Chapter 21 – The Day I Met Miley

Author's Note – This chapter is the re-telling of the first chapter 'My First Day' but in Lilly's POV (SomethingWithWolves, told you it would be a while!). I've been building up to this so hopefully this comes off well. Here we go.

Disclaimer – I own nothing.

Still At That Damn Cabin

How did I get to be with this girl? She doesn't deserve me, she deserves better. Look at what has happened since she's gotten with me, I've forced her to lie to her family and friends, destroyed her relationship with her Father, sure their speaking now but I doubt that relationship will ever be the same again and it's all my fault. But still here she is, arms wrapped around me once again having to put up with my cries and sobs. I'm such a loser, why can't I just get on with it and get it over, just force it out.

"Lilly take your time," Miley speaks softly running her hand over my back, her voice has this powerful calming effect on me but her smile tops that. It makes me forget about the bad, how can you think of such things when around a girl who oozes goodness from every breath and move she makes?

"I don't where to start," I admit truthfully. I don't want to tell her, it will stain the story of how we met. Why ruin that?

"Start from the beginning, I'm not going anywhere, so I want to hear it all," Miley whispers gently encouraging me to unburden myself.

I sigh, "Alright then. Remember your first day? Well that day started very early for me."

7 years ago

5am

The sound of shattering glass awakes me from my sleep; I tiptoe to my bedroom door and open it slightly to hear my mother's screaming voice telling someone to get out now. A low, deep laugh brushes off her demands, I know who that evil laugh belongs to. How did he find us? We left him years ago, didn't leave a note or any clue to where we were heading or escaping to.

I was only 3 when we left him; he had lost his job and couldn't find another so he started to take his feelings of rejection out on my mom. One night he goes off crazier than usual, he takes his bottle and holds it tight in his grip. He mutters how the whole world is against him and he has to fend for himself against the selfish people pointing to me and my mom as he rants and raves. I move further away from him to beside my mother, he notices this and asks if I'm afraid of him, I don't answer, he asks again louder with a deadly tone. My mother gets up to stand in front of me facing him. She tells him to leave me alone, he snaps shouting he's sick of people telling him what to do and that he will do whatever he pleases. To strengthen his new found philosophy he strikes my mom on the head with the base of the bottle she falls backwards landing on top of me. His laugh echoes around the room and slowly fades as my vision blackens.

I awake in a moving car and ask where we are, my mother with blood trickling down the side of her head says we're no longer in his grasp. It seems that was the last straw for her, she didn't like the way he was starting to notice me, as being another punching bag for his anger. I ask her where we are going to stay; she reveals to me that for the last two years she's been hiding money away and took up a part time job, to buy a house away from him. Our escape she called it.

After what seems an age we pull up to a big white house. Back then I didn't question how she afford such a place with just hiding money away and a part-time job but I found out later that her mother (Gran) helped out with her retirement money. I step out of the car into darkness; it's the dead of night. I turn round to see my mom with three big suitcases, how long had she planned this? It didn't matter I was just glad that I wouldn't have to see or hear from him again. That night I slept beside my mom, she held me close and told me over and over that everything was going to be okay from now on.

The increasing sound of a heated argument brings me back to my current situation of hearing my father downstairs and back in my life. Do I go down there? Stay up here? My mother was there for me, should I be there for her? I decide to go down. I'm not scared of him, that's what he wants. Screw him, I'm not afraid.

"How dare you leave me?! You have no right to take her away from me!!" he bellows towards my mother.

"What! You lost whatever right you had when you started your beatings, you're a disgrace!" she argues back.

"Well, look who it is," he notices me standing on the stairs and starts to walk towards me.

Mom steps in front of him blocking his path, "Where do you think you're going? Leave her alone. Lilly go back upstairs."

I turn to head back upstairs, "No! Stay where you are!" I stop as he shouts at me. Mom still standing in front of him holding him back but it would only take half of his strength to get past her.

