Chapter 3

Hanging Out At Last

After eating breakfast, our trio headed out to the mall.

"I am SO glad that you are back Miley."

"Why's that Oliver?"

"Because Lilly has been driving me crazy these last couple of days."

"I have not."

"Yes you have."

"How?"

"How about some 'for examples' for me Oliver."

"Okay, here's one. Two weeks ago, the sale ads came out for the back to school clothing sales."

"And?" Miley prompted.

"She was talking none stop about the clothing sales on the beach. Then she called me on the phone to talk about it. Then she came over to my house, with the ads, to talk about the sales. Then she…"

"All right Oliver! I think she gets the point." Lilly interrupted Oliver.

Miley laughed. Boy, she had missed them.

"What are you laughing at?" Lilly asked Miley.

"You two. I really missed you guys." Miley said as she put her arms around Lilly and Oliver. Lilly and Oliver put their arm around Miley at the same time and hit each other's hand in the process.

"Sorry." They both said to each other as they leaned forward so they could see each other round Miley.

"I envy you guys." Miley said with a smile on her face.

"Why's that Miles?" Lilly asked.

"Well, you two have been friends since you first met in pre-school. How old were you guys?"

"Three. Right Lilly."

"Yeah, three."

"And here you are almost twelve years later and both of you are still the best of friends."

"Yeah but you have made the last three years the most amazing Miley." Oliver said as he squeezed Miley's shoulder.

"Yeah Miley! Who would have thought that I…"

"And me." Oliver added.

"And donut boy over there, would be best friends with…"

"Hannah Montana." Lilly said in a hushed voice.

"I just want to know why am always the donut?" Oliver asked with sarcasm in his voice.

"Well, lets see here." Miley paused.

"I see Lilly and she is a girl."

"And I see Miley and she is a girl." Lilly continued.

"Oh I get it. Because I'm the only boy, that makes me the donut."

"You know Lilly, there's hope for that boy yet."

"This is such a touching moment." Lilly freak emotion in her voice and acted like she was wiping away a tear.

"Did I say that I was glad you're back Miley?" Oliver asked as he opened the door to the mall for Lilly and Miley.

"Yes you did Oliver." Miley answered over her shoulder.

"Then I take it back." Oliver answered as he came into the mall.

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Our trio was taking their first break from shopping and where sitting in the food court. They had been to one story so far, but that store was Old Navy. The girls chose that one first because Oliver was with them. Later in the week, Miley and Lilly would go to the more girly stores without Oliver. However, Oliver could take girl shopping for a little bit and it help the girls when they needed a man's point of view. It's not like Oliver thought of Lilly and Miley in that light, but they did have nice bodies to look at. After all, he was a guy and they were girls.

"So Miley, when does Jackson get back for Colorado Springs?" Lilly asked bring everyone to a new topic.

"We pick Cooper and Jackson up from the airport on Thursday I think."

"Have you heard anything new about his ankle?" Oliver asked.

"No, as far as I know, the surgery to repair the tear is on Monday."

"Isn't Monday freshman orientation?" Lilly asked.

"I don't know. I've been…away." Miley couldn't believe Lilly was asking her.

"Yes. It starts at 6 pm in the gym." Oliver answered.

"You think we'll see Jake there?" Lilly asked looking at Miley.

"It would be nice, but isn't he shooting right now?"

"Oh yeah, he did say that last Friday." Lilly replied downcast.

"Well, at less you got to see him over the summer."

"Didn't you watch him on TV?" Oliver asked.

"And he wonders why he's the donut." Miley said to Lilly.

"Oh yeah." Lilly agreed while she rolled her eyes at Oliver.

-----

Done with their break, Miley could no longer stay out of one of her favorite store, Juicy Couture.

"Aw, come on Miley. Do we have to go in there?" Oliver asked.

"We're girls, that's a girls store, do the math."

"I hate that answer." Oliver whined as the girls pulled him into the store. The same thing happen as it always did when Oliver 'followed' the girls into a girl's store. They would go from rack to shelf to rack pulling out tops, bottoms, skirts, and dresses and then throw them at him to hold. Then once his arms were full, they haul him to the fitting rooms. There he sat outside and waited for them to come out to show off the outfit they had on. This was followed with them asking for his opinion on what they had on.

First Miley haul Oliver over to the dresses. There he watched as Miley tried to get Lilly to pick out at less one dress.

"Why do I need a dress for high school Miley? Oliver doesn't have one."

"I'm a guy Lilly."

"Yeah so."

"Guys don't wear dresses."

