Well, I guess I'm trying to be an updating fool! Actually, it's inspiring to read your reviews of support, and I quite enjoy pleasing those who give me encouragement. So, thank you all, readers, reviewers, and adders. You are what makes up my muse.

Also, insert standard disclaimer here…where I own nothing and Disney owns all.

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Dragging her black Converse shoes along the dew damp pavement, Lilly trudged her way towards the Stewart residence, following her morning ritual to meet up with her before school. Miley usually drove them to school, and it always seemed to take her longer to get ready in the morning than Lilly, so they came up with the agreement to meet at the Stewart house before heading out, saving time.

Dressed in her dark green striped shirt, camo colored utility pants, and lucky red hat, Lilly casually opened the patio door and tossed her book bag on the couch. The scent of bacon being fried greeted her, a small smirk crossed her face as she watched Robbie Ray frying up what seemed to be an endless supply of the pork product.

"G'mornin' Lilly. How was the rest of yer weekend?" Robbie glanced up, pointedly talking with the hand currently holding the spatula.

After the premier, Miley and Lilly hadn't talked. Miley had a few 'Hannah' related events out of town she needed to attend, and Lilly wasn't able to attend due to a prior engagement that she wasn't aware of with her mother. She shrugged, and walked up to the breakfast bar, snagging a piece of the breakfast meat.

"S'okay. Mom wanted to take me shopping for Homecoming dresses. I really wasn't too interested," Lilly mumbled, talking with her mouth full. Robbie nodded.

"I hear ya. Hard to go to them things when you don't have a date. Ya holdin' out fer Oliver?" He glanced up from the spattering pan, gauging Lilly's reaction.

Annoyed by the mere thought that her best friend's father was ribbing her, Lilly grabbed four more pieces of bacon, shoving them in her mouth. "I dun ebben kno whr Miwwee gop da idea. I dun ike Orriver ike at" she spoke between chews.

"Whoa, calm down there 'fore ya choke. I'm just teasin' ya. I know ya don't like Oliver." Robbie chuckled, pushing a glass of orange juice towards Lilly.

"Oo do?" Swallowing the salty pork, she took the glass and began drinking, leaving little greasy fingerprints on the tumbler.

"Yeah. I may be old, but my eyesight ain't failin' me yet." Robbie finished frying the last of the breakfast pork and switched off the burner, taking a deep breath and wiping his hands on the dishtowel tucked into the waistband of his blue jeans. "Any fool can see that you've got eyes fer only one."

A deep crimson blush covered her cheeks. To avoid replying to his comment, Lilly continued to drink at the juice in her hand, slowly swallowing. Robbie, knowing his thoughts had to be true, folded his arms and put on his best 'concerned father' look.

"Good juice, huh? Miley made it. Speakin' of Miley…" He leaned in to whisper, knowing all too well from his own experience, that the vents had ears. "Ya got a crush on my baby girl, hmm?"

Shocked and stunned, Lilly lowered the glass quickly and sputtered the juice out in surprise, accidentally spraying Robbie's flannel shirt. Wiping her lips, a look of terror flashed across her features, leaning away from her best friend's father, who had never seemed intimidating up until now.

"Uh, I…uhm…well…it…she…" Lilly muttered, sliding off of the barstool slowly, hoping and praying that she could make a quick break for it before he could wrap a hand around her throat and throttle her to death.

Robbie's face changed from a daunting glare to a pleased expression, slapping a firm hand on Lilly's back. "That's what I thought." He laughed, shaking his head. "What, ya think I was gonna hurt ya or something?" With a casual shake of the head, he looked upon Lilly with a cross between pity and support. "Nahhh…couldn't do that."

Settling down a bit, Lilly sat back up on the barstool, slouched. "Is it really that obvious?"

"To only someone with eyes. That, and this ol' dog's been around awhile. Why don't you tell her? I mean, if it was 'cause of me, you've got my blessings."

"Mr. S, it's not that. What if…I just don't think she'd return what I feel. I'd be just as happy admiring from afar and stealing little bits of hair from her brush." Lilly gave him a little grin.

"First of all, that ain't right." He smiled, amused at her little admission. "Second of all, what have ya got to lose. I mean, I would think I'd know my daughter better'n anyone, and she'd be your friend no matter what she felt." Robbie shrugged. "'Sides, ya only live once." Giving her another pat on the back, hearing Miley's approach, he finished his conversation. "What have ya got to lose?"

