A/N- Guess what you guys? I'm retarded! Let's cheer for the retarded author.

Anwyays, this chapter starts off with Michael's POV. You guys know that when I put that little line thingy that the POV changes, right? I didn't want to put Michael's POV or Mia's POV underneath it because I have this cute little scene that keeps changing POV. Just to clarify.

Chapter 3: Serendipity

It didn't take a genius to tell that she was a knock-out. I mean, from far away, she looked like a model. She was tall, and graceful, and she had this shimmer-y brownish-blondish hair. And she had this red and pink dress on that hugged her hips and every luscious curve of her body.

No doubt she was hot.

I started to feel these strange feelings that I hadn't felt since…well, since Mia. Maybe it was because this girl looked so much like Mia. But anyway. I walked closer and closer to the gazebo where she stood waiting for me. But as I got closer, that face started to get a whole lot more familiar.

About five yards away from the gazebo, I just stopped. It was her! It was Mia! She must have recognized me too, because she just stared at me with her jaw to the ground.

We stood there for a while, just staring at each other in astonishment. After a few moments, I walked up to the gazebo and smiled as my heart began doing that wild dance in my ribcage. "Mia, you look…you look fantastic!"

I meant it too. She had grown a lot from that schoolgirl that I had known so long ago. She was a woman now.

She just gave me a strange look and replied robotically, "You too. It's nice to see you again." She stuck her hand out to me. Puzzled, I took it and shook. "I'll look forward to spending more time with you," She said coldly.

She'd given all those other guys a hug. How come I only got a handshake? Was it something I did? I gave her a small, confused smile and walked out of the gazebo, wondering what I did wrong.

Not good. So not good.

My ex is on this show.

WHY IS HE ON THIS SHOW?

Oh god when I saw him, it took all the strength I had not to let my knees buckle under me. Seeing him again did nothing for my nerves. It was like I was in high school all over again. Except this time he got hotter.

Yes, I know what you must be thinking: Michael? Hotter? He was already in a league with Robert Carmine! There's no way he could have gotten hotter, there's no where else to go! Well guess what my incredulous friend, he's hotter. Waaay hotter. I don't know what it was, he just exuded this irresistible sexiness.

But then I remembered how coldly he dumped me five years ago, and I put his smug smile in its place. Even that hurt look in his eyes couldn't faze me. I had to remember every night I spent crying and every date that he went out on that Lilly told me about the next day, but I managed it.

The anger was still boiling in me after Lori yelled, "Cut!"

She and Dan walked up to me with huge grins on their faces. "Is he an ex?" Lori asked shrewdly.

"Where's Carter? I swear, I'll shoot him!" I yelled out not wanting to answer Lori's good guess.

"Hey, it wasn't Carter's fault. He didn't know that you hate his guts," Dan said trying hard not to laugh.

Both he and Lori looked at my angry expression and burst out laughing. Still seething, I took off my shoes and stomped off into the palace not looking behind me. I knew that I was going to have to go down into the ballroom and mingle with them one on one again, but I needed an Advil first.

I had only been in my room for a few minutes when Julia knocked on my door and brought in a glass of water and a bottle of painkillers. I smiled gratefully at her and said, "Julia, you do not know how much I love you right now."

She smiled back. "I have a feeling."

Julia had been my best friend in Genovia. I told her all about my life in New York, and all about Michael. She had seen several pictures of him and had openly admired him as well. She knew that he had broken my heart. She must have seen him around.

I sighed as I downed two pills and that whole glass of water. I sighed, brushed out my curls a little, slipped on my sandals again and hugged her. "I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

She nodded and took the bottle of pills and the glass back down the stairs.

Looking at my slightly sad expression in my mirror, I took a deep breath and walked out of my chamber. Let's do this.

"Man was she HOT!" Dennis whispered to me in the foyer.

I felt my jaw twitch a little. I didn't like anyone else calling Mia hot but me. But I don't think that the other guys are supposed to know that Mia's my ex. "Yeah. She was." I agreed.

Dennis put his hands behind his head. "Looks like there isn't gonna be a twist after all."

Suddenly something snapped in my head. Twist! Mia's a princess…oh shit, that's the twist!

How did no one else figure it out? I thought about it for a little while and realized that Mia hadn't been in the media spotlight since her sophomore year in high school. She stopped doing interviews and doing public appearances. I was the only one who knew…for now anyway.

