Chapter 14

The low sun streaked the gray sky with orange hues, which reflected in the parking lot puddles in a golden shine. Lilly passed a rusted car with no tires, a few pick-up trucks, and a trash pile of broken pallets and cardboard boxes crumbled by the rain. Just as she was starting to worry that she had made a mistake in the parking lot, she moved past the US-truck and came across a Hummer stretch limousine parked next to the back door of the record store. The gullwing doors at the front of the limousine stood wide open.

Lilly stopped, brushed the raindrops off her hoodie, and ran her fingers through her wind-tousled hair. Could she just get in, or should she ask permission first? She looked into the driver's cab and found it empty.

When Lilly poked her head through the gullwing door, the first thing she noticed was the smell of fruity martinis. The second was the continuous black leather seat that stretched from the back all the way to the front and curved around the corner to end in a two-seater. And the last thing was Hannah sitting on that two-seater, her legs crossed and her gaze trained on a fashion magazine in her hands. She must've changed after the autograph session, as she now donned silver wedge heels, a mini skirt, and a black waist corset over a light pink long-sleeved shirt.

Lilly pulled in a long breath as she willed the nervousness away. "Can I come in?"

Hannah remained silent.

Had she changed her mind and no longer wanted her here? "Hannah?"

Hannah's eyes switched up for a nanosecond before returning to the magazine.

So she had noticed her. Why didn't she answer? Was this some sort of celebrity, I'm so much cooler than the regular people thing? But Hannah treated all of her fans like friends, so probably not. "I'm coming in, okay?" Lilly bent-over and moved forward, past the seemingly never-ending row of seats and the bar on the opposite side. She sat diagonally across from her, leaving two empty seats between them.

Hannah's gaze remained rooted on the magazine, and Lilly felt as if she had infiltrated some holy space and trampled the No Trespassing for Non-VIPs sign on her way in. Above her, a thousand tiny silver lights glistened on the inky ceiling, creating the illusion of a starry sky. Why, of all people, had Hannah invited her again? Would she try to make another move on her? Lilly had replayed her one-on-one with Hannah a hundred times in her head, mulling over what she should do differently the next time. She was prepared for anything.

Hannah's round hooded eyes locked on hers, and a toothy smile broke free from her lips.

Lilly gulped. Okay, maybe not as prepared as she thought.

"I'm glad you came." Hannah put the magazine aside and shook out her hand. "Signing autographs for six hours straight is more exhausting than copying from the blackboard all day."

"You go to a public school?"

"Goodness, no. I'm being homeschooled." Hannah nodded towards the bar. "Is there anything I can get you?"

Champagne bottles stood next to whiskey and rum bottles, and bottles with gold labels she couldn't decipher shimmered beneath a row of blue ceiling lights.

"But it's all alcohol."

"No way, it tastes far too good for that."

Lilly bent over the glass on the low table in front of Hannah, half filled with an orange-yellow ombre-colored liquid, and inhaled. Beneath a sweet orange-lime scent lurked a faint yet aggressive stench. "That's vodka."

"Nonsense. It's either juice or coke, or a mix of the two." Hannah slid the half-empty glass over the black-tinted glass table toward her. "For you. I'm going to fetch another drink."

"But —"

Hannah's gaze bore into her.

Was she expecting her to drink it all? Lilly picked up the glass, and it almost slipped from her sweaty hand. Occasionally she had sipped the last drops from the cocktail glasses her mother had left in the kitchen after a Friday night out with her girl friends, but never more. But she couldn't say no to Hannah again, could she? She took a sip. An orange-tasting liquid filled her mouth. Hannah was right. It was tasty. A slight burn spread through her throat. And alcoholic.

Lilly clinked the glass back on the table. "Definitely vodka."

"You can taste it?"

So Hannah knew?

"I had no idea. Sorry."

Or not?

Hannah leaned back and chewed on a nail, her eyes glazing over.

"That's totally okay. Thanks for the drink anyway. It was hella tasty. It's just that I don't usually drink, and my mom would never allow it, and—"

"— do you remember what I said to you the last time?"

"I'm not sure."

"About your scar?"

