A/N: I didn't write quite as much for this chapter. Ah well. No biggie. At least I got it done. Chapter 8 of The Angel Of Death is up. I don't know when i'll update next. I know that I have plenty of ideas for a storyline, and I think I figured out today how it's all going to flow.
Truscott: Well, if you liked the last chapter, you'll hate this one. Especially the ending. I've got yet another twist. :D
Wade: The day I got your reply, I reread it four times. I have to say, I've thought long and hard about how to respond to this review of yours. You may question and disagree with my belief that children turn out like their parents speech...but I am adamant. Biologically, there is a thing that humans are made of: DNA. DNA of a human baby cannot exist without one strand from the mother and one from the father. No matter what you do to try and raise the child, he will inherit physical, mental, and emotional traits from his father that are completely unforeseen in the eyes of the mother. You say it doesn't always happen in real life, but you'd be scared to find out how often children are exact replicas of their parents. The sons are like their fathers; the daughters are like their mothers. Even aunts and uncles and grandparents figure into the family tree and trait development. Scientifically, we are doomed to obtain some, if not all, of our parents mannerisms and ideas. Had Miley not aborted the baby...her life would literally be fucked. She wouldn't be able to return to school; she'd have a child to take care of. Her father wouldn't be able to support the child, no matter how much he'd try; remember, he struggles to eke out a living. The child would end up in foster care or an orphanage. Not a good way to go. Miley would forever have that guilt. Then there's the growth factor. The child would forever resent his father for being scum, his mother for not providing better, himself for being born, his peers for the taunting, his God for damning him to hell's fires. Whether or not the father played into it...the man still factors in. You cannot simply disregard the father from the equation; you cannot create a child with only an egg and an empty chromosome. Biology class states such. It would most certainly have reason, given the upbringing situation. It could very well have turned out to be an emo, a druggie, a rapist, one of those troubled kids in high school who suddenly goes ballistic and brings a gun in to kill everyone. The baby is only pure and innocent so long as the bad gene doesn't exist. Surprisingly, I am pro-life. But nobody, NOBODY, should ever have to deal with the consequences of a rape baby. Ever. No matter who you are or how much you claim you could love the child. And while children can learn from their parents and their mistakes, it only serves to reinforce the simple biological truth that children will inevitably replicate their parents as they grow and learn and mature. The only thing that could make the child healthy and whole is if he had the drive to change himself, but that drive would have had to be instilled by a terrible parent. Miley would have to beat the child, abuse him, leave him broken, just the way my grandparents did to my own parents, so that they would break the mold and become better people as a result. Keep in mind, my intention was not to shoot down your argument; you claimed that mine was flimsy, but there was no way to legitimately state this within the context of the story. It wouldn't fit. I couldn't simply list all of this; there was too much there. It all had to be either implied or deduced or otherwise researched outside of the story's context. I'm not trying to be a prick or a bitch; I've learned that arguments are not to define a winner, but to come away enlightened. You're right: I didn't create a very realistic situation, nor did I accurately defend my argument. Hopefully I changed that opinion with this reply. :)
xxDarkAngelBabyxx: Well, hopefully this is ASAP enough for you. :)
desertstormx: Ah, but Kitten is so much like his father it's scary. Look at the similarities. Look at what they fight for. They're the same person on opposite ends of a debate. As for the drama in this story...this chapter begins the surfacing of more drama and pain. Yikes. But enjoy. :)
Katherine: Ahaha...you won't be thinking that after this chapter.
Morbid Crow: Some might say otherwise. And, oh yes, there is a ton of drama revealed on the first day back. I debated leaving the drama until Tuesday, but this had to be said ASAP. It creates a deeper conflict, one that only becomes more pronounced as I continue to add my twists. There is at least one more twist after this chapter. Possibly two. And...a very uncomfortable scene coming up around Chapter 15 or 16 if I plan it right. I'm debating on a sequel; it depends on popular demand and what kind of story I could create to follow this one. ;)
SGM: As I told Crowy, there's possibly two large ones left, not counting this chapter. Then there's the uncomfortable scene. I'll denote when the uncomfortable scene comes up; it'll be in my Author's Note at the beginning of the chapter and I'll put in the line-break-thingy as a sort of precaution. I don't want to weird out my readers if they come across something that doesn't agree with them. As for the relationship...truthfully, all Lilly's looking for is a source of security and companionship that she lacks. Miley seems to show signs of what she's looking for...but are the signs real, or a mirage? I'm not trying to confuse you, I just always want you to be asking "What if?", ya know?