Lori walked in and clapped her hands a few times. "Oy! Listen up. Okay, Mia will be seeing you each individually for fifteen minutes. During those fifteen minutes you will try to tell her as much about you as you can, and she'll tell you about herself. Try to hold a conversation that you think will impress her, okay? We'll start sending you in after about twenty minutes. Mia's just pulling herself together. We're gonna roll cameras in a few seconds and Robert's gonna make an announcement."

Dennis raised his eyebrows at me and I shrugged, trying not to look too apprehensive. Behind me, Lori cried out, "Lights! Camera! Action!"

Robert walked in and gave a signature TV smile. "Hello boys."

We all murmured a hello in reply. "Well, Mia seems like a normal girl, right? Appearances can be deceiving. Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo (A/N- Are those all her names? If not, someone, please tell me) is actually the princess of the country in which you are currently residing. In fact, you are all staying in her palace."

I watched nineteen pairs of eyes widen simultaneously. "The guy she chooses in the end will be her royal escort to many high profile public events.

"They will also be showered with the attentions of the Genovian Royal Family, and will receive a million dollars at the end of this competition."

I winced inwardly at the coarse way Robert had described this show. Poor Mia. I wondered how she felt about this. She certainly wouldn't have done this voluntarily.

"She knows that you know she's a princess. I know what some of you men are thinking: You're just in it for the money and fame. Well my friends, you'll have to trick her first." He nodded to us and smirked. "Good luck." And he walked off.

"Cut!" Lori yelled.

As the crowd of men dispersed I stood there silently pondering the awful twist that they had thrown at us. What if Mia really liked one of these guys and they were just in it for the money? I can't watch her get hurt. I couldn't stand it.

I resolved right then and there that I had to win this thing. I was the only one that Mia really could trust. I was the only one that wouldn't hurt her.

Lori and the cameras moved into the ballroom where I was waiting. "Lights! Camera! Action!"

Immediately, Robert came from the shadows and bowed again like he had in the gazebo. "Your Highness. The men have been informed of your royal status. Remember, you must choose the man that you think cares for you, and not your title." He gave me a sympathetic smile. "Good luck."

He left the ballroom and Lori called in the first guy. It was Liam. "Hi," He smiled nervously.

I smiled back reassuringly and gestured to the chair in front of me. I told him a little bit about myself before I was a princess and before I had moved to Genovia. He seemed like he was listening intently, which was a plus. When I asked him about himself, he sort of blushed and told me a little about his family. He lives in Connecticut with his Labrador, Meg, and he's a tennis instructor. He was very shy, and reminded me a lot of my first boyfriend, Kenny, and though Kenny was a very sweet guy, he was just nothing compared to Michael.

No! No more Michael! Listen to Liam. Pay attention to Liam.

When the fifteen minutes were up, Robert walked into the room. "Your Highness? Your other guests are waiting."

I nodded to Liam and gave him a smile. He turned bright red, took my hand and kissed it. When he got up, he walked away with his head to the ground.

I couldn't help but think that that was absolutely precious. That one's a keeper.

And my individual meetings continued on like that. We just talked for fifteen minutes, then Robert would come in and say, "Your Highness? Your other guests are waiting." Most of them seemed nice in general, except Nick only talked about himself and would always interrupt me, and Anthony was a cowboy. I got to eliminate three guys today, so those would be two of them.

"Last guy!" Lori called. I braced myself because I knew who was coming.

He smiled when he saw me and my anger almost vanished. Almost. He bowed and said in his beautifully deep and calming voice, "Your Highness. It's been a while."

I grunted in reply. "Look, Michael, what are you doing here? You're not exactly the type to go on a reality TV show."

He smirked as he sat down. "Neither are you. Grandma did it, didn't she? Seems like Princess Amelia can't get her own date!"

I ignored the sting to my pride and retorted, "What about you? You think she's not worth the trouble unless you have to battle nineteen other guys?"

"Lilly thought it would be a good idea, and I was kinda bored back in New York, so I decided that for once, she might be right. So how many whales have you saved?"

"Why do you care?"

"I care because you do. Still a vegetarian?"

"My former question still stands."

He sighed. "Found any guys that you like yet?"

"They're all very nice. Except you."

"I'm touched."

"Oh just shut up."

"Mia, why do you have to fight me? You know this is being filmed."

"I know. I don't care. Maybe America will see what a jerk you are."

"That was five years ago."

