So this came to me while listening to Taylor Swift's 'Come Back...Be Here' off the Red Deluxe Edition album. For this Milo story, I'll be drawing off the premise of that song as well as my own experiences with having friends move. So...here goes.
8th grade had just ended for the trio of Milo Murphy, Melissa Chase and Zack Underwood. Sure, there were Murphy's Law shenanigans, a Pistachion takeover and an alien invasion...not to mention time travel, but that's just par for the course in Danville! The tightest of the trio were undoubtedly Milo and Melissa. They had known each other since 1st grade and since either 4th or 5th grade, they had wondered if there was something more between them. The trio was talking about their summer plans when something peculiar caught Zack's eye.
"Isn't that a 'For Sale' sign?" Zack asked.
"Looks like it, Zack..." Milo started. "Seems like someone's moving."
"But who?" The former boy band front man asked as a real estate agent came in front of the sign and slapped a 'SOLD!' marker on the sign.
"Uh, guys...I think that's my house," Melissa said, snapping to reality. This caused Milo's jaw to drop before he burst into tears. He quickly ran into Melissa's arms and cried into her shoulder.
"Man, say it ain't so, Melissa!"
"Look, I'm gonna talk to mom and dad, see what the story is...perhaps this is just a big misunderstanding...you guys coming?"
"I guess so..."
Milo said nothing, he just took Melissa's hand and walked inside with her.
"Mom, dad...what's going on here?" Melissa asked her parents.
"Oh, hi honey!" Her mom, Teacher of the Year Pepper Chase greeted.
"You and your friends might wanna sit down for this..." her dad, Fire Chief Richard Chase added in. "Now, this is going to take a bit of an explanation, but your mom just got a new job at another school district...a sister district to Jefferson County, by the way..."
"Really? That's awesome!"
"As awesome as it sounds, the Superintendent wants me closer to my new job as a high school principal..." Mrs. Chase told her daughter.
"Which is where exactly?"
"Nashville..." Melissa's parents said in unison.
"This has Shego written all over it..." Milo said to himself. He thought no one heard him, but Melissa heard loud and clear.
"I heard that, Milo..." Melissa chided before turning to her parents. "Mom, Dad, I need to talk to Milo alone, if I may," she said, taking Milo up to her room.
"What's this about, Melissa?"
"Look, Milo...I know we've seen 'A Sitch In Time' 35 times and I heard you when you said that this has Shego written all over it. Granted, this does have some similarities to what Ron went through in 'Kim Possible: A Sitch In Time'...this is not a Kim Possible movie. I know there's something else to this besides my mom getting a new job..."
"...and you'd be right, my Little Spark..." Melissa's mom said as she came in. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Kinda."
"My apologies, Melissa. But yes, there is something more to it. Remember that little video you did? Your cover of 'Sparks Fly' by your idol...Taylor Swift?"
"What about it?"
"Well, let's just say it caught the eye of a certain Nashville girl you and Milo happen to have every album of..."
Melissa smiled, knowing who her mom was talking about.
"You don't mean...Taylor herself saw it?"
"She did and she's putting you in touch with her record label! If all goes well, you could end up just like your idol!"
Melissa turned to Milo..."Did you hear that, Milo? I could end up as the next Taylor Swift!"
"To think all this started by me getting you the 'Fearless' album for your 7th birthday!" Milo cheered, hugging Melissa. "Congratulations, Melissa!"
"Thanks, Milo! Does hearing that soften the blow a bit?"
"A little. But knowing that you're gonna be down south potentially becoming the next Taylor Swift while I'm stuck here in Danville...I just wish I could be with you, Melissa..."
Milo fell into Melissa's arms and cried into her shoulder for the 2nd time today.
"I know, Milo. Listen, with any kind of luck, I'll be back by high school graduation..." the ginger tried to reassure her jinxed friend.
"Don't mention luck, Melissa. With my curse...that might not happen..."
"Milo, don't be so sure. The universe works in mysterious ways."
Milo and Melissa looked to each other, deciding that they had to spend as much as time as they could together before Melissa moved at the end of the week. So that's what they did. They did everything they could as if Melissa weren't moving away. Come Thursday, something inside Milo snapped. He now knew that Friday would be his last chance for a while to tell Melissa how he really felt about her.
