Title: When Stewart met Sanford
Disclaimer: All original characters belong to me. Any Hannah Montana characters belong to Disney… *sigh*.
Pairing: Miley/Lilly
Ratings: 15
Author's Note: *Warning*
This isn't the sequel to Dear Lilly, sorry, :-/. To new readers, I don't think you'd have to read Dear Lilly to get this one-shot but it'd be preferable so you'd know where we are on this.
I think it may take awhile to do the sequel because I still am trying to brainstorm over where to go in that story. Anything that you want to see in the sequel let me know so I can maybe work it in there. Plus, I have all these other ideas for stories so I might want to get those out of the way.
So… This little ditty here is a one-shot and as it says on the tin, it's about how Miley met Laura for the first time and how they became friends. You can consider it as an excerpt from Chapter 5 in Dear Lilly, when Miley and Lilly are having dinner at the café and they're catching up. I originally wanted to add this in the story at the time but I ended up writing that chapter in a different way, and this flashback just went a little longer than I meant for it to go, it practically sprung a life of its own, lol. Also I didn't realize that people would like Laura so much so I left it out. And after I was done with Dear Lilly, and the responses in regards to Laura was amazing. So I had the idea to make this into a one-shot for those interested in how these crazy kids met.
Though I don't think it came out as awesome as I had pictured in my head, :-(. Still, I hope you like it.
And just in case you forgot what Laura looks like: Laura = Taylor Swift.
With all that I am, I wish you love,
Az
When Stewart Met Sanford
Lilly's light blue eyes venture around the café, stalling for a second on the small stage set up at the very end of the room. "I can see why you and Laura like this café. It looks really cozy." She turns back to find me staring at her and she smiles, making me realize how much I've missed seeing her do that; smiling at me, making me feel like everything is right with the world. I wonder how I ever managed to survive all these months without seeing it. Now I'm mentally kicking myself for having not written that letter sooner.
She's here now though. So it's okay.
I direct her to an empty table in a secluded corner where we could talk without being disturbed. I pull up a chair for her before pulling another chair to sit right next to her. "Yeah, we come here when we just want to hang out. We have a lot of fun together. Most of the time we just talk about what's going on…"
"And I've been one of the subjects that you two have talked about?" she interrupts.
"Yeah…" I trail off into silence, not feeling ready for the 'talk'. I just want to stay in this bubble where everything is for now, uncomplicated and easy. And I think Lilly picks up on it, thankfully changing the subject. "So… how did you and Laura first become friends? You two seem very close."
A fond smile crosses my face when Lilly mentioned Laura's name. Laura Elizabeth Sanford, one of the best friends anybody could ever have. A genuine dork to the core, she's always ready to make me and everybody else around her laugh whenever and however she can. My mind trickles back to that night we first met, memories of a wild night that would bind us for the rest of our lives.
My face warms up in a faint blush, remembering the things that happened that night. "That's a funny story actually. In retrospect, that is. But it was really embarrassing at the time."
Lilly leans forward to grab my hand, pulling it to her lap. I feel a gentle, reassuring squeeze as she gives me a look that I have never been able to say no to. "Tell me."
Flashback
First week of college, and I'm at what feels like my hundredth party in this place. I swear if we didn't have to go lectures or you know, sleep, they'd be partying all the way through this first week. I guess the point of all this partying is to have a one-night stand, or make new friends. I don't know why I'm here really. I just know that I'm not interested in being with anybody right now, not since… Lilly, I sigh mentally.
I'm standing alone in the corner, nursing my drink, while I watch everybody else having fun dancing. Well, grinding really. Either one is still pretty painful to watch. I usually feel some bubble of excitement to see people having fun, with such reckless abandon but my eyes actually feel like they're being corrupted. Old McDonald Had a Farm could be playing on the sound system and they'd all still look like they're humping each other.
Maaaaajor cringe-fest.
"It is a crime that a hot girl as you is standing alone, all by your lonesome." I groan internally when a tall blonde boy sidles next to me, placing his sweaty palm on the small of my back. I just had to wear a tank-top that practically allows me to feel the clammy heat of his hand.
Stupid tank-top.
