A/N: Hey all! I'm back (a month and a half later ::cough cough::) and got a new chappie for you guys! All together now: YAAAAAY! Anyways, this one's a bit shorter than the others, but it definitely does NOT lack in content. This was, by far, the hardest chapter I've ever written in my life and it honestly took me about a week and a half to get it absolutely perfect (...er, well, it was the best I could do...). Hope you guys enjoy the update!
Jake, Miley, Lily, and Oliver spent the rest of the summer together, hanging by Rico's and walking around on the boardwalk. Jake and Miley were with each other almost every day, trying to make up for the months spent apart. Miley ate dinner with the Ryans a few times and was now considered part of the family. Jake played videogames with Jackson and Mr. Stewart once in a while and too became part of the house.
At Hannah Montana's 'End of Summer Concert' in Malibu, Carley was given a private backstage tour of the facilities, where she promptly began taking pictures of everyone and everything she could find.
A week before school started, Jackson packed up his things and moved to the California State University campus, where he would be attending in the fall. Although Miley was glad that her brother was getting out of her hair, she was also deeply saddened that he was leaving. After a tearful goodbye and promises to come back and visit, Jackson left the Stewarts for college.
Three months later, the four juniors were well into school and hating every minute of it. A lot more homework, worries about SATs, and harder schoolwork had them overwhelmed and busy. They no longer had time for friends as the shadow of college loomed over their heads. Jake and Miley hardly spent time with each other anymore, only during lunch and psychology – the one class they shared.
Thanksgiving was a week away and the four couldn't wait for the break. They'd been working hard and were in dire need of some time off, especially to spend with each other. This weekend was the last before the holidays and both Jake and Miley had plans. They were invited to attend the same party, though neither knew the other was going. It was a celebrity holiday function and both Jake and Hannah were to make an appearance. Sadly, due to the number of people attending, no guests or escorts were allowed to be invited, so Jake couldn't bring Miley and Hannah couldn't bring Lola.
The night of the function, Miley and Lily were in the Hannah closet, scrounging around for something acceptable for Hannah to wear. Lily held up a green sequined dress and showed it to Miley for her approval. Miley looked at it and wrinkled her nose in disgust. Lily nodded and threw the garment behind her, digging once more through the large pile of clothing. Miley glanced at her for a second before looking through the pile again.
"I think I'm going to tell him." Lily looked at her, an eyebrow cocked in confusion.
"Tell who what?" Miley lifted her head and looked at Lily, a small smile on her face.
"Tell Jake how I feel." Lily furrowed her eyebrows, trying to make sense of what Miley said.
"But I thought you already told him?" Miley blushed and bit her lip, avoiding Lily's gaze out of embarassment.
"Well, my feelings may have…evolved a bit…" Lily gasped in surprise, eyes wide and mouth gaping as she finally understood what Miley meant.
"You mean…?" Miley smiled brightly and nodded fervently, barely keeping in her excitement.
Lily squealed loudly and jumped on her, immediately beginning a happy dance. Miley laughed and joined in, finally letting her excitement seep through. After a while they stopped and Lily grabbed Miley's hands.
"I'm so happy for you! When are you going to tell him?" Miley smiled at her enthusiastic friend.
"I don't know, maybe over the break?" Miley's smile fell and her eyes clouded over with worry. "Lily, what if he doesn't feel the same way yet?" Lily smiled softly at her worried best friend.
"Miley, boys deal with their emotions differently than girls do. They have a hard time putting their feelings out there because they think it's not manly to do so. I bet that Jake does feel the same way; whether he says it yet is a different story. If he's not ready, he's not ready."
Miley looked at Lily in awe, wondering when her best friend gained so much wisdom. She smiled and pulled Lily into a hug, thanking her for the advice. The girls pulled apart, smiled at each other, and went back to dress hunting, gossiping about which celebrities would show up that night.
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The party was in full swing when Hannah arrived and, thank God, no paparazzi were in sight. She was in too good a mood to want to have paparazzi ruin it. She easily slid through the crowd, mingling with celebrities and producers like her father taught her. She was glad he didn't come with her tonight, as he tended to be a bit uptight at these kinds of things.
She casually looked around for familiar faces, unknowingly drawing the eye of many males. Her knee-length red dress accentuated her newly acquired curves and her matching red flats showed off her dainty ankles. Her blonde wig was styled straight and her long earrings exemplified her long, creamy neck. Not seeing anyone she recognized, she wandered around the large room in search of people.
Just as she slipped into a lounge, Jake entered the party. His perfect, celebrity smile was plastered on his face as he greeted countless numbers of celebrities. He kissed cheek after cheek and shook hand after hand as he made his way through the crowds. While he caught up with fellow A-listers, he spent half the time wishing he was at home watching a movie with Miley. Or making out with Miley. Either one was fine with him.
After an hour of mingling, he scanned the party for his celebrity friends and found them sitting in a circle of plush couches. He casually approached them and plopped down, exhausted from meeting and greeting everyone. The boys smirked when they saw him and one of them greeted him.
