Chapter 3
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…you can't be serious Amber? Ashley asked as she steered the car into its parking space at school.
"Yes I am." Amber answered with feeling in her voice. "Why you don't think it well work?"
"Well, it's not that."
"Then what's wrong?" Anger started to creep into Amber's voice.
"Well, it's just that some of the other girls are finally starting to talk to me." Ashley whined.
"So what?" Amber asked Ashley over the roof of the car after she closed her door.
"So it means that they have finally starting to except me."
"If they don't except me then what does it matter that they except you." Amber demanded.
"But…"
"But what? Haven't been friends for like forever?"
"Yeah, but…"
"…and haven't we done everything together?" Amber pressed.
"Yeah, but…"
"Then it's settled." Amber finished and walked through the door to school as Ashley stood just outside the door.
"But, I'm starting to make friends now." Ashley said to the closed door.
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Lilly parked her car by Oliver's car and turned the engine off.
"I'm sorry Miley. You can't get mad at me for trying can you?"
"Yes!"
"Oh come on. You were the one complaining about missing out on the high school experience." Lilly used air quotes after closing her car door.
"Air quotes?" Miley asked raising an eyebrow.
"This from the person that gets out of last period today because of HM." Lilly growled.
"What can I say? Pop stars. They're all divas." Miley threw that out there trying to change the subject.
"Exactly. Not normal high school students are you?"
Miley sighed. She knew Lilly was right and she was just still unsure of what to do. Well, okay she didn't want to feel pressured into it. The bad thing was that she needed to be pressured into this. Yes, she was Hannah Montana and was use to the glamour scene, but Miley Stewart wasn't. However, one could argue that being in the Show Choir put her in the spot light too. Yes, everyone commitment on how much she sounded just like Hannah Montana, but she never pushed herself to stand out that much either. Miley had gone after one or two solos that she really like, but made no attempt to be a leader singer in the Show Choir either. Maybe she should ask Mr. Aaron again.
Lilly walked silently beside Miley as they walked to the front doors of the school. She smiled to herself. Lilly and Miley had been friends for so long and so completely, she actually knew what Miley was arguing about in her head. Lilly knew that Miley was still unsure and if she asked Mr. Aaron, their principal since junior high, he would tell her the same thing. Mr. Aaron always had Miley, Lilly, and Oliver's back ever since Mr. Stewart and Miley had told him Miley's secret when she first started school back in junior high. Lilly held the door for Miley as she entered the school and they were greeted by the sound of Oliver's voice.
"That's right! Today at lunchtime, the cheerleaders will be manning or should I say grilling the sign up tables for the homecoming attendants and queen candidates that will be voted on this Thursday at lunchtime. So all you lovelies don't forget to sign up, and if you don't win, I have a nice dry shoulder to cry on. Oh, and speaking of lunch, you should have carried today. Today's lunch is mystery meat sandwiches. Also known as cold cuts, but I think we all know that they put just about anything they can find into them. Finally after school today, the homecoming float construction starts today for all freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior classes. Check the bulletin board outside the office to signing up to work on your class float or when you are scheduled to work on the float. Now for all you country fans, here is some Keith Urban."
Lilly just smiled as Miley looked at her when Oliver went over the morning's announcements.
"Hey, I didn't plan that." Lilly defended herself.
"Sure…"
"Besides, I have to go and help get the tables ready for lunchtime."
"Okay, I'll see you in second period then." Miley said over her shoulder as she and Lilly parted. As Miley walked down the hall to her locker, she realized that she had her other bag with her. The one she was going to leave in Lilly's car. Oh well, she just drop it off in the office. With that thought, Miley turned left at the next intersection.
"Hi Miley."
"Hi Sara. What's up?" Miley asked as Sara fell into step with her.
"Well, I've just got a bunch of recycled news paper that we can use on the float. Also, I got some great biodegradable paint that we can use to paint the float with. I also found these great paintbrushes made from recycled plastic soda-pop bottles." Sara was getting started again.
"Hold up there Sara. I was just wonder if you got your homework done for fourth period."
"Oh! Then why didn't you ask me that?"
"I was just asking myself that same question." Miley said under her breath.
"What?" Sara asked.
"Nothing."
"Are you going to sign up for junior attendant then?"
"You too?" Miley asked a little to quickly.
"Well, it's all Lilly and Oliver have been talking about. Besides, it would be a great way to show your school spirit, and I think you would make a great attendant. So are you going to do it?"
Miley was saved from having to answer the question by the fact she had reached the principal's office.
"I have to stop in here for a second Sara. I'll see in class." Miley said as she opened the door.
"Okay. Bye."
Miley closed the door and turned to Mrs. Hill.
"Hi Miley. What can I do for you today?" Mrs. Hill asked.
"I was wondering if I could see Mr. Aaron."
"Sure. Go on back." Mrs. Hill tilted her head in the direction of Mr. Aaron's office. Miley walked around the front counter and back to Mr. Aaron's office. Once there she knocked on the door and waited for an answer.
"Come in."
Miley open the door and walked in. Mr. Aaron was sitting behind his desk and was just looking up as Miley walked in.
"I thought you were going to leave your bag in the car today." Mr. Aaron smiled at Miley as she closed the door.
"I was going to, but Lilly keep pressuring to me to sign up for junior attendant and I forgot to leave it in the car." Miley complained.
"Well are you?"
"Are I what?"
"Going to sign up for junior attendant?"
"Not you too Mr. Aaron." Miley said as she put her bag down and turn to face Mr. Aaron.
