September 11th 1996, 11:33am.

"Carmelon, you are going to love this museum," Michael expresses enthusiastically to me as we're on our way to an apparently really exotic art museum. "I've been here before and I loved it. I'm positive you're going to as well."

"I better, or else it's not worth my time," I say jokingly.

"Sweetheart, I know you will."

The limo halts to a stop and outside awaits screaming fans behind red barrier ropes near the museum, all anxious to see Michael.

"Well, here we go," I say to myself as I'm about to open the car door, but Michael stops me.

"In an orderly fashion, miss," he says. He grabs my hand and lets me out first as he follows up behind me, waving to the fans and throwing up peace signs.

"Smile Melon," he whispers in my ear. I smile as we enter the museum building, and I am astonished to what I'm looking at. There are exotic statues, paintings, furnishings and weird looking mini sculptures all over the grand, marvellous looking room.

"Wow," I say.

Michael smiles. "I knew you'd like it."

"Like it? I love it! Look at all the-" I stop dead in my tracks when my eyes meet Lola's. She's standing near a golden bronze statue of The Pope, looking cute in a flowy beige dress with beige heels, her hair now in a ballerina bun. How does she keep popping up places? She didn't even return back to the hotel last night and I will admit that I was slightly worried about what happened to her.

"Well hello, hello, hello," she casually says. "Long time no see, how are we today?"

"Michael, is she even allowed to be in here?" I ask.

Before he could answer, Lola says, "Security let me. You don't mind that I told them how I am a trusted friend, right?"

"Uh, not at all," Michael says, looking perplexed.

"Awesome, I can hang out with you guys! Where to now? Ooh! How about we go see this awesome section where they have real historical antiques from like a thousand years ago?" Michael's lips are parted, about to say something, when Lola suddenly agrees on her idea, "Yeah! We should definitely do that, come on!"

I'm so annoyed at this point. This was supposed to be a day for Michael and I, and she had to just get in the way and ruin it all. Looks like I'll be spending the day with Lola now too.

"Ooh and that one!" Lola points at every single object in the whole entire room. If there's anyone I hate doing anything with, it's Lola. I can't even get one word in and somehow, Michael is actually managing all this.

"That is beautiful," Michael says, admiring the same antique clock Lola is.

"Hey, I have an idea, why don't we-"

"Oh and this too!" I am yet again interrupted by Lola's enthusiasm towards...a rock.

"Be careful with that sweetheart," Michael says.

I am dumbfounded and I don't know why. He just called her sweetheart. Sure, he calls me that too, but for some reason it sounds odd when he says it to her. Almost like he...no, get that thought out of your head, Carmella.

I sigh, wanting to speak so badly, "There's also-"

"And there's this really special unit we can check out later, it's upstairs though," she says to Michael, blushing.

"We can go wherever you want," he says.

"Goody," she giggles.

"Goody," I mimic her tone quietly to myself in an annoyed way. If it weren't for her being here, I would be able to talk to Michael like a proper human being.

They continue talking and laughing to each other for whatever reason is beyond me, as I'm walking behind them. I begin to wonder off, not caring to follow them anymore. I walk into a small room with candles lit around it, and a tall Jesus statue right in front of the room. I must say it was rather beautiful, but I can't help but feel anxious in here by myself.

All of a sudden the door slams behind me, and I can't open it again. I don't know what's been happening recently, but I hope this isn't another one of those things that goes wrong and I hurt myself again. I bang on the door, calling out for anyone to come and get me.

"Hello? Help! I'm stuck, I can't get out!" I yell. "Hello?" I bang on the door some more, when I see one of the candles flaming like crazy which looks like it's about to either give out or become bigger and burn like crazy.

"Is anyone out there? Hello?" I don't stop banging on the door for a long time, just watching the flame flicker out of control. I then see the candle drop onto another one which makes a hissing sound and the fire bigger. I let out a big scream and shield my eyes, hugging my peplum jacket closer to me as I start crying.

"Hey, hey, it's alright, everything's okay," I hear a man's voice say. I look up and see a Hungarian looking guy kneeling below me.

"What happened?" Michael asks frantically as he and Lola rush in here.

"Nothin', one of the candles flamed out and she got a little scared," a guy standing near the statue says as he's blowing out the flame.

"Carmella, why did you run off like that?" Michael asks as he helps me up.

"I-I-I don't know," I answer.

"Well come on, let's get going," says Lola.

"Thank you Dominik," Michael says to the Hungarian guy.

"You're welcome anytime, Mr. Jackson."

"Who was that?" I ask Michael as we exit the room.

"My European translator, I forgot to tell you."

"Carmi, you can't just run off like that," says Lola.

