'They Say That Good Things Take Time' – Chapter 11
Lilly stared out of her bedroom window at the grey November sky which was doing nothing to placate her mood that morning. The weather in St Louis had not improved over the past week and her spirits were dampened by rain showers and generally colder weather. She was meant to be meeting her friends but it had been cancelled due to a sudden bout of the influenza virus, which was circling their neighbourhood like a shark that had sighted bait. The mothers of the area had been avid that their children would not be submitted to a possibility that their families should become infected and thus Lilly was home, alone.
The blonde teenager grumpily stalked her room, trying to find a way to appease her hungry mind when all of her friends were either struck down with illness in bed or staring out of their own windows as glumly as she was. In an attempt to diffuse her boredom through the medium of food, Lilly had found the refrigerator irritatingly empty of delicious treats and was only greeted by an irksome note stuck there by her mother.
Lilly,
Have gone to work to get ahead on Wedding order. Grocery shopping afterwards – be back around 4pm.
Have a nice day.
Love Mum.
She had scowled at the notice and rolled her eyes, since moving there her mother had grown rapidly discontent in her role as a simple housewife and had at once taken a temporary job in a local florist. Now Heather Truscott was kept amused with arranging flowers for grand events whilst Lilly's father was called into the office on the occasional weekend. Her flippant brother was also no use to her in terms of entertainment, when she rang his cell she was merely greeted by a laid back answer phone message which claimed he was either studying or at the basketball courts.
At a loss of people and interesting television programs to humour her in her time of need, Lilly resorted to checking her emails. She was not surprised when she read the essay that Miley had sent her about her week and did not fail to notice the undertone of sadness which Miley's emails always held. Lilly hated herself for holding back in her replies, but it just made her feel so guilty and she missed her Malibu life all the more when she heard about what was going on almost everyday. She knew that she was letting her best friend down and disliked herself for doing so, yet it was difficult for her to cling to the past when she so desperately needed to move forward in her life. Lilly closed the email screen, making a mental note to reply in the week before turning back to her new bedroom for inspiration.
She cast her eyes around her new room which she was still getting used to. The room itself was a different shape to her old room, but around the same size. When she had first moved in, Lilly had noticed that it smelled different and that was partly to do with the building being much newer than her old house. All of the houses along her street were practically identical with only the owners' individual marks that made them stand out as different from one another. It was a standard four bedroom house in a suburban district off the centre of the city where Volvos perched in the driveways of soccer mums and kids ruled the roads at weekends on their bikes. Lilly did like the area but her Malibu born self craved the sea air and the sound of the waves breaking on the sand. She missed the heat and the burning sun, but not the humidity which lurked more prevalently in St Louis on hotter days.
Lilly inwardly smiled as her eyes landed on the Hannah Montana posters which she had immediately stuck to her freshly painted walls on arrival. Miley's disguised face was always beaming out at her, serving as a refreshing reminder of happier times with her best friend instead of living through emails and phone calls which were often filled with unspoken tensions. As she looked at the images of her best friend, Lilly was suddenly reminded of a project which she had intended to start on a rainy day and she lurched forward to search dramatically underneath her bed for a recent purchase. Eventually she unearthed a large scrapbook and an envelope of photographs that she had printed a couple of weeks before. After a hurried search for scissors and glue, Lilly was ready to begin work and, with a brilliant smile lighting her features, began to plan her surprise.
The following day had not improved in terms of the weather, but Lilly's spirits were soaring as she finally logged off the computer and found the house phone. Her fingers quickly tapped in a familiar number and she listened with growing anticipation to the ringing of the other phone. A clicking noise was made in her ear as someone picked up on the other end and a male voice greeted her down the line.
"Hello?"
"Ollie!"
"Hey, is that you Lils?" Oliver asked.
"Yep. How are you?"
"Yeah I'm fine thanks, what's going on with you?"
"Meh. Not a lot." Lilly began, "Everyone here is struck down with the flu or something and the mums in this district are so paranoid about health that they won't let there kids outside so I am totally bored."
"Fair enough." Oliver replied and Lilly could just imagine him fiddling with his floppy brown hair on the other end of the phone as he contemplated the next steps in their conversation. "So, is everything booked and planned for when you're coming?"
"Sure is." Lilly answered excitedly, "I've just finished ordering my plane flights and I started Miley's present yesterday. I can't wait to see you guys again, it's only going to be a couple of weeks. Eeep!"
