Love Me, Or Leave Me, Or Rip Me Apart. [Mike Carden of The Academy Is...] [Info+1]

Name: Jules

Age: 18

[Flashback] "Mom?! Aaron?! What do you mean you're running away together?! You're my bloody boyfriend!"

"Who is she dad?! A stewardess?! She's been gone for two days and already you're ENGAGED to a stewardess?! And she's ONE THIRD YOUR AGE!!!"

"Dear Jules-y,

Your Brother,

Ferguson

[End Flashback]

[Present] Jules McPherson was standing in a long line at an airport in London, rewinding and replaying the movie-like events that had led her to this particular spot.

Her mother and boyfriend of six months had decided this week to make their five month affair known and had chosen to run away together to Aruba, two days following her father announced that he had become engaged to "Janine" a stewardess for British Airways, at this time it became far too much for her brother Ferguson to bear and he had runaway to join the army.

Jules, being the last sane member of her family, decided she too, should leave and had drained her trust fund this morning, her 18th birthday, and bought a first class, one-way ticket to Los Angeles.

"Come along Jules-y it's nearly our turn." her best friend and sole companion Erin called as the line moved forward.

Erin ONeill had been there for Jules since she could remember, whether it was a make shift funeral for her dead hamster when she was 6 or a continent hopping adventure, Erin was there. She was completely Irish in every respect, red hair, green eyes, pale skin, freckles, exceptionally skinny, pretty in her own way.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Jules muttered as she picked up her luggage and walked towards the desk. Erin was already talking with the lady at the ticket counter when she got there.

"What do you mean one of us is going to have to fly Coach! We both have first class tickets!"

"I'm sorry Ma'am we've over-booked."

"Don't cause a scene Erin I'll fly Coach, I've flown first class before and you haven't it will be an experience for you, anyways my day can't any worse."

"But Jules, it's your birthday!"

"I'm good, I promise."

"Alright" Erin said reluctantly as she headed towards the first class boarding gate.

Jules checked her luggage and sat in a small plastic chair waiting for them to call Coach Passengers to board. As she sat she looked around at the people she would be boarding with.

There was a young couple who looked to be on their honey-moon cuddling a few chairs to her left, a rather chubby greasy looking bloke that kept making kissy faces at her and winking sitting across from her No doubt I'll be sitting next to him Jules thought to herself as her eyes moved along the bleak rows of gray plastic chairs. A middle-aged couple with 3 children, a young boy with his mother, an older man, a few businessmen, and a soft strum of a guitar called her attention to a boy over in the last row of chairs in the corner.

He looked about her age if not a year or so older, he was wearing a blue and white ski jacket of some sort with a hoodie underneath along with a pair of tight-ish jeans and flip flops which she found strange since it was September. he had dark brown or black hair, she couldn't tell as he was quite a ways away that was slightly long, long enough to hide his face from view at least, as he strummed an acoustic guitar thoughtfully. He had a medium build and looked on the tall side. He looked up sharply as he felt her eyes on him and Jules looked away quickly.

She got up a few moments later and got a coffee from the small Starbucks kiosk across the waiting area, she felt eyes follow her as she got her coffee and walked back to her seat. She looked over at the boy with the guitar to see him turn away quickly and go back to strumming his guitar. She noticed him peek out at her from under his hair a few times though when he thought she wasn't looking.

A few minutes later a voice came over the inter-com telling the passengers that Coach was now boarding. Everyone stood up and walked towards the gate.

Jules entered the seating area of the plane and looked for her seat, she found it towards the back of the plane, it was in a row with only two seats and she had the window. After a few moments most of the passengers had already boarded and no one was seated next to her

Maybe I'll just be seated by myself and get some peace and quiet for once Jules thought, but then her hopes were crushed as the chubby pervert from earlier made his way towards her licking his lips and sat down next her.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Jules silently asked herself

Just then the boy with the guitar boarded and looked at his ticket and then the man next to Jules; he walked over and tapped the guy on the shoulder.

"Hey buddy, you're in my seat" he said in a deep smooth voice with an American accent

"Hey buddy" the gross man next to Jules said imitating his accent "Get over it."

"Listen, man, I just want to sit down, okay? Just get out of my seat."

"Is there a problem here?" a perfect blonde stewardess asked with a plastic smile

"Yeah" guitar-boy said "That guys in my seat."

"Well" the stewardess said "Please move yourself sir"

"Fine" grumbled the man as he got up and walked off towards his real seat.

"Wow, that was a struggle" the guy said chuckling slightly as he reached over Jules to stow his guitar in the overhead compartment. "By the way, I'm Mike." he said extending one hand while using the other to brush his hair away from his startling pale green eyes.

"I'm Jules" she said taking his large calloused hand in hers and shaking it lightly.

"So what are you doing heading L.A." Mike asked as he sat down trying to get his long legs comfortable in the cramped seat

"I'm actually just trying to get away from my family they're absolutely bonkers" Jules said chuckling slightly

"Really? How so?" Mike asked

"Nope, you asked one question now I get to ask one, its a rule."

"What there are no question rules?" Mike said laughing

"Maybe in America, we British have proper rules and regulations to introductions. Now why are you going to L.A.?"

