Oliver got up and glowered at his friends. "Had enough?" he asked sourly, and the trio decided to head for Miley's house. As soon as they entered the house, they were greeted by Jackson smiling sweetly at his sister.

"Hey Jackson, why so sour?" Miley asked sarcastically.

His beam grew wider as he ushered her in. "Dear sister, would you like a burger? A homemade chicken and barbeque sauce burger? Oh, do take a seat, won't you?" he grabbed a wary Miley and threw her on the couch. "And oh, for her two er... sidekicks, extra comfy cushioned couches. Have a seat!" He dragged Lilly and Oliver to the adjacent couch.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Jackson...what do you want?!" Miley asked suspiciously.

"Well...," he began in a sugary voice, "I'm your very own brother, aren't I? I took care of you, hid your Hannah secret, loved you, brought you up-"

Miley interrupted. "Did Hannah get another party invite?"

Jackson hesitated.

"She did, didn't she? And now her loving and caring brother wants to go along, too. Well, he's not!" Miley sneered. Jackson dropped to his knees, pouting.

"Miley, please! Please?? I always help you, why can't you just do me this one last favour?" he implored in a honey- coated voice, handing her the opulent invitation card.

"Because," Miley sighed. She did not want Jackson to come along and ruin the whole party. "Because..., she glanced around, looking for an excuse. "Well, because Lilly and Oliver are coming with me, and we can only bring along two people," she said quickly.

Lilly and Oliver looked startled. "Us?" they exclaimed together.

Miley nodded. "Yeah, you're coming too," she said through clenched teeth. They got the message, and were delighted.

"Yeah, we're coming too!" they echoed keenly, once again, in unison. Jackson shot them a most filthy look.

"You'll pay for this, you party- invite thieves," he snarled and went away.

Miley looked at Lilly and Oliver worriedly. "You don't mind coming, do you?"

"Not at all!" Oliver smiled.

"Only too eager!" Lilly added.

Miley shook her head. "This party is not the type you guys have in mind. This is more formal. It's a seventy- year old lady's birthday, who happens to be Tracie's grandmother. And... you have to waltz," she said hesitatingly, biting her lip, dreading their outburst of protests.

"What?!" both exclaimed together.

"Miley, we can't...waltz!" Lilly shuddered. "I skate, Miles. Oliver opens lockers. You sing and dance!" she pointed accusingly at Miley.

Oliver glowered. "Hey, I don't just open lockers!"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, Oliver can also act stupid!" Oliver sulked and hurled a cushion at Lilly. Ignoring it, she continued, "My point is- Miley, we don't want to come to a ninety- one year old lady's party!"

"She's seventy!" Miley proclaimed defensively.

"Big difference!"

Miley sighed. "Lilly, Oliver, I thought you'd do this for me. Come on, it won't be that bad! Besides, you need partners, and you'll be perfect for each other!" she added, and then regretfully clamped her mouth. She shouldn't have let that slip. "Oopsie."

Lilly and Oliver looked at each other disgustedly. "Ewww, no way!!!" they yelled at the same time.

"Fine, we have a deal. You guys come to the- er- party, and I introduce you both to a celebrity at my next concert," Miley decided. That cheered both up and they agreed to go.

"But I'm not going with her!" Oliver stated, looking distastefully at Lilly.

"Only too relieved, Ollie Trolley! Miley, why can't you go with Oliver?" Lilly asked.

"I'm not supposed to dance there; I'm supposed to sing all the time! And also, I think you both are much better suited together!" Miley slipped her tongue again, and smacked her forehead regretfully.

"No we aren't! Miley, you're repeating last night!" warned Lilly.

"Well then, no celebrity! And I'll be stuck with Jackson! Now are you cheered?" Miley snapped.

Lilly and Oliver hesitated. They really did want to meet some celebrities.

"Fine," Lilly muttered and Oliver gaped at her furiously. "But on two conditions. One, I'm not going as Lola, I'm gonna be Lilly. Two, Oliver and I are gonna stay a mile away from each other."

Oliver closed his mouth. "Well, that sounds reasonable," he agreed. Miley looked up and lightened.

"Deal!" she cried eagerly and threw them each a hug. "Tomorrow evening, meet me at seven."

Oliver glanced at his watch. "I guess I have to go home. Lilly, you coming?" he asked, heading to the door. Lilly shrugged and followed him.

"Bye, Miley!"

"Goodnight, Miles!"

Both strolled out of the Stewarts' and into the pavement.

"It might be fun, for all you know," Lilly reasoned.

Oliver glanced up. "What? Oh- the 'party'. Yeah, maybe..."

"Well..." Lilly muttered gawkily, unsure of what to say.

"Well what?"

"Well, nothing. Just thinking of something to talk about."

Oliver shrugged nonchalantly. "How about an in- depth discussion of what to wear for the party?!" he mocked, in a girly voice. Lilly shoved him away, exasperated. The violins in her mind became louder.

"Oh shut up, you know I don't like all those stuff! That's Miley's territory. I thought you knew that, locker man!" she snapped.

Oliver grimaced. "Locker man?! I think I deserve a better nickname!"

"Whatever, locker man!" Lilly said. She enjoyed seeing Oliver getting all wound up at being called a 'Locker man'.

"Don't call me that!" he grumbled.

"What if I don't care?!"

"Well, I care! I hate that name!"

"Oh, but I just love it!"

"You shouldn't!" he argued.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because I hate it!"

"So what could possibly stop me from calling you a name you hate?! Locker man, locker man!"

"Me!" retorted Oliver and he clamped Lilly's mouth shut with his hand. She choked.

"Stop it!" she cried in a muffled voice. Oliver let his hand go.

"What was that for?!" she yelled.

"For calling me a locker man! And anyway, you should be going. You have dresses to pick out for tomorrow," he said heatedly. "Oh, sorry. I forgot. You never dress up."

For a moment, there was a pause. "What do you mean, I never dress up?" Lilly asked quietly. "I do dress up."

"Well, you don't. Not outside, anyway. Anyway, I should be going. Bye," he said quickly and started to walk off. Lilly grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Wait- what do you mean, I never dress up?" she repeated in the same low voice. "I just choose not to. I can dress up if I want to, you know." The violins in her head began playing gentler notes.

Oliver shrugged. "Okay. What do you want me to do?"

Lilly let go of his hand quickly. "Nothing," she muttered, "Well...see you."

"Bye." Oliver turned back and walked.

"Yeah. Goodnight."

Lilly turned away and walked to her house, savouring every note played by her mental violins.


A/N: Review review review, please!:)