As I Am

Riding was a big part of Miley's life. She preferred her horse over any other mode of transportation, including walking. But that didn't mean she didn't love other things. She loved her pet pig, Luanne (who she had named after her evil cousin after hearing her snort-laugh). She loved her music, but horses always came first. She liked to help Travis in the corral a lot and loved taking care of Blue Jeans. The stallion was part of the family, he had always been. She was disappointed, however, that she had to walk to town. Even for a small town, the crowd was much too big to ride a horse through.

The brunette was just minding her own business, shopping in the market when she saw Lilly. The blonde was in the back of the store with her Mother, who was scolding the girl. Miley was fed up with this family. The poor blonde had finally embraced the country lifestyle (well, a little bit) and now she was being shamed? How stupid was that?

Clutching her wicker basket, she stomped over to Heather and Lilly.

"Lillian, I have never been disappointed! You said it yourself that you would stay away from those people! If you could even call them that."

"Mo—"

"No arguments, Lillian! You are never to speak to that Miley girl again."

"Well, that's an awful hard thing to do." The brunette spoke up, "Avoidin' me, I mean. It's a small town, Ma'am. She can't ignore everybody, and neither can you."

Heather stepped back, gagging at the sight of the southern girl, "Who are you to tell me?"

"A person." She responded, "Now y'all need to shut your traps before everybody here kicks your snooty booties outta this here town." She smiled slyly, "Everybody hates you anyway, Ma'am."

"Please! How could anyone hate me?"

"The way you're actin'? It's not that hard." Miley said, "So you better stop that attitude, Ma'am or I'll kick y'all out myself. I don't appreciate bein' made fun of. Especially in front of your daughter." Turning on her heel, the girl walked away.

"I'm sure your family must be ecstatic to have such a disappointment in the family. Let me guess...your Mother sprays the crops and makes the dinner? What does she make, squirrel kabobs?"

Miley froze up. Shaking, she slowly turned around and marched over to the woman who had said such a disgraceful thing. Lilly hid behind her Mother, noticing that she was also crying. Something bad was about to happen.

Miley slapped Heather across the face and tugged her close, "Don't you dare say anything about my Mama!" She then ran away from the two shocked ladies, bawling her eyes out.

The strangest thing about this was that nobody seemed to care that the high-and-mighty Heather Truscott had just been hit. Everybody was furious at them instead.

"How dare y'all!"

"Who d'ya think y'all are?!"

"We outta call the Sheriff!"

But Lilly said nothing. She was furious at her mother for making Miley cry, but she was also concerned about Heather.

Finally, making her decision, she broke through the crowd and ran after the brunette. She was just in time to see the girl running the rest of the way home. Frowning, the blonde quickened her pace and fast-walked (ladies never ran) behind Miley. Somehow, she managed to keep up and reach the brunette's house in time. Hearing a door slam shut, she walked over to the barn and knocked on it a couple of times before it was reluctantly opened.

"Lill—"

Lilly threw herself into Miley's arms, "I am so sorry, Miley." She apologized, squeezing the girl tighter, "If I knew my Mother was going to say something so...so...so ludicrous I would have left with her right away." She pulled away from the unreturned hug, "Could you ever forgive me?"

"Forgive you? O'course. Your Mama though? I ain't so sure 'bout that." She shrugged, "She crossed a line today. Nobody talks about my Mama like that. Nobody."

"You really admire your Mother, don't you?"

"There ain't one person in this whole town that didn't look up to her. She was a real inspiration to us, she was. Still is." Slowly, Miley removed her hat and held it in her lap, "I miss 'er."

"Wait, are you saying that your Mother is…?"

"Yes'm. She died 'bout three years ago. I loved 'er more than my Daddy." She leaned her head on the blonde's shoulder, who wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulder and pulled her closer.

"Lil?"

"Mm?"

"Would'ya hate me if I never forgave your Mama?" She asked, raising her head up.

"Me? Hate you?"

Miley nodded, awaiting an answer.

"Never."

The brunette smiled and rested her head in the crook of Lilly's neck. The two just stayed like that for a couple of minutes before the door to the house opened, and out came Robbie Ray.

"Howdy there, girls." He greeted, tipping his hat. Miley pulled away from the hug and smiled at her Father.

"Look Mile, I know your friend is over and all, but I need ya to do some things for me. D'ya mind miss…?"

"Lilly Trsucott." She shook the man's hand, "And I don't mind at all. I suppose I could always talk to you later, Miley?"

The brunette nodded slowly, "I 'spose."

The blonde then picked up the edges of her silky light green dress and began to walk away before Miley grabbed her elbow and dragged her forward, "Unless…"

"Unless?"

"You could always stay in the barn and help me with my chores." The girl pulled the blonde closer and hooked elbows with Lilly, "I reckon this is alright with you, Daddy?"

