I know there are a lot of people who are interested in this story, and sorry for keeping you waiting, but I really wanted to got the next chapter for my other story, and in this past weeks i've moved, and been so overwhlmed with everything....*sigh* These are just excuses. Sorry. Read on!

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I went through the rest of my day pretty much on autopilot. When school ended I got into my car, throwing my bookbag into the backseat. I drove the short ride home, blasting the Jonas Brothers newest CD through my speakers. I know how much all of my friends hate them, but seeing as all my friends are guys, I really don't care. There's something about their music that steadies and inspires me. I sang along, glad for something to distract my jumbled thoughts.

I don't wanna fall asleep
Cause I don't know if I'll get up
And I don't wanna cause a scene
But I'm dyin' without your love
I'm beggin' to hear your voice
Tell me you love me too
Cause I'd rather just be alone
If I know that I can't have you

I stopped singing at the beginning of the next verse, realizing that everything in my day suddenly seemed to revolve around this girl. Woman. This teacher. I'd only known her one day! And yet, I already knew I wanted to figure her out. She was suddenly a mystery, and there were things she did that I needed to understand. And she was beautiful. Is beautiful. So painfully beautiful. Just because I stopped singing doesn't mean the music stops…

So tell me what we're fighting for…

I know what I'm fighting for.

Cause you know that the truth means so much more
Cause you would if you could, don't lie
Cause I'd give everything that I've got left
To show you I mean what I have said
I know I was such a fool

I am a fool…

But I can't live without you

Oh please, please, do not let me be at that point yet. I thought to myself. Hopelessly in love with a teacher? That would never work out.

I pulled into my driveway, glad to not be alone with myself, but, on the other hand, not so glad about who my company was going to be. I grabbed my book bag and walked up onto my porch, stopping for a moment to steady myself. I never knew how she was going to be when I got home, so I always needed to be ready. I opened the door and walked in.

"Where have you been!?" My mom screeched from the living room, where she was still on the couch she'd been on this morning. Oh God, it's going to be one of those days.

I turned to look at her. I remembered a time when my mom had been beautiful. Her long hair had been a beautiful blonde color, her face full of color. I had always heard that I looked like my mother, and I would always appreciate the compliment. But, she let herself waste away on this couch since my father was gone. Too bad. "I was at school, Mom." I said, in the flat even tone of indifference that I reserved for my mother.

She jumped off the couch. "Don't use that tone with me!" And she stomped over to me. "You're so ungrateful!" She tried to slap me once I was within her reach, but she only got her arm halfway across the distance when she stumbled over herself. I dropped my bag and caught her. She smelled like booze. Again. "Get your hands off of me!" She screamed then, trying to get out of my grip. Suddenly, she went slack, and for a moment I was sure she was dead. She looked up at me, a mere shadow of the woman she had been. "Lils, can you please help me back to the couch?"

Seeing her like that always broke my heart, even though the alternate was her screaming at me. I mumbled an answer, and supported most of her weight until she was back to the couch. I left her there, and then walked into the kitchen. "Have you eaten?"

"No…."

"I'm going to make you something then." She didn't answer, so I went through everything in the cabinets, unsurprised that she hadn't been shopping this week. I settled to just make her eggs and bacon. After I finished making her food, I brought it to her in the living room. She ate it slowly, almost suspiciously, so I left her there to pick through it. I went upstairs with my book bag.

While sitting upstairs I went through the standard first day of school papers. I signed them all for my mom, knowing she was in no condition to give her consent to anything. It didn't matter, these papers were unimportant at best. I shoved them back in my bag, then laid back across my bed. I folded my arms under my head, trying to relax. I went through a couple breathing exercises, some of the same ones I practiced before singing. They usually calmed me down.

I hadn't been like that for more than five minutes when there was a knock on my door. "Come in." I said warily, wondering was possibly at my door, knocking. That was something my mother never did.

