A/N: This story's waaaaaaaay fun to write. I had this bizarre dream last night that Mitchel Musso had purple eyes and I was part of the Hannah Montana cast. See what writing does to my brain!
And, in a moment of randomness, I used Adam Savage's term "Super Sugar Hyper Pop" to name Anthony's cereal. I love Mythbusters.
I'm streaming Radio Disney right now, I'm so excited because here the AM station is really high and it's really bad quality, but I'll be really excited once I can request "If We Were a Movie." I requested "Chemicals React" an hour ago and they're playing it! I've never had a radio station play my requests!
iheartdisney128: thanks! Here's more!
Luvs-Mitchel-Musso: thanks, I'm glad. Here's an update.
LiS-iM a MoLiVeR fAn: haha, thanks, all my friends tell me that I'm a drama goddess. And thanks; I wrote a short story last year for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and I won at the school level but not at regionals. That was disappointing, so it's always nice to hear that I'm good.
StepInTime: yeah, he's pretty confused, and he probably will be throughout the rest of the story. He is sweet, and seriously, that whole sunscreen thing—while I was writing it I was like so excited wondering what was coming next, probably similar to how you guys feel when you read it (if you care at all). And thanks for reading an excellent chapter!
BriannaG: thanks :)
aRiEgUrL49: thanks. It might just be me, but I know that if all of this happened to me (which some of it has), I'd definitely be convinced that the guy liked me. And remember, Oliver's paranoid about anything having to do with Miley.
smi1e: thanks! Read previous review reply.
--
Day Four2:36 AM
I was sitting on my bed again. This girl is the bane of my sleep patterns.
My English books were spread out around me. Romeo & Juliet, Lord of the Flies, A Streetcar Named Desire, Wordbook 6, The Importance of Being Earnest… the titles swirled together and I got up, nauseated.
I walked into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. My acne's flaring up again. I made a mental note to call the doctor and get my prescription for Tetracycline renewed as I walked out of the bathroom and into the hall. The playroom loomed before me, and I went and sat down where I am now, on a chaise lounge that my mom's had since forever.
I remember playing ping-pong with my dad on the table that's now folded, stored behind the monster TV stand, away from eyes and gathering dust. Then I remember playing pinball by myself, and screaming at Anne (with Anthony on her hip), Mom, Miley, Lilly, whoever came in, to get the hell away from me. In addition to being shocked to hear such a word existing in my vocabulary at such a young age, they were all offended.
None as badly as Miley, though.
I remember her looking at me, her smiling face falling painfully into a look of loneliness. She'd come alone; her father had dropped her off and wasn't coming back for another hour. The plate of cookies in her hand fell to her side, clattering as plastic does, as her head sank into her hands. I remember feeling guilty, especially as I saw her shoulders start shaking and heard her crying. I knew that feeling all too well, as I had been crying a lot myself in the past few months. I remember wanting to leave the high score I was trying for and walk over to her in six-year-old compassion and hug her, tell her I was sorry and make it all better.
But at the same time, I knew I couldn't, because I'd already hurt her spirit. Those feelings of compassion were the love I felt for her at the time, though they were nothing near the love I feel now for her, because I was only six and didn't know what the word meant. But when I saw her turn to leave, I could hear her heart ripping, and I know what that feels like.
With a sigh, I get up and went over to Lettuce's cage. "Hey, little girl," I say, scooping her out of her cage with two hands and the better parts of my forearms. "How's it going?"
She looks up at me with beady eyes. "You're my favorite girl, you know that, right?" She butts her head into my chin and I swear I can see a smile on her face.
"Yeah, Oliver, I know it. Despite what a freak you are, I love you dearly," I can imagine her saying. Holding her to my chest, I bury my nose in her graying fur as I have done for years. Lettuce was my handkerchief all of those times that I cried, and now she's definitely still one of my best friends. I love that stinky ferret.
When I turned ten, Lilly, Miley, Mom, and Anne all chipped in to get her for me. She's the best birthday present I ever got. I spent a month reading everything I could about ferrets and ferret-proofing the playroom, so she could run around whenever I took her out. I even shelled out some of my own money to get her a deluxe ferret-hammock that I had fallen in love with at Petsmart.
