A/N: Another huge thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing my story. You guys are the best :) I hope I can continue writing a story you all enjoy reading... (oh, and btw, ignore the 'xin' thing... I don't know how it got there)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

REVELATIONS

Miley and Lilly continued their soft, gentle kiss for several long moments, neither seeming willing to end it. Lilly pulled Miley close, running her hands gently up and down Miley's back, letting the incredible sensations wash over her. Unconsciously, Lilly began to deepen the kiss, and slid her tongue along Miley's bottom lip. Miley moaned involuntarily, sending a shiver up Lilly's spine. It also startled Lilly back to her senses, and she slowly pulled away, praying she hadn't ruined their friendship for good.

"Wow…" Miley whispered, still struggling for breath. Lilly swallowed and hung her head.

"Miles… I'm sorry…" she managed, fighting to keep from crying.

"Stop," Miley said gently. She reached down and slid a finger underneath Lilly's chin, gently lifting her best friend's face towards her own.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Lilly, you hear me?" Miley said softly. "In case you didn't notice… I was kissing you back." Lilly blinked.

"I thought I was dreaming," she whispered, and the sincerity in her voice nearly broke Miley's heart.

"Trust me, it was real," Miley said with a smile. "I think we need to talk though."

"I'm in love with you," Lilly gushed, finally daring to speak what she knew she'd been feeling for the past three years.

"Oh, Lilly…" Miley reached up and gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from Lilly's face with a trembling hand. "You don't know how that makes me feel…"

"Really?" Lilly whispered. She didn't dare to hope Miley might feel the same way she did.

"Really," Miley promised tenderly. "We still really need to talk though!" She took Lilly's hand in her own and squeezed it gently.

"Come on, I'll put Sadie up and then we're gonna sit on the front porch and have us a nice long talk."

A few minutes later, Miley and Lilly were sitting together on the front porch swing beneath a sparkling, starry sky, their hands still joined together. Smiling nervously, Miley took a deep breath.

"Okay, Lils… let's talk."

"Should I… go first?" Lilly asked uncertainly.

"If you want to," Miley replied.

"All right," Lilly said, swallowing. "Miles… why did you kiss me?"

"Shouldn't that be my question?" Miley teased her. Lilly blushed a little.

"I told you why," she said softly, sounding ashamed. "I… just couldn't help it. I wanted to thank you, for everything you did for me… and to show you how much I loved you… and it just happened." Lilly looked up at Miley then, a worried expression on her face.

"The way you were looking at me after… I was so scared I'd ruined everything."

"You didn't, I promise," Miley said gently, squeezing Lilly's hands. "I just… wasn't expecting it. Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it," she added with a smirk, and Lilly felt her heart start to beat faster.

"Lilly? How long have you… you know… had feelings for me?" Miley asked carefully.

"Do you remember that day at your mamaw's, on the front porch swing?" Lilly replied. Miley's eyes widened.

"Lilly, that was… that was three years ago!" she gasped. "Are you saying you've had feelings for me all this time?" Lilly nodded slowly.

--

- A year and four months ago…

"Happy Fourth of July, Miles!" Lilly called out, hugging her best friend excitedly.

"You too, Lils," Miley replied happily.

"You know, the Fourth of July really is my favorite holiday," Lilly continued, sitting down on the blanket beside her best friend. The Stewart and Truscott families had gathered together, along with most of Pine Ridge, to watch the annual fireworks show along the shores of Lake Thompson.

"Why's that Lils?" Miley asked softly.

"Well, what's not to like?" Lilly answered with a grin. "You've got friends, family, food, fireworks and freedom from school!" Miley couldn't help laughing.

"Okay, good point Lils," she chuckled. "I can think of something even better than all that, though."

"What's that?" Lilly asked curiously. Miley smiled warmly.

"Being here with you," she said simply. For a long moment Lilly didn't know how to respond.

"How do you always do that?" she said at last.

"Do what?" Miley asked innocently.

"You always know just what to say, to make me feel special," Lilly responded.

"Well, you are," Miley said quietly. Lilly smiled, trying to ignore the tears threatening to spill from her eyes, and snuggled against her best friend.

"I'm glad I'm here with you too, Smiley Miley," she whispered. Miley smiled and rested her head on Lilly's shoulder, focusing her eyes skyward as the first fireworks began to crackle and explode overhead.

When a particularly loud burst suddenly startled her, Miley wrapped her arms around Lilly and pulled her close. Lilly swallowed, Miley's sudden closeness stirring old feelings she believed she had long since dealt with.

"Look Lils… those look like hearts!" Miley exclaimed, pointing at the sky. Lilly did look, but she found herself far more captivated by the expression on Miley's face –one of such rapt wonder and adoration that it nearly took Lilly's breath away.

"I love you, Miles," Lilly whispered without thinking. Miley turned to look at her, smiling widely.

"I love you too, Lilly," she said softly. She squeezed Lilly in a quick hug, and Lilly hugged her back. "I always will."

"Really?" Lilly found herself asking in a small voice.