Could have gone with the hoodie that doesn't cling to any part of my body, could have worn some sort of baggy shirt but no no, I wanted to wear the tank-top.
Stupid me.
He's looking at me up and down with obvious interest shining in his grey eyes and a self-assured smirk on his face that kind of makes me want to laugh in his face. I barely manage to hide my eyes rolling when his inspection finally rest on my cleavage.
Stupid boy.
"Most people are afraid to come near, y'know, after the stay-away-from-me glares that I've been giving them," I retort, glad when I see shock quickly replace the interest in his eyes when they rise guiltily back up to look at mine. Usually this would be the time they would scurry off to their friends or find somebody else, but unfortunately for me, he recovers quickly, the shock fading from his eyes and an amused twinkle taking over instead. As if to say he's accepting the challenge, he looks at me square in the eyes and smoothly replies, "Well I don't get scared easy."
Oh great, we got a stubborn one, folks.
Not too subtly, I move away to get his hand off my back and I turned to face him completely. "I was thinking it was more stupidity than bravery that got you here," I said, a noticeable edge to my tone. Annoyed that he's just, not, getting, the, hint.
He raises his hands in peace. "Whoa hey now, no need to be all touchy, girlie. I'm just being friendly."
"And I'm just not in the mood to get hit on," I mumble before taking a sip of my drink. A small relief at the cool liquid flowing down my parched throat. Why is it so warm in here?
"You're hot and this is a party, ergo, you're going to get hit on. So I hate to tell you this pretty lady, but you're kind of in the wrong place if you didn't want that to happen," he points out.
"I know. I just, didn't want to be in my room being all…" I trail off, not really wanting to say it out loud to somebody I barely even knew.
"Homesick?"
"No, not homesick," I shake my head at his wrong assumption. "I'm used to being away from home for long periods of time. I'm just…" I fall silent, unwilling to reveal the true reason as to why I didn't want to be alone in my room again.
"Lovesick then?"
Surprised, I snap my eyes up to find his. "What?"
"Well, it could only be one of those things really. So who's the guy you left back home?" he asked, seeming genuinely interested.
"No guy," I shake my head again. My heart skips a beat. "Girl, actually."
One.
Two.
"That's cool," he replies. A wave of relief comes over me from his easy acceptance and I smile gratefully. His returned smile is of mild disappointment and understanding. "I'm guessing you guys broke up, huh?" he asked.
"Why would you think that?"
"If you guys were still together and trying out the long-distance thing, you either wouldn't be here, and you'd be talking to her on the phone. Or you'd be here and your eyes would be glued to the phone so you wouldn't miss a phone call or text from her." Wow, he's perceptive.
"We didn't break up. I… I don't know where we are really."
His face scrunches up, forming a sympathetic look. "Oh, you're in limbo. That sucks. I'm sorry."
"I'm okay."
"Do you want to talk about it? I promise I'm a good listener," he offers.
I smile in gratitude. "Thank you but it's okay." And then I remember that we are actually at a party and I realize I must be such a downer that I apologize quickly. "I'm sorry I'm being so lame. We're at a party and I'm totally killing your buzz, aren't I?"
He waves off my apology, smiling reassuringly. "Doesn't take much to get it back. Don't worry about it… Sorry, I don't think I got your name before."
I offer my hand while introducing myself. "It's Miley. Miley Stewart."
"I'm Will Cavanaugh," he responds, while shaking my hand. His hand, though still sweaty, has a strong, confident grip and my daddy always says that you can trust a man with a firm handshake. Thankfully his smile is less leery now and friendlier. "Come on Miley Stewart, I'll introduce you to a couple of my friends over there." He takes hold of my wrist, dragging me over to the other side of the room where two people, a pretty curly-haired blonde and a cute red-headed boy, were sitting on a couch. They were talking quietly with each other. Just a few steps before we reached the couch, the red-headed boy gets up and leaves the girl on her own.
"Where's Pete going?" Will asks the girl. I take the opportunity to look at her closely. She's wearing a short black skirt that's setting off the light tan of her long legs, and a light blue vest that actually makes her blue eyes seem even lighter, with a hint of gray in them. And I don't know if it's her immaculate make-up or it's just natural, but her eyes almost seem cat-like. It suits her.
