Well, second chances they don't ever matter

People never change

Once a whore, you're nothing more

I'm sorry that'll never change

"I can't believe you're doing this," Miley says, as I pull my red beanie hat onto my head.

"We told Oliver that we'd try to get along with her," I state, probably even more unhappy about the situation than she is. But, I'd decided as I sat in the movie theater, Oliver is happy. And if Oliver is happy, then who am I to ruin it for him?

"Correction: you told Oliver that you'd try to get along with her. We said nothing about me," Miley says, folding her arms.

I look at her. "Well then. That could come in handy. If she annoys us, you can insult her, and not be breaking any promises." Then I turn away, and slip my feet into my Vans. She doesn't say anything, and I can feel her gaze on my back.

"Why are you doing this Lilly?" she says softly.

I stand up straight, and turn to face her again. "Because I have to. Because Oliver likes her, and I can't stop that. So I just have to make the best of it. And because... she wants me to give in, and I need to show her that I'm not gonna do that."

"I just don't want you getting hurt Lilly..." Miley says, in the same soft tone.

"I'm already hurt, Miles," I shrug. "But this is just something that I have to do. You know Amber. She gets satisfaction out of hurting people. Which is why I've got to pretend that I'm fine."

Miley is silent for a minute, and then sighs. "Okay. Let's go. But I'm not pretending to like her."

I smile. "Ugh. It's going to be torture."

"Tell me about it," Miley laughs, as we left her house. "I'll drive... where are we going again?"

"The mall," I say. "Oliver said he'd see us in the food court, after Amber had been shopping."

Miley rolls her eyes. "God, can you imagine that? If she hasn't got him to pay for everything, then she'll have made him carry everything."

A twinge of something hits me. I hate her. Why is she using Oliver to get to me? Why is she such a bitch? She leads people on, making them do stuff for her, degrading them and making them act like stray puppies, and then she cuts them off. Ignores them. Laughs at them. Tells them that she only went out with them so that someone else couldn't. Someone nice, and worthwhile couldn't.

"You ready to go?" Miley asks, and I nod, pulling her car door open. She looks at me, surprised, as I slide into the seat. "Wow. You're really out of it. I mean, you used the door."

I smile at her. "Don't get too used to it."

"I don't want to," she shakes her head, and starts the car up. "It's just so... un-Lilly-like. Scary."

Very scary...

But the prospect of having to have a polite conversation with Amber... that's even more terrifying.

And about the forgiveness we're both supposed to have exhanged

I'm sorry honey, but I pass it up, now look this way

'Cause there's a million other girls who do it just like you

Looking as innocent as possible, to get to who

They want and what they like, it's easy if you do it right

Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!

"Lilly!" Oliver waves at us from a table at the food court. Amber is sitting with him, a menacing smirk on her face.

I turn to Miley. "Here we go. If I don't come out of this alive, you can have my CDs!"

She laughs. "That's the Lilly that I know. But I'd say that it's far more likely I'm the one doomed to death. I'm the one who hasn't promised to be nice to her."

"True. Can I have your Hannah clothes if you die?" I ask, and she rolls her eyes.

"Whatever. Oh God, she's looking this way. Quick, close your eyes! You might turn to stone!" Miley cries, putting her hands over her eyes.

I laugh, and pull her in Oliver's direction. "Thanks for that Miley."

"Hey guys!" Oliver smiles at us, as we approach the table. The entire floor space underneath it is covered with shopping bags, presumably all of Amber's. I can just imagine Oliver attempting to carry all of these at once, and feel the need to laugh. I mean, it's horrible that she's making him do it, but the mental image is sort of funny...

"Hi," I smile, and sit down on one of the spare seats.

Miley slides into the one next to me, 'accidentally' kicking over a few of the shopping bags in the process. "Oops. Sorry."

Amber glares daggers at her, but can't say anything, due to Oliver being here. I guess she made the same promise as us. Probably with a sickly sweet smile on her face.

"Anyway, can I get you guys anything?" Oliver asks, motioning to the many takeout restaurants around.

"Just a soda please Oliver," Miley says. "You need the money?"

Oliver shakes his head. "No, I have enough. What about you Lilly?"

I look at him, as he stands up. "Um, whatever. Surprise me."

"Sure," he grins, and walks away from the table.

I glance sideways at Miley, and bite my lip to stop myself laughing. Then I look at Amber, who is staring at us, her eyebrows raised.

"So, I told Oliver that I'd be nice to you. And I will. When he's around. When he isn't, I have no intention of being nice," she says, trying to sound scary.

I smile at her. "Amber, you really don't need to put on a scary voice. We're shaking already... just looking at you makes me want to run for cover, screaming."

"Oh, how very funny. Look, Truscott, I'm going out with Oliver. Dating him. Got it? Everyone at school sees how pathetic you are, pining after him, day after day. And I got tired of it. So I decided to do something about it. I've taken Oliver off of the table. You should be thanking me," Amber says, an innocent look on her face.