Lettuce was my first love, and I still love her to death. But she's only got a couple more years to live, seeing as she's five, and most ferrets live from seven to nine years. Anthony loves her too, and we frequently take her out and play with her. She loves to snuggle, too, as she is right now. Although the sun's not up yet, she's tired, and it's probably because I've got a full-spectrum lamp on. Poor girl. I'm throwing off her sleep patterns, just like Miley is mine.
And unfortunately, I can't get out of my head how it felt when she was putting sunscreen on my back. It's almost frightening how romantic an event like that can be, even if you never realize it until later.
Waking up next to her, though, was scary. At first, I thought we'd, you know, which I never would, at least, not before marriage. Then I realized that we were on the beach and someone most certainly would have stopped us, and then I also realized that I'd probably remember that. But it still shook me up.
I hear my phone buzzing across the hall, and I get up and run to get it, leaving snoozing Lettuce in a heap on the chair.
Miley texted me.
Oliver, r u there? Im worried a/b uOf course I'm here. Where else would I be?
Yeah, what's up?I push "send" and wonder how long it'll take her to text me back as I return to the playroom, close the door, and put Lettuce back on my lap.
10:10 AM
I woke up this morning with a ferret in my lap and several frantic text messages from Miley on my phone, all to the tune of Did you die?
I didn't die. I just fell asleep.
I took a quick shower and pulled on some clothes, then went downstairs to get breakfast.
"Hey, little dude," I said to Anthony as I poured myself a bowl of Apple Jacks and drowned them in milk. I also asked, "Can I record this conversation?"
"Why…?"
"So I can keep my journal up to date. Go."
"Hey, Oliver," he said with a smile. "How's things?"
"You told Lilly," I said with a mouthful of Apple Jacks.
He shrugged. "Someone had to."
I swallowed. "She wants her wheel replacement kit back."
"I'll put it in the doorway," he said, stuffing his mouth full of Super Sugar Hyper Pop. "You can give it to her when you get to school."
I smiled. "Hey, since you're out of school, would you mind playing with Lettuce for me? She looked a little lonely last time I took her out."
"Sure, no problem," he nodded. "I love her like you do."
"Thanks, cuz," I said, and finished my cereal.
"And please, do me a favor," Anthony said.
"What?"
"Kiss Miley," he pleaded. "You like her a lot and I think she likes you…"
"You haven't met her," I reminded him.
"But Lilly thinks she does."
"What?" I exclaimed.
Anthony nodded with a mouthful of SSHP. "That's what she said."
I practically inhaled my cereal and took off, stopping the recording on this voice recorder. "Mom, let's go," I cried up the stairs.
Anne came instead. "Your mom's in the shower. I'll take you to school, Ollie."
Anthony disappeared up the stairs and reappeared with what I assumed was the wheel replacement kit. "Thanks, cuz," I said as Anne and I closed the door behind us.
Anne and I didn't say much of anything on the slow drive to school, except the usual in-car driving instruction. I love having my permit but I really don't like having to drive with someone constantly instructing me. But I suppose it's better than totaling the car.
We arrived, I thanked Anne for bringing me, I did some quick studying, and then I took the English exam without major incident. And Lilly and Miley just arrived, so I'll write again after we do whatever it is we're going to do. And I have to give Lilly her kit back.
6:21 PM
Well, that too was an eventful afternoon. And my head hurts from remembering it all, although I probably couldn't have forgotten this either had I tried.
In celebration of the end of freshman year and in anticipation of summer (though I wasn't anticipating losing my best friend for two and a half months), Lilly, Miley and I all went to the mall.
First, we went to Macy's. Miley and Lilly have a strange affinity for modeling clothes, and this led to an interesting idea of Lilly's. "Let's dress you two up," she said, stupidly. "Miley, stay here and pick out a dress. Oliver, come with me."
I followed her. "What's going on in that head of yours?"
"Well," Lilly said as we got to the formal men's department, "I think once you see her in something drop-dead gorgeous, you'll… I don't know, I'm playing this by ear."
I snorted. "Okay, whatever."
As she rifled through the tuxedoes, trying to find one in my size, she remarked, "You always say 'Okay, whatever' or 'Fine, whatever' when I say something about Miley. Why?"