I felt the tears well up in my eyes. "But it still hurts!" I cried. "You have no idea what I went through after we broke up! Lilly kept trying to set you up and she told me about every date that you went out on! I didn't date anyone else after you, that's why Grandmère started this show! God, Michael, you really can be a heartless bastard sometimes!"

We sat there in silence for a little while until Michael spoke up. This time his voice was softer, and more vulnerable. "Look, Mia, I know that you might be a little upset with me."

I snorted. Understatement of the year.

"But I just want you to know, I couldn't bring myself to go out with anyone after you either. Sure, Lilly set me up on a lot of dates, but I didn't click with any of them. Not like you."

Robert walked in at that moment and said, "Your Highness? It is time to make a decision."

Michael got up and looked at me meaningfully. God, I'd forgotten how I could get sucked into those peat bog eyes. "Goodbye, Princess of my Heart." He got up and walked out of the room without looking back.

That song…that song he sang to me on my fifteenth birthday…

My resolve to hurt him like he had already hurt me went right out the window. I sighed and followed Robert out of the ballroom. "Cut!" I heard Lori yell behind me.

That's why she was so angry with me. God I'm such an idiot. I hated seeing her cry. And I hated myself knowing that I was the one who caused those tears.

Well I made that mistake once. I'm not making it again. I was being given another chance, and I wasn't gonna blow it.

Somehow, I started thinking about Felix and his speech about Divine Providence before I had left New York.

Talk about déjà vu.

We did a few individual interviews, but that didn't take too long. Then we went upstairs to change into our tuxes for the elimination round. After we came back downstairs, Lori and Dan began to usher us outside into the garden and on the double-sided staircase in front of the gazebo where we had met Mia a few moments before.

They placed us on the steps in the order in which we had met her. Lori faced us and said, "Mia's making her decision right now. If she calls your name, she'll ask if you would like to get to know her. If you say yes, then she will fill the champagne flute, which we will give you, with some Cristall. If you say no, then you will walk back into the palace and immediately start packing. If she doesn't call your name, she will say her goodbye to you after she has chosen the seventeen men who will stay. We'll start rolling cameras in twenty minutes, after Mia is ready."

When the rest of the crew walked off, Dennis turned to me and asked, "Hey, how did you get your tie tied?"

I laughed as I saw the loose strip of black cloth hanging around his neck. I started to tie it for him. He looked at me skeptically and asked, "How do you know how to do this?"

I smirked and replied, "I've had a lot of practice."

I was in the room where they had placed framed pictures of the guys everywhere. I didn't want to get rid of Michael. I knew that now. I did want to get rid of Anthony and Nick. But who else?

The cameras were rolling as I walked around trying to make my decision. I had given an individual interview again, about my first impressions and stuff and who I liked and didn't like.

I looked around at the smiling faces. Justin! I thought to myself. Not only did he have bad breath and breathe through his mouth, but he smelled. I'm sorry, I just can't go out with a guy with hygiene issues.

Robert walked in and placed his hand gently on my shoulder. "Are you ready to make your decision?"

I nodded. He offered me his elbow and walked me out to the garden.

I looked around and sighed happily. It was summer, and the sultry night air settled around in the atmosphere. I breathed in the scent of over one thousand exotic flowers and listened to the crickets sing.

Robert led me to the gazebo and bowed. "Your Highness," He gestured to the men on the staircase. "Your subjects await." He squeezed my arm comfortingly and smiled again. "Good luck." And he walked away.

God, how many times is he gonna say that throughout this thing?

I faced the guys in front of me nervously. They were each holding their champagne flutes expectedly and smiling at me all the while. At that moment I fully appreciated the girls who had been bachelorettes before me. I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but I'm pretty sure that I would.

"Liam," I said with a smile.

I watched a look of relief wash over him as he walked up to the gazebo. "Liam, would you like to get to know me?"

He nodded eagerly and replied, "Yes."

I gave him a hug and filled his champagne flute. He smiled and walked back to the staircase and took his place.

I sighed. One down, sixteen more to go.

After Liam, I called Tom, Ben, Scott, Vincent, Chris, Victor, Dennis, Trevor, Ryan David, Jeff, Patrick, Mark, and Alex.

I took a deep breath and looked straight at Michael. I knew that he was panicking slightly despite his cool demeanor an unconcerned smirk. That's what I drove me crazy about him; his ability to look way cool and keep an awesome poker face.

Oh god.

