Third Time Lucky

But before I even leave for- my boring trip to Genovia, I have to break up with Kenny - something I totally don't want to do because I really do like him and I don't want to hurt his feelings, but I guess I sort of have to.

Although I have to say, the fact that he still hasn't so much as mentioned the dance is making the idea of breaking up with him seem a lot less heinous.

Then tomorrow, I thought, I'll leave for Europe on a plane with my dad and Grandmere, who still aren't speaking to one another (and since I'm not speaking to Grandmere either, it should be a really fun flight), and when I come back, knowing my luck, Michael and Judith will be engaged.

That's what I was sitting there thinking in the split second the screen in front of me flickered. That, and You know, I'm not really in the mood to see any of my teachers in funny outfits.

Only when the flickering stopped, that's not what I saw. What I saw instead was this castle.

Seriously. It was a castle, like out of the knights of the Round Table, or Beauty and the Beast, or whatever. And then the picture zoomed in until we were over the castle walls and inside this courtyard, where there was a garden. In the garden, all these big fat red roses were blooming. Some of the roses had lost their petals, and you could see them lying on the courtyard floor. It was really, really pretty, and I was like, Hey, this is cooler than I thought it would be.

And I sort of forgot I was sitting there in front of a computer monitor at the Winter Carnival, with like two dozen people all around me. I began to feel like I was actually in that garden.

Then this banner waved across the screen, in front of the roses, like it was blowing in the wind. The banner had some words written on it in gold leaf. When it stopped flapping, I could read what the words said:

Roses are red

Violets are blue

You may not know it

But I love you too

I screamed and jumped up out of my chair, tipping it over behind me.

Everyone started laughing. I guess they thought I'd seen Principal Gupta in her leather catsuit.

Only Michael knew I hadn't.

And Michael wasn't laughing.

Only I couldn't look at Michael. I couldn't look anywhere, really, except at my own feet. Because I couldn't believe what had just happened. I mean, I couldn't process it. What did it mean? Did it mean Michael knew I was the one who'd been sending him those notes and that he felt the same way?

Or did it mean he knew I was the one who'd been sending him those notes, and he was trying to get back at me as a kind of joke?

I didn't know. All I knew was that if I didn't get out of there, I was going to start crying . . . . . and in front of everyone in the entire school.

I grabbed Tina by the arm and yanked her, hard, after me. I guess I was figuring I could tell her what I'd seen, and maybe she'd know what it meant, since I sure didn't.

Tina shrieked - I must have grabbed her harder than I thought - and I heard Michael call, 'Mia!'

But I just kept going, lugging Tina behind me, and pushing through the crowd for the door, thinking only one thing:

Must get to the Girls' Room. Must get to the Girls' Room before I start bawling my head off.

Somebody, with about as much force as I'd grabbed Tina, grabbed me. I thought it was Michael. I knew if I so much as looked at him, I'd burst into big baby sobs. I said, 'Get off,' and jerked my arm away.

It was Kenny's voice that said, 'But, Mia, I have to talk to you!'

'Not now, Kenny,' Tina said.

But Kenny was totally inflexible. He went, 'Yes, now' and you could tell from his face he meant it.

Tina rolled her eyes and backed off. I stood there, my back to the Computer Club's booth, and prayed, Phase, please don't come over here, Michael. Please stay where you are. Please, please, PLEASE don't come over here.

'Mia,' Kenny said. He looked more uncomfortable than I'd ever seen him, and I've seen Kenny look plenty uncomfortable. He's an awkward kind of guy. 'I just want to ... I mean, I just want you to know. Well. That I know.'

I stared at him. I had no idea what he was talking about. Seriously. I'd forgotten all about that hug he'd seen in the hallway. The one I'd given Michael. All I could think was, Please don't come over here, Michael. Please don't come over here, Michael. . .

'Look, Kenny,' I said. I don't even know how I got my tongue to work, I swear. I felt like a robot somebody had switched into the Off position. 'This really isn't a good time. Maybe we could talk later—'

'Mia,' Kenny said. He had a funny look on his face. 'I know. I saw him.'

I blinked.

And then I remembered. Michael, and the B minus hug.