Right. I've typed enough for one day. I'll have a post-chapter follow-up note, but for now...enjoy Chapter 11.
Chapter 11: Meeting The Maker
Lilly finally decided to open her well-rested eyes when the sun was high in the sky and the air was warmer than normal with the promise of summer's approach. She blinked once, then let her eyes trace idly over Miley's features. She looked gorgeous, even while sleeping; her hair had a light tangle added to its curls and she still hung onto Lilly's now-numb arm as though it were a lifeline. Lilly smiled.
"Miiileeeeey," she called gently. The brunette shook her head and pulled the blonde's left arm toward her body. Lilly giggled. Her next action was to place a small kiss on Miley's nose, which crinkled a bit from the touch. The next kiss met a cheek.
The next met soft, waiting lips. Lilly could tell from the way Miley held herself back that the brunette had been looking forward to more kissing.
Wait. Lilly didn't even know the girl before her. She pulled away slightly, gazing into Miley's eyes, which opened in curiosity upon break of contact.
"Miley...is this real?"
The brunette nodded, eyes wide with seriousness. Lilly sighed gently.
"I feel like I don't know you all that well, yet here I am kissing you. I...I just don't know. I want to know who you are, Miley...who you've become. All I know is the way you used to be as a girl. Now you're a woman. So much changed. I want to know you...the real you, not the rumors I hear around school that you never sleep or that you're dating Jake Ryan."
Miley smiled at the last statement. Lilly had known it wasn't true to start with, but now that Miley found it humorous, she felt just as relieved as she felt relaxed. Miley had a way of doing that to her. The blonde could never understand what it was Miley did to her, but she sure didn't want to complain.
"I want to know you, Miley. I want to know I'm going to be safe. I don't want to be that scared little girl like I was all those years ago, looking for an arm to cling to."
Lilly realized she shouldn't have said it once it was out of her mouth. For Miley had not released her grip on Lilly's numb arm. Miley, however, was unperturbed. She only served to lace her fingers in between Lilly's.
"I shouldn't have said that."
It doesn't matter, really Miley scribed on her hand. Lilly got better and better at interpreting the letters, and Miley only got better and better at writing them. It would take a while for Miley to be able to communicate in such a way with Lilly perfectly, but they could have cared less. So long as they were learning about each other and had plenty of kisses coming, all would work itself out in the end.
"So...what's changed since you were in grade school?"
Miley shrugged. Another kiss met Lilly's lips; she took this to mean that they'd talk about it later. Miley seemed very affectionate, very clingy, almost as though she were unstable. Lilly didn't like that.
"Miley, are you alright?"
Scared.
"Of?"
Losing you.
Lilly smiled gently at her. "Miley, you don't have to worry about that. I'm not going anywhere," Lilly promised. Miley looked relieved, but melted even further with the deep, passionate, lip-sucking kiss Lilly graced her with. It was like heaven in a box. Lilly never wanted the moment to end. Ever.
(time lapse)
The remainder of the week passed by without much interruption. Lilly spent most of her time in bed, her laptop propped on her lap. Her clothing consisted of a short night shirt and a thong. If she ever needed the facilities or food, it was very easy to slide herself into the wheelchair that sat waiting beside the bed, roll the chair around with her foot and left hand, and accomplish what she needed to. Sometimes, Max gave her a helpful push where she needed to go. He had begun talking with her often while in the privacy of her room, talking about anything. Lilly had asked why at one point, and the answer nearly brought her to tears.
"I don't want to lose my big sister. She's my role-model, no matter what mom and dad say."
