A/N- Sorry this took such a long time to get out. Dead week was last week, then this coming week is exam week...it's just all really frustrating. But I wanted to get a chapter out first before studying hard core. Hope you like it.

Chapter 3

Mia's POV

My algebra teacher.

My god, he's my ALGEBRA TEACHER!

That's all I kept thinking about on the way to school. I mean, what the hell was my mother THINKING? What does he talk about when the go out? Integers?

Oh, and not to mention that his nostrils are the size of LAKE EERIE.

What if this gets around? What if EVERYBODY finds out? I could never show my face in school!

Crap. What if JOSH RICHTER finds out?

I'm so screwed.

Michael's POV

God that sucks.

Her ALGEBRA TEACHER? I felt embarrassed for her.

She didn't look at me the whole way there. She kept looking down in her lap, not wanting to talk at all. I felt really bad for her, but hey, she can hold up on her own.

We finally pulled up to the school and I felt my stomach plummet as I saw a horde of cameras and microphones crowd around the entrance of the school. Tina must have blabbed, I thought grimly.

Mia hadn't noticed anything yet. She was still looking down in total embarrassment.

"Michael?" Hans asked from the front seats.

"Continue. I'll get her past them."

At that, Mia looked up at me with questioning eyes. "What?"

"Get your backpack. We have to hurry past them."

"Hurry past who?" She asked as the limo slowed down.

"Let's go," I called out sharply as I grabbed he hand and pulled her out of the car.

Immediately the reporters began to swarm around us. I pulled Mia closer against me with my arm over her, protecting her from the glare of the flash bulbs.

"Princess Amelia, what's your favorite color?"

"Your highness, what's your favorite subject?"

"Your highness, is this your boyfriend?"

I resisted the urge to smile grimly, otherwise the media might think it was true.

"AH!" She cried as she fell against me.

"Whoa, are you alright?"

"No," she whispered, her face contorted in pain. "I think I twisted my ankle."

"Hold on," I said as I lifted her off her feet and carried her through the entrance of the school.

And despite the seriousness of the situation, holding her in my arms like that was really nice.

Mia's POV

How can you be in so much pain, but at the same time, be in so much joy?

While Michael was getting me through those reporters, I tripped over something and my ankle sort of twisted and came out from underneath me. Then sweet, wonderful Michael literally sweeps me off my feet and carried me into the school.

And then I went to the nurse's office waiting for her to treat my damn ankle. But of course the faculty was too busy warding off the reporters.

Michael called my dad, and let me tell you he was furious. He had to hold the phone a foot away from his ear and you could still hear my dad screaming. He said he'd come to the school straight away.

When Michael finally hung up, he heaved a sigh and plopped down on the bench next to me.

"You okay?" He asked.

I turned red and mumbled, "Yeah. Thanks to you." And then tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't help it, and before I know, I'm sobbing.

Out of pity, Michael wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "Shhhh…it's alright. You'll be fine, I promise."

I sobbed into his shoulder for a little while longer the, against my will, pulled away from his hold. "Thanks," I said in a congested tone. "It's just…all of this…"

"Yeah, I understand," He smiled and handed me several tissues from the box on the nurse's desk. "Your dad and I will take care of this, so don't worry."

I started crying all over again and I leaned against his strong shoulder. "Thank you," I whispered.

I looked up at him and he looked back at me with his beautiful, intense peat bog eyes. "No problem," He replied huskily.

And for a split second, I swear that there was something that passed between us. I felt this weird connection and I knew I could trust him. His eyes told me I could believe him, because he would rather die than let me fall.

The nurse came in and interrupted our moment. Then I remembered; Michael was just doing his job.

Michael's POV

I swear, when I find out who told, they are DEAD.

Mia was really distressed. She was even crying in the nurse's office.

And of course, now her whole princess cover is blown. We were supposed to introduce her with this beautiful ball. I saw Clarisse's plans and everything. And now, it's all in vain.

But what really got me was that who ever told mad her cry. They betrayed her trust and she got burned.

She's a harmless person. She didn't deserve to be outed the way she was.

And you know what the worst part was? That said, trusting look in her gray eyes. That look begged me not to let it happen.

But it did.

Oh well. No use beating myself up about it. It's in the past. Now I have to worry about her future security.

Bring on the Euro-trash terrorists.

Philippe came into the nurse's office where Mia, Principal Gupta and I were waiting.

"I'm here," He announced.

"Finally," I side whispered to Mia. "Gupta was about to wet herself.

"Your highness," She said with flowery hand motions and a high pitched voice. "Welcome to Albert Einstein High School."

