Chapter 14

With Friends Like You

Lilly was with the cheerleaders, Oliver met a girl (that was something but still), Jackson was hating on Hannah and Jake was nowhere around what was going on here. She needed someone to talk to about what Jackson said about Hannah and she had no one to talk too. Not that she could talk to Jake about what Jackson said about Hannah, but she could have at less talk to Jake to take her mind off of what was said. Standing at an intersection of two hallways, Miley turn right. She decided to go outside to get some air. Miley walked out the door into a botanical garden courtyard.

Miley walked to the middle of the garden and sat down on a bench. It was hard to believe as she looked up at the sky that she was in an inner courtyard of the school. Miley laid back on the bench, closed her eyes and practice a calming technique that Frank had taught her in class. First, she breathed in through her nose for a twenty count, and then she exhaled through her mouth for a twenty count. Frank changed the count to twenty for Miley when he saw the control she had over her breathing. I forgot that singers are like divers when it comes to breathing control. Miley smiled as she remembered what Frank had said as she made quick work of the exercise as Oliver and Lilly fought to keep up with her. As Miley concentrated on the exercise with her eyes closed, the warm sun and the breathing started to relax her body and calm her mind.

…you have a diamond inside of your heart, a light that shines as bright as the stars, don't be afraid to be that all that you are, you'll be fine…

Miley didn't know when she started to hear the music but she did start to sing along to her song without thinking about it. It was as natural as breathing was to her. When the song ended, Miley started the next song in the set without thinking about it either. It was not the next song that was playing on the ipod the other student had with him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone else was out here." Brian said.

Miley sat up in surprise as she realized that she was singing aloud and not to the song that was playing.

"Talk about a heart attack!" Miley said as she grabbed her heart with her right hand.

"Sorry, I thought I was alone. Hardly anyone comes out here at lunchtime. Oh, my name is Brian. Brian Weaver." Brian held out his hand.

"Miley Stewart." Miley said as she shook his hand.

"Stewart? Are you Jackson Stewart's sister?" Brian asked with an edge of excitement in his voice.

"Yeah that's me." So, this is what it must be like for Jackson. Miley thought about what Jackson must go through when she was Hannah. Not that anyone knew that Hannah was Jackson's little sister.

"What grade are you in?"

"I'm a freshmen. What about you?" Miley asked.

"I'm a sophomore." Brian sat there and played with his ipod a little. He didn't know what to say next.

Miley took the time to give Brian a once over. It was hard to tell how tall he was because he was sitting on the other bench that had it's back to the back of the bench she was on. He had sandy blonde hair, much like Jackson's. His eyes where hazel with sparkles throughout the irises. The part of his body that Miley could see was well developed.

"I know that I'm not suppose to use the speakers with my ipod but like I said, hardly anyone comes out here." Brian said a little guiltily as he picked a song out to play. He had stopped on another Hannah Montana song. This time it was Nobody's Perfect. Miley just sat there and watched him.

"I don't know what song I like better. Nobody's Perfect or Make Some Noise." Brian smiled sheepishly at her.

"You like Hannah Montana?" Miley asked with a smile of her own.

"Yeah. Her music really speaks to me. You know what I mean." Brian asked.

"Why do you like this one?"

"Well it's like Hannah is saying that you try your hardest but sometimes no matter what, things just don't work out and that's okay. Just don't give up because of what happen. It has kind of helped me out this fall." Brian look down at the ground and couldn't quite met Miley's eyes.

"Why is that?" Miley asked. She never really heard first hand how her music affected the people that listened to it.

"Well, when the CD first came out, I liked the song but it wasn't until the final cuts for the football team came out that it hit home for me."

"You didn't make the football team?" Miley asked as she laid a hand on his shoulder without thinking about it.

"I made the team. I just didn't make the varsity is all. I'm on the junior varsity." Brian gave her a weak smile. Miley smiled back.

"I'm sure you will next year."

"Do you like Hannah Montana?" Brian asked her.

"I have a few of her CDs. What about you?" Miley smiled to herself.

"I have all of them."

"Really? You must like her music."

"Yeah I do. Someday I hope to go to one of her concerts."

"You haven't been to any of her concerts?" Miley asked.

"I was hoping for this up coming concert on Labor Day, but we just don't have the money to get tickets." Miley could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Who else is in your family?" Miley was making a plan.

"Well, there is my younger sister. She's 13 and mom and dad." Brian answered.

"Does she like Hannah too?"

"I have to fight with her to keep my CDs away from her." Brian laughed.

The end of lunch bell sounded making them both jump. Miley couldn't believe she forgot she was in school. She was having such a good time talking to Brian.

"I hope to see you again Miley. It was really nice talking to you." Brian told her.

"It was nice talking to you too." Miley smiled.

As they both walked back to the door, Brian got there first and held it open for her.

"Bye Miley."

"Bye Brian."

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"Miley! Miley!" Cooper called as he was fighting his way through the crowd trying to catch up to Miley at her locker. Miley turned to see who was calling her name. On seeing Cooper, she stopped and waited for him.

"Hi Cooper. What's up?"

"Your brother would like to talk to you about what happen this morning." Cooper started out.

"Well, maybe I don't want to talk about it." Miley turned to start for class.

