I'll be there for you
(When the rain starts to fall)
I'll be there for you
(Like I've been there before)
I'll be there for you
('Cause you're there for me too)

"I want Nick. I want Nick. I want Nick." Miley kept mumbling over and over again as she made her way to her locker. It was the second to last day of school and she was nervous as heck, but for other reasons. She had been avoiding Jake and Nick for the past few days, trying to figure out her feelings. She loved Nick, of course. But, what about Jake? Could she love him too? Somehow, Jake managed to "accidentally" run into her in between classes. Coincidence? She thought not. He would try and give her charms for the old charm bracelet he once got her, she threw that out of course, replacing it with Nick's promise ring.

The promise ring, saying they'd always love each other and be faithful. All she had to do was picture Nick and that ring the next time she saw Jake and she would be fine. But, everything around her lately had reminded her of Nick… It was starting to creep her out.

"Hey Mi" Oliver greeted her from behind, Miley jumped at his voice. "Oliver!" she gasped, "Don't call me that! I thought you were someone else"

He knitted his eyebrows together and shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever you say … So how was the sleepover the other night? I never got a chance to ask you about it" Oliver continued talking as he followed Miley down the hallway, "It was fine" she shrugged her shoulders. The two continued walking down the crowded hallway, trying to avoid being pushed into a locker. "What do you have now?" Oliver asked. Miley racked her brain for the answer; it was Thursday now so … "Gym" she answered.

"Ooohh that sucks" Oliver made a face. "Why?" Miley asked, the two finally reached the gym doors. "I heard Mrs. McDermott was making everyone climb the rope today, Lily even said that she and Joannie weren't too happy about it. I mean, have you seen how high that thing is?" Oliver ranted on and on. Miley's knees began to shake, when it came to sports; let's just say she wasn't the first one to be picked when it came to team games. "Oohh and what if you fall? You'll get rope burn and it will hurt when you hold the microphone on stage and you'll have to lip sync and—"

"OLIVER!" Miley cut him off. "Hmm?" he smiled. "Shut up" she rolled her eyes as she pushed open the double doors to the gym.

Oh joy.

Selena had tried to avoid Kevin for the past few days. She and Miley locked themselves up in her room, not answering calls unless it was from Lily or one of the girls. They watched "The Breakfast Club" and ate Moose Tracks ice cream the entire time. Apparently, Miley was trying to avoid something as well, but she wouldn't confide in Selena, which she found odd. Selena walked down the hallway of the Wizards set. "Hey Selena" her co-host and also semi-close friend Jennifer greeted her. "Hey Jen" she smiled, the two continued to walk besides each other until they came to David's door. Selena knocked a few times before he answered. "David speaking" he answered with a smile, Selena just laughed as she entered the room. "So is this a pleasant visit … or … one of those 'I need advice' kind of visits?" David asked, walking over to his computer desk and taking a seat. Selena collapsed onto the black couch. "I need advice" she moaned, placing the back of her hand on her forehead.

David rolled his eyes, "Kevin?"

"Why won't he just take me back?" Selena grumbled, "I mean sure I kissed Ricky, but I admitted to it being wrong and apologized, what more can I do?"

"Show him how much he means to you" David simply stated, while turning in his swivel chair and began searching the internet. "What do you mean?" Selena asked.

"Do you love him?" David asked, while clicking on something on his laptop, he never let his eyes drift away from the screen. This was so much more serious than he was taking it! "Uh, I don't know…" Selena thought about it, maybe she did.

"It's a simple question Sel, you either do or don't"

"Ok fine, I-I do!" she finally made up her mind.

"Then, you tell him … or better yet show him" he wiggled his eyebrows seductively, finally ripping his focus away from the computer screen, and before he knew it a pillow was colliding with the side of his head.

Demi walked aimlessly down the sidewalk, not planning on visiting them. However, her feet had a mind of their own; explaining why she was now on her doorstep. She rang the doorbell once, not wanting to sound rude and have a spazz attack on the poor bell by hitting it a thousand times. A teenage boy opened the door, a sandwich in hand, chomping down on the substance. "Uh, hi" she smiled. "Hey" he greeted nonchalantly, "what can I do for ya?"

