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PITY PROM DATE
Chapter Two: Penguins Make Me Smile

So last chapter was the beginning of my demise. Okay, so demise is a terrible word since I'm so incredibly hyper from happiness. But really, think about it! I shouldn't have fallen for Jackson Stewart, no, not at all. It is incredibly wrong on so many levels… I mean, picture it.

There's Jackson. With me, fifteen-year-old Lilly Truscott, on his arm.

Absolutely ridiculous.

It is like pairing up a penguin and a… peacock? I have no idea what to call myself, as Jackson is obviously the penguin in this situation. Just look at him. A total penguin.

Yet, look at me.

I am a smiling, idiotic peacock, all because of a dumb penguin.

We might both be birds, but not of a feather like that little phrase goes. Or maybe we are birds of a feather. Who am I kidding! I don't even understand that phrase. It makes no sense.

Anyways, those are not angels singing, but my rant is over.

It was eventually evening in the Stewart household, and Miley, Oliver, and I were on our third chick flick. Lo and behold, the Notebook. Jackson might be my 'romance' in this story, but Ryan Gosling can pretty much have me any time he wants, just so you all know.

"He's absolutely gorgeous," Miley remarked randomly from her bed. She was lying on her belly, hands cupped underneath her chin. And yes, she still resembled a heart-wrecked drama queen, in case you were wondering or something.

Don't be surprised. Brian only left her for "Ginormous Jenny" about ten hours ago. Miley has now dubbed her that cruel name when really the girl weighs as much as a piece of notebook paper. But as her best friend, I have no choice but to agree with everything the heartbroken girl says. I couldn't disagree anyway if I wanted to -- the dull flicker of the T.V.'s light against her face made her look more mellow and depressing than she had earlier. It was so sad.

Anyways, I nodded my head in agreement with my eyes glued to the screen. I wasn't next to Miley on the bed. I had myself situated on the floor, my back against the side of the bed instead. My hand was digging into the popcorn bowl every two seconds, then proceeding to stuff said-hand into my mouth. Whoever said that girls eat like birds was seriously disturbed.

"Psh," Oliver muttered from Miley's computer chair. He spun it to face the screen to take in Ryan Gosling's wonderful, drop-dead sexiness (like you weren't thinking it). Oliver hadn't really been watching any of the movies with us; he had been online talking to people, annoyed most of the night for some reason.

I decided to throw a piece of popcorn at him. "What is your deal tonight, Oliver?"

"Don't tell me that you honestly think I enjoy these kinds of movies and watching you guys drool all over Miley's carpet," he said to me with a roll of his eyes.

"I wish I could find a guy who'd watch these kinds of movies with me all the time," Miley replied sadly, folding her arms under her head, and then gently placing it down upon them. "Brian did…" However upset she sounded, her eyes still hadn't left the screen. Which I couldn't blame her for really. 'Noah' had just removed his shirt.

"I love these kinds of movies!" Oliver suddenly exclaimed, rushing over to Miley's bed and placing his butt onto it, startling both Miley and I. We both looked at him in confusion. His eyes grew wide at us, and a very, very fake Oliver chuckle came from his mouth. "W-what? A guy can't like a romantic classic? Is that so weird?"

"Bipolarity is what's weird," I said, reaching into my popcorn bowl to find it was empty. Just like my heart had been at the time before Jackson captured it into a cage and swallowed the key. Er, sorry, never mind.

"I'm getting more popcorn," I announced to my two best friends, standing up. I looked to Miley; her arms covered half of her face, but her eyes were very obviously pleading me to stay. Which is crazy talk because as sexy as Noah is, my love for popcorn overrules him any day. Miley should've understood, but no.

I glanced over at Oliver, who was glaring with hostility at poor, sexy Ryan Gosling. "Look at him standing there all… standing-like! He thinks he's Mr. Big Shot Lady Killer! But I tell you what, he's nothing but a no good, arrogant—"

"Don't worry, Miley, I won't leave you with the Grinch of Romance for long."

As I turned around, I noticed it was the part of which Allie and Noah were both standing there naked looking at each other.

"They're gonna do it, aren't they?!" Oliver said with a gasp.

I looked at Miley.

"Please hurry," she mumbled, and began slamming her forehead down into her arms repeatedly.

I happily skipped down the stairs, making my way into the kitchen. At the time I had almost completely forgotten about Jackson and I's awkward encounter. That was until –

"BOOYA!" I heard him exclaim from the living room. I froze, turning my head to see him sitting on the couch like previously, absentmindedly playing video games. My heart didn't seem to want to respond accordingly like it used to do when I saw Jackson, which was just remain normal. Oh, no, it decides that it wants to increase the beating of my heart by about four hundred and thirty-nine times.

Trying to concentrate on what I was supposed to be doing, I grabbed a new popcorn packet and stuffed it into the microwave.

I guess Jackson heard the slam of the microwave door or something because his entire body twisted around to the kitchen and he said, "Dad?"

I tried to remain calm.

Which failed. 'Cause I suddenly found myself flying to the floor behind the counter so he wouldn't see me.

I heard footsteps from the other side of the counter, and I panicked. Why was I hiding exactly? I still don't even remember; it logically makes no sense because it was only Jackson, not some deranged psychopathic killer.

