Disclaimer: I own nothing/no one except the plot.
I opened my eyes and saw Nick staring at me.
"Hi." He said.
I waved and rubbed my eyes.
He just continued staring at me, as if I was a diamond.
"Do I have something on my face or something?" I asked.
"No." He said blankly.
"Then why are you staring at me?" I asked.
"Because I can." Nick laughed.
"Oh, you sly little bastard." I said jokingly.
He ran his fingers through his hair and sat back.
"You can touch yourself?" I asked.
"Yeah, I can." He said.
"How come?" I asked curiously.
"Look Miley, I don't know how this stuff works. I've been up there for like, 5 days. I'm not familiar with everything and everything I can do." He said.
"Ok sorry." I said scootching over a little.
This is how it was before. If he'd get upset when we were close and I'd back away.
He's not really close anymore. He's there, his figure, his body, his un-beating heart.
Even if I'll be talking to him, it's like he's not here. It's just like communicating with someone through a webcam.
They talk, they move, they answer, but they're untouchable.
"I'm sorry Smiles." Nick sighed. "I just get so agitated, everything's so different. Heaven, it isn't how everyone says it is, the best place beyond Earth, paradise. If was the best place, you'd be there with ones you love, the ones who mean the world, even Heaven, to you."
"I'm sorry." I said even though my mouth was out of words.
"You don't need to apologize." Nick said. "You didn't kill me with a diabetic coma."
"You look different." I said changing the subject quickly.
"You get changed up there. You get changed into what is supposedly considered perfect, flawless." Nick said.
"You shouldn't look different then." I said.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"You were perfect before. The perfect boyfriend to me, the perfect son to your parents, the perfect role model to your fans. Not to mention the perfect brother to your brothers." I said.
"I wasn't perfect Miley and I'm not now. You seriously can't think that, can you?" He asked me.
"No, I don't think it." I paused. "I know it."
-
"Look whose up!" Mom smiled sweetly as I walked down the stairs.
"Hi mommy." I said groggily.
"How you feeling, sweetie?" She asked.
I looked stiff, not only in my body, but in my emotions.
"Not better?" She asked.
I shook my head swiftly and headed towards the kitchen, she followed me.
I tried not to act like I was magically better, which was easy since Nick had a spazz out earlier that kind of hurt my feelings.
I grabbed the fridge door handle and pulled on it. As always, it didn't open.
Mom laughed and opened it for me.
"It's not funny!" I insisted.
I grabbed the carton of orange juice and also a glass from the cabinet.
"You want to shut it too, mom?" I asked sarcastically, shutting the door while balancing a cup and a carton of OJ.
"Your sarcasm has yet to amuse me." A voice said from behind me, Brandi.
I just looked at her blankly and poured my beverage. As I took a sip of my drink, I turned and walked back upstairs, hearing Brandi mutter to mom, asking her if I was getting over Nick's death yet.
Oh Brandi, if you only knew. I smiled lightly as I walked back into my room, shutting the door and locking it behind me.
"Hey Miley." Nick said as he watched TV.
"Hi Nick." I yawned. "I miss you holding me when you watched TV." I pouted.
Nick shot me a glare and I sighed.
"Dammit Nick!" I murmured under my breath.
"What?" He asked trying to hide his amusement.
"Nothing." I said quickly, noticing he was catching on.
"What did I say earlier, Miley?" He questioned.
"I get it! I should feel lucky you're here right now." I said with a sigh in defeat.
"Miles who are you talking to up there?" Mom asked from down the stairs.
"I was watching TV, mom. You know how I protest with it." I lied.
"Alright Miley Ray." She hardly said.
I still couldn't figure out how she heard me, she had to have been upstairs, or coming up the stairs.
I put my now empty glass on the side table and plopped down onto my bed.
Nick was at the foot of my bed lying down.
"Miley, I gotta go to Target, do you need anything?" Mom asked poking her head through the door.
I got up. "Can I come?" I asked sweetly.
"Sure baby doll just be ready in ten minutes." She said disappearing.
Nick didn't say anything so I just dragged my feet along and went into my closet.
