When Mia returned from fetching the Chinese food, she found Lilly in about the same position she had been when Mia had left. "Sure took ya long enough," Lilly commented, her nose still stuck in some article about Kenyan wildebeests or something. Mia didn't reply. She had actually put off the trip to the restaurant for a few minutes, choosing to amble down the streets of New York. For the first time in her life, she felt one with those hobos and their shopping carts, the ones who looked so sad all the time. She even gave one a dollar, something that she usually didn't bother with.
"Yeah. Well Chin Lee took a bit of time with the tofu tonight," Mia said in reference to the fact that Chin Lee knew exactly how she wanted her orders made. "Anyway, the food is on the kitchen table."
"Okay," said Lilly. "You go ahead and set out everything. I'll be a minute; I just have to finish this page. I'll tell Michael that the food's here. Maybe we could eat together or something." Mia froze, a look of apprehension and nervousness on her face. She didn't think it was possible to get paler, but apparently it was. Lilly saw this and said in a strange tone, "Or we could just eat in here…. Honestly, Mia. I don't know what's been getting into you lately. Oh wait!" Mia rolled her eyes. Lilly's psychoanalyzing parents had started to rub off on her recently, and deciphering Mia's every move was a new favorite pastime of hers. "I know what it is! You have a crush on my brother!" Mia gasped audibly. How did Lilly know this! Before she could say anything, however, Lilly thankfully misread the expression plastered on Mia's face. "Ha ha," Lilly laughed. "I knew you'd react like that! No worries, I was only kidding around! Now I'm starving. Lets go get some chow!" She stood up and Mia had no choice but to follow along. "We'll just tell my brother-" Lilly began.
"Um, you can do that," Mia began, frantically thinking of some excuse to have no contact with Michael whatsoever. "As for me, I'm going to…" There had to be some excuse! Something! Anything! "Um, unpack the food! Yes, that's it, I'll go get everything set out. You said you wanted me to do that earlier." Hah, Lilly was now caught by her own commands! Before Lilly could answer, Mia was walking down the hall in the opposite direction, headed towards the kitchen and as far away from Michael's piercing brown eyes as possible. Her efforts were in vain, however, because within a minute, Lilly entered the small apartment's kitchen, Michael in tow.
"Yes! Food," he exclaimed in a typically male fashion, though the only thing on his mind was "Yes! Mia and I are in the same room without fighting and I can look at her for at least a fraction of a second!" He didn't say this however, and thanked whoever was in charge above that he didn't choose this moment for the Freudian slip of the century. "You get my fried rice, Thermopolis?" he asked Mia just as a drill sergeant would ask a cadet if the barracks had been scrubbed.
"Sir yes sir!" Mia snapped to attention with a mock salute before she realized what she was doing: flirting with Michael. Damn. So much for avoiding him. Flirting with Michael, she realized, was such an integral part of visits to the Moscovitz household that by this time it came naturally, crush or not.
Michael smiled quizzically, wondering what on earth Mia could be up to, virtually shunning him not more than an hour ago then suddenly speaking to him once more. "I'm glad to see my word is followed. At ease." Mia visibly slumped in command, then allowed a tiny chuckle to escape her lips, which was met by a smile from Michael. A real smile. The "I really like you and therefore I shall show you my straight white teeth when I smile", sort of smile. At least, that's what Mia wanted to think.
Lilly glanced at the clock on the microwave. Only 6:30. "Hey Mia, how about we get some food really quick, because there's a party at Tina's house at 7. I forgot to tell you earlier, but I suppose we can be fashionably late."
A party. Mia didn't really like this idea, especially since news on the Michael front was looking up. But the last thing she wanted at this point was to worry Lilly even further, so she nodded and went along with the idea. "Sounds great. What time does it end?"
"Ten-ish," Lilly answered. "But you know Tina. Her parties usually run a bit over." Mia giggled, remembering other fun times had at the Hakim Baba mansion. But a bad day with Michael usually beat out a good day with Tina. Noting her indecision, Lilly said, "Well, if you really want to, we can hang out here instead and watch Indiana Jones or something."
