Chapter Five.

"Mi," I heard Nick's voice softly say. "Mi, c'mon. Time to wake up, Sweetie."

I rolled around before letting my eyes flutter open. "Ten minutes. Please."

"I tried to let you sleep as long as I could. C'mon, up."

I groaned, lifting myself up a little and yawning. I looked around before focusing back on a Nick. "Can we go for a walk sometime today? I really wanna talk to you like old times. I need to vent, you know?"

"That sounds amazing. After lunch and the Disney check-in, okay?"

I groaned, throwing my head back. "The Disney check-in. Shit."

"Hey, no scandals the first week. I don't think it'll be that bad for once," he smiled at me, helping me up. "Now, you're gonna hate me-"

"If I have less than ten minutes to get ready before lunch I'm gonna kill you."

"You have eleven," he clarified. I rolled my eyes at him, running back to my bunk before I headed to the bathroom.

"Next time don't let me sleep so long!" I ordered.

"Why?" He asked. "You could go looking like you are now and you'd still look fine. You have that natural beauty thing going on, Mi."

"Stop sucking up!"

"I'm not, I'm just being honest," he yelled back.

I ran around, frantically getting ready. When I finished, I went to walk back out but paused for a minute, just watching him mess around with his cell phone. I didn't want him to be my friend. We had never been just friends. It really was hard to believe that our fairytale had ended so long ago. Or at least the romantic part did.

"Ready?" I finally walked out of my corner in hiding.

He looked up, and just by that smile I knew he'd known I'd been standing there for awhile.

"All set," he laughed a little. "I bet your mom's having a lot of fun with Demi and Selena."

"They're both with her?"

"She came in earlier to ask who wanted to go explore this city," he laughed, shaking his head at the memory I'd missed. "Their telepathy must have been off because they both volunteered. And you know your mom, she's pretty insistent."

"Lunch should have good stories, huh?"

He handed me my jacket. "You wanna deal with Demi or Selena?"

"I think if I chose Selena my ass would be grass. She isn't exactly accepting of me and Selena," I sighed, shaking my head at the memory from last night. "You should have seen her last night."

"You're her best friend. She'll always forgive you."

"How do you know?" I looked up at him.

His brown eyes met mine, sparkling in the sunlight. "Because you're my best-friend too, and I'll always forgive you. You wouldn't know, but you're pretty hard to stay mad at."

"It's just 'cause I have that spark in my eye, right?" I nudged him, repeating my favorite compliment he'd ever given me and the one I most commonly made fun of him for. It was so cheesy.

He glared at me. "You have a three second head start."

"Nick, no!"

"Two."

"No!" I yelled, running away, anyway. If he wanted a game, I'd be the first to play.

"One. You're so dead!" He chased after me as we dodged around my mom and the girls.

"What are you doing, Miley?" My mom yelled. "Guys, lunch."

"One second, Mrs. Cyrus!" Nick called back, oh, so proper.

"You have thirty seconds to work it out," she called back, laughing a little. I heard her murmur to Selena and Demi how we'd be the death of her.

Nick gained speed, but so did I. The world was spinning from how fast I was going and my head was pounding but I was determined not to let him catch me.

"Miley!" His voice echoed after me.

I couldn't run anymore. It felt like the walls were closing in on me. I slowed down, and knew that Nick did too. "Mi, you okay?"

My knees gave out, but I nodded anyways. "I'm fine."

"Bullshit. What happened?"

I shook my head as I watched everyone else run over. "I'm fine. I just need food."

"Hyperglycemia kicking in again?" he sighed.

I met glances with my mom and nodded. "Yeah."

"You okay, Sweetheart?" My mom asked nervously.

"Fine," I stood up, leaning onto Demi. "Why don't we just go out to eat? I'll be good when I have food."

"Alright," my mom nodded. Selena rubbed my shoulder a little but instantly stopped when she saw the glare Demi was giving her.

"You okay?" Demi asked.

"Stop staring her down," I ordered in reply.

She let out a long breath. "Been a long morning."

"I'm surprised she's still alive."

Demi laughed, gently pushing me away. "Shut up. She's still my best-friend."

I turned to her, raising an eyebrow, but she was already looking away at her slip up. She didn't like to admit that she still cared about someone she should hate, but every now and then, around me, those types of things slipped. It's probably why we fought so often.

I looked over at Selena and just by the small grin on her face I knew she'd heard it.

"So, you and Nick were looking pretty cozy last night."

"Shut up. He's still my best-friend," I mimicked her.

"You guys are a wreck waiting to happen."

I gave her a pointed look. "We're best-friend's. Deal with it."

"Fine. But you know, we don't cuddle like that, best-friend."

I rolled my eyes, lightly shoving her. I looked at her seriously for a minute. Last night kept replaying in my mind, and each time I only regretted it more. I felt my voice come out in a low murmur. "I'm sorry for hitting you last night."

"It's fine. We both got out of control, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I'm sorry for pushing you," she gave in, looking down.

"It's all good."

"It always is between us," she smiled a little. "Getting physical just proves how close we are."

I laughed. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Mi, c'mere!" Nick called out from ahead.

