"Hey Lilly, can you pass the pizza?" Oliver asked.

"Lilly, hand me a napkin please," Joe said, a millisecond after Oliver. They glared at each other. Lilly sighed and grabbed another slice and handed it to Oliver. Joe got impatient and reached across Lilly to get a napkin for himself.

"Lilly, would you like more soda?" Lilly looked up to see Jackson standing a bit too close for comfort holding the liter bottle of coke.

"Sure," Lilly said. She looked at Oliver, sitting to her right on the couch with his arm "casually" around the back of her seat. She looked at Joe, sitting on her left, with his hand in her lap as he leaned over her to "get a napkin." She looked at Jackson, standing in between her legs as he slowly poured the coke into her cup. She looked at Miley and Nick sitting on floor beside them, trying to stifle their laughter.

This was getting ridiculous.

Have they always been like this? Lilly didn't remember Oliver, Jackson, or Joe ever showing any type of affection towards her. Or maybe she was just blind. Knowing Lilly, that was probably the case.

After dinner was over, Lilly was feeling very claustrophobic. Or nauseated. Either way, a wave of relief washed over her when her three Romeos left the living room.

The moment they stepped out, Nick and Miley burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter. "Lilly…you…they…" Miley doubled over in laughter.

"The way they…and you…your expression…hilarious!" Nick fell onto the chair laughing hysterically.

Lilly folded her arms across her chest, "It's not funny, you guys!" This was serious, yet her two best friends were rolling in laughter. Some friends they are.

"I know…it's just…" Miley calmed down and bit and put her arm around Lilly. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't laugh at your misery."

"No you shouldn't," Lilly pouted.

Nick eventually got over the laughing and walked over towards his best friends, "Sorry Lilly. I promise, I won't laugh anymore."

"Good, because this is serious!" Lilly ran her fingers through her hair angrily, "How did this happen? What did I do to deserve this punishment?!"

"Punishment?" Nick said. "I think your lovers would be offended if you told them you think of them as punishment."

"But it is!" Lilly protested. She started pacing the room, "I don't know what to do. They love me but I don't love any of them."

Miley seemed skeptical, "Really? Because I could have sworn you liked Joe."

That caused Nick to shudder, "Ew."

"I don't," Lilly said. "Well, I did. A long time ago. But it's different now. It's so difficult to explain. You guys wouldn't understand."

Miley smiled, "Try us."

"I met Oliver first," Lilly started, "We were in preschool and we became friends quickly. I was never a girly girl. I was always the tomboy…at least until I met you, Miley. Anyways, so when we were little, I would spend all my spare time with Oliver. And, well, he's just me best friend. Always was and always will be.

"I met Jackson in sixth grade, after I met Miley. And in time, he sort of became like my big brother too. I mean, I practically live here, so Jackson is like family. He was my protection and my support. He was the cooler older guy.

"And remember when Miley and I got really close in middle school and it started to make you mad, Nick?" Lilly laughed.

Nick rolled his eyes, "Hey! I was a young, sensitive boy back then!"

Lilly said, "Whatever the reason, we got into this big fight and then Miley introduced us and now we're best friends. It wasn't until you invited me over for the first time that I met Joe. Holy crap, he was my crush for two years. Eighth grade and freshmen year, oh man I had it bad for your brother."

Nick pretended to gag. Miley slapped his arm.

"So as I was saying," Lilly continued, "I was in love with Joe for a while. But that was two years ago, and I got over him. Now he's like another brother of mine.

"They were all like brothers to me. Oliver, Jackson, and Joe are family. Yet, now they're all in love with me. And I don't feel the same way back," Lilly dropped her head.

Miley went over and gave Lilly a hug, "Oh, Lilly. I'm sure things will turn out fine. It might take a while and there might be some drama, but it will all be alright in the end."

Suddenly, Nick's cell phone rang. He quickly answered it, "Hello?"

"Hi Nick, it's me, Hannah."

"…" Nick froze. Lilly and Miley stuck their ear to the phone, eavesdropping.

"Um listen, can you come down to the recording studio?"

"Now?"

"Yeah," Hannah's voice seemed hesitant, "I have to tell you something."

Nick sighed, "Okay, I'll be there." Flipping his phone shut, he sat down on the couch. He put his head in his hands and screamed in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Miley asked, "She just wanted to talk to you."

Nick looked up, "You really think she just wants to talk?"

Lilly was confused, "What do you think she wants to do?"

"I think," Nick said, reluctantly getting up and walking towards his car, "that this isn't going to end well."

Nick walked down the hallway. Which room did Hannah say again? He stopped at a certain doorway when he heard Hannah's voice singing.

"Beware the danger; it lurks for those who get swept away.
The dreamers get punished most by truth, they say.
It's all in a little ways,
One reveals their love's gone away,
Love's gone away."

Nick felt his stomach drop to the floor. No…no… He quickly moved behind the wall so Hannah couldn't see him. She can't see his face yet, not yet. No…no… Nick leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He even saw this one coming. He knew what Hannah was going to say. He predicted what was going to happen. But he wasn't prepared. No…no…please no…

"Tic toc, the time,
Distant looks grow in your eyes.
But fools never ask,
Afraid of what lurks in your mind.
I always knew, somehow, always knew,
I always knew

The truth."

