Mia POV:

I made a beeline for the door, not wanting to get caught in such an awkward situation. I cringed as a firm hand grasped my upper arm. Great.

The Almighty Lily had captured me and was holding me prisoner. I don't suppose anyone would be kind enough to put together a rescue team?

I didn't think so.

I squeezed my eyes tight in frustration. Why must I always get myself into these situations?

I mean I really do try to keep my life normal. It's just kissing jerks and evil best friends usually tend to stir it up a bit. I really must learn to get rid of them.

I was fed up of this. Why were people always ruining my life and bossing me around?

I turned to Lily, who had a very lazily normal look about her; one of those all powerful looks, like I was an idiot and she was a Queen. Well I wasn't about to be her subject anymore. It was supposed to be the other way round anyway.

My eyes crinkled in anger, "You know what Lily? It ISN'T funny. I've lost my boyfriend, I've been betrayed by the one I thought was my friend-"

I stared pointedly at Tina. She cringed under my ruthless gaze.

"And now you're holding me captive like I'm some kind of idiot and you can make me do whatever you want! Well I'm fed up! Just let me go! I have enough wrong with my life without you bossing me around!"

Triumphantly, I shook free of Lily's grasp, which seemed to have lost all her power in the shock of my impressive speech. She was staring at me with bulging eyes, as was Tina. I must say I was very proud of myself. I didn't notice that my door key for my apartment had fallen out of my pocket in my haste.

I walked back over to Tina's table, grabbed a cookie, and sauntered out of there, just like Grandmere had taught me in princess lessons.

I opened the door to a light drizzle, but yet a refreshing burst of fresh air. I zipped up my coat and took a bite of the chocolate chip cookie, feeling confident in my decision.

The drizzle coated my hair, but I was oblivious. If someone had seen me and asked me who I was now and I said Mia Thermopolis they would probably fall over with shock. I felt that I had found a new me. Yes I had been forced to kiss a jerk. Yes I had lost my boyfriend. Yes I would now have no friends at school. Yes I would be a loner. But for the first time in my life, I felt confident. And that was all I needed.

Anyway, how hard could it be to live without friends? I had done it before. I had been invisible before. I mean up until the princess thing, half of the school didn't know I existed. I would manage.

Or at least I hoped I would.

Michael POV:

I ignored him. This was turning out to be a very informative slip of paper. I reached the park and sat down on a bench in order to prevent any more yelling pedestrians.

"- or how much I love him for the duration of Winter Break, because I broke his heart on accident and as a result, he does not love me anymore."

My breath caught in my throat. Mia didn't break my heart on purpose?

Mia still loves me?

It would be a lie if I said I wasn't ecstatic.

But life was never this simple. How could it be that I just happened to find this slip of paper? I mean seriously, what are the chances. Did she put it in the album on purpose? Or was it an accident?

And the most importantly, if what was on this paper was true, then why had she been kissing George?

Come to think of it, Mia had never said she stopped loving me. In fact she had never approached me at all after the incident. Why didn't she say something?

And as hard as it was to admit it I knew the answer to that question.

I hadn't given her the chance.

I had purposely stayed in my room for the majority of the week, and she probably hadn't dared to ask Lily to come over because Lily was mad with her as well. And when I had accidentally bumped into her in front of our apartment, I hadn't exactly been very friendly. Bitterness flowed from my heart all the way to my fingertips as I remembered that moment. She had broken my heart, but I hadn't realized that I had broken hers too.

I suddenly felt guilty. Had she felt the same pain I had? Or was this just all a hoax to embarrass me again?

I mean it hadn't exactly looked like she was trying to escape from George's grasp when I had suddenly "interrupted" them.

So I resolved to let it sit for a while. I wouldn't show any bitterness towards to her, but I wouldn't speak to her or try to reconcile with her either. And when school started again, I would watch from a distance, and see if she made any movements to try to talk to me. I would leave everything open for her; all she would have to do was come up and explain.

But I didn't realize how hard it would be to watch her from a distance.

And all of a sudden raindrops started to fall.

Mia POV:

I returned home, drenched with rainwater, but alive all the same.

The door was locked, and I hastily searched for the key, realizing that my parents must have not returned home yet.

Not finding it in my jean pockets, I hastily searched my jacket pockets. The key wasn't there either.

Oh shit.

I shook free of Lily's grasp… didn't notice that my door key for my apartment had fallen out of my pocket in my haste.

Double shit.

I stared up in frustration at the dark rain clouds that continued to shower their blessings upon me.

Haha. Blessings.

I remembered the penguin house. I hastily pulled out my cell phone checking the time. 4:30. The zoo didn't close until seven. My mom had assured me that she would return by six, so if I killed about an hour and a half at the zoo, by that time it would have stopped raining and I would be able to return home and pretend that I had just returned from Tina's. I remembered that I also still had my journal with me. I could write all about what had happened with Lily.

