As I was going through mom's dresser, looking for her tweezers, the phone rang. I reached for the cordless next to her bed and answered it on the second ring.

"Yo." Does sounding macho on the phone make me macho?

"Michael! Guess what?"

"What, Thermopolis?"

"Josh and I are back together!"

I almost dropped mom's bottle of Winter Ice perfume I'd been holding (it was in front of the manicure set. I'd figured there were tweezers in there, okay?).

"What?" I gasped. "What did I tell you last night, Mia? He's a jerk, and he doesn't deserve you. You're too good for him."

She really is. She's such a nice girl, and he's such…an ass. The fact that he's got a perfectly toned behind has no effect on my feelings towards him whatsoever.

"No he's not. It was all a mistake last night. He apologised and I forgave him. It's all good now."

"God, Mia. Are you thick?" How can she think he's still got credibility?

"No, I am not, Michael. And I don't appreciate your demeanour."

"Well that's too bad. Because you are thick of you think Josh isn't just going to use you again. Because he will. I thought I made you see the light last night! Now you've just changed your mind?"

"No, you had some good points last night, Michael. But I've thought it all over, and what he did wasn't that bad. And he's learnt from his mistake now. Believe me, things can only get better from now on."

"Oh, Mia, you are a fool if you believe that."

I heard her sigh; obviously, she no longer cares what I think.

"Can you just put Lilly on the phone, please?"

I didn't reply. I just walked back in to the kitchen and threw the phone at Lilly before stalking off into my room.

I can't believe my talk to her at the dance last night was for nothing.

Doesn't she realise what she's doing to herself? She's setting herself up for heartbreak all over again! And this time, I may not be there to pick up the pieces.

Nope, she's all on her own. She's a lost cause.

-

While making myself a banana and honey smoothie later, I decided that maybe Mia wasn't such a lost cause. And dragging her away from Josh Richter could definitely be fun. And it would be doing her a favour anyway.

So armed with a peace offering (Star Wars, she loves these movies almost as much as me) I sauntered over to the loft and waited for her to return home from her date.

Her mom wasn't home, so I let myself in with the spare key she leaves under the mat. For two girls living alone in New York City, they're not very security conscious.

Eventually she came home and after a little hesitation, we watched the movie. I even apologised for butting in on her business. Of course, I still feel like I'm right about Josh, but how am I going to gain her trust about such matters when all I do is berate her like a child?

And Mia's no child. She's sweet, and caring, and totally button cute. I can see why Josh would want to date her, besides the fact that she's a princess. So if he really isn't pretending to like her, I can see why he would.

"Thanks, Michael, I really app…" she started.

"Shh," I told her, putting my arm around her shoulders. "Han is on screen. I like this bit."

She smiled and snuggled up to me.

Yeah, Mia's a great girl…Ooh! Light Saber fight!

-

Felix came over the next weekend to play video games.

I stretched out on my bed while he chose a game.

"Where are the rest of them?" he asked, looking up at me.

"The rest of what?" I asked.

"Your games. All you seem to have are Mario Bros. games. Don't you have any sport or racing games? Football, soccer? Eternal Darkness or Time Splitters?"

I shrugged. "I have Zelda. And Star Wars."

"Man," Felix sighed. "I knew I should have brought some games over."

"What's wrong with Mario Brothers games?" I asked. Mario Kart is a classic, and the new Game Cube version is gold.

"They're just so…gay," he finally said. "So, what else do you wanna do then?"

"I don't care. It's your choice."

He stood up and wandered over to my bookshelves, where I keep my DVD's, giving me a good look at his behind. Not that I was looking or anything. I was just admiring his jeans.

"You keep your others under the bed?" He grinned and turned around.

"Other what?"

"You know…your pornos."

"Oh, no, I don't really have any of those."

He laughed. "Yeah, right. Come on, show me."

"I really don't have any."

"I'm not going to go telling your mother, dude. I want to see if I've seen them. Otherwise maybe I'll borrow them. Come on."

He took a few steps forwards and dropped to his knees, reaching under the mattress.

"Felix," I said, slightly distracted by the soft scent his cologne. "I really don't have anything under there."

"Well, where do you keep them then?" he asked, sitting back, only inches from where I was sprawled on the bed.

"I don't have any. Plain and simple."

"Michael, I find that very hard to believe." He reached over and started to open my dresser, where I keep that poster of Heath Ledger that was in last month's Cosmo. He was wearing a really great shirt, it brought out the colour in his eyes. I just didn't want Felix to see it because he might think there was another reason I ripped it out of the magazine and kept it.

"Don't," I said, reaching for his hand and grabbing it. His face was now only inches from mine.

He smiled. "So this is where you keep it. Come on! Show me!"

Something about his grin, coupled with his sparking eyes set something off inside of me. I've certainly never thought of doing this before, but I couldn't help thinking it now. But suddenly all I wanted to do was grab Felix's face and bring it towards mine, kissing the life out him.

So I did it.

Or at least started to, until he jumped up as though his pants were on fire. And not the same way my own pants were on fire.

"Dude, what the hell are you doing?"

I lay back on the bed and held my hands over my face. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

He was silent for a good minute. I didn't dare look at him. Eventually he sighed and said, "I'm gonna go."

Then he just left. Leaving me confused, and…more confused.

What the hell did I just do?

If anyone...anywhere...is reading this, reviews are totally welcome.