DISCLAIMER: I think you guys already know that I own nothing.

To answer a couple of questions I was asked, yes, I am indeed a girl, fifteen years of age and my name on here for now is alyssa. Hope that helps!

Also, I just realized that I put December 7, 1AM when indeed that should say December 8, 1AM. So, sorry to those of you who got confused!

December 8, Entry 6, 2:14 AM

WOW. What word could I describe the past hour with?

Awesome, probably. Because that was what it was.

Not necessarily the kind of awesome that you would say if someone gave you a twenty dollar bill. More like the awe-some when you go to Hawaii and see an active lava flow at three in the morning from the cruise ship you're on. (A/N: I actually did this, too). It was just kind of surreal.

The awesome-ness that I am describing here was not, if you are currently thinking this, roused by the pint of ice cream that I happened to find in the freezer. It was in fact caused by someone whom I am currently pining over (just lost about five ounces of manliness).

I'm actually trying to remember if it was really all just a dream. Because that's sort of what it seemed like: as if it ended earlier than it should have, like something interesting was just about to happen. I guess tomorrow when I come back on this computer I can decide, since this entry will be here if it really was all real.

Anyway, so by the time I turned off my computer, I had my heart set on that ice cream. Slipping on a T-shirt and sweat pants over my shorts (my room is warm, but the rest of the apartment is an ice box at night), I opened my bedroom door and stepped out into the pitch darkness that was the apartment, feeling my way down the living room walls. It was a good thing Lilly and Mia were sleeping in Lilly's bedroom, because otherwise I probably would have stepped on them by accident.

Once I made it to the kitchen, it was easy to find the freezer. I opened it and was greeted by the dim white lights that went on every time it's ajar and pulled out the pint of ice cream, then grabbed a spoon off the drain board. I considered getting a bowl, but the cupboard doors creak really badly and I knew Lilly would KILL me if I woke her up. So I just pulled the lid off of the chocolate ice cream, sat on top of the counter, and shoved the spoon into the carton.

I ate a couple of spoonfuls and thought that it probably would have been a better idea to bring it into my bedroom. Because I really couldn't see anything that was in front of me (or anywhere around me for that matter) and so I was pretty much staring out in front of me, into the darkness. But it was okay, because all I was doing was eating ice cream.

Until I heard a door open. And footsteps in the hall.

Then, I panicked. I figured that Lilly had heard me get up, and now I was going to die and it would be my stomach's fault for growling at one AM. And she would probably come out here and scream at me until Mia and my parents all woke up, and I would just be sitting clutching my ice cream, looking like the world's biggest idiot.

I didn't know where, but I had to get out of there. So I jumped off the counter and hurried towards my room with my ice cream, shuffling around like a blind person.

I didn't make it all the way there, though. Instead, something collided into me and went sailing towards the ground with an "umph!", where I proceeded to trip over what I think was said person's feet in an attempt to right myself and fell to the ground across from them.

I pushed myself off the ground (and off the person) and groaned, pawing the walls for the light switch near the T.V.

"Thermopolis?"

Mia was sitting on the ground, shielding her eyes from the light that I had turned on. She looked confused for a minute, but upon seeing me her face turned red and she bolted up into a standing position.

"Um. Hi, Michael." She had suddenly become very interested in the paint on our ceiling.

I went over to retrieve the ice cream carton from the floor, where it was laying on its side. The chocolate had already started seeping out the top since it had been out of the freezer for so long, and was dripping over the white carpet. Crap.

"What are you doing out here?" I whispered, remembering that Lilly and my parents were still asleep and that I was lucky this was Mia and not one of them.

"I was going to get a glass of water..." She gulped and tapped her throat. "I'm kind of dry."

"Oh," I said so very intelligently. "Right. Well." I looked down at the dripping carton in my hands.

"I know this is your apartment," Mia said, sounding a bit suspicious, "but what are YOU doing out here?"

I held up the ice cream. "Couldn't sleep, so I got a snack instead." I pulled up the silver spoon that I had shoved into it. "Do you want something?"