So innocent, so pure, so naïve was he. Nothing Lilly could do but feel appreciated for once. Well, twice, given Miley, but she definitely felt more self-confident with her brother's added emotional support and dependence. Part of her wished he wouldn't care so much. Part of her felt very glad that someone in her family did.
It was with a fair amount of stress that Lilly got herself dressed for school, though she had opted for shorts that flared slightly at the knee so that she could fit the mass of gauze and bandaging within her clothing. A blanket covered her lap and her brother wheeled her out the door. The junior high school was right across the street anyways and he had been happy to assist her in getting to school. She would have to navigate classes, but there was always Miley for that. It was with glowing azure eyes that Lilly met Miley at the front gate and said goodbye to her younger brother.
"I missed you," Lilly said quietly, feeling relieved and excited that she could finally see Miley again. The brunette smiled and once again resorted to her whiteboard to speak.
I missed you too. I...I told my daddy about us, and he's really happy. He said that he saw it coming.
Lilly chuckled. "So that's what he meant."
Miley gave her a questioning look. Lilly shook her head, smiling. "It's not important." And truly, it wasn't. Mildly humorous, but not important.
"So, what class are you off to?"
Pre-cal. They gave me math bright and early in the morning. I guess it's the school's way of saying that I need to wake up.
"Yikes. That stinks. My first class is P.E. Thankfully I'm on injury leave. Means I get to sit out for a while. I dunno how they'll grade me, but I don't have to do it."
She smiled up at Miley, who shook her head, a grin on her face. You're...amazing.
"Is that a bad thing?"
No.
"Then why does it matter?"
Because you should know how much you mean to me.
If Lilly were butter, she would have melted into her chair. Miley was so sweet and kind, totally opposite of what she had been when she was a little girl. Lilly decided she'd have to open up more with Miley; the kisses had only been tentative. Love-struck, sure, but tentative. Miley deserved better, right? After all, wasn't she making an honest attempt for Lilly's sake?
Still...there was that nagging feeling in the back of her conscious mind...
Lilly brushed it off as nothing. She had Miley. That was all that mattered.
The brunette grasped hold of the wheelchair's handles and pushed the blonde into the school. Instantly, Miley was flogged with curious nobodies and nosy twits that hadn't bothered to investigate her absence and waited instead until she returned. Her head had regained its natural color, but the stitches had yet to be removed.
"Miley, what happened?"
"Where were you?"
"What's on your head?"
"How come you didn't come over last weekend?"
"Where were you for practices?"
"The competition is in less than a month!"
"I hope you've been practicing."
"Enough!" Lilly cried. Everyone looked at her, glaring angrily. Miley laid a hand on Lilly's shoulder, squeezing it gratefully.
"Who the fuck are you?"
"That's the Truscott bitch."
"You mean the retard?"
"Yeah, the stupid one. I heard she smokes weed."
"I heard she's trailer trash."
"What the fuck are you doing hanging with this slut, Miley?"
The words stung Lilly's emotions. "Fat lot you know," she said haughtily.
"Excuse me?" a dark-skinned woman standing before her asked. "Do you know who I am?"
"Amber Addison. Head of the ASB and biggest slut in the school. If you truly cared about Miley, you would have asked her about her absence long before today."
Amber scoffed. "You have no right to talk to me that way, Truscott. You're trash, remember?"
Lilly was neglect to answer. The name-calling didn't bother her anymore. She just smiled at Amber.
"That, right there, proved to me how little you truly know about me."
"I don't need to know that much about you to know that you're nothing."
"Apparently, I must be somewhat of a something in order for your beloved Miley to be carting me around in a wheelchair."
"Which reminds me: Miley, what the fuck are you doing hanging with this?"
No response.
"What, did she tell you to shut up?"
No response.
"Are you ignoring me?"
"Well, honestly, I can't even ignore you and I'm trying my very hardest," Lilly said plainly. Amber glared at her.
"What the fuck does that mean?"
"It means that Miley can't talk. Not 'she doesn't want to', Amber. She can't."
"Since when?"
