Author's Note: This is the real chapter 39. So sorry for the confusion. Apparently The Adventures of Yellowdog is a future tale told by a dynamic duo who shall remain nameless

Dedicated to the twenty and over club. We're not old, just experienced. And closer to getting into 21+ shows


MIA:
"Michael," I said the next afternoon, after we finished practice. Breathe Mia. Just breathe. You've done it every second of your life for the past eighteen and three quarters of a years. In and out. In and out.
"Yeah?" he asked with a smile that I have grown to know too well. I was wearing the very same one. At least up until Manny opened his big fat mouth. Why did he have to do that? Seriously, I was FINE. Maybe on the road to actually...well, no. I wasn't actually going to do anything. But he made it clear that everyone knew the truth about Michael and I.

"Mia, what is it?" Michael asked with a slight laugh.
"Um…"
"Hey, Mia," Felix said, tapping his watch.
I looked at my boyfriend andsighed and thenlooked back at Michael. "I want to talk, later, okay?"
He nodded, but didn't look expectant. "Yeah, come on by my place after...you know, whatever."


"Hello, Mia!" Mr. Shortdridge greeted, hugging me warmly. I am a piece of shit.
"Hello, sir," I said with a smile. "How are things going? How is the campaign?" He was helping to run a Senatorial campaign for the former mayor of New York.
"Running smoothly. The mayor is meeting us for dinner, I hope you don't mind."
Ugh. Two Republicans! (A/N: if you know me you will find that comment very funny). Plus Felix. I am a stupid sleazy girl.
"Great, no problem what so ever."
Yeah, me…girl with not a problem in the world, right? No secret affairs that are never spoken of. Nope. Not me.
Not this girl at all.

I sat there bored stiff the entire time. It would have been great if Felix showed some affection. But he was more interested in looking important and mature in front of the old mayor. He told me once that he kind of wanted to go into politics when he was older. Let him. I'm all set with politics. That was something I was thinking about.
Not politics, but being out of it. I didn't want anything to do with it. Not even a degree in it. I know…I know that Grandmere will most likely have my head on her silver platter, but I really think that I'm going to leave school. It's not me. I hate it and I really dislike most of the people there.
None of them are Lilly. All the girls in my classes are all conservatives who think a certain way simply because that's what their mom and dad do. And they fawn all over me and flirt with Lars (not that he doesn't love it or anything…).
I haven't even told anyone. Other than Louie actually. I'm kind of scared to, actually. Say "Guess what guys, I'm not going to go to college. I'm just gonna try to make this band thing work out and hope for the best!"? Tcha, right!. They'd only kill me a lil bit.
But then again, registration for next semester is in two weeks and if I don't make a schedule then they can't really make me go, right? PLUS, I can make a scholarship or something to a needy student for a full ride to NYU.
I've been talking to Louie about it and he thinks it'd be best if I gave my money that I'd have spent on college on someone else to follow that dream. Since it'd be a waste for me, who wouldn't want it, to have it.

"With Mia on his side, of course," Mr. Shortbridge said with a wink.
I woke up when they said that. "Excuse me?" I squeaked. What am I supposed to do? Had I agreed to do something? For a Republican? Had I agreed to throw my support for this stupid guy?
"You'll be there right by his side, right? Taking care of the children." The mayor's children? Was I a nanny now?

"What children?"

This caused everyone to laugh. "Our kids," Felix said softly, squeezing my hand.
I looked at Felix. "I'm only eighteen years old sir. I haven't decided anything-"
They all started laughing when I said this. Geez, never knew I was such a comedienne.
"Oh, you know how women are," Mr. Shortdridge said, laughing. "I'm sure you'll make up your mind when you see how well the band is doing."
My eyebrows rose, "Excuse me? I plan on being in my band. I'll take care of myself before I would take care of a husband."
Felix patted my hand. "Calm down sweetheart."
I gave him a cold glare. "I will not calm down. And do not call me sweetheart." With that I stood up and stormed out. Who cares if STAR magazine got a picture of me storming out like that? I sure didn't.

