Author's Note: Here is a super long one. And thanks to all who are reading, and especially to those who are reviewing. I appreciate it.
Mia:
That night I took a cab over to Felix's apartment. That is, after Lilly grilled me about why Michael was acting strangely. "Lilly, he's Michael. He is moody. That's just how he is. Musicians are moody by nature."
"But he was particularly moody after you left today. And when you missed the meeting about merchandise. Did something happen in Boston that I should know about?"
"Nothing happened in Boston that you should know about, Lillian. Remember, you hate Weezer? That's all that happened. So obviously you wouldn't be interested in hearing about it. So why bother telling you?"
"Why are you blabbering like this? You blabber when you are flustered. What about him is making you so flustered, Princess?"
She always called me that when she had me on something. When she knew that I was lying. She didn't know whyt exactly I was lying, but knew that she'd get to the bottom of it. "Lilly, I'm not feeling good, okay? I think I'm getting a cold," I said turning away.
"Funny, Michael is getting over one."
That was true. He had given me a cold. But we've always swapped illnesses because we're around one another so damn much. But now I felt an extra guilt "Probably got it from hanging around him so much," I rationalized. "I better go before Felix sends a search party out for me."
"Bye Mia, good luck."
"On what? I'm just going to see Felix, not-"
"Not with him."
"Then what are you-"
"On wiping the goofy face you have on right now."
I reached Felix's apartment just as his roommates were leaving. "He is so adorable Mia. He has it all romantic and everything," Melissa gushed.
I offered a weak smile. "I'm not really dressed for a romantic night. I'm not feeling well," I explained.
They smiled very sympathetically to me. "That's terrible to hear," Liss replied in a fake voice.
"Oh well."
"I'm sure he can make you feel better. We promise to come home late tonight, okay?" Kim promised.
I nodded. "Okay. See you later."
I walked right into his apartment because he wasn't answering the door. "Hello!" I called in.
"Hey angel!" he said rushing to the front door where I was still standing. He threw his arms around me and I did the same. Didn't want to look suspicious. "I have a great night planned for us. I made your favorite, lasagna."
"Oh great," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic. I had no hunger at all.
"What's wrong?" he asked, kissing my cheek.
"Nothing. Just tired. Run down from touring and stuff. Maybe a bit of a cold."
He pulled me into the kitchen and began kissing me.
"I uh, have a cold," I lied.
He looked so happy to see me though. "Then I'll have to get sick, I don't care. I've missed you too much," he said leaning me against the fridge and kissing my neck. "You smell great, new perfume?"
I hugged him awkwardly. "Uh, yeah. I'm starving," I said pulling a Heisman (well, Manny told me when in doubt with a guy do a Heisman, a move that some trophy for college football has made famous or something)
"Oh," he said as I sat down. "You must have had a long day, huh?"
Not really. Make out session with Michael…"I get hungry when I'm sick," I lied.
He looked like I just told him I ran over his puppy. "Oh, in that case I have just the thing," he said brightening up. "Here. Your favorite."
"It looks delicious," I said softly.
"Good. I'm glad you like it."
We started eating in silence. He had grown up in a home where you don't talk while you are eating dinner. It wasn't refined enough. He had been shocked, when we first dated, at my seemingly lack of manners. He thought as a princess I would know better than to talk at the dinner table.
When we were finished he took our plates and put them into the sink. "Now we can go talk in the living room."
I forced a smile and made myself stop thinking about Michael. He had invaded my mind during dinner. I had made up a game in my head, 'What would Michael Say'. He would have started cracking jokes and teased my vegetarianism. He respected it, but loved to tease me about it. Felix always just figured it was part of me. Which, I guess, is a good thing.
We sat on his leather couch. "So?" I asked. He wants to talk. This would be a perfect time to say Let's break up. I'm hooking up with Michael and want to see where it could go. Sorry for wasting your time and cheating on you all the time with complete strangers. Have a good life.
"We need to talk about our future," he said simply. "I am moving in two weeks to
Los Angeles. I need your help finding an apartment there. Do you think your father could call anyone? To get me a reasonable place?"
"In LA? No. Who would he know there?"
"It was only a thought. Then come with me, to California this weekend. We can fly out tomorrow and start looking."
