Title: Sela Stella

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with Disney. 'Someday You Will Be Loved' is by Death Cab for Cutie, I definitely have no claim to that song, just a great admiration for the band's creative lyrics. The lyrics that Sela sings while waltzing are from 'Something' by the Beatles, always a classic.

A/N: This chapter is probably not what anyone was expecting, but hopefully you will still like it, as always thank you for supporting my writing and reading my stories!


Chapter 12: Someday You Will Be Loved

Hannah trudged up the driveway and made it around the house to the back porch, she was greeted with the sight of her brother sitting on the bench reading a magazine, and her dad standing there holding her rope ladder.

"I believe this is yours," Robby Ray handed his daughter the rope ladder and walked into the house in disappointment.

"Dad, someone knows my secret," Miley blurted out, feeling tears well up in her eyes, "and they're going to tell everybody."

"How did this happen?" Robby Ray turned around in the doorway to face his daughter.

"He followed us that night we didn't change limos, and took pictures, lots of them, see?" Miley opened the folder to show her father.

Robby Ray let out a low whistle at the sight of the pictures and kept shaking his head as he shuffled through them.

"They didn't even get your good side, not that you have one," Jackson put his two cents in but shut it when he saw the glare from his sister.

"And they're going to connect Miley and Hannah to Lilly and Lola – and Lilly is going to be so mad at me!" Miley moaned, upset.

"Now darling, Lilly could never hate you, you're best friends," Robby Ray reassured his grief-stricken daughter.

"Not anymore we aren't. We got into a fight and I kind of, threw the friendship bracelet she gave me at her and well – we haven't talked since," Miley admitted.

"What were you two fighting about that was so important you'd waste your friendship on it?" he asked curiously.

"Well –," Miley hadn't thought about telling her father the exact reason she and Lilly weren't speaking, but she couldn't lie to him. Evading the truth and hiding her feelings had gotten her into this mess, she needed to come clean, "I got jealous of Lilly and Scarlett, and tried to make Lilly choose but she refused and I wouldn't tell her why I was jealous so we ended up getting into a bigger argument and it ended when I chucked the bracelet at her."

"So what was the reason you were so jealous? Afraid you were losing your best bud to some new gal?" Robby Ray guessed.

"That was part of it, but there's more to it," Miley nervously started, not sure how to break the news to her father.

"More? How much more?"

"I was jealous of them being such great friends, and of them being girlfriends."

"Girlfriends like in Hey girlfriend! Or more along the lines of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de la Rossi?"

"Ellen, definitely Ellen," Miley admitted, a little disturbed by her dad's attempt to sound like a preppy teenage girl.

"That's what you get for moving to a more liberal state Dad, a more liberal daughter," Jackson once again interrupted from his place on the bench.

"It's not the state that changed me, it's Lilly, and I'd do anything to be with her," Miley confessed apprehensively to her father.

"Honestly I'd rather it be Lilly over any egotistical movie star any day," chuckled Robby Ray, "as long as you both love and respect each other, its fine with me. As for the Hannah mess, we'll make it through."

"It's not like we have any other options anyways," Miley muttered, resigned to her fate.

The Stewart family left the porch and retreated into their humble abode, it had been a long day and they needed some peaceful sleep.


The next afternoon Scarlett, disguised as Sela Stella, and Lilly similarly disguised as Lola Luftnagle, adorned in the crazy combo of colors that were Lola's trademark, called a limo to take them to the STAR recording studio downtown.

The girls said little to each other, tension was apparent between the couple and Scarlett had had a strained smile gracing her face for the past few days.

They exited the limo; thankful they could get to the studio and have something to do besides stare awkwardly at everything besides each other in the quiet car.

The paparazzi were anticipating Sela Stella's arrival and rushed forth to overwhelm the popstar and her girlfriend Lola with personal questions and suggest they kiss a few times for the camera.

As the not-so-happy couple entered the recording studio Sela heard someone shout "Fake!" and felt a powerful feeling of worry cloud her heart.

Lilly sat patiently by the soundboard, fiddling with the friendship bracelet Miley had thrown at her during their fight. Both she and Scarlett had shed their wigs once they had been escorted safely to the private recording room in the back of the studio.

Scarlett had been rocking out to the beat, adding on background vocals but kept missing her cues, too distracted by the sight of her obviously upset friend. She had been hoping for the past few days that Lilly would take the initiative but it looked like it was all up to Scarlett now.

She took off the headphones and set them hanging on the mike stand, her music producer gave her the death glare but she ignored it. Scarlett opened the door separating the recording booth and studio and poked her head out, "Sorry to interrupt recording Scott, but do you think I could have a minute with my girlfriend real quick?"

"Lesbians," muttered the irate music producer as he swiftly left the recording room to grab an overpriced latte.

