Hershey's and Hallmark

Summary: The people who love Lilly Truscott recall Valentine's past, present, and future. LTxOO, LTxMS, LTxOC. Slight MSxJR.

AN: For those of you who are a fan of my 30 Kisses series, this is a series of missing (and future) moments for the chapter Battle of the Blonds. For those of you who haven't read it, it doesn't make much of a difference. It can stand alone. I contemplated saving it for V-Day but I'm not that cruel.

Disclaimer: If I owned Hannah Montana, I wouldn't need to post this here. It would be on the show. I'd also have certain people paired off by now.

Friday, February 14, 1997

Lilly Truscott: 5 1/2

Oliver Oken: 6

We weren't supposed to give special Valentine's out in class. Back in Kindergarten I'd got in trouble for giving one girl two chocolates. I was wiser in 1st grade. A year older, a year smarter…well maybe not too much smarter I still couldn't read very well, but I was at least a year more punished. So I gave everyone in my class the same lame Ninja Turtles to everyone that read, "Dude, you're so awesome it leaves me shell-shocked" or "Cowabunga! You rock, man!" I did accidentally rip the ones I gave to Ashley and Amber though. Although I was tempted to cross out 'rock' and write 'stink'.

The one thing I took comfort in is that Lilly and I gave out the same ones. My mom had taken us to CVS to pick them out while Lilly's mom was off at a meeting for the cosmetics company she worked for. We'd scoured the boxes and the best thing we could find were Mickey Mouse and the gang. This was in the days before Pokémon were cool and we instantly grabbed anything with Pikachu on it…well, Lilly's favorite was actually Squirtle.

Mom bought me a box and Lilly refused, holding out for something better. We went to the A&P next door to pick up some Prego sauce and spaghetti for dinner. Then she saw it, one second she was next to me looking at the Rugrats sticker books and then gone like a bolt of lightning. I was used to this by now, after finding yourself suddenly alone at the beach enough times you do. So I looked both ways, and then walked around the corner of the aisle to find her, sucking contentedly on the end of her pointer finger and staring up at an item on the high display.

She turned to me smiling, and motioned for me to come closer. "Ollie," She called excitedly. Several years later we would agree that she should stop calling me that because it was babyish and we were grown up. She still slips it in accidentally here and there when she's stressed though. "Give me a boost!" Even then she had an inordinate amount of control over me and I kneeled down, letting her use my back as a platform. She reached her little hand up and just caught it before tumbling over backwards and kicking me in the head by accident.

"Ow…" I whined, turning around to yell at her. Then I saw what was in her hand, "Mine!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, so that everyone turned and stared at me.

She yanked the box away, holding it to her. "No!" She cried, slapping my arm. "I saw them first!"

"But they have Donatello!" I was near tears. No way was I going to school with Mickey Mouse now. He didn't have karate chop action or a cool sewer house.

"Children!" My mother stood behind us looking embarrassed at the scene we were making and I felt my cheeks flush.

"Ollie's trying to take Michelangelo away from me!" Lilly sniffled, her bright blue eyes welling up with tears.

She pulled the carton out of Lilly's hands and another off the shelf, "You can both get them," She smiled, pulling a sanitary napkin out of her pocket and dabbing away at the red circles around our eyes.

"We can be matching Valentine's, Ollie!" She exclaimed, bouncing up and down.

"Yeah," I smiled, and when we handed them out later I made sure Lilly got one with the yellow decorated turtle with the nun chucks on it and when I got mine I saw the purple strings and the thin stick. I smiled at her messy signature, and it was special because instead of the saying just the normal to and from stuff it was signed specially instead. The word from crossed out.

To: My bestest friend Ollie

LOVE, Your twin Valentine (Me, Lilly!)

And to make it even better it was all in Mac and Cheese colored crayon.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Lilly Truscott: 13 1/2

Miley Stewart: 14

Oliver Oken: 14

It's a well known fact that my best friend of two years, Lillian Truscott (more commonly known as Lilly), hates Valentine's day with a passion. She's always ranting about how it's a completely bullshit consumer holiday built to help candy companies, Hallmark, and florists weather the gap between Christmastime and Easter. I'm sick of feeling guilty for being happy for accepting gifts from cute boys when I should be gleefully jumping up and down though. I think the only reason she hates it is because she's never gotten anything worth having.

