Chapter 3
By the time fifth period rolled around, Miley wanted to throw herself off the school roof. She hadn't been in school four hours and already she had supposedly been in a knife fight, a bear mauling, a mountain lion mauling, and apparently had escaped a mental institution and joined a gang whose initiation ritual included carving up one's face.
Everywhere she went they pointed. They whispered. They gaped, or looked away quickly. Some students even looked at her in sympathy, which really hurt the most. She hated sympathy stares.
She went to her locker and grabbed her lunch, a turkey sandwich and an apple, and headed to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was like a zoo. Students roamed everywhere with little to no supervision. There was running, squealing, fighting (playful and not so playful), teasing, gossiping, etc. And in typical high school fashion, every clique had their table.
There were the beautiful people.
The jocks.
The cheerleaders.
The bullies.
The rock stars and their groupies.
The stoners.
The super-smart.
The losers.
The loners.
The high school band.
And the invisibles.
Miley tried to find a seat way off in the corner, but it was taken by a boy whose head looked like a snow globe burst on it. So, she set herself down by the garbage can. Not exactly prime seating, but nobody was around, so she didn't complain.
Before she could even put her lunch bag on the table, someone was sliding on the bench across from her and pushing a soda her way. She looked up and inwardly gasped. It was the girl that skated into her homeroom this morning.
"Hey, hope you like Pepsi." The girl said and extended her hand. "I'm Lilly. You're Miley, right?"
Miley very hesitantly took Lilly's hand in her own and shook it, nodding her head. She involuntarily looked down, making her hair cover her face. It was habit by now. She quickly pulled her hand from Lilly's and stared down into nothing. She couldn't bring herself to look Lilly in the eyes. She didn't want to see the sympathy she was sure was there. That's the only reason she's here...she feels sorry for me.
After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Lilly spoke up. "Ahem...um...I'm not sure if they have Formica lunch tables in Tennessee, but they really aren't that interesting. Hey...what are you looking at?" Lilly stood up and leaned forward to see if Miley was reading something off the table, or looking at a book in her lap or something.
Miley closed her eyes and silently groaned. Jesus this girl is persistent. Why can't they just leave me alone? She slowly and begrudgingly looked up at Lilly, and was quite surprised when she didn't find sympathy splashed across the girl's face. There was curiosity, a bit of mild puzzlement, and a hint of another emotion that Miley couldn't place, but sympathy wasn't there. And neither was disgust, or morbid interest, or repulsion. Lilly was looking at her as if her scar wasn't even there.
"Ah, there you are." Lilly said, resting her chin on one hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." Miley mumbled and Lilly smiled.
"So, you have Mr. Corelli for homeroom huh? You like him?"
Miley shrugged, slowly chewing on her sandwich. "He's not bad, I guess."
"He's actually pretty cool once you get to know him. No matter how many times I skate into his class, he never calls my mom. Actually, I think he likes when I do that, but he'll never admit it." Lilly seemed to gush all in one breath.
Miley just looked at Lilly in wonderment. She just had to ask. "Why are you talking to me?"
Lilly didn't miss a beat. "Because you're new, and it's been a long time since there's been any new faces around here."
Miley scoffed. "My face isn't exactly picture perfect."
"I don't see anything wrong with your face." Lilly said, and Miley scoffed for a second time. "Actually...I kinda think you're beautiful."
Miley didn't know how to respond to that. She could feel her cheeks burn up and looked away in embarrassment. She had never been called, "beautiful" by anyone other than her father. It was nice...and quite alarming. What is up with this girl? Because she didn't know what to say, she said the first thing that came to her mind. "Yeah right."
"No, really." Lilly insisted. "You've got that whole, natural beauty thing going on. That's a rarity in Malibu, the plastic-surgery capital of the world." Lilly could feel herself rambling on, something she always did around people she was attracted to.
She wasn't sure why, but Miley had began to feel anger at Lilly's insistance on her so-called "beauty." Plus, she was acting as if Miley's face didn't have a giant, ugly scar running down the side of it. She lifted her hair back to fully expose the hideous deformity, pointing at it while she spoke. "What about this? You call this natural beauty?"
"Everyone has scars Miley." Lilly replied calmly. "Like, check me out, for instance." She rolled up her left arm sleeve, exposing a long, nasty pink scar running from the middle of her forearm to her elbow. "Got this two years ago trying to do a 720 on the half pipe. Broke my arm in three places. I had to have metal pins set in my wrist. They'll be in there forever."