Nick ran his fingers through his hair. At every word Hannah sang, his heart was being torn apart.

He was so selfish, really. Hannah was right, she knew him too well. Nick didn't love her anymore; maybe he never loved her at all in the first place. But he was too greedy to let her go. It was cruel to play with Hannah's heart like that, Nick knows this too. But he was too selfish to do anything about.

So Hannah is going to do it herself. She is going to fight. She's been in pain for too long and now she's going to ease that pain…even if it means hurting Nick in the process.

"Fools like me,
Oh we never see.
Cause the cracks don't count,
It's gonna break in front of me."

Nick sighed. It was a good song. It probably will top the charts and be played on radio stations across the nation. When Hannah's new album get's released, the whole country, maybe the whole world, will hear this.

They'll hear his break-up song.


"And it's breaking,
It's breaking,
It's breaking,
It's gonna break for me to see."

Nick felt his heart shatter to a million pieces. Only this time, it's not going to ever get fixed again. How can a relationship last if it's built off of broken hearts?

The song ended and Hannah's producer was complementing her good job. Nick heard Hannah's footsteps get louder and louder as she walked out the door. She stepped out into the hallway and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him.

"Nick?! You…you weren't supposed to be here yet," she said. "You weren't supposed to hear that."

Nick just looked at her, "Then you should have closed the door."

Hannah bit her lip nervously. An awkward silence fell upon the two. Soon, it became unbearable.

"Just say it Hannah," Nick said.

"Okay," she took a deep breath, then let it out again. "I don't think there is much to say. You already know."

Nick dropped his head and looked down at his feet, "Yeah, I guess. Look, I'm sorry Hannah. For everything."

He felt her hand on his chin as she lifted his head, "It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. It's just, well, we're not in love anymore."

A sharp pain of guilt stabbed Nick in the stomach. He looked at Hannah, her eyes were pained, just like his. Nick was in love with someone else and Hannah knew it. "Hannah…I'm sorry…"

"Stop saying that," she whispered. Tears were forming in her eyes, "Love isn't perfect for everyone. Jake and Miley are like the golden couple of the year and they just keep falling deeper in love with each other. But for us, I think we fell more out of love.

"I mean, admit it Nick. We both hit rock bottom a month ago, but neither of us said anything. We just kept up with the charade that we were still a happy couple…well I can't lie anymore. I'm not happy."

Nick nodded, "Me neither."

Hannah put her hand to his cheek and up through his hair, "I'll always love you, though. We can still be friends."

"Do you realize how many people say that and how many people actually remain friends?!"

"Well, would you rather us not talk at all?!"

"Maybe that would be for the best!"

"Maybe it would!!" Nick turned around and stomped down the hallway. Hannah stayed in her spot with her hands folded across her chest. She glared at the back of his head.

But their anger quickly died down. Nick stopped at the main door. Hannah dropped her arms and watched Nick desperately as he slowly reached for the door handle. Just before he opened the door and walked out into the night, they both snapped.

"NICK WAIT!"

She ran into his open arms and buried her face in his shoulder. "I can't do it, Nick. I can't do it."

Nick wrapped his arms tightly around her, "Me neither. I just can't leave you."

"But I don't want to stay the way we were," Hannah said, "We're so pathetic. We don't love each other, we barely talk to each other, we can't have a conversation without a fight, but we can't say goodbye."

Nick smiled, "Maybe that's saying something."

Hannah pulled away, "Or maybe we're just afraid our heart will break again."

Nick frowned. "Too late," he muttered.

Hannah didn't seem to hear him. She sighed and wiped away a tear. It suddenly occurred to Nick how much Hannah really wanted to break up. Like really really REALLY wanted to. A hundred thousand times more than he wanted to.

"So you really hate me?" he asked.

"I don't hate you."

"Yes, you do."

"I don't hate you, Nick. I just don't love you. Once I found out you were in love with her this whole time, I had to let you go."

"So nothing I say will change your mind about dumping me?"

"We're not breaking up," she said, trying to persuade her fragile heart more than persuading Nick. "We're just taking a break."

Nick stared at her incredulously. Did she really think changing the words up would take away the pain? Is this it then? Are they splitting for real now? Or, as Hannah puts it, "taking a break"?

Unable to speak, Nick simply nodded. He leaned over and gave Hannah one last kiss on the cheek before he turned around and walked out of the building. Even though it hurt just as much as it did before, he was going through with it this time. He was going to be strong for Hannah. He climbed into his car and rested his head to the steering wheel.

We're not breaking up… we're just taking a break. Yeah right. Does it really matter which way she phrases it?

"Either way, something will be broken," he whispered to himself.

Sniffle. Sniffle. I hope that wasn't too depressing. But don't worry I know exactly how this stroy will turn out, okay?

If you haven't already, you need to vote on the poll in my profile. It's about who ends up with Lilly and who ends up with Lola.

Yep.