Author's Note: 'groan' Am so tired! First day back at TAFE and I'm basically dead. Trust me being on a computer all day, using your brain, troubleshooting and ghosting your OS and so on. Anyway, am tired. I'm also, once again, the only girl in my networking class, 'sigh, but at least this time I have a friend with me, so I'm happy about that.
Anyway, back to what is important. Here is the Prom chapter, so please enjoy.

Chapter Twelve

I never thought I'd say this, and if any of you dare repeat this to anyone, I will happily send viruses to all your computers, but prom turned out to be far more interesting than I ever imagine. It was actually, and I can't believe I'm saying this, fun… in some ways.

Seeing Mia in her dress for example, was definitely one of the highlights of the evening.

She came in with Tina (and of course with Lars and Wahim behind them), before them looking pretty happy and energetic as they moved across the Observation Deck to where we were set up.

I couldn't help but grin back at her as she came to stand in front of me.

"Wow," I commented looking her up and down appreciatively, "look at you."

Now normally, I'm not a fan of pink, but like with the dress that she wore at Halloween, I'm happy to make an exception with this one too.

It was a soft pink, with all these sparkling pink beads all over it. It hung off her shoulders with this; I think it's called a sweetheart cut or something like that, before falling from her waist with this huge, filmy skirt. To be simple and blunt, she looked seriously beautiful.

Ok, so maybe this whole Prom thing isn't so bad… just as long as I get to see her in a dress like that!

She smiled somehow even more widely at me before dipping down into one of the curtsies that she has been learning from her grandmother.

I couldn't help but grin some more at that. Because while I am a little disturbed and intimidated by just how beautiful she looks, how much of a Princess she appears to be right now, I can't help but think, she's mine. This beautiful, wonderful girl is all mine. Just like I am all hers.

"Hi," she said as she rose back to her full height again.

Another thing about Mia wearing dresses like this one, she doesn't slouch anymore. She stands to her full height and she looks confident, like the Princess that she really is. I'm not saying that by wearing pretty clothes, that they give you more confidence, but it seems, if you wear the right ones, you just seem to be happier with yourself.

Mia in this dress simply looked happy to be herself, while in her school uniform for example she looks at times like she wants to be anyone but her.

"Hey." I said as I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulling her close to my side. "How are you this fine evening?"

"Good." She laughed as she leant into me.

"Oi. Stop that! You're giving ideas to those guys." Felix complained as he jerked he's thumb in the Boris's and Tina's direction. They were making googly eyes at each other.

I glanced down at Mia, who was watching them, torn between looking amused and rightfully disgusted. Good girl.

"Hey there Princess, how's it going?" Felix said, with an easy grin that made me want to hit him upside of the head for. Seriously, the damn idiot has no idea what that easy going grin does to the girls around him which is make them hyperventilate. While Felix might not be Josh Richter, he has the bad boy aura that girls seem to love and he even has his own little fan group (who he, for the most part, ignores completely). And while I know Mia isn't actually into bad boys, I do at times have horrible feelings that Felix might accidently cause Mia to fall for his charms. I mean, hello, Judith. Judith never had an interest (or respect I might add, since before they became friends she simply thought of him as a dumb pothead) in Felix, until she start hanging out with us and fell for his bad boy charms. Mind you, she also killed them somewhat, since when Felix became interested in her too, he started to tune down his bad boy acts and becoming more mature so as to impress her. Which it did, but obviously not enough.

Thinking that, I wondered, if Judith was actually going to come tonight after everything that had happened this past week. She might, in fact, not come, so as to not cause any friction between Felix and Paul tonight, since they need to stay focused on the band and not fighting over her.

"Hi Felix. It's going well." I heard Mia say back to him, smiling at him her usual bright smile, nothing out of the ordinary about it at all.

She happily said hello to Paul and Trevor (who despite still being a little cranky about playing at the prom, Trevor was on his best behaviour with Mia. Probably because he knows that if he isn't, I'll hit him. Actually, I'm pretty sure Felix and Paul would too. They're quite fond of Mia.) who said Hey, how you going back to her.

After all greeting were exchanged, the seven of us sat on the makeshift stage, watching as more prom victims walked out on the Observation Desk.

"Culturally diverse cheerleaders." Mia whispered to me suddenly, as she pointed out into the crowd. I followed her finger before having to fight back a snort of laughter.

Lana and several girls from my year who were also cheerleaders had all come to prom, in what appeared to be the same blue and silver gown. Just like at the Cultural Diversity Dance, where all the cheerleaders had gone to it basically dressed in the same slinky, black dress.

I cracked up laughing.

We got weird looks from the others, but we ignored them.

"Same amount of brain cells between them." Mia said, quoting what I had said about them at the Cultural Diversity Dance. "Those brains completely identical to each other, so none can ever be different, even if they wanted to be." She ended with a wide grin

"It's the sad, sad fate of cheerleaders; they are doomed to look and act alike forever." I added and she giggled.

