Chapter 2

Remembering The Past

After hearing the news about Matt getting out of jail, we went home. Jackson, Lilly, Luann, Oliver, Jake, and I continued on watching the news to find out more about Matt's release from being in jail as my dad talked on the phone with my lawyer.

Nothing seemed to be going right. There I was just enjoying the life of being myself and now I'm stuck with this new information. It just doesn't make sense to me.

"Why would they let out a rapist, pedophile, and attacker out of jail in such a short period of time? I thought he had a long sentence." Jackson said as soon as the picture of Matt we saw a few minutes ago appear once again on the TV.

"Yeah, it's disgusting." Oliver said.

"Hey, guys, it's on." Luann shushed us and we looked over to the TV with a news reporter walking in front of the prison Matt and his cousin is in.

"Matthew Winston, now 23 years old, was put into prison for the counts of assaulting a boy and sexually assaulting a girl-"

"Since when-" I started, but then cut off by Jackson telling me to quiet down.

So then I sat there, with my eyes glued to the TV, hearing the news of Matt. Why hadn't anyone told us about it first before airing it on TV. It completely confuses me. I just didn't know what to do anymore. I sighed deeply and leaned back into the couch.

"-also having a relationships with a minor. More information about that in a few." The reporter lastly said before switching off to a commercial.

"Stupid commercials." Jackson hissed, crossing his arms over his chest.

It felt a little awkward with all of us here watching the news. We'd usually have better to do, but then again, this is an important matter which I wished had never happened. Your past should be left behind, not brought back up again.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and leaned into Jake. I was frowning by then and it hurts knowing how all of these forgotten thoughts flooding back into your in just a second.

"I thought they weren't allowed to give out personal information like that with how he ended up in jail." Jake asked as put his arm around my shoulders.

I shrugged and buried my face into his chest. I didn't want to have this conversation with them, but it sounded like a must thing to talk about.

"I would think I was going to be out of California by the time that freak gets out of jail." Luann said with some sarcasm in her voice.

I could tell that she wanted to lighten up the mood with everyone flustered about this. It wasn't helping at all with the tension in the air.

I lifted my face from Jake's chest and looked at my friends.

"As much as I would love to have this conversation with you, I don't want to. I just don't get how we should bring it up when we know we have no say in this. Just forget about it, I really don't want to think about it." I said and shook my head.

It was getting to me and I didn't want to talk about it. I had just about enough about it and I rather think that he's going to do nothing to me and keep his distance than go up to me and try something. He would do that if he was smart and if he didn't want to go back to jail.

Lilly patted my knee and squeezed it. "Sorry Miley, we're just worried for you. We all know how Matt is, we're just curious to know why. "

"No, you don't know." I snapped, but suddenly regretting how it went out. I looked to my lap and sighed. This was not supposed to happen.

"Shh… The news is starting up again." Oliver said, ignoring us. Jake kept his arm around me, holding me tight as I lifted my gaze to the TV.

"Many people are questioning if it is okay to let out someone like him out of jail or should he be kept for a few more years, but sources say that he's being let out of jail for good behavior. Is that a good enough reason to let out a predator like him…"

"Enough of this." Dad said as he finally got off the phone. He reached for the remote and turned off the TV. "Maybe it's time you all head off to bed. You had a long night." Dad put his hand on my head and kissed my forehead.

"What did the lawyer say uncle Robby?" Luann asked and dad shook his head.

"I'll tell y'all tomorrow morning, just go to bed now." He pointed to the six of us.

I shook my head. I couldn't go to bed just yet knowing about Matt, I mean, just a few years ago he tried to rape me and he has an obsession over me. With the world now knowing my secret of being Hannah Montana, how should I know that he wouldn't try anything even worse to me?

"No, not yet." I replied and he sighed.

"I'm going to bed then. Don't stay up too late and don't forget to lock up." Dad lastly replied as he went upstairs.

I'm definitely confused to know what to do. The news brought my mood down, but why would they let someone like him out? I would rather die than have him out of jail. I would never want to experience what I experienced with him again and who knows what he has planned when he's actually out of jail.

"I'm going to sleep on this, I'll see y'all tomorrow. Night." Jackson said as he got up from the couch.

"Night Jackson." I said and he walked over to me, planting a soft kiss on my forehead. "Night Miles. Don't let this get to you; we'll learn more about this later on. I agree with daddy. You should go to bed."

"I'll go soon." I replied and watched as Jackson ran up the stairs to his room.

