"Just Like the Movies"

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Hannah Montana, its characters and all things associated are property of It's a Laugh Productions, Michael Poryes Productions, and the Disney Channel. There is no profit being gained, and therefore no copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated M for eventual sexual content between consenting young women. If any of that offends you, turn back now.

"Thank ya'll and goodnight!"

Cheers erupted as Katy and Hannah embraced before exiting the stage.

"You were great out there, Hannah."

Miley looked up shyly as Katy searched her eyes for the unasked question. Smiling softly, she put her hand on the shorter girl's shoulder, squeezing it gently before pulling her into an embrace.

"She's a fool if she didn't get the message," Katy whispered into her ear before pulling away.

"Thank you for everything-"

Katy held up a well-manicured hand to stop her praise.

"Anytime."

She smiled before walking over to her husband, Russell, and greeting him. He congratulated her on another successful performance by picking her up and twirling her around as he nibbled playfully on her neck. Katy squealed in amusement, begging to be let down. Miley smiled in spite of herself, but the realization that she was very much alone wiped it from her face almost as quickly as it had appeared.

Robbie Ray appeared out of nowhere, putting his arm around his baby girl and kissing the top of her head. Miley put her arms around him, enjoying the comforting smell of her daddy's cologne and a faint trace of pie.

"Come on darlin'. Let's get you on back to your dressin' room and then get you home."

Miley tried as hard as she could to plaster a fake smile on her face as she made her way through a throng of people backstage. The minute the door to her dressing room closed, it slipped from her face. Her shoulders slumped as she sat in front of her vanity. Her eyes found the floor, as she tried desperately not to cry.

It was breaking Robbie Ray's heart to see his only daughter so heartbroken. He racked his brain for the right words to say, but besides some corny Gilligan's Island references, he came up with very little. He walked over behind his daughter, massaging her shoulders gently as he waited for her gaze to lift.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, darlin'?"

"I want to go home. No interviews for Hannah tonight, okay? I know my publicist-"

"Mile, I could really give two hoots about what that woman says." He kissed the top of her head once again before patting her shoulders and walking towards the door. "I'll go make sure the limo's ready. You just hang tight."

Meeting his eyes in the mirror, Miley smiled softly, grateful that her father was more concerned about her own well-being and not the Hannah brand. Sure, he would have to deal with Hannah's publicist and other record company execs in the morning. But he was not willing to compromise his daughter's well-being for a larger paycheck for either of them.

She let her gaze fall to the counter top of the vanity, as she traced imaginary patterns in the leftover makeup powder. Robbie Ray took one last look at his baby girl before closing the door. As he turned he nearly collided with Lilly Truscott.

He was taken aback by the girl's presence, almost as if she were a ghost. It had after all been three whole months since he had seen her.

"Hi, Mr. Montana," Lilly said in a small voice.

"Now, Lilly. It sure has been a while, but that don't mean you have to get all shy on me."

Lilly's gaze traveled from his to the floor and back again as she tried to come up with adequate words. Knowing that she was at a loss as what to say, Robbie Ray put his arm around her. She welcomed the embrace, having missed the old hillbilly (and his cooking) quite a bit these last few months.

As she let go, she took a second to collect her thoughts.

"I don't know what to say to her. I hurt her, I know I did. And it kills me to think that all this time…" she trailed off as the tears threatened to spill over their barrier once again. "I've seen the tabloids. I know what they're saying, as much as I've tried to ignore them. Ignore her… I just can't anymore. I saw that look in her eyes. I know she's hurting. And I know it's my fault. How…" she paused once again before continuing, "How do I even begin to tell her how sorry I am for deserting her?"

"You start talkin', just like you're doin' with me and she'll listen. It's as simple as that, bud."

Clapping his large hand on her shoulder, he smiled faintly before beginning to walk away.

"Imma go get the limo. You girls talk. Ain't no hurry. These eyelids need to be checked fer holes anyway," he joked.