"No! Don't be silly," Mia said, trying to cover up her true feelings, something she was getting increasingly worse at. "It'll be fun!"
"Ok," Lilly said, appeased if only for the moment. "Now I'm over due for a date with some Chinese food. Dig in!" She opened the little Chinese food boxes and steam rose up from the freshly prepared cuisine. She reached right into one carton and speared a piece of chicken with a chopstick. "Mmm…" she said. "China heaven."
Michael shook himself from his daze. He had been staring at Mia throughout this exchange, but she didn't seem to have noticed. He grabbed his box of House Fried Rice, his favorite, then remembered his words to Mia earlier. Get me some fried rice. Some fried rice. He didn't say anything about House Fried Rice, and he chuckled.
"What is it?" Lilly Demanded. Michael looked up and saw the remains of a bean sprout hanging on his sister's bottom lip. The sight caused him to choke on his rice, but he succeeded in keeping the laughter in. "What's so funny?"
By this point, Mia had noticed the bean sprout too, and was trying hard to stifle the giggles that were threatening to burst through her lips. "Nothing. Nothing at all," Michael said, trying to keep a straight face. "Nothing except that half-masticated bean sprout hanging out of your mouth." This was too much for the pair, whose laughter sprung to the surface and echoed throughout the small apartment.
Lilly brushed her lip with the back of her hand impatiently, freeing the bean sprout from her face, but also dropping it on the clean linoleum floor. She picked it up in one swift motion and carried it with an outstretched arm to the trashcan nearby. "Ok. Enough laughing. C'mon Mia, lets just eat in my room so we can get ready as we eat."
"Okay," Mia said, grabbing her box of tofu and veggies. She followed an angered Lilly out of the room, but only after sneaking a backward glance at Michael, who actually winked at her! She winked shyly back, and almost ran into the door frame, but was able to maneuver her way out of danger at the last second. Mia went into Lilly's room and tried to leave the door open in case Michael wanted to poke his head… or shirtless chest… in, but Lilly kicked it shut in a swift motion and began to immerse herself in the Moo Goo Gai Pan. "Hey Lil, what are you wearing tonight?" Mia asked.
"Nyrg ghot dhous," Lilly attempted to say through a mouthful of food. Mia thought it was a miracle that she could manage to make noise at all. Lilly swallowed. "I don't know. Maybe jeans and the black top."
"Ok, well can I borrow the purple one?"
"Um-" Lilly was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. "Who is it!" She yelled, despite the fact that Michael was the only one home.
"It's me," he called. "I brought fortune cookies!"
Mia jumped off the bed and ran for the door, then opened it to see Michael, goofy as ever, standing stark naked except for a pair of Simpsons boxers. Lilly gawked. "EWWWW!" she yelled angrily, "Get out of my room and for the love of all that is good and holy, put on some clothes!"
"Yes ma'am," he said, tossing a pair of cookies to the two girls. He shut the door and walked out with a grin. Mission accomplished, he thought. That should show Mia that he wasn't mad at her!
Lilly grabbed a cookie, then passed the other to Mia. She opened it and read: "Good things will come your way tonight." She grinned. It was going to be a very good night.
"Hurry up, we have to go!" Lilly exclaimed, looking at the clock. "Just throw on something and leave!" In five minutes flat, the two were dressed in "party attire" with light makeup, and were ready to leave. Lilly, true to her word and style, wore a pair of worn blue jeans with a black top, while Mia opted for khaki's and the purple v-neck that Lilly's mom had bought for her, but Lilly refused to wear because it wasn't feminist apparel. They skipped down the hall arms linked, and went out the door. "Michael, we'll be back at 11-ish," Lilly called over her shoulder before they exited.
Michael walked out of his room as he saw the door slam behind them. "I love you, Mia!" he called to her back. But she was out of earshot.