"Miley, you okay?" Jake asked as he rubbed my back.

I looked up at him, slightly raising my head up. "Yeah, I'm okay." I sheepishly smiled and he kept a worried look on his face.

His hand lightly squeezed my shoulder. "Let's go upstairs, maybe you can try and relax." He suggested and I closed my eyes.

"I don't know. Sleep is far from my mind right now." I replied even if I am a bit tired. I admit though, I'm afraid that something might happen while I'm in bed and it freaks me out.

"Just go Miley, you need it. Don't let the stress about this new information get to you." Luann said as she looked over at me. She scooted forward from her seat and lightly tapped my knee, giving me a supporting smile.

"Fine." I muttered and got up from the couch, pulling Jake with me.

I looked back at my friends and Lilly, who was curled up in Oliver's arms kept a frown on her face. She looked scared for me, but she didn't want to show it. As much as I wanted to talk to her, I couldn't. She knows everything about me and she knows how hard it was for me to forget what Matt tried to do to me, but I wonder if she knows how I'm feeling about it.

"Night guys." Jake said as we walked to the stairs.

I went upstairs with Jake keeping his hand securely on my shoulder. I think he might be afraid for me about this whole issue because he hasn't acted like this since, well, ever. I think the only time he actually acted like this was when he found out what Matt did to me or when I told people I was Hannah Montana. It really shows how much he cares about things.

We reached my room and Jake's grip on me loosened as I went to my bed to sit down. I watched Jake lock the door and turn on the lights. He made his way to one of my drawers where he kept his PJ's at and took them out. He's slept over a lot now and he keeps his own pair of PJ's in my room. My dad doesn't care if he sleeps over anymore, well, he used to care when he first caught Jake sleeping with me.

It happened during my junior year in high school, which was last year. Jake was sleeping over and it was early one day when dad randomly opens my door and saw me and Jake cuddling under the sheets. I swear, he almost beat up Jake, but he ended up letting it go. We explained to him the things we do, and man, was that an embarrassing talk we had. Even the whole "sex" topic came up, but we told him we don't do anything like that. It's embarrassing.

I got off the bed as Jake started to strip out of his clothes and walked into my closet. I searched for something to wear tonight and picked out a loose tank top and pajama pants. After I changed into them, I went back into my room seeing the lights turned off with Jake already in my bed.

"So you don't wait for me?" I said, sounding slightly offended, even if I wasn't. I felt his gaze over me as I walked across my room and to my bed.

"Sorry, I felt tired. You were taking your sweet time changing so..." He patted the bed, signaling me to lie down, and put his hands under his head. I slipped into the bed, next to him and pulled the blanket over me.

I turned my back to him and stared off into the darkness waiting to fall asleep. It felt different tonight. After I thought all my problems of my past would stay behind, there it is, coming back into my life. It isn't fair.

I took in a deep breath and started to talk. "What do you think is going to happen now that Matt is out of jail?" I asked. I felt the bed shift and his arm snake around my waist. He pulled me against his warm body and I loosened up a bit.

"Stop thinking about it, but to tell you the truth, I don't know anymore. I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid." he said as he lifted his hand from my waist to my arm, stroking it.

"Jake, I'm scared." I finally admitted.

"I'm scared too. It's hard not to, since I know exactly where you're coming from. I experienced what Matt could do and he's too strong. Four years ago I couldn't even touch him because he was so strong. Who knows what other surprises he has now that he's getting out of jail?"

"Yeah." I closed my eyes, pursing my lips. Hearing this just made me even more afraid, but with Jake knowing how I feel, it just made me a little more secured than how I felt earlier. I gripped on the blanket and pulled it against my chest. I'm almost 18 and I'm probably acting like a little kid, but I don't care. I just need someone to be with to help me get pass through this, because I don't think I'll be able to handle this one more time.

"Try to go to sleep, you need rest." Jake said after a few minutes of us being quiet. He brushed a few strands away from my face and kissed my temple.

"Good night." I whispered and his arm once again found its way around my waist.

"Night."

I listened to Jake as his light breathing deepened as he fell asleep. I closed my own eyes, letting myself relax a bit before falling asleep.

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I found myself in a familiar scene which I hadn't been in for a while. It took me a while before I realized where I was. It was the one place I've dreaded to come since it did have bad memories to it. It was the one place which brought me and Jake back together when we had our small fallout our sophomore year, but it was the same place where Jake was mobbed and I was almost raped by Matt.

