"Miley! Where in the world are you taking me?" Demi managed to breathe out as she entered her car. Miley had already thrown the keys into ignition and began pulling out of the driveway but she remained silent focusing on getting where she needed to be.
Demi had known the determined look on her face and decided to not press on the matter any further instead kept her eyes on the scenery they were passing before she recognized where they we're heading. It was the same split tree heading towards the cemetery and her thoughts raced back to the funeral.
"Joe!" Demi screamed from the bedroom, "Joe!"
Catching his breath, Joe entered disheveled for a minute, "What Demi?"
"She said she's not coming Joe, she said she isn't flying over here."
Joe's face fell, it wasn't like Miley to miss something this important because for as a long as he had known her, her relationship with her mother was stronger than gravity itself. He has to pull it through since the tears were now staining his wife's black dress.
"Demi," he sat next to her, "It's her decision, she has to make it her choice and you can't do anything about that."
Demi sobbed louder as Joe pulled her close. "Joe, it's her mother. It's her mother! The woman who practically raised all of us in that living room, so how in the hell can she not be here!"
He hadn't known what to say because all he knew in his mind was the Miley they had always known was no longer there and that times were changing meaning they were losing those they love and gaining people who they'll fall in love with. He knew in his head that Demi had thought the same, that this was the last straw to the whole facade Miley had made for herself in LA.
"Shhh baby," Joe rocked her body against his. "Look the funeral is going to start in an hour and Nick is coming to pick us up along with Selena. We'll mourn enough for the both of us and her because that's what we're supposed to do. At least for the Miley we thought we knew."
Demi shook her head slightly before nodding and leaned in to kiss him before fixing her make-up in front of the mirror.
Her thoughts were disrupted when she heard the car motion to park. She stared at the grass and the trees in the gated field before looking at her best friend.
Miley's eyes were now red and brimmed with wetness. Demi had guessed somewhere along the ride and silence, the tears ran down quietly. Miley let go of the wheel and sobbed deeper in her hands.
"You know I regret that day so much," Miley sobbed "Not being here, not seeing her one last time and just throwing away everything we had built up together."
Demi moved closer and hugged her best friend in between the driver and front seats. "Shh, baby" she whispered the same words she had remembered Joe telling her that morning of the funeral. "Your momma loves you and you know that. She forgives you, she always will. Remember that one year during senior year when we sneaked out that night because we had always wanted to just run down the streets in our underwear?"
Miley let out a small giggle as she nodded.
"And how the police caught us before we even had a chance to strip down," Demi continued.
"And Joe and Nick were there too because they just wanted to tag along," Miley added letting herself remember the wonder years.
Demi nodded smiling, "And the look on your mom's face when she had open the door at 2 in the morning? That look that could kill, I swear if there is one thing she gave you it's those killer stares. We were sitting on the couch and your mom re-entered after talking to the police officer and you were hiding behind Nick because you knew your mom would kick your ass for doing what you did."
"But instead she laughed and told us how idiotic we were for wanting to run down the streets in our underwear." Miley's eyes lit up the minute she let those thoughts out.
Demi laughed, "And then continued to let us run around your pool in our underwear and taking pictures of us!"
"Not before she kicked out Nick and Joe!" Miley laughed with her best friend also.
"See, babe." Demi spoke in a lower octave, "Your momma love you beyond words and you know she would forgive you beyond her grave."
Miley looked down upon her hands again, "I remember calling you that day and the hesitation and hurt in your voice. Demi, it still cuts me like a knife remembering that conversation."
Demi remain silent again not knowing what to say.
"I flew back here the week after she was buried," Miley confessed. "I didn't want to see anyone and I didn't want to deal with Braison or my dad either. I had walked up that hill there with sunflowers because they were always our favorite together. I had cried my eyes out talking to her, apologizing to her, trying to just hear her voice again."
Demi reached her hand to comfort her as she continued. "And I remember just sitting there wondering what in the hell happen to my life. You know, Nick had seen me that day just sprawled all over my mom's grave with my tears soaking the grass. He doesn't know I saw him behind the tree and I don't know why he didn't confront me."
"Come on, let's go talk to your mom," Demi suggested trying to lighten the mood. "We can talk about how terrible Nick is to you, you know how she always loved you coming to her about Nick."
Miley smiled before frowning a little bit, "except this time he isn't mine."
xxx
Nick stared into the booth at the recording studio.
"You know, you could make another album," Selena spoke behind him.
He shook his head slightly but had a smile on his face that Selena couldn't see. "I know its part of my contract, but I haven't had the motivation to pick this up again."
Selena wrapped her arms around him and sighed into his back. "I know, but we can't keep them waiting forever baby. Okay, I have to get back to the office. I'm coming home a tad bit late, see you tonight?"
Nick nodded before giving her a kiss goodbye.
"Motivation?" Joe questioned standing near the doorway.
"How much did you hear?" Nick grumbled staring at his brother.
"Enough to know why you haven't the drive to write songs," Joe concluded. "And I know just the perfect motivation to come along."
Nick shook his head, "You know me and Miley are nothing anymore right? There is nothing, she has made that clear since the day she moved back."
Joe laughed, "Who said I meant Miley, but now that I think about it another album with songs written for Miley is just another great selling album for your career."
"Joe!" Nick scorned knowing he didn't have a comeback. "Selena is my girlfriend now."
"Then where are her love songs?" Joe teased.