Well, don't you think if you'd listen to me, I wouldn't have gotten bored and I wouldn't have walked off? I wanted to say.

Instead, I just nodded apologetically, "I'm sorry."

"Let's not worry about that anymore," says Michael. "How would you girls like some lunch? I know a restaurant."

"Sounds good to me," Lola agrees. "Carmella?"

I try to smile. "Why not?"

"Great, back in the limo we go."

We exit the museum outside where the fans still haven't left, but before Michael gets in the limo, he shouts, "I love you!" this makes them scream even louder.

"So where's this fancy restaurant we're going?" I ask once we get inside the limo.

"You'll see, they closed it down for us," says Michael.

"Ooh, fancy," Lola giggles yet again.

Once we arrive, it's quiet and there is no sea of fans or paparazzi, thank God. We get inside and the waiter shows us to a table of three.

"Thank you," we all say in unison.

"So, what would you ladies like?" Michael asks.

"Oh, anything is fine for me," says Lola. "What about you, Carmella?"

"Uh yeah, sure," I say, looking around at the beautiful restaurant, not acknowledging anyone.

"The salad for the two of us it is!" Lola beams.

"What'll I get you?" a handsome looking waiter asks us, with a bit of an accent.

"I'll have the vegetarian chicken, the girls will have the salad," Michael orders. "If you two are happy with that."

"Of course we are, right Carmella?"

"Yeah," I say, still not caring what she just told me.

"Then it's done," Michael says.

"Any drinks?" the waiter asks.

"Just water will be fine," Michael responds.

We hand him the menus and wait for our food to be cooked. Not too long after, we are served and the meals honestly look delicious. It includes fresh lettuce, croutons, bacon, little cubes of cheese with even more cheese and mayonnaise spread evenly on top. This place can make even a boring salad taste yummy. I take a bite of it and it's heaven in my mouth; this doesn't taste like the similar fancy salad in America.

"So Lola," Michael begins the conversation, "what do you do for a living?"

"Well, I just finished my final semester in college, and I'm off to become a beauty practitioner."

"Wow that sounds great. Do you have your own house?"

"Not yet, but I saved to buy one." I sense pride in her voice.

I stay quiet throughout the entire conversation, just engrossed in my food. At the same time I'm learning things about Lola I hadn't known before. Who knew she'd be bothered to stay in college? My parents doubted she'd accomplish anything and to be honest, even I did. And somehow I can't help but feel slightly guilty because of it.

"Oh, and Michael, there's something else I forgot to mention."

"What is it?"

"Well, I just wanted to apologize for my unacceptable behaviour last night, if you know what I mean." She winks.

"Don't worry about it, really." Michael puts his fork down. "I never thought a woman like you could act in such...a badass way." He chuckles.

Lola giggles her annoying giggle again and says, "Neither can I."

I can't believe what I'm hearing right now.

"You know I did try to tell my little Carmi over here that it's not right to go snooping in other people's things." She nudges me.

No way. So now she's putting the blame on me? "Uh, Lola, I thought it was your idea to-" Lola stomps on my foot from under the table and I shriek. "Ow!"

"You okay?" Michael asks, taking another bite of his vegetarian chicken.

"Uh, fine," I cover up, not bothering to continue with what I was saying.

"And you know how my little Carmella is, always so cheeky and nosy," she talks in that baby voice and pinches my cheeks again.

"Stop it. Please," I tell her through gritted teeth.

"Ooh, we've got a feisty one," Lola says with yet another giggle. "We better watch out, don't wanna make her angry."

Michael just chuckles and continues eating his food. I sigh frustrated, and poke my fork violently on a crouton and bite.

"Carmella, I was joking. Lighten up, please," Lola says.

"That was a delicious meal, I wish I could come here more often," Michael says before taking a sip of sparkling water.

"Me too, maybe one day, Carmella and I can-"

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I spit angrily at her. I have no idea where this anger is coming from, but I have it already, so I decide to just let it out.

Lola laughs a little to brighten the mood, "She's so cute when she's mad; my little twelvie."

"Yeah well I'm thirteen next month! Have you forgotten about that too, just like you've forgotten me when I was eight years old?" I raise my voice a little higher.

Lola is beyond embarrassed now, and I don't even care. I also don't care that Michael is witnessing the whole thing, although I do feel sorry for him having to look at us like this, as it must be awkward for him.

"Carmella, are you really going to do this now?" Lola softens her voice to me.

"So...who wants-" Michael says but is abruptly cut off by me flinging my fork harshly back onto the plate and getting up from out of my chair and walking away.

"Dessert?" he concludes.

Lola covers her face with her hands in embarrassment as her cheeks turn a dark shade of pink.