Author's Note: Did I ever mention how much I love my readers? Well, I do. You guys are my inspiration to keep moving forward with this. Hopefully I won't let you down. (Fingers crossed.)

…

Hanging upside down from my couch I let the blood rush to my head. Outside it is freezing (for California weather). My homework is left unfinished on my coffee table. I don't feel like worrying over math homework just yet. The TV plays a commercial for face cream and no one is home.

Jackson- out on a date.

Dad- in a meeting.

Me- bored out of my skull.

I fall off the couch and land on my side. I yawn and reach for my phone. Lily is at work but she should be getting off soon. I dial her cell quickly and wait. My new Hannah song Clear blasts as I wait. I hum along and run a finger through my hair.

"Hey this is Lily! Here comes the- Beep!"

I laugh at her high pitched voice. "Hey you, I was calling to see if you wanted to hang out over my place but I guess the library if keeping you. Tell Heather, the evil one aka your boss, not to be so hard on you. Anyway! Call me back when you can." I make a kissy noise into the phone and then toss it onto the couch. It makes a thud and then silence. The TV goes black for a moment before the next commercial appears, it's for cold medicine. I slowly open my math book and give a sigh. Homework it is.

Ten minutes and one math problem later my phone is ringing. Seeing Lily's name my heart jumps and I quickly open it. "Hey!" I smile into the pink phone.

"Hi." Her voice is tired. "Work was crap. I got stuck on return duty. Did I mention I hate Heather?"

"Oh once or twice." I giggle.

"It's good to hear your voice." Lily sighs into the phone. "Especially after a rough day."

"Same here buddy."

I can hear her Schuyler Fisk CD playing in the background of her car as she drives. Lily has often remarked that's the only CD that can ease her nerves after a long day. We are quiet. "We should do something tomorrow." Lily suggests.

"Movie night!" I shout pumping my arm up in the air.

"Movie night!" Lily agrees shouting back.

"I'll supply everything you just have to show up." I tell her. Lily and I confirm times and plan it out, as I hang up my dad walks in. He waves and sheds his coat. Giving up on math I decide to call it a night. Putting away my books I stretch my stiff muscles and yawn again. Where have the days gone?

Oliver is acting weird, well, weirder then usual. He has hardly spoken to me or Lily. This is strange because normally he'll greet Lily and me as we park Pinkerton. But today he takes one glance at Lily and then runs off. Lily is even acting extra jumpy. Every time I try to touch her shoulder or take her hand she'll jolt up and blush and apologize. It's all very peculiar.

I corner Oliver in between third and fourth period. "Okay Oken, what is up with you and Lily?" I stand with my hands on my hips glaring down at him.

Oliver shuts his locker holding his Spanish book; I've never seen his eyes so clouded with sorrow. He just shrugs. "Why don't you just go ask your girlfriend."

He doesn't look angry, he looks sad. I open my mouth but Oliver holds up a hand. "Save it Miley, I've had a rough night." With that said he walks off, shoulders hunched over and looking altogether broken.

For an odd reason my heart jumps up in my throat and my stomach twists up into a large knot. Lily is walking to French when I grab her hand and drag her to the nearest girl's bathroom. The late bell rings but I could care less about class.

"Oliver knows!" I hiss after checking the stalls to make sure no one is ease dropping.

Lily nods. "I told him last night. He came to my house."

"So… so is he mad?" I ask nervously.

Lily scratches behind her ear. "Not exactly."

"Please tell me there's more to that statement." I frown staring as Lily shifts her weight from one foot to the other.

"Oliver came to my house last night to confess something… and well…"

"Just say it!"

"He likes me."

My heart stops beating. The hairs on my arms stand up. What?

"Oliver came over told me how he felt and I sort of blurted out that you and I are together." Lily says looking around the bathroom.

"Is there anything else or is that all?" I ask still feeling as though someone is clutching my insides.

"… He kissed me."

No.

No!

No!

He can't have her. He's not allowed to kiss, or touch Lily. I'm the only one who is privileged enough to know the feel of her lips. Not Oliver, never Oliver. I lick my lips quickly and glance at her. Lily is staring at me looking pitiful and sad.

"I'm sorry Miley. I didn't ask him to, I pushed him away and told him about us. But its Oliver, he's my best friend."

"So are we breaking up?!" I shout throwing my hands out.

"What? No, no! All I'm saying is that Oliver is hurting right now and maybe we shouldn't flaunt our relationship at him."

