A/N: Wow! 100 reviews and counting! Thought I'd just say a quick thank you to all who are still reading. I really appreciate all of your awesome reviews. They inspire me to keep on writing and updating as quickly as I can! Thanks so much, and I hope you like this chapter; I really enjoyed writing it, hee hee!

Chapter 14: Signals

Miley sprang up, snapping her eyes toward the front door. She shut the book and tossed it on the coffee table. Her heart was already thrumming at unsafe levels.

"Okay, Miley", she whispered to herself. "Just calm down and take it easy."

The door seemed like it was a mile away as she approached it. On her way there, she fixed up her hair and straightened her shirt. She let out a little breath in attempt to calm herself, and then opened the door with an eager smile on her lips.

There stood Lilly. "Hi, hi!" she said cutely. She looked adorable. She wore soft, silky pajama bottoms and a thin, low-cut top. Her hair was straight with a few waves here and there. Everything about her looked perfect: absolute beauty without embellishment.

The butterflies in Miley's stomach suddenly felt like they were on fire. "Hey, Lilly" she said, her smile growing bigger and bigger. "I'm so glad you came."

Lilly stared at her for a moment before coming through the door. "Me too." She smiled brightly; Miley's favorite smile in the world.

Miley could feel her emotions flood in, but she swallowed them as best she could. "So, uh, what movie do you wanna watch?"

"Doesn't matter to me. I brought The Notebook if you want to watch that", Lilly said. She handed her the DVD.

"Yeah, sure", Miley said. "Sounds good."

"Okay", Lilly said. "Just warning you though. I always tear up a little at the end."

"Oh, I don't mind", Miley said. "Heck, I'll cry with you if you want me to."

Lilly beamed. "Thanks. You're the best, Miley."

"Well, I try", Miley said, amusement pulling even harder at the corners of her lips.

The opening scene was already unfolding when Miley tried to organize her thoughts, knowing that the awkward conversation would start soon. She had to admit that she was surprised when Lilly didn't mention what had happened that day right away. She really wanted to know how Lilly felt about it, even if it was disgust. As time went on, her emotions resurfaced, piece by piece, begging to be out in the open. And she knew, sooner or later, they would be.

Miley zoned out during a good bit of the movie, trying to sort through her mind and make sense of the jumbled mess of crazy thoughts that passed through it. When she wasn't busy with that, she attempt to move closer to Lilly without her noticing.

Lilly just kept on munching away at the popcorn and staring at the dramatic and romantic scenes that played across the screen. Her bright eyes were so intent, you'd think she was trying to discover the secret of the universe hidden somewhere in the movie.

Miley figured that since she'd tuned out most of the movie already, there was no use in trying to get into it now. Anyway, she already knew how it ended. She yawned and stretched, inching closer to Lilly. They were practically shoulder-to-shoulder. With each silent moment (other than a few "aww"s and "isn't that cute, Miley?"s from Lilly and simple words of agreement from herself) Miley grew more and more anxious. Lilly hadn't said a single thing about what had happened, and the movie was close to being over.

She was almost frustrated. What signal is she trying to send? Miley thought, baffled. She went over the memory of their romantic experience in her head again, causing the blazing butterflies in her stomach to dart around even faster. Lilly had seemed pretty shocked and openly dumbfounded. So what could her indifference mean? No signal at all?

No signal at all… A new possibility suddenly arose in Miley's mind. One she hadn't yet considered. Maybe I'm overreacting about all of this. It was just a few kisses, not even on the lips. It seemed impossible from her point of view judging by the passion that had driven her into doing it. Maybe Lilly took it as innocent. I guess the action itself was kinda innocent… even if my intentions weren't…

Miley looked over at Lilly. She was slouched back with a pillow on her lap.

The picture of innocence, Miley thought. Just looking at her made Miley want to kiss her again. Is that innocent? She was so close; it would only take a simple motion.

"Miley?" Lilly asked.

Miley almost leaped into the air. She wasn't expecting Lilly to say anything directly to her with the movie on. To Miley, it felt like Lilly was the movie. Her thoughts shattered in mid air and fell silent. But she was glad they did.

"Yeah Lilly?" she asked, the butterflies going crazy.

"Um…" Lilly began. She stared down at her pillow and ran her fingers over it. "You remember how, earlier today, you… kissed me?"

Miley was finally getting what she wanted: An opportunity to confess. But even as her emotions stirred up to a fevered pitch, she felt her vocal chords freeze up.

