Disclaimer: All characters are fictional. This is my first Hannah Montana story. I hope You like it. This is a oneshot. Now on with the story

I'm Okay

My name is Lilly Truscott it's hard to think about returning to the small town of my youth. Five years ago ran away from my life there trying to escape the memories that followed me everywhere I went. When I first left my town I was just about to start my senior year of high school and I had five amazing friends. But when tragedy struck, I ran. I ran as far as I could go. I couldn't handle it. Now I am moving back that place, I am packing up the contents that have represented my life for the last five years.

I am going through the contents in the back of my closet and I find a dusty photo album that hasn't been opened since the day I left. When I first saw it, my first thought was to immediately pack it in the box that was meant to go to the dump. But something stopped me. Maybe it was my longing for the past or maybe it was pure curiosity, but I felt driven to open the album.

I opened to a page in the book and tears immediately sting my eyes, staring back at me is the smiling, happy, laughing faces of six teenagers; each with there own story.

The first girl I see appears to be at the most 17 years old. Her deep blue eyes are lit up by the smile that graces her face. Her brown hair is cascading in curls over her shoulders. There is a sort of innocence about her. I am not sure if it is her smile that makes you think that or maybe it is the soft plains of her face, the ones that make her look like a child still. You can see the kindness in her eyes. This is one of my closest friends. This is Miley.

My eyes drift to the person who is sitting beside her; the face of a 19-year-old boy comes to view. His friendly brown eyes and short curly hair remind me of the sweet and caring person that he was. The gentle smile that lines his face radiates the way he chose to live his life. He was always caring, always loving, and always considerate to others. He was like our own personal teddy bear. He was like a big brother to me. He was Jason.

Wrapped up in Jason's arms is Toni. At 19 Toni is the most the most outrageous and free spirited of us all. Her usually wild black hair is uncharacteristically poised in this picture. Her gleaming hazel eyes seem eager with anticipation for whatever was going through her head. The eagerness in her eyes probably had something to do with the party she was planning on throwing before the start of school. The smile on Toni's face is unsure, which is so unusual for her. She was always one that was hard to figure out

Next to Jason and Toni you spot a mess of brown curls attempting to cover the brown eyes of the one and only Nate. You can see the sensitivity and happiness in his eyes, but he is trying to conceal the smile that goes along with it. At age 17 Nate is the baby (though only by a few months), but he is the wisest of us all. Nate is the one that has all the answers.

Then my eyes unwillingly search the picture 'til I find him. Immediately the tears I have been holding back become to much and I have to furiously blink them away and try to focus. I examine the picture more closely now. I try to take in everything about him. Soon I can almost here the laughter that is playing on his lips, creating the smile that I love so much, the same one that is crinkling the corners of his deep brown eyes. His eyes are lit up not only from the smile, but from the mischief of whatever prank he was about to pull. His always styled to perfection hair is in a slight disarray. He is about 19 years old in this picture. This is my best friend, my confidant, the one person that could always got me, and the one person who always understood me. This is my Shane.

Beside Shane sits the 17-year-old version of myself. I hardly recognize the girl in the picture. The long blond hair, the bright blue green eyes that are so full of life, and the carefree smile that reaches my eyes. I wish that I could still feel like that again. Now I am just the shell of the girl in the picture. How did I lose myself?

I close my eyes and think back to the weekend that changed everything.

It was the summer going into grade 12, we decided to go on a camping trip. It was just the six of was. We made plans to go up to the lake August long weekend 2009 so we could go before school started again. Three of has had previously graduated and were in University while the other three were excited to be in our last year. This was on of the last times to really do something like this. Next summer Shane, Jason, and Toni would be busy working. We would all be separated. That was a scary thought. What would I do without my Besties? So we decided to pack our bags and pack up Shane's van go to the lake.