"So," Scarlett awkwardly began as she sat down next to Lilly in the seat recently vacated by her music producer.

"So…" Lilly repeated, too immersed in her examination of the well-worn bracelet. She felt tears prickle the corners of her eyes, she missed Miley. The two girls hadn't talked in days; they'd merely pass one another in the hallway, daring to share a quick glance, and then keep walking. In class they never spoke a word to each other, Lilly often found herself staring at Miley for extended periods of time and each time she snapped out of it she felt a pang shoot through her heart remembering they weren't friends anymore.

Scarlett fell silent, satisfied with merely observing her friend carefully handle the jewelry like it was a priceless artifact. It just reassured Scarlett she was doing the right thing.

"Lilly I don't know any other way to tell you but, I'm not in love with you, I love you –"

"– As a friend." Lilly finished Scarlett's confession while admitting her own, "I know what you mean, I feel the same way."

"So we're, over?"

"Over makes it sound so absolute, like it's the conclusion of the story of our life or something. We're not over; we're just former girlfriends who have grown to love each other to an even higher level of friendship. We're too good for words," Lilly decided, improvising the phrasing of her explanation. She had to admit she wasn't surprised their relationship ended up like this, back to a state of friendship, there could have been worse endings than this.

"Well since this is the culmination of our dating relationship it should at least have a good theme song, so, I was wondering if I could play you a little something I heard on the radio?"

Lilly wiped away a stray tear and silently nodded. Scarlett picked up her guitar and steadied her trembling hand that grasped the guitar pick; she wanted to give Lilly a flawless finale.

As she began the solemn song Sela Stella shined one last time, just for Lilly.

I once knew a girl
In the years of my youth
With eyes like the summer
All beauty and truth
In the morning I fled
Left a note and it read
Someday you will be loved.

I cannot pretend that I felt any regret
Cause each broken heart will eventually mend
As the blood runs red down the needle and thread
Someday you will be loved

You'll be loved you'll be loved
Like you never have known
The memories of me
Will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs
Like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved

You may feel alone when you're falling asleep
And everytime tears roll down your cheeks
But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet
Someday you will be loved

Scarlett strummed out the last chords of the song and apprehensively let the silence fill the room before asking, "Promise we'll still be friends?"

"Promise. Friends forever, no matter what," Lilly replied with a sincere smile.

"Awesome, now we just need to explain that to the public," Scarlett sighed in resignation; the downside to being a famous celebrity, the exposure of your private life.

Lilly draped a comforting arm across Scarlett's back and squeezed her shoulder in support, just because they were no longer together, didn't mean they wouldn't be there for one another.

"Although I think it'll be easier for you to date Miley now, no one will bother you and shove cameras in your face or ask you personal questions. Being normal is such an improvement over being a celebrity," Scarlett pondered.

Lilly whipped her head around to look Scarlett in the face; she wore a mischievous grin that mimicked the Cheshire cat.

"Whatchu talking 'bout Scarlett?" Lilly leaned back from her friend in suspicion.

Scarlett merely burst out in a fit of giggles, "you know it's true, I bet as soon as you walk out the door you're going to go running right into Miley's waiting arms."

"And why do you say that?" Lilly protested, still in denial.

"Because it's true, I may have been your first best friend, but Miley is your first – and probably only – true love, so go get her already."

Lilly let the words sink in, Scarlett was right, of all the people Lilly truly belonged with, it would have to be Miley Stewart. The feelings that would swell up in her heart every time she saw her smile, or smell that sweet scent of the vanilla shampoo that Miley would use, or hear her utter a word, they were incomparable. But the best feeling Lilly would get was when they would hug each other so tightly Lilly swore she could feel Miley's heart beat in her own chest.

Scarlett swept Lilly up into a slow waltz and began to sing in a deliberately low and off-key voice, "Something in the way she moves, attracts me like no other lover, something in the way she woos me."

"Scarlett, stop. Just, being honest here, did you break up with me just so I could be with Miley?" Lilly desperately wanted to sort the mess in her head.

"Lilly I love you, so I will let you go. If you love me, you will let me go." Scarlett stated simply to the poor girl, it was true she loved her best friend, but just as that and nothing more. Scarlett led Lilly back over to the pair of chairs they were sitting on earlier and waited for Lilly to respond, " and of course maybe that'll stop her from hating me so there's another plus," Scarlett added with a sheepish shrug.

Lilly bit her lip, pleading with her mind to finally give in to her heart that craved Miley as badly as it did blood.

"Lilly don't deny it, Miley loves you, in every way that I can't, don't you dare lose her and her love," Scarlett roughly grasped Lilly's shoulders, staring straight into her blue eyes that were brimming with shiny tears.

A tear swelled up in the corner of Lilly's eye and then fell down her face, glancing down Lilly watched it leave a tiny dark blot on her jeans. She took a deep, shuddering breath and let the rest flow free.