"Why though?"
"Mia, if we are going to have a life together we should probably-"
"But I'm not going all the way to Los Angeles. You are coming back here to work, right? I mean, you are just going out there until you hit it big, right?"
He nodded, "But Mia-"
"I can't leave my life here, Felix. I'll help you find a place but I'm not moving there. I love New York too much. And I have my career to consider…."
He nodded, "I figured you wouldn't. But you will come help me find a place?" he asked.
"Of course I will," I said kissing him softly. I was filled with sooo much guilt. Maybe if I kissed him I'd feel better, more sure about my decision to be with him.
"Good. I'll go order the tickets," he said jumping up.
I sighed. So much for romance. "I think I'm gonna go home. I'm tired and have a cold. What time are you thinking tomorrow?"
"You're not feeling good?" he asked, putting the back of his palm against my forehead. "What's wrong?"
"Just a cold. What time?" That guy doesn't listen to me. Michael would have remembered that I was not feeling good and gotten a cool towel for my head. Then again, I'm not really sick. Just feeling guilty. Michael would have known my guilty expression. He'd have called me on it and bugged me until I admitted why I was feeling guilty. And then he'd never want to see me again.
Then again, why would I ever cheat on MICHAEL? No girl in her right mind would cheat on Michael Moscovitz; not even a guy like Michael Moscovitz.
"I have some medicine if you want-"
"No, I'll be okay. Probably more exhausted than anything else. What time?"
"About three? We'll leave at eleven."
I got back to my apartment to find a party going on. I nodded to Manny who was dancing with Lilly in my living room. Kevin was scoping out the scene from the couch. "What's going on?" I asked, sitting next to him.
"You missed a fight," he reported. "Lilly and Elle were screaming at one another a little while ago. I was sooo hoping for a breast to come flying out but that damn Lilly is too verbal."
"She's cursed," I agreed, taking a sip of his drink. Way too strong. "Who else is here?"
He looked at me in surprise. I hadn't had a drink in his presence in ages. "Katie is somewhere…Ryan and Chelsea…Ned stopped by earlier before he went out with Michael's dad. Shameeka Taylor is roaming around somewhere. What the fuck was in the water at Albert Einstein? It created the hottest women I've ever seen in real life."
"Thanks for the flattery," I replied. "Did Elle stick around?"
At this point he had his arm around me and was using his beer bottle to point to different people. "Yeah, I think I saw her and Michael go down the hall to one of the rooms."
"They went to a room?" I asked.
"Yeah, I guess a little welcome home hummer is called for or something."
The very idea disgusted me. I got up and excused myself. I can't be jealous. I won't be. I shouldn't be. I'm not his girlfriend. Just …I'm just….his fuck bunny.
I wiggled my way back to my room and found Michael and Elle fighting outside of it.
"Why the hell are you outside her room Michael?" she demanded. "Why did you leave me all alone with Ryan? Seriously, the man is-"
"Mia isn't even here!" he yelled back. "She's over her boyfriends!"
"Ha, yeah, like she has one! Michael, we are leaving," she said, grabbing his wrist.
He saw me before she did. He made a weird expression that I took as a sign to hide from Elle's view. "No. I'm staying here. You leave," he said pointing to the door.
"Michael," she snapped. "If I leave…It's for good."
"I'm sure. See you tomorrow Elle," he said waving her off.
I gave him a face as I slowly made myself visible. She had gone into the masses of people in my living room, making her way to the door. "Everything okay?"
He nodded. "She pulls this all the time. She'll call me in the morning."
I smiled awkwardly and then looked back at the party. "Why weren't you out with everyone else?"
He shrugged, "I just wanted some peace. Figured with you gone this place would be quiet."
"You still wanna be-"
"Michael, man, what the fuck was with that?" Kevin asked, staggering towards us. "Drama Queen or what?"
Kevin put his arm around Michael's shoulders and led him back to the party. Michael turned and looked at me and winked.
I joined the rest of the party and stuck by Kevin while Michael went to get something from the kitchen. As he started coming back to us a blonde stopped him. And he openly flirted with her.
"What's wrong?" Kevin asked, noting my silence. "You ain't talking at all Baby."
I looked at him and smiled in the flirtiest way possible. "Not much to say."