Year after year I get roses and chocolates and cute little cards decorated with hearts and sometimes a singing stuffed animal, and all she gets are the stupid Lilies. We mock them, me and her, her and Oliver, me and Oliver. They always have the corniest little notes like 'Roses are red, lilies are blue, Happy Valentine's Day I really like you' or 'A lily for my Lilly.' At first I was accusing towards Oliver for the delivery of these horrid excuses for presents, considering the only other boy who Lilly talks to on a semi-regular basis besides the Todd and my ex-boyfriend, Jake Ryan, is Dandruff Danny. And I think the residue would be proof enough for her to reject him.

This year I'm sure it isn't him though, between the bashing of the lily '06 and the complete despicableness of the note that year I don't think he could possibly be that stupid. I mean even with his boy brains and his chicken nodding he'd get that it's time to buy Lilly a new flower and start asking for help with the notes. This year's is bad.

Lilly pulled it out of her locker door to see the pink ribbon−I mean seriously…this guy doesn't get her at all−and she read the note aloud to us, struggling not to break into laughter until it's finished. "A Lilly by any other name would not smell as sweet." She and Oliver busted a gut, nudging each other with their elbows. I grabbed the note, reading it for myself and shaking my head. The girl needs a decent Valentine for once and Oliver is clearly not going to step up. He's perfectly content to help her steel herself against the holiday. They're staying at his house− Lilly's mom is too into pink for her house to work for an anti-V-Day campaign−and making pancakes with only blue and green M&Ms. Apparently in their minds that's the opposite of pink and red. Personally I think it might be more suiting to just use the brown chocolate chips. Lilly told me that since I'm conforming and going on a date with Dex−Oliver would too if someone would accept his many offers−and I also don't get to pick at their movie line up which consists of A Love Song for Bobby Long and the first two parts of the Godfather trilogy. I know that they're my best friends but sometimes I don't even get them.

All the same, at the supermarket with my dad the florals catch my eyes. I mumble that I'll be right back and go look. I am immediately tempted by the roses because they're what I'd want to be on the receiving end of but I remember that Lilly finds them tacky and overrated. Moving on, I pass by the daisies and the orchids which are too simple and too sensual, in that order. Finally I stumble upon a flower I've heard her mention favorably and I help myself to the blue ribbon sitting at the counter that was supposed to be used for arrangement. I offer to pay extra for it but the cute blond boy at the register tells me to keep it...After all, tomorrow is Valentine's Day.

When I get home it takes me a while to decide on what to write but I do, and I stick the lilac out of the door of her locker with the words 'For the only one who's got enough of me to break my heart'. Teardrops on my Guitar by Taylor Swift is her favorite song, although she'd never admit it for fear it would taint her skater girl image. My name is smudged out with about twelve different writing utensils including sharpie and magic marker. I considered signing it 'From, Your secret admirer' but, while it's the kind of cliché thing I would die for thinking it could be any hot guy who passed, it would annoy Lilly to no end that they did it. And she'd lose all respect. I walk to my locker, finding a yellow rose stuck there with a note from her.

Miley,

Don't give up…you only get what you give.

-Lilly

I smile to myself and I see her approaching me, clearly bubbling over with excitement. Oliver follows close behind, his jaw clenched tight and his hands in fists holding his backpack strap. Clearly he's not happy that bad poetry boy is no longer Lilly's only annual Valentine. Oh well, maybe he'll be smart enough to get her something next year.

"How amazing is that?" She shoots a look at him even though she's talking to me. I feel slightly disappointed. She really thinks it was wet monkey boy?

