April 2010

Her life was a rollercoaster ride now. First it went up - a really long way - and then it went down rapidly. Maybe now it came to a halt. But that halt was at the deepest point you could ever imagine. She wasn't the popular girl anymore - at least not in her eyes.

She still dressed the way she did before everything happened but her attitude changed. She was snarkier than before. Nobody wanted to fight with her anymore. The outcome was horrible. Miley would just snap and then she'd probably hit you or something. Her friends were worried. But they weren't as worried as the guy that caused all this.

He noticed the changes too, of course. The more he started dodging her, the more he heard about it. And hearing about it was at least just as bad as seeing it. People were now honestly kind of scared of her. They didn't see her as the sort of shy and popular girl anymore.

"Hey Miles… uhm, how are you today?" People thought, those kind of questions wouldn't get them some witty or snarky reply. Well, they thought wrong.

"I don't know, why do you care?" Demi sighed frustrated. Of course she cared! She was her best friend, why shouldn't she care? But in Miley's mind, nobody cared anymore.

"You're my best friend; of course I care for you." Miley rolled her eyes and shook her head. That's why this all happened, right?

"Yeah, you care just like him, don't you? That's why he slept with other girls and that's why he kissed me at New Years and just broke my heart again. And that lame ass excuse of his… I'm not buying that one either. He has to mean it before I believe it." Demi sighed again. She knew that Nick actually meant it.

He had talked to her once after New Years and told her about his feelings and what he thought about Miley and all that. Now Demi just felt terribly sorry for the poor guy. She knew he meant it - but a kiss just wouldn't be enough and both, Demi and Nick, knew that. They originally said that they'd make up a plan. That was in January. But Demi hadn't heard of Nick ever since.

"Maybe he did mean it?" Miley rolled her eyes annoyed. Of course he meant it, that's why he didn't contact her anymore.

"Yeah, sure he did. And then he had sex with another girl." Her voice sounded sweet but Demi knew that it was just sarcastic. Miley tended to use sarcasm a lot these days.

"As far as I know, he hasn't had sex with any other girl since October. I'm not saying that I've talked to him or anything. I've just heard stuff from people around. They know, Miles. I don't know how they know; but I've heard a few girls talking about it the other day. They found out and… they also know that Nick has not slept with any other girl since you." Miley shook her head and looked at Demi sharply.

"They know? They know shit about this! They assume, that's all they do! They assume that Nick and I had something; they assumed that he broke me. They don't know it. Nobody told them. They just think it's true! As long as nobody tells them, nothing is true, you got that! And how would they know if Nick had sex or not? He's a guy. Do you honestly think he could go from having ex every day to having no sex AT ALL?" Demi shrugged.

"I'm not saying I believe them! But they pretty much recapped your story to each other. And I'm telling you; that story was pretty much exactly how it went down." Miley sighed and her eyes turned from angry to pained and sad.

"I know, okay? I know that they know; that doesn't mean that I want to believe it. I don't… I don't want them to know. I just - I want to forget it all, okay? It's just not that easy." Demi hugged Miley. For the first time in months, Miley showed that she still cared. That under all those sarcastic and witty comebacks was still that sensitive and naïve girl.

"It'll be okay… I promise you, everything will be alright. You'll be over him soon and then… Then you'll be okay again." Miley sighed and let a few tears slip from her eyes. She hated crying - it showed how hurt she really was. Thankfully she managed to not cry at school. She'd die from embarrassment if she did.

People didn't know really. However the rumor spread around - nobody knew that either. They probably assumed that after October, both Miley and Nick had changed and so they made up that something must have happened between them. But nobody knew why the rumor seemed to fit with the truth exactly.

"How would you know that? How can you say that and be so sure when after six month, still nothing happened?" Demi shrugged and pulled back, now looking at Miley with sad eyes.

"Because… you might not know it now, but you will, Nick feels terribly sorry. I mean, the only conversation I had with him was around January and he told me all this stuff…" Miley shook her head and wiped her eyes.

