A few days later, Miley and Lilly were at the mall, dress shopping. Lilly had already picked her dress and purchased it. It was a little black dress with a v-neck and a choppy hem-line that swished around her legs. Miley, however, was having a much harder time finding a dress to her liking.

"I don't know, Lilly, this just doesn't seem right." She had on a sparkly read halter party dress. She swirled the skirts around. "I just can't seem to find anything where I feel it, you know?"

"I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this, that's all," Lilly said reasonably. "You've tried on heaps of dresses and they've all looked great on you."

"That's just it. I keep trying to picture myself all dressed up on the night of the dance, and when Oliver sees me…"

She caught a glimpse of Lilly's shocked expression in the mirror and averted her eyes, wishing fervently that she wasn't so obviously blushing. "I just want to make sure I find the right one. That's all."

♥♥♥

A day or so later Lilly and Miley sat at lunch, watching Oliver a few tables away making a fool of himself.

"Um, excuse me, miss, but there's no smoking in here."

"I'm not smoking."

"That's where you're wrong, baby; 'cuz from where I'm standing you are smokin'."

The girl got up and left.

Oliver called after her, "Can I call you?"

"Cool," Miley said sarcastically. "Really wish he's cut that out."

"What's your deal? You've been really crabby all week."

"I don't know what's wrong with me, Lilly. It's like all of the sudden I'm really—"

"Hey, ladies." Oliver sidled over to them and took his seat. "What have I missed?"

"Not much, but I think you may have lost your last few shreds of dignity over there," Miley said unkindly.

"Her?" Oliver glanced over his shoulder, oblivious to the hostility directed his way. "Yeah, she wants me."

Miley opened her mouth again, but Lilly interrupted her. "We have to go. We'll see you in class, Oliver."

She took Miley's shoulders and steered her out of the cafeteria.

"You have got to chill out," Lilly said when they were safely in an abandoned hallway.

"Don't tell me to chill," Miley said sharply. "He's the one running around being all 'hot.'"

"Miley, he is one of your best friends," Lilly said seriously. "You cannot treat him that way. I won't let you."

"Give it a rest, Lilly. I don't have time for this. I'm out of here." She turned and stalked off down the hall, leaving her best friend staring after her in amazement.

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A/N: Here's the dress Lilly's wearing to the dance.

However, if you don't like it/don't think it suits her/whatever, my feelings won't be hurt if when you read the next chapters you just imagine her in some other dress.

Hope you're liking the story! Some of my favorite scenes are coming up next.

Ohhhh PS the red party dress Miley wore in this chapter is the dress I wore to Sweethearts last year! It is über fabulous, but alas, not right for this story.