A/N: Sorry this took so long, life is crazy. From now on this story is pretty much gonna be a story/ half Ryan Adams songfic. It'll be cool I promise.
MIA
Here I am. In front of the door. But I can't bring myself to open it. The last few years have been unbearable, living in Genovia; not being able to spend time with two of my best friends in this apartment, in this city. It's sad really. I've spent maybe six days in the last four years in this house, when growing up I practically lived here. I feel like a stranger standing on this doorstep. I even had to spend twenty minutes persuading the doorman to let me into the building!
I must have looked rather silly, bundled up in a pea coat near the end of spring. I hadn't had time to ditch the coat, having been back in New York for only a few hours. I was just reaching for the doorknob when I a voiced behind me caused me to jump and whirl around all at the same time. This was not a smart move; my shock and attempted ballet maneuver had caused me to lose my balance and trip over my own feet right into the arms of….
MICHAEL
There was no mistaking it. My Mia was standing right in front of me. My Mia! Well, not MY Mia, but Mia nonetheless. Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Grimaldi Renaldo. The sound of another voice had caused her to stumble, in a typical unprincessy Thermopolis manner, and before I knew what I was doing, I had reached my arms to resteady her. My resolution forgotten, I pulled Mia into a tight hug, it had after all, been almost half a year since I had seen her.
"Michael! Oh, Michael. It's so good to see you!" I reluctantly let the princess out of my arms and let my eyes wander all over the girl I still could not believe was standing in front of me.
"What on earth are you wearing?" I asked, laughing at her. She stood before me, looking ready to battle the forces of nature in her winter coat. Was it really that cold in Genovia? Had she forgotten the weather of New York? Had she forgotten her friends? A look of realization flashed across her face, and then she gracefully shrugged off the heavy coat, revealing the fact that under it she was only wearing a tank top printed with hundreds of tiny cartoon whales. Always the same Mia.
"I was cold on the plane," she explained. "When I left the palace in Genovia, I was perfectly comfortable, but I had forgotten how terribly cold air conditioning on airplanes can be! I think they, and they meaning Grandmere, were trying to freeze me! To punish me for dressing to "un-princess-like." Imagine, the nerve of that woman! All I had was this coat. I couldn't fit it in my suitcase so I had carried it onto the plane with me, not intending to use it of course…" Mia realized that she had been randomly and quickly shut her mouth. In the dim light of the hallway, I could still tell that she was blushing.
Smiling in spite of the mood I had been in not half an hour before, I assured her that I was alright, and opened the door of the apartment for her. Hesitantly, she stepped in and I followed. The sound of Lilly sneering into the phone greeted us, and I motioned for Mia to stay quiet and remain where she was while I approached Lilly in the other room.
"NO. He's not here right now," Lilly said into the phone, sounding annoyed and enunciating as if she were talking to a very small child. "I do not know where he is every waking moment of every day, you're the one who is supposed to be his—," but she stopped her words short when she saw me. Shoving the phone into my hands she mouthed the word 'Emily' and turned to leave, but I grabbed her wrist.
"Sorry, darling, I can't talk right now. We've sort of got a little family emergency." At these words, Lilly raised an eyebrow suspiciously and stopped attempting to free her arm from my grasp. "Yes, I will see you tomorrow night. Now, I have to go." As soon as I had put down the receiver, my oh so sweet little sister had begun to bombard me with questions.
"Family emergency, Michael? What's going on? You know very well Mom and Dad are visiting their parents this weekend. What can you know that I don't? You've been gone all night!" Even though I hated to admit it, Lilly was rather clever. It was a Friday night, my parents were out of town, and I didn't want to hang out with my girlfriend. I was a teenage boy, almost done with his junior year of high school and I wasn't even exciting enough to throw a party. Lilly stood in front of me, tapping her foot in annoyance, not even blinking an eye at my use of the word 'emergency.'
"Lilly, if you must know, the emergency is waiting awkwardly behind you," I said with a smile. Mia had crept her way into the hall, remaining unnoticed by Lilly. Princess Lessons (or the last few years living in a gigantic echoing castle) must have taught her how to walk quietly. Hardly anyone could creep up on a Moscovitz.
At my words, Lilly spun around in very much of the same manner that Mia had earlier, and, much to my displeasure, screamed. Words began flying as the two embraced and attempted to both talk at lightspeed, and at the same time. I decided to give the two best friends some alone time. I knew that as happy as I was to see Mia, Lilly was probably twice as happy, having had her best friend on the other side of the world for most of the last few preteen years. I caught Mia's eye and smiled before retreating to my room. Perhaps this was the perfect time to have a good heart to heart with my guitar. If I knew these two girls at all, I knew that they would be up for the rest of the night, and that maybe, in a few hours, I could have Mia to myself so we could catch up.