"Because it's hard for me to think about. This is complex," I finally said.
"No it's not. You love her. Now all we've got to do is see if she reciprocates your feelings."
"Ooh, big word," I mocked with a grin. "How do you intend to do that?"
"Elementary, my dear Oken," she said. "We'll see how she responds to you in this."
From the rack she pulled a black tuxedo, which I am pressed to describe as sharp. "Wow," I said, impressed. "I haven't seen a tux like that since, well, ever."
She pointed at the dressing room and I obediently went to change into the tux. It was a quick process, and I stepped out of the dressing room, my backpack and clothes in my hand. "Smokin' Oken is back!" Lilly squealed. "I'll go find you some shoes. Wait here."
I did as told, and Lilly took off to get me some shoes. I waited and waited and finally she returned with a black pair of dress shoes that fit me perfectly.
"Okay, Prince Charms-a-Lot, let's go find your Cinderelly."
I followed her back to the dress section and she knocked on the dressing room door. "Miley, come on, I know you look great, whatever you're wearing."
The door squeaked open and Aphrodite came out. Wait, no, it was Miley. There was no mistaking that embarrassed grin. She was wearing a glittery purple strapless dress. It had sequins on it and was kind of, I dunno, give me a second to look up the word…
The dress was ruched, you know, kind of folded and scrunchy in lines around her? I started to feel all major sicko perv again as I realized how well she filled the dress out. Stop it, stupid, I reminded myself, this is Miley. But wow, did she ever look stunning. And I didn't hesitate to tell her so.
"Miley Stewart, you are possibly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." I said it in a slightly joking tone to conceal the fact that I really meant it. And Lilly disappeared all of a sudden.
Pop sensation Hannah Montana, also known as Miley Stewart, isn't allowed to be nervous. At least, not on stage. It seems that in real life, she and her alter ego aren't just alter egos, but alter people. Her cheeks flushed a deep red and she looked down.
"Don't be afraid to be beautiful," I said, stepping closer to her. "Be proud."
"You sound like Oprah," she said, looking up at me with a happy smile. "You look pretty smokin' yourself, Oken."
I bowed with a flourish. "Why thank you."
I hadn't noticed that all department stores sort of have elevator music going in the background while people shop, but they do, and the song changed from upbeat pop (a Hannah Montana song, in fact) to "You and Me" by Lifehouse.
"May I have this dance?" I asked her quietly.
She nodded, and I put my hands around her waist, linking my fingers together, as she stepped closer and linked her arms around my neck, her elbows grazing my chest. "This is fun," she smiled bashfully.
"Most definitely," I agreed as we swayed to the music.
The two of us must have been a sight, dancing by the changing room in clothes with the multi-hundred-dollar price tags dangling off them, her barefoot and me in super-shiny unworn leather shoes. Within moments, Miley was leaning her head on my right shoulder with her arms tightly clasped around my neck, and I leaned my head against hers, kissing the top of her hair. We were wound tightly together and as she adjusted her position I adjusted mine, holding her closer to me to compensate for her movements.
I saw Lilly come back and she jumped up and down silently, golf-clapping and whisper-squealing. I knew then that it was her that had gotten someone to change the song, which then ended. Miley and I moved apart slowly, because neither of us was sure of what had just happened. I kissed her hair, I knew that much.
"Hey, guys," Lilly said, pretending to be blasé but really sucking at it. "What's up?"
I realized my arm was still around Miley's shoulders, and until she complained, I was going to leave it there. "I really like that dress, Miles," I said with a grin.
"Daddy said I could get a new dress on the card because of this tour, so… I'll take it!" she exclaimed happily, and hugged me tight. "Thanks."
"For what?" I asked.
"Everything."
I smiled.
But that's not where the fun part ends.
After Miley got her beautiful purple dress we headed out to grab some lunch somewhere. Lilly, who I have noticed has actually noticed boys all of a sudden, went to chat up the coffee guy at Starbucks, and Miley and I went to Panda Express. I love their orange flavored chicken. She chose to get Kung Pao Chicken, and seemed surprised that when we got to the cash register, the cashier asked us if we were together and I said yes, and then paid for both of us.
"Why…?"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "I thought it was a nice thing to do."