I kept seeing Michael flirting with a new girl every time he tried to come back to us, so I kept flirting with Kevin. It was harmless, of course. Kevin was trashed and didn't know what day of the week it was. And it was driving Michael nuts to see Kev's hand on my knee.
And I was going nuts seeing some girls hand on his chest commenting on how built (ha!) he was. "I'm tired," I told Kevin.
"Want me to take you to-"
"I think I can handle that walk," I replied, patting his knee in a platonic way. "I'll see you on Monday."
As I turned the knob of my room I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Kevin I said-"
"It's me," Michael's voice replied. "You looked upset."
I turned, "About?"
"I dunno. Just…I dunno."
"I'm not. I'm tired and I…" he stopped my rambling with a soft kiss on my lips. The hallway was darkened so no one saw us.
"And you what?"
"Huh?"
He laughed, "And you what?"
"I uh…want to go to my bed."
"Oh."
I nodded. "Well…um, you are welcome to come in if you'd like," I said, tentatively looking up at him.
He grinned, "Sure. I'd like that. Let me just make sure no one will notice. Wouldn't want them to freak out, ya know?"
I nodded. "I'll be in here."
He joined me a few minutes later…I had already gotten into my sweat pants and cami. "So that is what a princess wears to bed normally?" he asked.
"This princess does," I laughed. "Besides, you've seen me when I sleep before," I replied, pulling my hair into a ponytail.
"I figured that was a tour thing."
"What did you think I wore?" I asked with a nervous laugh as he came closer to me.
"I dunno if you wanna hear what I thought you wore."
I could feel myself blushing, "Oh? I think I can be the judge of that," I said turning to face him.
He was standing right in front of me and put his hands on my hips, then leaned down and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself on my tip toes. Should I be doing this? I had just left my boyfriend's apartment because I said I was not feeling well. But I can't help if Michael kissing me happened to remedy my illness.
"Bed?" he asked as we pulled back from kisses.
I looked into his eyes and saw them differently than I had before. "Yes," I whispered.
He continued kissing me as he carried me from my dresser over to my queen sized bed. "This is a bit girlier than I expected," he said as he laid on top of me, sideways on my bed.
I giggled, "Oh? What did you expect?" I asked.
"I dunno… last time I was in your room you had Judd Womack's mug all over your walls.."
"I was eighteen last time you were in my room," I countered. "I've gotten mature in my old age."
He smirked. I love and hate that smirk "Well, I did not expect the butterflies or a duvet cover," he replied. "You weren't like this when you lived at your mom's."
I turned my head and looked at the butterflies on my duvet, "Sorry?"
"No, I just…I just thought you were always very serious. And not so messy. I thought you grew out of your messiness," he teased.
I smiled shyly. Why was I being so shy? "I was looking for something earlier today and ripped everything apart."
He shook his head, "I don't care," he replied, leaning his forehead against mine. "I'm not going to make you do anything," he whispered, tickling my belly that was showing.
I bit my lip. Thank God. "Thank you Michael." I don't think I could handle
"God knows I want to…but it wouldn't be right."
I nodded and then leaned up for another kiss.
It was perfect that night. We could hear the music from the party, but yet we were all alone. No one bothered to come to my end of the hallway. Well, Lilly did once, but we ignored her knocking on my door. I think she figured out what was going on. I mean, no one saw Michael leave with Elle. Or at all that is. And they must have seen him come in here.
Before we drifted off to sleep I started laughing.
"What's so funny?" he asked, looking at his crotch area to make sure nothing was sticking up.
"Oh nothing. You aren't pitching a tent or anything."
"What is it?" he asked, pushing my hair out of my face.
"Do you want something else to wear to bed?" I asked. He looked silly wearing his black pants and Metallica shirt on my nice white bed.
"What's wrong with this?" he asked.
I made a face. "You won't fit into my pants, but I have some of Felix's from college."
He made a face now at me. "Mind if I sleep in my boxers?"
My cheeks turned red, "Um…I guess."
"I'll wear his stuff if it makes you uncomfortable, but I really don't like wearing other guy's clothes. At least not the girl I'm seeing's boyfriend."
I smiled. I was a girl he was seeing? "No, it's fine. I've just…never…"
"It's fine Mia. I won't push you."
