CHAPTER THREE

From Hollywood to Malibu

Jake's Point of View

Before moving out of my home in Los Angeles, Billy had said, "Believe me, Jake, the first Malibu girl that you'll ever meet would be way gorgeous and super-nice."

Famous last words.

Because instead of the so-called "way gorgeous and super-nice" girl, I met someone who's really sarcastic and such a snob. But, yeah, yeah, okay, she was pretty cute. But she still didn't meet the "way gorgeous and super-nice" quotient.

Before going on, let me explain about the moving away thing. I got the statement from my management nineteen days ago, on the twelfth of November.

FLASHBACK - STILL WRITTEN IN JAKE'S POINT OF VIEW

"Malibu?!"

This word escaped my lips as I read the statement sent to me by my management. You see, since the Zerronda episode is a very important one, and since the other episodes to be filmed are still being planned, they decided to give me a break.

Correction: I asked for a break. They just decided to have me move out of my house for a few weeks, to help clear my mind about the disappearance of Sam. My mom agreed. She told me she'd send someone to keep me company.

The executives of the show decided to put it on hiatus or have it shown through re-runs until they can find another actress to play Zerronda. I knew that many people would be disappointed. The show had top ratings. But I didn't care for once. This was about my life, not my career.

It had been a week since Sam disappeared. I wasn't disappointed too much, surprisingly. I was actually...relieved. Unfortunately, there was still no sign of her.

"Hey, man," Billy told me, coming in from the back door.

We were in the kitchen, where I'd just begun having breakfast. I saw the statement, which arrived through fax, and began reading it while munching on a bagle with butter and cream cheese.

"Hey," I told him.

Aside from being best friends and co-stars, Billy and I were also next-door neighbors. We met in kindergarten.

Billy swiped one of my bagles and took a bite. Then he nonchalantly began reading through the statement. "Whoa, dude, you're moving to Malibu?"

"Just for a few weeks," I said. "Or until they find someone to replace Sam."

"Why? She still hasn't been found?" Billy took another bite out of the bagle. "It's really weird, you know, Sam going missing. Where could she go?"

"Nope," I replied. "I think I wouldn't like it there..."

"Where?"

"In Malibu," I said. "I think it would bore me out of my mind."

Billy, who also has an album out and has toured with the Jonas Brothers and the Cheetah Girls, broke into a song. He also had his guitar with him, so he played a few chords, too.

"You will die

One day at a time

'Cause you just can't seem to get Sam off your mind

No matter how you try

Try to kill the time

Well, it seems that you're just going crazy

One day at a time..."

Strumming his guitar one last time, letting the strings make music, he put it down and leaned on the breakfast counter. "Dude, cheer up! At least you got out of the bet for a few weeks."

"Oh, yeah, the chicken suit bet that I lost," I muttered. "Maybe I could get one there. But, there's still nineteen days before I move there. I wouldn't want to think about it for now."

"Besides," Billy went on. "I've been there. The girls there are cute. Not to mention nice. And smart..."

"They're not all the same," I reasoned.

"Believe me, Jake, the first Malibu girl that you'll ever meet would be way gorgeous and super-nice."

END FLASHBACK

I shouldn't have let him convince me, because right now, there I was, one chair across from this wavy-haired brunette, on a heated debate.

The brunette was just sitting at this surf shack. She held her cell phone up to her ear. She must have been talking to someone. "So, are we up for that movie marathon tonight?" she asked. There was a pause. "Of course! We have to watch The Missing Puzzle Piece."

I made my way over to the seat beside hers. "Excuse me, Miss?" I said. "Can I just ask why you're watching that? It's pretty, uh, stupid and childish for a teenaged girl like you."

"What do you mean, The Missing Puzzle Piece is stupid?" the brunette asked. "It's a work of art in movies!"

Yeah, yeah. We were arguing about something as stupid and shallow as a movie.

I just thought that The Missing Puzzle Piece was stupid because I filmed it, like, seven years ago, and, having watched it for, I don't know, twenty-one times on the big screen, I just grew tired of it.

So, yeah. I starred in that movie. But now, even if it was my first big flick, it meant pretty much nothing to me. No, actually, it meant the world to me, but I've had so much of it in my life - the DVD, the soundtrack, the novelization and every book made for it, among others - that it got tiring.

"Lils, can you get over here? We'll continue discussing our movie night plans..." I heard the brunette say. She turned to look at me. "...which cannot be controlled by some know-it-all jerk"

I knew that this would be the perfect time to back off…

"Owww!" But before I can there was this blonde skater girl that bumped into me."Lilly, are you hurt?" the brunette asked Lilly, or whatever her name was.

The girl gasped. "Isn't that Jake Ryan, Zombie Slayer-slash-Tween Magazine's Hottie of the Year?" she cried.

"Make that hotshot actor," the brunette said.

"Oh my gosh! Hi, I'm Lilly Truscott. I love your show. Can you say that line for me?. Lilly said.

"Dude, I slayed you once, don't let me slay you again!"

"Hey, Miley, Dad just called. He told me to tell you to go home because he has this 'big surprise' for you." He used air quotes. I assumed that this is the weird girl's brother.

"Okay. Hey, Lils, you want to hang out at my house?"

"Go ahead; I'll just talk to the Zombie Slayer here."

"But Lilly, don't you want to know my big surprise?"

"Just tell me in the phone.. This is a one chance in a lifetime"

"Ugh, okay. Take care!"

"So Mr. I'm-Tween-Magazine's-Hottie-of-the-Year-so-worship-at-my-feet, I'll see you in school," the brunette told me and without a word, walked away towards her house, I think.

"You're going to our school? In seaview?" Lilly squealed.

Miley's Point of View.

When I turned back at them, I heard Lilly squeal but I didn't understand her, I was too busy thinking about Jake Ryan. Why am I thinking about him?

When I got home, Dad wasn't in the house so I went to my room. It's been a while since I last wrote in my diary so I decided to write on it now because I have nothing to do.

DIARY

Dear Diary,

There's this new kid I met at Rico's. You know him; he's a big teen celebrity, best known as The Zombie Slayer in that show. Yeah, I'm talking about Jake Ryan…. He's going to our school here. I think because his co-star and girlfriend, Samantha Cane, is missing. They need to find her replacement and Hannah Montana is their first choice and that's none other than me!

I've been thinking about it and I guess I want to be his co-star but when I met him today, he was totally..

END DIARY

Before I can continue writing, the phone rang. It was Lilly.

"Miles, what is the big surprise?."

"Dad's not here yet. So how was the 'conversation'?

"Oh, sorry Miles, I'll just tell you at school tomorrow... My mom is calling me. Bye. See you!"

"Bye!"

"Bud, I'm home. I brought dinner!" Dad yelled from downstairs. I hurried downstairs to discover that dinner was mashed potatoes, I HATE MASHED POTATOES! "Why are there mashed potatoes in the table? Dad, you know I hate them."

"Well, if you take at least a bite, I'll let you in on the big surprise" Dad told me. I'd rather kiss Dandruff Danny than to eat mashed potatoes but then I want to know what that big surprise was about.

(A/N The mashed potato part was just made up. Sorry for the very late update because I was too lazy to write this and Raf was busy working with 7mins. And also school started for us. I hope you liked it. At least, I wrote some of the parts. Well, what is the big secret? Is it about school or about Hannah Montana? Find out in the next chapter of Zombie: Hide!. The scary parts will be in the future chapters. Sorry for the short and sucky 3rd chapter but please review. We need reviews:D Mel