"And this," She lifted up her bangs, exposing a nice sized scar running through her right eyebrow, effectively slicing it in half. "I got this six months ago when I did an ollie off the curb and hit the bumper of a car. Took nine stitches to close it up." She let her hair fall back across her forehead again and set her arms on the table. "See, we're not so different."
Miley looked at Lilly in disbelief. Does she think we're the same? Her face is still intact. "Look, Lilly, I don't know why you came over here--"
"No reason."
"But I'd rather just be alone...if you don't mind."
Lilly looked at Miley, eyebrows raised. She sat up straighter, putting her hands up in defeat. She knew when she wasn't wanted. "All right, but I think you've gotten too used to being alone. If you ever want someone to talk to, I'll be here." As she got up, a voice called out to her, and Miley rolled her eyes.
Will it never end?
"Oh look, Ashley, it's Lilly the Lesbo." Amber said sweetly as they sauntered over to the table in unison, as if they were attached at the hip.
Ashley looked down at Miley, who had resumed her earlier position of looking at the table. "You're the new girl right? Beware, you're dining with the resident carpet muncher."
"You'd know all about that, wouldn't you Ashley?" Lilly said sweetly, with a hint of truth in her voice.
"As if Truscott. You wish."
"In your dreams maybe." Amber replied.
"And in my nightmares." Ashley continued, and then became bored with Lilly. She instead turned her attentions to Miley, to see if she could get a rise out of her. "And what's your story? Were you attacked by a bear?"
"Or a dog?" Amber added.
"I heard it was a gopher." Ashley said and both girls laughed.
Miley felt the bile rise in her throat and tears sting her eyes. She hated listening to them laugh at her, but at the same time, what could she do? She contemplated running away, when Lilly decided to speak up.
"That's enough." Miley heard Lilly say under her breath, moving to put herself between Miley and the girls. "Ladies, isn't it time to reapply? I think I can see traces of original skin on your forehead. Don't wanna let people know you're not made of plastic, do you?"
"Bite me." Both girls spat venomously, and then flip-flopped, smiling. "Ooohh! Tssst." They said, brining their pointer fingers together.
"Maybe later." Lilly countered, winking at Ashley, who gagged.
"You're disgusting." Amber said, visibly shuddering, but all the while, eying Ashley suspiciously.
Miley glanced through her hair at Lilly, who stood defiantly before them. She had never seen such bravery, nor had she ever had anyone defend her without question before. The girl was something else. She was snapped out of her internal reverie by a harsh Californian accent and a long brown finger being waved in her direction.
"A word to the wise new girl, disappear, do not find your way into our radar." Amber warned.
"Or we will be forced to destroy you." Ashley finished, and both girls walked off.
"Bitches." Lilly muttered, shaking her head. She looked at Miley, who still hadn't looked up from the table. "Sorry about that." When Miley didn't respond, Lilly began to walk away.
"Wait." Miley said hoarsely, and Lilly turned, smiling.
She eagerly jumped back onto the bench and plopped her head into her hands. "Yeah?"
Miley looked up at her. "Thanks...for trying to defend me."
"No problem." Lilly said. "Besides, it was my fault they noticed you."
Miley shrugged it off. Well, they answered my earlier question as to why you're talking to me. I think. I guess, I would assume it's because you like me...but even that's a little improbable. "So...you're...gay huh?" Miley had never talked to a gay person before.
Lilly shook her head. "Actually no. I'm not gay."
Miley nodded. There goes that theory. "Oh."
"I'm bisexual."
That's new. "Huh?"
"Oh, I like boys...and girls. I'm attracted to both." Lilly rolled her eyes. "I know, it sounds like I'm having my cake and eating it too, but honestly I'm not. I don't find every guy and girl I see attractive...just the ones I like. And it's not like I have a boyfriend and a girlfriend at the same time...I wish." She laughed, trying to lighten the mood. Miley didn't seem to find it as funny. "Actually...I don't have either. Uh...neither. cough Ahem, uh...single. I'm...I'm still single." Christ, could you be any more of a loser? Lilly mentally berated herself.
"I see." Miley said, even though she really didn't. Bisexual...I'm gonna have to look into that more. "So...uh...who were those girls?"
