"Hey, what's all the whispering about?" Nick asked, approaching Miley and Lilly in front of their lockers.

School seemed to be the only place for the last week that he got to be alone with her, without Joe. She had come over every day after school, and always ended up hanging out with his brother instead of him. Even at school, the most popular conversation topic had been Joe – how funny he was, how cute he was, how smart he was…

"Joe just sent Miley a text!" Lilly said excitedly.

Nick stared at her blankly, waiting for her to get to the exciting part. Apparently that was it. "Wow, awesome."

"Nicky, that's not what's awesome," Miley grinned, taking her friend's hand; his heart skipped a beat. "He asked me out!"

"Out where?"

"Don't be silly!" she smiled. "Like, out! He asked me to be his girlfriend!"

Nick's jaw dropped. He was not hearing this. Not her, not his brother. "What did you say?"

She punched him playfully. "What do you think I said? I said yes!"

He tried to keep his face from showing his feelings. He wanted to scream, to cry, or both at the same time. He had waited too long. He should have told her the day he met her that he wanted to be with her. He should tell her now. The thought danced in his mind briefly, but he was too afraid.

"Are you going to go on a date with him on Saturday? That would be totally cool," Lilly asked.

"Miley, you said we could go to the movies on Saturday, remember?" Nick interrupted.

"I know! I would never break my plans with you!"

He sighed, relieved. "Good."

"Do you think Joe would want to come?" she asked.

Nick bit his lip, trying to keep calm. "I thought it was just going to be you and me…that's what you said…"

"But he's your brother. Don't you want to spend time with him, too?"

No, he thought bluntly. Not after this. Right now, he didn't even want to call him his brother. "I live across the hall from him."

"You're so lucky," Lilly told him.

"Nicky…" Miley whined, pouting her bottom lip out and giving him the saddest face he had ever seen.

"Fine, whatever," he said, a little anger showing through. "You know what? Why don't you just go with him? He's your boyfriend, after all. I'll find something else to do."

"Okay," she agreed happily, not picking up on his sarcasm. "Thanks, Nicky. I promise we'll spend some time together soon, just the two of us."

I won't hold my breath, he thought, walking towards his classroom without saying goodbye as the warning bell rang.