I ran to catch up to him without a second thought, smiling. "What?"

"That was just the hyperglycemia, right?" he looked down at me, murmuring. "I-I just wanted to make sure."

I gave him a knowing smile, guilty at the fact he kept worrying. "Yes, Nick. I'm okay."

He nodded, giving me a hug. "I'm gonna pick you up, okay?"

"What?" I felt his hands just below my ass and froze before recovering, realizing what he meant. "No-Nick!"

"Live a little!" he chuckled, carrying me as if I was a child. It wasn't a piggyback ride, nor was it bridal style, but the way you'd carry a toddler.

"Please don't drop me," I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck, my legs around his torso.

He stopped walking, letting go of me before holding me tight again.

"Nick!"

"That'll teach you to think I'd ever drop you."

"I didn't think you would-"

"Nick, please don't drop her," my mom begged, looking at me worriedly. She'd gotten a lot more protective since we'd found out about the cancer.

Nick gave me a devious look and I begged him with my eyes. "He would never drop me, right Nick?"

"Never," he laughed as we continued to walk down the street.

"Mom, can you pick me up?" Noah asked.

"Noah, you're eleven years old. You can walk."

My sister crossed her arms, glaring at me yet again. "But Miley gets to be picked up."

"I'll pick you up, Noah," Selena threw out the offer.

My mom looked over to her. "You don't have to, she can walk."

"No, I want to. I mean, Miley gets it, right?"

She exchanged glances with me and I smiled at her. 'Thank you' I mouthed.

She nodded, picking Noah up while we walked. Demi looked between us confused, knowing something was going on and the flash of darkness came into her eyes, not knowing what.

"You wanna talk about it?" Nick whispered in my ear.

"On our walk. It's gonna be a venting session, remember? Just like old times."

"Sounds like a plan. Right after the meeting."

I nodded against his shoulder, turning my face into his neck and resting it there, closing my eyes.

"Tired?"

"Mhmm."

"We're almost to the restaurant."

"Good to know."

"You okay, Sweetie?"

I groaned into his neck. "Why do you keep asking me that?"

"Because, you have this way of lying to people."

"Mm," I sighed. "Well, this time I'm not."

:::

"Miley, Demi, Nick, Joe, Kevin, Selena, so good to see you," the Disney exec listed off. "Especially considering there's been no scandals."

"Shockingly," I muttered.

Nick gave me a look while Demi laughed, one on each side of me.

"How is everyone getting along? No fighting on the buses?"

Joe gave Demi and I a pointed look, but I just smiled. "We have it under control, most of the time."

He nodded firmly, pursing his lips while he analyzed all three of us. "Just don't make it public. And Miley, Nick, I must praise you. No song wars, for once. Very good, you two."

"You know us, best-friends," I wrapped an arm around Nick's shoulder.

He rose his eyebrows before smiling. "Good to see you two getting along again. Demi, Selena, you two getting on okay?"

"We're managing," Demi told him strictly.

"Miley's keeping us both in place," Selena smiled at him, always a little more poised, always knowing a little more of what people wanted to hear than any of us did.

"Profits are going well," he began to talk about the real business stuff and I sighed, leaning against Nick's shoulder. It was time to tune them out.

:::

I walked along the sidewalk with Nick, getting farther away from the bus before either of us started talking. It was after the show and the hotel we were staying was too busy to explore and talk, so we did the next best thing. Put on disguises and went out on a walk.

"What's going on with you and Noah?" he asked me once we turned the corner.

"I don't know."

"Miley," he said my name. It sounded so perfect coming out of his mouth. "I've known you for how long?"

"I don't like where this is going," I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Five years now. And how many times have I seen you and Noah so hostile towards each other?" He paused, waiting for me to make a smartass comment, but for once I was out. "Maybe twice. But it never lasted. What's going on with you two?"

"Nick-"

"I know you told Selena, so why do you feel like you can't tell me?"

"Because I know you! You're going to deny whatever I say to make me feel better," I crossed my arms, pouting a little.

He shook his head as if that was the stupidest thing he'd ever heard. "Tell me."

"Fine. Noah hates me."

"No she does-"

"See?" I pointed out. "You're denying it."

He scoffed. "Not to make you feel better, because that's stupid."

"Oh, gee, thanks."

"Noah looks up to you so much. Why do you think she hates you?"

"Because she's jealous that I get more attention. It's been pulling us apart for months," I looked down. "I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want her mad, but I can't just stop being famous."

"She's mad because she can't be you."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, that is the definition of jealous, isn't it?"

"You're her role model," he told me in that tone as if I should know all of this already. "She does wish she could be as big as you, and she probably is jealous, but she's only mad because she knows she'll never have your life."

"Oh, okay, well that's so much better," I muttered. "I still don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do."

"You give her attention."

"I already do that," I told him.

He shook his head. "I meant quality attention."

"When the hell do you think I have time for that?" I crossed my arms.

"You have plenty of time to give me quality attention," he pointed out.

Well, of course I did, but I didn't want to give up time with Nick.

