A/N: Just a look into Lily's life post Oliver. Chapter Ten will be up soon.

Disclaimer: If you're still wondering, it's Milo Ohio I own, not Hannah Montana. (Lame name, I know. Sorry.)

Chapter 9: Should Have Been

Lily had no desire to keep up her social life. After all, the person she wanted to talk to the most was the one who she couldn't face. How had life backfired on her like this?

School was a bore. She showed up every day ten or fifteen minutes early, not having anything better to do with her time, and spent at least half an hour after school each day working on her portfolio. She watched as her grades on tests on assignments improved; it was a lot easier to pay attention to homework when she didn't have those bothersome people to distract her.

She saw Will from time to time, and at each encounter she smiled brightly at him, ashamed that she'd given him up for a boy who wouldn't even look at her. She didn't want him to know that life after him, for her, had been pretty damn lousy.

She and Maya had taken to eating lunch at one end of the table, Mike and Oliver at the other. Harvey suspiciously floated between both, but no one ever let him in on what had happened. No one ever mentioned it.

Lily, for one, didn't even know how she felt about it. She wished he would understand, but she was so bitter that he'd ruined it all for her that she really didn't feel like she could approach him, let alone make it through a whole conversation. She wanted more than anything for him to come and apologize for his actions, but he probably didn't even know he'd done anything wrong. She wished he did.

There was one night in mid-November, a Saturday when she should have been curled up in a blanket on his couch, happily watching some old classic on his television. He should have been beside her, close enough so that she could use him as a pillow when she got to too tired to watch the movie. She should have woken up to the gentle touch of his fingertips running through her hair, or over her arm, or a warm palm rubbing her back. She should have been waiting just a little longer before sitting up just to enjoy the sensation of his body touching hers, feeling so protected by him. But instead she was home. And so was he. She could tell by looking down the street at his house, where his bedroom light was on like it was so often those days.

She'd picked up the phone to call him that night. She'd dialed all the digits and pressed the "SEND" button anxiously. She waited through every ring, willing him to pick up the call, willing him not to. He didn't. Whether it was because he had caller ID and hadn't wished to talk to her or because he was down eating dinner she didn't know, but the voicemail hit. She just sat there for a moment, not ready to talk yet. Then she exhaled deeply in defeat. "Damn it, Oliver," she choked into the receiver, and hung up. She flung the phone onto her bed and curled into a little ball, little short breaths strangling her words and wet tears staining her cheeks. He called her back once, a week or something later, but she'd been at dinner, and didn't pick up. When "1 Missed Call" flashed in blue across the screen afterwards, she decided to ignore it. She wasn't in the mood.

Not long after that, on another Saturday night she shouldn't have been at home, her mom knocked slowly on the door.

"What is it?" she called in monotone, and the door swung open.

"Lily honey," she spoke sadly, "Oliver's Grandpa died today. The wake is on Monday, and we're invited." She waited a moment, but Lily just stared back at her, not sure what to think of this change in situation. The door was shut soon after, leaving her alone, again.

In the quiet of her bedroom she whispered, "Damn it, Oliver," and went to bed.

A/N: Well now, Lily just might have to talk to Oliver again if she's going to his Grandfather's wake. I'm quite excited for Chapter Ten, though. I'll give you a hint. It involves a very important conversation that gives us a new perspective and a very sneaky teenager. I understand that this chapter is hardly one for reviews, so you're off the hook until next time. Don't forget to check out my other stories. =) Happy almost back-to-school.