"It was, I'm just…"
Lilly showed with a sandwich and a Frappucino. "I don't really like Starbucks, but that guy was way cute." We all sat down at a table and ate in silence, for an unknown reason. "So, what's going on between you two?"
Both Miley and I stared at Lilly in horror.
"What could you…" I started.
"I don't…" Miley added.
"Hey, hey, don't worry, I'll keep it on the down low. Don't want to ruin Miley's paparazzi life here."
"To tell you the truth," I took Miley's hand and put it on the table, closing my hand over it and shooting her a sideways glance of 'follow along' as Lilly looked down to pick up her sandwich, "Miley and I are dating, and we've been keeping it a secret from you for three months."
Miley looked at me with a small smirk and sighed. "Yeah, we're sorry, but we didn't want to put you out. We thought it might be awkward."
Lilly smirked back. "Well, if you two are dating, then you won't have a problem accepting a challenge."
"W-what?" I asked, slightly freaked that she had figured it out so soon.
"If you're dating, you'll kiss."
Miley and I looked at each other, eyes wide. "Uh," I started in a shaky voice, "we, we've only been dating for three months. We haven't kissed."
"Because he's too nervous," Miley added.
I could have just said that we weren't dating but for some reason, it seemed like… I don't know.
"I'm waiting," Lilly said, leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest.
I looked at Miley and silently apologized. I could tell by the look on her face she was doing the same thing. I swooped in for a quick kiss on the cheek and sat back. "Alright."
"That does not count," Lilly admonished us. "A real kiss."
"Okay, ready, Miley?" I asked, and she nodded. We were both steeling ourselves.
One quick peck and it was over.
"That isn't a real kiss either," Lilly said. "I mean a boyfriend-girlfriend kiss, not a grandmotherly kiss."
I couldn't do this. It felt wrong. "Lilly, the truth is…"
"We can do this," Miley said, double-entendre-ing it at both me and Lilly. "Come on, Oliver, don't be such a sissy."
"Are you sure?" I asked, my heart thumping in my chest.
"Positive."
I felt her hands on my cheeks and suddenly her lips were on mine. I felt her push her chair closer to me, and my hands were hanging stupidly by my sides, so I had to think about where to put them. I decided that the small of her back was perfect. I felt her hands move to my neck and then down to my chest. This was getting more heated by the second.
When we broke apart, we realized Lilly was gone.
"Whoa, I didn't know you had it in you," I gasped for breath as I looked, astonished, at Miley in a very new light.
"You're not so bad a kisser yourself," she chuckled.
"So what does this mean?" I asked her, bewildered.
"Nothing, I mean, we're not really dating, we're just friends, right?"
"No, Miley, you don't get it. I love you, and I want to be able to kiss you like that all the time, not just when we're dared to by Lilly."
I didn't actually say that, though. Instead, I said, "Y-yeah, yeah, just friends." Inside, I was crestfallen. But on the outside, I was Smokin' Oken, as per usual.
"Just friends," she repeated, as if assuring herself of the fact.
Lilly showed up again, and we went to various stores, but everything was awkward between me and Miley. We didn't talk at all, and Lilly didn't seem to realize that it was her fault.
Nothing else happened.
9:34 PM
I haven't told anyone about the kiss.
But I did talk to Lilly on IM.
Smoken6: look what you've done! she hates me now!
Sk8rgrrl: i didnt do nething, u were the 1 who was all over her
Smoken6: but you… never mind, all I know now is that I ruined everything. and for your information, she was all over me.
Sk8rgrrl: does that tell u nething?
Smoken6: not anything except I haven't got a chance anymore, and you ruined it. you, Lilly Truscott, are the source of my pain.
Sk8rgrrl: y do u think she hates u?
Smoken6: because how could she not after that? I was all over her!
Sk8rgrrl: but u just said…
Smoken6: I don't know what I'm saying half of the time. My brain's addled.
Sk8rgrrl: she was the 1 who kissed u. and u think she hates u? let me spell this out 4 u. SHE LIKES U
Smoken6: you know what, Lettuce is lonely.
Sk8rgrrl: good for her. look, ur being stupid
Message could not be sent; user Smoken6 is offline.
I don't know what to do!