"Come on Miley, do you even know what he was talking about?" Cooper fell into step with her.

"I know that he said that he hated Hannah." Miley said with a slight edge in her voice.

"That was the end of the conversation Miley. You didn't hear the whole thing."

"Fine. Then you tell me what the whole conversation was." Miley had stopped and turned on Cooper. Cooper sighed and looked around the hall.

"This isn't the place to talk about this Miley." Cooper looked at all the other students in the hallway.

"Fine. Tell him I'll talk to him later, but I'm not very happy about what he said." Miley stated flatly and left for class.

"That went well." Cooper said to his self.

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Miley's next class was choir. She didn't have choir yesterday because of all the stuff that went on with the start of the school year. Miley found herself in a very dark mood by the time she reached the door to the choir room. Once inside, Miley found a chair and sat down in it to wait for the start of class. She didn't know anyone in this class because it was the concert choir. Miley should have been in freshmen choir, but because of her junior high music teacher's recommendation, she was in the concert choir as the only freshmen. Richard Dick started calling the roll after the bell rang.

"…Angie Stevens, and are only freshmen in the class, Miley Stewart."

"here." Miley said in a small voice as those around her looked at her. Miley looked at her hands that were in her lap as she hoped everyone would look somewhere else. Mr. Dick continued on not really noticing the commotion that he caused.

"…Brian Weaver…"

"Here." A voice said from behind Miley. Miley turned to see Brian sitting behind her.

"Hi." Brian smiled. Miley just smiled back.

"Okay everyone, lets get ourselves divided up. I want sopranos…"

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Miley had lost sight of Brian when class ended. She had no idea he could sing. Not that she asked him if he could. Well at less, I'll see him tomorrow in class if not in the garden Miley thought to herself.

"Are you Jackson Stewart's sister?"

Miley turned to the sound of the question. Behind her were two upper classmen, girls really.

"Yes I am."

"Does he have like…"

"You know is like…"

"YES! He has a very serious girlfriend." Miley said just a little to forcefully. Both the girls looked at Miley in shock, turn around, and left.

"Must be tough being a sister to someone that is famous."

"You should try being…" Miley stopped as she turned around and saw Brian standing there.

"Should try being what?" Brian asked after waiting a few seconds for Miley to finish her sentence.

"Nothing. Sorry. I'm just getting tried of the question is all." Miley answered as she started to walk to her locker again. After a few seconds, Brian broke the silence between them.

"Are the rumors about you and Jake Ryan true?"

"Yes and no." Miley blushed a little.

"That's a straight answer." Brian laughed.

"Yes we kind of got together last year, but nothing really happened."

"So you wouldn't say no if I asked you out on a date then?"

"No. I mean yes."

"Yes you say no or yes you say yes?"

"Yes, I would say yes to you."

"Great. What about Saturday?"

"That would be great." Miley said as she checked her PDA that her dad made her carry that had all of her 'Hannah' stuff in it in a secret code.

"Oh, wait. Sorry. I have something I have to do on Saturday."

"That's okay. What about Sunday or Monday?"

"Sorry. But this weekend is booked solid for me. But what about we have lunch together tomorrow?"

"Okay. I'll meet you in the garden again." Brian smiled as he left for his locker.

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The school day finally came to an end and Miley was looking forward to a chance to talk to Lilly and Oliver about what happened this morning. However, that was not the plan that Lilly or Oliver had. Lilly was first.

"Lilly. I'm glad…"

"You won't believe it Miley."

"That's great but…"

"Carol Jordan asked all of the…"

"Just…"

"freshmen cheerleaders to her house…"

"I…"

"to met the other cheerleaders."

"But I…"

"Thanks Miley. You're the greatest!"

"But…"

"Bye." Lilly said to Miley and left to find the other cheerleaders.

"I have a problem I need to talk to you about Lilly." Miley said to herself as she watched Lilly get lost in the flow of students. Miley turned back to her locker as she got her homework to take with her. Once her backpack was loaded, she turned back to look for Oliver. At less, she could talk to Oliver, or so she thought. Miley wait as the students started to thin out and no Oliver. About five minutes later, there were hardly any students and no Oliver yet. Miley closed her locker and turn to leave. Jake didn't even show up to talk to her Miley thought. Hanging her head, Miley set off for home.

Miley was going out the front doors when she heard her name being called out.

"Hey Miley! Wait up!"

Miley turned to discover it was Rico calling out to her.

"Where are all your chuckle heads at string bean?" Rico asked.

"Don't call me that."

"Okay sorry bubble head."

"That too!"

"Sorry…Miley."

"That's better."

"So where is pretty boy?"

"Well you speak using people's names Rico."

"Okay. Anyways, where is Jake at?"

"He had to go to the studio to shot this weeks episode." Miley answered.

"Is it okay if I walk home with you?" Rico asked looking around.

"Sure." Miley answered looking around to see what Rico was looking for.

"Everything okay Rico?"

"Yeah sure fine." Rico answered. Miley really didn't listen to Rico's answer as she and Rico fall into step together for the walk home. Although, Rico talked the whole way to the point where he left to go to his house, all Miley thought about was Lilly and Oliver and where were they?