I'll flaunt if I want to! "So because of Oliver I can't kiss you around him or touch you? That's… that's just stupid."

Why am I acting like this?

"Why are you acting like this?" Lily snaps.

"I don't know!" I say, frustrated. Because I'm scared I'm jealous and I think you might run off with him and leave me behind.

Lily walks over and cups my cheeks. "Miley." She says completely serious, her eyes blazing into mine. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm in this, I'm here because I love you and I want you."

How does she read my mind like that? Am I that transparent? "Good." I breathe out. Lily smiles and kisses me. We embrace tightly, she smells like lavender today. "So how long do we have to be good around Oliver?" I ask as we pull apart.

"I really don't know. I was thinking of talking to him today."

My throat closes up. "Can I come with you?"

"Why?" Lily asks.

"I just… I want to be there." I state firmly. If I'm standing next to Lily he won't try anything. I couldn't handle him kissing her again.

"Okay we'll grab him at lunch then." Lily says. "Hopefully he's clamed down a little."

"Was he angry with you?" I wonder aloud taking Lily's hand.

"Not like that!" Lily assures me. "He was just… distant… a little too quiet. It scared me. I mean Oliver's always had my back. We've been friends for so long. I'd hate to see all of that thrown away just because I love you."

Her eyes are downcast. "He'll come around." I smile wrapping an arm around her shoulders. I kiss her cheek and she looks up at me with her deep ocean eyes and grins.

"You're right. It just takes time."

Oliver finds us first. He's eyes are a darker brown then I remember but he just tells us to meet in the empty classroom across the court yard. We follow and close the door behind us. Oliver stands in the dark room with his hands deep in his pockets.

"I'm sorry." He whispers. "I'm sorry I kissed you Lily and for acting immature. I accept you guys, because you two are my best friends."

It's funny, but Oliver is staring at Lily, not me as he talks. I listen as he goes into detail about how stupid he's been acting today. I forgive him, maybe a little too quickly and Lily, after a moment, nods her head and accepts it. But, and as hard as this is to admit, I don't think anything will ever be the same after this. After we leave this darkly lit classroom we won't be able to just be anymore.

Things have changed. The grounds have shifted and our foundation as friends has cracked. Oliver still looks heartbroken as Lily takes my hand and leads me from the room. He trails behind, a tight smile on his face. And it's now as we sit in silence staring at our lunch trays that the awkward afternoons begin.

He loves her, and I can't blame him. Lily is the most loveable girl. I'm lucky. It's funny because usually Lily is the one, while running her finger's through my hair, to tell me how lucky she is to have me. The world makes sense with Lily in it and by my side. But seeing Oliver trudging along like a lost puppy makes my heart hurt.

I'm late to Mrs. Fredrick's class. She eyes me as I walk in just before the bell and take my seat. I start on another water color picture of flowers (today it's Carnations) I plan on putting them altogether in a large collage. Bonnie looks at me funny for a minute and then shakes her head.

She looks like she wants to ask me something. I set my paintbrush down and smile. "Bonnie?"

"Hum? Oh, hello Miley." She blushes and ducks her head, short strawberry hair covering her eyes.

"Is there something you wanted?"

"No." She replies a little quickly.

"Sure?"

"Positive."

I shrug and add a little more water to the flower to make it lighter. Maybe I'll color the leaves a darker green. Or, no, I've got it a yellow green! Excitedly I mix the yellow and green on my pallet and begin painting in the small leaves.

"Miley?"

I snap up, Bonnie is nervously fumbling with her hands and biting her lower lip. She meets my eyes for a spilt second and then looks down at her dirty black converse shoes.

"Yes?" I say a little aggravated, if I wait too long the water will dry on my paper.

"I was just wondering… about Lily?"

Lily?

"Are you two like a thing?"

Mouth open I feel like a fish out of water. "What?" I say breathlessly.

Bonnie checks around the room to see if anyone is looking or listening. She leans in and whispers. "It's cool if you are… I mean… I have two dads… so I know it can be hard."

Why is she talking to me about this? Not knowing how to respond I nod and turn back to my paint then look to Bonnie with a frown. "How did you…?"

"I'm not blind." She says with a small smile. I can't help it, but I'm laughing.

"You're not that bad Bonnie. And thanks."

She seems pleased and turns back to her project. I feel a strange sense of relief for the first time since this morning with Oliver. Maybe coming out to the student body won't be that bad. I've been dying to be able to kiss Lily out in the public eye. I've lost my momentum for working so I sit quietly and smile.

