HANNAH MONTANA: Do You Have a Jacket?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hannah Montana, its characters and its places. Its exclusive rights belong to the Disney Channel and Michael Poryes.

Miley's Point of View

"I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked my best friend, Lilly Truscott.

She threw her arms around me. "Yeah, of course."

When we pulled away, I shrugged. "Look, Lils, I'm sorry about what happened earlier. I was shallow and self-centered. It won't happen again, I promise."

"I know it won't," Lilly reassured me. "Bye."

We were still standing in the middle of the school gym, which a few minutes earlier was filled with students from Seaview Middle School, all dressed up like they lived in the 70's. That was the whole point of the dance. We were supposed to be disco chicks, flower children and groovy dudes for the night. And what made the dance more special was that teen star Jake Ryan attended it. He was going to Seaview as an eighth-grader, just like the rest of us. Only, unlike the rest of us, his experience as a 'normal' student included fangirls (and guys) following him everywhere he went.

Jake was obnoxious. And the whole world knows that he's hot--including him. The last thing he needs to do was to shout, "Hey, world, look at me! I'm so freakin' hot," which I think he would do in just a few weeks. He'd been bugging me—yes, me, Miley Stewart, superdork to Amber Addison and Ashley Dewitt—about the dance, asking me to go with him, but I declined.

Three times.

But then everything changed when I, as teen pop sensation Hannah Montana, filmed an episode of his hit show Zombie High with him. Jake turned out to be more than the egomaniac he is at school.

And I fell for him.

When he asked Lilly to the dance, we had this huge fight. Then I tried to steal Jake away at the actual event.

I know.

Some friend I am, right?

Lilly and I eventually forgave each other and got over the fight (and Jake—kind of). We could never stay mad at each other long.

"Hey, you foxy chicks," our other best friend, Oliver Oken, told us, appearing at our side. He still had his Afro wig on. It was part of his 70's get-up. "What's crackin'?"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "You arm," she answered, "if you don't stop spewing out all those 70's lingo. The dance is way over, Ollie."

I laughed. "Come on, guys," I told them, linking our arms. "We'll walk home together."

"I still can't believe you'd do something like that, Miles," Ollie was saying, meaning the whole me stealing Jake scenario. He'd been deejaying at the event, and he saw everything. "That wasn't you."

"Well, it was the girl who fell in love with Jake Ryan," I told him. "Fortunately, she's gone."

We stayed quiet for sometime.

I looked up at the sky. "Wow," I said, "isn't the sky beautiful tonight? Just look at those stars scattered among the clouds."

I was waiting for Lilly's sarcastic reply, or Oliver's clueless doughnut-y one, but then all I heard was a deep, "Yeah, I bet they're just there, watching over us, giving us hope."

"Huh?" I turned my head, facing the person who'd said those words.

Jake.

"And, well," he went on, "I've been hoping to spend some time with you..."

I smirked. "Oh, hi, Jake." Lilly and Oliver must have gone away when they saw Jake. "Heading home?" I asked.

Jake nodded. "Yeah. You?"

"Uh-huh," I replied. "Some night we had, huh? Let me tell you, that dance made its mark in Seaview history."

"Why, you've never had two girls fight over one girl's date before?" Jake asked, putting his hands in his pockets. He'd been wearing something that resembled John Travolta's Disco King get-up in Saturday Night Fever.

I cringed, remembering the moment. Ugh. "No," I responded snappily. "Amber and Ashley fought over Johnny Collins once. He was Amber's date. Ashley attempted to steal him when she thought Amber wouldn't attend the dance. Turns out Amber was just late. It's just that...well, you were there. Your presence made the night something to remember."

Jake ran a hand through his hair. "You're saying that now, huh, Miss No-means-no-so-you'd-better-back-off-no-wait-I-was-wrong-I'll-just-steal-you-from-your-date-who's-my-best-friend-instead?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I just can't forget the way you played tug-o-war with Lilly. And used me as the rope."

I was still confused over my new 'last name.' A gust of cold night air passed through me, making me feel cold. "Brr," I said. "Uh, Jake, I hope you don't mind, but do you have a jacket?"

"Huh?" Jake looked around, trying to understand my question. When he finally did, he went, "Oh, uh, here," opened his backpack, took a jacket out and offered it to me.

I put it on, still shivering. "Th-thanks," I told Jake.

Jake shrugged. "It's no problem. Really." He pointed to my dress. "Have I mentioned that you looked nice?"

"Only a dozen times," I replied sarcastically. "Thanks. Again." I swallowed and wiped my sweaty palm on the dress. I was still in love with Jake. Head-over-heels in love.

We were pretty quiet for the rest of the walk. But not until Jake asked me a question that I would consider harder than an algebra problem with so many confusing mathematic operations here and there.

"Why," he quipped, "do you hate me?"

I stiffened. What would I say?

No, Jake, you've got it all wrong. I love you. As more than a friend. And I was too much of a chicken to admit it.

I don't hate you, Jake. Well, not anymore. It's just that I thought you were obnoxious. But then I filmed an episode of your show with you as my top-secret alter ego Hannah Montana and found out the truth, so now I'm in love with you.

I hate you 'cause you don't love me like I love you and you're so obnoxious. I hate you! No, I love you. Come here and give me a kiss.

Uh, what?

If you were to guess what I would say, would you choose the last one? Because that was what I'd said. "Uh, what?" I asked, biting my lip.

"Why do you hate me?" Jake repeated, a bit louder this time.

"I don't hate you." I didn't want to say it, but it came out anyway. "At least not anymore."