I started circling around the corner, watching my back as my heart thumped… until my face crashed into something… okay, really, it someone's bare hairy legs. Ew, gross, I know.

I already knew whom they belonged to. The very person I was for-some-reason-hiding-from.

My head nervously tilted upwards to face "my penguin"… Jackson.

"I'd ask what you are doing down there, but then I'd have to act like I care," he said simply.

So bipolar, I tell you. All boys are. Even Oliver. Sexist and bipolar. One minute, they are grasping onto your hand like they are hopelessly in love with you, and the next, they are running into you on the floor and saying things like they don't care that you are on the floor when they really could've just kicked you in the face and royally screwed you over for the rest of your life until you can afford to get plastic surgery.

But you know, boys obviously just don't think about that kind of stuff like we girls do.

I was angry with him then. I wanted to believe it was only because of his rude tone, but it really because he wasn't acting all sweet and caring or whatever towards me. I was being treated as his little sister's best friend again.

"My contact fell out." The lie came from out of nowhere. I picked up something imaginary and stuck it dramatically into my eye. "There! All better!"

He knelt beside me. "Like I said, I don't care."

"Yes you do."

I don't know why, but I really just wanted to argue with him for no reason. I guess because I just wanted an excuse to talk to him… or maybe find out if he actually did care about me.

He didn't.

"I don't care about girls anymore," Jackson said. "They're nothing but trouble."

"And boys are complete angels?" I spat back.

"Ew, 'angels' is way too girly of a word… try super-heroes."

Angels and superheroes? Whatever. I was talking to Jackson, and it didn't matter if he was making sense or not. I was just glad to be talking to him.

"Still need that date to the prom?" I randomly found myself asking, and my hand immediately went right back to covering my mouth.

I guess he found it necessary to look me in the eyes then.

"Well, it has been only about six hours since I asked you to go with me, and guessing by the no response thing… that it's a 'no'. Don't worry. I'm over it."

I froze. My eyes were probably the size of like… two Frisbees. Okay, I suck at analogies, you know this already. But I remember FREAKING OUT in my mind like,

"Oh, sorry," he said, sounding kind of annoyed. "I forgot. You asked me really."

"Well… um… uh…"

Yeah, I couldn't talk.

Thank God he kissed me.

…. Calm down, I'm only joking. But that would've been way cute, you have to agree.

"Listen, Lilly."

You're right… I about died right there. He never used my name. At least not in direct conversation to me.

"I do need a date to prom, and if you really do want to go… I…" He looked down at the floor like he was trying to hide his face. It was pretty much adorable. But any thoughts of that at the time were denied, of course.

"YES!!!" I found myself screaming happily into his face to which he fell backwards out of surprise and probably fright. I then felt extremely embarrassed (my red face probably showed this, too) and I tried to correct myself, "Er, um, sure, is what I meant. Because, well, I, er, feel bad about Ginormous Jenny."

"Ginormous Jenny?!"

Oh dear.

"I mean, er, Jenny," I replied awkwardly, unsure of why all of a sudden I had to pick on her. Because like I said, she is extremely skinny. "But yes, I'll gladly go to prom with you. Um, as friends. Yes."

He stared at me. "Friends…" he repeated, then shook his head. "Of course! I mean, not that you're er, not attractive or any… thing… Never mind. Yes. Me and you." He smiled broadly then looked horrified. "… AS FRIENDS!!! Not as in… me and you me and you. Uh, yeah… Okay, must be getting back to Mario! Talk to you later? Um, right. 'Cause we'd have to eventually at some point since you are my new prom date and everything--and… I'm rambling. Okay. I'll go away now. BYE!"

I was so confused by his nervous babbling (which was so freaking cute, by the way) that when he got up back to go to the couch, I lye there for about another minute thinking of what just happened.

He sounded kind of like me, I thought.

In fact, when I got up, brushed myself off, and took another sneak glance at Jackson, who had finally gotten back to his video game, I happily skipped up the stairs back to Miley's room…. Humming… I know… Pathetic. All because of a dumb penguin.

But penguins make me smile.

When I got to her room, Miley was still ramming her head into her arms. Poor girl. I really did feel bad to leave her with the world's biggest idiot.

Speaking of the idiot, he looked at me. "Where's the popcorn?"

Of course, that's Oliver, always thinking of food, and…

"OH, CRAP! I FORGOT!" I exclaimed, leaving the room in a rush and Oliver with a blank expression on his face as usual.

Jackson saw me come downstairs and grinned. My stomach became an acrobat and did cartwheels inside of me. It was freaky.

"Forget something?" He said teasingly, holding up the now open popcorn bag.

"Give me that back!" I don't know why I commanded him to do that when I just lunged out and grabbed it from him anyways. I was slightly disappointed he didn't make me chase him around with it, though. But I didn't let him know that.

"That's my popcorn, jerk."

"That's jerk-who-is-taking-you-to-the-prom," he corrected, trying to sound intelligent.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, struggling not to grin at the idea as the thought of going to prom with Jackson crossed my mind again.

I quickly turned back to the stairs.

And there was Oliver Oken standing at the top of them, looking completely horrified.

Kind of a cliffy? Not really, I guess. But review anyways, my loves:D