They are standing out by the lockers. Lily is talking, but I can't make out what she is saying. Oliver nods and then says something. Lily smiles. Oliver smiles. They hug. My jealousy flares but I breathe in, let it go. I wait for them to finish before I walk over. Oliver's eyes still looking distressed but his smile is true.

"Hey Miles." He greets.

I wave and Lily grabs me and pulls me close. "Everything okay?" I ask.

"Great." Lily promises. And we walk to English (Oliver standing off a little, not as close to us three days ago).

Lying out on Lily's deck we watch the sun set while seated in her wooden chairs. I'm in her lap and Lily is rubbing my back softly. What is it about sun sets that sober everyone? What it is that makes my body sigh with a release of the ending day? The horizon is on fire, a golden orange. The purple shade of night seeps through the cracks of the sun's rays, it is peaceful.

"I was thinking…" She begins whispering in my ear. "That maybe we could be more… open about our relationship at school. Now that Oliver and I have settled some things and our parents know… maybe…"

I look at her, turning only a little not to ruin the comfortable position. "Really?" I wonder softly.

"Yes." Lily says her beautiful blues captivating me. I can't help it; I kiss her gently, hands sitting respectfully on her shoulders while she wraps her arms around my waist. Lily's lips are like velvet: dark red, and smooth.

One… two… three… go! Nothing. Aggravated at myself I sigh deeply and grit my teeth (grin and bear it!) Lily is standing behind me. I feel her front pressed into my back. Her hands find their way around my middle and her head sits on my shoulder.

"Ready?"

NO! "Okay."

She laughs, body shaking slightly against my back. I shudder. "It doesn't seem like it. You know we don't have to do this today. We can take our time." Lily assures me.

"No, I want too." I say firmly.

Together we walk the hall. We are standing so close that are shoulders and arms are pressed right up against each others. Lily's air of self assurance is radiating off her and spreading warmth around and within me. If she is calm then I'm calm. The funny part? No one seemed to notice. Lots of girl-friends hold hands and hug.

But I'm not going to pin Lily up against the lockers to prove a point. The school can find out whenever they find out. The only exception: When I feel like kissing Lily, I'll do it without hesitation; I won't quickly scan the room to see if anyone is looking. Why should we be embarrassed? We are in love.

I have a sudden girlish desire to skip. We swig our arms back and fourth and head to class. Oliver meets us and we all walk together. This is easy, so easy. Lily and I are happy. The gray walls of high school no longer bear down on me. No longer do I feel like a caged bird. (Free! Free to be me!)

Lunch comes like a dream, soft and hazy. We are at the back table in the courtyard. The sun is smiling down us. The weather is cool. The trees sway in the gentle wind and Lily's hair takes on a life all of its own. I play with her curls, taming it from the growing wind. She laughs at something someone said. I pay it no mind. I'm in my Lily mood.

And then I do something drastic. I lean in slowly. I scoot closer to her on the bench. I'm wearing jeans today and a light pink shirt. Lily is dressed in her usual baggy shorts and tight green sweater. Her nails are painted a wild purple. I can do this. I can do this.

Who cares what they say.

Who are they anyway?

I kiss her.

They stop and stare.

They cringe and protest.

It happens fast. I pull back, Lily smiles. We share a secret look and then the two she devils appear.

"Did you seethat?" Ashley is pointing with her mouth wide open. Amber is wide eyed and shocked.

"Disgusting!" A voice rings out.

"Hot!" A senior boy smirks from the table next to us.

I take it back! I want to take it back! Why did I kiss her? Why couldn't I have waited? Where is my heaven now?

"Do you have a problem?" Lily asks nonchalantly.

"Uh yeah! You guys just freakin' kissed!" Amber bellows loudly, gathering more interest from passing students. Lily is the first to stand. I follow her example and get up as well, but almost tripping as I swing my leg out from the bench.

We take our trays and throw everything away. The school still ogles us. Lily turns to Amber and Ashley. I can't hear anything but my heart pounding.

"Are you going to answer?" Ashley shouts, eyes narrowing at us.

My throat is burning. My palms are sweating. Amber and Ashley stand tall next to me and Lily. I feel my insides clutching together. I've never been this struck, no words can express. Students passing by have stopped and begun to whisper and point. Oh kill me now. Eyes pierce into me (from the front, back and side, everywhere!).

I close my eyes, maybe I'm dreaming… but then I feel Lily's hand take mine. I become alert and pop my eyes open wide. She is smiling at me.