"No, sleep how ever you want. It's fine."
With that he slid his jeans off. I looked away for some reason. I wasn't used to intimacy. Felix and I were never…you know, together like that. Not for awhile.
And even then he didn't want to hold me close to him if we happened to sleep in the same bed. He always turned to the edge of the bed. He says he can't sleep with someone touching him. He basically said that sleeping in the same bed was a mortal sin so we have only once (when the room was a little flooded and he couldn't sleep on the floor).
But no. I was now lying next to a practically naked man. A practically naked Michael Moscovitz. I was living every woman's dream right now. "I can sleep on the floor-"
"No, don't be silly," I replied.
Then he started kissing me senseless again. Those kinds of kisses are the ones that make a girl forget any other man exists. I wonder if he makes all the girls he is with do that? He pulled back and I remembered. I had to pack.
"Michael stop," I whispered. "I have to pack."
He looked at me like I had two heads. "For what? We're home," he said, kissing my neck. I loved that word, home.
"I'm going to LA. I have to meet Lexie at eleven," I said avoiding his eyes.
"Oh. So you are moving with him? Mia, we still have the second leg of the tour…and I thought…I uh, thought maybe…."
"No. I told him I would help him find a place there. But I won't stay. He's leaving in two weeks," I replied.
He nodded. "When will you be back?" he asked, linking our fingers together.
"Probably Monday. I have to work and everything," I started in a teasing tone, "My bosses are real jerks."
He managed a smile. "So I have to do without for two and a half days?"
I nodded. "Michael, I don't even know what we're doing. Or if this is even going to be something serious, ya know?"
"I'd like it to be. But as long as we are with them…"
"Yeah. It isn't right but….it feels right," I said snuggling up close to him.
He smiled. "Should I help you pack?"
I didn't bring much. He was happy to see that I would only be wearing some ratty old t-shirts. One of which used to be his but that I had ever so conveniently shrunk to my size. "I better get some sleep," I said finally.
He nodded. "What time you wanna wake up?" he asked.
"I need to shower and stuff…probably at nine."
"That's too early. You'll only have six hours of sleep. Any girl of mine needs ten."
I half smiled, "Than it's a good thing I'm not your girl huh?"
He laughed, "Not yet. But you will be," he said confidently.
I smiled, "We'll see. But no. I need to wake up early because I need to dry my hair. It's too long to have air dry."
He shrugged and fell onto my bed. "Okay. But it'd be easier if you cut it like you had it in high school."
"Pull the duvet off," I said giggling.
MICHAEL:
I liked this side of her. The happy go lucky side. The homebody side. "You smell nice," I whispered.
She raised an eyebrow. "You are different," she replied.
"Than?"
"Are you so sweet to the girls you pick up in bars?" she whispered.
She looked like she was teasing me, so I went along with it.
"I'm being sweet?"
She made a face. "Yes."
"Well…you aren't really one of those girls," I whispered. "You're…."
"Your band mate," she supplied. "And I could crush you with a single phone call?"
I smiled, "Well duh. No. You know me. You don't take my bullshit. You call me on my phony pick up lines."
She smiled shyly, looking pleased with my response. "I do huh?"
I pulled her even closer to me, "I'm really happy about everything that has happened."
I could feel her smile widen against my chest, "Me too."
"I've been thinking about it all day," I admitted.
She drummed her fingers against my chest, "Oh?"
"I like having you like this. In my arms I mean. Not in the Biblical sense…well, that would be good too though-"
"I like lying in your arms," she admitted. "I never thought this could…."
"Could what?" I asked, wrapping her hair around my finger.
"I don't want to look at this any faster than I already am."
"Mia, in my head, you are already mine. I don't want to share you with him."
"You never were a good sharer," she teased. "I just need… time….clear my head and figure out what the hell I'm doing here exactly."
I could answer that for her, but it was her choice.
"Now I really need to sleep."
"You aren't going to get much sleep," I said, nuzzling into the crook of her neck.
"And why is that?" she asked.
And then we proceeded to continue our earlier make out session. God knows I wanted more, but I didn't want to push her. I mean, I didn't want her to think that we were just a sex thing again. She'd hate any guy that looked at her just for sex. Even if the guy is me, one of her best friends.
