Chapter 10

The Education Of Jake Ryan

The day started like any other day. The alarm sent a jolt through her body. Miley reached over and turned off the alarm. Wait a minute! Miley thought as she looked at the time. I can still sleep for another hour. Who reset my alarm? Duh! I did. This is the day that Maggie goes to the hospital. Miley flipped the covers off and headed into the bathroom.

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Lilly was getting the last of her school stuff together when her mom came into her room.

"You said you want to talk to me?"

"Oh yeah. It's Miley."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, she's going through some very bad mood swings because of Maggie. They seem to be getting worse as Maggie gets closer to her operation."

"It is a very serious operation honey."

"Yeah, I know. It's just reminds Oliver and me of how she gets when the day her mom dies comes around. We're worried. Is there something you can do?"

"I'll call and talk to Robbie. Okay?"

"Thanks, Mom."

"Now get going or you won't be able to see Maggie off to the hospital."

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"Come on, Oliver, or you're going to miss seeing Maggie off."

Oliver hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. His mom had set out breakfast for him and he started right on it. As Oliver finished grabbing his school supplies, his mother yelled one last question at him.

"Oliver, is your training session with Frank still on for tonight or are you guys going to see Maggie in the hospital?"

"I don't know, Mom. I'll call and let you know. Bye!"

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"Morning Daddy. Morning Mrs. Baker. Hi Maggie. Where's Jackson?"

"He should be down in a few, bud."

Miley walked over to Maggie and sat on the couch by her.

"How are you doing?"

"Okay, I guess."

"I'm nervous too."

"Will you call me every day?"

"I promise."

"I wish you could come visit everyday."

"I'll be there everyday once your new bone marrow is working, Maggie."

"Can I ask you to do me a favor Miley?"

"You know I'll do it if I can Maggie."

"Can you do a remake of one of my favorite songs?"

"DADDY. COULD YOU COME OUT HERE IN THE LIVING ROOM?"

"Miley! You could have come and got me."

"Sorry, Daddy, but Maggie has a question. Go ahead."

"Can Miley do a remake of one of my favorite songs?"

"What's the name of the song?"

"Wind Beneath My Wings."

"Oh, Lou Rawls sang that song."

"Who?" Both girls asked.

"No, I mean the one that Bette Midler sang."

"Well Maggie, a lot of people have done their version of that song. Lou Rawls is from my time."

"That means you're old, Daddy." Maggie and Miley giggled.

"And you're pushing it, bud. And to answer your question, Maggie, I'll look into it, okay?"

"Thanks, Mr. Stewart."

The phone rang and Sara answered it.

"Hello………What?………Oh, okay. Got it. Bye."

Sara hung up the phone and turned to everyone.

"That was Lilly. She said that she'd be here in ten. Whatever that means."

Miley jumped up quickly and ran to the front door and opened it. Lilly came flying in.

"And she sticks the landing." Lilly then stopped and stepped on the back of her board and flipped it to her hand.

"Hi Maggie. How you feeling right now?"

"WOW! I wish I could do that!"

Miley reached over and made a show of touching Maggie as they were talking.

"Maggie feels dry and cold." Miley laughed at her little joke.

"Ha ha, you're so funny, Miley. Maybe I can show you the next time you come to visit," Lilly said like she knew Maggie was going to be fine.

"I'd like that, Lilly." Maggie said with excitement.

Oliver opened the door and came in.

"Smokin' Oken is in the building!"

"And good taste has left the building." Jackson commented as he came downstairs.

"Hi, Oliver." Maggie greeted him.

"Hi Maggie. Looks like you're ready for a short trip to the hospital."

"I hope it is. I hope it is."

"We'll be there as soon as they let visitors in again, Maggie," Lilly told her as she squeezed her shoulder. Robbie noticed that Miley as the only one that looked unsure and he knew why.

"Miley, go eat your breakfast."

Miley looked at her dad and Robbie looked back at her. Miley's lip trembled. She quickly got up, turned and walked out to the kitchen.

Robbie got up and followed her into the kitchen. He walked up to Miley and leaned in to whisper.

"Miley, you need to be more upbeat when you're around Maggie."

Miley turned her head and looked at her dad. Tears started down her face. She got up and went quickly upstairs trying not to look like she was going upstairs quickly. Lilly noticed Miley and went out to the patio and called her mom. After she hung up, she went and talked to Mr. Stewart.

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Lilly knocked on Miley's door.

"Go away Daddy. I don't want to talk."

"I don't want to talk either. Maggie is ready to leave."

"I'll be right down, Lilly."

"You sure you're okay?"

"No."

"You want to talk?"

"No."

"You want me to wait?"

