This is the shorter chapter, but I think it rounds off the end of the beginning nicely, I don't like to bore people too long, there's nothing like monotonous text that makes you want to fall asleep!
merc with a story- I get what you mean about Lilly's Dad, and for now I'm leaving it as it is, but just to clarify he accepts it. I will touch on it later in the story though. Thank you for your review - it means a lot.
petpet12 - I actually hadn't thought about writing a flashback about when they first started dating. I don't think it would fit in the stroy but I may well write it in a one shot form. I actually have some of the one shot written of when they first slept together, (smut really) so I will post that when I finish it. Thanks for the idea though, I will deffo give it a go.
I'm surprised that I'm still getting alerts! So thank you to all those reading and especially to everyone that has reviewed.
Within Temptation – Iron
You can't live without the fire
It's the heat that makes you strong
Cause you're born to live and fight it all the way
You can hide what lies inside you
It's the only thing you know
You're embracing that, never walk away
Don't walk away.
The Stewart and Truscott family were sat in the lounge, celebrating and talking loudly about the evening's revelations. Robbie scoped the room, everyone seemed preoccupied and he now felt it was the perfect time to slink out without being noticed. Standing up, he caught a look from Lori who gave him a curt nod before turning back to Ken.
Robbie padded round to the back of the house, trying to locate Oliver in the darkness.
"Oliver?" He called out softly.
"Over here." An equally soft voice replied.
Robbie looked over and saw Oliver sitting on one of chairs left out by the pool, drawing one close he sat down next to the boy. "How's your nose?"
"It's stopped bleeding." Oliver gave a shrug. If he was honest, it hurt like hell and he would be going to see a doctor as soon as he could tomorrow.
"Well it looks like you're getting a couple of black eyes and they look like good ones." Robbie gave Oliver a smile. He had never really had a heart to heart with boy, hell; they'd never really had a conversation.
Oliver cleared his throat tentatively. "So..." He coughed. "Are Miley and Lilly okay?"
"Yeah, they're fine." Robbie placed an open hand on Oliver's shoulder. "Listen Oliver, I came out here to tell you that you're staying the night, you can't leave after what happened between you and Lilly."
"She told you?" Oliver paled; the prospect of a bollocking from Mr. S would make him run for the hills.
Robbie shook his head. "Not all of it. Lilly just said she hit you. I don't want to know what you two argued about, that's just between you and Lilly. But I do know how long you two have been friends for and I don't want to see you lose it. Friendship's like you three's don't come along every day."
"I know." Oliver hung his head. "I know this doesn't mean much Mr. S but I regret everything I said to Lilly this evening."
"Well, whatever it was, just talk to her." Robbie gave Oliver a final clap on the back before getting up and walking away.
Oliver checked his watch, 1.13am. He'd been sitting out here for hours, and besides Jackson and Mr Stewart, he hadn't seen or spoken to anyone else. Sighing, he moved himself from the chair and walked round to the back of the house. It was dark and silent, except for the light and a muffled sound coming from the barn where he knew Miley and Lilly slept. He approached the window slowly, keeping as quiet as he could.
"I think it went okay." Miley said sitting on her chair while Lilly wandered around the room, she could never keep still if she had something on her mind.
"Well, apart from Oliver." She looked at Miley for a second before continuing to do whatever she was doing.
"Lil, we knew that not everyone was gonna accept this. And let's face it, Oliver was on the list of not. You dated him Lilly."
"I know." She flashed her eyes at Miley.
"I'm sure he'll come through eventually."
"I'm just wondering how long." She stood still and looked at her girlfriend. "He is my best friend Miley, I've known him since was three. I know he's not here much anymore but..." She trailed off and gave Miley a shrug.
"It's okay Lil, you are allowed to be upset, cry even."
"You know I don't do crying."
"Oh yeah, you get stroppy, moody and then explode, my mistake." Miley said with a cheeky grin.
"Very funny Miss Montana. At least I don't try and fix things with a plan that would only work in a comic." Lilly wandered over to Miley.
Oliver listened to the banter between his two best friends and realised what he had been missing. He loved hanging out with Miley and Lilly, their sarcastic and dry humour towards each other always had him in stitches. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he watched his ex girlfriend place a leg either side of Miley and sit on her lap. "Jesus." He whispered to himself. Oliver knew that he should stop watching but his legs refused to cooperate with his brain, let alone what another part of his anatomy was up to.
