I couldn't sleep that night. Was it working? Was she falling in love with me?
More than ever I wished that I somehow knew what she was thinking. I wanted to know what she thought about me, what I could do to make her happy. She didn't talk that much about herself. When we were in high school, I still didn't know what she was thinking. The only thing that did know was her stupid diary and no matter how many times I pleaded with her, she would never let me read it.
Why won't she tell me what she wants? God it can be so frustrating! I'm pouring my heart out to her and I don't know what she's thinking!
I ran my fingers nervously through my hair as Paolo gave me an irritated glare. "Your Highness, stop mussing your hair!"
"Sorry," I mumbled.
Julia sensed my nervousness. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."
"I don't want to eliminate anyone," I murmured as I wrung my hands nervously.
"Yes you do." She reminded me.
"Okay, I do, but I don't want to hurt these guys."
"Someone's bound to get hurt, Mia."
"I know."
"Too late to back out now."
"I know."
"You can do this."
I took a deep breath before answering. "I know."
In under thirty minutes, I had gotten ready and finished the interview. I started pacing in front of my room nervously. "Okay, Mia…Lights! Camera! Action!"
Forcing my stomach to stop churning, I walked outside to the gazebo with a confidence that I knew I did not feel. When I was safely underneath the slated roof of the outdoor structure, Robert walked out of the shadows and gave his usual pre-elimination address. When he was finished, he gave me a sly wink and said, "Good luck, Your Highness."
As he walked off, I smiled nervously at the gentlemen standing in front of me. I took a deep breath to steady myself and said, "So guys. Here we are. I want you all to know, that I have had the greatest time with all of you. If I could, I'd keep you all here to get to know you more. But I can't."
I picked up the chilled champagne bottle from the bucket of ice standing next to me. "Patrick."
He eagerly walked up to the gazebo. "Patrick, would you like to get to know me?"
He nodded. "Of course!" He cried out in excitement.
In normal situations, his happiness would be a great source of amusement to me, but right now it just made me sick.
After Patrick, I called Tom, Ryan, David, Jeff, and Liam. They all eagerly said yes to my questions, which bothered me. They weren't making this any easier.
But the next person I called brought a smile to my face. "Dennis."
Unlike the others, he swaggered up to the gazebo with his hands in his pockets. He gave me a beautiful smirk that nearly made my heart stop. "Hey."
"Hi," I replied back. "Dennis, would you like to get to know me?"
"Of course," He whispered as his arm began to snake around my waist. I was thrilled to pieces. After I filled his flute, he gave my but a soft squeeze and walked away. Now that I really didn't like, seeing as that's a serious sexual harassment, but I didn't say anything.
I took another deep breath to steady myself and called, "Michael."
When Michael walked up, however, his eyes were smoldering in an unidentifiable emotion. I gave him a concerned look and asked, "Michael, would you like to get to know me?"
"Yes," He replied quietly.
I gave his hand a tight squeeze before he walked away. He gave me a sad smile and turned around.
Robert stepped up next to me and faced the guys. "Ben, Victor, Mark, Chris—say your goodbyes now."
I watched the last exchanges, and watched Michael especially. He was withdrawn and stand-offish, not something he'd usually do. After I gave the last toast and the other guys went off to their rooms, I caught Michael's arm. "Michael. What's wrong?"
He shook his head. "Nothing." He tried to twist out of my grip, but I wouldn't let him.
"Michael, I know you too well. When you get that look, you definitely aren't okay."
He sighed heavily. "Nothing Mia. I'll see you tomorrow."
He squeezed her ass.
Oh, that bastard's going down.
I took a walk in the gardens early the next morning to clear my head. I needed to know what she wanted. I needed to know whether or not I was wasting my time.
I couldn't stand to even look at Dennis. I could almost see that smug grin tugging on the corners of his mouth and it made me sick to my stomach. I was really itching to punch something. Preferably Dennis.
What hurt the most though, was that it looked like she liked it. She smiled when he wrapped his arm around her waist. I couldn't tell if she liked the ass grab because he was blocking her face, but I hoped to god she didn't.
Because I think that just might kill me.
Lori pulled me aside that morning and told me that Mia was still taking the guys out in pairs. I was paired with Patrick. I nodded and gave a fake smile, willing to do anything to make her go away.