"So what." Lily says strongly. "Who cares what Miley and I are. Why does it matter that we are two girls?"

I have never felt so high.

"It's morally wrong!" A freshman boy speaks up from his group of friends.

"Who says?" Snarls Lily swinging around.

"The Bible!"

"God!"

Lily's grip on my hand tightens to a bone crunching state. I swallow and gag at my dry throat. "It shouldn't matter!" A voice rings out. Both Lily and I see Oliver pushing his way through the crowd. We smile as he takes a stand next to us.

"Why do you two have to be so cruel?" I ask glaring down at Amber and Ashley. "Why is it any concern of yours who I'm in love with?"

No one speaks. (Judge not, what you don't understand. What you can't understand.)

Amber snorts. "This is ridiculous."

Ashley smirks. "Totally. I mean Lily I can understand that, but Miley?"

"Well it's not like she had a mother around to teach her right from wrong in that department." Amber laughs.

SMACK! (Contact between a fist and a face.)

It's not like it is in the movies. In reality it all goes by so fast. I didn't get a second to pull Lily back. With her blood boiling and temper flaring she ran right up to Amber and punched her good and hard in the face.

Down on the ground and too shocked for words Amber just holds a hand over her eye and gapes. Ashley runs to her aide. But Lily stands, face red. "You don't ever speak to her like that again!" Lily screams. "Don't even look at her!"

Like wildfire student's voices ring out into the grasslands of our school.

"Did you see it?"

"Right in the face!"

"She deserved it!"

"Those lesbians are crazy!"

"Call the principal!"

Too much, too much chatter, mindless meaningless conversations. "Miley!" My hazy cloud of confusion fades as Lily holds me close. "Miley, are you okay? I'm sorry."

"Miss Truscott and Stewart! Follow me!"

A fat teacher, Mr. Borrows, drags Lily away from me. I walk behind not knowing what to think. Will we be suspended? Lily looks infuriated as we are escorted in the office. She sits, arms crossed tightly across her chest and slouching slightly in the stiff chair. I sit up straight, head feeling dizzy.

Our principal, Charles Frost, is a slim man with dark eyes and gray hair. His thin lips turn down in a slight frown as he clasps his long fingers together. Mr. Burrows grunts that he will see to Ashley and Amber and then leaves us, alone. Mr. Frost flattens his navy blue tie and then stares at Lily.

"Miss. Truscott, would you care explaining why you felt the sudden urge to use violence as the answer to a disagreement with a fellow classmate?"

The back of my neck feels prickly. I scratch it and dart my eyes to Lily who crosses her legs and glares back with great intensity to Mr. Frost. "She had no right to speak to Miley that way."

"So why is it you sitting here, seconds from being suspended, and not Miley?" He asks leaning in, eyes turning an unpleasant black.

Lily gathers her pride and sits up. "No one has the right to speak to my girlfriend that way, and get away with it."

Before Mr. Frost can answer the office door opens quickly. "Ah… Mrs. Fredrick!" Mr. Frost exclaims bitterly.

"Charles." Mrs. Fredrick says, a hint of a smirk teasing her lips and lighting her green eyes.

"I knew somehow you were involved in this scandal." He sneers opening a file drawer and pulling out a cream colored file.

"She didn't do anything!" I say suddenly.

Mr. Frost turns to me and sighs. "Miss. Stewart, you have no need to stay, this matter concerns you not."

I look at Lily and she nods. "Go Miley."

I clench my fists together and swallow hard while shaking my head. "No. I'm in this. It's partly my fault. The punishment Lily receives is mine as well." I say, sounding stronger then I feel. Lily smiles and takes my hand.

"Enough!" Shouts Mr. Frost. "There will be no displays of affection in my school of your kind."

Mrs. Fredrick snorts. "Please Principal Frost; you can't be insinuating that these young girls have committed some sort of crime?"

"I believe punching a fellow student is indeed a crime… Jane." Mr. Frost smiles an ugly smile. A silent battle of dark and green eyes erupts between the two adult. Mrs. Fredrick never blinks. Mr. Frost clears his throat and turns the attention back to us.

"Now Miss. Truscott, you as of this moment are suspended from school grounds. Arrangements will be made for you to leave. I do not tolerate your kind of behavior." He jots down a quick note in the file and then closes it.

"Now wait a moment! What is the punishment for Miss. McGregor?" Mrs. Fredrick asks sternly walking closer to where Mr. Frost is seated.