And then there was silence among the two in the room. It was something Nick had dread when a conversation about Miley came up because it was hard. It was hard to pretend not to feel anything deep inside since she was his first love.
Joe snapped his fingers in front of him, "Nick, I was just teasing you. I know nothing is going on between you and Miley, but you can't deny that there will always be something that keeps you two connected."
Nick nodded unconsciously. "I know, she's Miley and I'm Nick. There will always be something, but we didn't work and I have accepted that fact four years ago."
All Joe could do was nod, of course everything had change and everyone knew that with the exception of Selena since she wasn't here to witness the history of the town and the two lovers.
"I'm gonna head back home to Demi, she's probably almost done preparing for dinner. Do you wanna come for dinner?" Joe looked over to Nick.
He stared at his watch and remembered Selena wasn't going to be home in time for dinner and there was no point in eating by himself, "sure, let's go."
Joe wrapped his arm around Nick's neck, "Come on bro, there's nothing like a home cook meal."
xxx
Demi had taken control of her car on the drive home as Miley slept soundly at the passenger seat. She didn't know what had happen but she understood that the Miley everyone had always known to love was slowly coming back. And for that, she was grateful.
She had pulled in the driveway when she realized Joe was home from the recording studio and Miley drowsily open her eyes.
"We're home already?" Miley yawned.
Demi nodded as they both close their car doors. "And by the looks of it, Joe is home too."
Miley was just about to walk off to the opposite side of the street to her house but Demi had beat her to it. "Stay for dinner, I'm going to be making Italian and I know you love Italian food plus Joe won't mind."
Too tired to say no, Miley just nodded and followed Demi back into her house.
"Joe!" Demi projected as she open the door. "I'm home!"
"I was wondering where you were," Joe walked towards the front door. "Oh Miley is eating dinner with us too? Good, because I invited Nick also!"
Demi silently smacked herself on the forehead and reminded herself to beat up Joe silly later. She gave an apologizing look to Miley as they walked towards the kitchen. Miley shook her head and whispered, "It's okay, don't worry."
"Where is that curly-head mess of a brother in law" Demi joked.
"I heard that!" Nick responded as he entered the kitchen after Joe. "And that's mean, I'm the best brother in law you could possibly have ever!"
Miley couldn't help but laugh to herself at the conversation. It was just like Nick to say something like that she thought.
"Oh and hi Miles," Nick spoke politely hoping she didn't mind another nickname.
Miles, she thought again with the nickname. That was just him also to use nicknames like they're nothing. She could sneer at him in the moment but she knew there wasn't really a point to that anymore and decided to smile at his remark.
"Okay, Miles will help me with dinner. Sorry best friend!" Demi glanced over at her while rushing the boys into the living room. "And you guys will watch some T.V or do whatever."
Half an hour later and with grace being said, the four of them found themselves at the table digging in.
xxx
She wished things were different. She wanted to stare at the stars long enough until her wishes came true. Miley stood silently on Demi's porch wishing and waiting until she felt ready to head back to her house. She didn't know why she was waiting until her heart string pulled a little at the sound of his voice.
"Thanks for dinner again Dem," Nick spoke as he headed out the door. "Don't worry I'll make sure she gets across the street safely."
Miley could imagine his face as he laughed out that statement.
"I'm guessing you want to walk by yourself," her thoughts stopped as she heard his voice next to her. "Since, we're still in this whole..."
"Let's go," Miley decided she didn't really want to listen to him finish that sentence and grabbed his arm heading down the streets towards her house.
The silence engulfed them as Nick realized she still held on to his arm, like old times he remembered. The stars were shining brightly in Texas tonight and the trees kept up with the fall weather.
They remained this way until they reached the end of her house. It was awkward and Miley didn't know whether to just walk into her house or thank him for walking her home. Both of them didn't know how to end this night.
She held her gaze down at the sidewalk before deciding she was too tired to think and lifted her head up to finally look in his brown orbs.
"Miles," Nick started but was soon interrupted when she moved in and kissed his cheek.
"Good night Nick" she said as she turned around and walked into her house.
He stood there stunned a little bit before recomposing himself. "Why didn't you show up?" his thoughts rushed out of his mouth as the many questions he always longed for an answer reappeared this night. "Why didn't you show up to dinner that night? I waited for you for hours and I still don't understand why you didn't show up."
Miley stopped in her tracks standing there with her back in front of him for what seems like forever as she heard him. She didn't want to turn around not now, not then, and not ever.
"And then you stopped talking to me, stopped talking to everyone besides your mom. Why?" he continued knowing he should damn well stop. "I didn't see you again until that day..." he thought back to the image of her crying in front of the grave. "...in the cemetery, of all the places to see you again. I saw you in the fucking cemetery."
Miley turned around now with tears falling down. Nick stared into her brightly lit face by the moon and regretted talking now. He couldn't stand seeing her cry back then and just because they weren't together meant he could stand it now. He walked up to her with full intentions of just holding her like he used to, of just hearing her heart beat against his like he used to five years ago.
"Mi," he started towards her, "I didn't mean to make you cry," and now found his arms around her. "Don't cry, please."
And at those words, Miley completely broke down again for the fifth time that day. Sobbing for half an hour in his arms, Miley realized what they were doing and pulled away.
"Nick," she stared at him, "You have a girlfriend," and walked back into her house closing the door on him once again.
review please! :) I hope you guys like this chapter! Thanks for reading. love love love.