Miley gazed up at Lilly, placing her hands on Lilly's waist. "What are you doing?"
"Let's just see what happens." Lilly bent down and kissed Miley's neck.
"I like that." She said softly.
"I know." Lilly said pulling back and smiling before leaning back in and kissing Miley gently.
Oliver knew he didn't move now he wouldn't. Despite wanting to stay and watch, common sense told him he would either get caught or let it slip what he would see. He slipped in through the back door and tiptoed up to the room he had been given. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed underneath the sheets, enjoying the crisp feeling as he moved around. No matter what Oliver did, he just couldn't get the image of his two best friends out of his head. He groaned at his ache. "Why me?"
A soft knock at Miley and Lilly's barn door stirred them from their deep sleep.
"Time?" Lilly mumbled to herself as she scrambled around for her phone. "Miley?" She whispered.
"I don't know, go back to sleep." She tucked the covers around her chest.
"Lilly?" Oliver said as he opened the door cautiously, popping his head around before stepping in.
"What the..?" Lilly closed her eyes at the light before her brain switched on to who was in their room. "Oliver?" She sat bolt upright, wrapping the sheets around her naked torso.
"Yeah," He paused, not really knowing what to do. "Can we talk?"
Lilly looked at him, she was tired and didn't fancy another argument. "Not right now."
"Please." He said quietly.
Lilly knew that she would feel bad later if she didn't listen to what Oliver had to say. "Wait outside." Lilly watched the door close before practically falling out of bed, Miley stirred once more. "I'm just going outside." She whispered softly. A small snore came from her girlfriend. Lilly pulled on her oversized shirt and impossibly small shorts before walking out.
"Hey." Oliver said pushing himself off the side of the barn.
Lilly squinted; the morning sun was still a little too bright for her. "Hello." She said somewhat coldly before walking towards the barn where the horses where kept.
"Lilly?" Oliver questioned.
"Walk." She commanded. "I don't want to get in to another argument with you but if we do I'm not waking up the entire house."
"I'm not here to have a go at you." He said running to keep up.
"Really? Makes a change." Lilly opened the barn door and heard the familiar whinny of Blue Jeans who was now looking at her. "Hey boy." She said softly, giving the horse a stroke and kiss as she went past. "Do you all want your breakfast?" She headed towards the feed room.
"Lilly?" Oliver tried again. "Please, talk to me."
"What's the time Oliver?" She said pulling out various feed bowls.
He looked at his phone. "Just gone ten past six."
"No wonder why it feels early." She said dryly as she began putting different types of feed in bowls.
"Lilly will you please just stop and look at me, I really need to talk to you." Lilly breathed out, put her scoop down and faced Oliver. She was secretly pleased at the suitable black eye she had given him. She tried to hide the grin that was pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Last night..." Oliver ruffled his hair. "Last night I was a complete cunt." Lilly looked shocked at the use of the word. It was probably her most hated phrase but at the moment it seemed to fit perfectly. Oliver stopped, he half expected for Lilly to interrupt him, tell him he was wrong, well, the looked that passed Lilly's face clearly told him that she agreed. Lilly raised an eyebrow. "I can't take back anything that I said, but you have to believe me when I say that I am so sorry." He looked at his ex straight in his eyes. "I should have never said any of that to you. I was so out of line."
"You were." Lilly said harshly. "I get that Miley and I is hard to accept, that's fine. But that quip about you not getting anything was what pissed me off."
"I know and I'm so sorry, Lilly I can't tell you how badly I feel." She crossed her arms. "Please Lilly, I want you and me to be okay, you're my best friend. And just to say the whole you and Miley dating..." He looked around. "I mean it is odd. I'll be honest and tell you that it feels really weird for me to see you two together."
Lilly's facial expression softened slightly. "Will you ever be okay?"
"Give me time. I'll do my best Lilly. Does this mean you forgive me?" He put on his best charm smile.
"No." She said flatly. Oliver felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. "Not completely, but I'll get there. All I ask Oliver that you try."
He nodded. "I will Lilly, I really will." He wanted to say I love you, but he didn't feel it was quite the right time, instead he hugged Lilly. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Lilly said stiffly, she was feeling slightly uncomfortable with Oliver's hug. "Two other things though," She didn't wait for his response. "You apologise to Miley and the next girlfriend you get, talk to her."
Oliver smiled. "I will."