Chapter Seven…

Time to rip off that old band-aid, I suppose. I can't really do anything for Michael until he's hit the ice-cream stage, and by the time he does, I'll be free of Leaves and needing a punnet or two for myself.

And there's no time like the present. I directed the limo from Michael's over to Leave's place, instead of the Loft.

"Hey," he said softly when he opened the door and saw me standing there.

I mumbled an uncomfortable greeting back, looking away from his eyes.

"I've tried calling you, did you switch your phone off or something?"

"Yeah, something like that. Can I come in? We need to talk."

"Sure." He opened the door a little wider and stood to the side.

"Are your parent's home?" I asked, looking around.

"Nope. I'm all on my lonesome…until you arrived."

He collapsed onto the couch and I sat on the other side, not as close as we usually would.

He noticed my distance and sighed. "Look, Mia, it's okay. You don't have to explain anything. I understand that things with Michael have been a little off lately, I spoke to Max today. And I'm sorry I've been insisting that you spend time with me instead. Can we just forget what's happened and move on?"

He sat up and scootched over on the couch until he was practically on top of me, nuzzling my neck.

I let him for a second, enjoying what I knew will be the last kisses. But then I had to stop him. Things have to stop right now.

"Leaves, I still want to talk," I told him.

"We just did," he said, his heart beating against my arm as I held it against him. "What's more to talk about?"

He sat back and looked at me, eyebrows raised.

"Actually," I said slowly, taking a breath. "There's lots to talk about."

"Do you mean about us?" he asked. "Or do you just want to go through the pleasantries before we get hot and heavy?"

"God, Leaves! Of course I want to talk about us. I don't…I just don't think this is going to work…"

I left it hanging there and watched his facial expression. He's hurt, I can tell.

"What are you talking about? We had a fight, it's nothing to break up over!"

"Well…" I thought for a second. "I beg to differ."

"You beg to differ?" he asked. "You beg to differ?" He stood up and walked over to the kitchen table on the other side of the room. Then he slammed both of his hands onto the tabletop.

I didn't say anything. What am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to do?

"Christ, Mia! Are we really breaking up over this…this crap? I don't even know what it is we're fighting over anymore! Please, enlighten me."

"Well," I stammered. "Basically, it's come down to choosing my friendship with Michael, or my relationship with you, and I'm sorry, but I'm choosing Michael."

He turned around to face me so quickly I thought he was going to get whiplash. "Why do you have to choose at all?"

"Um, because you aren't very receptive to my spending time with him. He's my best friend and you act as if I'm cheating on you by being with him."

"I told you I was sorry for that. I spoke to Max, he told me they broke up. And I'm sure he needs your shoulder to cry on right now, but when he's over it, you'll still have time for the both of us, right?"

"No, Leaves, I've made my decision."

He sighed heavily. "This is bullshit, Mia. You're making a big mistake. Are you punishing me for what my brother did?"

I looked away.

"That's it, isn't it? You're punishing me for Max's crimes."

"No, it's not about that…Not entirely anyway."

"What do you mean?"

God, I've gone and dug myself into a hole here, haven't I?

"Well, I will admit that the thought did cross my mind that maybe you would break my heart like Max broke Michael's…But that's not the whole reason, I swear."

"Mia," he said, striding across the room and taking one of my hands in his. "I'm not Max. I don't have any ex-girlfriends-or boyfriends- in my closet, okay? So the rest of this stuff, we can work through it. Together. Okay?"

He kissed me and I almost fell for it. But then I remembered my resolve and pushed him away.

"No," I said, more strongly than I felt. "I have to go."

"This isn't over, Mia," he called out to me. "I won't give up on us."

"You might not have the choice," I said before closing the door behind me.

I cried all the way down to the limo. I cried all the way to the Loft, and I cried all the way to my bedroom.

I only stopped crying when mom came into my room with the phone.

"Who is it?" I asked tentatively. I'm so not speaking to Leaves.

"Who do you think?" she asked jokingly. "Who else calls this late on a Sunday night? It's Michael."

Thank the Lord.

"Hi," I sobbed into the phone.

"Jeez, Thermopolis, you sound as bad as me. What happened?"

"I broke…Leaves…Over…Bad…" I don't know how much of that he understood, but I guess he just knew what it was about, a best friend vibe.

"Are you at the ice-cream stage yet?" was all he said.

"I think so."

"Then I'm coming over, because I've reached it too. I'll be there soon."

I hung up the phone feeling better already. Ice-cream will help too. And a good goss session with Michael. We haven't had one of them in a while.

Author's Note:

Next chapter is a doozy...