Oliver chuckled contentedly at Lilly's familiar noise of excitement. "Cool Lilly. She's going to be so excited to see you there, she has no idea you're coming."
"Yeah, I hope so." Lilly said with a smile.
"Right, well send me an email and stuff about when your flight gets in and I'll come and meet you at the airport and bring you back to mine. I've still got your board so you can hit the waves on Saturday morning and then you can go and see Miley's concert in the evening… and then surprise her with her birthday present."
"Sounds like a plan Batman." Lilly quipped, excitement trembling through her voice as she grew happier with the knowledge that she would be shortly seeing her two best friends once more.
"Anyway," Oliver began with a sigh, "I've gotta go now. Miley and I are going to the movies this afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I'll email you at some point."
"Cool, speak to you later Oliver."
"Yeah. Oh, and Lilly?"
"Yeah?"
"Pick up the phone to Miley at some point soon, 'kay? She would really want to hear from you."
"Erm… sure, okay." Lilly replied hesitantly as her face adopted a puzzled expression in response to Oliver's serious tone.
"Cool, speak to you later."
"Bye!"
"Bye."
Lilly hung up and frowned slightly as she considered dialling in Miley's own number and talking with her friend. Lilly knew that it would be the right thing to do, she did miss Miley more than anything else that she had left behind in Malibu, but something was always holding her back and she was not sure why. Lilly reasoned with herself that Miley and Oliver were going to the movies anyway so it was pointless for her to call for such a short chat and resolved to call again at some point in the week. Lilly moved away from the phone and made the short trip up her stairs to work a little bit more on Miley's present.
School for Lilly in this new district was just as tedious as it had been in Malibu. She did enjoy some of the lessons and the teachers were friendly, but the very building seemed sterile and unwelcoming. It was a modern high school and each of the corridors made sense in relation to the numbered classrooms. The walls were white-washed and the lockers were new, as yet untainted by the scars that frustrated students would etch into them over time.
Lilly closed her locker for the final time that week and turned to smile at her friend Amelia who was lurking nearby, clinging onto her books as they waited to leave the school. Lilly had liked Amelia straight away as she was one of the few people who had acknowledged her presence. Lilly was used to being a loud and vivacious girl in Malibu, but without Miley's winning presence by her side she had felt subdued and allowed herself to tread in the shadows. It was not like the students here were hostile, Amber and Ashley had certainly been left behind, but everyone was so focused on who they already knew that Lilly had despaired slightly about being on her own. Amelia was a sweet girl, although she did appear to Lilly to just hover rather than exist as a true friend. She was shorter than the blonde skater with plain brown hair, styled straight and cropped just above her shoulders. Amelia wore glasses over her chocolate brown eyes but had a kind smile and a warm heart so that when Lilly first saw her, she merely thought to herself she'll do and that was that.
"Ready to head off then Lilly?" Amelia asked her with a smile.
Lilly nodded as the two made their way toward the doors. They did not speak much as the main contributor to their conversations was off sick with the flu. Lilly's new friend Luke had been more promising than Amelia, he had a wicked sense of humour and a cheeky grin which drew Lilly to him at once. In terms of appearance, he was slightly chubby and his hair looked like a bird had nested in it overnight, but he seemed to be friends with most people in their year and had at once adopted Lilly.
"Are you going round to see Luke tonight?" Lilly asked Amelia with a twinkle in her eye, she knew that the short brunette was very much taken with him and had already volunteered to bring him all of his homework.
"Hmm? Oh, yes, of course. I've got to take him his homework." Amelia giggled nervously as a blush stained her cheeks pink. She was also one of those unfortunate people who remained red-faced for slightly longer than they would have hoped. Lilly rolled her eyes and smiled to herself as she contemplated the natures of her two new friends. Luke had no idea how Amelia felt about him and Lilly often chuckled about how oblivious the boy was when it was so obvious to everyone else.
Eventually they came to the standard place where their paths always divided and Lilly bid a grinning Amelia farewell before walking the next two blocks home. As she stepped through the door, her mother greeted her with a beaming smile from where she stood organising daisies on their dining room table. Lilly smiled back and felt warmly toward her mother as she could not help but notice how much happier she seemed here.
"Hey mum, did you have a good day?" Lilly asked.