She looks up at Will, pointing her thumb in the direction that 'Pete' went, she answers in a bored tone, "Gone to call his girlfriend from back home."
Then she notices me standing beside Will, she swiftly glides her thumb over to point in my direction, "Bombed with her, did ya?" the curly-haired blonde teases Will, sounding amused. I could see her clear blue eyes twinkling and a smirk slowly growing on her face.
Will looks annoyed and sighs tiredly, as if it's not the first time that she's teasing him about it. "How can you tell?"
"If you scored, you'd still be in the corner talking to her, and giving her your 'best material'... Wait, wait, let me guess, you went with the 'It's a crime' line right?" I laugh, letting her know that he did indeed use that line. She moves her gaze up at me, a proud smile on her face for guessing correctly. "I knew it! You're so predictable, Cavanaugh."
"Hah, you think you're so funny," Will says flatly. He turns back to me, gesturing as he introduces us. "Anyway, Miley Stewart, this joker here is Laura Sanford. Laura, this is Miley Stewart."
"I'm hilarious actually. I'm sorry you can't see that very well," she says, baiting Will before turning to look up at me again. I return a bashful smile, unsure of what to say. She's looking me up and down, obvious curiosity coming from her feline blue eyes, making me blush at her inspection. She smiles a dazzling smile that makes my blush deepen. Laura opens her mouth, about to say something when Will interjects, "Whoa, new hottie in the room. See you two later!"
Laura shakes her head rolling her eyes, grinning wryly. She follows Will's journey to the girl he has his eye on, before moving her gaze back to me. "Boys eh? Always so predictable."
I nod silently in mutual agreement.
She pats the space on the couch, gesturing for me to join her, which I do. She turns her body to face me, the curiosity returning in her eyes. She leans forward so I could hear her ask me over the music. "So where are you from, Miley?"
"I'm from Malibu actually," I reply.
"Whoa hello, sexy voice from the sexy lady," she remarks with a wolfish grin and I'm blushing again. "Sorry I don't actually have much of a filter between my brain and my mouth. I have a tendency of just saying... stuff." She smiles apologetically; shrugging her shoulders like it's not the first time she has to apologize for speaking her mind.
I shake my head, as I smile reassuringly at her that I'm enjoying her fresh, blunt manner. "It's okay. It just caught me off-guard. I'm sure I'll get used to it."
"Cool, but huh, Malibu doesn't actually explain the accent," she points out.
"Oh well, probably 'cause I'm originally from Tennessee but we moved to Malibu when I was about eleven."
"Got our very own cowgirl. Awesome." She grins happily. "You don't mind if I call you 'cowgirl', do you?"
I shake my head again, still smiling. "No, I don't mind."
Her grin widens. "Come on then cowgirl; let's go get you so drunk that you can totally tick off Gone Wild as one of your college experiences. What's your poison?" She snatches my glass from my hand and takes a sip.
"Uhh..." I start to stutter when I take note of her grimace, glad she didn't opt to spit out my drink in my face.
"Coke? Miley, seriously? Coke?" I blush at her incredulous tone. "You're in college, Stewart. Live it up! Come on, we're gettin' you something stronger," she says as she stands up, taking my hand and starts dragging me to the bar that was set up earlier in the evening.
"No wait, Laura, wait!" But my protests go ignored when a shot of what I assume to be the liquid of that something stronger is shoved in my hand.
"Drink," she orders while giving me a look that says that she isn't averse to forcing it down my throat. I look down at the amber liquid, I am so going to regret this in the morning, I think to myself as I tilt my head back to drink, feeling the burning warmth invade my throat.
And down the rabbit hole, I fall.
Last night I got served
A little too much of that poison baby
And last night I did things I'm not proud of
And I got a little crazy
(Carrie Underwood – Last Name)
The next morning
The first thing I notice when I wake up is my very, very dry throat, and my tongue feeling like sandpaper. The next thing that comes to my focus is the slow, dull throbbing in my head that still feels kind of foggy. I open my eyes, instantly groaning out loud in pain when the sunlight pierces my eyes. The dull throbbing accelerates to an unbearable volume in my head. Kind of like a marching band or two in my head.