It was pouring rain. I was wearing an incredibly impractical jacket that had no hood. I hailed a cab (which is terribly easy when you have a guy the size of Lars shooting dirty looks at anyone who tried to get the cab he got for me)and pulled out my phone.
"Hello, Sydney here," the voice said cheerfully.
"Oh, sorry. I must have dialed wrong-"
"Looking for Michael, aka SEX GOD?" she said with a laugh.
I felt a lump in my throat. "I know him as Michael Moscovitz," I said hoarsely.
"Here, it's a girl," she said in a sing song voice. "Do I need to be jealous?"
"Hello?" he said, laughing. "Hello? Anyone there?"

I hung up and changed my mind again.
I had planned on going over there, telling him I loved him and then kissing him. Manny said Michael loved me. He would know better than anyone else would. But hearing that girl's voice…made me realize that Manny was right. Michael would not be faithful. Not to anyone, even me. Not even to the idea of me.


MICHAEL:
I looked at the caller ID and saw Mia's number. "Hey, Mia? Mia? Hello?" Fucccccck.
"What's wrong?" my cousin, Sydney (yes, she was named after my father)asked.
"That was Mia."
"The princess? I was just talking to a living, breathing princess?" she said in amazement. "Oh God, I'm sorry Michael, I didn't know. Is she mad?"
She shouldn't be. She's with that jackass.
My littlest cousin, Georgie started signing very quickly. "Slow down," I signed back. It was frustrating at times. Georgie was six years old and completely deaf. I had learned to sign when I was seventeen, only Lilly knew I had this 'talent'.
She was asking me if Mia was marrying a prince. I told her no. She was going to college, but had an older brother who was a prince. And a younger brother around her age, but that he was not a prince. She made a face and asked how much older. I told her much. She giggled and then went back to her doll house.
I opened up a beer and handed one to Sydney. "She shouldn't be too mad. She wants to talk though."
She looked at me skeptically. "You like her,don't you?"
"Yeah."
"That was a quick response."
I smiled shyly. I usually am not shy. You know that by now. "Well, it's weird. It's like…we're just waiting around for it to be just the perfect timing. For it all to come together…"
"It's never going to be perfect timing," she said wistfully. "You have to go for it with all your heart. Don't take no for an answer."
I nodded in agreement. I'd do just that tonight.

Georgie and Syd left a few minutes later. "Have a few drinks. Get your courage," Syd suggested with a wink.

I sat in the living room, waiting for her to come back. I had a lot of alcohol. I was taking a big chance here tonight. I played some video games and mentally prepared myself for that night. It would either be the best or the worst night of my entire life.

I looked outside to the street where it was pouring rain. Why had she called? She was probably a little annoyed with me. I don't blame her really.
I saw her walking in her little outfit that she wore to meet important people. She was soaking wet and was holding a newspaper to cover her head. I watched her and realized that I would remember tonight for the rest of my life.
"Hey," she said coming in.
I had sat down and started another beer and playing Mortal Combat. "Hey yourself. You just missed my cousin Sydney."
"Cousin eh?"
"She's funny, I know," I said nervously. I took another sip of my beer.
She pulled it away from me. I expected her to take a big sip but she didn't. She dumped it into an already dead plant. "We need to talk."
"Okay." Breathe in, breathe out. Ignore the fact that her shirt is clinging to her because of the rain. Ignore it. Pretend she's wearing a fluffy sweatshirt.God, shealways looks great in my sweatshirts. I love when she wears my clothes. STOP IT MICHAEL!
"This needs to stop."
"What does?"
"Your drinking."
"My drinking?" I repeated slowly.
"You've been drinking a lot lately," she replied, pacing, and avoiding my eyes.
"How would you know? You've been too busy to hang out because of Felix."
She nodded slowly. "Yes…fair enough. But you are my friend, Michael. And I do care about you. I do...I do love you. I don't want you to get hurt."
I stared at her. This was her way of our thing ending. "I can't just end it," I replied.
She held my hand, "We'll do it together. I won't drink if you won't."
I sighed. Looking at her eyes I could tell she was being honest. She really didn't want us to hurt one another anymore.

That's all we had been doing really. In between making one another feel all sorts of good. But the pain of seeing her running off to some other guy was not worth the sex. Sex wasn't necessarily important. If I could have been with her and never have sex again I'd do it. In a heart beat. But I can't tell her that.
"Fine."
I saw a smile creep onto her face. "Good."