"Uh, is Miley here?" she asked, hopefully. He analyzed her features just like every guy did and nodded his head, "Yeah, let me get her. Wait right here" he stated while he ran back into the house. "MILEY! SOMEONE'S HERE FOR YOU!"

"WHO!?" Demi heard Miley scream from on top of the stairs.

"Uh…" Jackson ran back to the door, "I didn't catch your name…"

"Demi" she stated.

He quickly nodded his head and ran back into the house, "DEMI!"

All that was heard next was a door slamming shut, the sound of a million footsteps stomping down the stairs and a sharp intake of air.

"Hi" Demi smiled, nervously; she waved her hand timidly.

Miley, Selena and AJ stood there by the piano, trying to find something to say. "I know this may sound a little weird…but I just wanted to say I'm sorry-"

Miley looked taken a back, "You're sorry? For what? You never did anything to me"

Demi lowered her head, "I know" she whispered.

A knot formed in Miley's throat, "You ... you know what?"

"Don't make me say it!" Demi barked, but quickly pulled back her attitude.

"You know about .. the secret!?" Miley exclaimed, "Who told you!?"

"Jake" she answered, simply. "Why-why would he do that?" Miley choked back the tears.

"I swear Demi, if you hurt her…!" Selena started, marching down the three steps leading to the living room. "I've got this…" Miley whispered, holding up her hand to stop Selena.

"But, Miley…" AJ added in.

"Guys, I'm fine. Why don't you go to the beach? I'll meet you there a little later" Miley sighed, looking over at her friends' hurt faces.

They both gave in and walked out to the back porch. Once she was sure they left and were out of ear shot she turned back to face Demi, "So what now? You're gonna sabotage my career? Steal Nick away? Try and black mail me?" Miley guessed while sitting down on the couch. Demi followed her and took a seat next to Miley. There was enough space in between them so it wasn't completely awkward. "I was kind of hoping we could start over …" she smiled, sympathetically.

"Crazy girl say what?" Miley asked, completely shocked.

"Listen," Demi sighed, "I know we haven't exactly … gotten along in the past.."

Miley rolled her eyes, "Ya think?"

"But, that doesn't mean we can't start getting along now."

Miley looked at her strangely, "I'm sorry, but I can't believe you, I can't trust you, I don't even know if I can stand sitting next to you any longer" she apologized.

Demi looked towards the door, "I get that" her voice was hushed, "Maybe … I could try and earn your trust and friendship, you know?"

She looked at Demi, really looked at her and thought back on all the things Demi had done. It was all for fame, all to get her name up in the headlines. It was like a drug for some new stars and Demi was just another victim who had gotten addicted way too early.

"Maybe"

Lily lay next to Joe in his bed, the two had just got done with having a stuffed animal fight and ended up making out for the rest of the half hour. Brings back memories …

She gazed up at the glow-in-the-dark stars, glued to his ceiling and smiled. The lights were off so the stars were shining as brightly as they could, a green glow beaming down on them. "I got you those for your 15th birthday" Lily smiled, "It was a gag gift, you said you needed your room to be more manly so I got you one of the most girlish things I could find" she thought back on the memory.

"I remember Lils" he smiled.

"And you still have them up…" she contemplated.

"They remind me of you" he whispered into her ear. She turned her head that was currently resting on his chest and sent him a quizical look. "How could they possibly remind you of me?" she asked.

"Well, for one thing; you gave them to me" he joked. Lily giggled at his silliness.

