(A/N: Ok, this is dedicated to all the people I talk to on AIM and the boards, because you're all fantastic and slightly weird. Meant in the nicest way possible, of course. Thank you for reviewing, and please keep doing so, Ok? Good. And I am REALLY sorry for not updating sooner. I've just been sick, and it's been a weird time for me, etc. Yeah. Anyway. I know, not a good excuse and all that, but it's hard trying to balence a social life (Hah!) and finding time to write when you basically don't yave a sleeping pattern (I hear you guys who talk to me going 'Ohh, so THAT'S why she's always on at like, 4 in the morning!'). But I try. Yep yep.
Read, Review and Enjoy.)
"I've been looking for you everywhere." Lilly hissed in Michael's ear as soon as she got close enough, grabbing Michael's wrist and sinking her sharp nails deep into his skin.
He'd always begged mom to make her cut those damn nails short, but she'd somehow always brush him off by muttering a feeble excuse, along the lines of "Lilly needs to have some sort of protection. She's a girl. You aren't. She can't protect herself as well as you can". Which was completely screwed up if you asked him.
If there was anyone who didn't need protecting, it was Lilly. Why, she could fight off a gang of 4th grade girls when she was in playschool! But mom or dad never seemed to see this, and insisted that he should learn to deal with his obvious jealousy. Jealousy of what, exactly?!
"Oh have you? I had no idea." He muttered back to her, shooting a small smile in Mia's direction, as she was beginning to eye them both suspiciously.
"Don't give me any of that shit, you … you … Argh!" And with one final dig into his wrist, she reached over, grabbed Mia by the arm and dragged her over to a waiting Tina, who had been eyeing the group weirdly for the last five minutes, with a knowing look on her face.
What she knew exactly, Michael wasn't sure. But from the way she was now eyeballing Mia, he was pretty sure it was to do with her.
As the pair of girls finally reached Tina, they sat down and Mia pulled out a few books.
"Hey guys, do you think you could help me with my Algebra now? Since I'm not allowed to speak to Michael, I'm falling behind with my work and I really need the hel—" Mia got cut off by a huffing Lilly.
"Where did you find him?" She asked, shooting a glare over to where Michael was now sitting, his head in his hands.
"Um … find who?" She replied meekly, opening her Algebra notebook to the right page and placing her pen on top.
"Don't act stupid with me, Mia. You know perfectly well who I'm talking about. Now answer the question." She hissed at Mia, as Tina looked on with a confused expression on her face.
"Oh, um. I just … bumped into him outside the G&T room, five minutes ago. Yeah." She had to think about that one. What if Lilly noticed her nostrils flaring like mad? Maybe she didn't register that little thought …
"Your nostrils are flaring." Was all she got in reply though. Damn, she did notice.
Picking up her Algebra book and raising it so it covered her nose, she said "Ok, maybe it was 10 minutes ago. That's the truth, Lils!"
"10 minutes? What the hell did you do with Michael for 10 minutes? Wait, don't answer that. Please, for all that is holy, don't answer that." She put her head in her hand. "Bad mental images. Oh please, get the pictures out of my head!"
"Lilly! I mean, Michael is nice and kinda cute, but we didn't do anything at all. Not even talk, thanks to you. I didn't say a single word, Ok?" Mia spluttered, her face turning beetroot.
"Good, good. It's nice to see you can keep to dares." Lilly moved off the table she had been sitting on, and slipped into the seat behind the desk Tina and Mia were sitting at.
"Thanks, Lil. I think, anyway." And, thinking the conversation was over, she turned back to Tina and opened her mouth, only to be interrupted once more.
"… You think my brother is cute?"
Damn it. What a big mouth she had sometimes.
On the other side of the room, Michael was sitting at a desk, confused. Why hadn't Mia spoken to him? Maybe she was sick or had a mouth infection. Wait, could you even get mouth infections?
He'd been running all these possibilities and random thoughts through his mind ever since the start of G&T, after Mia had been dragged off by the arm by his lovely sister. So far, all he'd come up with, was that either Ma had lost all use of her voice, or she hated him.
Now the first one couldn't be true, as at that moment, she was busy chatting and laughing away with Tina, as Lilly nursed her wounded pride after their "little squabble". So it must be the second option.
Oh god, Mia hated him. What had he even done, anyway? Well, he'd once glued a feather to her forehead while she slept, but that was a long time ago. He'd been 12, and of course he'd have done a thing like that. It was pretty funny, too.
Watching a 9 year old Mia walk around with a huge purple feather stuck to her forehead had to be one of the greatest memories he had. Come to think of it, most of the good memories he had involved Mia in some way. Hmm.
Well, he had plenty of time to ponder that. After all, it's not like he could concentrate on anything else when he had some serious sister grilling to do later. And he knew exactly how to get the mean, snotty little girl to tell him everything he needed to know. At least, he thought he did.