'Friday morning...before she leaves...I'm gonna tell Melissa how I feel about her,' Milo thought to himself, now brimming with confidence.
Finally, the day Milo had been dreading all week had arrived. It was Friday - the day Melissa would be moving to Nashville.
"Melissa! Wait!" Milo called out.
"Milo?" Melissa called out as Milo tripped on the sidewalk. "You okay?"
"Other than the emotional pain I'll be experiencing soon, I'm okay. I got you something, by the way..." the jinx said, handing Melissa a slender black velvet box. Melissa proceeded to open it to reveal...
"A heart locket?"
"Yeah. There's only half there because I'm wearing the other half. My half has your picture in it and your half..."
"...has your picture..." Melissa finished as she put the locket on.
"Correct..." Milo said as he and Melissa opened their locket halves. "I hope that someday, the halves will be reunited...as will we because Melissa...I love you," Milo confessed, taking Melissa by surprise.
"Wow...Milo, I have no idea what to say except...I was wondering when you were finally going to say it!"
"You were?"
"Milo, I've had a thing for you since 4th grade!" Melissa told Milo as all of a sudden, she pulled him in for a kiss. Milo didn't flinch, didn't pull back. He instead returned the kiss, having waited long enough to make Melissa Sabrina Chase his girlfriend. After breaking, Milo looked into Melissa's sparkling blue eyes and asked her the question he had been waiting years to ask...
"Melissa Sabrina Chase...will you be my girlfriend?"
Melissa smiled and kissed Milo again..."Oh my gosh, Milo! YES! I've waited too long for you to ask that! Yes, Milo! I will be your girlfriend!"
"You think we can make this long distance thing work, Melissa?"
"Milo, honey, you worry too much. I know we can make it work out...just trust me on this, okay?"
"Okay, Melissa..." Milo said wistfully. "Call me when you get settled..."
"Will do!" Melissa said cheerfully as she rejoined her parents for the long drive to Nashville. "Like I said earlier this week...with any kind of luck, I'll be back here in Danville before you know it!"
That was the last thing Melissa said to Milo before her parents drove off with her. That night, Milo took to his room on the verge of tears and turned on his vPod. The first song that came up was an all too fitting Taylor Swift song - 'Come Back...Be Here'. Little did Milo know that he left the door open for his older sister Sara.
"Hey, Milo!" Sara greeted. "What's got you down?"
"It's Melissa...we just became boyfriend/girlfriend right as she moved to Nashville to become the next Taylor Swift..."
Sara sat down next to Milo on his bed. She wanted to hear as much as possible to try and help her brother.
"Spill, Milo...don't leave anything out..."
"Alright...so, Melissa's mom got a new job as a high school principal at one of Jefferson County's sister school districts, but that district is down south in Nashville. Add to that the fact that the video I helped Melissa with - her cover of Taylor Swift's 'Sparks Fly'...that got the attention of Taylor herself and she's putting Melissa in touch with her record label and if all goes well, Melissa could end up as the next Taylor Swift..."
"Really? Melissa becoming the next Taylor? That's super cool!"
"As cool as that is, I just wish I could've gone with her..."
Sara snuggled up to her brother. "I know you do, but you still have 4 more years of school to go through before you can even think about chasing your girl."
Milo scoffed. "Don't remind me, Sara. I wish I could just zip through it all...I miss her already. It's not fair that she's not around!"
"Milo, before you have a mental breakdown...think. What would Melissa have done if the situation were reversed?"
"She'd want me to follow my dreams...she'd support me no matter what."
"So what should you be doing right now?"
"I should be supporting Melissa in her run to becoming the next Taylor Swift. Sara, you think Melissa and I can make this long distance thing work?"
Sara smiled and hugged Milo. "Milo, I think you and Melissa can pull off the impossible. You've bested Murphy's law time and again...so this should be a walk in the park to you two!"
"Thanks, Sara..."
Milo fell asleep that night, dreaming of one day being reunited with Melissa. Before that, despite him knowing that it would be a longshot, he wished on a star that Melissa would be back in time for senior year of high school.