"Lilly go upstairs and lock your door. Now!" As she says this he grabs her wrists, "Now!" she yells again. I run upstairs and do exactly what she told me to do.

I curl up inside my room at the bottom of the door, hearing different bumps and thumps from downstairs. I squeeze my eyes tight shut trying to block out the noises, I tighten my grip around my knees digging my fingers into the skin wishing for day break.

6am

"You can go in now Lilly," Officer Nancy Oken motions me over to the hospital room.

"Thanks," I mutter quietly as I pass her and walk into the room, "Could you not tell Oliver about what's happened?" I ask before she leaves.

"Okay, if that's what you want."

"It is." She nods to signal that she'll follow my request before she leaves.

I slowly turn round to see my mom battered and bruised. I walk up to the side of the hospital bed and take her hand in mine. The cuts on her forearms are wrapped up in bandages from where she tried to defend herself, I feel at fault, if only I was stronger and not a weak loser like I am, I could have stopped him...somehow. My guilt begins to manifest with a crippling fear of him returning to finish the job, tears stream down my face. I can't deal with this; I need something to take me away from the pain of it all, to forget. I rest on the bed and let my quiet cries fill the room.

"Lilly?" a quiet voice speaks my name. I look up to see my mother smiling slightly as her hand around mine tightens a little.

"Mom?" a small smile appears as I move up to hug her.

"Careful," she winces a bit from the pain.

"Sorry."

"Don't say that. If this is the price to pay to keep you safe then I would do it again in a heartbeat," she says with ease.

"Mom...I'm sorry I couldn't, that I didn't-"

She interrupts me, knowing what I'm trying to say, "Lilly, don't ever think like that. There's nothing me or you or anyone else could have done. He found us somehow and whatever happened, happened. I'm just glad you're safe and that's all that matters," she smiles and squeezes my hand again, "and don't worry about him, the police caught him and he's going away for a long time."

8am

"You really think I should go to school today? Are you going to be okay?" I ask.

"Lilly I'm fine you heard the doctor just a couple of cuts and bruises I'll be out of here by this lunchtime," she states.

"Well alright then," I reply a little hesitantly.

"I think it would be good for you, take your mind off everything and be with your friends," she reasons.

"I'm going to miss the first half of the day. By the time I get there it will lunchtime," I try to wriggle out of it.

"Now I know you don't want to spend the day with me rather than your friends. I tell you what, if you go and use this to forget yourself and everything that has happened, tonight I'll be waiting with your favourite meal, drink and movie. It'll be fun," she smiles.

"Okay," I agree to go to school.

11am

I arrive at school at little earlier than expected. My mom called ahead to explain to my teacher about my morning absence. I walk towards my locker noticing the usually padlocked locker next to me no longer locked, Great(!) I've got a stupid neighbour now. I take out a couple of books and slam the locker closed, the halls are empty everyone's already in class, I walk down the quiet corridor towards my class quickening the pace at every random noise, I feel nervous and very paranoid. A loud bang in the background turns my fast walk into a sprint and as I turn the corner I collide into Miss. Grimshaw.

"Sorry miss," I stand up after picking up the scattered books.

"It's alright Lilly. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine...totally fine," I speak far from convincing.

"You want to get some cocoa?"

"What? My problems are far from the help of cocoa."

"I meant it as more of a reason to miss this class until lunchtime."

"Alright then," I follow her into the teachers' lounge and I take a seat while she goes to get two drinks. She walks back over and hands me mine before taking a seat opposite me.

"You want to talk about it?" she asks.

"About what?" Does she know? How does she know?

"We don't have to. We can just enjoy the silence. But it was me who your mother called to explain your absence, don't worry I haven't told anyone else the reason for your absence, that's strictly confidential." She explains.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You sure? It might help to talk through it because if you run away from it. It may begin to affect you and only get worse."

"I said I didn't want to talk about it!" I growl, forgetting my place as the pupil, "sorry," I mutter quietly.

