Author's Foreword: Hello everyone and welcome to the beginning of a new story from yours truly! While the idea for this may not be original, I have been playing around with it in my head for a while now. I've decided to go ahead and give it a go, so I hope you like it. If not, well…I tried. For those who are reading my other story, Buried Under Sand, fear not. I'm still in the middle of writing out the next chapter, but I'm also going to go back and forth between these two as far as updating. Or whichever one I feel like updating faster. Lol, so hang tight!

Disclaimers: I don't own Hannah Montana because if I did, that would be so cool! I'm merely borrowing the characters for the sake of this fanfic. The only things that belong to me may pretty much be nothing but the story content itself. How cool am I?

RACE TO YOUR HEART

Chapter One: A Bad Situation

"Is the coast clear?"

Eighteen-year-old Lilly Truscott looked over to the door of the school bathroom where her best friend Sarah was keeping watch. She was seated on the far end of the counter, her back resting on the wall as she waited patiently for Sarah's answer.

"Yes, the coast is clear, but why do we even care? It's not like this is the first time we've done this. We HAVE been caught before."

Lilly gave her an amused grin. "We don't care, but I gotta keep you busy SOMEHOW, don't I? At least while I get this stuff ready."

"Speaking of, could you please get started? I'm getting kinda antsy here."

"Anxious much?"

Sarah shot her a look from her post by the door. "Only cause you're taking forever!"

Lilly merely chuckled at Sarah's impatience and pulled the contents of their entertainment out of the pocket of her black hooded jacket, splaying everything out in front of her. She looked at Sarah once more.

"Hey, did you want to do all of this now or save some for after school?"

"I don't know. Let's just wing it. Now hurry."

"You sure?"

Sarah let out an irritated groan. "Yes, I'm sure! Geez Lilly, are you TRYING to frazzle my nerves today?"

"No, but I have no problem trying if you really want me to."

"LILLY! Stuff. Now!"

"Okay, okay! No need to bite my head off."

Lilly picked up the bag containing their green "herbal medicine" and opened it, taking a moment to quietly sniff the delicious aroma that wafted up to her nose. She let out a sigh of euphoria before sticking her hand in and pulling out just the right amount. She started breaking the substance up, making sure to get rid of any seeds or stems that she came across. After her task was done, she grabbed one of the unopened packs of individually sold cigars and ripped the plastic off of it. Reaching into her jeans pocket for her retractable knife, she pulled it out and quickly let the blade loose. Cutting down the length of the cigar, she emptied out the tobacco within and replaced it with the broken-up herb. After sealing the cigar closed, she tied the plastic bag up and stuck it back into her jacket pocket, her hand coming back out with a lighter.

Leaning slightly to put her blade back in its rightful place, she addressed Sarah, who was still by the door looking out through the small opened crack.

"So my dear, do you want to hit it first or shall I?"

At the sound of Lilly's voice, Sarah whipped her head around. "Do you really need to ask?"

Lilly waved her over. "Then let's get this party started!"

Sarah grabbed the newly made cigar as Lilly handed her the lighter. She put one end slightly in her mouth and held the lighter up at the other end, quickly flicking it to life. After taking a few quick hits to get it burning good, she was finally satisfied with the way the smoke burned her lungs and handed the lighter back to Lilly. A thought suddenly crossed her mind.

"Hey Lilly, won't we fog it up in here?"

Lilly cocked an eyebrow at her. "Does it really matter?"

Sarah shrugged and took a long hit, holding the smoke in for a while before exhaling and responding. "Not really. I just don't feel like getting in trouble today."

Lilly stared at her for a moment and then pointed to the small air vent that lined the ceiling. "That's why they have those things. In case someone takes a really nasty shit and stinks up this entire place. It helps to clear things out, including smoke."

Sarah handed off the cigar to Lilly, who wasted no time with indulging herself. She looked at the vent thoughtfully before turning her attention back to Lilly.

"I guess I forgot about that. And I'm supposed to be the smart one here!"

Lilly took a big hit, repeating Sarah's earlier actions. "You ain't smart anymore. I still remember when everyone called you Saint Sarah. And how you were such a big planet-concerned geek with glasses."