Lilly smiled to herself. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the doorknob, turning it slowly before peeking inside. Miley, who was oblivious to the fact that she was being watched, sat at the vanity continuing to trace patterns in the dust. Lilly could tell from the reflection in the mirror that she was heavily distraught. Lilly took another deep breath before stepping inside, shutting the door behind her and clicking the lock in the process.

"Daddy I thought you were-"

Miley stopped dead in her tracks as their eyes met in the mirror. Before either girl could help it, memories began to flood them, clouding their eyes over as they simultaneously remembered the last time that they had gazed deeply into each other's eyes…

Miley was confused when she woke up that morning, having gone to bed holding a sobbing Lilly and awoken alone and cold. Swinging her lanky legs off the bed, she rose, stretching in the process. Noticing the door was open, she grabbed her robe, putting it on before peeking outside. Not seeing anyone, she closed the door behind her and ventured towards the beach. Lilly always said that surfing helped to clear her head. As she reached the trees, she wished that she would have worn her slippers. She made her way through the small grove of trees that lined their property, stopping short when she heard voices. They were too faint to make out what was being said, but it was clear as to whom they belonged to. Lilly's giggle brought butterflies to her stomach. But the butterflies were quickly killed by the stomach acid that arose from knowing who had caused the giggle fit. Oliver. Boy, how she wished she could ring his neck.

Seething, she walked back to her room. Tearing her clothes off, she got in the shower, hoping that her misery would be washed down the drain with the hot water that pelted her skin. She waited until the water ran cold, but had no such luck. She dried off quickly, throwing on a comfy pair of sweat pants and a tank top. Grabbing her towel, she began to dry her hair as she walked out into the bedroom that she shared with Lilly.

"Hi."

Miley about jumped out of her skin. She looked over at Lilly before offering her a faint smile.

"Ya scared me, Lil."

"Sorry, Miley. You know I didn't mean to. I just…" a radiant smile spread across her face.

"What is it?"

"Oliver and I made up."

"Uh-huh." Miley ground her teeth as she walked over to her dresser, picking up her pick and beginning to work the tangles out of her curly locks. "So what excuse did he give you this time to have you runnin' back to him?"

"It wasn't an excuse, Miley. He's telling the truth this time."

"Okay then Lilly, what 'truth' did he reveal to you," Miley mocked, gesturing quotation marks with her fingers to emphasize her doubts on any truth coming from that boy.

"He said that some of his band mates had taken him out for drinks after the show in Rochester. They kept buying him drinks and he admitted that he was too chicken to refuse them when he knew that he'd had too much. I mean come on, he has to live with those guys-"

"Continuing, Lillian," Miley interrupted, annoyed at the justifications that Lilly used in order to convince herself that Oliver was innocent.

"Don't call me Lillian, Miley Ray."

Miley gestured for her to get on with the story before continuing to pick at a particularly nasty knot in her hair.

"Anyways, he'd had too much to drink and the next thing he remembers is it being the next morning and waking up naked with that chick. That little slut must have taken pictures from her cell phone and sold the prints to the tabloids the next day. Can you believe it? Anyways, we had a long talk this morning and I believe that he really is sorry."

Scoffing, Miley stopped her actions, looking straight at Lilly, she said, "So let me get this straight. Your boyfriend admits to drinking too much and sleeping with some random stranger, and yet somehow you're compelled to go back to him?"

"All I wanted was for him to tell me the truth. We've been together for too long to just throw it all away after one mistake."

"Oh sweet buttery niblets, Lilly. I don't know who the bigger doughnut is; him for making that story up or you for believin' 'im," she said, exasperated. Throwing the hair pick and towel to the floor, Miley marched over towards Lilly.

"This is exactly what he said you'd say! You're jealous, aren't you Miley?" Lilly pointed at Miley as she spoke in order to emphasize her point.