"It's alright you're in a bad place right now, it's natural that you're going to get angry quicker than usual. Just be careful about that though," she takes a sip of her drink, "we don't have to talk about it but maybe try to talk to someone about it like your mother. You don't want these things to take a hold over you."

"Things are so confusing and complicated right now. What can I do? I just want to forget about it but it's constantly preying on my mind. How can I make it better?"

"It doesn't not until you determine how you can make it better. Take solace in a simple pleasure of yours to help. Maybe friends? I know it's sounds funny but something as simple as that can help you get your mind off your troubles, if that's what you want?"

"It is." The bell rings out signalling the start of lunch. I stand up and throw my backpack over my shoulder, "Thanks Miss. Grimshaw."

"Wait Lilly, if it gets a little too much sometimes you know that I'm always here to help and if your late for one of my lessons because of that, just say; Sorry I'm a bit late but nature called. It will be our little code, alright?" she smiles before opening the door.

"Okay."

Lunchtime

"Hey Lilly!" I turn to see Oliver running towards me with a tray in hand, "About time, where you've been?"

"None of your business," I bite back a bit too harsh.

"Why you being so angry with me?" his eyebrows narrow in confusion.

"It doesn't matter," I sit down in the cafeteria chair and plonk my tray of food on the table, "just change the subject."

"O..kay," he attempts to think of something, "we've got a new classmate," he looks towards me to see if I look interested, I don't but he continues, "it's a girl, kinda pretty too."

The sound of laughter from the table across from me makes it harder for me to hear Oliver; I peer over our table to see three boys standing on one side of a table laughing and pointing, "What are they doing?" I ask Oliver.

"Hm?" he looks over, "hazing the new girl it seems."

"What?! That's horrible, stupid boys. Why do they always pick on girls, huh!? To make them feel big! All powerful!" I shout towards him.

"Why are you yelling at me?" Oliver asks pretty surprised and shocked by my sudden outburst over a stranger I don't even know.

"I'm not yelling at you just near you," I look around the table, "hand me that football will you?" I point at the football next to him, he hands me the ball, "thank you." I stand up and throw the ball as hard as I can at the boy in the middle.

"Ow!" he yells as I march towards the three of them, they all turn around and I instantly recognise all of them. The amount of anger brewing in me is threatening to overflow.

"What the hell is wrong with you James?!" I yell.

"I'm…just…er," came the reply.

I cut him off saying, "I know exactly what you're doing and it isn't nice, if you like bullying people for how they talk maybe I should tell everyone about how you still have a safety blanket in your bag," I point to his bag knowing he still has it.

"No! I'm sorry," he quickly replies.

"I'm not the one you should be saying sorry to," I say.

The three boys turn to the girl, "Sorry Miley." She nods accepting their half-hearted apology. My eyes narrow and they quickly scurry off thinking I was about to hit them as they leave, I'm left looking into the eyes of the girl I've just 'saved'

"Thank you," she quickly speaks, I can tell she's still afraid. I'm sick of seeing people afraid. I decide to sit down in front of her and try to cheer her up.

"My name is Lilly Truscott, never call me Lillian and will be friends for life," I say with a smile. She chuckles lightly and smiles, that's what I wanted to see.

"My names Miley Stewart," she says bringing her hand up to shake mine.

"You're obviously new here aren't you?" I ask and she nods in reply, "Well welcome to Malibu, I'm guessing you're in the same class as me?" I knew she was but I wanted to talk to her and get her to smile again. She looks thoughtfully at me, probably trying to place me from her morning class, "I wasn't in class this morning as I was at a," I freeze trying to think of something, "…dentist appointment so you wouldn't have seen me, is your teacher Miss. Grimshaw?"

"Yes!" she replies very excited

"Okay calm down Miley the teacher isn't that exciting," I joke letting her know it's alright. She laughs and her simple noise has made me forget the real reason I missed this morning.

"Sorry, it's just you're the first person to speak to me outside of the introduction I got at the start of class, and it's nice to have someone in there I sort of know now," she says but looks as though she regrets saying it, like it makes her sound desperate.