Lilly laughed at the mental image, receiving a scowl from Sarah in return.

"I was not a geek! And FYI, I still care about the planet."

Lilly immersed herself in another hit before passing it off to Sarah, giving her a skeptical look. Sarah quickly took the cigar and paused at the look Lilly was giving her.

"Well, I am! As you can see, I'm going green right now."

Sarah held out the cigar to make her point before pulling it to her lips and sucking the smoke into her lungs. Lilly shook her head and released a small chuckle.

"You're still a dork. Trust me."

Sarah exhaled and scoffed at Lilly's words. "In what way? I don't even wear glasses anymore. I'm so glad I switched to contacts."

Lilly didn't answer her. They stayed that way for a few minutes, quietly smoking and passing the cigar back and forth between each other. Still not having moved from her spot on top of the counter, Lilly passed the cigar to Sarah and acknowledged the other stuff that hadn't yet been touched.

"You ready for some snow?"

Sarah nodded enthusiastically. "Hell yeah!"

"Key or lines?"

Sarah didn't hesitate with her answer. "Lines. I need a big fix. Key bumps won't cure that."

Lilly made sure the surface of the counter wasn't wet before opening the top of the bag and pouring half of the contents out. She sealed up the bag and stuck it into her pocket, momentarily fishing around for the loose razor blade she would need. After finally getting a hold of it, she pulled it out and proceeded to turn the little white rocks into a fine powder. Sarah watched her work, puffing away on the cigar that was almost half gone. Lilly divided the white substance into four lines of equal length and thickness. Proud of her work, she slid her fingers down either side of the razor blade, capturing what little grains of white she could that had managed to stick to it. She shoved her fingers into her mouth, spreading what little there was across her top and bottom teeth.

She turned to Sarah with a smirk on her face. "Since you got to hit that lovely blunt first, I get to do my two lines before you."

Sarah's jaw dropped. "That's not fair! Why didn't you tell me? You know snow's my thing!"

Lilly's smirk grew. "And you know my bitch MJ is my thing! But did that stop you from diving in first?"

Sarah's eyes narrowed before softening. "I'm sorry, but you know how I get when I'm anxious!"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Sarah, this shouldn't surprise you! That's how we've always done these things. Am I gonna have to cut you off already?"

She reached for the cigar threateningly. Deep down she really wasn't going to, but she couldn't help messing around with her best friend.

Sarah took a step back. "No! Just hurry up and do your lines so I can do mine."

The look on Sarah's face was too much for Lilly and she suddenly burst into laughter. Sarah was a bit taken aback at first but she soon followed suit. After a couple of minutes, they finally gathered their bearings. Sarah looked at Lilly and shot her a goofy grin.

"Man, we are SO fucked up right now!"

Lilly broke out into her own goofy grin. "And we're about to get even more."

With those last words, Lilly pulled a dollar bill out of her pocket and rolled it up into the shape of a small straw. She leaned her body forward and lightly pressed the dollar against the entrance of her left nostril as it hovered above one of the lines of powder. Without a second thought, she quickly snorted the entire line up her nose, delighting in the burning sensation that it left behind which was soon followed by the satisfying feeling of numbness. She switched targets and snorted another line, this time up her right nostril. She slid her index finger along the surface of the counter, picking up any remnants that her actions may have left. She casually leaned back against the wall and stuck her finger into her mouth. Rather than run it across her teeth again, she merely licked the white powder off.

Sarah was already holding out the cigar to her, eagerly waiting for her turn. They traded off and Lilly watched in amusement as Sarah mimicked her actions and quickly snorted the two remaining lines. Watching Sarah close her eyes briefly as she savored the moment, Lilly took a couple of huge hits from the cigar in her hand. It was moments like these that she truly enjoyed. Due to the effects of cocaine, she could feel herself becoming energetic and awake. However, because of the pot, she also felt calm and relaxed. They both worked together to create this feeling of sheer pleasure that coursed throughout her entire body. From the top of her head all the way to the tips of her toes. There were only a very few things in the whole world that could make her feel this way. Lilly Truscott, to put it simply, was in heaven.


