CHAPTER NINE

November 21st

This was a bad idea! I'd decided that a long time ago, I'd been telling myself that for the last two weeks... And yet I was still here. Two days before Miley's 17th birthday - only one more year and she would be 18 - and... Funnily enough, two days before Matthew's first birthday. Miley and Matthew share a birthday. I thought he was meant to be less than a month old at Christmas, but I guess Stella was wrong about that too, along with her ability to be a mother.

"Bubba?" I looked down to Matthew, he was going to have a party on Sunday with the kids from his kindergarten. Miley was going to have her party tomorrow - Saturday.

"You wanna see MiMi, Bud?" I knelt down to his level, it was quite cold today despite it only being November and the fact that we live in California. I fixed his little coat absently whilst he just stared at me curiously, he was holding the gift I'd chosen for her two weeks ago. I couldn't help it, I saw it and I had to get it for her.

"MiMi!" Matthew squealed, dropping the carefully wrapped gift and clapping his gloved hands together. I smiled and shook my head, he couldn't even remember the last time Miley was around him, but he was completely in love with her too. I picked the gift up and carefully dusted it, not that it would be broken.

"Yeah, MiMi." I smiled sadly, this was beyond selfish. Miley was happy with Gabe, sure the stupid boy needed some prodding, and at times detailed instructions, but she was smiling more. I shouldn't be bringing myself back between them again, especially since I was the 'anonymous' person who had to tell Gabe how to woo the woman I love. "You give this to Miley." I carefully place the gift back in his little hands. "Matty give this to Miley." I pointed the girl out and I knew the second he saw her from the way he seemed to light up. We were at the beach and Miley was there with Lilly, Oliver and Gabe, sitting at the snack bar where Jackson Stewart was working. Matthew pouted his lips in concentration, his brow furrowing a little. "Matty give this to Miley." I repeated, he's only a baby after all, he could only follow simple instructions. Hell, he'd only been walking without having to hold onto something for a week.

"MiMi!" Matthew beamed, taking a couple of steps towards her. I nodded encouragingly so he kept going.
I hid like a creeper behind a tree and watched my baby brother approach Miley, he tugged on her jeans and almost fell over in the process. I was far enough away that I couldn't hear what she said, but she undoubtably recognised my baby boy as she knelt in front of him. Matthew instantly threw his arms around her neck. I could see her friends were confused, Lilly looked worried, Gabe was frowning, but Miley was just scanning her eyes around the beach; looking for me as she tentatively held Matthew. It was a moment before Matthew proudly presented her with the gift, Miley hesitated to take it, but eventually she did when his bottom lip started to tremble and I knew he was giving her his puppy eyes. God, that kid has a killer set of puppy dog eyes, I could hardly ever say no to him.

Miley said something to her friends before saying something to Matthew which made him point in my direction. I held my breath as she started towards me, leaving her brother, her friends and her boyfriend behind. When she got to me Matthew was nestled happily in her arms and smiling contentedly. Miley bit her lip nervously whilst I scuffed my shoes in the sand.

"Happy birthday." I mumbled, gesturing to the gift.

"Thanks." She went from biting her lip to licking them. God, those lips! "He's getting big, huh?" Matthew was quite content in her arms with his head on her should and his hand absently on her breast. What I wouldn't give to trade places with my youngest brother.

"Yeah." I reached out and smoothed his head back from his forehead. "You two, uh... You two actually have the same birthday." I told her, watching her beautiful eyes widen.

"So, I guess that won't be an easy date to forget then, huh?" Miley tried to joke, but I couldn't help but catch the hurt. The day Matthew turns two is the day that she turns 18 and is a legal adult...

"Yeah..." I agreed, God, this is awkward. "Sorry, I didn't want to upset you." I denied truthfully. "I just saw it and thought of you." My eyes flittered down to the gift.

"You didn't have to." She shook her head, her caramel hair flying a little with the motion.

"You should get back." I looked away instead, gesturing to where her boyfriend was.

"Right." Matthew whimpered a little and reached out for Miley when she handed him back to me, but a kiss on the cheek was easy to pacify him. "Stay handsome, Little Man." He giggled at her attention before she turned to me.

"We-we're having a party on Sunday." I blurted out without thinking. "Not that he'll remember it or anything."

"Sounds fun." Miley commented, absently fingering the wrapping paper.

"Yeah, you know, you don't have to, but Matthew would be happy if you were there."

"Wan' pway?" Matthew piped up at the mention of his name. Thankfully by now I learned to repress the shudder every time he said that.

"Well, of course I want this little heartbreaker to be happy." She smiled affectionately, but her eyes were sad as she looked at me.

"You don't have to." I shook my head. "He's turning one, he won't even remember it." I excused, swallowing thickly. "And Mom'll be there, and the Professor-"

"God, you still have that damn spider?" Miley half smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, the damn spider his older than this kid." I defended, remembering the week I found in the shower... More specifically the week Miley was naked and found him in the shower.

"And a lot more poisonous." She pointed out, this time I rolled my eyes.

"You know you love-" I started, but then I just melted. Jeez, I sound like some stupid romance novel or something, but right now I didn't care because right now Miley was kissing me.
Her lips were soft and sweet as she kissed me, standing on her toes, one hand around my neck. I let my arm that wasn't holding Matthew cup her face as I kissed her back. This is what I should feel every time I kiss Daisy.