"No."

"You're very negative aren't you?"

"No."

"RRRiight. I'll just be downstairs then. Remember that they're ready to leave."

The door opened to show Miley with puffy eyes. Lilly turned and headed downstairs. Miley was right behind her.

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After they said their goodbyes, it was time to go to school. The walk to school was a quiet one. Miley's mood put a damper on talking. At school, Lilly and Oliver were able to get to Jake before he got to Miley.

"Look Jake," Oliver started, "Maggie went to the hospital today. Tomorrow they'll give her a dose of radiation to kill off all of her bone marrow and the cancer that is in it."

"And Miley is really on the edge right now and it won't take much to push her over it. For some reason, well okay we know the reason, you easily push her buttons."

"How do I do that?"

"Well, you say that you came to school to be a normal kid, but you flaunt your star status to get people to fall all over you."

Jake started to reply to what Lilly said, but Lilly held up a finger between them.

"Her words not mine. But she is right to a point."

"Is that why she hates me so much?"

"I wouldn't say hate per say…" Oliver started.

"Strong dislike is more like it." Lilly finished.

"But what does any of this have to do with Maggie and her not dealing with dying well and me?"

"You've been to her house. It's staring you right in the face." Lilly told Jake. But before he could ask, they reach homeroom. They took their seats and wait for the short ten minute class to start.

Jake looked over at Miley and thought about the last thing Lilly said to him.

It's staring you right in the face. Jake looked closer at Miley and noticed her eyes were a little red and puffy. Had she been crying? You've been to her house. What was he missing? Okay, Maggie, who has leukemia, comes to Miley's house for a special operation. From what he knew, the surgery will either save her life or it would end it. Miley has a hard time dealing with death. Well who doesn't? But obviously more so than others. Personal experience? You've been to her house. It's staring you right in the face. Been to her house. Personal experience with death? He didn't remember seeing any pictures of pets in the house or her room, just family pictures. The bell rang. Jake got up and started for his locker. Duh! How could I have been so dumb! I've met everyone in her family but her mom. Miley's mom died and she isn't over it yet, and now her friend Maggie just might die. And because I'm milking being a celebrity, I'm the only thing she can swing at. Well, if I'm ever going to have a chance with Miley, I'm going to have to change that. Jake closed his locker and turned to see Miley at hers. Jake got up his nerve and walked over to Miley.

"Miley."

Miley turned to the sound of her name. Jake saw the expression on her face go from total sadness to one of strong disapproval.

"What do you want?"

"Truce okay?"

"And what is that suppose to mean?"

"I want a chance to start over." They had the next class together and they started to walk to it together.

"You're right. I've been an egomaniac since I got here. It's that I was afraid that no one would like the real me. I mean, I know they like me, Jake Ryan the celebrity. But I didn't know if they would like Jake Ryan, the insecure guy. That's why I kind of like you Miley. You don't treat me like a celebrity."

"Well, that was very big of you to tell me that, but I'm already spoken for."

"It's Cody isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Can we at least start over as friends?"

"I don't know. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and let you try again. Okay?"

"Thank you. That's all I ask."

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At lunchtime, Miley seemed to be doing better. Oliver wasn't sure what had changed, but given the fact she was walking over to him with Jake might be a clue.

"Is Miley actually talking to Jake without yelling at him?" Lilly asked as she sat down with Oliver.

"So you're seeing the same thing I'm seeing too."

Jake and Miley sat down with Oliver and Lilly. However, Miley realized that she forgot her apple juice and went to get some.

"Okay, what did you do with our Miley?" Lilly asked Jake.

"I figured it out."

"Figured what out?" Oliver asked.

"What was staring me in the face. Tell me if I'm wrong. Miley's mom died. Recently?"

"Almost four years now." Lilly answered.

"Okay. I figure she hasn't gotten over her mom's death. And now with Maggie here for her operation, old feelings are being stirred up again. So, since I'm pushing her buttons, I'm the only one she has to vent those emotions at. That about covers it?"

"Yep." Oliver answered.

"So what did you do?"

"I apologized to her for the way I've been playing off me being a celebrity and asked if we could start over."

Miley came back with a look of triumph one her face.

"I got there in time to get the last apple juice box." She held up her prize to show them. The rest of the lunch was spent making plans for more fundraising after school. That was until Jake's pager went off making him jump.

"I hate the vibrating mode on this thing." Jake looked at his pager.

"Oh that's just great! I have to go in after school to reshoot a scene. I'm afraid I can't help today."

"That's okay, Jake, I hate it when that happens too."

"What are you talking about, Miley?"

"Oh……uh……when you have to do something over again. Yeah."

"Me too."