Seeing a fresh-faced and bright eyed Miley stroll down the stairs with a smile, clad in a flowing purple blouse and near-blinding white shorts, Lilly could only look back down at the plate of bacon, muttering with a sigh, "I could lose a friend,"

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Mr. Corelli's class started slowly as the students trudged in; the first mornings class was always difficult, sleep still lingering in the stultified gazes of the masses. Lilly took her seat, her paper printed and in a plastic binder set tersely upon her desk. She found herself once again lost for words on the ride into school, contemplating Robbie Ray's words closely, playing each scenario out ad nauseum.

Miley, though maintaining her bright eyed and cheery demeanor, had noticed Lilly distancing herself, and questioned silently to herself why her best friend would do such an abrupt thing. 'It wasn't cos I discovered her lil crush on Oliver, was it?' she chewed her lip in thought as she glanced at Lilly, noticing that she hadn't even made eye contact with her at all after the night of the premier. Her thoughts were immediately interrupted by a flop in the desk in front of her, the dark eyes of Oliver Oken looking frustrated.

"Ok, that's it. First, the softball team hires a skywriter to turn me down, and now the girls' basketball team puts posters all over town. I mean, rejection is hard, but…" a pained look took over his features.

Miley rubbed on his shoulder in support. "It'll be ok."

Oliver, quickly replied, "Yeah" with a bitten lip, and turned around in his desk, facing the blackboard as Mr. Corelli entered the room.

"Gooooooood Morning Seeeeeeaaaaviiiieeewww!" Mr. Corelli merrily greeted, his floppy blonde curls hanging into his eyes, bouncing as he strolled to the front and leaned against the desk. "Ok, my little Romanticists…time to turn in those stories of woe. Hope they're good cos I'm planning on grading them….ahhhhTODAY." He pointed down at the floor for emphasis. "Yeah, Valentines' Day didn't go well for me, since my mother decided that she was the most important person in my life and kicked out my date."

The class merely looked at him with a mixture of confusion and pitiable eyebrows as he admitted to a bit of unnecessary information about his personal life. Corelli continued, with a shrug. "Since you have a test coming up, we're going to make today a free period. So….discuss. And pass forward those essays." Waving his fingers towards the front for emphasis, he began collecting each row's group, the din of the classroom at a low clamor as each student began forming study groups. Naturally, Miley, Lilly, and Oliver had scoot their desks to face each other, knowing fair well that there was to be no discussion of the test.

Oliver, though boy-brained and put out due to his latest rejection, looked at Lilly's forced enthusiasm as they settled, knowing that this wasn't the Lilly he had known and grown to love like a sister. "Hey, what's up with you? You look like you're either unhappy or like you've got gas." he commented, causing an irritated glance from the blonde haired girl.

"I'm fine Oliver." she thought a moment. "I'm just….really nervous about my paper."

"But I thought you were going to proofread it over the weekend," Miley noted, turning her head to focus on Lilly.

"I did. I mean, I just really need a good grade on this to get my Mom off of my back." Lilly fibbed, adjusting herself in the uncomfortable chair.

"I don't think that's what you're worried about, Lilly." Miley glanced at Oliver, then back at Lilly, tapping her pen on the desk.

"Miley, can we not do this…"

"It's ok Lilly." Miley turned to Oliver, smiling. "I think she has something to tell you."

"NoMileynotnowpleasenotnowwehavetotalk" Lilly scrambled, trying to get Miley to stop talking about her perceived emotions.

"Ok. Well, talk." Miley waved her hand, indicating that the blonde had the floor.

"Privately." Lilly mumbled, her shoulders slouched as she knew that her unrequited love was soon to be open and criticized, because once Miley set her mind to something, she got what she wanted due to her perseverance.

"Oh. Great. Leave me out of the loop." Oliver threw his hands up in frustration, his voice starting to raise.

"No, Oliver, it's not like that. It's….girl stuff." Lilly tried to comfort her friend.

"It's alright. I get it. You're gonna talk about boys, and makeup, and ewwww." Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Well, one boy." Miley's eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Miley, no." Lilly begged, knowing fair well that the words that slipped out a split second afterwards were bound to be aired.

"Lilly likes you."

Oliver, looked at Lilly, then back at Miley, back to Lilly, and back to Miley once again. "WHAT?"

Lilly threw her head back in frustration, swearing up and down that if Miley was any more oblivious to her emotions, then she'd just have to outright kiss her to make her see, make her feel.

