Chapter 15

Another Day At School

"And the final announcement for today is the totals of the fundraiser contest. In first place is Fighting For Maggie with $2,567.68. In second place is Double A with $1987.77. And in third place is Skater Dudes with $1751.68. The total for the school as of yesterday is $224,371. If you keep up the good work, we just might have a dance to go to in a few weeks. Have a nice day."

With announcements over and final instructions for the day given, homeroom was over and it was time to start the school day in earnest. That was until Amber and Ashley decided to add their thoughts to the competition.

"So hillbilly, you think your team is going to win the night with Hannah?"

"That's not what this is about, Ashley."

"Oh yes, it is."

"No it's about helping to raise money to find a cure for leukemia."

"They'll find that without our help." Amber said.

"Which just leaves which of the prettiest, smartest, and coolest girls will get to spend the night with Hannah," declared Ashley.

"You SELF centered EGOTISTCAL AIRHEADS! PEOPLE ARE DYING OUT THERE FROM LEUKEMIA. AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION, ONE OF HANNAH'S FRIENDS HAS LEUKEMIA! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE WOULD THINK OF YOU TWO PATHETIC EXCUSES FOR HUMAN BEINGS KNOWING THAT THE ONLY REASON YOU'RE DOING THIS IS FOR A NIGHT ON THE TOWN WITH HER?" Miley was breathing very heavy. The whole hallway was quiet. Everyone was staring at the three of them.

"Miley? Are you okay?" Jake asked.

Miley looked from Jake to Amber and Ashley and to Oliver and Lilly. Miley couldn't see too well. Tears where streaming down her face.

"What's going on out here?" a teacher asked, coming to the site of the yelling. Miley dropped her books and ran off.

"Amber and Ashley were harassing Miley about the contest. What they didn't know was that Miley has a friend going through a bone marrow transplant for leukemia this week." Jake told the teacher.

The teacher turned to Amber and Ashley.

"If I even hear that you have said anything else to Miley, then you two will have a weeks worth of detention and I'll be writing your parents about this. Show's over, everyone. Go to class."

Lilly went over and picked up Miley's books and put them into Miley's locker.

"Don't you think we should go find Miley?" asked Jake.

"No. She'll be fine." Oliver answered.

"But didn't you see how upset she was?"

"Yes, but we know where she'll go too," answered Lilly.

"Well?"

Oliver and Lilly looked at each other again. This was starting to drive Jake crazy. Would he ever know Miley well enough that he would be trusted like Oliver and Lilly? And what was with this silent communication of theirs? Now he was REALLY starting to feel like a third wheel on a two-wheel bike. What secret did Miley have that demanded strict loyalty? That had to be guarded with your life? Whatever it was, it must be big. Maybe someday. It was a goal. Lilly and Oliver nodded to each other.

"She went to Mr. Aaron's office." Lilly told Jake.

"Why would she go there? She's going to tell on them?"

"Tell on them, no. Why? You'll have to ask her."

"Isn't there anything you can tell me? I mean why is everything to do with Miley a secret?"

Olive and Lilly looked at each other again.

"I know. I have to ask Miley."

"Sorry. I hate to sound like a bad spy movie, but it's a need to know thing."

"Oh man! I've always wanted to say that," Lilly told Oliver.

"Forget I asked." Jake turned and walked away frustrated.

"Come on. We better get to class too." Oliver told Lilly.

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Miley was running down the hallway to the office. She wasn't seeing anyone or hearing anything really. Like teachers telling her to walk or asking what was wrong. When she reached the office door, Mr. Aaron was already holding the door open for her. Miley went straight to Mr. Aaron's office. He followed behind her and closed the door.

Miley sat in her chair and had pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. Her forehead was resting on her knees as she cried. Mr. Aaron got some tissues and sat them by her feet on the chair. Then he walked around and sat down in his chair and waited. He had an idea what was going on. It was quite easy to hear Miley's yelling. Probably Amber and Ashley. He made a metal note to call their parents. While he waited on Miley to gain control of her emotions again, he started on some paper work.

Mr. Aaron's attention was brought to Miley when he heard her using the tissues. He put down his pen and folded his hands together and watched Miley drying her face. Mr. Aaron opened his lower desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to Miley. Placing his elbows on the desk, holding his hands, Mr. Aaron rested his chin on top of his hands. He waited.

Miley was looking down. She was playing with the cap to the bottle of water that she had just drunk from. Miley finally looked up with bloodshot, puffy eyes and tear stained face. Without any preamble, Miley started talking.

"Amber and Ashley think this is all about getting a night out on the town with me. They don't care what the real reason for the fundraiser is. They don't care if anyone dies. All they care about is being seen with me and having even more reason to be snobs to everyone else. Why can't they care for someone other than themselves? What makes them so mean and self-centered? Why…."