"You mean that I'm wrong in finding it ugly?"

"Did it help you?"

"Help?"

"Do you feel better now?"

Her scar didn't bother her too much, but she didn't like it when people stared at it. Then she suspected that the wormlike ugliness of that thing was keeping them in a state of shock or whatever. But, now that she thought about it, since Hannah's word she hadn't paid attention to the staring. Lilly gave a slight nod.

As Hannah fixed a point somewhere in the front of the car, her eyes grew distant again.

She nodded to herself, stood up and squeezed past Lilly to the bar. She poured herself a glass of red liquid, swirled it around, and dipped it back. An uncharacteristic giggle left her lips. "You should drink. This stuff is fantastic."

The newspaper article accusing Hannah of getting drunk appeared to be true after all. But was she truly unaware that it was alcohol, or was she acting naive?

Hannah sank back into her seat. "I have to leave in a minute. They've booked me for this talk show in Memphis tonight." She gave Lilly a pointed look.

Did she want her to leave already? She had only just arrived. Apparently, Mikayla had spent the entire day with her. She must've done something different than her. Maybe she shouldn't have refused the drink. Lilly contemplated the glass for a moment before she grabbed it and downed the contents in one go. The liquid burned in her throat, then in her ears. Lilly sputtered out a series of coughs as she slammed the glass back down. Heat crept up her neck and into her face. A hand rubbed her arm. Hannah's hand. Lilly's body tensed. Through tear-blurred eyes, she saw Hannah frown.

"Is everything alright?"

Lilly sagged against the back of the couch, the fake stars spinning above her. Her eyes fluttered shut. It had to be the alcohol. Hell, how fast did that stuff work? The glass had only been half full.

"Lilly?"

Lilly forced her eyes open to look at Hannah. "Do you drink with all of your groupies?"

"Groupies? Are you trying to tell me something?" Hannah let out another heart-pumping giggle. "To answer your question, no. Daddy forbids me from meeting with them."

Lilly stroked the white faux fur on the black leather seat beside her. "I really didn't mean to turn you down the last time, you know? I really am your biggest fan."

"Oh, no, no. I'm just glad you forgave me."

God, how could she not? "It probably seemed like I ignored you on purpose, but I was just too overwhelmed to react."

"You were?"

Lilly nodded.

"Are you… " Hannah licked her lips. "Are you saying you would've kissed me otherwise?"

Lilly's heartbeat kicked into high gear, pumping adrenaline through her veins and flushing her cheeks hot. That wasn't what she had intended, but…

Hannah's smile wavered, and her shoulder slumped forward slightly, just like the last time Lilly had unintentionally turned her down. This time would be different.

"I do want to kiss you." It was only a whisper. Lilly averted her gaze.

The distant roar of a passing car drifted into the limousine. Raindrops pitter-pattered on the steel roof above them.

The leather on the sofa squeaked, and the seat next to Lilly sagged. A finger dipped under her chin and guided her head up. Cobalt eyes met hers, reflecting the thousand tiny ceiling lights.

Oh God, Hannah was going to—

Warm lips pressed against Lilly's.

It was as if the wagon on top of the roller coaster had dipped over and rattled into the depths with her. She fell and fell, for what seemed like seconds, then minutes, which turned into hours. Hannah finally pulled back, giving Lilly only a second to catch her breath before leaning back in.

"What're ya doin'!" The deep voice pulled Lilly from the waves of her dizziness.

Hannah shrank back, knocking her cocktail glass over, and the contents spilled over the carpet.

Hannah's manager leaned through the limousine's back door, his eyebrows knitted together in a frown.

"Daddy… "

"D'ya girls drink alcohol?" He sniffed the air.

"No! Hannah leaped to her feet, banged her head against the ceiling, and sank back onto the couch, grimacing.

"Hannah." His tone took on a warning edge.

"I didn't know—"

"—Don'tcha lie to me."

"I swear to God, I wasn't—"

His sharp scowl put an end to Hannah's excuses.

Lilly sank further into the seat. She felt even more than before that she wasn't supposed to be here as if the landlord had caught her breaking into his multimillion-dollar mansion to molest his daughter.

"Don't tell her about me."