That entire summer, Milo and Melissa texted each other every night and it would continue into the school year, drawing the curiosity of Zack...
"How long have you and Melissa been texting each other, Milo?" Zack asked. He was soon joined by Milo's former flame, Amanda Lopez.
"My guess...every night for about 4 months," the Latina assessed.
"I've heard they've been video chatting, too..." Zack added in as Lydia came up behind them with her boyfriend Bradley Nicholson.
"How's Milo been holding up?" Lydia asked.
"Lydia, you try having your best friend since grade school move away during the summer...not a fun sight, if you ask me," Bradley retorted.
"No need to tell me twice, Bradley. I think we all know how Milo and Melissa are," Lydia remarked.
"Si, Milo and Melissa did everything together. To have the one constant in your life torn away from you in the blink of an eye...it's just not fair."
As Milo closed his locker after getting what he needed for the day, he turned back to his friends. "It isn't, Amanda. Granted, Melissa and I text and video chat every night...it's not the same as having her right here with us. I miss her like mad and you might think this is absurd, but every night before I go to bed...I make a wish for Melissa to come back in time for senior year," the jinx told his friends as he went off to his first class.
"Okay, this is definitely worse than we thought..." Zack told the group.
"But what can we do?" Amanda asked.
"Yeah, Melissa's down south in Nashville and we're over 1000 miles away from her!" Lydia called out.
"And here Milo is, hoping for a Super Bowl-like miracle to happen!" Bradley finished. "Who does he think he is? Eli Manning?"
"Best thing we can do right now is support Milo however we can. He's our friend and we can't stand to see him like this. I know he's trying to put on a brave face but I know inside, he's still reeling from Melissa moving away. Besides, miracles happen most every day..."
Zack then burst into song. "...to people like you and me but don't expect a miracle...unless you help make it...to be!"
"Zack, shut it...this isn't a Christmas special we watch every year," Amanda remarked.
"Aw! I never get to have any fun."
Milo got through the first year without Melissa just fine. Somehow, he maintained an A average, despite all that he was going through. By the end of sophomore year, Melissa had come out with her first album and had already sent advance copies to all her friends and family. In addition, she'd be going on tour the following summer and opening night would be in New York City, just 2 hours north of Danville, and Melissa had gotten front row tickets and backstage passes for her friends and family.
Sophomore year flew by, Milo still kept up an A average despite his all-nighters with Melissa. That summer was the same deal as far as the all-nighters went. Milo and friends went to Melissa's opening night show in New York and were blown away by how she handled herself on stage as well as her musical talent. After the show, Milo and co. went backstage and it was Milo who caught Melissa's eye first.
"Milo!" Melissa called out, running up to him and kissing him. "There's my chaotic angel!"
"Hey, 'Liss! How's my ginger sweetheart?"
"Oh...just been following my dreams, Milo. I, uh, heard from Zack that after I moved you haven't been the chipper ray of sunshine you usually are."
"Yeah...after you moved, it was like a part of me flew south for the winter and didn't come back in the spring. I was hoping it wouldn't affect me that much, but it has. I'm only barely hanging on to my A average in school and now that Sara's going off to college...I'm not sure if I can hold on until senior year. You on the other hand...you're touring the country, playing concerts, following your dreams and now dealing with dating rumors..."
"Hey...I've already dispelled those dating rumors. No good trash papers don't know when to stop! But I've already squashed those rumors...because I got you waiting for me back in Danville - my true home. Nashville's nice and all, but it's not really home. I miss you, Zack, Amanda, Lydia...everyone. The school I'm going to...sure, I'm cheer captain there, but I don't know anyone there outside of my mom and she's the principal there! It's brutal...I wanna go back to Danville, Milo! I wanna be back with you!"
Milo pulled Melissa close, kissing her deeply. "I know, Melissa. You think we can keep up this long distance thing up another year? I mean, you're already working on your 2nd album and last time we talked, you told me if all goes well, they could let you work on anything past that from anywhere you like..."
"I did say that, didn't I? Yeah, I think we can. We've beaten Murphy's law countless times before, so what's to stop us from doing it again?"