Miley went on like this for five more minutes until she had unburdened herself. Mr. Aaron sat their and watched her as he put together an answer that would probably mean nothing in the over all scheme of things.

"Miley, you're going to find that there are just some people in the world that always do the right thing. Then there are people in the world that just think of themselves. Then in between are the rest of us. Every day we have to decide to either do the right thing or the wrong thing or something in between the two. The problem teenagers have is that they don't always have the life experience needed to make that decision. But sometimes we have to make the right decision in the face of others making the wrong decision. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Miley shook her head.

"Okay. Will you be able to give them a night out on the town if they win? That is a decision that you have to make in the face of their wrong decision."

"That's not fair!"

"Unfortunately, you have quite a bit of experience with things being unfair. But it hasn't stopped you from making the right decision yet. And I don't think it will stop you now either."

Miley just sat there staring at the corner of his desk. She wasn't really thinking but she was at the same time thinking too. The bell to end first period sounded bringing Miley back to the present.

"Thanks, Mr. Aaron."

"You're welcome, Miley. And Maggie is going to be okay. I know it's hard for you to trust doctors, but they do know what they are doing."

Mr. Aaron filled out a pass and handed it to Miley.

"Go get cleaned up and get to class."

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Jake was just leaving his locker when Miley got to her locker.

"Are you okay, Miley?"

"Yes. No. Maybe."

"I promise Miley, if our school wins, it won't be them going out on the town with Hannah. I just might say something to her about those two."

"That's okay, Jake. You don't have to. I'm sure she would still take them. It's the money for the research that is important, not the reason that Amber and Ashley raised the money for."

"We better get to class or we are going to be late."

"Mr. Aaron gave me a pass. But I'll be there shortly."

Jake turned to leave until Miley called to him.

"Oh, Jake," he turned to her, "thanks for caring."

"You're welcome."

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Great. She finally notices me and it's because I'm taking the high road. What does that make me for wanting to steal her away from Cody? I mean, the more I get to know her the more I want to know and it seems that there is something there to get to know. It's quite obvious that Oliver and Lilly have what I want and they guard that like a hawk. I haven't had a choice like this since I decided to become the Zombie Slayer. But that was something I wanted really bad. So what do I want really bad? Miley as a girlfriend or her trust? But aren't they the same thing? Well maybe not. Look at Oliver. He has her trust but isn't her boyfriend. Which raises the question, what does Cody have I don't? Or what do I have that she doesn't want? Well that was a dumb question. Hasn't Miley made that painfully clear? Do I have a thick head or what? Miley wants a person not an image. So what have I been since I've met her? Jake Ryan, the Zombie Slayer. She doesn't want some rich and famous celebrity life style. Which means I have to be able to turn it off. Well, haven't I been doing that? Yeah, but only when I'm around Miley. So what do I want more? Do I want to be a big time celebrity or do I want Miley's trust or do I want Miley as a girlfriend? But before he could start to think about the answer to that question, Jake walked into class and sat down.

Miley came into class five minutes later and handed the pass to their teacher. Miley took her seat by Jake and got started on taking notes. Jake took quick looks over at Miley throughout class. The question he asked himself turned itself into a troubling puzzle piece. It was like the piece you kept on picking up and trying everywhere because it looked like it went everywhere. So was the question. Just when he seemed to have set it aside, it would pop up on him. Especially during the time between classes or when he had a class with Miley.

At lunchtime Jake caught up with Oliver.

"Can I ask you a question?" asked Jake.

"You just did."

"Right. Anyways, I was just wonder if there was something big that Miley isn't telling me."

"Well, if you're asking me then you know you're asking the wrong person."

"You can't even give me a little hint?"

"Sorry. But I can tell you this. She'll only tell you when she can really, and I mean really, trust you."

"So, what doesn't she like about me that makes her not trust me?"

"You're really asking me that question?"

"Guess I know that answer to that one."

"Let's just say that for awhile, you were acting like Amber and Ashley."

"Was I really that bad?"

"Sometimes worse."

"Ouch. That reminds me. Isn't today the day Maggie gets the radiation treatment?"

"Yeah. Guess that's why Miley lost it so fast today."

"Do you know how her mom died?"

"Yes, and you're still asking the wrong person again."

"Why is everything such a big secret anyways?"

"Okay, I'll tell you this much. There is a part of Miley's life that she doesn't want anyone to know about. Figuratively speaking, she can count the number of people she's told on one hand. So, if you want to be one of them, you have a long way to go yet."

"Well, thanks for being honest with me, Oliver."