"Hello sweetie, yes it was fabulous thank you. We received a new shipment of yellow roses that Caroline ordered and by the end of the day they were all gone which was just brilliant…"
Lilly let her mother's voice wash over her as she put her things away and got a bag of chips from the cupboard to snack on. Her mother was so enthusiastic about her new work that Lilly could never silence her and just resorted to happily munching away as she listened.
"…Anyway, did you have a good day at school?" her mother finally got round to asking.
"Yeah it was okay thanks." Lilly answered, before throwing the empty packet in the trashcan and dusting off her hands. "I'm just gonna head upstairs now and do my school work."
"Oh right." Her mother replied and turned back to the table top. "Oh Lilly?" She called as her daughter was halfway up the stairs.
"Yeah?"
"Something came in the post for you today."
Lilly came back into the kitchen and took the envelope from her mother's outstretched hand before looking it over curiously.
"How exciting." Her mother said as she patted her flowers into a desirable position in their vase. "I wonder who it's from. You haven't got an admirer now have you?"
Lilly giggled, "No, of course not mum. It looks like Miley's handwriting."
"Oh right. But, it's her birthday coming up soon, not yours." Lilly's mother sighed, "You know Lilly, that girl really is too good to you. I think you should give her a call sometime."
"Yes mum." Lilly replied with a sigh. She was beginning to tire of the nagging feeling that she was having which kept prompting her to contact Miley. Having others telling her she should do it also only made her further annoyed with herself for not having bothered already.
Lilly turned back to the stairs and made the journey up to her bedroom where she threw the small package lightly onto the bed as she sat at her desk to attempt her homework. Halfway through the first math problem, Lilly was already bored and her curiosity overcame her as she picked up her post and turned it over in her hands. She slowly peeled open the envelope and pulled out the contents. Miley had sent her a CD and there was a note attached which Lilly read.
Lilly,
I've written a new song which I've put on a CD and sent to you. I don't know if it's any good, and I haven't finished it yet, I'm having writer's block.
I hope you're good anyway and I'm sure I'll speak to you soon.
Take care,
Miles.
Lilly arched an eyebrow slightly at the tone of the letter which was far less friendly than anything that Miley ever wrote or said to her.
"Maybe she was just in a hurry." Lilly reasoned aloud and casually shrugged off her sense of doubt.
She crossed the room and put the CD in the player that she had on her desk and sat down to listen. No sound came for a few moments except for the standard quiet buzzing from the speakers. Eventually an acoustic guitar came into hearing and Lilly was aware that Miley must have recorded this basic song on her own. Soon the brunette's voice flooded Lilly's ears, she sounded wonderful even on this simple recording, but also, terribly sad.
I can honestly say
You've been on my mind
Since I woke up today
I look at your photograph all the time
These memories come back to life
And I don't mind
I remember when we kissed
I still feel it on my lips
The time that you danced with me
With no music playing
I remember those simple things
I remember 'till I cry
But the one thing I wish I'd forget
A memory I want to forget
Is goodbye
I woke up this morning
And played our song
And through my tears I sang along
I picked up the phone and I
Put it down
Cause I know I'm wasting my time
And I don't mind
I remember when we kissed
I still feel it on my lips
The time that you danced with me
With no music playing
I remember those simple things
I remember 'till I cry
But the one thing I wish I'd forget
A memory I want to forget
Is goodbye.
The sound cut out at this point and Lilly sat with tears in her eyes as thoughts of her friend flashed across her mind. Miley sounded so lost in her singing that Lilly's heart fluttered with pity for her. The song only made her miss Miley more and she longed to call her up and draw all of the sadness out of her best friend, yet something made her stop and play the music again. As Lilly listened for the second time, she frowned subconsciously out of confusion for the lyrics that Miley had chosen in her chorus.
"When we kissed?" Lilly muttered to herself when she heard Miley sing those words out again. A single image of the two girls at the airport suddenly dawned in her mind, her lips resting against Miley's for a mere, accidental moment before they drew away and seemingly laughed it off.
Her thoughts were broken by the sound of her mother's voice slicing through the atmosphere like a knife as she shouted for her, "Lilly! Oliver on the phone."
Lilly leapt up at once to go and answer the call, "Hello?"
"Hey!" Oliver greeted with a slight tone of impatience in his voice, "You were meant to call me this week, you promised on Saturday and now it's Friday. What's wrong with you girl?"
Lilly cringed slightly at Oliver's poorly hidden frustration; she was doing such a bad job at staying in contact with her best friends that she hated herself for it.