Lilly was looking straight at her now. Her expression was clouded by uneasiness, but full of compassion.

Miley stared in her eyes, entranced. She swore she could see tiny shreds of Lilly's soul through the clear, sapphire pools. But still, she couldn't read the signal her compassion radiated.

Compassion… about her similar feelings for me? Or toward her pity on me when she rejects me and leaves? Questions just kept buzzing through her mind, layering and blending amongst one another.

"Uh…" Miley said, trying to focus on thawing her vocal chords and making her mouth form words. "Yeah. I do."

Lilly opened her mouth, not saying anything immediately.

Her gaze felt solid to Miley, who, for the hundredth time, couldn't quit staring. But the love overflowing in her expression softened it. Even with the present tension, it was irresistible to Miley.

"I…" Lilly began. Her gaze never wavered, even though she was blushing already.

Blushing, Miley thought. Now if that's not a signal, I don't know what is. Her heart fluttered. Then again, it could just be an embarrassed response to bringing the whole thing up. That was the logical Miley talking. She really didn't like that Miley right now. She quickly realized that she preferred signal over response right now.

"I just…" Lilly struggled to continue. "Just wanted to know… what you meant by it."

In other words, was it a signal of some sort, Miley thought. She really liked that word. Um, yeah. It's a signal. Huge signal. I'm totally in love with you. That's what it meant! That whole thought came so close to barreling out of her mouth. She almost wished it had; the suspense was driving her mad.

"Yeah… I" Miley said, her voice a bit raspy from her brittle vocal chords. "guess I just wanted to."

Lilly's gaze was beginning to waver. "Wanted to?"

Aww, shit! Miley thought angrily. What a stupid thing to say! Nice going…

"What I meant to say was… that I…" She trailed off and looked at Lilly closely. They were so close. And Lilly wasn't even moving away. That's a good signal.

But Lilly looked so nervous. Her cheeks kept growing pinker and pinker. She seemed afraid to speak, but she didn't move away; if anything, she inched closer.

"I'm sorry, Lilly", Miley said. "This isn't coming out right." She tried to organize her thoughts, but every time she'd get them stacked up, they'd just come tumbling down. She had to ad lib. "Something happened a few days ago that really… changed a lot of things."

"What happened?" Lilly asked quietly.

Miley sighed, not knowing what to say. She glanced over at the TV screen, pausing to make another attempt to plan her words. As she did, she saw Lilly's eyes shift to the closing scene. The two main characters were together, old and gray, dying on a hospital bed in each other's arms. Then it was over and the credits began crawling up the screen.

"Lilly", Miley said. "I want you to know…" She looked up, surprised to see a tear running down Lilly's cheek. "Lilly? Are you okay?"

Lilly nodded quickly. "Yeah. Just… the movie… and…" She took a shaky breath.

"Aww, honey", Miley said lovingly. She ran her finger over Lilly's cheeks, wiping away her tears.

Guess I'm not the only one prone to floods of emotion, Miley thought.

Lilly cuddled up to her and rested her head on her shoulder.

Miley felt a jolt of pleasure when Lilly's soft hair brushed against her neck. She wrapped her arms around Lilly, hoping that she wouldn't pass out from an emotional overdose and ruin the moment. Her pounding heart sure made that exaggeration seem likely.

Lilly's soft, delicious scent soon followed, enveloping her. She breathed it in deeply. It felt like she was inhaling some indulgent drug; a drug she now knew she'd always be addicted to.

Miley loved the feeling of their bodies together. She felt the feminine curve of Lilly's hips and back, her flat, pleasing stomach, and her soft, gorgeous breasts. Miley thought she was going to implode from the singeing passion that overtook her.

She could hide it no longer.

As if answering Miley's frenzied impulse, Lilly raised her head. She was so close, their noses were touching.

Miley locked her arms behind Lilly's neck brushing her lips against Lilly's. She kissed her slowly at first, still trying to hold back, not wanting to scare Lilly.

But to Miley's surprise, Lilly kissed right back. A wave of ecstasy rocked her from head to toe. She kissed back hard, trying to push her tongue into Lilly's mouth. Lilly obliged the moment Miley began pushing it through. She slid hers in as well.

Miley moaned as she truly tasted Lilly for the first time. She beckoned Lilly's tongue with her own, begging it to continue caressing her whole mouth.

When the passionate kiss ended, they both fell back, dazed.

"Wow", was all they could say.