"I don't want to leave her now, you know I believe her now," Lilly softly sang, off-key but full of love, and let a smile grace her trembling lips.

Scarlett stared at her best friend's tear-stained face and brushed back a stray lock of Lilly's beautiful blonde hair, "today you are loved."


The two friends, dressed once again as their celebrity alter-egos, exited the recording studio, walking with their arms linked, and were blasted by blinding flashes of the countless cameras of the relentless paparazzi and the screams of the multitudes of fans.

"Sela! Sela over here!"

Sela whipped around, pen poised to autograph, ready to please another loyal fan. She was greeted with the sound of gunshots and a world of pain. Scarlett faded to black.


"Don't worry Bud, everything will be okay," her dedicated daddy reassured her while stroking Miley's head that lay on his knee. Robby Ray's daughter lay scrunched up on a ball on the Stewart's living room couch, adorned in what had been her traditional movie pajamas but lately had become her tear fest uniform.

Miley felt empty, so devoid of feeling, just a shell of what she used to be. She was beyond grateful to have been able to repair the relationship between her and her father, and admittedly happy that Jackson and her were joking around like they used to after she had yelled at them all those times when she was upset. Oliver and Miley talked occasionally, at school, in the hallways and class and such, but there was still a wall between them and Miley wasn't sure how to tear it down.

Then there was Lilly…you only know what you've got till it's gone. How true, and Miley regretted it more than anything. She missed her best friend, Lilly's dazzling smile and soft eyes, silky hair and smooth skin, and every moment they had together. Inside jokes, shared secrets, and the companionship only Lilly could provide. Who was Hannah without Lola, and who was Miley without Lilly? Miley was alone.

"Coming up next: The Secret Identity of a Superstar, Revealed!" The news announcer proclaimed, betraying the excitement in his voice by trying to keep his professional serious stare.

Miley whipped her head up at the TV screen, it was time. The world would know her secret, everything would change, but she would be without her best friend to help tide her through the oncoming apocalypse, this was not the best of both worlds, it was the worst of Miley's.

Jackson walked over from the kitchen, carrying three mugs of Robby Rays' Loco Hot Cocoa, a gesture Miley greatly appreciated from her supportive family. If only her mother was here too, then maybe Miley wouldn't feel so lost and hopeless.

She felt her father stroke her hair in a comforting way and felt her walls break down, "Dad I'm really sorry for sneaking out and going to that party last week, I was acting irresponsible and –,"

" – like a teenager. It's alright Bud, life is about making mistakes, and learning from them."

"I've been learning a lot lately," Miley sadly said, the past few weeks had taken a toll on the young girl and she was regretting most of her decisions.

"That's good, that means you're still my little girl," Robby Ray gave his daughter a soft pat on her head.

"Really, you promise?"

"You'll always be my little girl Miles, unless you suddenly grew to be 20 feet tall, then you'd be my big little girl!" He let out a little chuckle, but was drowned out by the sound of Miley groaning.

"Dad, you're not funny," Miley groaned, covering her face with her hands in shame of her father's poor attempt at comedy.

"Your momma thought I was," Robby Ray reminded her with a smile.

"Momma gave birth to Jackson, she must have had the best sense of humor ever," Miley replied.

"She also gave birth to you, she must have had some really bad sushi," Jackson chimed in; he was rewarded by getting a pillow tossed at him by Miley.

"She was an amazing woman," Robby Ray sighed.

"I wish she was here," Miley whispered, feeling her throat tighten and her stomach clench at the thought of her late mother.

Commercials aired on the TV screen, prolonging the wait till the big reveal, but they were a blur to the soon-to-be-exposed Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana, it was just part of the countdown to the end.

"We interrupt this regularly scheduled program for an important update: Sela Stella, famous teen singing sensation, was shot just minutes ago outside the STAR recording studio. It is believed she was, at the time, with her girlfriend Lola Luftnagle, but it is unknown if Lola was also injured. An ambulance has just arrived to transport Stella to the hospital, our prayers are with her."

The screen flashed back to the news announcer who had proudly claimed just moments ago of the big reveal of Hannah's true identity, he now stared dumbfounded at the cameras, mirroring Miley's shell-shocked stare at the TV screen.

"Lilly…" Miley croaked out, she fell off the couch, crouched on her knees, leaning her shaking arms on the coffee table in front of her.


A/N: Don't you just love a good cliffhanger? This chapter, I can't even began to tell you, is by far my favorite chapter out of this story, and a piece of work I feel proud of, I hope it met, maybe even surpassed, your expectations. I know a lot of you Liley fans called for Sela Stella's demise/physical suffering so I've been chuckling to myself throughout editing this story since your wish was always my intention. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.