Milo smiled and kissed Melissa again. "You're right, Melissa. Nothing, not Murphy's law, not even a surprise move will keep us apart..." the jinx started as he and Melissa opened their locket halves. "This time next year...our locket halves will be together again..."
"Looking forward to it!"
With renewed optimism, Milo headed into his junior year with more motivation than ever to keep his A average. Even though he didn't have to, he wanted to impress Melissa when she came back. He even had a calendar in his locker counting the days until the end of junior year. And wouldn't you know it...during one of their all-nighters, Melissa told Milo that because of the retirement of Principal Lang at Danville High at the end of the school year, Melissa's mom would be transferred there for the next school year! In addition, her record label is going to let her work on all of her future albums from Danville!
"Melissa...THIS IS INCREDIBLE NEWS!" Milo cheered.
"I know! I can't wait to be back home! Is my old house for sale again?"
"Yeah. I gave the ones who originally bought it the 'Indian Burial Ground' spiel...THEY BOUGHT IT! Since then, I've kept your house clear just in case you came back."
"Aw! Milo! To know that you pulled a hilarious...and somewhat absurd...prank for me just makes the wait to June all the more unbearable...can it be June already?"
"Tell me about it! Looks like my wish finally came true!"
"Oh really? Have you been wishing every night for me to come back?"
"Yeah..." Milo confessed. "Bradley tried to tell me that it was ridiculous for me to be hoping for what he called a 'Super Bowl miracle'."
"Well, you definitely proved him wrong!"
"I can't wait to tell Zack and the others!"
"Not yet, Milo...let's keep this between us for now..."
Milo agreed to keep the news of Melissa's return a secret as he brought out the acoustic guitar he got for his 13th birthday and started playing. The song he played was the same song he listened to the day Melissa moved - 'Come Back...Be Here' by Taylor Swift.
That night, Milo went to sleep, his optimism all but restored as he now knew that he was mere months away from his Melissa returning. With the thought of finally going on a real date with Melissa and going with her to all her shows dancing through his head, Milo stepped it up and got a 4.0 average - all As once again - in his junior year. Little did he know that he was in for a big surprise once he got home.
Milo got home from school around 1 that afternoon. "Mom, dad! I'm home from school!"
No response from his parents. Instead, he heard 'Milo, your parents are in another castle...' and descending down the stairs...was Melissa!
"Ah, Melissa...you almost had me there!" Milo said, running up to Melissa and kissing her. "But seriously, where are my parents?"
"Still at work. Sara let me in."
"Got ya. So...you're back in Danville for good now?"
"You got it, Milo!" Melissa confirmed as she and Milo brought their locket halves together. The locket halves formed a full heart with the message 'Milo + Melissa Forever' in it. "So, Milo...what do you wanna do now that we're back together?"
"Whatever you want, my ginger sweetheart..."
Melissa smiled and kissed Milo as the duo headed to Milo's car, presumably driving off to a lunch date - their first.
As for senior year and graduation...let's just say that Melissa was in for the surprise of her life come graduation. Once Milo's name was called to take his diploma, he called Melissa back to the stage and pulled a black box out from his suit. He then got down on one knee and opened the box, revealing a sparkling diamond ring.
"Melissa Sabrina Chase...we've gone through years of teasing, 5 years long distance and countless Murphy's law shenanigans. Will you make me the happiest man on the face of the earth and do me the honor of being my bride?"
Melissa was driven to tears of joy as she saw the ring. She took it out and placed it on her right ring finger. "Oh my gosh, Milo! YES! I will marry you, Milo Murphy!"
Milo and Melissa then kissed, getting a standing ovation from their peers. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. For Milo and Melissa - it was all true. Absence did make the heart grow fonder...and it led to the engagement of a pair of friends who would do anything for each other, Murphy's law or not.
And checking the calendar...it's the 4th anniversary of the debut of Milo Murphy's Law! So what better way to celebrate than with a new Milo story! To be honest, I got choked up writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading this. I'll see you in the next one and remember...
IT'S MILO'S WORLD AND WE'RE ALL LIVING IN IT!