Chapter Sixteen...
Michael's POV...
Holly faced me with her hands on her hips and a gleam in her eye, and it was not a good one. "You're going to the library again?"
"Yeah, sorry. Can you hang out with Janet tonight or something?"
I'm not really sorry. I know I should be since I'm ditching my fiancée to hang out with my ex, but Mia still needs help catching up. And I destroyed her notes last night; I can't just not help her now. I said I would.
"What's so good about the library, anyway?" She raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
"What do you mean? I just read there. I just feel like taking a quiet weekend. It's been pretty hectic recently; I need some Michael-time. Are you ok with that?"
Too bad if she's not.
"I suppose." Her bottom lip pouted.
"I'll make it up to you some other time ok?"
"You better."
I grabbed my jacket and keys, kissed her good bye and walked out the door. Or rather escaped through it.
I reached the library and Mia had already taken out her books and had them all laid out in front of her.
I nodded hello to Lars and sat beside her.
"Hey," she said when she saw me. "Thankyou so much for helping me tonight again. I hope I'm not keeping you from something."
"Are you kidding? I have nothing better to do. And besides, you clearly need my expertise, Thermopolis. Where would you be without me?"
"Good point. Well, let's get started, I still have a lot to do just to catch up to what I have to catch up to."
"No problem."
For a few hours we poured through the books, writing notes on all the stuff she'd covered in class. I explained in simpler terms what a lot of it meant when she didn't understand it. I think she's really taking it all in.
But after a while we were both getting tired and kept getting distracted every time someone walked past us or sneezed.
"Should we take a break?" I suggested.
"I think we should, I don't think my brain can take much more without one."
We sat back in our chairs and relaxed.
I wanted to ask her about Felix, to suss out the situation. But I don't think that conversation will make either of us relaxed. So I refrained myself.
"Oh, guess what?" Mia said after a few minutes.
"What?" I rolled my head to the side to face her.
"Dad and Grandmere are coming back to the country in a few months. Lucky me."
"Wow. She hasn't been here in years, right? Is she still the same?"
"Oh yes. One thing I am sure will never change, no matter how much everything else does, is my grandmother. She will be the same until the day she dies: scary, uncompassionate and ruthless."
"Ha ha. Yeah, that sounds like the charming old lady you used to complain about. So when are they coming?"
"Towards the end of the school year. I'm not sure exactly when, but I know they'll be here until I finish my finals so I can just go back with them to spend the Summer there."
"Lucky you," I said sarcastically.
"Tell me about it. I'd love to just be able to spend the summer on the beach in California or somewhere nice. But I never even get to go to the beach in Genovia because I'm always in parliament meetings or whatever. I tell you, this princess business is not all it's cracked up to be."
"It's not like in Disney movies, is it?"
She looked at me as if I'd read her mind. "Exactly. No, it's not. It would be so much better if it was."
"Too bad all things in life can't be like they are in cartoon fairytales." I looked at her with regret in my eyes, and she showed sadness in hers.
But then we both sort of snapped back to reality and got back to the studying.
Once again, we stayed at the library until the librarian kicked us out.
Having caught up to date with making notes for what they'd already covered in class, Mia was happy with what we've accomplished in our two nights of study.
"Thanks, Michael," she said as we walked outside, she in the direction of her dorm building, me in mine. "I really appreciate the help. I think I understand what we've gone through so far, and I'm going to keep better notes so I won't fall behind."
"Well, don't stress about it. If you need more help any other time, don't hesitate to ask. I really don't mind, just ask."
"Ok, maybe I will. See you later." She turned and headed into her building, Lars on her heels.
I breathed in deeply a few times before heading up to my own dorm room.
But when I got there, there was already someone outside it. They were talking to someone, presumably Holly, inside.
"No," I heard Holly say rather sternly.
"Are you sure?" the guy asked. I'm not quite close enough to tell who he is yet.
"Yes, I'm positive."
"Hey," I said as I neared the door.
The guy turned around and I saw it was John, one of the guys from Mondavi.
"Oh, hey, buddy," he said. "I was just looking for you. Holly said you were still at the library, but I didn't think you'd be there this late."
"Yeah, I was. So what did you want me for?"
"Huh?"
"You came here to see me, what did you want?"
"Oh right, sorry. Well I was just wondering about the band, when are we gonna start practicing again?"
"Um, I dunno. We'll arrange something when we all have time. But things have been a little hectic recently."
"Yeah, sure. Ok. Well, let me know. You know where to find me."
"Ok, see you later."
I shut the door behind him and turned to Holly.
"Are you ok?" I asked her, she looked a little on edge.
"Yeah. But that guy just creeps me out."
"Who, John? He's harmless. He's actually a really good guy once you get to know him."
"Yeah, I'm sure he is."