"Jealous- you're damn right I'm jealous darlin'. But it ain't for the reason you think it is."

"You want him! Admit it!" Lilly jabbed her in the chest.

"Bleck…blah…blaaaah," Miley bent over as she pretended to heave. "Lilly, the cow died a long time ago, so I don't need no bull."

"I don't speak Hillbilly."

"Oh, cheese and rice Lillian. It means that's bullshit."

"Oh yeah, well what's so wrong with Oliver." Lilly crossed her arms across her chest, standing defensively.

"For one thing that boy lies more than that ole rug in Mamaw's livin' room."

"He does not!"

"He does so. And now he's got you believin' it. The next thing you're going to tell me is that he wouldn't have cheated on you had you just put out before he left for that show in Rochester."

Lilly bit her lip and looked away.

"Are you serious, Lil?"

"Well it's true. We've been together for long enough. It's stupid to not have sex just because I'm a little scared. Oliver said that everybody is scared their first time but that if I really loved him I would let him love me like that."

"But that's just it Lilly. True love waits-"

"Right, like you waited with Jake…and Jesse. "

"I had sex with them because I wanted to. Not because I felt obligated to, Lilly. There's a big difference."

"Well maybe I want to have sex with him, Miley."

"No you don't Lilly. You know how I know that? Because I know you, I know your heart. And I know that you are waiting for that special moment to give yourself to someone."

Lilly knew that Miley was right, but being stubborn was not about to admit it.

"You know what, Miley? I'm really sick of you always ragging on my boyfriend. Do you forget that he used to be one of your best friends, too?"

"I think he is the one that forgot that, just as soon as he entered that stupid singing contest and signed his contract."

"Yeah well not everybody can handle fame like you, can they, Hannah?"

"Hannah has nothing to do with this."

"Hannah has everything to do with this. Hannah is the one that got him that record contract."

"And you don't think that I regret that every day? That I don't regret it every time you fall into my arms crying because he's broken your heart, yet again?"

"Well you know what; you won't have to worry about that any more. I'm moving out. Oliver wants me to move in with him. He wants to spend more time with me. He loves me," she said indignantly.

"He loves the thought of getting in to your pants, that's what he loves. He's playing it off as 'Let's move in together so that we can spend more time with each other' but really he just wants to control you, Lilly. And obviously it's working since you can't tell shit from apple butter. "

"You just don't get it, and you never will, will you? Oliver said it would be like this. That you would say anything to get me to stay here. To be your little puppet. Well you know what? Lola may have been your puppet, but Lilly isn't. Not anymore at least. I'm done with you, Miley Stewart."

Lilly threw everything that she absolutely needed in her backpack. Not taking even a glance back, she walked out, slamming the door in the process.

Any plea that Miley might have had died on her tongue as she watched the love of her life walk out of her life. She sank to her knees before collapsing on the floor. She cried for the years of friendship that she had shared with Lilly and for the many more that would not be. She cried for not having the words to stop her from leaving. She cried until sleep overcame her.

Lilly, on the other hand, kept her composure. She had plenty of time on the drive from Malibu to downtown Los Angeles to stew about just how wrong Miley was. She had made up her mind, just as she pulled into the parking garage at the new luxury apartment building that Oliver had rented for her. She handed her car keys to the valet, as instructed, and walked in the elevator. Pressing the button for the sixteenth floor, she caught her reflection in the door. She popped the top three buttons of her shirt open, nearly exposing herself. Digging in her purse for her lip gloss, she put it on before smacking her lips and dropping it back into the endless abyss that was her purse. Just as the elevator dinged, she shimmied her jeans a little further down her hips. Tonight was the night. If she let Oliver love her the way that he wanted, that would lead him away from temptation, right? Shaking the thought from her head, she walked coolly and confidently from the elevator. She was going to prove Miley wrong…

A/n: I think we'll stop there. Thank you for the terrific reviews last chapter. Please continue to share the love!