Chapter 2

I used to sit in the playground alone. On a bench, with a book. I was the only child aged 5-8 that chose to isolate themselves from the bosom of childhood games that were played during recess. Myself and one other child actually. We didn't see this as a similarity between us, and therefore we should talk to each other, no. I have no doubt in my mind that if one of us approached each other, we would have had a friendship that lasted. What stopped me was my own reservations, and my shyness. But also, at that age, I felt like I would have been intruding on their territory. I suspect that they had similar, if not identical, reasons to mine for not going over to me.

Sometimes I found myself looking over the top of my book in his direction. The truth was, he fascinated me. He was the only boy in my class that used the school library. In fact, every book I read had his name above mine. I didn't deliberately search for the books he'd took out, it was chance. Fate, perhaps?

Then we got older. Aged eleven, he became friends with the new boy. And so did I. Neither of us wanted to share our first best friend. Joe was lovely, even then. He just wanted us to get along with each other. He wanted us to be a trio. I didn't want to. After all the years of admiring him from afar- it changed as soon as the dynamics changed. I loathed him. I was extremely jealous, I couldn't look him in the face because it made me angry. However, I never once expressed my dislike for him, I didn't say a bad word about him, or to him.

"Go away Miley. No girls involved." he said one day.

"But I want to be with my friend," I replied quietly, blushing.

"Well he doesn't want to be with you and I certainly don't. So go away," he smirked, even aged 12.

"Joe, do I have to go?" I addressed my friend instead.

"Well, he has wanted to tell me this for ageeeees now. We'll come straight over to you when we're done. Okay?"

I felt knocked down and disgraced. The blush on my cheeks burnt more violently, I knew because I could feel the heat radiating from them. That's when I heard him mutter under his breath. I didn't catch what he said- but it didn't matter, because I had seriously had enough of him.

"Go to hell Nick!" I snapped, turning around and walking away from both of them.

That is where the hatred fueled from. If I told Joe that he would laugh at my pathetic excuse and force the two of us to like each other. It's too far gone to make amends. It's far too late to apologize for everything we've ever said to each other. We'll never get on. No matter how hard Joe tries.

Reflecting on Nick, again. I despised how my thoughts were always how much I despise him lately.

"Miley?" I heard Braison outside my door.

"Yeah?" I replied.

He took that as his cue to step into my bedroom. He was wearing a forlorn expression, the one he used whenever he just needed to talk about what was bothering him. It wasn't frequent, and I'm pretty sure I'm the only person he confides in this way. Sometimes it's trivial teenage stuff, occasionally it was major teenage circumstances and rarely it were problems out of a fifteen year olds control. He came and sat in the middle of my bed. I was on my window seat, but I moved closer to my little brother.

"How are you?" he asked politely. He always started the same way to remove focus from him- and he has manners any mother would be proud of.

"To be honest with you Brais, I'm not sure. I'm in that state of no emotion. I'm not happy, but I'm not sad. I'm just living." I told him, always being honest "how about you?"

"I don't know. I mean- where are mom and dad this time? What did we do wrong Miles? We are, in a sense, the kids parents dream to have. We're all top of the class, you and Noah are beautiful, we don't do anything illegal, have never once brought shame on them. What repels them from us?"

I was taken aback, stunned. Not knowing how to respond.

"Nothing Braison, absolutely nothing. It's nothing we've done, don't blame yourself. They are too selfish to be parents. Why they had you and Noah after me is anybody's guess. They, not to make you feel crap, care more about themselves than us. I don't know where they are, or how long they'll be, or why they've gone away. You have me Brais, and I won't let anything bad happen to you and Noah," I reached out to stroke his hair, he leant on my shoulder.

"You're only sixteen Miley," he said quietly.

"I know, but that is still older than you two," I smiled.

We stayed like that for awhile, until Braison was grinning again. My younger brother was possibly one of my best friends. Whereas Noah and myself are just sisters, not friends too. She rarely communicated with me or Braison.

"Miley! Joe's here."

Braison and I exited my room; he went across the hall into his own and I jogged downstairs, passing Noah as she made her way upstairs. Joe was waiting at the foot of the steps, when he saw me coming down he bowed extravagantly- offering me his hand. I laughed slightly, taking it. He escorted me down the last step then dove on top of him in a tight hug.

"Hi Joe," I giggled.

"Miley baby, I would like to apologize for yesterday's... whatever it was." he said, still holding me tightly.

"Ahh it's okay hun. Can we have a N and G free day though?"

Joe pulled back and made an "a" noise. Like my request was a problem. He was also bouncing up and down on his toes- he nervous habit. I prepared myself to ask what was wrong, but I heard footsteps from my kitchen, when everyone else in the household was upstairs. I looked over my shoulder to see a damn pretty boy leaning against the doorframe. I snapped my head to Joe, positive my eyes were flaming red.

"In my house!" I yelled, outraged.

"We needed somewhere to all meet. And your house is so big and perfect." Joe pouted.

"Joe lives like, two doors away. His house is identical to mine!" I argued.

"But you see Miley," I turned to look at Nick as he spoke "Joe's parents actually give a crap about their kids."

My stomach tightened and I ran back upstairs to my room. I felt so betrayed, Joe must have told Nick about my life. My life which I'd only consoled to him about. And how could anyone be that malicious to use such a harmful statement? I hated him even more that I did previously. I lashed out, knocking over a photo frame containing Joe and myself in it. To say something like that in my own house?

That boy, was unbelievable

Joe's P.O.V.

"God Nick, what possessed you?" I rubbed my face in my hands.

"I don't know Joe, okay?" he knocked his head againstthe closest wall.

"Could you not be civil to her? She has enough problems as it is."

"And I don't?" he scoffed.

"The difference Nick, is that Miley doesn't know you have problems- but you know she does. And she would never, ever, do what you just did."

"I know! I'm a terrible person. Okay? I'll admit it."

"But you aren't! I think that's what makes whatever it is between you 100x worse, 'cause you Nick, especially you, are nice to everybody. It's even more offensive that you're so cold. You are both so similar too." I was growing bored of Nick's attitude towards Miles. It really was about time it concluded.

"I know that. It's Miley who doesn't"

"And it's Miley who is suffering the most in this messed up drama" I snarled, before walking up the stairs to comfort my best friend. Although I knew right now she was hating me as much as she hated Nick. I only had myself to blame for telling someone things she'd told me in confidence. Nick though, was almost unforgivable.

"Miley babes," I tapped lightly on her slightly ajar door. Soft sobs escaped through the gap. I stepped inside to see her curled up on her bed. Sitting next to her would be too much, so I stayed where I was stood.

"You know when you were 5 and the boy who pulled your hair was the one that actually had a crush on you?" I said, barely above a whisper

She sniffed "whatever, Joe,"

"I'm sorry. And just think about that okay?"

Leaving her by herself was what she needed right now. My best chance of forgiveness was to wait until Monday rolled around. I was thankful to see that Nick had the sense to leave. As I passed through the hallway to the door, I noticed a slip of paper on the floor.

"She`s got a smile that I dies for. Everyone knows that I`m a prisoner of war for her."

I read off it. Nick's writing. Nick's words. Nick opening up about his biggest secret. I knew what the words meant. Miley is a clever girl, she over analyses everything; she'd understand it in no time. I just wasn't sure if she'd connect it immediately to Nick.

I placed it back in the spot on the floor, which was conveniently close to the door so it looked like it had been pushed through the letterbox.