We sat (or stood, if you were the rest of the prom victims) while Mademoiselle Klein gave this huge, long speech about how very lucky we are to be having this prom and in such a fantastic location and that we should be grateful. And that we should also be proud to have such talented musicians to play for us. I felt my ears go somewhat red at that. Mia bumped her shoulder against mine, smiling at me proudly, which of course only had me turning even more red.

As Klein's speech started to wind down, the seven of us got up quietly, Mia and Tina moving off to the side while the rest of us got ourselves together, picking up or getting behind our instruments, getting ready for Klein's signal for us to start playing.

"Well, enough with the speeches," Klein said as she smiled around at the crowd in front of her (and us). I saw where Mia and Tina were standing that behind them Lars and Wahim had gone somewhat slacked-jaw when they saw her smile. "I hope, in fact, I know that you will all enjoy yourselves tonight. It being a beautiful night, in an absolutely fantastic location with our very own live band playing for us. Please, put your hands together for your very own SkinnerBx!" and she started clapping as she walked backwards away from us and off to the side where Wheeton was standing, clapping too.

Actually, I was surprised by the response we actually got. I mean, yeah they had heard us playing on Mia's birthday, but I didn't think we'd get the explosion of claps that we did here because of that.

But we did. Over to the side I saw Mia grinning and clapping enthusiastically with Tina, Lars and Wahim.

She smiled widely when she saw me looking at her and waved. I waved back before forcing myself to be calm and to do what I needed to do.

We waited for everyone to calm back down before we introduced ourselves and started playing the first song from our line-up of songs.

Over the course of the evening we played both slow songs and fast songs, keeping a surprisingly good balance between them.

Despite our protests that we could play for two hours straight, Wheeton informed us that we had to take a ten minute break every half hour, reminding us that we had to play at least until midnight tonight and it wouldn't do got us to be completely stuffed by ten, and if that happened we wouldn't be paid in full. So with that in mind, we grudgingly agreed to those terms.

So at 8:30 we took our first ten minute break, which we found we actually needed. When we were practising, it seemed like we could play forever, but for some reason, being in front of a live audience, while they do energize you, you just seem to get tired a lot more quickly.

So when Wheeton signalled that we had to take our break, none of us complained, simply did what he wanted.

"Hey," I said once I found Mia by the Observation Deck telescopes with Tina and the two very bored looking bodyguards. The only excitement they've had tonight was when Wahim caught Richter trying to spike one of the punches at the refreshment table and threaten him with his numb-chucks.

"Hi," Mia said looking extremely happy for someone who is spending basically all of her time at prom being in the company of her bodyguard, her best friend and her bodyguard (both of them had disappeared to search for Boris).

I handed her glass of un-spiked punch.

"So are you having a good time?" I asked, worried that she might be bored or regretting the whole idea of this. I mean, she was way, way at the back of the Observation Deck.

Because she'd be crushed if she stood anywhere else, a sarcastic voice muttered in my head. It sounded a lot like Lars.

"Of course." The smile that she gave me made all my worrying and self-doubt disappear.

I took her hand and we took a look at the Hudson River.

"You look really beautiful." I told her and she beamed as she plunked happily at the pink, sparkling skirt.

With a smirk, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me.

"And I guess the dress looks alright too." I added and she thumped me half-heartedly in the arm, her face bright red.

"You're so cute." I snorted of laughter.

Mia gave me a very dry look for that.

"So I've been downgraded from beautiful to cute?" she grumbled with a pout. I didn't rise to the bait and simply continued to grin at her.

"Are you mad?" I asked her teasingly.

She pouted some more.

"Yes. Very."

"Then I'll just have to fix that, won't I?" I said, moving in closer so that our nose bumped against each other. Before she could say anything else, and it was obvious that she was going to saying something, I kissed her, hard, on the mouth.

Actually, I might have gotten a little too enthusiastic. I don't know, maybe there was something in the air, but I felt bolder than I usually did when I was kissing Mia.

I felt the same way as I did yesterday in English and when we were shut in her closet at her birthday party. The same sort of feelings were coursing through my veins as those times.

You're at prom! All your classmates are around you, they'll see you! You have to get your ass back on stage in three minutes, A voice was grumbling half-heartedly in my head, but I ignored it, too busy kissing Mia.

Hey, she wasn't making any complaints, even when I kinda accidently-on-purpose brushed my hand against her breast. Though that, touching her there, did shake me out of my hormonally charged mood, making me focus that hey, this was prom, my classmates were all around me and I did have to get my ass back on stage in two minutes and that this was SO not the right place for this sort of activity.

"I have to…" I mumbled against her mouth, my hands now firmly placed upon her hips.

"Get back on stage." Mia finished for me.