"I don't know Oliver, this one would look awfully cute on you." Lilly said as she pulled a dress out and held it up to Oliver.

"Miley."

"Lilly, do you want to scare poor Oliver so bad that he will never go shopping with us again?"

"Oh…okay Miley."

"You know Lilly, you would really look nice in that dress." Oliver smiled at her as he commented on the dress. Lilly looked at the dress again and then looked for one in her sized and pulled it out. After looking at the dress, she looked at Oliver out of the corner of her eyes and smiled.

"I guess that a dress for a dance or something couldn't hurt."

-----

"So Oliver, what do you think of this one?" Miley asked as she twirled in a red and black plaid skirt that was fingertip length with a 4-inch black patent leather belt. She had on a plain white tank top with a black jean jacket. On her feet was black suede leather boots that came mid-calf and had no heel.

"You look really good Miley. I like it." What Oliver wanted to say was that she looked really hot in the outfit, and so it went. First, it was Miley then it was Lilly then it was Miley again. They tried on every outfit that they had picked out. Then it came down to the dress.

"I don't know Miles, I don't think I look so good in this."

"Stop being such a baby Lilly. Come out and let us see what you look like."

"Okay, but I don't want to hear any laughter when I come out." Lilly warned them.

"We won't laugh." Oliver told her.

Lilly took a deep breath and came out.

"Well?"

The dress was really just a simple dress in itself. The shoulder was full with just a hint of a sleeve. It had a medium plunge v-neck that showed just a hint of cleavage. The top of the dress was sewn to hug the upper curves of the female body and did an excellent job of it on Lilly. The lower part of the dress hugged Lilly's hips before flowing outwards and ending just a few inches below her knees, giving her legs plenty of room to move. The material was a cross between satin and silk. The color was a very pale yellow with just the simplest of floral designs on it. The designs weren't large and they weren't small, they were just the right size for the size and shape of Lilly's body.

"Lilly you look awesome!" Miley exclaimed.

"You think so?" Lilly asked as she twirled.

"You definitely have to buy that dress! Right Oliver?"

"What do you think Oliver?" Lilly asked looking at him in the mirror.

Oliver however didn't hear anything since Lilly came out in the dress. All he could do was to stare at Lilly. He never noticed how much he never noticed her before. It was just Lilly after all, wasn't it? It's not like he hadn't seen her in a dress before, he even seen her in bikinis too, but there was just something about that dress and the way it looked and fit on her that just stole his ability to think about anything else.

"Oliver!" Miley shoved him.

"What? Oh hey the dress. You look awesome Lilly."

"See you made Oliver speechless." Miley giggled.

"A ham sandwich can make Oliver speechless." Lilly laughed.

"Seriously Lilly, buy the dress." Oliver encouraged her.

"Do you really think so Oliver?"

"Yeah. Yeah I do."

Lilly looked at herself in the mirror again and twirled one more time. Then she tilted her head ever so slightly and coyly looked at Oliver in the mirror again.

"Well, if you say so Oliver." Lilly said in a sweet voice and smiled.

Oliver smiled dumbly back at Lilly's reflection. Miley looked at Oliver and then at Lilly and back to Oliver again. She felt like saying, get a room, but she kept her big mouth shut for once.

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Our trio was walking home through the park after surviving another encounter. The girl noticed that one of her male companions was looking at something. She followed his gaze over to a couple that was walking in the park and holding hands. She noticed the look on his face and elbowed the other male companion that was with them. He looked to her and she pointed with her head. He looked at what she was pointing out to him and shook his head.

"You're still thinking about her aren't you?" Deb asked.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Jake said still watching the couple.

"We'll find her Jake." Joe said encouragingly.

"I hope so."

"We won't give up Jake." Deb told him taking his arm.

"I just don't understand why she had to do it."

"Because of the prophecy." Joe answered.

"Well both of you forget about this stupid prophecy thing." Deb said raising her voice.

"But the prophecy said the two of them would fall in love and get married"

"He doesn't care about the prophecy Joe. Jake just cares about her."

Jake had stopped walking as Deb and Joe had gotten a few steps ahead of him.

"I love her." Jake said as he heard what Deb had said. Deb and Joe stopped and turned to Jake.

"Don't worry Jake, we'll get Zoranda back."

-----

"And CUT!" Roger yelled. The three actors on set stopped and turned to Roger.

"Well?" Jake asked.

"We'll keep that one and that's a wrap for the day."

"Yes" Jake said under his breath.

"Planning to go some where Jake?" Nancy asked.

"The beach."

