Never on a Sunday

Miley had just recently noticed that Lily never stayed on Sundays. She stayed the night every other night of the week, and it wasn't like they didn't have sleepovers on weeknights, in fact they did, quite often. When organising a sleepover Lily never suggested Sundays and the few times Miley had Lily had said no. Miley couldn't figure it out and it was really starting to bother her.

One Sunday over the summer break she couldn't sleep. She turned over and looked at the clock, the digital display read 1.00. Miley got out of bed, got dressed and went for a walk. About five minutes later, without even realising it she had walked to the beach. It was where she always went to think. She was so deep in thought that she nearly didn't see the guy and girl sitting on a blanket talking and laughing. When she got a bit closer she realised she knew the pair; Lily and Jackson.

Miley went behind the long grass growing on the sand dunes and quietly sat a few meters from them.

"Lily, I have something for you."

"You do?"

"Did you know it's been six years to the day, well night, that you and I started coming here every Sunday?"

"I hadn't realised, I can't believed you remembered."

"Well, I did and so I got you…well, I guess it's like an anniversary gift." He said while reaching in his pocket.

"Happy Anniversary." He said as he handed Lily a navy blue box about the size of a wallet. Lily opened the box and in it was a sterling sliver charm bracelet. On it were ten silver charms, four different types of seashells, a turtle, a starfish, a seagull and a sun.

"I thought when you wore it you would think of the beach and the hundreds of Sundays we've spent together on it." Jackson explained as Lily looked at each charm one by one.

"Jackson I can't accept this, it must have cost a fortune." Said Lily trying to hand it back

"Lily I want you to have it, please don't worry about the money." He said refusing to take it back

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, may I?" he said taking her wrist to put the bracelet on; she simply nodded and watched as he put it on her. She looked at it sitting on her wrist; she could not stop smiling.

"Thank you, it's so beautiful. I love it." She said as she gave him a hug.

"Your welcome, I'm glad you like it."

"Well I didn't realise it was our anniversary but I did bring something for you."

"Really? What is it?" He asked as she reached in to her sweatshirt pocket. When she pulled her hand out hanging from it was, what looked like a miniature conch shell, hanging on a black leather cord.

"Happy Anniversary."

"Lily, it's great, thanks, where'd you get it?"

"Your welcome, actually, I made it, remember you said that kind of shell was your favourite, I found one so I made it for you."

"You made it? That's really cool; thanks, could you?" He said as he handed her the necklace and turned away from her, so she could put it on him. At this point Miley left stunned by what she had seen.

The following day at school Miley had just sat down behind Lily in biology class when she passed her a note. Lily's eyes widened when she read the eight words written on the paper. 'I know what you do on Sunday nights.' She passed back a note of just three words. 'I can explain.' After the bell rang Miley said only two words to Lily.

"The beach." They walked there in silence. When they arrived they sat in their usually spot.

"Start talking."

"Ok, look, we just talk, that's all. We meet at the beach and talk." Lily said unsure of what else she should say.

"Jackson said six years; you've been meeting him there for six years?"

"Yeah, before you guys moved here I always used to sneak out and sit at the beach on Sunday nights, before my parents split up my dad would have early morning meetings in the city on Mondays so he would go in on Sunday nights so I only had to get past my mum and she's a deep sleeper so it was easy."

"So that's why Sundays."

"Yeah, anyway the week after you moved here I was sitting on the beach as usual and I saw a guy walking along the beach."

"Jackson?"

"Yip, he saw me and asked if he could join, I said he could and he has ever since."

"What do you talk about?"

"Anything and everything, I talk about the divorce, he talks about your mum, he really helped me get through it, he helped me realise that just because they didn't fight over custody of me didn't mean they didn't both want custody of me."

"What does he say about our mum?"

"He just tells me about her, what she was like, what he remembers, sometimes….he cries."

"He cries?" Miley said surprised

"Yeah, he told me he doesn't cry in front of you or your dad because he thinks he needs to be strong in front of you. I guess he just feels he can cry in front of me, I mean, he's seen me cry more than once so I suppose because he's seen me at my most vulnerable he can let me see him at his."

"I can believe this."

"Oh and Miley I had no idea he was going to give me anything, I didn't even know he had remembered it had been six years, I hadn't even realised." Lily watched as Miley processed everything.

"I have to go, I have a Hannah thing."

"Of course." Miley got up to leave

"Miley?"

"What?"

"Can I keep meeting him…please?" Lily said the last word so quietly Miley barely heard.

