Who's To Blame?

Miley's POV

The crowd around us chuckled a bit and made some 'ooh' sounds. But Lilly and I didn't move. We just had our hands over our mouths, hoping the worst wasn't about to happen- but it did.

As soon as Oliver wiped a handful of spaghetti off his face, he stuffed his hot dog into Jake's mouth. Apparently that was the only patience Jake had. Right after that he shoved Oliver to the ground, and then someone yelled "food fight"! Lilly and I ducked under the table. We saw Oliver and Jake on the ground. They weren't fighting anymore; instead they were crawling underneath our table for cover as well.

Now everything around us- ciaos.

Lilly and I hadn't got hit, but we could see food flying everywhere. While the four of us sat under the table, waiting for the food fight to end, we looked at each other. We knew that one of us had started it, but we didn't know who. I really wanted to say it was Jake. But Oliver hit Jake first. Although that was just an accident, so I could really say it was Jake.

Even though the fight lasted one minute, it felt like forever sitting under the table. But soon a teacher came and stopped it. When we got out from under the table we saw Ms. Kunkle asking around for the culprit. Everyone turned and looked at us as soon as we got out from under the table. They all had seen us start it, so there was no way of getting out of this one.

Ms. Kunkle walked over to us.

"Principals office now." She said and we began to follow her.

"Wait Ms. Kunkle, don't you know who I am?" Jake tried to say, so she would stop walking.

"A jerk." I said casually to him. I couldn't help myself. It was the perfect opportunity. Right in front of everyone. Jake turned around to face me when I said this.

"Hey, if it wasn't for you we wouldn't be in this mess. So I'd say it's your fault."

"Excuse me? What the heck did I do?" I couldn't believe he was talking to me like this. Jake Ryan. He has this total crush on me and now he was yelling at me?

"You-" he said into my face and began walking even closer to me.

"Enough! We are going to take this to the principal." Kunkle said and turned to walk down the hall. We followed.

The principal was in a meeting when we got there.

"Well, while you're waiting you can think things through and figure out what happened." Kunkle said. Then she walked out of the room, but quickly came back just as we sat down.

"Mr. Ryan I have a message for you from your director. He says there is a meeting you have to attend for your TV show." She sighed with a hint of annoyance at the superstars constant perks.

"Oh, well can you tell him I'm busy?"

"He said it's very important and you need to be there now."

"Ok, fine. But what about the fight?"

"Once we figure out whose responsible, we'll bring you back in."

"Alright, bye you guys." Jake said as he walked out the door.

Principals Office

Miley's POV

"And then Jake got called out for a meeting. Then he hurried back here as soon as he could." I turned to Jake. "Thanks by the way. And…" Did I just say thanks to that jerk? "And now we're back here. So, that's my side of the story." I finished, looking at the principal. I hadn't told him everything we had said to each other. That would have been a little personal. But just the main points about what happened and the actions.

"Thank you Stewart. Now Ms. Truscott, would you like to go next?"

Lilly didn't hesitate. She started the second after he asked.

"Well it was all pretty much how Miley said. Except I first saw how the ketchup squirt on Jake. It was because I asked Oliver for his history notes. Then when he leaned over the table to hand me them, he sort of slipped and it happened to be on the tube of ketchup."

"Oh yeah right, and it just happened to be pointed at me too." Jake interrupted with a chuckle.

He had a goofy sort of tone in his voice of sarcasm. It was kind of like-oh shoot! Now he caught me looking at him. Who could possibly be attracted to this jerk? He threw a handful of food at my friend and shoved him to the ground.

"Excuse me Mr. Ryan; you will have your turn." The principal told him. Then he turned back to Lilly. "Now Ms. Truscott; anything else?"

"Nope that's pretty much it. Just thought I'd clear up the very beginning. So I don't think Oliver did it on purpose."

"Alright well let's hear what Mr. Oken has to say." He said as he turned to look at Oliver.

Oliver was sitting half way down in his chair. I hadn't even noticed before, but he must have been sliding very discreetly. Does that mean…

"Ok I…I did do it on purpose. I started it." Oliver said as he sat all the way up in his chair.