I really wasn't in the mood to socialize.
She came up to me after the elimination and expected me to be okay. I just saw perhaps the most pompous bastard in the world squeeze the ass of the girl I love. And she expected me to be okay with that?
If I were more literary, I'd write a poem.
Wait…First date: Tom and Ryan.
Didn't care. At all. The whole time I ended up thinking about either Michael or Dennis. They became the topics that ruled my mind, along with my heart. Whenever I stopped thinking about one, I'd start to hem and haw about the other. Who did I like more? It was strange, because Michael had always made my knees go weak. I just had more practice covering that up. And Dennis made my heart pound. That boy has way too much sex appeal for his own good.
I got back to the palace and ate dinner with Julia. I didn't really pay attention to anything she said. I loved her, really, but with guys like Dennis and Michael living under your roof, how can you concentrate? I never had ADD but I was starting to feel its affects.
I really didn't like what Dennis did last night. The wrapping of his arm around my waist was enough. I didn't need him to squeeze my ass. It was uncomfortable and uncalled for and I would tell him about it. But I knew what he would do. He would just give me that innocent, "I'm so sorry, I'll never do it again," face and I'll melt and forgive him and he'll blow me away with his phenomenal kisses.
I'm such a pushover.
And the look on Michael's face! Oh God, last night he looked like he had lost Pavlov all over again.
I should definitely say sorry. I need to explain to him.
Suddenly, Julia spoke up. "Mia? Are you even listening to me?"
I jumped from my reverie and pushed the food on my plate around. "Sorry. What were you saying?"
Her eyebrows raised as she looked at me carefully. "Mia, I have this strange feeling that the last two guys are going to end up being Dennis and Michael."
No use denying her. She was right anyway. "Yeah."
"So who do you like more?"
I sighed. The eternal question asks again.
"I feel that there is someone that I like more. I swear, I know there is. I just can't figure it out. It's not something where I can't decide, it's more of a 'the signs are there, I just can't recognize them' thing."
Julia shrugged. "No clue what you're talking about."
I sighed again. No one seemed to get it and it was depressing.
I got back that night with the case in my hand. I hadn't brought mine with me, but I rented one from the store downtown. I think I might have one more card that I could play that would put me ahead of everyone, especially Dennis.
Is it weird being so jealous of this guy? It's understandable why, right? This guy is trying to steal the girl that I've loved since I first laid eyes on here. We'd been through hell just figuring out whether or not we liked each other, and me being the idiot that I am, broke up with her. And I never gave her a proper explanation either.
I put the case on my side of the closet and hid it carefully so Dennis would see it. He would probably be too preoccupied "playing tennis" with Rene to bother. Then I grabbed a chocolate bar from the kitchen (surprisingly enough they were fully stocked to cater to anyone's junk food needs) and pulled out a notebook and got to work.
David and Jeff. Yet again, nothing significant.
Michael and Dennis running through my mind. Again. I've got to stop doing this.
When I got back home, I found a single rose on my desk with a black ribbon tied around the stem. I knew it was from Dennis, I didn't even have to read the little post-it note he left.
I couldn't help but give a sad smile. Michael would never be so cheesy. The single rose, first of all, was way to cliché. Second of all, the black ribbon would have made it original, but that was already from the Phantom of the Opera.
Ihummed"Think of Me" under my breathwhile reminiscingof that week Michael and I spent eating dinner together. That was an incredibly magical time. He put beauty back into my life. He made me feel wonder at the slightest thing, he made me see the world in a completely different light. Not unlike when we were dating.
Michael is a romantic.
But Dennis is full of physical passion.
How can I choose?
A/N- I'm back. Sorry, that took waaay too long than it should have.
Someone asked me to tone down the cursing. I'm sorry if it offended you, I'm just used to it, but if it offends anyone else, I'll definitely bring it down.
We're now down to the final eight. If I go a little more into the characters of some of the other guys, would you readers like to vote off who you don't like? You can vote for Liam, David, Jeff, Tom, and Ryan. Sorry, Dennis isn't an option.
Unfortunately, the frequency of my updates are probably going to be a lot less now. Band camp started up again and school starts on the eleventh for me. Is it just me, or did the summer go by way to quickly?
Anywhosits...be sure to update. They really motivate me to WRITE FASTER.