Never drinking again. Ever again.
I sit up slowly, burying my head in my hands, trying with all my might to somehow squeeze the marching bands out of my brain. Even though I sat up slowly, I begin to feel that fast-paced churning in my gut like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff and everything is going in slow motion. Like I'm experiencing vertigo.
Oh right, that's probably me wanting to throw up. No biggie.
Taking deep breaths through my nose, I try to clear my mind. It works for a few seconds as the churning in my stomach slows down, but the throbbing remains, making its presence known in my head. I have to get up, maybe get some fresh air. Or a bucket.
Swinging my legs over to the side of the bed, I push myself off the bed to stand up. In a sad attempt to keep myself steady, I reach out my hand to grip the table edge that is near my bed. My eyes widen in panic, realizing too late when my hand doesn't exactly find purchase of a table edge that should be there. There was nothing but only thin air, and I find myself making a complete face-plant on the floor.
Ow.
With a pained groan, I flip my body to see the table, on the left side of the bed instead of the right where I had reached out before.
Apparently I move furniture when I'm drunk. At least this pain on my face is making me forget the pain in my head. Oh no wait, there it is. Ugh.
I turn my head around to face the ceiling. That's when I notice a Demi Lovato poster on the ceiling that I don't recall putting up. And right next to the poster is a Hannah Montana poster.
Okay, I definitely did not put that in there. I'm not that much of an advocate for self-love.
I sit up, pushing myself to stand. All the while moving ever so slowly to avoid any sudden added hangover throbbing. I'm finally standing, still slightly unbalanced from the wooziness. I look around the room, finding a lot of unfamiliar items scattered across the room.
Did I do some drunken shopping too?
Despite the painful throbbing, I try to focus, looking around the room to find a clue as to why the room seems so different. Then my eyes stop to land on a photo frame that I don't recognize. I look closely, and I see it's that girl I met last night at the party, hugging a Siberian Husky. What was her name? Louise? Linda? Lauren?
"Laura!" I exclaim loudly. "Oh, owie!" I press my fingers to my temple, wincing from the agony induced by the volume of my voice. I move them in circles, massaging my head. Scolding myself in a harsh whisper, "Oh lord, too loud, Miley." Then it hit me, holy shit! I'm in Laura's room!
A horrifying thought came to me, Oh god. Please don't tell me I slept with her last night.
I look down my body and I panic when I notice that I'm only in my underwear. Automatically, I cross my arms to cover my bare chest. My heart drops and my panic rises.
No no no no no no no no!
I quickly glance around the room, to try and find my clothes when I see them lying crumpled in the corner. After putting them on, I find myself sitting on the bed. Laura's bed. And after a few quiet moments, I feel a wave of sadness that I have just screwed up a potential friendship by sleeping with her.
We had so much fun last night, from what I can sketchily remember. Well, I know that we got along well before I got blindingly drunk. We could have been good friends. But she didn't even have the courtesy to stick around to talk about what could have been a very awkward morning-after-the-evening-before-talk. No loss, I guess. I feel my eyebrows furrowing in a frown as I continue to try and remember what happened last night.
I cringe when a memory starts playing itself in my mind, of us dancing on top of a table. While I'm pouring a bottle of tequila over our bodies.
Girls gone wild? Oh yeah, that's a definite check.
I sigh tiredly, figuring that I should probably get back to my room and take a shower before Laura comes back and there'll be some awkward tension between us. I figure since it's a big college; we might not see each other again anyway.
When I go to open the door I see across from me, a door with my room number.
Oh great, that's not going to make things any less awkward, is it?
I stepped back in the room, shutting the door. I lean back against the door, thinking of how it was going to be near possible to completely avoid Laura for the next two years. I mean, what were the chances that we'd end up being neighbours?
The door is then pushed open, making me fall forward. I yelp in surprise before I once again make a complete face-plant on the floor. The pain of the sudden hard fall shoots straight to the throbbing in my head, making it feel like another two marching bands joined the other two that were already in my head.
Oh floor, how I have missed you.