As the door creaked open I glanced up, seeing Sarah. I was suddenly struck by a strong memory of when she had been really dorky in the ninth grade. But, she'd grown out of it, and had become my only girl friend. Well, my only real girl friend. All the other girls who said they were my friends only claimed to be so to get to Jake or Matt. It's ridiculous. "I see your mom is passed out again." Sarah said, as she walked in and lay on my bed next to me. I scooted over to give her room.

"Is she? Did she eat the food I gave her?"

"Well, there's a plate on the table that's mostly empty. There's still some bacon left." She turned her head sideways to look right at me. "You know, I think it would be a really good idea to try to convince your mom to get some help."

I looked at her too, knowing she was completely serious, and not mean or sarcastic like everyone else would be if they knew. "I know, it's just…I can't really talk to her anymore. It's like she's some stranger I feel obligated to care for." I pulled my arms out from under my head, putting them at my sides. "I kinda feel like sending her away would be like admitting I can't handle my own life." I looked away from her, embarrassed.

She took my left hand, the one closest to her. "Lils, I know you've got this whole 'tough guy' thing going, but, honestly, you're too stressed. I don't know if it's because of your mom, or because you're just crazy, but you need to do something."

I laughed, curling my fingers around hers. "I have to say, it could just be because I'm crazy. I figured it would be something you'd be used to by now."

She elbowed me in the side. "You're the kind of crazy no one could get used to."

"You're the kind of crazy no one wants to get used to." I quipped, elbowing her back. I was glad to have a friend like Sarah, one I could just completely relax with. She never expected anything from me, tried to exploit boys out of me, or treated me like crap. She was just an all-around good person. My phone started to vibrate, so I pulled it out of my pocket to check the text. It was from Jackson.

'We're all meeting at my house right now, 2 try 2 get a head start on this whole band thing. Get hurr, ASAP!'

"Ugh. I gotta go Sarah. Time to practice being a band at Jackson's house."

"Why?"

"It's an assignment that new teacher gave us."

"You mean that Ms. Stewart?"

"Yep." I pulled my hand from Sarah's, sliding to the end of the bed to put my shoes on.

"She's hot isn't she Lils?"

I felt the heat rising to my cheeks. "Why would you say that?"

"Because you think she's hot." It wasn't a question, just a simple statement. I turned to look at her, shocked, and wondering how she could possibly know that. She hadn't even been near me when Miley was around. "Oh, come on, Lilly. Don't look at me like you've seen a ghost or something. I've seen her, and I know how you are." She smiled.

"How-how I am?" I knew what she was talking about, but I hoped I was mistaken.

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about. You're gay." My mouth dried up at the word.

"How did you know?" I figured there was no point in denying it.

"I'm your best friend. I know everything about you. I know how you take care of your mom, even though sometimes she tries to beat you. I know of your secret Jonas Brothers collection. I even know how you can't master the 900 on your skateboard."

"And you're ok with that?"

"OK that you can't manage the 900? Of course. I can't even get the stupid skateboard to stay under my feet on a half pipe."

"No, Sar, the other thing."

"What? The Jonas Brothers? That's ok, they're cool."

"Sarah! The other, other thing!"

"Oh you mean that you're gay?" I winced at the word. "Of course I'm ok with that! You're my best friend. How could I not be?" She bounced to the end of the bed before I could even answer, sitting next to me for an instant. "Well, since you're leaving I guess I shouldn't hang around here anymore." She kissed me quickly on the cheek and practically glided out the door. Suddenly, I remembered why she had been such a dork Freshman year. She was too darn smart.

I stared our the door after her for a bit, then decided to et ready to go to Jackson's. I grabbed my guitar from its stand by my closet, and began collecting everything I would need. I picked up my picks, my electric tuner, and my case, putting everything into it. As an afterthought, I went through my bag to find the song I had written today. I put that in my case too, even though I wasn't sure how the boys would feel about it. I couldn't think about how Miley would feel if she knew the song was for her. And, suddenly, with a hammering of my heart and a sharp intake of breath, I remembered, living at Jackson's, was his sister. Miley Stewart.

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Hopefully i'll be able to start getting more chapters up this week, because i do really like this story. = D Review please!