After my dad left my room, I thought a lot about Micky. When we first met. All the things we had done in the two years we had known each other, the best two years of my life. Suddenly, I heard a tap on my window. I opened my curtain, and there was Micky, with a smile on his face! "Hey, M.G.," he said. M.G. stands for Micky's Girl. At school, people are always coming up to me and asking, "Aren't you Micky's girl?" He is very popular. The name stuck. "Are you okay? What happened after you left?"
     "My dad just told me I can't see you any more," I said. Tears started rolling down my cheeks. He jumped into my room and held me.
     "Remember what I said last night? We'll work it out."
     "But how?" I asked. What are we going to do?"
     "Don't worry. We'll make it." He gave me another reassuring grin.
     Suddenly, I had an idea. "Micky, I'm 18, right?"
     "Right."
     "So I can get a job and support myself."
     Micky frowned. "What are you trying to say?"
     "I want to move out of this crazy house. Now. I'll run away if I have to."
     "Supporting yourself is not as easy as you think. I mean, me and the guys are always struggling just to make the rent. And we hardly ever have much food. And there's four of us to pitch in."
     "But I can't stay here much longer."
     "Well, I can't let you just end up on the street."
     Suddenly, I heard my parents talking. "You'd better go. They'll make us move or something if they catch you here."
     "Okay." Suddenly I could tell he had gotten an idea. "Can you hold on until tomorrow afternoon?"
     "Maybe."
     "Bring some clothes and things you'll need for a few days with you when you go to school tomorrow morning. I'll pick you up after school."
     "Whatever you say. But, why?"
     "I have a plan," he said in his corporate executive voice. I laughed. His humor was just one of the many things I loved about him.
     "All right," I said. Suddenly I heard a knock on my door and my dad called my name. "Just a second. I'm just changing," I replied. I looked at Micky, who was already out the window. I gave him a quick kiss and closed my curtain. "I'm ready," I called to my dad. He came in.
     "Look, honey, I know I got angry last night, but you shouldn't have snuck out."
     "If you would just be reasonable, I wouldn't have had to," I retorted.
     "I didn't come in here to fight with you. I just came to say that we're only doing this for your own good."
     "What's good for me is to be with Micky," I replied.
     "Someday you'll see the truth," he said.
     Suddenly, I realized that I would be leaving my family tomorrow, maybe forever. This would be my last night with them. I didn't want it to end this way, in a fight. "All right, Dad. I know that you love me and you're just doing what you think best." I gave him a hug and said, "I love you, Dad. Good night." I went to my parents' room and told my mom the same thing, then I went to my sister's room. "Hey. What are you doing?"
     "Just homework for 10th grade history," she answered. " You, uhm, you aren't mad at me, are you? You haven't talked to me all day." I admit I had been, but I didn't tell her that. "Nah. You were just worried about me."
     "I was," she replied. "I got a little scared when you weren't there."
     "Well, I'm fine. And, if for some reason I leave again someday, just know that I'll be all right."
     "You're not planning on sneaking out again, are you?" she asked.
     "No," I said. Which wasn't a lie. I was running, not sneaking. "Good night. I love you." She looked at me weirdly. We had never told each other that before.
     "Love you, too," she said after a pause.
     I went back to my room and packed my schoolbag. I put in two sets of clothes, a picture of my family, all the money I had saved up, and a few books. Another thing Micky and I had in common was a love of reading. I decided to leave a note on my dresser. It said, "I am in a safe place and well taken care of. I will keep in touch from time to time. Please forgive me."

     The next school day seemed endless! All I could think about was Micky. What was he planning? I wanted to sit alone at lunch to ponder, but my best friend Mary sat with me. I was dying to tell her, but I couldn't. I wasn't sure how she'd react and if she would try to stop me. I only told her up to the part where my parents forbade me to see Micky. When school finally ended, I ran outside and saw Micky in the band's car, which they liked to call the Monkeemobile. I jumped in and hug him. I asked where we were going.
     "To the pad," he said.
     "That'll be the first place they'll look," I responded.
     "Yeah, but they couldn't take you away again if. . ." He paused.
     "If what?" I asked.
     "If we were married."
     "You mean, you're proposing?"
     "Yes, I am. Las Vegas is an eight hour drive. We could be married almost before they know you`re gone."
     He was right. Mom wouldn't go in my room and find the note until after I didn't come down for dinner. And I really wanted to marry him. I just didn't expect to so soon. And I wondered about his motives. "Do you want to marry me because you love me, or just to stop me from running away?"
     "I was going to ask you in a few months, anyway, when you graduated. But I don't want to stop you from that. I want you to finish high school. Maybe even someday college. I could go for physics and you could go for. .uhm, let me guess. You would go for history education."
     I laughed. "Yes, that is what I would go for." Then I frowned. "But it will be a while, now that my parents won't pay for it." Then I smiled. "Let's do it."
     He grinned and screamed, "Yes!" I laughed again. Then I had another thought. "Where will we live? We can't afford anything."
     "You'll move into my room at the pad. The guys and I had a meeting last night. They adore you, you know. They think you're perfect for me."

     We got to the pad soon after. All three other guys were there. Peter ran up to Micky and said, "Well?"
     "She said yes!" he told them.
     "All right!" Peter said, then jumped up and down.
     Davy came up and kissed me on the cheek. "It'll be nice to have a woman's touch 'round the place."
     Mike shook my hand and said, "Welcome to the family."
     Peter came up and said, "We're gonna have loads of fun!" Then he gave me a big bear hug.
     Micky then rushed to get a few things and we hurriedly left. We were afraid someone would find out I was gone too soon and find us here. We drove to Las Vegas and got married the next morning. I was a little sad that our families weren't there. Micky didn't tell his mom because he was afraid she would tell my parents. I just hoped that one day they would understand.

     Eventually, they did. It took a while. They were really upset that first night we called them. Over time, as I explained our plans for school and how we would make it, they slowly mellowed. My sister just loved it. She thought it was so romantic. So did I.
     I got a job as a waitress. At the place where I worked I got the band a steady gig. We weren't rich, but we managed to make ends meet.
     Two years passed before I finally saw my family again. That was the day we brought George Michael Dolenz III home. My parents decided to pay for my college after all. Micky's mom helped pay for him to go, too. We got a little apartment on campus and got our degrees. Life with Micky has been a blast. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

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