It wasn't yet lunchtime but the dining area in the Martin family suite was unusually crowded. Mikayla and London had joined Carey and the twins to discuss the offer that had seemingly come out of the blue the night before. The offer for Mikayla to appear at the Youth Scene Music Awards.

"What do you think I should do?" Mikayla asked. The question was directed mostly to Carey, but the others were ready to chime in with their opinions as well.

"That's up to you," Carey answered. "If it's something you want to do, I know you'd give a great performance."

"It'll be awesome!" Zack enthused. "This could be your big comeback."

"Let's not rush into anything," Cody cautioned. "Mom said that Mr. Pratt seemed a little sleazy." He turned to his mother. "You're sure this is a legitimate offer?"

"I made some phone calls," she answered. "Hermie Pratt is the producer of the show. And there have been some unexpected cancellations from acts that were scheduled to appear. Everything checks out."

"You trust him then?" Mikayla asked.

"Not especially," the older woman said. "But when I said he was sleazy, I meant the typical sort of sleazy that you run into all the time in show business. I've dealt with far worse."

"Then it's no problem," Zack went on.

London was excited about the show as well. "We can use my biggest limo to arrive at the show and we can get brand new outfits for the red carpet. Oooh..." She clapped her hands excitedly. "We'll get new suits for Zack and Cody and they'll be our escorts." She smiled to Zack. "It'll be our first public appearance as a couple."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Carey advised. She turned her attention back to Mikayla. "What do want to do?"

"I'm sort of nervous," the young singer admitted. "But if I got some publicity it could bring more customers to my lounge shows, and that would be good for Mr. Moseby and the hotel." She looked to London, and then smiled at Cody. "And it would be fun to walk the red carpet with my guy and my best friends."

"If that's what you want," Cody said. "Then I'm all for it."

Time flew by quickly and soon it was the day of the show. London went all out, buying new outfits for everyone. And the limo ride to New York was quite enjoyable.

"This car is bigger than our suite," Carey commented. And while that was an exaggeration, there was plenty of room for everyone.

Zack and London were in especially high spirits and their moods rubbed off on the others. By the time they reached their destination, Mikayla wasn't even feeling any pre-show jitters. She was just excited to be there.

"And here's Mikayla and London Tipton," an announcer called out as the two young beauties stepped out of the limo. Photographers jockeyed for position to try and get good shots.

"What's this?" the announcer continued. "I've heard of matching outfits...but it looks like Mikayla and London have matching dates."

The photographers kept shooting as Zack and Cody walked their girlfriends down the red carpet. They were quite an attractive quartet, and members of press and fans on the sidelines were soon talking among themselves and speculating as to the identities of the girls' dates. Carey tried to remain in the background, following the teens at some distance, but looking as lovely and she did in the new designer gown that London had gotten her, she got a bit of attention from the photographers herself.

Mikayla's dressing room wasn't overly spacious, but there was room enough for all her companions. As the show started, London, Zack and Cody went and took their seats in the VIP section while Carey stayed with Mikayla to give her any last second assistance she might need. After final checks on makeup and wardrobe, the two left the dressing room to grab some water in the catering area. It was there that Mikayla ran into someone she recognized. To her surprise, he actually greeted her politely.

"Heard you were going to be performing," Robbie Ray Stewart said. "Also heard you don't have that troll for a manager anymore."

"Yes, that's true," Mikayla replied. She then introduced Carey.

"Well, you're a darn sight easier on the eyes than her old manager," he said.

"Thank you," Carey replied. "But I'm not Mikayla's manager. I'm just a friend."

"Is Hannah around?" the young singer asked.

"She's in her dressing room right now," he answered in a somewhat guarded tone. "You telling me you want to talk to her?"

"I know I've been sort of rotten to her in the past," Mikayla said. "But a lot of things have changed since then. And I thought maybe I could make peace."

"I'm glad to hear you say that," Robbie Ray responded with a genuine smile. "Right now might not be the best time though. Hannah just finished her first number and she wants to relax until she has to go back onstage. She's going to be closing the show."

"I know," Mikayla said. "My last number is right before her finale."

"I will tell her what you said though," he continued. "And if you don't get a chance to talk tonight, I'll see if I can't get her to give you a call."

When Mikayla took the stage for her first number, the audience wasn't overly enthusiastic. They did clap for her, but they weren't expecting much. It had been some time since If Cupid had a Heart had been on the charts. However, it wasn't too long into her performance before the crowd realized that this wasn't the same old Mikayla. She performed her big hit with more style and flair than she ever had in the past.