"Absolutely," Miley answered, in a voice full of love and honesty. "You're more important to me than anyone, Lilly." Lilly couldn't help but grin, a single tear trickling down her cheek.

"Right back atcha, Miles," she managed, hugging Miley again. In that moment, Lilly knew, without a doubt, that her heart still beat for Miley… and for Miley alone

--

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Miley asked her sadly, stunned that her best friend had been hiding such feelings from her for three long years, and she had never once noticed.

"I was afraid you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore," Lilly answered with heartbreaking honesty. "I couldn't stand the thought of losing you."

"That'll never happen Lilly, I promise," Miley said softly. "You'll never lose me… because I don't ever want to lose you."

"Promise?" Lilly asked, smiling despite the tears filling her eyes.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Miley whispered, smiling as well. She squeezed Lilly's hand again and gently caressed Lilly's thumb with her own. A single, joyful tear trickled down Lilly's cheek, and she lunged forward to envelop Miley in a fierce hug. Miley hugged her back just as strongly, holding Lilly to her as though she was afraid to let go.

"I never thought you'd hold me in your arms like this, after you knew how I felt," Lilly murmured.

"Try and stop me," Miley teased.

"You know, you never did answer my question," Lilly reminded her. "Why did you kiss me back?" Miley smiled.

"Why do you think?" she replied softly. Lilly's eyes grew large. She gently pulled away slightly so she could see the expression on Miley's face.

"Miles, are you… are you saying what I think you're saying?" she managed to get out. Still smiling, Miley reached up and gently stroked Lilly's cheek.

"Lilly, I kissed you back because… I've been having those same kind of feelings myself."

--

- A year and two months ago…

"Well… I guess this is it, Lils," Miley said nervously, staring at the entrance to Pine Ridge High School for the first time.

"Don't worry Miles, we'll do okay," Lilly said comfortingly. "We can take whatever high school can throw at us!"

"I hope so," Miley replied uncertainly. Lilly could sense how nervous her best friend really was, and knew it was up to her to try and comfort Miley. Swallowing, she slid her arm around Miley's shoulders and pulled her best friend close.

"Listen to me, Miles," she said softly. "Whatever happens, I'm gonna be right here with you, okay? Whatever happens, we'll face it together."

"You're really sweet, you know that?" Miley replied, smiling.

"Yeah well, only when I'm with you," Lilly teased. "Don't let it get out, okay? It could ruin my reputation!" Miley laughed and rested her head on Lilly's shoulder… something that was quickly becoming a regular habit whenever they were together.

"Thank you, Lilly… I don't know what I'd do without you," she said softly.

"Well, you're never gonna have to find out, Miles," Lilly replied with a smile of her own, "cause you're stuck with me."

"Ditto," Miley responded, her own smile growing wider. She paused for a moment to stare at Lilly, thinking back on all the times Lilly had been there for her, all times Lilly had helped and supported her… and just plain loved her. The thoughts alone made Miley's heart start to beat faster, in that special way it only did for Lilly.

Oh, Lilly… if only you knew…

"So what's your first class, Miles?" Lilly asked, startling Miley out of her thoughts. Smiling, Miley reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. She carefully unfolded it and peered at it for a moment.

"Algebra," Miley replied, a look of disgust on her face. "Mr. McAdams, Room 17."

"Hey, that's great!" Lilly exclaimed. "That's my first class too!" Miley grinned.

"Cool!" she gushed. "At least that's one class I don't have to worry about!" Lilly laughed.

"You're gonna do fine, and you know it," she said with a grin. She gently took Miley's hand in her own.

"Come on… let's do this."

"Lilly?" Miley asked softly. "Thank you… for everything. I love you."

"I love you too, Miles."

--

"You mean… all this time… when I was thinking you could never feel the same way…?" Lilly stammered, not quite able to finish the thought.

"I kept havin' the same feelings," Miley admitted. "Whenever we'd get really close, or you'd do something really cute, I just… melted." She smiled shyly, a polite blush coloring her cheeks.

"I could never quite figure out just what I was feelin'… until now." Miley tried to swallow the lump she felt forming in her throat. "Lilly… I'm in love with you too."

"Oh, Miley," Lilly whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that." Tangling her fingers in Miley's hair, Lilly pulled her into a sweet, gentle kiss. They held each other close, giving in at last to the feelings they had been hiding for too long. Far too soon though, the kiss ended, leaving Miley and Lilly staring lovingly into each other's eyes.

"So what does this mean for us now?" Miley asked.

"What do you want it to mean?" Lilly replied, never taking her eyes off of the beautiful young woman who had captured her heart.

"I'd like it to mean… I don't ever have to let you go," Miley said softly.

'You don't," Lilly said with a smile, "as long as I get the same privilege." Miley smiled happily.

"I'm all yours." She leaned in to kiss Lilly again, gasping slightly as their lips met once more. Their first official moment together was interrupted however, by the sound of someone clearing their throat nearby. Miley jerked back, startled, to see her father standing on the porch nearby, his eyes fixed on them.

"I think we need to have a talk."