"Hey, Jakey!" Jake scowled at the awful nickname and sneered at the boy.
"Shut up, Avery."
Avery Goodman was the star of the hit television series, The Computer Chronicles, and was a walking jackass. Jake didn't like him much, but hung out with him because he couldn't afford to have enemies in Hollywood. On Avery's left, Christopher Harley, the son of hotel billionaire John Harley, snickered at them from behind his hand. Patrick Moore, a fellow teen heartthrob, rolled his eyes at all of their immature behavior. He was the oldest of the group at the age of eighteen, followed by Avery at seventeen, and leaving Jake and Christopher tied at sixteen. Patrick decided to steer the conversation elsewhere before Jake and Avery started a scene.
"How've you been, Jake? We haven't seen you in a while." Jake smiled at Patrick, glad to get away from talking to Avery, and sighed deeply.
"I've been alright. School's hectic, so I haven't had much time to do anything but study." Christopher smirked, looked at the other two, and then at Jake.
"No time for the girlfriend either? What's her name again? Molly?" Jake chuckled at his friend and shook his head.
"Her name's Miley, and no, I haven't had time to be with her." Avery grinned wolfishly, the mischievous sparkle in his eye unnerving Jake a little.
"And have you been…with her?" He wagged his eyebrows in a suggestive matter, causing all the boys to look at Jake, eyes wide in curiosity. Gobsmacked, Jake repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, unsure as to what to say.
"What? No! I – No!" The boys groaned and Avery shook his head sadly.
"I can't believe you haven't screwed her yet! Are you gay or something?" Jake blushed, fuming at Avery's accusation.
"No I'm not gay! Miley and I aren't ready for that yet!" Avery looked him square in the eye and started laughing when he realized what was going on.
"You love this chick! You haven't screwed her yet because you're in love with her! Ha! You are so whipped!" Jake blushed hotly at Avery's words and he quickly began denying everything.
"Wh-what? You must be crazy! I'm not in love with her, and I sure as hell am not whipped. Miley means nothing to me, ok? Nothing!"
The shatter of glass caught their attention and they looked behind them to see what the commotion was. Hannah Montana was staring at Jake as if she'd been struck in the heart by an eighteen-wheeler truck and Jake had no idea why. When she saw him staring back, she quickly snapped out of her daze and bent to the floor, helping the waiter clean up the shards of what used to be her glass of water. She quietly apologized for the mess and excused herself, speedily walking toward the nearest exit.
Jake wondered why Hannah was acting so strangely, until he realized that Hannah was actually Miley. He swore loudly when he realized that she had overheard what he'd said to the guys and quickly excused himself to go find her. He darted through the crowd, following the wisps of blonde hair attached to the girl that was nearly running to the exit. No one noticed the two of them leave.
The door to the side alley slammed open and Miley ran down the stairs, grateful that she opted not to wear heals that afternoon. The cool air hit her, but she didn't notice. Jake followed quickly and leaped over the railing, effectively blocking her path. Miley stopped and glared at him. He raised his hands in peace.
"Give me a chance to explain," at her narrowed eyes, he threw in hastily, "please." Sighing, she nodded in agreement. He smiled gratefully.
"What I said to those guys was a lie. I care about you a lot and you mean everything to me. I had to say those things because they were threatening to spread rumors and that's something I can't afford in Hollywood." He sighed in relief when he noticed her resolve diminishing with each word. "It's hard being a celebrity, Miley, you wouldn't understand."
He turned away from her, unable to look at her innocent face, not plagued by Hollywood's 'Do what you can to succeed' attitude. Miley smiled softly at him, her heart going out to him, and placed a warm hand on his shoulder.
"Who better to understand than me? I live both worlds, Jake." He shook his head, chuckling at her sympathy.
"It's not the same, Miley. You still have a normal life. You're not tainted by Hollywood – you're still innocent. It's different to date a celebrity than to date a regular person. People already know about their business from the tabloids, so they never ask. But with you, they have to ask because they're a bunch of gossip-hungry assholes who like to know the dirt on everyone; even their friends. It'd be so much easier to date you if you were Hannah Montana all the time."
He cursed silently at his stupid words and turned around when he felt her snatch her hand back, as if she'd been severely burned. She stared at him, a wounded look in her eyes, as her heart tore into millions of tiny pieces. The alley was silent for a few long seconds, until two quiet, pain-laced words slipped through her lips, whispered so softly that Jake had to strain to hear them.
"You promised."
Jake looked at her, confused. He honestly had no idea what she was talking about. Promise? What promise? He wracked his brain for any memory of a promise he made to her and nearly smacked himself when he finally found it.
-FLASHBACK-
"Miley, what's wrong with you? Why are you walking away from me?" he noticed the wet tracks of tears and softened. "Why are you crying?" She shook her head and looked at the ground.