But then again I'm sure she has her own needs that he probably isn't meeting. But maybe that's why she is starting this with me. Because Felix is lacking in the sex department. "Why do you kiss me back?" I whispered before she could fall asleep.
She didn't answer. She just cuddled closer to me.
She had left before I woke up the next morning. Well, actually, I had woken up by hearing Felix's voice in the kitchen. He had been talking to Lilly and Mia was still in the room. I heard him knock on the door.
"Mia sweetheart? We have to get going if we are going to make our flight."
"Um, don't come in. I'll be out in a second. Go ask Lilly about Miami. It was crazy."
I felt her kiss my cheek before she hurried out.
I finally pulled myself out of her bed and away from the smell of vanilla that she carried. I got dressed quickly and poked my head out the door. I didn't see Felix so I took a chance and made my way toward the front door. But I was stopped before I could reach the door.
"Hey there," Lilly said, eating out of an old take out box.
"Hey Little Sister," I said wiping the sleep from my eyes. I hadn't expected her to be up already. Look casual man. Real casual. Don't let her see you sweat.
"Where are you coming from?" she said knowingly.
"Bed."
"What happened last night?"
"Nothing," I said a bit too quickly.
"Nothing with Elle? I heard you guys were in a fight?"
Oh. She meant Elle. "Oh it's not a big deal. She was freaking out because I was going into Mia's room when she wasn't here."
"Geez, if she had known Mia had come back she would have really flipped out. What happened behind that door?" she asked, getting to her point.
I shook my head, "I don't have to tell you anything."
"Don't worry, Mia already told me," she said stabbing her chop sticks into the box.
"Oh?" I asked, not letting myself get trapped.
"Yeah."
"So you don't need me to. I'll see you later."
I spent the rest of the day with Elle. She apologized for getting all mad for no reason, but she didn't know that she actually had a hell of a good reason. And she didn't need to. I considered breaking up with her, but looking at her and seeing how she gushed over me made me feel bad. I didn't know how to do it. And besides, Mia and I hadn't discussed what we were going to be. I didn't want her to think I wanted her more than she wanted me. I know, childish huh?
"So how late did you stay last night?" Elle asked as we started for dinner with Ryan and Katie.
I jammed my hands into my pocket so I didn't have to hold her hand, "Um, I crashed on the couch."
"Did you drink at all?" she asked. "'Cuz I was totally hung over this morning. I was going to call but-"
"Elle, you know I don't drink anymore. I don't know why you always ask that."
"Oh, by the way, could you have some of the guys sign like…a drum thing for me?"
"Uh, sure, why?"
"I need some money."
I looked at her like she had three heads, "What?"
"E bay."
"You are seriously asking me that? Elle Ebay is the anti-Christ. I am not going to do that."
She shrugged, "It was just an idea. Um…before the others get here there is something I wanted to talk to you about."
We sat down at our table in the back of the restaurant. "What is it?" I asked, taking a sip of water.
"Um…I've been thinking…I've been auditioning, a lot here in the city."
"Yeah, you have." And throwing around my name.
"And you said that you can't help me with a record deal-"
"It wouldn't be fair," I replied. I didn't tell her that her voice didn't exactly match up to those of the other members of my company.
"Yeah, I understand that. But I think if I moved to California I might have better luck."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Oh?"
"And we've been together for what, a few years now?"
I nodded, "Sounds right."
"So I was thinking maybe you could come with me…"
I immediately shook my head. "No. New York is my home. My life is here. My friends are here."
"Michael, come on. It'd only be until I got a deal on my own."
"Elle, no. How long are you planning on being there?"
"I dunno…six months maybe?"
"Elle, I have a lot coming up in the next few months. We have the second leg of the tour next week. We don't come back really 'til the fall. Then we are recording a new album. Then another tour. I can't. It'd be pointless." Okay, so what if half that was a lie?
She nodded, "It was just an idea."
"When are you leaving?" I asked, waving to a fan who was pointing at me.
"Next week."
"So I'll hang out with you this week then. You found a place already?"
"No."
"Where are you going to stay?"
"I have some family there. Maybe I'll crash with them. I can't really afford living there."