"Since the car crash that nearly killed us on Sunday afternoon in the pouring rain."
The faces of everyone in the group paled. Lilly blinked, still maintaining a very calm, very dignified gaze with Amber's shocked eyes.
"Yeah, scary, isn't it? To think that you almost lost Miley. What a shame. She could have been dead all this time and you wouldn't have known. Bless your souls, you must feel so proud."
"Who the hell are you to be speaking for Miley?" Amber asked pointedly, regaining her composure for a minute.
"I was in that car. Or did you not hear me earlier? The car crash that nearly killed us. She wasn't the only one, Amber. Not only that...she saved my life, at the price of her voice. Now, if you're done being a stupid bitch, you can please get yourself and your cronies out of our way; we have some classes we'd like to attend, and you're preventing us from moving."
The chair moved forward slightly and the knot untied, a large fissure splitting it wide open. Miley easily pushed Lilly's chair through the gap and maneuvered them down the hall of English classrooms. Miley laid her whiteboard gently on Lilly's lap and knelt beside the blonde as they sat beside the wall.
Thanks for that.
"Miley, it's my job to look out for you. Just like you're so determined to look out for me."
I'm partly responsible. I should have been more careful that day in the rain.
"It doesn't matter. You're trying to fix it now. That's all I care about. That alone means more to me than anything."
Miley smiled and tucked a strand of Lilly's soft, blonde hair behind her ear. Lilly suddenly felt very conscious of the fact that she'd managed to get a shower the night before, having taken extra care to not reinjure her already-damaged arm and heavily-bandaged leg. The simple feeling of cleanliness was the best feeling in the world to her.
Lilly...promise me you'll try and pay attention in class. I think you can learn a lot if you sit and write some notes, even if they don't seem to make sense.
"Miley, my writing is atrocious. How will I ever read my own scripture?"
Miley bit her lip. I can help teach you how to change your writing to look nicer...
"No, you're doing enough already," Lilly stated adamantly. Miley shook her head.
I'm not doing enough for you, Lilly. I owe it to you...I don't want to lose you.
"You won't lose me, Miley," Lilly replied quietly, resting her head against Miley's. The brunette sighed.
I always worry that I'll somehow end up pushing you away.
"Miley."
The brunette looked up. Lilly took the opportunity to grant Miley a light, soothing peck on the lips. "You don't have to worry about that. It would take a lot to push me away, more than you're capable and willing to do."
You think so?
"I know so," she replied. Miley smiled again.
You always know what to say to make me smile.
"Because I love it when you smile. It really lights up your eyes. They become the prettiest shade of green when you do."
Miley blushed. They do not.
"Do so. I'm looking at that shade of green right now."
Miley seemed compelled to gaze at Lilly's azure eyes, something which Lilly was happy to let her do. She never wanted the moment to end, but the loud, shrill cry of the bell made her groan in trepidation of the day to come.
"I don't want to go to class."
Miley giggled, even though no sound came out. Trust me. This day will be over soon enough. Hang with your friends at lunch; Lord knows mine will want my company. Then we'll head to your place after school to teach each other, right?
"Sounds like a plan."
Students began to flow into the halls. Lilly sighed.
"I just wish I had another."
Miley nodded, standing. I do too...so badly the whiteboard read.
The brunette pushed the chair into the doorway of Lilly's English classroom, giving her one final squeeze on the left shoulder before leaving. It was with a heavy heart that Lilly began her day, mentally rehearsing the speech she had already planned for her teachers that day. She groaned. It was going to be a long haul.
(time lapse)
Finally, the end of the day came around. It had been strenuous for Lilly, to say the least; she had pretty much been left to fend for herself and get to her classes in a semi-timely fashion; none of her teachers faulted her for showing up late. Her English teacher was thrilled when she showed up to join him for his first period conference time. They had a very lengthy discussion about writing and development of plotline. Lilly definitely felt very well educated after the discussion and was a bit relieved when the teacher called over to the PhysEd department to let them know that she was indeed on injury leave and that she was with him. The rest of the day had been far less interesting. Even lunch had been a drag; she hadn't even headed out to the quad to meet with her friends. She had no reason to. They would only pressure her. She hadn't even left her fourth period classroom until there were ten minutes left on the lunch hour, after which she went to fifth. Geometry after that and she was home free. Miley came and got her from the classroom, exhausted and gloomy, but seeing Lilly brightened her up considerably.