The drive there was a good three hours, but the time passed quickly. The car was filled with music, talking, and laughing. One distinct memory from that car ride was when the song "Single Ladies" by Beyonce came on. Us girls sang it at the top of our lungs and the boys and anyone else that saw us looked at us like we were crazy. The boys just stared and laughed at our craziness. During the ride we just sat and talked and teased each other. It was a true bonding experience. This trip was planned to make our friendship stronger, if that was even possible.

We eventually got to the lake and set up camp. We were lucky enough to be staying in a cabin; otherwise the trip probably wouldn't have happened. This was mostly because us girls refused to stay outside. The boys thought that we were being ridiculous and girly. Sure they may have teased us about this, but they accommodated us.

The weekend was going great. We went swimming hiking, biking, and even fishing. We were having the time of our lives.

But then it all went wrong.

The night before we were going to leave we were all sitting in the cabin. All

doing our own thing. Jason and Toni were cuddling on the couch watching a movie, Miley and Nate were playing scrabble, and Shane and I were sitting and talking. All of a sudden there was a loud knock on the door. Miley went to answer it, as we waited to see who it was and what they wanted we heard an ear-piercing scream. We all jumped from our previous positions to go and see what was wrong. The sight that we came to face was one that will forever be burned into my mind. There was a deranged man pointing a gun straight and Miley. His eyes were crazy, but not as chilling as the sound of his voice.

"Don't move!!" yelled the maniac.

"Come on man, let's just calm down," responded Nate, he was always the voice of reason.

"SHUT UP!!!" screamed the man.

The deranged gunman at that point grabbed Miley and puller her tight against his chest and pointed the gun harshly against her head. This sudden movement sent a wave of screams throughout the room.

"What do you want?" Jason asked, "You can have anything just let her go."

"Do not tell me what to do!" The man bellowed, "I am in charge here!"

During the last statement Nate cautiously took a step forward.

"I said don't move!!" he screamed with a wave of the gun. "Don't worry baby, I won't hurt you. Your to pretty." He said as he brushed his lips to Miley's ear.

With that a shot rang out and Nate fell to the floor. Soon Toni was by his side. He was lucky it was just a graze.

During this time Shane carefully angled his body between the gun and me. I still closed my eyes out of fear. Only to have them open by the startling sound of some one yelling and the gun being pointed directly at me and Shane.

"You guys appear to have moved," said the man as he cocked his gun and put his finger on the trigger.

"No!!!!" I screamed. Then my feet were moving. It seemed like hours before I stepped in front of Shane and put my back to the gunman in an effort to push Shane down. My efforts failed as I felt a sharp burning pain sear through my back as I fell to the ground.

The next incidents are a little hazy. I faintly remember someone screaming my name and the loud sobs that erupted from my friends. I remember fighting to clear my head so I could register what is going on. I opened my eyes and the last thing I saw was Shane charging the gunman and fighting for the gun. Then two shots were fired and both crumpled to the floor. Before everything went black.

I opened my eyes a few days late to face some news. On one hand the man that had shot me was going to jail, they caught him. Nate was ok, he just had a flesh wound. On the other hand I was paralyzed from the waist down, which I almost considered good news considering I could have been dead. But I think the most unsettling news was that one of us had been killed. They wouldn't tell me right away who it was, but eventually they did. During the struggle with the gun Shane had been shot, and he never made it.

When I got out of the hospital it was the day of Shane's funeral. I got home and dressed in all black. I went to say my goodbyes and the next day my family and I left town.

It's five years later and I sit here finishing going through the album, laughing crying, and remembering the good and bad memories it contains. I haven't seen any of my friends since the day of Shane's funeral, last I heard Miley and Nate were engaged and Jason and Toni were married and expecting a baby.

Finally after looking back through my memories, I am not scared to go back to my hometown. I am finally ready to face the nightmares and people I left behind. I think it is long over due to pay Shane a visit. I have so much that I need to say to him. I have to tell him thank you for the sacrificing his life to save all of ours, let him know that I will never forget him, tell him that I appreciated his friendship, and most importantly tell him that I am ok.

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