He ignored her. "Mia, sweetie, how did they find out?"

"I don't know. Someone must have told them."

"But who?" Gupta asked, desperately trying to butt into the conversation.

"Do you think it was Grandmére?"

"No, she's been looking forward to this ball too much than to let something slip like that."

"Mia," I said grimly, "I think it was Tina."

"No! She couldn't have!"

"Tina who?" Philippe demanded.

"Tina Hakim Baba," Mia replied. "But she wouldn't. She'd never!"

"I'll call her immediately, your highness," Gupta said angrily. "She will be punished severely for this."

"No!" Mia yelled.

"That won't be necessary," Philippe said, his eyes opened wide. "Just…call her in here."

"Immediately," She replied promptly, and walked out of the office.

"It wasn't her, Dad!"

"Mia, she was the only other person who knew," I explained. "If it wasn't her, then who was it?"

Against my logic, Mia had no answer.

Ten minutes later, Principal Gupta walked into the office with a cowering Tina and a menacing Wahim behind her. "This is her, your highness."

Immediately, Tina launched herself at Mia and squeezed her tightly. "Mia! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, it just sort of…slipped out!"

"It was you?" She exploded. "You ratted me out to all those reporters?"

She looked horrified. "Oh, no! I didn't tell those reporters!"

"Then what the hell are you talking about?"

"Well…"She started of hesitantly. "Lana was insulting you. She was saying how you should be wearing band-aids instead of bras again…"

I felt Mia stiffen next to me. Tears sprang up in her eyes again and I felt the overpowering need to pound Lana into a wall.

"And I just got really angry and worked up and I yelled, 'Yeah, well you're just jealous cuz you're not a princess!'"

Mia stared at Tina for a while, then buried her head in her hands. "Oh my god, you didn't."

"I'm sorry, Mia!" Tina begged again. "After I realized what I said, she walked away and I just sorta hoped that she wouldn't catch it."

Mia's POV

That's it.

My life is over. Officially OVER.

Lana outed me and now Barbara Walters wants to know my favorite color.

You know what the worst part is? Grandmére thinks it's all my fault, so she's punishing me by still going through with the stupid ball. So I still have to be cultured and refined.

After Mrs. Klingan fixed up my ankle, Dad took me back to the plaza and Grandmére ranted for a half hour about how irresponsible I was, how all her plans were in vain, how I would now have to work extra hard to rectify my mistake.

"Well, then how about we just don't have the ball?" I suggested tiredly.

She narrowed her black lined eyes and said sourly, "Of course not, Amelia. It is much too late to cancel and you will not run away with your tail between your legs. You will go through with this with your head held high and a gracious smile on your face. Now, who will be sitting on your right side at banquet?"

I sighed and replied, "The Duke of Milan."

Michael drove me home and smiled at me sympathetically. "Are you okay?"

"Not really." I replied as I shook my head and sighed for the millionth time that day. "But I'll survive."

Michael looked at me with those meaningful chocolate eyes. "I'm sorry for what happened today. You've been through a lot in a short period of time."

That apology reached down into my chest and squeezed my heart painfully. "It wasn't your fault," I assured him. "The media's just like that…you know, they're like vultures, trying to get a piece of meat before all the other get to it."

When we got to the loft, he offered to stay with me again, but I declined in as princessy a fashion as I could. "No, that's okay. Besides, you haven't had a shower yet, and you're starting to smell."

He smiled at me and said, "Alright. You can call my phone, you know. Just in case you need anything." He handed me a little slip of white paper and got back into the limo.

I stared at the neatly written numbers in my hand. He gave me his phone number…I thought dazedly.

I walked into my apartment and was violently shaken out of my reverie to find Mr. Gianini on the couch with my mother, making out.

I quickly averted my eyes and mumbled, "Hi mom. Hi Mr. G," And darted out of there to my room.

I slammed the door and threw myself on the bed, still fully dressed. I began sobbing uncontrollably wiping my tears on my Star Wars bedspread. God, why is it always ME? Why can't it ever be a really mean person, like Lana? I never did anything to anyone, I'm nice, and I ate all my vegetables as a little girl. So okay, that's all I eat now, but that's not the point.

Now I am a flat, big footed, five foot nine inch freak with yield sign hair. Oh, and I'm A PRINCESS on top of all that with a crazy tattooed grandmother and a bodyguard to boot.

Well, he's a hot bodyguard, but that's beside the point.

Now all I need is a twin that no one told me about and then I'll be set to go on Jerry Springer.

I hate life.

A/N- Please review. I'll probably go on an update craze over the summer, and reviews sure do help!