"So now you and Smokin' Oken are going to have to act all lovey dovey at school?" Lilly asked the next morning.
"Yeah, just so Will gets the message," Miley said, shrugging nonchalantly.
"Ugh, I don't know if I'll be able to stand it."
"It's not that bad," Miley assured her.
"Good morning, my sweet," Oliver said by way of greeting, walking up behind her.
"You're certainly cheerfully," she replied. She leaned closer. "Mm, you smell amazing."
"Thanks," he said, smiling hugely.
"It's Will!" Lilly whispered urgently. Miley threw her arms around Oliver and hugged him tightly until Lilly signaled that the coast was clear.
"You know, I could really get used to this arrangement," Oliver mused.
Miley laughed. "Yeah, hopefully he forgets about me soon so we can go back to acting normally and you can be Smokin' Oken again."
"Smokin' Oken's still here, baby," Oliver said smoothly, "I'm all yours."
Miley pushed him away gently. "Get out," she laughed. He grinned at her.
"Honestly." Lilly rolled her eyes, shaking her head at them as though they were a hopeless case.
The next few days went by quickly as Miley, Oliver, and Lilly kept a sharp lookout for opportunities to dissuade Will's affections.
"There he is again," Oliver declared, pulling Miley into his arms.
"Where?" Lilly asked. "I don't see him."
"He, uh, must be gone now," Oliver said elusively.
♥♥♥
That night they were at Miley's house studying for their literary terms quiz the next day. Oliver sat next to Miley on the couch. While she was dutifully making note cards, he was mainly focusing on staring at her. He faked a yawn, stretched his arm high in the air and put it down sneakily around the back of the couch behind her. She glanced up at him. "We're not in school, you know, Oliver. You can drop the act. I highly doubt Will's going to swing by."
"I don't mind," he said vaguely.
"Well, I do," she said. "You're crowding me."
"Sorry," he mumbled, annoyed, retracting his arm.
A short while later Oliver got up and collected his things. "I think I'm going to head home."
"You're leaving? Now?" Miley asked, surprised.
He nodded, heading for the door. Lilly watched him contemplatively for a moment; then she jumped up. "I'm going too," she declared, and followed him out the door.
"Bye," Miley called loudly. "Don't mind me. I'll just be here studying alone if anyone needs me."
♥♥♥
"Oliver!" Lilly jogged to catch up with him. He was walking very quickly. She reached out an arm to stop him. "Everything okay?" she asked, falling into step with him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He continued walking, but was at least moving slowly enough to allow her to keep pace with him.
"Okay, so since we both know you're lying, what is it that's got you down? Miley?"
His instinct was to deny, deny, deny, but he figured that he could really use the advice. "Maybe, maybe not," he said cryptically.
"Well, it's not the English quiz," she said knowingly.
"Okay, it is Miley. And this whole Mega Watt deal."
"She really owes you one for stepping in like that for her."
"Yeah, I know." Lilly could tell by his tone that he wasn't saying everything he felt on this topic. Suddenly she stopped, watching him consideringly. She was reviewing his behavior of the past week in her mind. He turned back to look at her. "What?"
Her mouth had formed an O of surprise. "You like Miley," she stated simply.
He kept his face impassive. "What makes you think that?"
"You totally do," she said slowly. "Posing as her boyfriend, all the hugs, trying to perpetuate the charade…" She looked up at him with concerned eyes. "It must be killing you that she doesn't know."
"I'm dealing with it." He continued walking.
"Listen, Oliver." She stopped him again. "Just tell her. She'll walk to know. She cares about you, and if you keep this to yourself, sooner or later it'll resurface, and not at all how you would have it."
He nodded once and trudged home.