"That's so great!" I hug her, and then I remember something. "Thanks for the rose, it's great. I'm sorry I only got you those candy hearts…"

She shrugs, and laughs, "I love candy hearts, Fred darling," She says in an Audrey Hepburn voice and we giggle while Oliver looks confused. We walk to lunch arm in arm, strutting our stuff, and waving our flowers in our hands. I notice I haven't heard anything about how today is a crock and a waste of money today.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Lilly Truscott: 24 1/2

Oliver Oken: 25

Miley Stewart: 25

Jake Ryan: 26

Miley wanted to triple date. Jake had made them reservations at some fancy French place in LA, and she wanted an excuse to get out of it. Oliver would bring a girl from the accounting branch of his company, I could bring Jason. I said I didn't think it was such a good idea. I was never much for Valentine's anyways. At six o'clock−when Jason should have gotten home−the phone rang and I had no intentions to pick it up knowing full who it was. "Sweetie, I'm really sorry. I know I promised you we'd have Chinese food and watch all the Pierce Brosnan 007 movies tonight," I waited for the word, I knew it was coming, "But," And there it was. I threw a shoe at it to shut it up. I didn't want here another lame excuse about how he had a case or whatever. If it hadn't have been Valentine's Day, Miley's favorite pseudo-holiday, I would have gone and crashed on her couch but I figured she deserved a little pampering before the baby came in July.

A minute later my cell phone rang and I looked at the Caller ID. If it was Jason I fully intended to screen him, but it wasn't. I flipped it open, "If you're calling to tell me about the girl you just nailed over a bottle of wine, now isn't the best time."

"Actually," He hissed, and I could hear Jake's 'I'm-a-famous-actor, aren't-I-great?' voice droning in the background. "I'm sitting at the place with the pan-fried noodles you looove downtown with the Ryans." I heard Miley snort and Jake begrudge her for her tone. "And I was dragged her with the understanding that you would be here to save me from their disgustingly sappy displays of affections."

"We are not sappy!" Miley snapped.

"Nothing about me is disgusting!" Jake said at the same time.

"No, there isn't a gross thing about you," Miley cooed and I could practically picture them making out over the phone.

"So are you coming?" He asked, in his best poor me tone.

"Uh…" I did want Chinese food. "I'll be there in ten," I changed out of my sweats and into a pair of black Capri pants and a beaded blue tank top.

At first I didn't even see Oliver. I saw my beautiful best friend and her husband both glowing, his hands on her stomach and his lips on hers. She had little droplets gliding down her cheeks, and they didn't even notice me. Then I saw him, sunken down into the booth, clasping his nose with a pair of chopsticks. I had to laugh. He looked up, grinning.

"Lilly! You're here!" He sounded surprised, as if he'd more expected me to hop on a plane to Australia then show up.

I snorted, sliding into the booth and sitting on his legs, "Who'd you expect, Elton John?"

"No, my gay diva lessons aren't until Friday," He mocked, an eyebrow raised.

"I thought you canceled those when you gave up your dream of being an ice dancer," I teased, and he kicked me from beneath.

I stood for a minute pushing out his big feet and he decided to be witty for once in his life, "No, I'm not giving it up until you quit using humor as a coping mechanism."

"Well, better wait until squirrels fly then." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Squirrels do fly, Lilly," Oh…right.

"Lilly!" Miley squealed suddenly, pulling away from Jake still teary eyed. "You came!"

Jake beamed at me, his arm slung protectively around her. "Guess what my present to Miley was!" He clapped his hands excitedly like a four-year-old.

Oliver, Miley, and I exchanged amused looks. "Was it a coupon booklet for an hour of Jake loving?" Oliver asked.

"No and no guessing you know already," He shot him a dirty look but Oliver looked smug all the same.

"Well if it wasn't a coupon was it another one of your videos?" I wiggled my eyebrows at him suggestively, and he gaped at Miley who just giggled.

He glared at me, "No Miss Know-It-All, I finally gave in and told her the sex of the baby!"

I slapped his hand, "Jake! She made us promise at the beginning of the pregnancy we wouldn't let her know!"

He waved his hand, and she bounced in her seat, blurting out, "It's a girl!"

"A girl!" I knew this was how my best friend had planned it in her head and I "SQUEE"d with her, just picturing the bland green-yellow nursery redecorated in shades of Miley's favorite colors, pink and purple.

"I'm so happy for you!" I hugged her across the table.

"And we've got a name!" Jake screamed causing several people in the little restaurant to look over and mumble about his celebrity. He turned and looked at Miley.

"Jennifer Lilly," She blushed, breaking into a fresh set of tears. And I felt myself start to sniffle, "Jake wanted Lillian but I know how it's always bothered you."