"I guess," I looked ahead. "To be honest, I don't even know what to say to her anymore."

"You'll figure it out, Mi. You always do."

"It's just been so hard lately," I bit my lip, almost spilling out the past few weeks to him completely. "I hit Demi yesterday, you know?"

"What?"

"Yeah, I actually hit her. She's my best-friend, and we fight all the time, sure, but I never thought about laying a hand on her before."

He smirked a little. "Well, I'm sure Demi provoked it a bit."

"That's besides the point."

"Did she hit back?"

"She shoved me, but-"

He didn't even let me finish. "Then it's even. Geez, do you flip out this much when you hit me?"

"No, because you're an ass," I pushed him a little. "If anything you're lucky I don't hit you more."

"You know, for all I do for you you sure are an annoying little pest."

"But?"

"I love you anyways," he finished.

"Well, that's more than I can say about you," I smirked.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "After all I've put you through, the fact that you're still around means you love me too."

"Eh, I guess. Maybe a little bit. But only 'cause the rest of my life is falling apart."

He held out his fist and I lightly bumped it. "Best-friends since oh-six."

"I've missed not hanging out with you," I admitted. "Just texting you wasn't really the same."

"I know what you mean," he sighed. "I was nervous when we found out we'd have another tour together, just 'cause of the past. But I don't know why. I should have known we could handle it."

"I was too. I was just so worried because we'd never been just friends before. But it's easier than I thought. It's working out. We make pretty good best-friends."

"Yeah. I guess we do."

"I like us as best-friends," I lied to him. "I mean, compare last tour to this tour."

"I'd have to say this tour is better," he agreed.

"How about you and Selena? You guys alright?"

He smiled, nodding. "Yeah, we're really good. It's like nothing changed. Other than the fact that you and her are suddenly friends."

"Yeah, surprise," I tried to joke about it, but for some reason it was obvious that it was bugging everyone.

He shook his head. "I'm not gonna force you to tell me, but we all know there's something bigger going on, okay? And we're all worried about it."

"I'm-"

"Don't apologize. Don't. You shouldn't feel guilty, baby."

I froze, looking up at him as he unwrapped his arms from me, both of us pausing.

"So, yeah. Um... yeah, I don't even know what to say to that, baby."

His face turned red as he watched me joke about it. I didn't want to make a joke over it all, because it mattered, but when something was awkward, or a situation was happening that I wanted to block out, that's just what I did.

"We need Joe here to sing his awkward thing."

"Oh, God. Anything but Joe. That boy's almost as crazy that you," I smiled at him.

He nodded. "Oh, yeah. You know me, party animal."

I laughed, stopping and turning around, beginning to at least start walking back.

Nick obliged and chuckled to himself a bit before turning to me. "Did I ever tell you how Selena said she always thought I was a quiet guy, even after she'd known me in person for awhile, until she saw me with you?"

"Really?" I asked. But he was quiet. That's what made him so sexy, his quiet, shy vibe he always had going on. Even when I was thirteen that was what made me fall for him. "Silly Selena. I could never get you to shut up."

"Because we disagree so much that I always have something to say."

"Maybe. Or maybe I'm just a bad influence on you," I tested him.

He rose his eyebrows, looking down at me. "Or maybe I am on you."

"You? Name one thing you've ever done that's bad."

"I pulled the neck of my shirt down at this concert once, and everyone saw my nipple."

"Did your management care?"

He paused. "No."

"Did you have people hating on you online?"

"Nah, they thought it was hot."

"Did Disney call a meeting with you to discuss it?"

"Well, no, but-"

"My point has been proven."

He scoffed. "Well, see, that's because I don't go out of my way to piss Disney off."

"I'm expressing myself."

He looked down before looking back up at me. "Then what about now? Where are the short-shorts?"

I shrugged. The truth was, I felt like he deserved better than a slut – even if we were just friends – but there wasn't exactly a way to tell him that. I didn't even have an excuse to make this time. So I stayed quiet and he nodded a little.

"Exactly," he leaned closer to my ear, almost whispering. "You see, you can wear whatever you want, smoke as many bongs as you want – legal or illegal, and you can even go clubbing if you want, but here's the thing, you're still that same girl you started off as."

I looked down, biting my lip. No, he was wrong. I refused to listen to this.

"You'll never be a slut, or druggie, or whore, or whatever else badass things you let the media think you are. Not to me at least. Because you're Miley. And after all this time you're still standing in front of me, hiding your heart from everything, and being the same exact person you were four years ago," he told me. "You haven't fooled me a bit, kid."

I wiped my eyes, looking up at him, still determined not to let the tears fall. I knew he saw them though. "How can you say that when everyone else is so disappointed?"

"Because none of them know you like I do," he answered, grabbing my hand for the first time. It didn't matter if we were just friends. This was fucking Heaven. "You can fool anyone else out there and feel like the shit, but you will never fool me."

I nodded, laughing a little. "Nothing's really changed between us then, huh?"

He shook his head, agreeing. "Never forget that."

i feel like this chapter was too jumpy, but had to update something today... happy thursday! (;

thoughts? suggestions? hate mail? it's allll goood.