"And two…" he became serious, looking down at her, he rested his forehead upon hers, "they shine almost as bright as you" he smirked, "almost"

Kevin walked into an empty house, he called up the stairs and got no response. "That's weird…" he muttered to himself. He walked into the kitchen and made his way over towards the refrigerator, he pulled open the door and grabbed a V8. As he took a sip of the juice, he eyed the back porch. The lights for the pool were on and whenever they left the house they always shut them off. "Even weirder…" he whispered. He set his drink down on the counter, next to the sink and walked over to the sliding door. He pulled it open and stepped out into the warm night. A gentle breeze blew by as he noticed a girl standing across the pool wearing a simple white dress, smiling nervously. "Selena?" he questioned.

He put his legs in motion and walked around the pool, never taking his eyes off her. "Hi" she simply said once he was in front of her. "Hi" he smiled; his face was practically glowing, "what are you doing here?"

"I came to share something with you"

Kevin looked down into her dark brown orbs and saw the light from the pool, flicker in her eyes. "You wanted to share something with me?" he repeated, still smiling.

She simply nodded her head and blushed. Selena then took a seat by the edge of the pool and let her legs dip into the warm water. Kevin sat down next to her; hesitantly. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, mostly about us…" she started.

"Yeah, me too…" he cut in.

"Let me finish" she pleaded. He nodded his head and let her start back up again, "I've been thinking a lot about us lately. About how miserable I have been without you. Sure, I went to hang out with other friends and I had a good time. I smiled, I laughed. But, I didn't put all my heart into it. It was all forced; with you … it just comes naturally. The minute I see your face, my whole day brightens. The minute you let your heavenly voice slip out from in between your cute little lips, my heart flutters. The minute I'm with you, I'm happy." Selena took a deep breath before continuing, "So basically what I'm trying to say is … I need you. I need you around me, I need you near me, I need you with me. I just need you and that's all I really know. I think- I think I love you" she whispered.

Kevin was glowing, he couldn't be any happier, "You think you love me ... or you know? Because, I most definitely know that I love you"

He then slipped his index finger under her chin, lifting up her head to look at him and guided her lips to his. "I most definitely know" she murmured against his lips.

Nick and Miley were lying on top of Miley's roof. They had been kicked out of Nick's house by Selena for reasons unknown. The moon was shining rather brightly tonight, edging Miley on, taunting her; telling her to do it. She couldn't take its pressure anymore. "Have you ever loved anyone else besides me Nick?" Miley asked, out of the blue. He turned to face her, "Does my Mom count?" he laughed. She looked into his beautiful eyes and sighed, "That's not the kind of love I'm talking about …"

He knitted his eyebrows together, "Well, uh, I guess there was Peyton Freeman back in 2nd grade, but those were different times" he laughed slightly.

Miley giggled at his immaturity, "Those sure were" she added. "What made you bring that up?"

"I've just been thinking lately and …"

"Oh god" he cut in.

"Shut up" she rolled her eyes, "I'm serious"

"Go on" he insisted.

"Well, I was just thinking about how maybe you can love more than one person. Maybe not as much as the other person, but still … you loved them" she edged on.

Nick wasn't quite following, but he told her to continue anyways. "I mean, it's just … I thought I used to love Jake, but then I opened myself up to you and found that he meant nothing to me compared to you. And now …"

"You're not sure if you made the right decision a long time ago" Nick finished for her.

Miley looked down ashamed, "Pretty much"

"Well Miley, I know that I love you. I know that-that I love Aly and Selena and AJ and Taylor and Lily; like really love them. But, deep down in my heart I know that no one will ever compare to you…"

She connected their eyes and felt them start to sting, "It's your choice Mi. I don't want to be that boyfriend who runs out on you before you even get a say. I want to put your happiness before mine. Yours is more important."

"But, I want you to be happy" she begged.

Nick shook his head, "You're more important"

One more chapter to go and then it's done! I am DIEING to hear your feedback on this chapter and the next one. Your thoughts and opinions are what kept me going with the story so I'd like to hear them now, more than ever.

Which leads me to .. the begging part! WOOO! (I know we all love this part of the "Emily talks about nothing" segment)

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please,please, please,please, please, please, please, please, (gasps for breath) please, please, please, please, please, please, please,please, pleaaaasssseeee with a cherry on top :)

xxEmilyKearsexx