I ran as I fast as I could without slipping, trying not to get anymore wet than I already was. Unfortunately, when I finally made it to the zoo, my hair was soaking and my clothes weren't much better off. I shivered as I paid my entrance fee to the zoo and quickly made my way to the dry shelter of the penguin exhibit. Although it was still cold in here, the penguins kept me company, and it was dry.

I remembered Jonathan, the kind caretaker I had met when I was here last time. Maybe he took care of the penguins as well. I normally would have gone to the polar bear, but his exhibit was closed for cleaning. I guess they thought this was the best time of day to do it, since they probably wouldn't have many visitors when it was raining and so near to Christmas.

I pulled my coat tighter around me and pulled out my worn journal. I flipped to the next clean page and began recounting the incident with Lily. Hopefully the hour would pass quickly and I could return to the warmth of my apartment.

I was just reaching that part where I found out that Tina had betrayed me to Lily when I felt another presence. I quickly lifted my head, hoping it was Jonathan.

Michael POV:

I cursed in annoyance at the fat raindrops that were falling down upon me. I quickly headed for the nearest shelter. The trellis that I found wasn't exactly adequate, as the rain went through the deciduous plants that had lost all of their leaves.

I quickly scanned the area for a sturdier shelter of some kind. My eyes rested on a sign in the distance.

"Central Park Zoo"

Oh well, I would have to pay, but it was better than looking like an idiot trying to shelter under a trellis. Not that there was anyone there to see me. I guess I was dealing with my own conscience. I quickly fished out a five dollar bill and shoved it hastily into the ticket man's hands, mumbling "Keep the change".

I quickly ran into the shelter of the building and my feet automatically carried me towards the polar bear exhibit. I had been there many times with Mia.

I found my way to the entrance, but was disappointed to find a sign that read,

"This Exhibit is Closed for Cleaning. Sorry for any Inconvenience this May Cause"

Bloody Zookeepers.

I walked onto next entranceway to an exhibit with a large sign reading "Penguins" above it. Oh well. This would do for now.

I saw someone else sitting on the bench across from the penguin enclosure. She looked very absorbed in what she was doing, which looked like reading. She didn't look up as I got closer and saw that she was writing in what looked like a journal.

Her hair was dark with water, which I assumed was from the rain that she had come through to get here. My hair was in a similar state.

I looked closer at what she was writing in. It looked very familiar. I could see her face scrunch in frustration as she wrote large capital letters which I could see read, "STUPID BEST FRIENDS! WHY CAN'T I EVER RELY ON THEM! EVEN WHEN I'VE JUST LOST A BOYFRIEND!"

She seemed angry. I mean I would be too if I had just lost my boyfriend. I hoped that she would be happy again.

She suddenly jerked her head up and I almost fell over with shock.

It was Mia.

Mia POV:

I stared in shock at who was standing above me. MICHAEL!

Oh my God. Calm. Take a deep breath.

MICHAEL!

I quickly shut my journal, hoping he hadn't read anything. I looked down trying to avoid his also shocked eyes. My eyes rested on his left hand in which he held a slip of paper.

I squinted my eyes in concentration, wanting to read what I said. I thought it was just his entrance ticket.

But then I noticed my handwriting.

OH MY GOD.

MY CHRISTMAS RESOLUTION!

How the hell did he get his hands on that? That was supposed to be a secret! Had he broken into my room? I quickly flipped through my journal, hoping to find that my real resolution was still where I had left it.

I could find it no where.

I saw him follow my furious glance towards his hand. He looked up meekly. This could only mean one thing. Michael Moscovitz had read my journal.

I looked into his eyes with a hurt expression. How could he invade my privacy? I thought he at least respected me that much even if he thought I had cheated on him.

All of a suddenly he quietly whispered, "Do you still love me Mia?"

I was furious. How could he just expect me to forgive him for reading my journal? I stood up with anger and shouted furiously,

"How dare you invade my privacy like that! Who do you think you are?"

I stormed out of the penguin house and out through the exit of the zoo, not wanting to listen to any of his explanations.

I stepped outside and let out a frustrated sigh.

It was still raining.

AN: Thanks for all of the reviews! I hope you like this chapter!

SAXandCLARINETgrl: Thanks for the comment! Hopefully they'll get back together in the end, but I guess you'll just have to keep reading and reviewing to find out! ;)

sarah: Thanks! And please if you have any suggestions, let me know! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

sparklingt87: I'm glad you like it! And now its been updated:)

bob: Haha yeah well I couldn't resist! I'm sure any sane writer can't resist cliffhangers! ;)

finally: I try hurry! Although most of the time it doesn't work... but thanks for the review!

VIP86: Well I kept writing! I hope you liked this chapter and please review!

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