I grabbed the closest pair of sweatpants near me and a shirt that matched.
I slipped out of my pajamas and put on my outfit.
I slung my hair back into a messy ponytail and slid my feet into a pair of flip flops.
I walked out of my closet slash other room and into my bedroom.
"Hello Nick." I said to Nick, my back turned to him.
No answer, I could feel his eyes piercing into my back and turned around.
"You know," I paused, "you don't have to be so bitter Nick. Maybe you should have picked someone who you actually like to be visible instead of your ex girlfriend you hate so much."
I stomped back to my closet and slammed the door.
Whoever said that makes you feel better lied.
I put on some eye liner and lip gloss in the mirror and slowly walked back out.
"Goodbye Nick." I said walking out of the bedroom door.
"Bye Miley." I heard him say as I shut the door.
I walked down the stairs slowly. Just incase one of Noah's Barbie's were around causing me to fall.
"Mommy which car?" I asked.
"Morano." Mom said.
"Okay." I said walking outside. I waved at the 4 security guards and got in the car.
Mom wasn't out yet, so I thought I'd take advantage of that. I grabbed my key to the car and unlocked the driver's side. I sat down and started the car, happy I could finally drive.
Mom walked out of the house, gave me a stare and willingly got in the passenger's seat.
We drove about 15 minutes to Target, the paparazzi slowly starting to build up.
When we got into the Target parking lot, I parked in the first space I saw, eager to get inside the store.
Paparazzi never follow us into stores without getting kicked out by the manager.
I took out the key to the car and unlocked the doors. I waited for mom to get out and then I got out also, locking the door behind me.
Questions flying about how I was dealing with the death of Nick, if I was depressed, did I miss him. The questions continued with my dead on silent answers.
We got into the store and I took a deep breath, as I turned around flashing a peace sign and a plastered on smile as the paparazzi lurked outside.
"What do we need to get, mom?" I asked.
"The basics, but if you still need to get some gifts for anyone for the holidays, you can go get them. I'm sure you'll find whatever you need here." She replied with a hardly visible smile, her laugh lines hardly moving from their previous position.
I had completely forgotten my favorite season- my favorite holiday- my favorite gathering- Christmas.
I had been so caught up in Nick being in the coma, his death, him coming back that I forgot about it all.
"Miley, your brother will be coming home tomorrow and I need to get him some stuff. Can I give you this list and you get what I need for everyone else?" Mom asked.
"Sure." I said, taking the list she was holding out.
"Meet me back here by the carts." She said taking two carts from the row, one for her one for me.
"Okay mom." I said pushing the cart away.
I looked at the pretty long list and began to read. Luckily my mother was very type A and listed everything in a category, like toothpaste with mouthwash, tomatoes with potatoes and so on.
First on the list were the cereals. Cheerios, Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms and Frosted Flakes.
I made my way to isle 10, which contained cereals. I found the stuff she was looking for and looked back down at the list. Lunchmeat.
I turned the cart around to head to the cold items when I hear footsteps. I turned around and nobody was behind me.
I turned the corner just to be cautious and into the other isle. The footsteps got louder.
My speed became faster.
"Hello pretty girl." A male voice said.
My heart that was racing now came to a stop. I reached into my purse and held my hand secure on the pepper spray and turned round.
Nick's eyes were staring into mine. My heart started beating again.
I released of the pepper spray and rolled my eyes.
"You could have killed me, you know." I murmured, so quietly, not even someone next to me could hear it.
"You know you enjoy the adrenalin rush." He laughed so innocently.
"What do you suffer from? Bipolar disorder? Schizophrenia?" I asked, in barely a whisper, not a drop of sarcasm in my voice.
He laughed loudly, only because I was the only who could hear and see him.
"Stop flattering yourself." I muttered, louder this time. It was now sounding like I was talking to myself.
I continued down the isle and turned the corner, seeing my mother.
"Mom," I called out, "can you finish this? It's getting stressful and I don't want to be around the store by myself."
"Sure sweetheart." She smiled walking over to me.
"Thanks mom." I said pushing the cart next to her.
I turned behind me and gave Nick a nasty glare, then turned back around.