Miley sits forward. "Look, you're a bitch. We all know that. And you know what else? Everyone hates you. So you can sit there, with your superior - "

I cut her off. "Amber, why would I be thanking you? You're leading my best friend on, because you have this insane idea that I'm in love with him. Well, here's a newsflash. I'm not. Okay? So, you may as well get the relationship over with, because we both know that you're not going to last very long anyway."

"Lilly, Lilly, Lilly," Amber shakes her head. "You expect me to believe that? You're pathetic. But you know what, if you really don't love Oliver, then I guess it won't hurt to keep going out with him. I mean, what do you care? You don't love him."

Okay. That's it.

"Listen, Amber. You can try to break me. You can try to get to me by going out with Oliver. You can kiss him, and hug him... and be with him day in and day out, but you know what? It won't work. Because I'm not the pathetic one. I'm not the one deliberately trying to hurt someone, because my life is a wreck. I'm not the one who tears down people's confidence, because I don't have good grades, or loving parents, or friends who actually look out for you. So you can do what the hell you want, but everyone knows that you're just a jealous bitch, who has to hurt people because her life sucks. And yeah, okay, you might have Oliver. You might get to kiss him, and hug him, but I sure wouldn't want to be you," I say, and then stand up.

Amber is staring at me, her mouth open. Miley is staring at me, a smile threatening to erupt on her face.

"How can you say those things to me?" Amber finally shrieks. "You're just jealous!"

I laugh, and then turn away from her. Oliver is walking back to the table, two drinks in his hands.

"Thanks Oliver. But we were just leaving," I say, taking the drink off him.

Oliver looks at me, bemused. "What? Why?"

"Your girlfriend seems to have a problem with us. She seems to think that I'm jealous of her. I tried Ollie. I tried for you, but I can't do it. If you want to hang out tomorrow, let me know, but I'm not spending a minute with her, unless she has a personality transplant," I tell him. "I'm sorry. I really wanted this to be okay, and I'm glad you're happy."

Oliver looks at Miley, who is stood behind me.

"Did you guys even try?" he asks.

He sounds like he doesn't believe us. Like he's on Amber's side. Like he's throwing away a lifetime friendship, because of Amber.

"Yes," I state.

Oliver looks at me. "Well then why is it like this? If you'd tried, you would've lasted a whole lot longer. If you'd tried, you would've accomplished it. Because Amber isn't hard to get along with at all. She's nice, and we've been underestimating her. I think that you guys made up your mind that you didn't want anything good to happen. I think you just wanted to hurt Amber. Did you try? I mean, really try?"

"Of course we tried!" Miley cries. "And you know what, I didn't even want to do that. Lilly persuaded me to try. Because she wanted this to work. So stop defending this bitch, and open your eyes to what is right in front of you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Oliver yells.

Miley better not be about to say what I think she's about to say.

"It means, that you've been so blind, and you haven't even considered that maybe Lilly is really - " Miley cries. I interrupt her before she can go any further.

"Let's just go," I say. "Oliver, I hope you're happy with her. Because if you'd rather believe that we came here knowing that we wouldn't try to get along with her, then I don't think we should be friends anymore."

What? What did I say that for? Words, words, come back words!

Oliver looks at me, astounded. He opens his mouth to say something, but I can't hear it. Not now. No.

I turn away, pulling Miley's arm, and walking out of the food court. Only when I'm far enough away from Oliver and his sweetheart, do I stop.

I can't cry. I can't speak. My words just keep ringing in my head. Not friends. Not friends. Not friends.

"They just make me so mad!" Miley cries. "And then Oliver, insinuating that we were lying! She's brainwashed him! But hey, your speech was excellent. You showed her."

Not friends. Not friends. Not friends.

"Can you believe them? I seriously thought that Oliver had more sense than that. She's got into this head. Made him believe that she loves him. My god, she didn't even deny that she was going out with him to get to you." Miley is still talking, but I'm not listening.

Not friends. Not friends. Not friends.

Oh my gosh.

"I have to go back and tell him that I didn't mean it!" I say, my voice sounding alien to me. It's hoarse, and I feel my eyes pricking. "Why did I say that I didn't want to be friends with him? Why didn't you stop me?"

Miley sighs. "How was I supposed to know you were going to say that? Oliver knows you didn't mean it. Plus, if we go back there, Amber will be all smarmy. Oh. And I didn't stop you saying it, because you only said it to stop me telling him that you loved him."

I groaned, and leant against the wall of a shop. "How did this get so complicated?"

"Well, Amber kissed Oliver at her party yesterday, and - " Miley began.

"I know how it happened! It was a rhetorical question!" I cry, and Miley leans against the wall beside me.

"If it's any consolation at all, I have a huge tub of chocolate ice cream, and a pile of chick-flicks at home," Miley says. "My mom used to say that that was the remedy to cure anything."

I look at her, and nod. "Your mom was right."

"Always," Miley smiles, and we walk back to the car.