"I actually just finished a European tour with my band and we're heading to L.A. to record our album."

"Really are you any good?"

"Ha, you just broke your own rule, my turn."

"Damn you, Mike." Jules said laughing

"Now," he said "Why are you trying to get away from your bonkers family" he said imitating your accent on "bonkers".

"Well, it sounds very like, what is that silly foolish American show you have, Jerry Springler, or what-not, but instead of trailer parks it's in London high society"

"Jerry Springer?'

"Yes, that's it. Well it all started out about a week ago when me mum ran off with my boyfriend, then two days later my dad announced he was engaged to a 20 year old stewardess, then my brother the only thing keeping me from blowing the bloody joint went off and joined the army, so today I drained my trust fund and hopped a plane to L.A. with my best friend, who regrettable was able to keep her first class seat."

"That is like Jerry Springer, and no way, I had first class too along with the rest of my band, but then one of us had to sit in coach and we played Rock, Paper, Scissors and I lost."

"How do you lose Rock, Paper, Scissors?"

"I pick Paper every time."

"Why don't you switch up your strategy a little?"

"Because that would defeat the purpose, plus paper is obviously the awesomest choice, I mean come on it beats rock, how cool is that?"

"No water is, it erodes rock, rusts scissors, and makes paper soggy."

"Good point, he lets play a game." Mike said getting an excited look on his face

"What game?"

"Ha, we'll play This or That. I give you two choices you pick one the you give me two choices I pick one and so on. I'll go first to make it easy. Hot or Cold?"

"Cold, because then you can put on more clothes to get warm if you're hot then you can only get naked and if it's still hot then you're screwed."

"Hot, I hate being cold, it feels horrible, the shivering and stuff, no thank you."

"Wuss" Jules say playfully "My turn, day or night?"

"Good one, night, that's when I get to do shows, I live for that."

"I pick day, I love being out in the sun, that's one of the things I'm looking forward to in L.A. the sun."

The two ended up playing This or That until the stewardesses came and gave them scratchy wool blankets and said it was time to get some rest. Jules felt a strange connection with Mike, like she'd known him forever, or met him before in a past life of some sort. She tried to get comfortable but the scratchy blanket made that nearly impossible.

"Here," Mike said offering her his jacket "You look cold, and that blankets no good."

"Thank you" she said as she wrapped herself up in it, it smelled like him, she noted like some sort of faint cologne and boy smell.

Once Jules had gotten comfortable she looked over at Mike and saw him rubbing his arms and shivering slightly.

"Here," she said offering him one side of the jacket "We'll share, it is yours after all." they both huddled under it, luckily the jacket was big enough, but small enough, she noticed that Mike had to put his arm around her and pull her closer, maybe he wasn't so cold after all. Not that she minded, she liked being that close to him, she even laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled into his neck, he snuggled even closer. A few minutes later they were both asleep, smiles plastered on their faces.

A few hours later Jules was woken up by the slight sleepy mumblings of Mike.

"Mmm Jules...yes...that's right...Jules...harder..." Jules couldn't help but laugh as she lightly shook Mike awake

"W-What? William? Butcher?" He mumbled opening his eyes

"Dream about me?"

"What, oh damn, was I talking in my sleep?"

"Yes, it was quite funny actually; you must have been having a nice dream because you kept saying 'Mmm... Jules... HARDER!'"

"Ha," he said blushing, "That's embarrassing."

"By-the-by who are William and Butcher?"

"Oh, William is the lead singer of our band and Butcher is the drummer, his real name's Andy, there's also Tom on guitar and Adam on bass, they're pretty cool guys, maybe you could, you know, meet them, if I could, maybe, call you when we get to L.A."

"Maybe I'd like you to call me." Jules said taking his hand and fishing in her pocket and pulling out a Sharpie she wrote her number and smiled.

"Permanent?" Mike asked raising his eyebrows

"I didn't have regular" Jules said shrugging

"Is this your cell number?"

"Yes"

"Good, I'll definitely call you, I mean I don't want to sound weird but, you know you're different, and I like it, I like it a lot."

"I like it too Mike." Jules said smiling snuggling slightly closer to Mike who still had his arm around her; slowly he started to lean in when they heard the pilot's voice come over the intercom startling them both.

"Ladies and gentlemen we will be arriving in Los Angeles in just a few moments please fasten your seatbelts and move your trays to the upright position."

Mike reluctantly removed his arm from around Jules, suddenly pissed at the pilot. He didn't know why but he was so unbelievably attracted to Jules, a girl he'd met only a few hours before.

He fastened his seat belt and looked over at Jules who had her eyes closed and looked frightened as the plane shook a bit as it landed. Mike suddenly felt strange like he never wanted to see Jules scared again, he took her hand in his and gave a reassuring squeeze. She opened her eyes and smiled as they noticed that they had landed and the people were slowly filing out.

They walked off the plane together and when they reached the gate they turned to each other and looked in each others eyes, stormy gray meeting clear blue.

"Well I guess this is goodbye... for now." Jules said her small smile faltering

"No," Mike said quickly and softly kissing her on the lips "It's just 'I'll see you later'"