"Oh Miles, its beautiful! I love it! It's the best Valentine's gift ever!" I leaned across the table and tackled her, smothering Oliver in the process. "And I promise you get the middle name of my firstborn daughter in return." Jake cleared his throat and I rolled my eyes, "What? There's only one of me so far! Are you going to name your son after my mystery future husband?"

Jake seemed to consider this for a minute as I moved back into my seat, "Oliver's your back-up right?" I nodded, "Deal."

Miley rolled her eyes, "You know Jake, they both have five years until that kicks in to find someone else."

"Well I figure it'll take Lilly at least two to break up with that Jason idiot," He stated flippantly.

"Hey!" I protested but he waved me off.

"And it'll take another year after that for her to actually get over him, at the least. And then we know how long it takes for her to find someone who completes the checklist…" He grinned at me and laughed. "Seriously, you've really got to cut something out, I mean must he know how to cook?"

"Cooking is an art that is lost on men, and some guys cook like my dad!" I pointed out, crossing my arms. The three of them laughed.

"You're wasting your time to him, Lilly, he can't make toast," Miley told me happily, too happily for having a husband that couldn't cook.

"Besides, if you just marry someone successful they can just hire a cook," Jake suggested, I knew he'd done this after having one too many arguments with Miley about his dinner not being ready when he came in. For someone who claimed to be a feminist she married a pretty oppressive and old-fashioned man.

"Or you could just make your future boy toy take cooking classes," Oliver joked, and I noticed what Miley had pointed out last week he avoided the word boyfriend. He was always using expressions like that or man candy. Never when we went to a party did he ever introduce Jason as my boyfriend though.

"Or you could just marry, Oken," Jake acknowledged again and I gave him a flat look. "What? It's not like he'll ever marry anyone else anyways, he's hopeless as far as girls go. And this way he won't have to adopt kids."

"I think what Jake means is there haven't been a lot of girls over the years who can look past Oliver's clumsy and bumbling surface and consider his unique attributes like you can," Miley went on damage control. "And now that we've cleared that up we're gonna be on her way before my lovely hubby can say anything any stupider. He's got to shoot early tomorrow and he'll need plenty of sleep after…well…'Night." She pulled him out of the booth and towards the door, casually throwing a hundred dollar bill on the table as if it were a napkin.

"Goodnight lovebirds," Jake called back, grinning as his wife pushed him outside.

Oliver sighed, glaring towards where he was just standing, "Remember when we used to have pleasant meals?"

I nodded, "That was before they got married." There was still a box of untouched crab rangoons and I pulled one out and munched.

"So where's Jason?" He asked quietly, shoving some pork-fried rice into his mouth.

"He's being married to the office, or he's cheating on me with the secretary, I haven't decided yet," I said casually, much more so then I felt.

"You think he's cheating on you?" He sputtered, little grains of rice falling out of his mouth.

I shrugged, putting down the fried food. Suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. "Probably, she's pretty hot. I think you met her at our Christmas party."

I could feel him looking at me but I just stared across the table, if I looked at him I would probably cry. And I couldn't take that. "Lils…are you okay?"

"No," I shook my head, and he put a finger under my chin turning me towards him. A funny thing happened though, I didn't burst into tears. I leaned forward and kissed him. I kissed him with all the years I'd denied we were more than friends, all the boyfriends who were convinced I loved him more than them, and all the girls who'd refused to date him because of me. And a funny thing came out of it, the truth. He pulled away, wide-eyed and breathing heavy.

"I…did you…?" He locked eyes with me.

"Yes," I said simply.

"Yes?" He asked, and I was hesitant that his realization was the opposite of mine.

"Yes," I gulped, "You?"

"Always." He leaned in again, and I felt him shove something in my hand. It was a Valentine's card with a picture of a heart shaped out of crayons on it. It was clearly printed from his computer and it was folded messily. It was perfect though, and the best part was Hershey's and Hallmark weren't making a dime off of it.

AN: So what's the best Valentine's present you've ever been given? My guy friend gave me a pack of candy hearts in tenth grade and one yellow one was glued to the top. It had Love me longtime written on it in his loopy handwriting and I laughed so hard. I still have it. I gave him a little stuffed flower with a wire inside so you can bend its stem. He named it Sadie, don't ask.