"I am moving through the crowd, trying to find myself. I feel like a guitar that's never played, while some will strum away."
Lilly got out of her bed sleepily. She flipped open her ringing phone to find a new text message from Miley:
We're meeting at Jonas's in an hour.
Helping them rehearse for auditions.
See you there.
Lilly yawned and looked back at her room. She had managed to clean the petals off her bed last night, but the rest of her room still looked as if a flower volcano erupted. Oh well, she thought as she started walking to her bathroom, I guess the cleaning will just have to wait.
It hadn't occurred to Lilly that the impromptu rehearsal would involve her being in the same room as Joe, Oliver, and Jackson. Suddenly, Lilly felt like going back home to clean up the petals.
She felt their eyes immediately go to her when she stepped into the room. To say that having three guys stare at you is uncomfortable would be an understatement. It made her self-conscious, nauseous, claustrophobic, etc. Lilly searched through her brain for something to say to break the silence, but she couldn't think of anything.
"Hi Lilly," Kevin called out. He eyed Oliver, Jackson, and Joe suspiciously. "Did something happen when I was gone?"
Nick started laughing again. He grabbed his oldest brother's arm and started dragging him out of the room, "Come on, Kevin. Let's go see if Miley needs help with the drinks."
"Miley is in the kitchen?" Lilly started backing out of the room too.
"Yes, but you're staying here," Nick shoved Lilly back into the music room and walked away with Kevin.
Back to the awkward silence.
"Hey guys," Lilly said stupidly.
"Come on Lilly, I thought we were cool now," Oliver said.
"Oh yeah," Lilly smiled. "We are. Speaking of which, you owe me five bucks for the hotdog I bought you yesterday."
Oliver sighed and dug out a five dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to Lilly.
"Wait…you guys were together yesterday?" Jackson asked.
"Oh, and Joe," Lilly turned towards him, "thanks again for the flowers."
Joe smiled, "I already got your text message."
"I know. I just wanted to thank you in person. I think it's the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."
"Wait…you got her flowers?" Jackson asked.
Ignoring Jackson, Joe opened his arms to give Lilly a hug. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, Lilly walked into his arms awkwardly. The word 'awkward' has been used so much in her life lately that 'awkward' was starting to not seem 'awkward', it almost seemed 'normal'...If you followed that at all.
"Did you really mean that? About it being the sweetest thing?" Joe asked. "Was it a bit too much?"
"No!" Lilly lied.
"Okay guys!" Nick, Kevin, and Miley walked back into the music room. The Jonas brothers grabbed their guitars and the rest of them sat down. Lilly quickly picked the seat next to Miley so she wouldn't have to be stuck between any of her lovers.
Nick grabbed a pad of paper and a pen, "The audition is in one week. I was thinking of performing an all new original song. I already composed the melody, but no words. So…anyone have any ideas for the lyrics?"
"Why don't we write about how a girl means everything to you?" Joe suggested, staring straight at Lilly. She winced.
"Or, you could write about how you would do anything for her?" Oliver said, turning to face Lilly too. She winced.
"Or you could write about how others can shower her with gifts, but she won't be bought?" Jackson glared at Joe, then looked at Lilly. She winced again.
"Or about how blind she can be when clearly she belongs to you?" Joe said.
"Or about how you would wait for her no matter how long she takes?" Oliver said.
"Or about how you've never felt this way about any girl before?" Jackson said.
"Or how she gives you butterflies?"
"Or how she's just frickin' amazing?"
"Or how she always makes your day?"
"Or how you stay awake at nights thinking about her?"
"Or the way she makes you feel?"
"Or how beautiful her eyes are?"
"Or how you have no idea what's going on?" Kevin suggested. He gave Nick a confused look.
"I'll explain later," Nick whispered.
"Maybe you should write about how immature you're all being and if you really loved her, you would back off and give her some space to think!" Miley said, defending her best friend.
"JUST STOP!" Lilly cried. "I can't take it anymore!" She ran out of the room. Jackson, Joe, and Oliver stood up, starting to go after her but they were stopped by Miley. Shaking her head, Miley ran after her best friend.
"I'm thinking I'll just write my own lyrics," Nick muttered.
"Lilly, wait!"
Lilly sighed and took her hand off of the front door handle. She turned around to face Miley, "What?"
Miley smiled and gave her a hug, "Slow down Lilly. Let's talk about this first."
"What is there to talk about? I have three guys in love with me and I have no idea what to do."
"Okay, well, do you like any of them?"
"No."
"Then go tell them. If you just tell them, I am sure they will respect your decision."
"But, I'll break their hearts."
"Lilly," Miley said, "there is no way for you to make all three of them happy. Someone is bound to get hurt."
"Why do they even like me?!! I've barely had a boyfriend before, I've never had guys over me, and now all of a sudden I've got three after me."
"There's plenty to like about you! I'm just glad the guys aren't blind anymore."
Lilly sighed yet again, "I really have to pick one of them, don't I?"
"I think so."
"But I…how am I going to pick?"
"I'm sure you'll think of something," Miley said. "I know, why don't you set yourself a deadline, that always helps me with homework and school projects. Maybe it applies to you too. Give yourself, say, one week. You can make your final decision in exactly seven days."
"Okay…" Lilly took a deep breath, "I can do that. But I think I'm going to talk with Lola and Hannah first."
"You do that," Miley said. "I'll see you later!"
The second Lilly stepped out of the house, Oliver, Jackson, and Joe appeared in the living room.
"Who's it going to be?" they asked.
Miley shrugged, "Why are you asking me? It's Lilly's pick, not mine."
"You're her best friend," Joe replied.
"That doesn't prove anything," Miley walked passed the guys. "From now on, it's all a fair battle. You have one week to win over Lilly's heart. Good luck!"
The three guys glared at each other.
"Is she alright?" Kevin asked when Miley reentered the music room. He and Nick were still trying to write the new song.
"She'll be fine…but the guys? Not so much."
Kevin rolled his eyes, "It's really stupid how guys act around girls. They know she's not interested, but they hang on anyways."
Nick kept silent.
"I just hope it doesn't permanently hurt their friendship," Miley said.
"I don't know," Kevin said, "from the look of it, things are about to get messy."
Shorter chapter. Sorry.
This is the final straw, guys. Lilly is finally going to burst. Next chapter, she and Lola swap places!
The song in the beginning is "No One" by Aly & AJ. It's a good song about finding yourself...but it doesn't fit this story exactly. I was originally going to make the story a big songfic (like how P&P was based off of "More Than This") but it doesn't fit! Ach! Anyone have a song suggestion for Love Me Not?