So she had been banking on me going with her. Literally. "That sucks. I'm sorry to hear that." Maybe this break up can appear to be because of distance. She' HAVE to understand that
"So-"
"Hey Katie," I said standing up and kissing her on the cheek. "You look nice. Hey Ryan," I continued, patting him on the back.
"Hey kids," he said giving me a look like 'You are going to have to tell me what happened last night'
I didn't get around to talking to Ryan alone because Elle never stopped talking. She was asking Katie about life in California (where Ryan and Katie are from). I meanwhile stared longingly at Ryan's beer.
It had been nearly four years since I had had a sip. Four years since Mia had confronted me about my drinking habits.
Sad that I had to become practically an alcoholic in order to get close to Mia. I looked at my watch and realized that it was only six where she was. "I'll be right back," I said getting up.
"Where are you going?" Elle asked, worriedly.
"I have to call Lilly," I replied. Only Ryan knew it was a lie. I always fork my fingers through my hair when I am lying.
"Oh, okay. See you in a few babe," she said with a sweet smile.
"Hey Mia," I said from the men's bathroom.
"Hey," she said softly. "He just went to pick up some dinner. We just got in a little while ago," she explained.
"I was just thinking about you," I admitted.
"Good," she said with a smile in her voice, "Wouldn't want you to forget all about me now would I?"
"I never could. How was your flight?"
"Fine. Long though. We had to fly around the airport a little bit because there was debris on the tarmac."
"Oh?"
"But we just got to the hotel. It's pretty nice."
"Oh," I said dejectedly. "When are you looking at apartments?"
"Tomorrow…very early in the morning. I'm flying back home late tomorrow night. I told him we had meetings on Monday."
"Good," I said, not being able to help the smile on my face. "What time will you be home tomorrow night?"
"Well, we are scheduled to go to four open houses tomorrow staring at nine in the morning. The last one is at two. I'm skipping that one though. I'll go to the morning ones and leave at one since my flight is at one thirty."
Ah, the joy of being famous, you can cut through security.
"He won't be with you?"
"No. He is going to some more on Monday on his own."
"You hate flying by yourself."
"Michael, I have to get used to it, don't I? I mean, I have to go to Genovia next month by myself-"
"Let me come with you then," I said, surprising myself. "I-I mean, I would really like to see Louie again."
"You are volunteering to go on a six hour flight to Genovia? With me, the worst flier known to man?"
I laughed, "Yes. I haven't been there since we were kids."
"Fine. I'll let the staff know."
"It's so funny…imagine if you really had been the heir to the throne? If Louie hadn't existed?"
"Thank God he does. He brings sanity to my life…oh Lexie is coming back so any thing I say means nothing, okay?"
"Yup."
"Okay, Michael, is the girl wearing a skirt that really should be classified as underwear?"
"I like when girls do that," I replied sarcastically.
"Michael, she's probably a hooker. And to be quite honest with you, you could do so much better. You don't have to pay women to have sex with you."
"No? Who would have sex with me for free then?" I said in a teasing tone.
"Um, your girlfriend?" she replied. "I think she'd be hurt to hear you are paying for sex when she's practically begging you for it."
"Oh, by the way Mia, I have news about her. But I'll tell you about it when you get back. Call me when you get-"
"Fine. I'll be over when I get home to talk about that," she said, pretending to be exasperated.
I laughed, "Sorry to twist your arm."
"Okay…bye Michael."
"Love you," I whispered; but she'd already hung up.
I returned to the dinner table to find only Ryan and Katie. "Where's Elle?" I asked.
"She got a call from her agent. She's in the ladies room."
I nodded and pretended not to look relieved.
"You were just talking to Mia?" Ryan asked before he sipped his drink.
I nodded and avoided looking at his glass. "Yeah. She'll be back tomorrow night."
"Who will be?" Elle asked, coming up behind me.
"Mia. The band wants to talk to her about some things," Ryan covered up.
"You guys should really consider getting a new guitarist. She doesn't seem…gutsy enough for the job. You should have a man," she suggested. "He has bigger fingers and could go faster…"
I looked at Ryan. I couldn't defend her or it would look bad. Besides, she was not making any sense. It was known that Mia was one of the better guitarists of her generation (all thanks to me). She was even going to be interviewed for a guitarist magazine next month. She was the cover story.
