Disclaimer: Me equals do not own Hannah Montana. Do the math.
AN: I wanted to post this before someone else takes the challenge. Hope you guys liked it.
Note: Originally inspired by Mandy Moore's When I Talk To You, but further developed by More Than A Zombie to Me, a French single by Tina Arena and a challenge.
WARNING: SLIGHT REWRITE OF EPISODES 14 AND ONWARD!
Summary: What if Jake and Miley knew each other before he comes to Malibu?
Don't You Dare Speak About Love
Chapter One: Remember Me?
Miley heard the news and was not excited to go to school that day; however she kept it all inside and acted like nothing was different. She listened to EVERYBODY from Lilly to Oliver and Amber to Ashley gush about Jake Ryan in the hallway. She rolled her eyes at the spectacle. Okay – she knew who Jake Ryan. Before and after Zombie High. But she wasn't acting like a fool about it.
Besides, why would she give a guy like him the time of day especially since he wasn't the type to keep his promise? Especially when left her at her most vulnerable state? He left when she needed him?
The thought made her blood boil. She hated Jake Ryan.
She let her friends make fools out of themselves, and fall over the guy. She wasn't about to dissuade them from getting to know the guy – they'll find out and they'll drop him like a bad habit. Pfft, it surprised her that his abnormally large ego could fit in the room.
She cut his rambling off and patronized him. "Uhmm, excuse me? Superstar? Hottie of the year? Your point?!"
Jake saw her and did a double take. For a second, she actually thought he remembered her. But his next words disproved that theory. "Ah yes – even though I am all those things… I want each and every one of you to…"
Miley rolled her eyes and sighed. She resigned herself to recall her childhood. What ever happened to that sweet kid?
The first scene was in a park, where the trees shaded a big area. A little girl, about three years of age, was sitting on a bench playing with a wreath of white daisies her mom made for her
Her mommy and daddy were on a seesaw, watching her try to figure out how to make one the wreath. They were surprised when a little boy, who looked about her age, came up to her bench and kissed her on the cheek for a long time until an adult pulled him away.
The lady had said "I'm sorry – I don't know what's come over him."
Her parents and man saw this and laughed as the boy's mother slightly scolded the little boy for doing that.
"It's alright – no harm done." The girl's daddy and the man said.
The girl's mom just laughed while the boy's mom prevented him from getting away from her and reaching the little girl.
The little girl jumped down from her bench and just watched the scene in confusion while frowning a little. She looked at the boy, who looked harmless and shyly smiled at her.
She smiled back, and this caused the mother to loosen her hold on him and he came running to the little girl then gave her hug and another kiss on the cheek.
"Jacob!" The boy's mother was prevented from separating the two when the man wrapped his arms around her.
"Honey, let them be – don't they look cute?"
The girl's parents exchanged glances. The father said, "We have to agree. They just look adorable. Say, aren't you guys new here?"
"Yes. I'm Will Ryan, and this is my wife; Kristin." The couple held their hands out.
"I'm Robbie Stewart, and this is my wife, Grace." They shook hands.
Immediately, the two kids mimicked their parents. "I'm Miley," the girl said.
"I'm Jacob." Then the little boy saw his dad do that thing when he kisses the back of the hand of a lady he meets and does it to Miley. He ended up licking her along the way.
Miley made a face. "Ewww."
"Sorry, Mi… Mi… Millie!" He had trouble pronouncing her name that he started calling her by another one. He offered her his clothed arm so she could wipe her hand on it. "Here, Millie. You can use this."
The adults saw the girl wipe her hands on the boy's sleeve and started laughing.
And that was the start of an everlasting friendship. Or so he said, Miley thought darkly.
They were sitting on a front porch with a swing. They looked about five or six then. She had two garlands of white daisies in her hand as he tried to braid her hair and failed miserably.
"There!' He said, after finishing his 'handiwork'. It was nothing more than a tangled mess with elastics all over the place. Her hair actually resembled a pineapple more than a French braid.
When she looked in the mirror, she screamed. "THAT'S NOT HOW YOU DO IT!"
Taken aback, and hurt; he crossed his arms and said, "Okay, fine! If you don't like it, then you do it! And I'll never braid your hair again!"
She softened up, "I'm sorry – but… it's only supposed to be one. But, it's okay. If I put this on top it'll be fine." She smiled apologetically at him as she presented one of the crowns of daisies to him.
He smiled back. "You want me to put it on you?"
"Yeah. But you have one too."
So he put one on her and let her put one on him. "You're very pretty, Miley."
"Thank you, Jacob. You look pretty too."
He smiled. "You know you're my very best friend?"
"Really?"
"Yes, silly! And I want us to be always like this! Do you want to?"
"Okay! Let's be friends forever."
He held up a pinky. "We have to swear. And it's not just friends. It's best friends."
They swore on it.
They happily sat on the swing until it was time for dinner when the little boy remembered something.
"Wait, I found this the other day, and I thought you might like it." It was a small ring. It was plastic, like the kind you get from Cracker Jack or cereal boxes.
She hugged him and thanked him. "I love it. My mom always has one on her left finger. Will you put it on me?"
"Okay." So he did.
Aunt Dolly saw the scene and said, "Why aren't you two darling little angels? And you, Jacob – do you know what you did and what that ring means?"
Miley quickly shook herself out of the memory. She didn't want to remember that. No siree. She wanted to destroy that ring, and the pictures that came along with it. She wanted to burn the boxes where she kept all of the trinkets and wish lists she wrote about that boy.
Jacob Ryan was dead to her the moment he became Jake Ryan, the celebrity.