Disclaimer: I own nothing. Hannah Montana and all its characters belong to the Disney Channel. No infringement intended.
A.N. So, I had a hard time with this one. I'm not sure about it, and I might go back and change some things. Let me know what you think.
P.S. this is dialogue heavy.
I See You, Miley
To the outside onlooker, everything was fine as Hannah Montana walked down the halls of Sevaview High, smiling and waving as she was ushered out of the building by security. Lilly knew better. Something was not right with her brunette best friend who was coincidently, also the girl in question. Lilly quietly snuck out of school and was let into the limo by Roxy, their bodyguard. Shrill screams of 'Hannah! Ohmigod its Hannah Montana!' could be heard, and as soon as Miley, as Hannah, was safely seated in the car, she ripped the blonde wig off and threw it to the floor. No, something was most definitely not right.
The short ride home was blanketed in silence, and although the brunette wore a blank expression, you could clearly see that she was seething with barely contained anger.
Miley was out of the car as soon as it stopped, not even bothering to grab her discarded wig off the floor. Lilly took it and silently waved to Roxy as she went inside.
Without so much as a word, Miley stormed over to the refrigerator and started pulling out various things. Lilly quietly closed the front door and lingered by it, watching Miley with rapt attention as she roughly grabbed a dish out of a cabinet and slapped various cold cuts and bread on it so hard that it was a miracle the dish didn't break underneath her.
Miley shoved everything back where it belonged and stalked over to the couch. Lilly silently went and sat across from her, dropping the forgotten wig onto the coffee table.
Miley took a big bite of her sandwich, roughly chewing as she stared off into space.
"Miley, what's got you so… agitated?" Lilly asked in almost a whisper.
Miley scowled in her direction as she swallowed. "Nothing."
Lilly sighed and continued to watch as Miley took bite after bite, as if she were trying to literally eat away at something.
"Ok, enough of this." Lilly got up and grabbed the dish and sandwich right out of the brunette's hands and set it down on the table before taking a seat next to her.
"Hey! Give that back!"
Miley went to grab it again, but Lilly reached for her hand and took it, lightly stroking the skin of her palm to try and soothe her.
"Miley, seriously, what's up?"
"Nothing, now let me finish my…"
Lilly grabbed the sandwich off the dish before Miley could and took a nice sized bite. Miley watched her, and her eyes looked infuriating. Lilly swallowed and held it out for Miley to take a bite, watching the movement of her jaw as it worked. Miley finished and rested her head on the back of the couch.
"Miles… Come on… What's wrong?"
Miley sighed dejectedly and pinched her nose. "It's just… Nobody sees me."
"What do you mean?"
Miley sighed and closed her eyes before answering. "Today at school… Hannah walks into a room and everyone stops and all eyes are on her and its complete madness. Everybody 'sees' her. What about Miley? She's there every day, she walks into a room and barely anyone notices. Is Hannah really that special? I mean, Jesus! It's me in a blonde wig! Are people really that thick? The disguise is so… thin! Do they not really see? I put on a wig and everybody falls all over me, they 'see' me… what about Miley? Does anybody 'see' her!
Lilly was sure it was shock she was feeling, or confusion, or both as she quietly regarded her friend. So, Miley was envious of Hannah? At this moment, it sure seemed like she was. But why? Is this a new development, or is it something that's been eating away at the girl in question for awhile?
Miley was rubbing her temples and her anger seemed to be barely containing the tears that threatened to spill at any moment.
"Even Sarah and Joanie… They stared right into Hannah's eyes. Do they really not see that it's me?"
"Do you really want them to see? You created Hannah so you could be Miley. Do you want the world to know?" Lilly said. "Think about what you're saying Miley."
"I've accomplished so much over the last few years, and what do I get for it? Nothing. Miley just gets lost behind Hannah. All of Hannah's success is largely due to Miley's hard work and dedication; Miley's blood, sweat and tears. I just… I'm starting to hate Hannah." Miley said, as she swiped at the tears that were starting to fall.
Lilly was at a loss. Since she couldn't find the words, she scooted over and pulled Miley into a sitting position, wrapping her up into her arms. Miley clung to her, and Lilly shifted so that they were more comfortable.
"We're graduating soon. You know how under everyone's picture in the yearbook they have the whole, 'what do you want to do with your life' and 'where do you see yourself in 10 years' thing?" Miley asked into Lilly's shoulder.
"Yeah."
Pulling back and wiping her eyes, Miley swallowed hard before looking at Lilly. "I already have a career. I know what I want to do with my life. In ten years, I still want to have a career and hopefully be as successful or maybe branch out into other areas of the industry, but I couldn't write any of that. In ten years at the reunion, everyone's gonna ask 'oh, what have you been up to Miley?' What will I say? Miley will have done so much, but no one can know because Hannah gets all the credit. I love my private life; I love that I can walk down the street and just be me, but is it worth it if I have to continue to hide more than half of my life and my accomplishments from everyone for the rest of my life?"
Lilly felt her chest ache for her best friend's anguish. What scared her even more was that Miley had some valid points. Their secret identities have been harder and harder to keep up with as they've gotten older, and Lilly truly never considered what it would mean for Miley and Lilly If they continued to let Hannah and Lola reap all the benefits of success.
Lilly wiped more tears away from the brunette's face. It killed her to see Miley so… so broken.
"Miley, when I look at you, I see a girl who is so compassionate and talented. I see a girl who puts her friends and family above everyone else. I see a girl who isn't afraid to speak her mind and I see a girl who goes after her dreams and does it fearlessly. When I look at you, I don't see Hannah Montana, I see Miley, and Miley is special. Miley could run circles around Hannah. As far as Joanie and Sarah, and everyone else… they see a fabrication; an illusion. Someday, you never know, but maybe it will be time to take off the wig and expose yourself, as Hannah, to the rest of the world, and if and when that day comes it will be the right thing to do, and I'll be right there next to you – holding your hand and supporting you through it all. Hannah may be great, but you Miley, are extraordinary, and I feel so lucky because I get to know you. The real you. I see you, Miley, for all that you are, and all that you have yet to become."
Tears were silently streaming down Miley's face, and before Lilly could say anything else, Miley surged forward and showered her face is kisses. Miley was kissing everywhere; from her hair line, to her ears, to her nose and cheeks, before chastely kissing her lips repeatedly.
"Thank you Lilly." Miley said as she broke away. "That was the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."
Miley reattached their lips, overlapping Lilly's with her own as Lilly clung to her this time, opening her mouth and silently asking Miley to go deeper and press harder. An hour ago, she never would have imagined she would be kissing her best friend, but now that she was, she felt as if she was missing out for years.
"Miley, what are we doing?"
"We're loving each other."
In the back of Lilly's mind she was concerned that she could be taking advantage of her best friend in her vulnerable state, but Lilly knew that Miley would never think that. She couldn't make herself pull away as they made their way to their bedroom and ridded each other of their clothes, shedding barriers and seeking comfort in one another.
They made love for hours, and long after Miley had succumbed to sleep, Lilly lie awake watching her first and only lover sleep in her arms. She knew then that she loved Miley, and probably always had, and she hoped that her words, as well as her actions had gotten that across to her brunette best friend.
"I see you. Miley." Lilly whispered to the sleeping girl. She placed a kiss to her forehead and smiled when Miley cuddled even closer to her in her sleep.
End.
...Review? Please?