"You know damn well I'm not goin' to. It's enough that you have betrayed two people's trust today."

"I'm sorry."

They hadn't done anything wrong, had they? Did he think Lilly was a groupie? She wasn't. Lilly opened her mouth to defend herself and Hannah, but the words got stuck in her throat.

"We'll talk about it later." The manager stepped back from the door. "Tell the girl it's time for her to leave. We've three hours to get to Memphis."

Hannah dropped her head and her hand curled around the edge of the sofa. "You-you've to leave."

"Can't I come with you?"

"I'm sorry."

Jeez, what a ridiculous question. Obviously not. "Will I see you again?"

"I… " Hannah cast a glance to the front of the limousine where her manager's shadow fell through the door and across the carpet. "I don't know… "

The manager's head pocked back into the limousine, sharp gaze under knitted brows, and Lilly leaped out of her seat. On shaky legs, she made her way to the front and pushed past him. Hannah's security guard appeared behind him, her eyes obscured by dark sunglasses and her face covered behind a mask of composure.

A gruff Man, I'm so disappointed in you rang out of the limousine before the security guard yanked the door down behind her. The limousine pulled out of the shadows of the parking lot and vanished behind a corner.

The sky had turned a deep-sea blue. Streetlights cast their yellow triangles down to the pavement, turning the invisible rain into a golden mist. Lilly slumped on the wet ground, her back to the record store's back exit, and let her head drop against the brick wall. A neon green exit sign flickered above her. She raised a hand to her lips. Wow.

Lilly rolled over for the hundredth time, drowning in a sea of jumbled thoughts. Miley's bed was still empty. Lilly hadn't seen her since she had abandoned her in the queue. When she had returned to the farm last night, the cottage had loomed silhouetted against the night sky, the windows pitch black, and she had found a note pinned to the refrigerator with Mr. Stewart's handwriting:

Hello, Lilly.

We're visiting Aunt Dolly in Nashville for the night.

Dinner is in the fridge.

Lilly would have loved to see her again, but they hadn't asked her if she wanted to come along.

The chilly wind rustled the leaves and crept in through the tilted window and under her comforter. She drew it all the way up to her chin. She had waited in line long enough to notice the sheer number of much prettier and more handsome fans, some of whom had to be some real groupies eager to mack on Hannah. But Hannah had invited her into her limousine.

Lilly threw herself onto her other side and curled her legs up to her stomach. The Fakettes had walked past her, signed CDs in hand and wide grins on their faces. Hannah had to see something special in both Mikalya and her. But they were so different. They only had one thing in common, and it was silly to even consider, but… the scar? That couldn't possibly be the reason, could it?

A shiver ran through Lilly and she pulled the covers over her head. Who knows how much more time Hannah would have spent with her if her manager hadn't interrupted them. Hannah had sounded like she had liked to meet her again, but there was no way for them to get in touch. Stupid. It was all so stupid.

When the first rays of dim autumn light broke through the curtains, Lilly lay still awake. The cold autumn air had displaced the last of her warmth under her covers, and she couldn't stand it any longer. She yanked her comforter back, ripped the curtains open, and banged the window shut.

The rain beat down on the living room windows in a steady rhythm. Jackson slouched on the couch, a Budweiser beer can in his hand and a plate with a peanut butter jelly sandwich in his lap.

Lilly sat beside him, rubbing her arms to warm them. "Good morning."

"Mornin'." Jackson's gaze remained fixed on the TV. He took a loud slurp from his can.

Hannah had been right. That stuff was fantastic. It had made her feel all warm and relaxed. "Can I bum a beer?"

"If you want Dad to hang me by my thumbs… "

Of course not. Lilly turned her gaze to the TV.

...another rainy day in Maury County. A man in a black suit pointed to a weather forecast illustration. By tomorrow...

"Where's Miley?"

"She went with Dad to Nashville to visit Aunt Dolly. No idea if they're back yet."

Miley's bed was empty, so no.

The static crackled every time Jackson changed the channel; the weather report, a Disney cartoon, Hannah Montana, the news—

Lilly's stomach fluttered. "Can you switch back?"

