Teaching Mia

Chapter 21 - Music is the Answer

The students decided to go to karaoke for their last night in Shanghai. It felt like an appropriate setting for the occasion. Mia definitely didn't have the best singing voice in the world, but a night out at karaoke was always fun. Her roommate in college was Korean and throughout the years she had consistently taken her to the best karaoke bars in New York.

They had gotten a private room that had a small stage area in the front. Mia sang all of her favorite karaoke songs with her girl friends including Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Want To Have Fun, and Journey's Don't Stop Believing. Even Leo had sung Backstreet Boy's I Want It That Way, and Bon Jovi's Wanted Dead or Alive with the guys.

After having a few shots of sake with her study group to celebrate their presentation, she sat down next to Leo on a black leather couch. She was really glad she was able to spend some time with him in Shanghai, even if it had only been the last day. The night had been winding down and in the back of her mind she kept on thinking she still hadn't told him how she really felt. She was running out of time.

Somehow it was really difficult for her and didn't know how to bring it up. She had always been such a rational person, hardly ever letting her emotions dictate her decisions. She just didn't know how to say the words.

Mia picked up the songbook and began flipping through it. She had turned through several pages and was about to set it back down, when a particular song in the book caught her eye. A silly idea took over and she immediately punched in the song's number code into the remote and tossed the book on the table.

"What song are you singing next?" Leo asked.

"You'll see," she responded. Mia settled back into the couch and waited. Am I really going to do this? It felt so cheesy, but decided there was no other way.

After what seemed like forever, her song finally came up. "This is me," she said to Leo. She kissed him swiftly on the cheek, and then trickled her fingers down the front of his face and stood up. She risked a glance back at him to gauge his reaction, and his eyes were traveling down her body in awe. She decided to take that as a good sign.

Lady Antebellum's Need You Now started playing and she took the microphone by herself on stage. Leo was now looking back at her with a confused look on his face. Taking a deep breath, she started singing the lyrics and locked her eyes directly at him. She certainly was no fat lady, but it was her time to sing.

The rest of the room disappeared and all she could see was him. She had never felt so completely exposed in her life. The final presentation she had given earlier that day didn't even come close to this, or any other public speaking event for that matter.

Leo's confused look turned serious and he held that expression for a while. Mia continued on to the chorus, but was already beginning to regret her decision based on Leo's reaction. The enormity of the moment took over. She felt her heartbeat accelerate and her eyes glistened with tears she desperately tried to hold back.

Just as she was beginning to lose hope, Leo's next move completely shocked her. He stood up and grabbed an extra microphone that was lying on the table. He then joined her on stage and started singing the second verse. He looked right back at her and didn't drop his gaze for a second. He didn't miss a beat.

They sang the next part of the chorus together. Leo grabbed her hand and begun to have fun with the song. He started moving around her, twirled her around, before dipping her to the floor and slowly pulling her back up again by the waist. Someone handed him a shot of whiskey and he took it without hesitation.

Mia couldn't believe it. She was smiling so much it soon began to hurt her cheeks. The sadness of the song had been completely stripped away. The lyrics came to an end and he locked eyes with her again. Before she knew it Leo tossed his microphone, cupped her face and kissed her.