I missed not seeing you all day.
"I can agree with that," the blonde replied. Miley wheeled her from the classroom, out of earshot of the teacher.
"I don't know how I'm going to be able to do this every day, Miley. I'm exhausted."
Did you take notes?
"I wrote down everything. Everything."
Then you have every right to be tired. Note-taking is actually very stressful.
"How?"
You have to think about what you're writing. You also have to know what it means.
"Not necessarily...you're tutoring me, right?"
While that's true...you shouldn't rely entirely on me. There will come a day when I won't be there to teach you.
The thought scared Lilly for reasons unknown to her. Life without Miley beside her? She hated spending any kind of time away from the girl, let alone a life. Yikes.
"Miley...it was so hard going just today without seeing you. Especially...after Monday...and this morning."
Miley sighed. She had brought the chair out front of the school, stopping the chair's movement to kneel beside the blonde that sat in it.
It was hard for me, too...I just don't want to depend on you. I don't mean that to be a bad person or anything...I just want to be independent to some degree.
"We don't have to be one-hundred-percent independent, Miley. We can be dependent on each other, right? I mean, we kinda already are, but...you know what I mean?"
The brunette nodded. She moved to write something, but a shadow distracted her as it cast itself over her.
"Hey, Lilly," Oliver's voice said coolly. Miley glanced up at the boy, then jumped to her feet, putting some distance between them. Lilly was a bit disturbed by the behavior.
"What's up, Ollie?"
"What the hell happened to you?"
"Car crash."
Lilly felt just as frustrated with Oliver as she had with the bitch brigade from the morning. He hadn't even come looking for her during the week or the day. Only now that he saw her outside did he say anything.
"Who's the girl?"
"Miley Stewart."
He looked up at the brunette. Lilly watched his eyes twitch.
"I see..."
"Don't you know her?"
"I do...not personally, mind, but I do."
Lilly became suspicious. He was acting odd. So was Miley.
"Right...I'll see you tomorrow, Ollie," she said stiffly. He nodded and stalked away, looking extremely uncomfortable. Miley latched onto the handles of the wheelchair and began shoving it toward Lilly's house, which thankfully was within walking distance of the school. Silence followed them the whole journey.
"Miley, will you tell me what's going on?"
Finally, the door shut behind them. Miley shoved the chair down the hall and shut Lilly's door impatiently.
"What the hell has gotten into you?" Lilly asked, trying to look over her shoulder. Miley threw herself into Lilly's bed. Lilly was unnerved.
"Miley, please, talk to me."
The whiteboard earned a lot of scribbling. It's hard to say, Lilly...so very hard.
"Hard to say what? What are you talking about? What does Oliver have to do with this?"
Miley pounded her fist into the mattress. Her head came up and foggy, tear-streaked eyes met with Lilly's. Unsteady writing glowed against the white surface of the board.
"Miley, what could be so wrong to make you like this?"
Lilly...do you remember what I told you? About the baby?
"What about it?"
He was the one.
"What one?"
Miley gazed helplessly at Lilly. It finally smashed into her like a freight train, leaving her crushed and limp.
"Oliver...Oliver raped you that night...a-and got you pregnant...didn't he?"
The look on Miley's face said it all.
Two time-lapses in one chapter is a bit counter-productive, but I had no reason to write about the day. Nothing eventful ever happens at school, right? Ehehehe...it may just come back to bite us later on. Anyways, I'm glad I got this out, even if it's hard for some to believe or think about. Does it just fly in the face of everything you know, or what? Then again...isn't Oliver the one guy friend that Lilly can trust with her life? Scary thought there. Reviews are always nice. Thanks for reading, and I love you guys. ~Kyttin