I wrapped my arms around myself and started to walk around. I was near the entrance of the woods, but it felt a familiar sense, like I've done something like this before. It was a really confusing feeling, but for some reason, something was pulling me forward. I looked down at my clothes and saw that I was wearing a shirt and shorts, the same exact clothes I wore when I found Jake here on, that day he tried to kill himself.

'What's going on?' I thought to myself, but soon heard a scorching shriek which somewhat sounded like Jake.

I walked toward the muffled noises, which was getting louder as I got closer toward the cliff. I froze in place when I finally saw it.

Matt and Jake.

It wasn't the same Matt and Jake, it was a younger version of them, and how Jake looked like in 8th grade.

I stood in fear, not knowing what to do as I watch Matt torture Jake. Matt held Jake in a tight grip, with Jake's head locked in Matt's arms. Matt continuously kicked Jake in the stomach as Jake struggled to break free from him.

I felt a lump in my throat and sprinted toward the two. 'Stop!' I screamed in my mind as Matt started hitting Jake's face. For some reason, words wouldn't leave my lips. He couldn't hear me, no one could hear me. It was only me and my thoughts.

Matt finally dropped Jake to the ground, close to the cliffs and stared down at him. Jake, badly bruised, looked almost exactly like how he looked like when I found him, but more hurt.

"Stupid emotional suicidal rich boy. You deserve to die if you wanted to kill yourself like this." Matt stated and with one blow in the stomach sent Jake flying off the cliff.

'Jake!' I cried to myself, feeling the tears stinging my eyes. I held onto my chest and stared at Matt. He whipped around and stared at me, giving me a deathly look.

My eyes filled with horror as he walked toward me.

"And for you…" He said with a wicked grin upon his face.

I tightly shut my eyes, afraid what was going to happen, and moved backward, tripping over something, falling to the ground.

I opened my eyes, which brought me into a new setting. It was dark out and I was in a car with everything cut off; engine, lights, just everything. I was in a laying position with my head brought back exposing my bare skin. I was now wearing pants with a halter top which was what I wore the night I went on the date with Matt. I started to panic as I felt a hand on my thigh, moving upward, squeezing it.

"Miley." A voice whispered and I looked at my side seeing Matt. My eyes filled with fear as he moved over my side of my seat and started kissing me. His hands removed from my thigh and to my seatbelt, unbuckling it.

I tried so hard to move, but I couldn't. I tried to scream, but I still couldn't find my voice. The only thing that I had was my mind and with all these thoughts running through it, I felt as if I was going to die.

His kisses grew deeper as his hands caressed my body. His hands moved to my legs, pushing them apart as he lowered his hips to mine. He started grinding into it with hard swift moves. A hand slipping into my shirt removing my bra with his mouth leaving tiny kisses on my face to the nape of my neck.

'Stop, please!' I shouted in my mind trying to move with all my might, but my body felt heavy. His hands worked their way to the bottom of my shirt, pushing it up wards, exposing my upper body. His hands then moved to my lower region as he lifted his hips from mind. He then started to unbutton my pants.

I wanted to scream knowing what would happen next, but I couldn't. I wanted to fight back, but I just can't, so I did the only thing I could do.

Close my eyes.

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I felt someone shaking me, calling my name.

"Miley…" They said.

My eyes shot opened seeing a body hovering over me. Without thinking, I started to hit the figure and started to scream.

"Get away from me." I cried, but felt the person grip on to my wrists, getting me to stop hitting him.

"Miley, stop it, it's me."

I shook my head. "Get away from me." I hissed feeling my eyes sting.

The person pulled me up from the bed, bringing me into a tight embrace.

"Miley, calm down please." The person begged and soon I realized who it was.

I stopped fighting back and wept. I buried my face into Jake's shoulder as he held me close to him.

"It's okay Miley… it was just a dream…" He whispered as he kissed my cheek multiple times.

I shook my head and continued to sob. I just didn't think that I would have a dream like that. It's my past coming back at me, which I tried so hard to forget about. But what I dreamt about was nothing like what happened. He didn't go that far as to see me like how it was in my dream, and he never pushed Jake off the cliff. The nightmare was making it far more confusing than it already is; I just wonder if I'll be able to sleep without having a dream like that.

A/N Wow, Miley's past is catching up with her.

Sorry super delay in update. I told people I wouldn't update it until May and look, it's May. Hope you liked this chapter. It was a little hard for me to get out, but yeah.