"So you hated me then?" Jake asked. "Why?"

"Because," I muttered. "You...You were such an egomaniac! You thought we'd worship you just because you're some hotshot TV star. And while all the others do, I'm sorry, but I won't. I never will. It's stupid, you know, treating someone like he's above you? How can we have equality when we, ourselves, can't treat a mere person like we would treat ourselves and others?"

"I know," Jake replied quietly. "You taught me that. You stood out from the others. In a sea of fish, you're the one who's gonna come for the worm on a hook last. That's what makes you hard to get. That's what made me like you." His eyes widened as he clapped a hand over his mouth, like he hadn't intended on saying what he just said.

"You like me?" I asked, tightening the jacket. It was still cold, even with it. I'd need Jake to put an arm around me to keep me warm, but no way was I gonna do that.

Jake kicked a can that was lying on the ground. It hopped past a streetlight. "Isn't it obvious?" he said, after a while. "I'm hopelessly in love with you. And the way you're trying to get away from me? That only reels me in more."

"Enough fishing talk," I told him. "I have to tell you something, Jake. I...I like you, too. Why else would I try to steal you from Lilly?"

"Because you know that I'm not really hers, and that I've been yours all along?" Jake sighed. "That is, if you'll have me."

I paused. "This isn't Zombie High, Jake. You don't have to say all these deep stuff to me."

"So, you really like me back? You're not joking?" Jake asked.

I rolled my eyes, grinning. "Of course, I'm not joking! Why would I joke about something as big as that?"

"I was hoping you'd say that." Jake stopped. He turned to face me.

I stopped, too. Were we going to kiss? Jake stepped closer, leaning in slowly. Maybe we were going to kiss, after all.

And we did. The very second our lips met, everything in the world stopped—the only sound was the rustling of leaves. We were alone, just the two of us, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

"So that's what kissing The Zombie Slayer feels like," I said as we pulled away and started walking again.

Jake shot me a curious look. "What do you mean?"

I held up a lock of my hair up, holding it with my thumb and my index finger. Feeling brave, I told him my deepest, darkest—well, more like shiniest, what with the fact that I'm a world-famous pop star, but whatever—secret. "I'm Hannah Montana, Jake. I was the one who played Zerronda, the Zombie Princess on your show. I was the one you told all about your mad crush on Miley—I mean, me—and the one who kissed Demon Dog." I shuddered at those last words.

"H-how do you kn-know that I-I told H-Hannah about that?" Jake stuttered, taking some steps back.

I rolled my eyes. "Haven't you been listening? I'm Hannah, Jake. I just told you."

"Wait, so you're serious?" Jake asked.

"Zombie-dead-serious," I replied.

Jake smiled. "I think I've known that all along. But why are you keeping it a secret?"

"I don't want to be like you." I shrugged.

"What does that mean?" Jake asked, smiling.

I licked my lips. "Nothing, really. I just didn't want a rock star life all the time. I want to live like a normal person. It's the best of both worlds."

"Just like your song," Jake pointed out. "Now I know why you have those songs about other sides, and stuff. Just one more question…"

We were already standing outside my house. "Yeah?" I asked.

Jake took a deep breath. "Why did you tell me?"

"Oh, that." I grinned. "You're a big part of my life, Jake. Or, at least, soon to be a big part of my life. If you want."

Jake leaned over to kiss me again. "Of course, I do, Miley Stewart. Or is it Hannah Montana?"

I kissed him back. "You can call me your girlfriend."

"Cheesy much?" Jake laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow." He started walking away.

"Bye," I said. I took little baby steps towards my house, wishing the night didn't end this soon.

"Hey, Miley?" Jake called.

I faced him. "Uh-huh?"

"I'm happy everything turned out this way." Jake was looking at me like no one's had before.

I beamed back. "Me, too. Goodnight, Jake." I started walking to the door leading into my house.

Jake turned to leave, but not before calling for my attention once more. "Oh, and Miley?"

"Yeah?" I asked, stopping at the doorway. I was thinking of what he was going to say. Did he lie? Were all those things he'd said just part of a big practical joke? Was he practicing for a big part in a movie or show? Was I being punked?

I didn't want any of those. Although being on MTV and meeting Ashton Kutcher would've been really cool.

Jake shrugged, gesturing towards my arm.

"My jacket. You're still wearing it."

ooHMoo

I phoned Lilly and Oliver on three-way right after changing out of my dress. "Okay, you guys, I have a lot to tell you about me and Jake…"

Lilly was quick to catch up. "Did you kiss?"

"Sorry, I don't do something and tell right after," I told her. "Okay, yes, we did. And now we're officially boyfriend and girlfriend. Isn't it great?"

"Heck, yeah!" Lilly didn't even sound the least bit disappointed.

Oliver spoke up. "Ick, I'm trapped in Girl-World."

"Oh, hey, Ollie," Lilly and I told him.

"Yeah, um, I have to hang up. My mom's using her 'man voice' again. You know what that means," Oliver announced.

Lilly chuckled. "Oh, did we ever."

"Hey," Oliver told her. "Anyway. I have just one more thing to say."

"What's that?" I asked.

"That girl wasn't gone, after all," Oliver said.

"Which girl?" I asked.

"The girl who fell for Jake," Lilly replied.

I grinned. "Yeah, I guess she'd stayed all along."

(A/N: I forgot to mention that this takes place after More Than a Zombie to Me. So, what did you all think? Was it any good? Tell me through your reviews. And also tell me what you think of my upcoming stories—you can view those in the COMING SOON section of my profile. Thanks!)