"I know you don't want to be with me – I got that. Why would you when you can haveHannah Montana," she spit out the name with disgust, "as your girlfriend instead. I'm sorry, Jake, but I can't do that. I can't be with someone who only wants my celebrity half. Telling you my secret was a mistake, and now I have to lose you to pay the price. I'm sorry." She turned to go, but he wouldn't let go of her wrist. He cupped her face in his free hand and made her look at him.
"Miley, how could you think that I'd choose anyone but you? I liked Miley before I found out she was Hannah Montana, and I still like Miley after I found out. It's just a shock, that's all. It will take time to get used to, but I will get used to it and I will support you no matter what happens – whether it's Hannah or Miley. I promise that I will always choose Miley over Hannah."
-END FLASHBACK-
Jake's eyes softened as he looked at the fresh tears in her eyes. He needed to fix this, and he needed to fix it now. He cautiously tried to approach her and reached out a hand, beckoning her to come to him.
"Miley…" she shook her head and backed away, looking at him with hurt-filled eyes.
"You promised me, Jake. You promised and you didn't even remember! Always 'Miley', Jake! Always!" Her voice rose with every sentence, causing guilt to gnaw at Jake's stomach. He reached for her again, pleading with his eyes.
"Miley, please, it was a mistake…" she shrugged away from him, suddenly angry.
"No! I trusted you and you lied! I told you my secret and now everything's ruined! I can't believe I trusted you! I can't believe I lo-"
She let out a growl of frustration for nearly shouting out her feelings and started to walk toward the main street, unable to be near him anymore. Seeing that she was trying to escape, Jake called her name and grabbed her elbow, forcefully turning her to face him. Impulsively, Miley reared back her arm and struck him hard across the face, knocking his head to the side from the force of the blow. The alley turned deathly silent, the last of the slap's echoes reverberating off the walls. She gasped and covered her mouth, shocked at what she had done. Jake slowly turned, looking into her teary ocean blue eyes and not believing that she had actually slapped him. He knew he deserved it, but he never thought Miley to be capable of being violent. He lowered his eyes in shame and spoke softly.
"I didn't mean it, Miley. Honest." Her eyes immediately hardened and her voice turned cold.
"You wouldn't have said it if you didn't," He looked up at her, shocked at her harsh tone, and watched in amazement as she ripped the blonde wig from her head. Tears dripped from her eyes and her voice cracked pitifully as she threw the wig at him.
"I hope you and Hannah are happy together!"
She let out a small sob and took off down the alley toward the street. Jake watched sadly as she turned the corner and disappeared from his sight. He desperately wanted to go after her, to apologize over and over again until she heard him properly, but he knew she wouldn't listen in such a state. He replayed the events from moments before in his mind and he cringed when he saw the look of deep hurt in her eyes.
A cold feeling suddenly entered his lungs, spreading quickly through the rest of his body. He gasped at the painful grip the cold had on his heart and he dropped to his knees, no longer able to feel anything. He suddenly understood that Miley – his amazing, beautiful Miley – was not coming back. He suddenly understood that he was not going to taste or smell or touch her again. He suddenly understood the meaning of being utterly and completely alone.
He didn't feel the small tear slip from his eye as he sat in the cold, damp alley. He didn't feel his throbbing cheek as the sounds of the streets filled the silence around him.
He only felt his heart breaking at the thought that Miley was gone for good.
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Miley paid the taxi driver and ran into the house, not stopping when her father called out to her from the sofa. She raced up the steps and slammed the door, locking it before her father could come inside. She strode over to her closet and pushed aside her clothes, revealing purple doors with an 'H' and 'M' on each side.
She pulled open the doors and started tearing apart everything she could find. Clothes were ripped off their hangers and flung onto the floor; shoes were tossed all over the place; bags were thrown against display cases. She tore awards and framed records from the walls and smashed them onto the floor, sending glass scattering all over. She screamed when she saw a large poster of Hannah displayed proudly on the wall and ripped it violently off the wall, viciously tearing it to pieces.
"This is all your fault! I hate you! I hate you!"
She thoroughly destroyed all of Hannah's things, blinded by her own tears and hatred, and didn't care that some of them were irreplaceable. She didn't care that some of them were unique gifts from all over the world. She only cared about Jake, and how he wanted to be with Hannah–freaking–Montana over her.
She collapsed on the floor in a heap, tears of anguish pouring from her pretty blue eyes, sobbing uncontrollably at the awful pain in her heart.
A/N: OH GOD DON'T HURT ME! Put down the pitchforks people! I know you all probably hate my guts now, but please know that this was the way I was planning on going with this story from the start. I'm terribly sorry that this chapter had to come out on Valentines Day (Blech! I hate this holiday...), but that's just the way it happened. I still hope you guys will be nice and continue to read this story, and maybe kinda sorta hopefully you'll leave a nice review too? If not, I understand. Hope I didn't spoil your 'Day of Love' completely! Till next time!