"I guess." Miley said not quite believing she been asked.

It was the Sunday after she and Lily had had that conversation and Miley had told herself she wouldn't go; she would not spy on best friend and her brother. But here she was at 12.30 walking to the beach. As she stepped on the sand she saw Lily walking towards her brother. She quickly went behind the grass on the dunes and sat; in the same spot as last week.

"Hey." Lily said as she lay down and put her head on Jackson's shoulders

"Hey." He replied putting his arms around her

"Miley knows about us, meeting here, on Sundays." Said Lily getting right to the point

"How? Did you tell her?"

"No, she went for a walk last Sunday and saw us here; she even sat and eavesdropped on our conversation."

"I can't believe it, she spied on us."

"Wouldn't you, in her situation?"

"I suppose, I guess it's a good thing she found us last Sunday not the one before."

"When we went skinny dipping?"

"Yeah…so what did you tell her, did you tell her about the skinny dipping?"

"No…I didn't see the point, no need to hurt her more than we already have but I told her how it started and that we talk about everything."

"Nothing else?"

"No."

"So you didn't tell her in winter when it's too cold to sit on the beach that you come over and lie in bed with me?"

"No, I didn't mention that."

"So you didn't tell her about that night last year when we were both really depressed so we got drunk and had sex."

"No…oh god." Said Lily as she began to cry

"Hey what is it, what's wrong."

"If Miley knew all the stuff we've done or the things we've confided in each other she'd never forgive me." Said Lily through her tears, Jackson hugged her tight

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, it takes two."

"The thing is Lily we can't control how we feel about each other, it's a miracle we stayed just friends this long and Miley needs to understand that."

"I know but we've made it worse by her not having seen our friendship progressing, for her it's going from we just know each other through her to we're in love with each other, that's a pretty big leap for anyone but especially Miley who doesn't want us to feel the way we do."

"Your right, so what do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'd completely understand if you didn't want to continue meeting here anymore, for the sake of your friendship with Miley."

"But I do, I want to see you every Sunday."

"I want to see you too, I just thought…"

"I know. You thought I'd do the right thing and stop coming here…but I can't, I'm a terrible, horrible, selfish, mean best friend and I hate myself for it but…I can't, I can't stop coming here, I can't stop coming here because…I love you." At this point Lily lost it and broke down in tears. Jackson held her while she cried feeling so guilty he could hardly stand it. He was hurting Miley, which was hurting Lily both of which were breaking his heart. When Lily had calmed down he spoke

"I love you too." And even though he knew he was adding insult to injury he kissed her, a deep passionate emotion-filled kiss.

The next day was a public holiday so Miley slept in. When she got up she could tell something was wrong; Jackson wasn't sitting downstairs watching cartoons. She got dressed and headed downstairs where she found Robbie Ray getting ready to go for a jog.

"Morning Dad, where's Jackson?"

"Morning Bud, I don't know, I haven't seen him this morning." He said as he was jogging out the door. Miley grabbed her cell, put on her shoes and left for the beach. She was going to spend the day chilling and watching the hot surfer guys, though her plans changed when she got to the beach and saw Lily sitting in the same spot as the previous night crying. She went over to her.

"Lily, what's wrong?" Miley asked

"He's gone."

"Who's gone?"

"Jackson, he left this note on my doorstep, he's gone Miley." Said Lily as she handed Miley the letter she had been holding, then she broke down again. Miley took the letter and began to read.

Lily,

I'm sorry I have to do this but I don't see any other way. I can't stay away from you no matter how much Miley wants me to. So this is how it has to be. By the time you're reading this I'll be out of Malibu and going as far away as I can. I'm going as far as I can because I know if it's too easy to come back I'll cave. I can't tell you where I'm going, in all honesty, I don't know myself yet, I just know it has to be far away from Malibu and the temptation of being with you. I want you to know that I love you and that I've never felt like this about anyone before and I doubt I ever will again. Please believe me when I tell you this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do; the last thing I want to do is leave you. I hate to think of the tears you'll be crying as you read this.

Please tell my dad and Miley that I'm ok and that I'm sorry I had to do this to them. Tell Miley I'm sorry I hurt her and that I never planned any of this and please tell my dad that I'm sorry he had to find out like this.

I love you Lily and I always will. I hope one day you'll understand why I did this and maybe one day you'll be able to forgive me. Please tell my dad and Miley that I love them too.

I will never forget you or what we had.

Jackson