"But if he actually felt bad and meant his apology, why is he still avoiding me! If he just walked up to me and we'd talk about it… I'd forgive him, probably. I mean, first of all, it did take him three months to look at me again. Then he just kisses me and says sorry and I'm not even sure if he meant it and now you're telling me he did… I just don't know if I can believe him." Demi patted her back.

"You'll believe him when the time is right. Until then… stop being so mean to others. Everyone's scared of you." Miley giggled and shrugged.

"That's okay, they should be. I'm a very scary person." Demi rolled her eyes as she stuffed a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You're doe-like eyes make you look like a murderer and your cute little face makes them think you're a psycho, right?" Miley pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Not fair, you're at least just as adorable as me." Demi giggled and pointed at her face.

"This face right there makes them like you so much. The only thing that scares them is your attitude. Why are you mean to them anyway? They didn't even do anything." Miley shrugged and popped some popcorn into her mouth.

"No, but they're animals. You only can survive in this world if you treat them like it." Demi looked at Miley with a funny face.

"Are you kidding me? Have you been watching Discovery Channel too much?" Miley giggled and shook her head.

"No, but that's what momma said." Demi sighed a little and chuckled right after.

"So, what animal am I then?" Miley looked her up and down and shrugged.

"Well, I'm not sure… either an elephant or a turtle." Demi glared at Miley playfully.

"Why would you think that?" Miley giggled.

"Well, you can be extremely loud at times but you're as slow as a turtle." Demi looked at Miley confused for a bit.

"I don't get you here, Miles." Miley rolled her eyes.

"I just made those animals up. I guess you'd be a tiger or something if you were to be an animal." Demi laughed and shook her head.

"Why would I be a tiger now?" Miley sighed a little.

"Well, you have the greatest comebacks and you survive in this big world easily. People are actually afraid of talking back to you. You, Demi, are a leader." Demi shook her head.

"No, you are a leader. You just… stopped leading after October." Miley sighed a little.

"I know… but right now I feel like a doe or something." Demi chuckled and put a hand on Miley's shoulder.

"Trust me - you're anything but a doe. You are the strongest person I know." Miley sighed and smiled at Demi.

"You are the bestest friend a girl could wish for." Demi giggled.

"You do know that 'bestest' is not an actual word, right?" Miley rolled her eyes at her best friend and nodded.

"Of course I know! I was just stating my opinion." Demi laughed and nodded.

"I'm sure that's what you were doing." Miley pushed Demi and suddenly, they started a playful pillow fight and forgot about everything that night. And just for a few hours, Miley even forgot that her heart was still in two pieces.

Still April 2009 (in another house)

"Whatever's going on - it has got to stop right now!" He jumped and turned around. But due to the dark around him, he couldn't tell who said it. It was a deep voice so he knew that it wasn't Penny. Her voice wasn't necessarily high or anything, but he knew it wasn't his sister who said that.

"I know I should know who it is but… who is it?" The person chuckled and Nick could hear heavy footsteps walk across the room. The person switched the light on and Nick was surprised to see that one guy standing there that supposedly hated him. Will Johnson walked up to Nick and chuckled at his surprised face.

"Surprised to see me, huh? Yeah, I know. I heard what happened." Nick looked down and sighed.

"Everybody's just making up some cruel rumors about us - they don't know anything." Will chuckled again.

"Are you sure they don't? Wait, let me tell you the 'rumor'. You and Miley started to have sex on the 4th of July in 2008. You continued with it until October around Halloween when she found you on the floor in the beach house with another girl, obviously having sex. And now, you haven't talked since New Year's where you kissed her and apologized and stupidly walked away right after." Nick stared at Will shocked.

"Why do you know? Do they all say that? They all know? Great… fuck, Miley's probably devastated again…" Will put a hand on Nick's shoulder.

"I know because Miley told me." Nick instantly glared at Will. Pure jealousy; Will could talk to Miley - she even told him her secrets - while Nick had to suffer alone in his dark room.

"Why would she tell you?" Will laughed for a short amount of time.

"We're friends now. I heard she's had a crush on me back in '08 but she's over it now. Now we're just friends. She even considers me as one of her best friends. And she told me that you broke her heart. And I don't like seeing either of you in pain - don't ask me why I don't want to see you in pain for all I know is that you caused all that crap - but I don't like seeing people suffer. And now, whatever it is that's going on with you two - it has got to stop!" Nick sighed and shook his head.