She wasn't gonna call me. I had hurt her way too much and she could never forgive me. I was starting to sweat slightly in my tux, though I tried not to show it.

Mia turned to look at me and I knew that she could see right through me. It was one of the reasons I fell in love with her. She was the only one (other than Lilly) who could practically read my mind.

Please choose me, I thought, trying to send it to her through the use of telepathic waves. Please choose me.

She gave me a small smirk and called out, "Michael."

I nearly tripped over myself, I was so glad. Instead, I forced myself to coolly walk to the gazebo.

Mia looked me straight in the eye and gave me a cheeky smile. "Michael, would you like to get to know me?"

I grinned back. "Of course. So does this mean you've forgiven me?"

Her silver eyes darkened and she paused before she answered. "We'll see. You'll have to explain yourself first, but I think that my anger is slightly ebbing."

I hugged her tightly. The way she fit into my arms just felt…right. Before pulling away, I gave her a quick peck on her cheek and held out my flute expectantly.

She laughed at my eagerness and filled the delicate glass with the sparkling champagne. I gave her one last smile before walking back to the staircase.

When I got back to the staircase, she smiled sympathetically at the rejects. Robert walked up and said, "Nick, Justin, Anthony, say your goodbyes now."

Anthony was standing on the other side of me and he offered me his hand. "Hey, dude. Good luck with the ice princess over here."

I felt my jaw twitch again, but I said nothing. I just grimaced when he turned his back.

The three who had been eliminated walked up to the palace and disappeared.

Mia faced us and held up her own champagne flute. "Here's to you guys. I hope we'll have a great time."

We all murmured in agreement and took a sip of our champagne.

"Cut!" Lori yelled. She turned to the camera crew. "Quick, we have to go up and tape the rejects."

I smiled. I liked that term a lot better than, "the eliminated".

Mia walked up to us and smiled. "Well you guys, hope you have a nice stay at the palace. And don't stay up too late drinking Jack Daniels. We've got a long day tomorrow."

Right then, a small, brown haired little maid rushed over to Mia. They looked at each other, looked at us, and then giggled.

Dennis sighed. "Girl talk. I hate it because I don't understand what the hell they mean. It's like another language, I swear."

Julia helped me change and brought up some mint chocolate chip ice cream and two spoons. We plopped on the bed and she immediately began asking me questions.

"So who do you think is in it for the money?"

"Dude, I'll be honest with you," Dennis said as he took off his tuxedo jacket and arranged it on the coat hanger. "I'm only in it for the money."

My jaw twitched for the third time that day. "You're not even gonna get to know her?"

"I think Dennis is. But that's all I can tell for right now."

"Are you gonna try to get to know him? Or are you just gonna eliminate him?"

"Why bother? I mean, I just want the money."

"What if she eliminates you?"

He gave me a haughty smirk and said, "That's not gonna happen."

"I'll try to get to know him. It's just a hunch, that's all. But I got the impression when I talked to him that he's really full of himself."

Julia shoveled a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. "I hate guys like that."

"Don't you think you're being a little too full of yourself?"

"Hey, I know I'm gonna make it farther than you anyway."

I grimaced. "I'm touched."

"What about Michael?"

I sighed and took another spoonful of ice cream. "It turns out, he didn't date anyone else after we broke up, like me."

Julia's eyes went wide. "Wow. That's devotion right there."

"So this really is your first date in five years?"

I nodded.

"God you must have really loved your ex."

"I still do."

"Well why are you here?"

"Divine Providence."

"Mia, you don't think that somehow, fate wants you guys together, do you?"

Julia believed in Divine Providence. And I guess I do too, to some extent. "I used to believe in high school that we were destined to be. After we broke up, I just stopped believing. Now, though…I'm not so sure."

"Do you still love him?"

I shrugged. Truthfully, I was still confused. "I don't know."

"Who broke up with who?"

"I broke up with her."

"Do you regret it?"

"Do you regret that he broke up with you?"

I thought about it for a moment. "No. I grew up a lot in the past five years. He did too. I guess we were just meant to wait."

"Yes, I regret it. But hey, everything happens for a reason."

"Are you gonna let yourself fall for Mia?"

"Are you gonna treat him choose him because of your history?"

"No." I said firmly. "I'm going to be open to the idea of other men. Michael can't haunt my life forever, you know."

I smiled knowingly at Dennis. "I think I already did.

A/N- Please review. Make the retarded authoress feel better about herself.