I flip myself over. My hands goes up to cradle my head and I'm griping out loud, going "Oh god, make it stop" every few seconds. Then I hear a low, husky voice calling out to me, "Miley?"
Realizing that my eyes were closed, I stop groaning and open them to see Laura standing in front of me. Confused, I ask, my own voice still scratchy from sleep and consuming way too much hard liquor, "Laura?" she nods and I continue, "What are you doing here?"
"Well, this is my room and I kinda figured you'd be gone by now," she answers, giving me an innocent grin that is more annoying than endearing.
"You know, you're kind of rude."
Her innocent grin drops and she looks shocked at my statement. The shock then turns into confusion. "Excuse me?"
Feeling that small tinge of annoyance beginning to grow, which thankfully distracts me from the painful throbbing in my head for just a second. "I woke up in your room - alone - in my underwear, with this ridiculously debilitating hangover, that is making it so incredibly hard to think clearly, I might add. The least you could have done after sleeping with me, was allow me the courtesy of the awkward morning-after talk," I threw back at her. "What do you have to say to that, Sanford?" I asked her harshly.
A couple of seconds pass after my accusation and Laura's confused look is replaced by understanding. "Miley. We didn't sleep together. We crashed in my room yeah, but you were hogging my bed, you bed-hogger. So I asked Jessie which room you're in, and when I found out it's right across from mine, I figured I'd take your bed since you were hogging mine. Bed-hogger."
My breath hitches making my voice sound nothing more than a squeak. "What?"
"We didn't sleep together," she repeats.
"Really?"
She nods her head. "Yes."
"But, I was in my underwear?"
"Yeah, you were complaining you were feeling hot so you gave me a strip-tease. It was almost like the scene from True Lies. Which was just, so awesome." She sighs; her eyes takingh on this dreamy gaze as if she's remembering the best night of her life.
And I'm just... Mortified. "Oh god."
"Aw, don't be embarrassed, cowgirl. You have a totally smokin' bod. And those legs... Meeow!" She looks me up and down, winking at me with a wolfish grin plastered on her face.
"Oh god!"
I hide my face behind my hands, wanting to keep the heated blush from her view. A few seconds after, suddenly I hear something that sounds like a snort. I drop my hands away from my face to see Laura with her hand to her mouth, trying to stop herself from giggling, amusement clear in her eyes. I release a tired sigh and she lets out another snort in response. "You're such a dork, Sanford."
"Oh don't get your panties in a twist, cowgirl. I didn't see anything. I turned away and left the room as soon as I saw you take your top off."
"You just couldn't resist teasing me though?"
"Nope. I'm just having a little fun, Stewart. You were being all dramatic about something that you weren't even sure happened. I am well within my right to tease you about it. As I will be for the rest of the time we know each other."
"So we didn't sleep together?"
She rolls her eyes at me. "I repeat, no."
"Thank god!" I throw a sheepish smile Laura's way when she gives me an amused glance after my outburst. "I'm sorry for... that. But damn, that's just good news. I'm just really glad we didn't sleep with each other."
"Well that's the first time anybody ever said that to me," she says flatly. But her smile tells me that she's not terribly offended.
"No, it's just... That was the most fun I've had in a long time and I didn't want to make things awkward between us. Especially now that we turned out to be neighbours, 'cause that could have been one seriously awkward situation."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. You're not so bad yourself, cowgirl," she says, smiling an endearingly crooked smile. It's then I notice that she actually looks more... alive than I do. Her light blue eyes are shining bright and though she looks slightly pale, she does not at all look like she wants to throw up.
"How do you manage to look like you're not hearing the marching bands in your head too?"
A smug smile crosses her face. "Ah, hung-over huh?"
"Nah. I'm just experiencing a deliberately glorious and slow way to die. What do you think genius?" I said sarcastically.
She smirks at my tone. "Wow, kind of a drama queen aren't you?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Is my hangover hurting your brain?" And right on cue, the vibration in my head hits a crescendo now that the agony is all I'm thinking about.
I hear her make a low snicker at my expense. "Damn. Now I'm glad I didn't sleep with you. Talk about high-maintenance." She inspects me for a second. "Do you remember anything at all from last night?"