"And why not Miley. What's wrong with signing up?"
"I don't know. Its just, well, what chance do I have of winning anyways?"
"Do my ears deceive me or is Hannah Montana afraid of not winning a simple popularity contest?" Mr. Aaron laughed.
"Hannah wouldn't be afraid but Miley is." Miley sighed as she sat down in the chair across from Mr. Aaron.
"Miley, you have no reason to be afraid because you're more popular than you think you are. So, my assignment for you…"
"I thought we stopped you giving me assignments my freshmen year." Miley interrupted.
"Yes we did, but now we are starting it again. Now, like I was saying, my assignment for you is to sign up for junior attendant."
"Okay." Miley said as she got up to leave. "You know, sometimes you are just as bad as my dad." Miley complained.
"Why thank you." Mr. Aaron smiled at Miley as he closed the door behind her.
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"Now remember Tony, you have to tell all of your friends about this." Amber purred to her boyfriend.
"You know I will baby." Tony said as he leaned in for a kiss. Amber pulled her head back and Tony stopped leaning forward.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't think you are taking me serious Tony. This is really important to me. I have to win."
"And you will. Now what about that kiss?"
"Not until I win, and maybe you will get just a little bit more than a kiss."
"Really?"
"You'll see. Now go spread the word." Amber commanded with a wicked smile.
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Lilly had notice a change had come over Miley when she saw her again in second period. Miley was no longer moody and seemed more relaxed. But then again, Miley was a good actor. Lilly was unsure weather or not to ask about junior attendant again. Therefore, she decided to wait. Since this was one of few times all three of them had lunch together, Lilly would wait until then.
For Miley, second period was a nail biter. She was waiting for Lilly to jump on her about signing up and wanting to just come out and tell Lilly, she was going to sign up. Every few minutes, Miley would look over at Lilly and when Lilly noticed, she would 'what' Miley. To which Miley would just turn back to her class work and Lilly would just shake her head. To Miley's relief, Lilly had some questions for the teacher and said so to Miley when the class was dismissed. Once out in the hallway, Miley headed to her locker. After leaving her stuff there, Miley head to one of her most favorite classes she had. Show Choir. Miley's second favorite class was Concert Choir.
Both classes let her sing. It was also, where she had many of her best friends too. Everyone loved her voice. Everyone that is except Amber and her friends, but that was not really a problem for Miley. The other members, Amber had about four or five friends each in Show Choir and Concert Choir, would not let Amber or her friends bully Miley. They thought it was cool that she sounded like Hannah Montana. Some even try to convince her to cut a demo. To which Miley would always say something like 'Oh, I could never sing as good as Hannah'. Which was always followed in a low undertone about she was no Hannah Montana by Amber. The bell rang braking Miley out of her thoughts.
"Alright guys, settle down. I want to start working on our 'Tribute to the Greatest Hits Thru Time' score now that the solos have been assigned." Mr. Russell instructed from the director's stand. Miley smiled as she listened to farther instructions as she pulled the music out of her folder. The solo she won in the music score was for Hannah Montana's 'I Miss You'. Miley had written the song for her mom and she was not going to let anyone else sing it when she could. After all, she won a Grammy for the song.
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Miley was slow in getting out of fourth period for lunch. She was not that much in a hurry anyways. Besides, with split lunch, you always wanted to fall asleep when you came back to class. All in all, Miley thought, split lunch was the worse one to have of the three lunch periods. With lunch before fourth period, you had thirty minutes to study for any tests or quizzes. With lunch at the end of fourth period, you could get out from class and go to lunch if you finished your test early in class that day. However, split lunch just made fourth period drag out. Very boring.
When Miley got down to the lunchroom, there was Lilly at the sign up table with the other cheerleaders. Miley waved back to Lilly. Sighing to her self, Miley turned and got in line for lunch. After swapping her student id card, Miley turned to the lunchroom and looked for Oliver. Sure enough, there was Oliver and his small crowd of fans, mostly girls. Miley smiled to her self as she walked over to Oliver's table. Smokin' Oaken certainly had come a long way since junior high school. As always, his fans left two seats open. The admiring girls knew that Oliver ate with his two best friends and if there was no room for them, then he would get up and move to sit with Miley and Lilly, leaving them behind.
"Hi Miley. How's school so far?" Oliver asked.
"Fine. I'm going to do it."
"Really? When? Now?"
"Can I eat first Oliver?"
"Sure, but can I have your pudding cup?"
Miley looked over at Oliver's tray and saw that he had already eaten everyone else's.
"You sure you have room for mine?" Miley asked laughing.
"Miley, it's me." Oliver answered as he took her pudding cup.
"That it is doughnut boy." Miley said to her self.
After finishing her lunch, Miley took her tray to the trash and dish return line and headed towards Lilly. Lilly watched as Miley walked towards her. As Miley got closer, the smile on Lilly's face got bigger. When Miley was a few steps away from the table, Lilly held a pen up and handed it to Miley who took it with a swapping grab of her hand. Sighing one more time, Miley signed her name to the junior attendants list.
"Mr. Aaron said you would be by."
"He did. Did he?" Miley asked.
"Yes I did." Mr. Aaron answered causing Miley to jump.
"Checking up on me?" Miley asked after she caught her breath.
"You think I wasn't going to."
"I was hoping you trusted me."
"I do, but I always grade my students." Mr. Aaron said as he turned to walk away. Miley turned back to the list and looked at who had signed up. Miley felt her stomach drop as she read the first name on the list. Amber Addison.
