always been really thin..."Yeah?"I choked out finally. I had to say something. I mean, I looked like a dying dog or something. Or like I was having a seizure.
Maybe it's a good thing.
Not her being pregnant. Not that that wouldn't be totally cool (if it were mine and not Assface's)
But who knows? Maybe she'd pledging her love for me. Being with Felix is too terrible to suffer through for one more day.
"Um, well, you know that huge flood in Asia last fall?"
"Yeah?" I asked. Maybe she's doing that cat on the roof thing that she told me about before. She'd talk about the orphans over there. Then say how people over here are having kids everyday. Then she'd tell me she was having that jackasses baby and needs my help telling him.
God. Please don't be having his baby. Please, don't even be sleeping with him. He has more venereal diseases than a real rock star.
"Well, this fund is putting together a charity album."
"Yeah?" Okay...looking better kind of….what the hell am I talking about? We're discussing a flood.
"And I was asked to help out," she finished.
"By?"
"Well, they contacted my family and then my dad talked to me. You know how it is. They agreed for me."
"What? But you are eighteen and they can't-"
"Hold on a second," she said with a smile. "Look, after I flipped out on my dad I contacted the person in charge of all this. I said I would enjoy helping them, if I got to choose the song, and the people playing the instruments."
I saw where she was going with this. "Okay."
"And I obviously chose you guys. But I need help deciding which song from our set lists," she said handing me a list of the songs.
"Does it have to be inspirational or something?" I asked.
"No. Not at all. They want something catchy."
"Who else is on this album?" I asked, trying to sound ultra casual. And trying to figure out if I was upset it wasn't something else. No. This is us being on a real life honest to God album.
She made a face. "Jessica Simpson. Gratuity…Hilary Duff….Creed…."
"But they broke up!" I snapped.
"I know, but word has it that they are thinking about getting back together and see this as a stepping off point."
I sighed. "They want pop?"
"I told them they wouldn't get it."
"And they still want you?"
"Yes. Michael, if we make it good enough…think about what could happen. We'd get on the air. Not just Lilly's little cable show. Real radio stations."
"I feel bad using that tragedy as publicity."
"I know," she said slowly, "But it's not like I'm going out and asking for all this. They asked me."
She had a point there. "Fine. Let's figure this all out."
MIA:
"What about us?" Felix demanded that night when I told him my plan that night after my band rehearsal. He was helping me wrap up some cords.
"What about us? We're fine," I replied.
"No, my band. Did you even think about us?"
Sure Felix, since I'm sooo involved with the music biz they'd do whatever I said.
"Oh…well, no."
"Or at least me. Maybe I could do the drum work for the song. I don't think Manny would mind…not much at least."
I turned to Manny who was goofing around with Kevin.
"Felix-"
"I don't think you are part of Glass of Water," Michael interrupted. "We're on the album, not you. Mia is part of my band."
Felix turned to stone. And not a stone fox kind of stone. "I'm her boyfriend. I think she will want to help me out."
"We've been here with her for years," Michael countered, nose to nose with Felix. "I think she's made it clear that she wants us."
"I think that she can make up her own mind without you pressuring her all the time, Moscovitz."
"She asked me, Shortdridge," Michael snapped, pushing Felix away with one finger.
Felix pushed Michael back, and before I knew it the two of them were rolling on the floor fighting. "Manny!" I screamed.
He rolled his eyes. "Let them fight this one out Mia baby."
I gave him a dirty look. Uh hello, my boyfriend is being pummeled by Michael Moscovitz here. Who the hell am I supposed to stop?
"Lars?" I asked.
He shrugged. "You, Princess, are my responsibility, not Michael."
Uh, what about Felix? My BOYFRIEND?
Finally Manny pulled Michael away. "C'mon dude, let's get out of here for awhile, okay?"
"It's not over Shortdridge," Michael screamed. I noticed that his nose was bleeding. God. What is it with my boyfriends damaging that beautiful nose?
Felix wiped his own nose. "That guy is such a jerk," he said simply to me once we were alone.
"No he's not," I said softly. "He's my friend. I know you two don't get along but still. He's my friend. You are my boyfriend. We'll hafta figure out a fair balance."
"I'm begging you," Felix started as I started cleaning up his nose, "Stop hanging out with him so much. Please. It makes me feel….less of a man."
"For me to have guy friends?" I asked, confused.
"No…it's like….sometimes you choose him over me. And he likes stuffing it in my face. Getting back at me for making out with Serena all those years ago. He's like a little kid."
So, to keep my boyfriend happy, I stopped hanging out all the time with Michael and the guys. I met some girls from school and hung out with them instead. This isn't to say that I didn't see Michael when we recorded the song, Rest of My Life (AN: Rilo Kiley sings this, look up the lyrics and you'll see why I chose it)in February. But I placed my focus more on the other guys than on him, which killed me.
As much as I love Felix, I do miss Michael. The simplicity of just sitting and watching a movie and screaming lines at the screen. I miss him, but I do love Felix.
MICHAEL:
I watched as she walked down the street with that jackass. Why the hell did she choose him over me?
"Dude, we should get you to the hospital," Kevin said looking at my nose as he took away some ice we'd put on it.
"It looks broken," Manny agreed.