"What? Oliver?!" Lilly and I said in unison and looked at Oliver in surprise.

"So is this true? Why did you start it Mr. Oken?" the principal asked him.

"It was just, well Miley and Jake were fighting. Well sort of a yelling thing. Miley started and then Jake yelled back. I just couldn't take that guy anymore. So I tried to make it look like an accident. But then Jake noticed that it was pointed right at him and he didn't let it go. I'm sorry you guys." He looked over at us.

"Alright Oken and Ryan, that's a weeks detention for starting the food fight." The principal said as he began to write some things down. "You will spend an hour after school cleaning the cafeteria. If it's cleaned before your week is through, then you will spend your lunch time in detention for the rest of the week."

"What? But I-" Jake started, but the principal cut him off.

"Would you like to go for two weeks?"

"No sir." Jake said and looked down.

"Alright, now Stewart that will be three days worth of detention, for fighting with another student. You will also assist with the cleaning."

"What? I think that's hardly fair sir. I only yelled I didn't really fight." I said back to the principal.

"Three days Stewart. Truscott, from what I've heard, it doesn't sound like you did anything. So I think you're off the hook."

"Cool thanks, but could I at least help them clean up sometime?" Lilly asked. Apparently she felt guilty for being the only innocent one.

"Yes of course, I'm sure it will be finished a lot quicker that way. But you don't have to you know. You can stop at anytime." He said. "Alright everyone this detention will start tomorrow, five minutes after school. Lunch is over now and your next class has started. I will write you up late passes. And remember to be in the cafeteria on time tomorrow. You may go now." He said after handing each of us a late note.

We walked out of his office in silence. Once we were in the hallway we all stopped, formed a small circle- an argument began from there. We all spoke at once, and then stopped so we weren't so loud. Then Lilly said something first.

"Way to go Oliver."

"Hey, if Jake would've just backed off of Miley in the first place-"

"Oh come on that is so lame. Is that why-" Jake said with a small laugh.

"Guys guys, would you please just stop!" I said. We were getting too loud and we needed to get to class. "Listen, even though Oliver hit Jake, I really think that it was me and Jake who got everything started by yelling at each other. Jake don't you agree." I asked and looked at him.

His hands were in his pockets. He looked slightly nervous as he was thinking. Then he looked at me after a few more seconds.

"Yeah…yeah I do." He said quietly.

"Ok and what about you two?" I asked Lilly and Oliver

"Yeah, but we'll still help clean the cafeteria." Lilly said

"Ok, thanks Lilly. Well we should really get to class you guys." I said to end the conversation.

Then we all walked to our class. We had the same class together right after lunch. And wouldn't you know it; I was assigned to sit next to Jake Ryan again. It was long enough in the principal's office. And now I had to have more of him. But this time he didn't bug me during class, he seemed a little…distant and sad. Maybe because he knew that he actually did something to make me mad at him. Not just annoyed with him like I usually am, but mad at him this time.

I looked at him for a moment and felt a little sorry, but this Jake Ryan might be the better side that's not so loud and obnoxious. Then again he does look pretty sad and we did have that little shouting match. But if I apologized that would probably change my status with him, to a friend. But I didn't want to be friends with a guy like that. Oh man, why do I always feel sorry when someone's sad?! I tapped Jake on the shoulder; he turned to look at me.

"Listen Jake, I just wanted to say that I'm-" I started to whisper to him, but I was cut off by the bell ringing for the end of class. Wow- saved by the bell.

Everyone around us began to gather up their things. I was also going too, because I thought I could make a quick get away and apologize later. But after I had packed my stuff up, Jake stopped me just before I got up to leave.

"Wait, what were you going to say?" he asked

"It's really nothing ok?" I said and tried to get up again, but he pulled me down. "Jake I've got to get to my next class."

"Miley, you know we've got a few minutes in between classes. Now what were you going to say?" he asked once more.

A/N Great reviews! Please review this chapter and I'll keep writing...