I reply quickly to put her at ease, "that's ok, I glad you're feeling better."

"So I'm guessing you hate the dentists too judging by the look on your face when you said it?" she asks.

"Oh yeah, I mean who likes the dentist? I mean cant they just believe you when you tell them everything's alright? It would be so much simpler. The only good thing about going to the dentist is when you get that little pink drink at the end," I say hoping she bought it. I didn't like lying to the girl but why should I unload such a heavy weight onto her when she's already got one herself, she's the new girl. It can be pretty daunting.

"Yeah I mean I totally fear the dentists and some of the tools I mean do they need to have them on display right next to you? It's like a form of torture," she shares my enthusiasm for hatred of dentists. Seemingly buying into the cover, it's not really a lie as I do hate the dentists.

The bell rings out to signal the end of lunch and the beginning of class, "The fun begins!" I say sarcastically, and she laughs again. I run over to my original table to grab my bag, I didn't know if she was going to wait for me but she did and I was happy that she did.

We quickly make our way to Miss. Grimshaw's class but halfway there I stop, "Hey Miley, I need to go to the toilet, you go on ahead, I don't want you being late on your first day." She nods and walks to the class.

I didn't need the toilet; I just needed to get somewhere quiet while this pain in my stomach went away. What's this pain? Guilt? Guilt for almost having a good time while my Mother's in a hospital? No, she told me to forget that and try to take my mind off it. So...I should keep going?

I run towards the class and shoot through the door, I look to Miss. Grimshaw, "Sorry I'm a bit late but nature called," she nods with a smile and asks me to go sit in my seat. I look around the class to see Miley sitting by herself, I decide to keep going. Her smile increases in size the nearer I get, I like making her smile. "Hey Miles," I say to her as I sit down.

I spent the rest of the day trying to make her first day the best one she ever had. I tried to make it as fun as possible by making jokes and different funny faces. It made it totally worth it to hear her laugh or snicker. She even laughed when I wasn't trying to be funny, I had made a flip book of a guy with his head exploding and she found it hilarious. I was just expressing my feelings towards someone else.

The bell rang out to end the school day and to be honest I didn't want it to end, I was sceptical at first about going to school so soon but my mom and Miss. Grimshaw were right, I had found a friend who was helping me, even though she didn't even know she was.

She asked me where I lived and I gave my usual witty reply, and it turns out she lives near me. I hope she didn't hear anything about last night.

We walked towards the front of the school to wait to be picked up by our parents but Miss Grimshaw ran out towards us, "Lilly!" she called.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Your mother called saying she is unable to pick you up as she is still at work and asked if you can stay with a friend until she finishes and then can come and pick you up."

"OK," I reply. That was Mom's code. She's still in the hospital? I don't want to go back to the hospital but I don't want to go to that house on my own. Oliver's already gone but even if he hadn't I don't think I would have wanted to stay with him. What am I going to do?

"She can come with me," Miley interrupts my internal monologue with a surprising offer. She quickly adds, "Only if you want to, as you've only just met me, I mean-"

I quickly cut her off before she takes it back, "No! I'd love to," I smile and feel really grateful for her kind suggestion.

We continue talking while waiting for her ride to pick us up, I find out more about her like her likes and dislikes. It's weird but looking at her you would think she'd fit in nicely anywhere because of her looks and nice demeanour but in this school nice people finish at the bottom of the popularity list.

A car pulls up in front of us prompting Miley to stand up signalling to me that this was our ride. I stand up and get inside the car; she introduces me to her Dad. He tries to engage with me in conversation but I feel indifferent towards him, I shouldn't he seems like a good person but I feel timid and nervous to be in his presences. Miley taps me on the shoulder and whispers, "Hey it's alright, just be yourself and I'm sure he'll like you, I did," obviously sensing my uneasiness. I give her a small smile and decide to force myself to talk to him; we eventually hit a mutual topic about food.

"Your dad is awesome," I say to ensure her that I'm alright. I get out of the car.