I sighed, but that even hurt. That douche bag was only capable of hurting me. He screwed around with Serena, and now Mia. And now he broke my nose. My poor, poor nose. It was already horrible, now it was going to be even more terrible.
"But I looked like I won, right?" I asked later as me and the guys left the ER.
They all looked at one another. "Totally. You kicked his ass. All for the honor of Glass of Water. Thanks, man," Manny said with a wink. They all know it wasn't for them. It was for Mia. And only Mia.
When I got home Sadie was sitting on the couch. "What on earth happened to you?" she asked in what I can only describe as a whiney voice.
"I got into a fight," I replied, tossing my keys into the bowl by the door.
"With who?" she asked, following me as I made my way to my room.
"Felix," I replied.
"Felix?"
"Mia's boyfriend-"
"You got into a fight with the Princess of Genovia's BOYFRIEND? Are you stupid?"
I fell onto my bed and sighed. Painkillers are wonderful things. "Why is it stupid?"
"She's the princess of Genovia," she replied, as if I was a child.
"He isn't," I snapped.
"But she is!"
"I didn't punch her, I punched my old friend. Stop spazzing out."
"Why were you fighting him?" she demanded.
I closed my eyes and thought about the wonders of my prescription that I'd picked up in the hospital pharmacy. "Because he's a jerk."
"How so?" she asked.
What is with the interrogation? "I want to break up," I said suddenly, surprising both of us. I hadn't planned that.
"W-What? Why?" she asked, wide eyed.
"It just isn't gelling."
"Gelling? What….Michael, no. That is no excuse. You are being rid"
"Yes it is..an excuse I mean. Either it gels, or it doesn't. And it sure as hell doesn't."
" I- I love you though. Don't you love me?"
"Sadie, we've been together for what, six months? I think we've put enough into this."
"B-But…."
"Sadie, I'm done. I don't want a girlfriend anymore. I don't want to have someone begging me to bring the princess around. She's my friend. A real human being. Not a freak show you make her out to be. I just want to be with my friends."
"Especially her!" she snapped, grabbing her coat that she'd thrown over the back of my desk chair.
"No. Including her. But everyone. The band, Ryan…Edgar…Dylan…" I said, naming all my friends off the top of my head.
"You are in love with her you sick fuck."
I was a little taken back by this statement. "What?"
"Oh please. You are so fucking protective over her. At first I thought it was because she was like a little sister, but it's so fucking obvious. You are in love with her. God…she's four years younger than you, you sick bastard."
"I'm two years younger than you," I argued, not denying my love for Mia.
"You don't deny loving her?"
"It's not your business."
"It is if my boyfriend is in love with someone else-"
"I'm not your boyfriend anymore," I snapped.
"You probably pictured her when you were with me, didn't you? God….how stupid am I? Mia Bella? You called me that our first night together. I thought it was adorable. You were about to say her name, weren't you? Gawd, you aren't even Italian!"
I shrugged. "Does it make a difference now? You and I are over. Done."
"Just you wait, Michael Moscovitz. Just you wait….."
"For what?" I snapped, following her out of the room.
"I'll get back at you when you least expect it asshole."
I watched her leave.
"Psychotic bitch," Manny mumbled, eating a roast beef sandwich after she left. "But at least you broke up with her. You never told me you were going to."
I shook my head. "Maybe the drugs made me do it."
He burst out laughing. "That," he started, "Would be a great song."
"What's going on with you two?" Kevin asked, looking at Mia, in February. We were just wrapping up the recording for the album.
"I dunno."
"For the past few weeks you hardly ever talk. Ever since the fight."
"I can't talk to her if she's with Senor Douche Bag."
He nodded, "Agreed. But Michael, she's been your best friend. If she wants to be with him…there's not much we can do about it, right?"
I shrugged as I watched Manny putting ice down her back.
The recording had gone late into the night. It was Valentine's Day. Felix was in Jersey at a gig, but he and Mia had celebrated the night before by going to Per Se. He took Daddy's credit card. Big Spender. at a gig, but he and Mia had celebrated the night before by going to He took Daddy's credit card. Big Spender.
"Fuck it," I said slamming my guitar case closed. "I'm sick of this bullshit from her. I'll talk to her. Go to the Warehouse. We'll meet you there at midnight."
"What?" Kevin asked, almost laughing. "You are bringing her-"
"Just go. We have to stick together."
He shook his head, "I dunno-"
"Just do it."
"Come on, Thermopolis," I said grabbing her hand. "Let's go."
She looked surprised. "Huh?"
"Come with me. Kev, midnight, okay?"
He nodded and went to make the announcement to the other guys.
"Michael, I have plans," she hissed. "I am meeting-"
"Cancel," I replied.
We paused on that New York sidewalk and stared at one another. Our breath showing in the cold air.
"I can't just cancel…."
"Then Lars will," I replied nodding at him. He already had his phone out. I'm so glad we bonded during my senior year.
"What are we doing?" she asked as we walked into a Chinese restaurant.
"Dinner before a party," I replied.
"What?"
"It's not like Lix is around," I replied, staring at the menu.
"But-"
"Mia, we're going to a party at the warehouse down on Amsterdam. Relax."
She looked surprised. "But-"
"No buts. Just order."
Author's Note #2: I can't wait for the next chapter. It's fun. Well, fun for me.