"Uh huh." I sighed against her mouth, before forcing myself to pull away from her. Why did she have to be so intoxicating? And yet, without her I feel like I can't breathe.

She smiled at me, making my desire to kiss her even stronger, but I forced it back and firmly told myself to get my ass back on stage.

"Where you been?" Trevor asked when I managed to get back to the make-shift stage.

"What? You didn't see him?" Felix laughed as I shot him a warning look, "Honestly Mike, never thought you had it in you." He teased me causing me to punch him in the arm, not too hard because we needed him to be able to play.

"Fuck you." I muttered.

"Nope." Felix replied cheekily. "Ask her."

I gave him a very deadpanned look, quite ready to strangle him, while Paul smacked him over the back of the head while Trevor laughed. Boris, who had just come up, simply looked at us in confusion before shaking his head at our immaturity… and honestly, I don't blame him. We're not exactly the most mature bunch of people on the planet.

With my own shake of my head at our immaturity, I picked up my guitar and got ready to start playing on Wheeton's signal.

It was just I wasn't expecting that I would be putting it back down again, so soon after picking it up. Right in the middle of Mia's birthday song, 'Princess of my heart', I happened to look up and over where I knew Mia was standing, only to see her freaking out as she spoke into her mobile.

I tried to stay calm because even though I wasn't completely sure, I had a pretty strong feeling about what was happening. What else could get Mia as panicky as she looked? Helen was having her baby.

But she still has six weeks! A voice in my head said and I felt my panic grow.

Somehow I managed to stay calm long enough to finish 'Princess of my heart' before I hoped off the stage.

It was close enough to our break that Wheeton couldn't complain about my stopping, though I know I confused both him and the guys, who quickly informed our surprised audience that we were going to take a short break.

"Hey." I said as I came over to where Mia was freaking out. "What's up? Is your mom?"

Mia's head bounced up and down on her neck, her eyes wide and she looked terrified.

"Come on, let's go then. Is she at the hospital?"

"Ah, yeah. Same as before." Mia squeaked. "Lars is just called for a taxi, since Dad is using the Limo tonight."

"Ok, so let's go down." I said as I took her hand and started to pull her towards the elevators where I saw Lars standing by, talking on his mobile, while still keeping a firm eye on Mia too.

"What?"

"Huh?" I said, looking back at her.

"Michael. You don't have to come. I mean your band." She squeaked. I looked over to where the rest of SkinnerBx were watching us.

"I'll be back in a minute, ok." I promised her as I made to move towards them. She grabbed my arm.

"But-But, Michael honestly, you don't have to come. You can stay here and play. I mean, this is your band's first real gig and I know how important that is to you."

"Yeah, but you're more important." I replied with a shrug. "I'm going with you, ok."

"Ok." And I could see relief washing over her face.

"Ok." I said and I headed back for the band.

"What's up?" Paul asked. "Is Mia ok?"

"Her Mom is having the baby." I informed.

"Ok." They all nodded. They all knew, without being told that I was leaving them, which of course put them at a great disadvantage since I was lead guitar.

"Hey Boris." I said turning to him.

"Yes?" He stared back me with big wide eyes.

"How do you feel about playing lead guitar?" I asked.

I watched his eyes widen in disbelief as he looked around at the rest of us. I took a quite glance at them too and saw no protestation to this decision. In fact Trevor looked relieved.

"Um, if you're sure. I mean, I've never played lead guitar before or a guitar at all, in fact." He babbled nervously.

"Dude, if anyone can do this, it's you." Felix told him reassuringly and the rest of us nodded in agreement.

"Um, ok… but I'm not singing." He squeaked, which caused the rest of us to snort in laugh.

"Wasn't asking you too. Just play and they'll do the rest, ok." I told him and he nodded, smiling.

"Ok."

"Sorry about this." I said to the others but they waved me off.

"It's ok. We understand." Felix reassured me.

"Yeah, we do… we'll still be taking your share though." Trevor added with a grin. I was too wound up to actually care.

"Fine, if you want." I replied absentmindedly as I looked back to where Mia and Lars were standing, waiting for me.

"Ok, bye." I said. "Good luck." I called over my shoulder to them as I half ran half walked back to Mia and Lars.

"Are you sure…" Mia started worriedly.

I pressed a finger to her lips.

"Yeah, Mia, I am. So shush. It's all good." I took hold of her hand and together, with Lars, we left the prom.

This was not how I was expecting the night to pan out, but… do you honestly think I was complaining?

Author's Note: I'm not overly sure I'm happy with this chapter, but no matter how many times I've re-wrote this chapter, it just didn't seem to come out the way I wanted to it. Maybe at a later date, when I'm re-writing this whole series, fixing up spelling and grammar mistakes and adding more of my own little scenes, so maybe then, I'll be able to write this chapter the way I wanted it to. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed anyway and reviews are loved!