"NO! Miley, I DON'T LIKE OLIVER LIKE THAT!" Lilly finally huffed out in frustration, not realizing that her voice startled the class into staring at their tiff.

Mr. Corelli, glanced up from his papers. "Quieten down, please."

"Well, that's just great, Lilly…." Oliver began, before being interrupted by Lilly.

"NO, IT'S NOT GREAT!" Lilly stood in a huff, hands on her hips.

"Lilly…take your seat…" Mr. Corelli warned, watching the unfolding of the sudden burst of emotions. He had currently been reading a passage of Lilly's paper when he realized what had been set in motion by the arguing friends, and feared she would out her emotions in front of everybody.

At the orders of her teacher, Lilly flopped back in her desk, and Oliver continued. "Lilly, let me finish. I was gonna say that I don't like you like that either. It's just….weird. Like dating my sister or something." Oliver shuddered and hugged himself. "Though, gotta admit…kind of a blow to be rejected by your best friend in front of everybody." He smiled.

Lilly, blushing at her outburst and feeling remorseful yet relieved at Oliver's admission, she sighed. "O-oh. Uhm…yeah. Sorry about that."

A confused look crossed Miley's face, her hand brought to her chin in thought. "But Lilly, when we were at the premier the other night…you didn't tell me that. You just…stayed quiet."

Lilly closed her eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath, knowing that this state of emotions was coming to a fast close. "Ok, Miley. I…I don't know EXACTLY how to tell you this…" she paused, trying to find her bearings, before continuing.

"Tell me what?" Miley's voice gently coaxed, genuine concern luminating from her eyes, as she rested her hand on Lilly's to cajole the information out of her.

Lilly's back stiffened at the sudden contact, her lip trembling as her confession began to pour from her lips. "You…you were kind of right. There IS someone I like, but…I don't think they are gonna feel the same way…"

Miley leaned in, waiting in anticipation to hear Lilly's secret. She was a little disappointed that she hadn't shared this information with her prior, until a sudden spark hit her brain and her eyes widened and looked up, randomly staring into space in shock. 'Oh sweet niblets', she thought, knowing exactly where Lilly's words were about to lead. Miley's cheeks flushed abruptly, wondering why she hadn't seen it earlier. The signs were there, and yet she was too blind to see. Clearing her throat, she inveigled Lilly once again. "Ok, ya gonna finish that statement before Oliver grows another chest hair?"

"Hey. I have the one…and it's doing fine." He patted his chest proudly. Frustrated, Miley twisted her fingers in a pinch against his chest and pulled it out, causing him to squelch in a girly scream. "Not no more. Now, stop interrupting. Lilly…go ahead." Miley turned her attention back to her friend, her heart racing as she waited impatiently, rubbing Lilly's hand in support.

That mere display of affection, whether as a friendly touch or as an understanding and accepting stroke, courage and excitability entered Lilly's heart and mind, and a slight embarrassed smile crossed her face. "Well…to be honest…I like…or…rather, I have a crush on…" Her words were interrupted yet again to the bell resounding through the hallways, signaling the end of class. Lilly sat, mouth agape as yet again her confession was interrupted.

"Lilly, can I see you for a moment" Mr. Corelli called, waving her over.

"Sure." She acknowledged, turning back to Miley and Oliver. "I'll see you both at lunch, then." Lilly sighed, shoulders tensed that yet again, her plot to find love has been foiled yet again.

"Sure. We'll finish the conversation there." Miley nodded, her eyes speaking volumes of sweetness, yet confusion, and walked out of the classroom, planning to take all of her next class period to contemplate her own feelings.

Lilly merely watched the swaying of Miley's hips as she made her exit, swearing that someone out there was controlling her life just to frustrate the living hell out of her. Begrudgingly she walked up to Mr. Corelli's desk. "What's up, Mr. C?"

"I wanna talk to you about your essay…" His normally cheerful face had dropped to concern.

AN: Yaaay. More TBC fun. I'd like to thank you all for reviewing…and enjoying Miley's obliviousness. To answer your question, rose, this is rated M because I let the characters carry me away, whether sexual situations, heavy language, or violence comes, not saying they will…(though a few of them might) I'm just being prepared for the unexpected. I also wanted to apologize for this chapter not being exactly up to my standards or so I feel it isn't …I've been working major overtime lately, and my brain has been fried. But anyway, hope ya'll enjoyed it.