"Are we hopping to run into somebody at the beach?"

"Maybe."

"This wouldn't have to be this Miley you've been talking about for the last two weeks?" Danny asked.

"What is this? Twenty questions?"

"I think someone has a crush Danny."

"Awww. Our little Jakie is growing up. Where has all the time gone?"

"Well you two knock it off." Jake said as he closed the door to his dressing room. Jake went over to the bathroom to get started cleaning up. He was glad that he didn't have any fake cuts to take off this time. All he had on was stage make-up and all he needed for that was in his bathroom. Thirty minutes later, Jake was heading home. All that went through his mind as he headed home was 'please be there…please be there…' Once at home, Jake quickly changed for the beach.

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Our trio did the house rotation to drop off their day's shopping finds and ended at Miley's house. One thing no one know about our trio was because of the fact they hang out at all three houses, they had a supply of beach wear at all three houses. Right now, all three of them were sitting on the couch.

"What should we do now?" Lilly asked.

"I'm tired." Miley stated.

"We could go to the beach. You haven't seen anyone for over two months Miley. People have been asking about you."

"Okay Oliver, that sounds like a good idea. It'll be nice to get caught up with everyone."

With that decision made, everyone headed up to the Hannah closet to get ready.

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Rico's looked weird without Jackson there. It was just another sign that things haven't returned to normal yet. After getting some snacks and drinks, our trio headed to their spot on the beach. Everyone had their spot on the beach and everyone knew where everyone else's spot was. As they walked to their spot, others were already there and greeted Miley warmly. Well, there was one pair that didn't. Amber and Ashley seemed to have gotten worse over Miley's absence. Miley just ignored them because the number of people that were happy to see her far out weigh Amber and Ashley's attitude. Oliver got their spot set-up as Miley and Lilly talked to others on the beach. Oliver sat down and watched his two friends make their way over to him as they talked to other friends that were on the beach that day. Oliver noticed how more guys were talking to Miley and Lilly. He had to admit to himself that the past summer had been very nice to his two friends as they grew. They were more attractive. But then again, he also notice how girls where trying to get his attention too. That was something new to him, but he diffidently liked it. Soon he was joined by Miley and Lilly and they got into some serious relaxing.

"Hey Oliver, could you put some lotion on my back?" Lilly asked as she turned her back to Oliver and handed the lotion to him over her shoulder. Oliver took the lotion and started to do something he had done countless of times before, but Lilly's next comment changed all of that.

"Gee Oliver, I could sit here and have you rub my back forever." Lilly purred.

"Ah…thanks I think." Oliver blushed just a little.

Miley turned her head to look at her two friends. She started to open her mouth again and closed it. She just ended up rolling her eyes and shaking her head when a shadow was cast across her.

-----

Jake had hurried to the beach once he had gotten home. Now he was walking down the beach to get to her spot. He was still to far away to see if they were there or not, but he was holding his breath. Jake had on his hat and sunglasses that he wore that one-day when he had talked to Miley on the beach for the first time. So far, no one was paying any attention to him. It did help that the regulars at the beach were getting use to his presence here.

There, was that them? It looked like Lilly for sure but yes, that was Miley too. Oliver was there starting to put, lotion, on her back. Jake walked quickly to get to Miley. As he got close, he had an idea and walk around so that he could walk up to her without being seen.

"Ah…thanks I think." Jake heard Oliver saying. Miley was looking at Oliver and Lilly when he stopped and was standing right beside her blocking her sun.

"Oh, hi Jake." Miley said as she turned her head to him.

"You recognized me." Jake sounded a little disappointed. He thought his disguise was a good one.

"The size of the shadow that your ego made was a dead give away." Miley laughed. Oliver and Lilly laughed too.

"Ouch. That hurt." Jake acted as he put his hands on his heart.

"And the Oscar for the worse death scene goes to…envelop please." Lilly held her hand out to Oliver. Oliver placed the 'envelop' into Lilly's hand. Lilly opened the 'envelop' and took out the 'paper'.

"Jake Ryan!" She read. Oliver and Miley started to clap.

"Remind me again why you three are my friends?"

"Because we keep you honest." Miley answered.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you joining us." Lilly asked.

"Joining I hope." Jake looked at Miley.

"Then sit your ego down and put some lotion on my back for me." Miley held up a tub of lotion for Jake to take.

"Yes ma'am." Jake saluted. He spread out his blanket and took the lotion. As he applied the lotion to Miley's back, Jake smiled at his luck. The rest of the day was spent with friends stopping by to talk or fans stopping by to talk with Jake.