"She's actually really good. We've been pals for years. Lilly, she and Michael grew up together. Michael even saved her from being arrested once."
I made a face, "I did?" Actually, I made her get arrested.
"Yeah. She almost dropped an eggplant from their parent's apartment. I mean, you've seen how high up that is, right?" Ryan asked, knowing full well that she hadn't. That I hadn't introduced her to my parents yet. That isn't my fault though. She had refused to celebrate Hannukah with us and I had gone out on tour soon after that.
"No, but he was planning on bringing me over tomorrow for brunch and meeting his mother," she said with a sweet smile.
"I was?" I asked, looking at her like she had three heads (she had a tendency to say things that made me look at her like that, notice that?).
"Yes. I called your mother earlier and she said that would be good. You don't mind, do you?"
I sighed, "I sleep late on Sundays. I don't do brunch," I replied.
"Michael…I need to meet them," she said softly.
Ryan and Katie looked at each other and smiled. Knowing that Elle didn't know about my father's homosexuality. Or that 'Andy' was his husband, not his wife. Hiding this from her wasn't difficult. With the number of breakups we've had over the years and her disinterest in anything other than herself (before now that is) had made me decide she wouldn't be privy to that information.
"Elle, I don't know. Maybe some other time. Plus, my dad and Andy are out in Cambridge now so it'd be impossible." That wasn't a lie. Ned and Dad really did move out there. Ned had joined a new band and was based there. It was the only place where their marriage was legally recognized. "Tomorrow is kind of busy already."
She half laughed, "Doing what exactly?"
"Writing some stuff."
Ryan looked at me with surprise. We already had the stuff we were going to record.
"But I thought you did that on the road?" she asked.
"No…well, I do, but sometimes New York City inspires me," I lied.
She nodded. I guess that was a good enough lie. "So all day?"
"I'm in the zone," I replied, sipping from my water.
"That's the life with a musician," Katie replied with a knowing smile. "It sucks but when you have a musical genius like Michael…"
Silence stung our quartet.
"I'm super tired," I announced.
Elle laughed, "I thought rock stars liked to party. You know, we have yet to hit a big party since we got together. I've seen you with-"
"I took you to the Grammy's, didn't I?" I asked.
"Yeah, but you were with the guys mostly. I was stuck with Mia and Lilly. And Mia's little boyfriend."
"And that's so terrible?" I asked.
"Her boyfriend looked prettier than I did."
I chuckled, "Well, Felix is quite the pretty boy," I replied.
"I would think she'd want someone famous. You know, that way she'd become more popular then, as popular as you are," she said gazing at me.
"She's so lucky…imagine getting to be born famous?" she asked, turning to Katie after I didn't offer a response. She expected girlish support from Ryan's sister. She often forgets that Katie was soon to be the Princess Consort.
"She wasn't," I replied. "She didn't find out about her royal blood until she was fourteen. When her dad found out he couldn't have anymore kids."
"But what about-"
"Her brother is older. Her dad didn't know about him."
"She has all the luck….I wish I had that kind of position in the world so I could just get myself a record deal with a single phone call."
I rolled my eyes. "You wouldn't have time to do that," I replied. "If you were the one to take the crown I mean," I added. I thought back to all the hours Mia wasted at Princess Lessons.
"I'd make time."
Had she always been like this? Had I just turned a blind eye just because she was hot as well as a distraction at home from Mia? "Well, I'm still tired, even more so now. So I'm gonna head back home."
"Wanna come to my place?" she asked. "A night cap?"
I shook my head. I had very little or no interest in sleeping with her now.
"Nah. I'm getting over a cold now I just wanna sleep in my own bed for once."
"Yeah, I'll go back with Michael. Katie, can you take Elle home?" Ryan asked.
His sister gave him the evil eye, "Sure. No problem."
We strolled back into our apartment (I shared with some guys, Manny and Ryan. The other two guys shared another one a few blocks away.). "What's going on with Mia?" he asked.
"I don't wanna talk about it," I replied. I was kind of superstitious.
"Okay man…no problem. I'm gonna meet up with Chelsea, did you want to come with?"
"Naw. If the paparazzi got any shots of me and Elle saw them she'd flip."
"Gotcha. See you later man."