All too soon Miley's lips were gone and I had to keep my eyes closed for a second, hoping it wasn't just my imagination. When I eventually did force my eyes open I saw Miley with her eyes dark and half-lidded as she licked her lips again.

"I'll, uh..." She blushed, her tan cheeks turning an endearing pink. "Bye." And with that she turned on her heel and went back to her boyfriend. Fuck, I hate Gabe.

"MiMi!" Matthew waved, bringing me out of my stupor.

"Joe really loves Miley." I let out a sigh as I watched her for another few moments.

What I Go To School For

November 24th

Come Monday morning my eyes were drawn the clattering noise and sparkling shine as Miley sat at her desk. She didn't end up coming to Matthews party yesterday, but there was a neatly wrapped little gift on my doorstep with her handwriting. Miley was wearing the charm bracelet I gave her for her 16th birthday again, with the two charms I'd gotten for her 17th birthday; one was a tiny little pitchfork to represent our Hallowe'en tryst and the fact that I'm the devil in this situation; the other was a broken half heart, the other half of which was settled on the dog tags she'd gotten me from New York at New Years. She was also wearing the other gift; a necklace with a white gold heart pendant with diamonds that had two small hearts inside it that were linked together made of yellow gold and rose gold. It had cleaned out half the savings I'd made over the last year and a half, but it was worth it to see it hanging around Miley's neck on Monday. Besides, I still had the other half and my trust fund from my grandparents.

"What's that?" I was brought back to reality by the scandalised demand of a certain swimmer.

"It's a gift." Miley's eyes flickered in my direction for a second, her hand going to cover the heart pendant. "From a friend."

"Friends don't give friends diamonds." Gabe countered, tugging her hand away. I clenched my hands against my desk to keep from reacting. This wasn't part of the plan, then again I didn't really factor in Gabe when I bought it. But, if he laid one finger on her in a less than friendly manner I couldn't be held accountable for beating the crap out of him. "That's someone saying they're in love with you." He accused, as if it was her fault, Miley can't help that she's loveable. "And you're wearing it which means you love him too."

"It doesn't mean anything." Miley denied, though she wasn't looking at Gabe or me when she said it. "It was a gift and I like it, Gabe, that's all that should matter." The warning bell rang, cutting off whatever Gabe was going to say in response.

"This isn't over." Gabe muttered, stalking out the door angrily.

"Boy is he insecure." Lilly rolled her eyes at Miley as they settled into their seats.

"Yeah." Miley hummed non-committally.

"Not wrong though." The blonde continued, "friends don't give friends diamonds unless they're in love with you." Well, I couldn't argue with that; I am in love with the woman. She's 17 now. Only one more year until she's 18. 556 days until she graduates to be precise. "And you never let anyone add charms to that bracelet, even the ones your Dad got you." Curse Lilly Truscott for being so observant, if only she paid that much attention in school she'd have a lot higher GPA. "It's that Jackass again isn't it?"

"Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, let's get this show on the road." I chose that moment to interrupt their conversation instead of just listening to it. "I have a baby brother to get back to who has developed a serious case of separation anxiety." I started writing on the board, trying not to smile when I thought about how being attached to Miley only made that necklace seem to shine brighter.

"I'll catch up, I've got a question about the homework." I heard a familiar Tennessee voice murmur when the bell rang for the end of class. I was sitting at my desk collecting last weeks homework as the kids left when I heard the door click shut and I was engulfed in silence.

"Hey." I let my eyes lift up to see her. "It looks good on you." That was the understatement of the century.

"Thanks." Miley blushed, unconsciously reaching up to touch the pendant. "Tell Matthew happy birthday for me?" She requested after a long moment of silence. "Sorry I wasn't there, I thought it would probably be better since your Mom was there and all."

"He loves the action figures you got him." I smiled a little before shrugging. "Well, he loves the wrapping paper, but I'm sure once he gets around to the toys he'll like them."

"It was nothing." She looked all abashed and adorable. "Nothing like this."

"It's worth it to see it on you." I resisted the urge to reach out and touch the heart around her neck. My heart was just as much hers as that one was. "I didn't mean to cause problems for you."

"I can handle Lilly." She dismissed, I don't know why that made me smile... Actually, yes I do; it's because she blatantly didn't mention her boyfriend.

"I meant Gabe." I cleared my throat and tried to wipe the smile off my face, but it just wasn't working.

"Oh, right." She blushed, "Gabe will get over it, he'll have to 'cause I'm not taking it off."

"You don't have to wear it for me." Although it did draw my eyes to her cleavage a lot more... Okay, so that was more of a reason for her not to wear it at school, but I liked it.

"I know, I'm wearing it because I want to." Miley started towards the door, I could see a couple of kids from my next class already waiting, but thankfully they stayed outside and they couldn't listen to what we were saying. "Thanks for the help, Mister Lucas." She flashed her pearly white teeth at me in a smile as she left.

"I don't know why she needs so much help, she has he best Math grades in the school." I heard one of the girls mutter as she walked to her desk.

Okay, sorry for the wait again. Good news is that the next chapter of Polar Express is almost finished so it won't bee as long for that.

I don't think that this segment of the series will be as long as the last one. That's not a guarantee, just a thought from the way this is progressing so far.
Warning, there will be both good and bad things coming up, so please don't hate me for it.

Smiler For Joe!

P.S: Moving Sucks!