A/N: All right y'all. I promised a chapter. I don't know if this is rushed or not... maybe it is. But I would like to get this plot rollin'... so yeah. I don't own Mort. I do own the other two M names, though... Mickenzie and Myra. I like Ms! Not really... I dunno.
And it begins...

News about Mort and Mickenzie spread quickly around the school. Neither could enter a classroom or bathroom without hushed whispers or giggles. It didn't bother them, though. Mickenzie was used to being the center of attention, the focal point of school gossip. And Mort caused controversy... wherever he went.

After they had been dating for a month or so, Mort asked Mickenzie to "go steady"... even he was surprised at his actions. She agreed, but on one condition: he changed nothing about himself. Mickenzie was afraid that he would try to mold himself to fit in with the "popular" crowd. Something she had done way back in 2nd grade.

The odd couple always drew stares in the hall, but quite honestly, they didn't care. Mort was happy. And the voices had subsided... for now.

"Mort..." Mickenzie whined one sunny December morning, "why don't we ever go to your house?" she tugged on his arm and made puppy dog eyes (something that not even Mort Rainey could resist).

"Well... um... you never said you wanted to before now..." he replied, his brow getting sweaty.

"So we can go then?! I can meet your mother, and eat dinner with you? And see your room and read your stories? You said that you would let me read one of your stories... but we've been together for 3 months now... and all I get to read are your notes! I wanna read one of your stories.... Please?" the puppy dog eyes again...

"Yeah, Mick, we can do that. We can eat dinner with my mother, and read my stories in my room. Just like I promised you."

You shouldn't do that... you've seen your room... she'll get freaked and run! The voice cackled. For the first time in over a month, it was back... and that could never be good.

As Mort carefully put his key in the lock, Mickenzie "oohed" and "ahed" over everything. "That's such a cute little garden!" "Awww... you have a mail slot in your door!"

Mort just smiled. He was happy that she didn't see what he saw; a run down, low-income house... with a hole where the mail slot should be and weeds in the front.

He took her inside and gave her a quick tour. Bathroom. Kitchen. Den. Dining room. "the bedrooms are upstairs" he said pointing to the narrow stairs leading from the foyer to the the second floor.

Mickenzie looked at Mort. It was a look he'd never seen in her before. It wasn't puppy dog eyes, that's for sure. She smiled slyly. "aren't you going to show me those?"

Mort gulped. Was she coming on to him? You are going to blow this buddy! And I dare you to say something stupid... c'mon, I dare you... wimp! You can't do it! You're such a wimp. She's going to leave you, and tell everyone what a wimp you are!

"I am NOT!" Mort said through gritted teeth. He turned to a startled Mickenzie and smiled "of course, I'll show you my room."

With that the couple went upstairs, hand and hand... to see what Mort Rainey's room looked like.

The room was not that of a typical teenage boy. No sports trophies were on the shelf and no pinups adorned the walls. It was simply a bed (completely made, but it had been slept on); and a dresser. His closet was practically bare. The center of his room was his desk. Where his typewriter sat surrounded by papers. A legal pad was on the floor beside the desk and the garbage can was overflowing with crumpled papers. Mickenzie seemed generally pleased with Mort's room.

"It's really cute..." she cooed "Just like you..." Mickenzie sat down on Mort's twin bed. And patted for him to sit next to her. Mort stood frozen. He was completely unexperienced at anything she might want to do there... completely... he smiled at her. You better do something... you'll make a fool of yourself either way... the voice pounded in his head...

"Morton!" Myra called from downstairs. "What did you want for dinner?!"

Mort sighed with relief and shrugged at Mickenzie. He excused himself and went downstairs to tell his mother what he wanted for dinner. And to tell her about "the guest".

So that's all for this chapter. They'll eat dinner next chapter... and Myra will tell us the truth about Mickenzie.... Mwahahahaha!

Keep reading everyone!