Chapter 2...Just The Flavor of the Week

"So Carly is the flavor of the week, huh?" Miley huffed sarcastically, her eyebrows smashed inwardly.

The hallways were lined with awkward teenagers fumbling in their lockers, couples canoodling in corners, and an exasperated Miley Stewart.

Lily just rolled her eyes. "Miles, if you would have been paying attention mi amiga, you would have known that Carly has liked Jake for quite some time." She stated matter-of-factly as she sifted through the bottom of her locker.

"Lil, you know every girl wants Jake! What does he see in Carly anyway?" Miley threw her hands on her hips.

"Well, she's an older woman, she's a tenth grader! And if I'm not mistaken, I'd say someone's a tad jealous." Lily gave her a sardonic smile.

Miley scoffed. "Jealous?" She laughed mockingly. "I'm not jealous…just annoyed that he dates girls and dumps them like last weeks sweet potato pie." Her voice rose.

"Ew, sweet potato pie." Lily shuddered as she stood from her locker and met Miley's worried eyes. "Miley, not to be a blunt, but I think you missed your chance." They started to walk out the hallway doors and into the awful orange, yellow, and green tiled lunchroom.

Miley stopped in her tracks, her jaw dragging on the ground. Lily hadn't turned to wait for her but continued walking with an evil grin on her face.

She knew she had struck a chord.

Miley scurried to catch up to her. "What did you say?" She breathed out.

"You heard me." She said shortly, scanning the room for a table.

"I don't like Jake…if that's what you're implying and I'm quite positive it is." She retorted, folding her arms across her chest.

"Whatever you have to say to make it through the day…" Lily laughed, "That rhymed."

"Yeah, yeah, you're a poet and don't even know it." Miley said boredly as she noticed Lily waving in the direction of Oliver who was seated at one of the many filled tables.

Then her eyes landed on him, Jake. He had a large goofy grin on his face and an arm around Carly, but the smiling seized when he caught a glimpse of who was staring at him.

The brunette, whom he had always thought of as beautiful, had this confused look etched on her face. If he wasn't mistaken she almost looked…hurt.

Jake smiled at her and quickly averted his gaze. Miley sighed to herself and turned back to her two friends.

"Hey you two, what's up?" Oliver asked, motioning for them to sit with him.

"Hey Oliver." Lily said as she sat next to him and grabbed his brown lunch bag. "Got anything good?"

"Hey, that's mine!" He grabbed it back from a smirking Lily.

"Hey Miley?" Oliver said, noticing Miley hadn't sat down yet, and smashing some of his sandwich into his mouth.

Lily leaned closer to him. "She's busy." She whispered.

Oliver stopped chewing and glanced from Miley to Lily. "With what?" He asked and took another bite.

"I can't believe he actually likes her? It's probably some publicity stunt. She's probably with him because he buys her nice things like puppy dogs and diamond earrings." Miley said to her friends as she finally sat.

Oliver looked at her weirdly and then to Lily. "What's wrong with her?"

"She just found out Jake has another girlfriend." Lily said boredly.

"Another one? Man, how does he do it?"

"Well let's see. One, he probably makes more money than we will see in our entire lives. Two, he's extremely famous. Three, he's a total hottie."

"I get it Lily."

They both looked at Miley who was wearing a frown and fidgeting with her beaded bracelet.

Their freshman year had brought on so many changes. Jake had returned to school after leaving for Romania to film a movie. He hadn't spoken to Miley since the day she shoved him off the ledge, and now he was dating someone else. Miley had tried to deny her feelings for Jake the entire summer, leading herself to believe she was over him. Obviously, he was over her.

Him being back had thrown a huge curveball her way, and she was never very athletic. She will never forget the day he walked back into her life.

It had happened a few weeks ago on the first day of their freshman year. Lily, Miley, and Oliver were walking through the doors of Seaview high. Their first day of high school. Miley and Lily were on a mad dash to find their first class when they heard it. A blonde was animatedly chatting with her friend.

"Jake Ryan is going here this year!" She squealed excitedly.

Miley stopped dead in her tracks. "Lily, did you hear that?"

"Sorry Miley, I had pizza for breakfast."

Miley punched her friend's arm. "No Lily, those girls." She motioned toward them. "Did you hear what they said?"

Lily shook her head. "What did they say?"

"Jake Ryan is back."

"Oh that's great! Now you two can finally get together!"

"Lily." Miley stated firmly.

"Or…err…you can act out your hatred toward him for being so selfish."

"Thank you." Miley said, scanning the hallways for that shaggy blonde mop.

She sighed, as he came waltzing through the hallway door with an entourage of females, and Miley felt it. That queasy, uncomfortable, palm sweaty, butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. She had felt it before, when he had first started school in Malibu but it was strong and prominent this time. Her cheeks became warm and she turned her attention to Lily.

"What do I do Lil? What if he talks to me?" Miley panicked.

"You calm down and talk back."

The whole day she didn't know how to act and felt herself becoming self-conscious when he would turn the corner and meet her eyes.

Did her hair look ok?

Did she have food stuck in her teeth?

She was quiet and fidgety all day and when the bell rang for lunch, Lily had to find out why.

Lily grabbed Miley as they walked to find a lunch table.

"What is with you today? You've barely spoken to me or anyone." She asked still clenching her friend's wrist.

"What are you talking about Lily?" Miley scrunched her eyebrows at her.

"Ok Miley Stewart, I have known you for a while and I know you probably better than you know yourself…something is bothering you today. And you know, eventually, I'm going to pry it out of you!"

Miley sighed and attempted to look away from the big blue eyes that were burning holes into her own. What was she supposed to do? She sighed, leaned against a nearby wall, and looked back at Lily.

"I'm confused." She blew out a sigh.

"About what?" Lily shifted her weight.

"You're going to kill me." She chuckled.

"You have feelings for Jake again?" She asked as she sighed and folded her arms across her chest.

"I think…I'm not sure but I think I might." She groaned loudly.

"Oh Miley, we did this last year too. Maybe he still feels the same way about you. You need to find out because I know you'll drive yourself nuts if you don't.

Miley's eye lit up. "Wait, you think…you know, he would still like me?"

"I don't know. I mean I knew he liked you for a while. He probably thinks you hate him." She poked a finger in her chest. "I mean how many times did you hear 'Jake likes you, Jake likes you?' You just need to talk to him Miles."

Miley groaned and began rubbing her temples. "This is so hard. He's famous and probably found someone so much better than me. I need to go home and think about it for a night." With that they found a table.

Oliver sighed and looked at his brunette friend. "You like Jake again?"

Miley felt like she had just been punched square in the gut. "No Oliver I think he is a complete girl user and if I never talk to him again I'll be fine."

"Right." He said sarcastically to her.

She didn't like Jake so couldn't she just be happy for him?

Miley glared at him. "What, I don't?" She snapped back.

"Seriously Miley, don't lie to me, I know things." Lily laughed.

Miley felt a burning rage rip through her. "He hasn't even spoken to me or acknowledged me. I can't believe him. I targeted him right from the first time I saw him walk through the school doors. Jerk!" She blew a breath out.

Oliver stuffed the rest of his lunch into his brown paper bag, and stood.

"Girls, I have to go finish some last minute homework. I'll see you two later." And with that he was gone.

"He never does his homework on time." Lily said to Miley.

Miley's cheeks were flushed with anger. "He hasn't even spoken to me Lils?" She spat into the cafeteria air.

"He's probably scared too." This was all Lily could offer her perturbed friend.

I love Gwen Stefani's new song. Sorry that was random.