Down the hall and around the corner, Miley Stewart sat inside her English class, bored out of her mind. She kept looking at the clock constantly. Even though lunch had barely ended and she still had half a day to go, she was more than eager to get the heck out of there. Her boyfriend Jesse had graduated the year before and they had made plans for after she got out of school. Since it was Friday, they were going to attend the football game later that evening and head for a party right afterwards. The one thing she was looking most forward to had to do with her boyfriend's hobby and was going to take place later in the night: street racing.

Although she had never been to one before, she had heard all the stories of how thrilling it was to be there. The only thing that kept her from attending was the prospect of getting caught by cops. And she wasn't planning on that happening anytime soon. It was only after some encouragement from Jesse that she finally agreed to show up to at least one. Despite the fact that she was reluctant from the beginning, she found herself growing more and more excited by the thought of it.

Miley glanced up at the clock again and groaned inwardly when she saw that only three minutes had passed. At this rate, I'm gonna die of boredom! Shaking the thought from her head, her eyes began to wander around the classroom.

The first person they landed on was one of her good friends, Oliver Oken. Despite acting like a doughnut on the outside, he was a hardcore drinker and loved to party. She had met him at a party (surprise, surprise) and they ended up hitting it off immediately. Although Miley preferred not to drink, she would do it every so often, but would never get to the point where her judgment would be considered impaired. Oliver, being the party animal he was, didn't understand this, but he never pressured Miley into drinking any more than she wanted to. He was a good friend like that.

Miley's eyes wandered away from Oliver and landed on her best friend, Joannie Palumbo. They had been best friends for as long as Miley could remember, and there were no secrets held between them. They knew everything about each other. Joannie was head cheerleader of the school and known by everybody. Despite being popular, she never let it get to her head. She was one of the most sincerest, kindest souls that anybody could ever meet and it was hard, if not impossible, to find any reason to hate her. Miley was grateful to have Joannie in her life. She honestly didn't know where she'd be if Joannie wasn't there.

Miley's eyes continued searching around the room, looking for anything to help pass the agonizing time. She didn't feel like being there anymore and quickly thought of a solution. She raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Stewart?"

"May I go to the bathroom?"

He simply waved her off, granting her permission to leave. She slid out of her seat and grabbed her purse, quickly leaving the classroom. She breathed a sigh of relief once she had closed the door. For a minute she just stood there in the hallway. She wasn't really intending on going to the bathroom. She just used that as an excuse to leave. Now she didn't know what to do.

Great. Just great. Now that you got what you want, you don't know what to do. You really need to start thinking ahead, Miley. After thinking about it, she concluded going to the bathroom anyway, figuring she could do a quick touch-up on her makeup. After all, anything was better than being in a boring classroom.

She made her way slowly towards the bathroom, hoping that she'd waste some time before having to inevitably head back. As she neared the door to the girl's bathroom, she could vaguely make out a different smell in the air. Not thinking too much on it, she entered the bathroom and paused with shock at what she found inside.


Lilly and Sarah had long finished that first cigar and were currently in the middle of smoking the second one. They had each finished doing another line of coke and were somewhat startled when the door suddenly burst open and someone came in.

Miley was stunned at the sight before her. She didn't seem aware of the fact that she dropped her purse upon entering. The room had a small fog to it, which she quickly realized was from smoking as she spotted the cigar in Lilly's hand. She instinctively coughed and held her hand over her nose and mouth to prevent any smoke from entering her lungs as she eyed the two girls in the bathroom with her.

She immediately recognized them as being Lilly and Sarah, the two biggest troublemakers at the school who didn't care about anyone but themselves. She could see Lilly sitting on the counter, leaning back against the wall with an eyebrow arched at her. Sarah was leaning against the counter, looking back at her with the same expression as Lilly's. Neither of them seemed to care that someone had interrupted their obvious fun and she silently cursed herself for wanting to get out of that classroom as fast as she did.

Miley began to stumble backwards toward the door. "I-I'm sorry."

Before she could get through the door, Lilly spoke up. "Wait!"

