Chapter 2

Miley continued the last day of her first week of school like this. Avoiding everyone. Nobody knew why she was doing this to herself, not even Mandy. Nobody knew why she had to be the one to change out of all the people. She was the girl everyone liked, everyone needed. She had the smile they had to see in the morning. And for one boy, it killed him not to see it.

He walked down the halls with his girlfriend. He looked happy. He seemed happy. But he was secretly scanning the faces, looking for the one he still loved, even after the time. Some may call the boy a player, but he considered himself desperately in love, head over heels. When he saw her though, his heart only broke more, seeing all the pain in her eyes no one else could seem to see. Yes, she still had the spark there, the little twinkle, but not a smile, not a happy girl who seemed unbreakable, but a different girl. A shy one, a quiet one, a broken one.

"Nick!" A girl rushed up to him in the library.

He looked up to see Mandy running up to him. He furrowed his brow, looking out of the corner of his eye for some reason, curious as to why she was here. Not at the school, but the library, running up to him. He had the feeling she never forgave him for breaking her best friend's heart, he certainly didn't expect her to come yelling into the library just for him to talk to him about her behavior.

"Hey, Mandy," he greeted nervously curious.

"I have a few questions," she started.

"Oh, um... okay," Nick put his muscular hands through his hair.

"Has Miley talked?"

"She hates me, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah, I wonder why," she mumbled sarcastically. "I meant has she talked to anyone?"

"Why?" he asked curious.

"Because, I need to know! I was walking with her and, she seemed different. Selena insulted her and she just walked by, she didn't say anything, didn't look at her. She won't talk to me in school-"

"She speaks to you otherwise?" Nick asked surprised. Mandy nodded her head. "Well, then you're the only one."

"What are you talking about?"

"She doesn't talk to anyone Mandy. You're the only one in the school," the boy broke the news to her. "What happened to her?"

"The two most important people to her both left her life in a matter of two weeks. She put up walls," she informed, dazed. "I got all I needed, I'm gonna go."

She swiftly walked out of the library, afraid for her friend.

-xox-

Miley felt pressure on her seat, she looked over to see who used to feel like her older brother staring at her, a goofy grin on his face. She turned back around, looking at the beautiful tree in front of her.

"I don't even get a hi?" he asked.

Miley still looked out the window not phased in the least.

"C'mon Miley, I know you want to talk to me," Joe nudged. "What's wrong?"

Her curls swayed back and forth as she shook her head, motioning she didn't want to talk about it.

"Joe, out. This is my seat," Mandy ordered. With a little huff Joe got out, letting her redeem her seat. "What's up, Bestie?" Mandy asked.

"Nothing," Miley piped. Mandy had become accustomed to this routine of silence all the way home, then Miley yelling, laughing, screaming, being herself on the walk home and alone.

Joe watched as the two girls walked off the bus. They were the next stop. Mandy smacked Nick upside the head as she passed his and Selena's make-out session. He glared but couldn't help watch Miley laugh and run down the sidewalk spinning like she used to be. This was the first time he noticed it and the next couple of weeks he made sure to watch the two at their stop. He liked watching Miley like that.

-xox-

"You should talk to Joe, he misses you," Mandy told her, munching on grapes.

"Ya think?" Miley asked.

"Mhm," she said. "He wishes you would talk to him."

"I know... I just – can't."

Her friend groaned. "Why not?"

"Because... I just can't!" Mandy gave her a look. "What do you do, when you know you should do something, you're just too scared to try?"

"You face your fears," she said.

"Tell Joe I said hi," Is what the conversation resulted to.

"I will," Mandy sighed in defeat. "But I think he'd much rather hear it from you."

"So what's up?"

"Nothing I guess, you?"

"Nothing."

"How's school," Mandy asked.

"Great, I'm getting straight A's," Miley answered cheerfully, as if she hadn't lost all her friends, as if things were the same as last year.

"That's not what I meant..." Mandy gave the brunette yet another look.

"Look, I know, you want me to open up more, but I can't," Miley hadn't changed too much. She was still the stubborn little girl.

"You'll have to eventually. Not everyone will give up as easily as you think," and as those words came out, she was picturing one person particularly who would never give up. He may think she hadn't noticed the stares, but she did. She noticed the glances, the way he searched the halls just for her. She was sure that eventually, he would get the guts to talk to her again. She knew, that he wouldn't give up, and he wouldn't stop once he did.

-xox-

The four boys were hanging out in the game room, not quite sure what to do. It was raining and they only knew one person who would be crazy enough to go outside right now. They weren't that person. So, they sat there.

"I'm bored," the youngest said. He looked like he must have been eight, his hair straighter than most of the other brothers.

"Me too," the other straight head whined.

"Can I go over to Noah's?" Frankie asked, trying to think of someplace better than their boring house.

"Sure, Frank, I'll walk you," Nick offered, the two of them leaving the older brothers in silence.

"So... I heard Miley doesn't talk anymore," Kevin tried to start a conversation. He looked at his older brother.

"How would you know that?" he asked him.

"Nick. It's really taking a toll on him," The older, wiser brother answered. "Plus I've called her, she never answers anymore."

"Do you honestly think she would answer to you even if you were talking?" Joseph asked incredulous at his brother's sense. He had completely abandoned her, treated her like crap, cut off all connections during the last few months, and he thinks she would actually want to talk to him again?

"Miley would I think, actually. She's pretty forgiving most of the time," Kevin tried to convince both his younger brother and himself.

"Well, now Miley's shy too. She's quiet, she's insecure, she never talks," Joe listed. "Did you expect that too? She's changed Kev."

"Why?"

"I – I don't know," he stuttered.

"There has to be reason," Joe knew this. He just didn't know the reason. He wondered of course, but he had never quite figured it out. "I think I know one person who would know."

Joe cocked an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Think. If I'm correct, she would only talk to one person. The one person who's been with her through everything. She would know. I know that she would know."

Mandy.

-xox-

The doorbell rang, interrupting the two girls discussion.

"I'll go answer," Mandy volunteered. They were both babysitting for the afternoon. She got up, walking over to the door, opening it to reveal two faces she had grown quite familiar to.

"Is Noah home?" Frankie asked.

"Upstairs," Mandy let him in, he ran past her, not noticing Miley who was trying to go unnoticed.

"Hey," Nick said, kind of surprised on why Mandy was answering Miley's door.

"Hey, Nick," Mandy sighed. "What's up?"

"Nothing, you?"

"Helping Miley babysit," she looked back at Miley who though she was trying to ignore the conversation knew she could hear them. "Want to help? If you don't I'd like to let you know we are not responsible for any personal injuries your brother might receive."

Miley's eyes widened as she silently prayed that he'd decline. She heard the laugh she had onced loved before her prayers went unanswered. "Sure."