"I 'spose so." Robbie Ray said, sighing. He moved aside and opened the barn door for the two girls. Miley skipped in and smiled, while Lilly was taken aback by the horrendous smell that was wafting throughout the room.

"So, when you said help...that was just an excuse, correct? Because there is no way I will be touching any of…" She gestured around the room, "...this."

"Sure, you ain't." Miley said sarcastically, thrusting two tin buckets of pig slop into her hands, "Go give 'em to Luanne."

"Please tell me you're talking about your cousin Luanne?"

"No Ma'am. My pet pig, she's over in her pen. She's quite a friendly one, she is. Cutest thing you'd ever dang see." Miley paused, "Well, second cutest." She muttered, sneaking a glance Lilly's way.

"This is absurd, there is no way I will be doing this. No way. Nix. Never."

"Oh, quit whinin' girl, or you're gonna get it." She threw a wet sponge at the blonde, before turning around to brush down her horse. Next to her was a large tin wash bin full of water to use while she washed Blue Jeans. With a roll of her eyes, Lilly carried the heavy pails over to the pig pen. Bending over the fence, she managed to successfully pour it in without any issues. Until the pig saw her. Little Luanne, she ran up to the girl and pulled her into the pig pen. Being the little oinker she was, the piglet ran over to the blonde and nuzzled her leg. As irritated as she was, Lilly couldn't help but smile at the contact. Even she had to admit that Luanne was adorable.

"Lulu!" The country girl called, running over to the pen. She had heard the loud thump of Lilly being dragged inside and had been worried that someone had gotten hurt. But instead, she saw Luanne nuzzling the blonde's leg.

"Aww." Miley said, admiring the scene, "Y'all just wanna stay in there? I'll just go finish everythin' up by myself." She teased, finishing up some of her harder chores.

"Miles!" A voice called out. The brunette was surprised to see it was Lilly, who had exited the pen and was walking her way, holding out her wrist.

"What's wrong, Lil?"

"Luanne urinated on me!" The blonde explained, shooting a glare the piglet's way.

"Well, that's the price you pay for cuddlin' with a pig." The brunette shrugged and then handed her a damp piece of paper to wipe her hands off with. Lilly gladly took it then rung it out, discarding the object on the floor. Miley shot her a look and the blonde picked it up and discarded it somewhere else. It took a little bit longer for the brunette to finish, and Lilly was thrilled when everything was done.

"So, what do you wish to do?" She asked, sitting up straight.

"Nothin'."

"Nothing?"

"I jus' wanna sit and talk with you." She explained, brushing back a strand of Lilly's hair. The blonde smiled and leaned her head on the brunette's shoulder, "What would you like to talk about?"

"I'm not sure, Ma'am. I 'spose I just wanna know more 'bout ya. Like, um...why would a bunch of fancy flowers like you and your folks wanna pack up and move over here?"

"Well, my Father got an excellent investment opportunity here. He's a businessman, you see."

Miley nodded her head in understanding and wrapped an arm around the blonde, pulling her closer, "My Daddy's talented." She announced, "He's a hoot of a guitar player, he is."

"Is that so? Then I would really enjoy hearing him play sometime."

The brunette nodded her head again, "You're quite a girl, Ms. Truscott." She complimented, "I bet'chya a lotta cowboys here are gonna snatch you up real quick. You best watch your back."

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"Honey, there ain't one person in this town that would think otherwise."

A smile grew on the blonde's face at the compliment. The brunette leaned in and kissed Lilly on the lips. The blonde's eyes went wide with shock, until she found herself kissing right back. Over and over and over.

Lilly was the first to pull back. Her heart was thumping as was her head, she wasn't sure what to think right now. The only thing she did know was how wrong this was.

Miley didn't seem to think so. In fact, she was smiling.

Smiley Miley. Lilly thought to herself.

"Wow." She said, smiling brighter, "I haven't ever kissed a girl like that before. 'Fact, I haven't kissed a girl at all." She grabbed the blonde's hand, "Y'see, this is what Luanne was tryin' to announce the other day. I fancy girls."

"Y-Y-You—"

"Yes'm. I must say, it's dandy to meet a cowgirl who feels the same way." She clutched Lilly's hand tighter, "Because I really fancy you Lil."

"—D-D-Do?"

"Yes'm." She leaned in for another kiss, only to be pushed back by a panicking Lilly.

"No! This is not right, you have no right to be touching me!"

"But Lil…"

"No! I am not interested in ladies, I prefer men! So please do not try to confuse me in your Western tongue!"

"Lil…"

"No!" She shouted again, "Please do not ever come near me or my family again!" The blonde picked up the skirt of her dress and ran the rest of the way home. Miley leaned over and cried into her hands.

What had seemed to be her best day ever had turned into her worst.