Miley's first instinct was to ignore the girl's request and just leave as fast as she could. That train of thought intensified with Lilly's next words.

"Sarah, don't let her leave!"

Miley watched as Sarah quickly moved towards her. Before Miley could process what was going on, Sarah had grabbed onto her arm and pulled her the rest of the way into the bathroom. Miley didn't know what to do, believing for sure that she was about to get beat up. She felt Sarah let go of her arm and give her a small push forwards. Miley turned back to look at her. She watched as Sarah grabbed her purse from the ground and tossed it onto the counter, stepping back to block the doorway and prevent her from trying to leave.

Lilly took a hit of the cigar before hopping off the counter and making the short distance to Miley, standing a few feet away from the visibly scared girl. "Well, what do we have here?"

Miley couldn't move. She couldn't speak. Heck, she could barely think!

Lilly opened her mouth to say something else, but Miley beat her to the punch and blurted out, "I won't tell anyone. I swear!"

Lilly's eyes narrowed. "Is that what you were planning on doing?"

Miley shook her head, not trusting her voice to say anything else.

Lilly's face remained unchanged but her voice became dangerously low. "Now why don't I believe you?"

Miley didn't know what to do. With the way this girl was looking at her, she felt like a small bug that was about to get squashed.

Lilly felt like kicking the girl's ass. She was the type of person who hated having her fun spoiled. Many people around school knew her as being short-tempered and did their best to stay as far away from her as possible. That was okay, though. Lilly preferred being alone, with the exception of Sarah. Together, the two wreaked havoc across campus and enjoyed the reactions they received from others, especially when it came to the dangerous stunts they liked to pull.

Besides being troublemakers, they were also adrenaline junkie daredevils. Nothing was better than the feeling of adrenaline pulsing through their veins after being engaged in a life-threatening stunt. Nobody understood why they loved it so much. To them, it was nothing short of stupidity. Despite sounding a little cruel, every single student in the entire school was waiting for the day that they would end up accidentally killing themselves from their dumb pastime.

Lilly was growing impatient with Miley's silence. She knew only a little of the girl, so she wasn't sure if Miley was just being shy. Not thinking on it for too long, a devilish smile began to appear on her face as she assessed Miley, an idea coming to her. Miley didn't like that smile one bit.

"So, Miley…that's your name, right? Miley?"

Miley numbly nodded and Lilly continued on. "Right. So anyway, I'm just wondering something. Have you ever smoked before?"

Oh yeah, Miley definitely didn't like where this was going. She surprised herself by quickly finding her voice. "No, I haven't. I don't like it."

Lilly simply tilted her head, the smile never leaving her face. "Is that why you look kinda pale right now? From all the smoke that's in here?"

Miley didn't feel like speaking and just nodded. When Sarah had grabbed her arm, she was too startled to cover her nose and mouth back up, slowly being forced to inhale the air around her. She knew for a fact that she was going to have trouble getting the smell out of her clothes and hair. She briefly wondered how she was going to go about the rest of the day.

"Hm, I guess the air vent didn't work too well then."

Lilly said nothing more and sucked on the non-lit end of the cigar, stepping close enough to Miley to breathe the smoke into her face. Miley acted on reflex and stepped back, waving her hand at the smoke to ward it off. She needed to get out of there fast. The problem was she wasn't sure how.

Miley found her voice again. "Look, I don't know what you want, but can't you please just let me leave?"

She heard Sarah laugh behind her, still at the door. "Do you think we're stupid? You're going to rat on us and we can't have that, now can we?"

"I won't tell a soul! I swear!"

Lilly just shook her head. "That's not good enough. We need a little bit of a stronger reassurance."

Miley was getting desperate. "Name it. I'll do whatever."

Lilly studied her for a moment before speaking up, "Have you ever heard of a charge?"

Miley was confused. "A charge?"

"I guess that answers my question. Here, Sarah and I will demonstrate."

