A/N: Greyiron-93 here. I'm actually...dare I say it...proud of this? 
I dunno, but it felt good writing it and the read back was actually pretty decent. 
So yes, here's the update. I hope you enjoy it :)


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Chapter Six

She shuffled a little, taking a deep breath. It made me uneasy. This really must be something important, and me being me, I am not too good with these types of situations.


"I did go to that school," she began, staring down at the grass that we were still sat on. "I was actually pretty popular," she let out a quick defeated laugh, and fell silent.

I figured I should will her to continue, we were getting somewhere after all, "What happened?" I asked maybe a little too eagerly. I'd only been in this place for a few days, but clearly there was something more to this perfect town, this perfect family.

"My best friend happened," she scoffed.

I scrunched up my facial features, and she seemed to notice when she glanced back at me, because it caused her to smile weakly and hesitantly continue her story.

"We were those type of best friends... the one's since you were young, playing in the sandbox together," she paused again and laughed to herself, nervously picking the grass form the ground. I figured I shouldn't speak; let her take in her memories.

"Her mom was my mom's best friend since high school, they never left this place," she smiled, throwing her hands up a little, "Always kept in touch, isn't that weird?" she asked rhetorically as she looked back at me, a small smile on her face.

I smiled and nodded slightly in response, I just wish that she would get to the point. I could tell she was putting it off.

"So yeah, my best friend, Brooke. We were pretty much inseparable through school, until ninth grade." Her smile began to fade, and her head seemed to drop a little more. She continued playing with the blades of grass that she had picked from the ground, passing them through her fingers.

"What happened in ninth grade?" I asked after a few seconds of silence. I just wanted to get this over with, this silence, this atmosphere, this whole thing just wasn't me. It was the kind of thing I avoided at all costs. I felt that it was my duty to listen, though; she seemed to need someone to talk to.

"Since I was... I dunno. Since I... noticed her. Kinda. Maybe. I don't really know myself," she sighed, placing down the grass and looking up to the sky, leaning back slightly. She hadn't looked my way for a while. Even my eyes burning a hole in hers weren't making them glance my way.

I wanted her to look at me; I wanted to work out what she was thinking. Nothing that she was saying was making sense.

"I don't really know when it started. But I kinda wondered, y'know, when I didn't get into the boys thing. Like, mom always told me that it would come… I was just young... It just didn't."

Okay... I'm getting ideas. I don't want to jump to conclusions though.

She sighed heavily again, "I talked to her about it once, Brooke I mean. She was saying how she knew what I meant... she said she felt the same way then she just..."

She trailed off, leaving my imagination to run wild. She just what?

I stayed silent though, waiting.

"She kissed me."

I'd express my shock in words... but there are no words. My eyes just widened, my jaw dropped, and my ears burned.

Hearing her, 'perfect Miley' say that just seemed... unreal.

"What?" I said, stupidly. It was barely audible, but she turned to look at me having clearly heard it.

Seeing the expression on my face she instantly became worried. With yet another release of the air that had built up in her lungs, she began speaking. "It made me realize, why. Why I hadn't been... enjoying how guys would be around me... we were together for about a week," she turned back around, looking back to the sky slightly, "Someone saw us."

Her head dropped now, even further than it had at any point of the day.

She seemed to be sniffling back tears, but me replaying what I had just heard over and over, trying to make sense of it blocked out any other thoughts or feelings.

Just surprise. Shock.

"She denied it all... I decided not to. I guess if you live in a place like this then the clever thing to do would be to keep your mouth shut, to hide away. I wasn't brought up like that. Mom told me I should be proud of who I am, and I tried to be... I just... couldn't."

I blinked a few times. Yes, I should've got over the shock by now, moved onto the next stage, whatever that was. But someone like Miley didn't seem like someone to have this secret hidden away. So this was why Jackson was so protective?

"Jackson tried to help me when it all began, but with the different schedule and stuff he just couldn't. I guess the final straw, especially for daddy and Jackson, was when some guys threatened to 'straighten me out'," she seemed to want to laugh slightly at her last comment, but the look on her face showed that it wasn't something to be laughed at.

I had finally got over the initial shock... sort of. I was just looking at her. She was still refusing to meet my gaze, and I was still trying to figure out what the hell she had just told me.