And when she was done, the audience showed their appreciation. Mikayla was frozen on stage for a moment, shocked at the ovation she was receiving. She had become used to good reactions from the crowds in the Tipton lounge...but this was different.

This was thirty thousand people screaming their lungs out for her.

"Thank you!" she called out as she exited the stage. She soon got a big hug from Carey who then led her back to the dressing room to get ready for her next number.

When Hannah Montana and her friend Lola made their way to the catering area, they had a question for Hannah's manager/father.

"Who was onstage a few minutes ago?" Lola asked.

"The applause sounded loud even back in my dressing room," Hannah added.

"Would you believe it was Mikayla?" Robbie Ray replied.

The two girls gave him a look of disbelief.

"No, seriously," Hannah said.

"It was her," he repeated. "She did a bang up job. Never saw her perform like that before."

Hannah turned to Lola. "Remind me to close the sunroof in the limo when we leave tonight."

"Why?"

"Because if Mikayla is suddenly a good singer, then pigs have probably started to fly."

Lola laughed. "Good one."

"Now girls," Robbie Ray admonished. "I ran into Mikayla earlier and I think she may have changed. She told me she wants to bury the hatchet."

"Yeah, in my skull," Hannah shot back. "Come on. It's got to be a trick."

The man shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. She seemed sincere. Why not talk to her later and see?"

"Yeah, sure," the young popstar said with little enthusiasm.

London, Zack and Cody made their way backstage before Mikayla's second number. All of them had nothing but praise for their friend's performance. The entire group spent some time chatting in her dressing room until Cody asked a question.

"So, is the catering area well-stocked?"

"You want something?" Mikayla asked.

"No," he replied. "Just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed." He had a slight twinkle in his eyes. It didn't take Mikayla long to figure out why.

"Catering area? Where's it at?" Zack questioned. He rarely passed up a chance for free food.

"Mom, you can show Zack and London where it is," Cody suggested.

"Sure," she said. "Come on kids."

A second later, Cody and Mikayla had the room all to themselves.

"Smooth," the singer said with a sly grin.

"Ah, you saw what I did there," Cody replied as he leaned over to kiss his girl.

One kiss led to another...and another.

"They could be back any second," Mikayla managed to get out between kisses.

"I know," Cody answered. "But this is the first time we've been alone all day."

They took the time for one more long, lingering kiss. Just as they finished Carey came back into the room.

"It's almost time for you to go on," she told Mikayla.

The Martins and London watched from behind the curtains as Mikayla took the stage again. Hannah, Lola and Robbie Ray were also watching from behind the curtains on the opposite side of the stage.

"What's she going to sing?" Lola wondered. "She only had one hit."

A moment later, the music for I Don't Want to be Your Friend started and Mikayla began to sing.

The audience was dead quiet at first, being unfamiliar with the song. But the performance was spellbinding. By the time Mikayla reached the first chorus, there were cheers from the crowd.

By the third chorus, thirty thousand people were singing along with her.

Backstage, Hannah and Lola wore the same stunned expression.

"She's on fire," Robbie Ray observed.

Hannah turned and gave her father an annoyed look.

He merely shrugged. "Just saying."

Mikayla finished the song, and there was a brief moment of calm. Then...the audience erupted.

Every single person in the crowd was on their feet. The applause was thunderous, but as it started to fade it was replaced with another sound.

"Mi-kay-la! Mi-kay-la! Mi-kay-la!"

"They're chanting her name!" London said excitedly.

"She's back!" Zack added. "She's going to be bigger than she ever was before!"

Carey and Cody had nothing to add. They only looked on with pride as Mikayla stood under the spotlight. The girl was completely awestruck by the audience reaction, and the look of gratitude and joy on her face was captured by the television cameras and beamed to millions of viewers worldwide.

Finally, Mikayla left the stage and ran into the arms of her friends. But as their group hug continued...slowly they all became aware of something.

The chanting was still going on.

And they weren't the only ones to take note of this. On the other side of the stage, Hannah was looking worriedly to her father.

"Give it a little while longer," he said, trying to be comforting.

"But I'm supposed to go on now," she said.

"Just wait," he responded as he listened for any sign of the chanting to die down. "This...might take awhile."

Robbie Ray was correct. It did take awhile. In fact, it took more time than the show could afford to wait for. And so, different stagehands approached Hannah and Mikayla at roughly the same moment, but with different messages.

"We need you to go out for an encore," was what Mikayla was told.

"We're sorry, but we have to cut your last number," was what Hannah heard.

And so, while Mikayla and Carey hurriedly conferred with the show's music director and chose a song for the encore, a sullen Hannah asked her father to call for their limo.

To be continued...

author's note: Thanks for reading. Please review.