Miley watched as Lilly walked over to Sarah by the door. With intrigue, she continued to watch as Lilly put the cigar in her mouth and faced Sarah, cupping her hands around either side of her mouth and part of her nose, trapping the cigar and smoke within it. Her intrigue changed to that of slight horror as she witnessed Lilly forcefully pushing the air through the cigar and into the small space between her hands, directly into what she could only guess was Sarah's own nose and mouth. Miley's eyes grew even wider as she saw the alarmingly high amounts of smoke that managed to escape from between Lilly's fingers. For a minute, she thought there was no way in hell Sarah would be able to tolerate all that smoke and would eventually pass out from lack of oxygen. She was surprised when Lilly stepped away and instead of passing out, Sarah started making noises like she wanted to cough but in actuality, didn't.

Lilly turned back to Miley, looking at her expectantly. "That's a charge. And guess what? It's your turn."

Miley's stomach felt like it just dropped into her butt. She looked at Lilly incredulously. "You're kidding, right?"

Lilly gave her a menacing look and took a step towards her. "Does it look like I'm kidding?"

"No way! There's no way in hell you're gonna make me!"

Miley couldn't stop the words from escaping her mouth fast enough. The moment they left she grew fearful and could only hope that she wouldn't get her ass kicked because of it.

Lilly cocked an eyebrow and stared at her with wonder. "Excuse me?"

Miley visibly gulped before replying, "You heard me."

Although Lilly's expression didn't change on the outside, she was thoroughly surprised on the inside. No one had ever stood up to her. Especially not someone like this average girl-next-door who stood before her now. For a split second, she found herself fascinated by this new change of pace, but it was quickly replaced by that of anger.

"If you want to leave, then YES, you will. Otherwise, you're gonna be stuck in here with us, breathing in all this smoke anyway. I don't think that's something you want, now is it?"

"No, but-"

"I'm not finished talking!"

Miley quickly snapped her mouth shut. She didn't want to anger the girl any more than she already was.

"That's what I thought. Now, the only way we can be sure you won't rat us out is if you do the charge like I asked."

Miley was confused. How was that going to prevent her from doing anything? Lilly's next statement answered that question for her.

"That way, if you even so much as try to tell someone, we'll just drag you in it and say you were with us. I'm sure a little drug test would be able to prove that. You'll be in as much trouble as us. Plus, you won't have any proof that we forced you."

"How is a drug test…"

Miley's words trailed off as she slowly came to realize the extent of her situation. Up to this point, she had thought that Lilly and Sarah were only smoking a regular tobacco product. She now realized just exactly what they were doing: they were getting high. Not only that but they were going to force her into doing it too. And if she didn't, she would have to stay in this horrid hell she was thrust into, allowing the ill smoke to seep into her clothes and body while being company to the two troublemakers of the school. This was not a good situation.

Closing her eyes, Miley reluctantly agreed. "Fine! Give me a charge, or whatever you called it."

Lilly smiled with glee and turned to Sarah. "You do the honors."

"No." Miley's firm voice rang out from behind her, causing Lilly to quickly turn around and stare daggers at her.

Before Lilly could retaliate, Miley opened her mouth again. "No. If you're going to force me into doing this, I want YOU to be the one that'll have to live with the future guilt."

Lilly laughed. "Future guilt? What the hell are you talking about? Trust me, I don't feel guilty about anything I do and I certainly won't start with you."

Miley didn't say anything. They just stared each other down until Lilly opened her mouth. "Sarah, get behind her and hold her in place. I don't need her escaping while I'm doing this."

Not taking her eyes off Lilly, Miley felt Sarah grab a hold of her arms from behind, keeping her firmly in place. Lilly took one last swig of the cigar and blew the smoke into Miley's face once again before taking up the same position she had done with Sarah. Lilly smirked at Miley with her eyes and without waiting to see if she was ready, repeated her earlier actions and pushed the smoke directly into Miley's waiting nose and mouth.

Author's Afterword: So there you have it! The first chapter to my new story. Don't you just love the change in Lilly's attitude when there's another person around who isn't Sarah? I was going to continue on and write out Miley's reaction, but I decided to wait. It seemed like a perfect spot to end this chapter. Don't you just love me? Anyway, let me know what you think. This is sort of an opener for the things yet to come. Should I continue it? Or give up hope and scrap the idea all together? You tell me. Happy reading!