Maybe it's wrong of me, but I put a stereotype with lesbians. I don't mean I see them driving a huge truck with their short hair cut and their butch attitude, I mean I saw them as a bit tougher, more thick skinned.

Miley just seemed, well... like everyone else.

She finally, after the long, uncomfortable moments of silence, looked at me. She seemed to realize the look in my eyes, because the worry that I saw earlier had returned.

"I have to go," I finally managed, almost silently.

I quickly got to my feet, helping myself up with my hands and looking back at her for a second longer. I quickly pointed behind me.

"I just need to... I'll catch you later," I said as fast as I could, making my way in a fast paced jog towards the house. I didn't look back, but the saddened expression that I saw on her face during my final glance told me all I needed to know.

I quickly made it to the door, having passed Oliver.

He was hot on my tail, he had dropped his shovel when he noticed me speeding past, the unreadable expression that I had carpeting my face.

"Lilly, what's up?" he asked repeatedly for the remaining short distance to the house.

Reaching the door I just swung it open, and continued my fast, powerful walk.

Mrs. Stewart was at the cooker, as usual, and also noticed me walking by. Not that it could really be ignored.

"Lilly sweetie, what's happened?" she tried, as she dropped her spatula and began slowly moving away from the cooker.

I blanked out everyone else's words, and still headed for the door.

I'd had to deal with a lot in my life. Growing up in a single parent home, being bothered by my mom's sister, my mom's death.

But a gay person? I hadn't hit that one yet.

I barged through the other door, which led to the front of the house.

I heard Oliver yell his apologies and farewell's to Mrs. Stewart, and the door finally close.

"Do you wonna' tell me what happened?" he angrily shouted, his footsteps picking up pace as he finally appeared by my side.

I ignored his words, and began running. Yes, what I was so good at, running away from the trouble, from other people's feelings and mine. Well, most of the time it wasn't me running, it was me being pushed away.

I could hear him running closely behind, his footsteps, his heavy breathing.

The truth is… I didn't know how to react when Miley opened up to me. Not only had that never happened, but I had never... met a gay person before. It was something completely new to me, and new wasn't good. Which would explain every new house and place being a failure.

I finally saw the Oken household appear in front of me and began slowing down; needless to say Oliver was quickly on my back again.

"What happened?" he demanded this time, breathing heavily after the fairly long run and finally getting the advantage, moving ahead of me.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I snapped back, still not looking at him and moving fairly quickly towards the house.

"Tell you what?" he panted. Was he that clueless?

"That Miley's gay," I shot him a look as I spoke the three simple words.

His face dropped, and he stopped walking so fast, letting me overtake him. We were getting much closer to the house now.

"You're seriously acting like this because you found that out?" he said in a deadpan tone.

I ignored his statement, unwilling to listen.

Why should I, what should he judge me? Thinking that through made me realize how hypocritical I had just been.

"You're just gonna ruin what you two coulda' had because she's into girls?" he laughed mockingly as I reached the front door and entered.

He quickly followed suit.

"You're pathetic, you know that?"

"Just get off my fucking back, Oliver!" I yelled as I finally stopped, turning to face him. He seemed a little taken aback, as I stared a hole right through him.

"We will not have that language, young lady," Mrs. Truscott began, rising from her spot on the couch.

Mr. Truscott was quick to follow her, "Not under our roof."

I looked over at them; the same angry look in my eyes, "Stop expecting things of me, Oliver! The fact is, this is me. And you, stop acting so fucking perfect, please! And will you at least try to not act like I'm some sort of fly on the wall in this place!" I finished, looking over to the man of the household.

They all just looked at me, slightly shocked. I was shocked at myself, to be honest.

"I don't want you to be like that, I don't need..." I trailed off, weakening a little. I couldn't help it. "I just need..." tears actually rimmed my eyes, something that I myself don't remember feeling since the news about my mom, "I just need you," I finished, the knot at the back of my throat clearly effecting my voice.

I looked at all three of them one last time, before turning and running up the stairs as fast as I could, two at a time.

Showing emotion wasn't something that I liked to do. Weakness wasn't something I enjoyed or appreciated.

I couldn't hear any voices coming from the other habitants of the house as I made it to my room; maybe they were as shocked as I was.

I lay on my bed, face deep in my pillow.

What exactly had just happened?