…another victim in a series of gruesome killings. The sixteen-year-old Lila Cook was found murdered in Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park near Memphis this morning, just one day after her parents reported her missi…

"I mean the one before." Lilly leaned forward.

"In a second."

…Despite the fact that she had not been kidnapped beforehand, the prominent scar on her arm and the fact that her body was discovered in a circle of chestnut figures led police to believe it was the Tennessee Killer's crime once again. An autopsy…

Jackson zapped back.

Hannah sat in a black armchair, legs crossed, and smiled into the camera. She was still dressed in the same light pink and black outfit. On the brick wall behind her shone a hot pink neon sign: Memphis Monologs.

The talk show's host, a man with a gray beard and a black leather vest, held a CD up to the camera. Her new single is called I Wanna Know You, and it's a duet with David Archuleta.

The music video of Hannah's latest single flashed across the screen, showing her in a school cafeteria, staring longingly at a boy three tables away.

Jackson left the room, the refrigerator clattered open, glass bottles clanked together, and the front door thudded shut.

The camera switched back to the studio. Hannah frowned at the floor, fidgeting with the microphone between her knees. Her head snapped up, and a strained smile sprung on her face.

Oh no, poor Hannah. She must have had to listen to her father's criticism all the way to the studio.

The host took a corncob from the plate in front of him. As promised, we're going to play a game called Food Wars. We'll start with…

The noise of someone yawning drifted from the foyer. Miley stood in the doorway of the living room and stretched, the sleeves of her flannel pajama sliding down her arms.

"You're already back?"

"I slept in another room."

Lilly moved to the other end of the couch to make room for Miley, who padded toward her with her bare feet. "You could've come in. I was awake all night anyway." Lilly fixed her attention back to the screen. She laughed at Hannah's scrunched-up face and the mechanical, cartoon-like manner in which she ate one strip of corn before turning it around and repeating the process. The only thing missing to make this a live-action cartoon was the click-clacking typewriter sound.

Miley drew her legs up and scowled. "Can't you turn that off?"

"Why?"

"It looks stupid."

So Miley did have an aversion to Hannah. "You didn't return yesterday." Lilly couldn't keep the reproachful tone out of her voice.

Miley stayed silent.

"Uncle Earl invited us to dinner. Daddy called to remind me of the invitation. I forgot to tell him I was at Hannah's autograph session."

"The same Uncle Earl whose cakes cause everyone to blow lunch?"

Miley nodded.

"And you accepted the invitation?"

"Well… since he lives in Brentwood, we combined the visit with Aunt Dolly's."

Hannah finished the corncob before the host. She jerked her arms in the air in a victory pose and grinned, corn grains slipping out her mouth.

This time Lilly could only manage a faint smile. Was this the only way she would ever see Hannah again? Through the TV?

"About sleepin' in that other room."

Lilly reluctantly averted her gaze from the screen.

"It's yours as of today."

"I get my own room?"

Miley rested her chin on her knees. "If Daddy wants it that way, there's nothin' I can do."

"It was Mr. S' idea?"

"I told him you wouldn't be able to sleep without Beary, but oh well… " Miley shrugged.

"Sick."

Miley dropped her gaze to the maple coffee table and gnawed on her lower lip.

Stupid. If Lilly had kept a tally of how many times she had upset Miley since her arrival, she could have filled an entire book. But was she truly at fault? Miley was like a hedgehog; all she had to do was poke her lightly and she rolled into a ball.

The host said goodbye to Hannah, and Lilly turned off the TV. "Do you want to hang out at the barn?" Nothing felt cozier than lying on a haystack that warmed her and engulfed her in a sweet, fresh scent as she watched the rain form puddles in the grass outside.

"I wish I could, but Daddy has grounded me."

"Why?"

Miley shrugged again.

"The barn's still a part of the farm, you know?"

"Anythin' outside this house is off-limits to me." She sighed and drew her legs together in a cross-legged position. "You said you hadn't slept all night?"

Lilly couldn't tell Miley about her kiss with Hannah. She had told her so many times how much they looked like each other that she might think Lilly was into her. At worst Miley would want nothing to do with her anymore. "Yeah, I was freezing like hell."