"Thanks" I hear her say in reply but I'm too involved with staring down the road towards my house to really hear her, it's the first time I've been back since the events of last night, "What's wrong?" she asks bringing back to the here and now.

I think on my feet, "Nothing it's just that my house is like 8 houses down from here, spooky huh?"

"It's like its fate that we are meant to be friends," she says.

"Yeah," we run into the house. Immediately I'm engulfed in heavenly smells coming from the kitchen, I only had the horrible cafeteria food all day and this stuff smells lovely.

I hear the faint sound of Miley chuckling until she adds, "Lilly's not here right now as she been abducted by the smell of food so I'll answer for her, and yes she's staying"

I shake my head out of the food-smell trance and smile towards her laughing sarcastically.

We decide to go up to her room to wait for the meal to be ready, she opens her bedroom door and shows me around her room showing me her guitar, telly, wide range of DVD's and CD's. I didn't know whether it was the display of all the joyful family pictures, the warmth radiating from the happy home or the delightfully cheerful company but I forgot why I was there in the first place, I reverted back to my regular self, all because of something as simple as making a new friend?

After messing around in her closet I notice her bulging backpack on the bed, "What do you have in here?" I ask picking up the bag and beginning to open it.

"What?" she turns to see what I'm doing, "Wait! No! There's nothing in there!" she yelps.

She runs over to me and attempts to grab the bag but I place it in my other hand away from her and I bring my other hand playfully to her forehead stopping her from getting any nearer. "Now surely there can't be anything in here that could embarrass you" I kid about as I open the bag and pull out a cute teddy bear, "Oh Miley, and who is this cwutey? Who is this wittle bear?" I ask in baby voice.

"His name is Beary" She states taking him possessively in her arms.

I smile hearing the simple name, "Beary, really? Very imaginative" I quips raising an eyebrow.

"Well I was two at the time and I can't change his name now it will confuse him," she explains her reasoning, "Now you think I'm a loser," she sighs sadly.

"WHAT! No! I don't think you're a loser, I think you were just scared for your first day and you needed comfort. I was only joking Miles, sorry." I quickly explain, not wanting to upset or ruin a new friendship that I really want to keep by my stupid actions.

"It's okay, it was just me being overly dramatic I do that, you'll get used to it. It was just I remembered today with James and his security blanket," she says sitting on the bed.

"Well that's different, it wasn't his first day and he was being very mean to you," I sit beside her on the bed.

"Thanks again for that," she says before looking into my eyes with a serious look.

"No problem and you won't need to take Beary in ever again as I will be there to help you." I thumb my chest emphasising my point that I will gladly protect this girl for unknowingly helping me through a difficult day.

"Aw thanks," she smiles as she brings her arms around me. I don't normally hug; the only person I've ever hugged regularly is my mom. But I didn't mind her hugging me.

When we'd finished dinner I rang home to see if my mom was back from the hospital, she said she was and that she could pick me up if I wanted but I told her I was nearer home than she knew. Though I didn't really want to leave to go back to that house, I felt I had already taken too much of Miley's time, "Well I've had a great time Miles, thanks Mr.S for the food and Jackson for the highly stimulating conversation," She lets out a chuckle at my comments and nicknames. We head to the front door and I really want to tell her how much she has cheered me up and helped me forget myself but some things are better left unsaid, "I'll see you tomorrow, Bye Miles and thanks again, I mean it," I really do mean it.

"No problem. See ya, lils," I smile at her nickname for me. I walk down the garden path waving to her to get inside but she doesn't until I'm past the gate. I smile again towards her as she closes the door. The new girl. Miley. Miles.

She is my 'Saviour of Malibu'.

Author's Note: It will be back to Miley's POV for the next chapter. Speaking of which there are only two chapters left in this story.
My birthday is coming up very soon and so is something else called Christmas day...so this is my Christmas gift to you all. My birthday always falls on Christmas day for some reason :P
So you reviewing will be the best birthday/Christmas present you can give :)

Merry Christmas to all my readers! You Rock.