"What should Ashley be punished for?" Mr. Frost glares standing up.

"For humiliating and verbally abusing a student!" Mrs. Fredrick reports, her voice hitching up just a little higher then her usual calm nature of speaking.

Mr. Frost's face twists up in a cruel smug grin. The look in his eyes makes me shudder. I've never gotten to known our Principal very well after all these years but I've always noticed a certain coldness to his presences. A particular icy chill that makes you stop dead in your tracks. Students don't mess around when Mr. Frost enters the room. Suddenly its winter, you make any sudden movements and you're stricken with the "frostbite."

"Oh Mrs. Fredrick, this is the reason why I brought you to my office." He pauses here dramatically. Lily and I share a quick confused look before Mr. Frost continues. "I thought maybe the girls would like to hear your side of this life choice."

Mrs. Fredrick's jaw tightens the muscles in her back arch and her eyes are burning pure hatred. Note to self: Never cross Mrs. Fredrick, because if looks could kill Mr. Frost would be dead and buried. (But maybe his skin would melt off first.)

Her hands form fists. I can see it, the battle ranging on inside of her. I don't understand what is happening, but I know he has crossed the line. I do the only thing I can, sit quietly and wait for it all to end.

"You… you have no right to talk to me about this." Mrs. Fredrick's voice is quivering slightly.

"I beg to differ, Janey."

"Don't call me that."

He smirks, it's a winning smile, he knows how to push her buttons. I know there is so much more to these people before me. I know that Lily and I are only catching the surface of their burning hatred. (This loathing runs deeper.)

"Mrs. Fredrick I can do as I please. Now take these girls away. They will both be suspended for fighting and flaunting inappropriate themes to the student body." His words sound final. Lily and I stand only to be knocked back to our seats as Mrs. Fredrick lets her rage loose.

"Inappropriate themes?!" She seethes. "Did you even see the whole fight? These girls have commented no foul crime. Although, yes Miss. Truscott should have kept her anger in check, but you have not heard both sides! You, Mr. Frost, are an incompetent pig! I will not stand by and watch you discriminate against student's sexuality!"

"Silence! End of discussion!" He barks eyes ablaze. But Mrs. Fredrick is set on her decision, she won't back down I can feel it. Lily is wide eyed as am I. We should speak up, we should direct the conversation away from this building tension but we can't it's a crash waiting. And I have a feeling there's going to be flames.

"No! Not 'end of discussion.' You can't push this aside!"

"No more! I won't hear it!"

"Oh what else is new?!" She spits sourly. "Charles won't listen!"

"Stop it! Stop it; you of all people do not have the right to speak to me in this manner. I can do what I like!" Mr. Frost yells pointing a long spider like finger at her.

Mrs. Fredrick lets out a loud sigh, her face is flushed a dark red. Her eyes are steaming. "I will not tolerate this." She declares.

Mr. Frost just smiles a haunting grin. "Oh but you must, Janey."

"I believe I told you not to refer to me as that." She hisses.

"Did I hit a nerve? Have I finally gotten to you? After all these years it would be a pleasure to know I've finally cracked the cold distant Mrs. Fredrick, to know that I got under your skin. Is this your weak spot? Is it Janey, isn't that what she called you?"

"You are a monster." She whispers. "A monster to bring her up."

"And you are a hypocrite! You took everything! Everything that was supposed to be mine!" Mr. Frost shouts.

Mrs. Fredrick, wasting no time, slams her hand on his desk. "She didn't love you!"

CRASH!

It's happened, it's there, they have collided together with the truth, whatever it meant that Mrs. Fredrick referred too, it's done.

Tension twists like a knife in the back. A painful expression is bleeding across Mrs. Fredrick's and Mr. Frost's face.

"I think you better leave… Girls…" Mr. Frost shifts the discussion back to us. His face is blank now. "Girls… you will be given a new punishment. Now the three of you get out." Mrs. Fredrick whips around on her heel and storms off, her long blue dress and shawl trailing on after her.

Lily and I race out of the office, still dazed and confused as to what we just witnessed. Is it true? My mind is an open dam flooded with new questions. Lily looks at me. "What the hell just happened?"

I shrug. Time will tell.

……

Author's Note: Well… there's that. More is to come. And the funny part? In my first draft of the story there was no Mrs. Fredrick, honestly her story is only a minor section of the plot as a whole. Things to look forward too: Lots of angst, a little fluff, and answered questions. Leave your thoughts.