"I just can't make it stop just like that! She hates me. I hurt her so bad and she… she won't accept my apology, I know it." Will shook his head.

"Actually, you don't. She can't accept an apology if you don't talk to her. She wants you to mean it. She said that… wait… 'If he means it, then I'll believe it. He just walked away that night, how can I believe that he meant it?'. Her exact words, dude." Nick sighed.

"I can't just… walk up and talk to her. Like I said, she hasn't forgiven me and she hates me and all that." Will looked at Nick curiously.

"Why are you eating yourself up about this anyway? I mean, it's not like you like her, right?" The devastated boy looked at Will for a few moments until he decided that it was time to let someone in.

"No, I don't like her…" Will sighed and shook his head. Just as he was about to say something, Nick interrupted him.

"I love her." Will looked at the guy in front of him, shocked and surprised by the confession. He had never thought about that before. Nick… in love? A very absurd thought for Will but not impossible. And apparently he was in love with Miley. But…

"But why would you just not talk to her anymore? That doesn't make any sense! You let her suffer all these months for… nothing?" Nick sighed and shrugged.

"Like I said, I still think she hates me. You have no idea how hard it is to see the girl you love and think she hates you. You don't know how hard it is to see her hurt. And it's even worse when you know that you caused that pain she's experiencing. It sucks to be that guy. I can't look her in the eye because I know I'll see so much emotion in there and…" Will sighed and patted Nick's back.

"You can always try. You know what? I'll give you a limit. In July two years ago this all started. You can either end it or you can make the best out of it. My advice for you is this: On July 4th, there'll be another party for… you know, like two years ago. Now listen, you are going to do exactly as I tell you and everything will be alright." Will leaned closer to Nick and he listened.

"You are going to do the most romantic thing ever for her on exactly that party. I'm not helping you with this one - I don't know Miley that well. I know though, that you know her better than some other people do. You'll do the most romantic thing with the most romantic speech and… yeah, then you'll see how it goes on." Nick nodded slightly and smiled at Will.

"Thank you but… why are you doing this for me? You should hate me; I hurt your best friend." Will shrugged.

"I learned to love Miley as my best friend and I know for a fact that she fell for you - hard. I like you too though and now that I know that you love her too… it makes things different. At first, I just wanted to get you to make her feel better. Now… just be happy that I'm not chocking you right now." Nick laughed and shook Wills hand in a thankful kind of way. He was glad that Will was helping him.

"Thank you, Will. And I promise, I will make her feel better… if she accepts my apology." Will chuckled.

"I know Miley is one stubborn girl but she's a sucker for romance. I guess just a rose would be enough but… just do more than that for her. She deserves more." Nick nodded immediately.

"I know she does. Don't worry; I'll give her the world." Will looked at Nick skeptically for a few moments. Then he shook his head confused.

"Somehow I even believe that you will…" Nick chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.

"Thank god, I don't think I could handle you beating me up." Will chuckled and got up from the couch he sat on during the conversation.

"I'll be leaving now. Don't tell Demi or Miley or anyone that I was here. They'd most likely hate me for the rest of their lives or something." Nick chuckled and nodded.

"Fine… Thanks again, Will. I really appreciate your help." Will nodded, looking all serious.

"You better. You don't want to mess with me or my friends." Nick nodded and couldn't help but gulp at his threatening voice.

"I know, I won't." Will nodded and left without another word. Nick sighed and lay back on his bed. He had a lot of thinking to do and only one and a half months left. He wasn't sure if he could go without her that long but he would have to. So running a hand through his hair, Nick sat up and grabbed a notebook. This had to be perfect which meant it had to be planned perfectly. Tonight, he wasn't pretending but rather planning - another sleepless night. But this time, to fix his problems, not just mourn over them.

On a short note: The next chapter will most likely be either the last or the one before the last so... yeah :P Anyway, I love you all sooo much :D 20 reviews for three chapters is great. You're all awesome :) Thank you all :)

xoxo

Twitter: christkind09 (stalk me ;))