"I only remember us dancing on the table. And laughing, a lot. But that's pretty much it."
"Yeah, you know, you're kind of a freak once you get intoxicated. A talkative freak too. If you weren't dancing, you were talking my ear off."
"Ohhh god, I'm so sorry. What did I say?" A feeling of dread settles in my stomach.
"That you're Hannah Montana."
My eyes widen and it takes me a second to react. "What? Me? Hannah Montana, pfffft yeah right. That's just ridiculous."
I swallow the lump in my throat, hoping that she would be convinced by my flimsy lie.
"Yeah, I know, right? Of all the things you say you are when you're drunk, you go and say you're Hannah? It'd have been funnier if you said that you were a walrus."
The feeling of dread dissipates replaced by relief. "Heh yeah, I guess it was wishful drinking."
"Cute."
"Did I do anything else?"
"Well, you did flirt with most of the girls in the room and went to second base with me."
My voice still feeling croaky and rough from last night comes out in a strangled, harsh whisper. "WHAT?" I prepare to apologize for my drunken behaviour but I stop when I see her laughing eyes.
I've been had, again. "Oh, seriously! That was just cruel."
She smirks, taunting me. "Within my right."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll show you within your right."
"Kinky." She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.
I unsuccessfully hold back a smile as I shake my head. "Incorrigible."
"You know it."
"So we didn't do anything, yeah?"
"No Miley, we didn't," she answers. "What's so bad about doing anything with me anyway? I'm pretty awesome y'know." She gives me what I assume to be her patented charming smile.
"I don't doubt that. I'm sure you could probably show a girl a rockin' good time."
"Amen to that sister. High-five!" She raises her hand up, looking at me and waiting patiently. I just raise my eyebrow at her. "Hey, it's rude to leave a girl hanging. Now come on, Stewart, you either high-five me right now or I'm going to stalk you for the rest of our college years until you do it. Don't think I won't do it either!"
"Oh my god Laura, you're such a dork!" But I raise my hand up to high-five her because I have a feeling she probably would go through with her threat.
"Alright! Come on then cowgirl, let's get you some coffee so we can get rid of that hangover."
"Really?" I asked her; slightly stunned that she still wants to hang out with me.
She shrugs. "Yeah of course. Why wouldn't we get coffee? It's not breakfast since y'know we didn't sleep together even though I must say, you're totally missing out," she teases. "But oh wait..."
"What?" I asked warily.
"I think you'd better take a shower. You seriously stink, Stewart. Just sayin'." She shrugs her shoulders, that annoying smirk on her face.
"Well you ain't exactly a bag o'roses either, Sanford. Just sayin'," I mock, shrugging my own shoulders, throwing her words back at her.
Laura chuckles then she smiles a bright, knowing smile. Throwing her arm around my shoulders, she says to me, "Miley Stewart, I can see this is the beginning of a very interesting friendship."
Present
"The rest, as you can say, is history. Being neighbours helped us to bond faster. And not to mention, I think we keep each other around mostly because we make each other laugh so much. Or rather, I make her laugh so much," I comment wryly.
"So what you're saying is: you were so drunk that you didn't even remember if you guys slept together or not, so you just assumed that you did?" Lilly asks me, amusement very obviously sparkling in her eyes.
I feel a deep blush start to rise up my neck to my cheeks. I cough out a meek laugh, "Yes?" I chew on my bottom lip to bite back an embarrassed smile that I know would be on my face right now.
"Do you remember anything else from that night?"
I shook my head. I still don't remember much of that night apart from the dancing and the tequila pouring. And Laura has been no help whatsoever in recovering any memories of what happened. Though I swear she remembers more than I do. I'm pretty sure she just enjoys watching me squirm.
"Laura won't tell me. She does keep mentioning the table dancing thing though."
"You really are a closet freak aren't you Blue?"
"You still love me though right?" I ask quickly, giving her my patented sad-puppy-dog look. Lilly stops giggling to look at me with an affectionate smile. Love replacing the amusement in her eyes.
"Yeah, I do," she says quietly. And my heart swells.
- FIN -
(See you in the sequel... Hopefully coming soon-ish)