Mia shrugged and yawned. I turned off the living room light and said, "Come on."

Just so you're aware, when it's pitch black, you can hear EVERYTHING. I don't know if it's because it just makes the rest of your senses stronger when one gets sort of wiped out, but my ears picked up all the noises around us, even ones outside in the streets below us.

Which was why it seemed way too quiet. Between Mia and I, I mean.

I was sure she was following me towards the kitchen, but I guess not. Because the next thing she said was, "Where're you?" I guess I kind of figured that she would know her way around easily, since she's been here countless times. But I guess not in the dark, or something.

So I walked towards her and reached out for her hand. "I'm here. Come this way," I said, pulling her cold fingers towards where I was walking.

Mia gave a sort of high pitched squeak in reply as we walked, which was when I remembered that I was holding her hand. I let go and mumbled, "sorry," then found the kitchen light and turned it on. The first thing I noticed was the coloring in Mia's cheeks as she opened the glass cupboard (thank God it didn't screech) and immediately felt like an idiot. Because she probably thought I was one, the way I just grabbed her hand like that.

I shoved the ice cream into the trash bin (it was all melted and gross, so I figured no one would eat it) and grabbed a bag of potato chips off the counter instead. Mia quietly got her water and took a sip while I ate a few chips, then looked down at her feet.

Silence. Again. We always talk so easily around each other, but things had suddenly become awkward. I wondered if it was because I had held her hand. Her and Lilly would probably go off and laugh about what an idiot I am later. At the same time as that thought occurred to me, a little voice in my head went, Mia doesn't laugh at people. Which was just as well, because it's another way to prove how much I'm unworthy of her. Not that I laugh at people, but still.

Not really knowing what else to do, I pushed the back of potato chips towards Mia. She smiled a little and took a couple.

"So," I said, "what did Kenny say when you told him you were staying over here?" I really did try to sound conversational, but I wanted to know the answer to the question really bad so it was hard to sound casual.

Mia, thankfully, didn't notice. She only sighed and took a gulp of water. "Nothing."

"Oh, right." I felt my face flame up. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

Mia got this weird look on her face. "No, no, I mean he really didn't say anything. Kenny isn't a very emotional person, really. He just said 'Okay' and told me to have fun. It kind of bothers me sometimes because mostly he only talks about comics and anime or whatever it is, and so we have weird silences a lot when it's just the two of us since we don't have too much in common and-"

Mia stopped talking abruptly and looked up at me with a horrific look on her face. "Did I seriously just say all of that?"

I'm pretty sure she was talking to herself, but I nodded and shrugged. "It's okay." Secretly, I was thrilled that her and Kenny were having problems. I'm a horrible person, I know. I held out the bag of chips again, and she took some, her face pink.

What I really wanted to ask her was, Why are you going out with Kenny? Do you LOVE Kenny or just LIKE him? If it was a life and death situation, would you pick me or-

"But, you know, Kenny's an okay guy, I guess. He's just not... um..." Mia stopped talking and stared down at her empty glass. She lifted her head after a moment and looked at the clock. "Oh my gosh, it's already two in the morning. We've been out here for like an HOUR."

"Yeah, we should probably get to bed. Before Lilly finds you missing and kills me while I sleep, at least," I said. Mia laughed, and I must say I was very pleased to know that I had caused it. Even if I was only half joking.

"Yeah, okay." Mia looked up at me. "Thanks, Michael." I noticed the color change in her cheeks.

"No problem, Thermopolis. 'Night."

Mia nodded and smiled at me. "'Night."

I waited until I heard the bedroom door close softly and then rolled up the chip bag, turned off the lights, and came in here to write everything down before it escaped my memory. Except I don't know if that could really happen.

WOOHOO! Chapter four is officially done! Hope you enjoyed it immensely. You guys out there are seriously the best reviewers I've had. I love reading the stuff you leave me, so thanks a million and keep reviewing!

------- alyssa --------