The next morning, I woke up and took Jewel into my arms. "Hewo, my wittwe Jewew," I cooed as I snuggled her. "How's mommy's girl?"
"Oh god, stop with the baby talk, it's driving me crazy," Julia bit with an eye roll. She had been menstruating pretty badly, so she'd snap at the tiniest little thing. Ah, the wonders of womanhood.
After I gave Jewel a good brush, and set her on my bed with her favorite blue ball. Then I turned to Julia and asked tentatively, "What's on the schedule for today?"
"You're dating the guys in pairs this week," She said, looking down at her clipboard.
"So who're the first two lucky guys?"
"Mark and Victor."
I nodded and pranced off to the bathroom to get ready, but not before planting a kiss right behind Jewel's ears.
I was lying on my bed throwing a tennis ball up into the air and catching it as it fell back down. Dennis came out of the bathroom with a towel around his neck and a sweatband over his forehead.
I raised my eyebrows when I spotted him. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to play tennis with Rene," He replied as he tied the laces on his shiny white shoes. "I haven't played in a while, and Rene promised a few rounds." He gave a smirk and said, "He's also the guy that introduced me to a few of the girls around here. You should let him hook you up. They're reeeeaaal nice."
I rolled my eyes in disgust and tossed the ball at him. "Here. Just in case you run out. Wouldn't want you to use the shriveled up one between your legs."
I burst into the palace absolutely fuming.
Julia saw me and immediately hid Jewel in her arms. "Have fun?"
"That," I screamed, "Was the most humiliating day OF MY LIFE!"
"Really?" She asked, bemusedly.
"God, you'd think two twenty-three year olds would realize that the public fountain in the town square was for decoration, NOT FOR BATHING IN!"
Julia quickly turned her snicker into a cough and said, "I'm sure they didn't mean to embarrass you."
"WELL THEY DID ANYWAY!"
"I take it they don't stand a chance of making it past this round?"
"Not in hell."
At that moment, Michael descended the spiral staircase with the same bemused expression my personal assistant was wearing. "Mia. I swore I heard your dulcet tones."
I growled. "Now's not the time, Michael."
"Oh, come on. I haven't seen you all day," He whined as he approached me and attempted to wrap his arms around my waist.
"No." I said firmly as I moved away. "I need a nap. A nice long one too. No one is to wake me up," I shot at Julia. "Got it?"
She nodded as she absent-mindedly stroked Jewel. "What time would you like to be woken up?"
"Just don't bother me until dinner."
"Okay."
As I began my climb up the stairs, I heard Michael ask, "What's with her?"
When I got to my bedroom, I threw myself onto my bed and buried myself into the pillows. I had barely been in there for ten minutes when the door swung open.
Extremely irritated, I sat up and screamed, "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU I WAS NOT TO BE BOTHERED!"
"Oh, crap! Sorry, sorry," Was the rushed reply. And it wasn't the high pitched, girly voice that belonged to Julia. I looked up and found a very sweaty Dennis standing in my doorway.
"I'm so sorry!" He exclaimed.
I turned over and muttered in reply, "No problem. Just close the door on your way out."
After a few seconds and I didn't hear the door close I turned my head to look at him and watched him turn pink. "Sorry…it's just…you're really beautiful."
I looked him straight into those glowing green orbs of his and felt like I wasn't on the bed anymore. I felt like I was floating. "Thank you," I murmured.
I didn't tell him to leave after that. I wasn't quite sure that I wanted him to.
I was walking back to my room when an unwelcome surprise walked into my sight.
"I should take you then, sometime," Dennis laughed. "And you have to help me with my backhand. Rene's all talk, he can barely serve."
Mia's laughter molded into his, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. "I know. He tells everyone that he was the one who taught me how to play, which is a total lie."
"I bet."
Mia spotted me and gave me a huge grin. "Well, Dennis, I guess I'll talk to you later, alright?"
"Sure. See ya."
After he was gone, Mia threw her arms around me and placed a kiss on my lips. "Hey." She whispered softly.
I tried to enjoy it. I really did. I wanted to get lost in her touch, but the sight that I was forced to witness only moments ago wasn't so easily wiped away from my mind. "Mia, what were you doing with him?"
"Dennis? He was telling me about his afternoon with Rene." She giggled. "Can you believe that Rene tried to pull off some professional bit? He can't even hold his racket properly."
I shook my head. "Mia, you might wanna stay away from Dennis."
She gave me an inquisitive look. "Why?"
"Because…" I began. But then I looked into her face. Her sweet, trusting face. How could I tell her that the guy was a jerk? That he was just after her for her money?
"Michael? Earth to Michael," She sang as she waved her hand in front of my face. "You were saying?"
I shook my head. "Never mind. Just promise me you'll be careful around him, okay?"
She giggled and kissed me again. "I promise, grandpa."
After claiming she had to see to some details, I went for a walk in the gardens. I had done the right thing, right? It's like my parents always said: you can't do stuff for people. You can't tell them what not to do. They have to experience it for themselves.
Mia would find out what a jerk Dennis was. She would and after that, it would be just me.
A/N- This is real shabby of me. A short chapter, then a really long chapter, then a really short chapter again. I'll try to make the next chapter longer, but I'm not promising anything. I hate summer courses.
Please review!