I'm running a little behind. AP Physics is kicking my butt right now. Gimme a few minutes to try and finish off December.
Thanks.
November:
The large table full of diners was nearly silent. All conversations were conducted with hushed tones and only between direct neighbors. Lilly's eyes were glued stolidly on her plate – she refused to make eye contact with Miley, who sat across from her. Miley, on the other hand, had her eyes trained on Lilly's forehead, trying to will the other girl into looking back.
Thanksgiving was never this awkward in the past, Lilly complained mentally. She just couldn't bring herself to look Miley in the eye. It just hurt too much. To find out your best friend is gay from the friend's ex-boyfriend and never hear it from your friend's mouth…
"Lilly… Can I talk to you?" Miley whispered, voice low enough so that nobody else would take notice.
"Oh, so now you want to talk to me?" Lilly bit back, bitter.
"Please." Miley insisted.
Lilly relented, though her feelings were still bruised, "Where?"
"Can we go to Rico's?"
"It won't be open today." Lilly responded. "Though you probably wouldn't remember that."
Miley had the decency to look wounded; Lilly felt marginally better.
"Okay… I guess I deserved that." Miley's tone was low; Lilly felt marginally worse.
"Let's go." Lilly pushed her seat back from the table, not bothering to make an excuse to their confused family members.
The moon hung in the sky, surrounded by clouds and dimly blinking stars. Lilly shivered slightly in the cool near-Winter breeze. She hadn't bothered to pull a sweatshirt on when leaving the house, and almost regretted the lack of action.
"Lilly, I think I owe you an apology."
Lilly cocked an eyebrow, "Ya think?"
Miley nodded, "I think."
Lilly crossed her arms, almost defensive, "Whatever for?"
"I, well… Lils, I think I'm gay." Miley cleared her throat uncomfortably.
"Yeah, I know." Lilly spat out. "I had the honor of hearing it Jake Ryan about a month ago. Not from you."
"I wasn't sure…" Miley started.
"I told you first thing. Before anybody else, Miley Rae Stewart. You could have had the decency to return the favor." Lilly made sure to keep a healthy distance between the two of them.
"I'm sorry, Lil! I just didn't want to do this over the phone…"
"And you with all your thousands of dollars could come home for one freakin' weekend to see me and chat." Lilly felt better for getting this out into the open. It had been festering in her heart for a long time.
Miley hung her head, "I was afraid, Lil."
"Of me? I came out to you; I would love and accept you no matter what."
"Yes." Miley's head couldn't get any lower.
"I don't want to hear it, Stewart. You hurt me and I will not let you do it again." Lilly turned her back on Miley.
"What's the real problem here?" Miley yelled, her meekness taking the backseat to her confused anxiety.
"You." Lilly retorted.
"There's obviously something going here, if you're giving me this big a cold shoulder for something so stupid!" Miley riposted.
"Maybe there is." Lilly sniffed. "Maybe there isn't."
"So what is it?" Miley latched her hand onto Lilly's arm. "What?"
Lilly stared at the hand. "It should have been me."
She shook her arm free and ran from Miley as fast as she could.