A/N: I'm afraid that this chapter isn't very long. I'm sorry, but it doesn't look like they'll get very much longer. I'll update frequently to make up for that. But that will mean the story will be kind of short, too. Things will happen quickly… but thanks for reading anyway! And thanks for the reviews, too!

I'm not the one who broke you
I'm not the one you should fear
We've got to move you darling
I thought I lost you somewhere

—The Goo Goo Dolls, Here is Gone

Monday, September 7, Gifted and Talented

I can't believe this is happening. When he asked me to meet him by Joe, I thought he was going to tell me that he got front-and-center seats instead of box seats to Beauty and the Beast and ask me if that was okay. But then as I was walking towards the stairs leading down to the first floor, I realized he could have told me that in the hallway or something. It wouldn't exactly be a secret since People and Us Weekly take my picture every time we go together, usually saying stuff like,

"Looks like Mia has a new boyfriend!"

Or,

"Look out, Prince William, you have new competition!"

Or even,

"Mia's New Beau: Better than the Last One?"

And it just pisses me off. Like Prince William and I even like each other that way. Besides, he has a girlfriend now.

Anyway, I started freaking out before I got to JP, wondering what was so important and private that he asked me to see him alone as soon as possible. Did he realize that he loved Lilly after all and wanted to know if she still loved him? Or did he want to get his poems published and wanted to know if it was a good idea?

But I was wrong. So very, very wrong. This is the conversation that took place:

Me: So, JP, what is it?

JP: (very nervously) I wanted to ask you something.

Me: Okay…what?

JP: I have…a friend…

Me: A friend? And what is going on with you…I mean your friend?

JP: Well, he likes this girl and he doesn't know if the girl likes him back. Should he go right ahead and ask her out or just show her how he feels?

Me: Well, it depends on the girl, I guess. If she's shy you might—I mean your friend might—not want to go ahead and ask her. She might think he's making fun of her, you see?

Then I had a painful memory of when Michael showed me that computer program, the one with the castle and the roses and the banner. I'd thought he was making fun of me.

Roses are red

Violets are blue

You may not know it

But I love you, too

And I started tearing up. I couldn't help myself. And now, as I'm writing all this down, I'm starting to cry again. It's horrible. Something like that should be a good memory, not a bad one.

When JP saw that I was crying, he went, "Whoa, are you okay?" And he moved forward to give me a hug. But when he did that, I had stepped closer to him, because he was facing the street and I was facing the door, we collided.

And by colliding, I mean our faces. My cheek hit his nose, and he turned and pressed his lips to mine.

I won't lie. It felt good. After all, I hadn't been kissed since that time outside the chemistry class room, when Michael saw. But JP just wasn't Michael. I pushed him away and went, "It was me, wasn't it? The one you wanted advice for? You like me…"

"Mia, I'm sorry. I've been a coward. I wanted to tell you so long, but I couldn't find the courage," he whispered.

"JP, I'm the one who should be sorry…"

JP looked shocked—and hurt. "What? Why?"

"Because I still love Michael. I'm sorry, but you're just not him."

After that, I ran inside and waited for Lars to realize I'd gone in. He came in a couple minutes later.

"Princess, that young man tells you his feelings for you and you tell him he's not as good as Michael?" he asked as soon as we started walking to the G&T room. The hallway was deserted. The bell must have just rung.

"I know, but…," I said, "No one can measure up to Michael."

"Is that true?" Lars said. He still had his phone out. I thought that was a little weird.

"Yes. Michael and I belong together. Haven't I told you that a million times already?"

"Yes, Princess. I just wondered it you still believed that."

"Oh, Lars," I sighed. "What am I going to do?"

"Don't worry, Princess. It's being taken care of."

What does he mean, 'it's being taken care of'?! Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?! I just hope Grandmère doesn't have anything to do with this. Whatever it is.