"Oh, you mean Tweedlebitch and Tweedlebitchier? That was Amber and Ashley, reigning Queens of Seaview High. They rule with an iron fist, and blow with a perfectly lip-glossed mouth." Lilly rolled her eyes, but then looked at Miley. "But I must tell you, they mean business about the destroying you thing. So I'd stay low for a while."
Miley agreed, but didn't want to show her weakness. "What about you?"
"Oh, I can handle my own with them. I've got leverage."
"What's that?"
Lilly looked around to see if any unwanted people were within earshot. When she assumed it was safe, she put one hand to the side of her mouth and whispered. "I hooked up with Ashley once last summer at a friend's party."
Miley looked both disgusted and surprised. Not that Lilly had kissed a girl, but that she had kissed one that seemed so...evil. "Why?"
"She came looking for me." Lilly stated defensively. "I think she was drunk, and I was hanging out in Oliver's...that's my friend...bedroom because I was bored. Anyway, she stumbled in, rambling something about wanting to kiss me for the longest time. I was so shocked I just let it happen. I instantly hated myself for it, but life goes on, right? Anyway, Ashley begged me to keep my mouth shut, and I did...which was stupid...because she still rips into me whenever she can. Case in point, two minutes ago...but I also have ammo of my own now, so it' all good."
This girl squawks faster than a rooster on crack. Miley felt a smirk break onto her face and a warm feeling wash over her body. She couldn't remember the last time she genuinely smiled before, and it felt good. What was even better, was that she was making friends with someone...someone who didn't care about what she looked like. Someone who wasn't constantly distracted by her scar. Someone she could sort of relate to.
When Lilly saw Miley smile, her heart swelled and then melted. "Wow." She breathed. "You have a great smile."
"Thanks." Miley said. "Uh...yours ain't so bad either."
"Thanks!" Lilly said cheerily and popped open her soda can, Miley following suit.
Soon, they were chatting like they had known each other forever, and before they knew it, they were exchanging emails, cell phone numbers and locker combinations.
Then, lunch was over, but it didn't matter. Lilly had the same last three classes with Miley, and even offered to walk Miley home after school.
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When the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Lilly and Miley ran out as fast as they could, glad to be away from that hell hole. Holding her skateboard under one arm and her helmet in the other, Lilly walked side by side with Miley, talking about different teachers and classes, dishing all the gossip she could recall, and telling Miley all of the secret spots and unguarded exits she discovered in case they ever wanted to skip out early.
When they reached Miley's house, Lilly gasped with delight.
"What?" Miley asked, wondering why her house made Lilly so happy.
"This is so cool, you live three houses down from me!"
"Really?" Miley asked, beginning to feel the excitement Lilly was feeling.
"Yeah, you live at 619, I live at 627. Awesome!" (Note: The houses on their side of the street are odd numbers only.)
"You wanna come in?" Miley asked, and Lilly nodded.
When they stepped inside, Robbie Ray was in the kitchen, making an afternoon snack. "Hey bud, how was your day at..." He turned around to see something he thought he would never see again. A smiling Miley. And a girl...a friend. A friend. He tried his best to retain some composure. "Well, who do we have here?"
"Daddy, this is Lilly Truscott. Lilly, this is my dad, Robbie Ray--"
"Stewart." Lilly finished, nodding her head. She clumsily dropped her skating gear on the floor. "I know you." Lilly turned to Miley and whispered, "Why didn't you mention your dad was a huge country star?" She turned back to Robbie Ray and said, "My mom and I are huge fans. Wait till she hears that Robbie Ray Stewart is living on our block. She'll flip!" Lilly gushed, shaking Robbie Ray's hand. "Nice to meet you Mr. Stewart."
Robbie Ray laughed and shook Lilly's hand earnestly. "Well, Lilly, the pleasure's all mine, especially now that I know you're a fan."
Miley shook her head and threw her bag down. "Lilly and I are gonna go up to my room and do some homework, okay?"
Robbie looked at his daughter and nodded, releasing Lilly's hand. "Sure bud. Want me to make y'all a snack or somethin? I can bring it up in a few."
"Maybe later." Miley answered, and then grabbed Lilly's hand. "Come on, it's this way."
Lilly nodded politely in Robbie Ray's direction before being pulled up the stairs by Miley. Once she and Lilly were out of sight, Robbie Ray went back to the kitchen and pinched his eyes shut, hoping it would keep his tears of relief at bay.
Maybe things'll work out for the better after all.
Author's note: Sorry if I offended anyone with Amber and Ashley's crude remarks. But...they are bitches. Really. Thanks:)