I, Miley Ray Cyrus, am kneeling under the trap door of the stage, preparing to wrap up my concert in Atlantic City with an acoustic version of one of my songs. I take my place on my stool, guitar in hand, and am raised slowly until I am on stage. Thousands of flashbulbs illuminate the arena as I grab the mic and begin to speak.
"I want to dedicate this song to someone very special to me, and would like to remind you that everyone is One in a Million!"
By the end of the song, salty tears stung at the corners of my eyes, my shoulders had begun to rack with dry sobs, and my voice quavered. I quickly said a few thank yous and ran backstage. The second I got down stairs I crumpled against a wall and let my tears fall.
Kevin ran over to me and encased me in his arms. "Miley! Miles, sweetie, what's wrong?"
"Not here," I managed to choke out, so he helped me up off the floor and we walk the distance to my dressing room.
"So what happened out there? What's wrong?"
"You couldn't hear that song from back here could you? Please tell me that I didn't just make the biggest fool of myself."
"You know that the dressing rooms are soundproof. Why are you so worried about it anyway? I'm sure it sounded fantastic. I Miss You is one of my favorite songs that you sing."
"Thank God! I don't know what came over me, but I kind of substitutes One in a Million for I Miss You and dedicated it to your brother." I said that last part really quietly because I knew it sounded stupid and desperate.
Kevin's face instantly paled and his mouth opened slowly. "Um… in that case there is something that you should know." He took a deep breath, paused, and just looked at me for a second. "Every concert so far Nick has changed after We Got the Party to watch you perform as Miley." He visibly cringed in anticipation for what he knew was coming next.
"WHAT! You have to be kidding me." The tears instantly flooded back into my eyes and my vision blurred.
"Miley! Miley what the frick did you do to Nick? He just locked himself in his dressing room and won't speak to anyone at all, " called Joe's voice from the other side of my locked door.
"Shit! Kev, can you get rid of him please. I don't want to explain this again. I can't face Nick yet. Not like this."
"Sure, but you need to explain this to him sometime. You both deserve to know the whole truth." And with that, he left. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I was glad that I was getting some alone time.
You see, Nick and I had been dating (for one year, three months, and seventeen days to be exact). Then out of the blue, two weeks before out Best of Both Worlds Tour kicked off he said that we should stop seeing each other. He wouldn't give me a reason. He still wanted to be "just friends," but we don't talk nearly as much as we used to. He's really awkward around me.
I didn't want to break up in the first place, and I still love him now. I had held strong in the public eye and in front of him, but in the privacy of my tour bus I have cried myself dry (usually to the tired ears of Kevin and Joe). Tonight, though, I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I don't know when exactly I decided to make that dedication, but I wish I could erase that moment from time.