"Sorry Ollie, I'm such a bad friend. I've just been busy at school and I guess I didn't notice where the time went and then kinda forgot."
"Hmm." Oliver made a disapproving noise of agreement down the phone, "Never mind. We're talking now I guess. So, I was just calling to organize everything."
"Oh yeah, of course." Lilly replied, relieved now that they were moving away from the topic of how appalling she had been, "Well I land in Malibu at six on Friday evening and then obviously I'll want feeding…" she stated cheekily and grinned as she heard Oliver scoff down the line, "and then I'm flying back quite early on Sunday morning because I need to get back to study for a biology test on Monday."
"Alright, sounds good to me." Oliver replied. "That's pretty much all I was calling for really. You alright?"
Lilly pondered over his question for a moment as she thought about the strange post that she had received from Miley earlier that day.
"Well, yes I am okay really." She began, "But I was just wondering… Oliver, how's Miley?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I dunno, I was just wondering. Whenever I talk to her she just seems like standard smiley Miley, but then I read her emails and I can't help but notice that she seems sad. It's like her being cheerful on the phone is all an act not to worry me. Will you tell me how she actually is?"
Oliver paused for a moment as he considered an appropriate answer, "Well, obviously she misses you Lilly but she's alright really."
Lilly sighed at the standard answer, Oliver was obviously protecting something that Miley did not want to be said, and she knew him too well to know when he was not telling her everything.
"Oliver, please tell me what's really going on with her. I miss her too and I know I'm being really lame at keeping in contact with her, but I know she's hiding how she really feels and I find it so hard to talk to her with all this unresolved stuff. Is she mad at me for leaving?"
"Lilly, of course she's not mad at you for leaving. To be honest, the girl misses you like hell. She wasn't eating properly for a while and she was totally miserable all of the time. Everyone noticed that she had changed and she suddenly became distant with everyone and I didn't see her smile for ages."
Lilly's heart fell and she suddenly felt anxious at the knowledge that Miley had not been eating properly. "Oh god." She breathed quietly down the phone.
Oliver sensed Lilly's sudden realization, but knew that he could not keep how Miley had changed from Lilly for much longer, she would find out anyway when she saw Miley for herself.
"Don't worry too much about it now Lils, and whatever you do, don't go running to the phone to call her up and interrogate her, she'll just freak on me about how I told you she wasn't doing well. Really she's loads better now; it's just taking her some time."
Lilly found herself nodding in agreement on the other end of the phone before she realised that Oliver could not actually see her. "Okay Ollie, thanks for telling me."
"No problem. Just don't worry too much it'll be okay when you're together again."
"Yeah." Lilly replied half-heartedly. "Erm, Oliver, Miley sent me a CD with a new song on it. Do you know anything about this?"
"Hmm?" Oliver sounded slightly distracted and when he spoke again, his voice was muffled as if food was churning around in his mouth, "No, I have no idea." He swallowed, "Well, that's good if she's working on some new stuff, she hasn't released anything for a while now." He gulped again and Lilly could here him brushing his mouth, she rolled her eyes in impatience at the hopeless boy, probably stuffing his face with doughnuts, "What's it like?"
Lilly considered his question for a moment. What was the song like? Miley had sounded sad, but also emotional and her voice was so strong, it was a very likeable composition.
"It sounded good. Sad, but good."
"Cool." Oliver replied, "Sorry Lils, but I gotta go, mum just walked in from work and I'm meant to be studying. See you next Friday though!"
"Yeah, see you later Ollie." Lilly replied and hung up the phone.
She frowned slightly to herself as her mind was fuddled by a familiar feeling of dread and she could not help but feel suddenly nervous about seeing Miley again. From their telephone calls it seemed as if nothing had changed, but if Oliver was right and she had been losing weight, then Lilly would not be faced with the Miley she used to know on her return. Then there was also the issue of the song that Miley had sent her in the post, what did it all mean? It was obviously a song about missing someone, but Lilly could not shake off the other unknown feeling that came with it or the memories that it invoked and the most frightening aspect of all; it was a love song. Who did Miley love and why had she not told Lilly?
A/N: Ok so I found writing this chapter quite difficult. It's hard to write from Lilly's perspective for a prolongued period of time and I'm longing for the two to be together again for me to write about their interactions!! Also I haven't seen HM for a while cos I'm back at uni now studying and we don't have Disney channel :( Just read it and, even if you don't like it, see it as a stepping stone for the general plot.