School loomed like a disasterously foreboding place ahead, and indeed, Miley Stewart had every reason to moan as she walked up to the gates of the school.

First of all, she hardly slept a wink the previous night as she had just got back from a late night Hannah Montana concert at 4 in the morning, and barely had time to put her feet up after that. Moreover, she did not find time to complete even a word of her Geography, Maths and English homework, which was a surefire way to get her in detention.

Scowling, she made her way to the hallway, which was unusually deserted, save a couple of people. Glancing at her watch, she realized she was early, for probably the first time in her life. She was usually just on time to school as she always walked leisurely to school chatting with Lilly.

Suddenly, something struck her with a sinking feeling. In her foul mood, she had completely forgotten to wait for Lilly. Smacking her fist on her head, she waited impatiently for Lilly to arrive, hoping she was not mad at Miley.

Meanwhile, Lilly Truscott was cheerfully skating towards the Stewarts' residence, dying to hear all about her best friend, Miley's concert the previous night. She could not attend the concert as she had a heap of homework in Geography, English and Maths, and could not risk leaving them incomplete.

She reached Miley's house and yelled out her friend's name eagerly. After a minute, when no sign of Miley appeared, Lilly sighed. She must have left without her.

"Hi Lilly," Mr Stewart greeted, strolling to the door.

"Oh hey, Mr Stewart! Um… actually, I was wondering if Miley had left without me… she doesn't seem to be at home…" Lilly tailed off, containing her disappointment.

Mr Stewart frowned, glancing around the living room.

"Well, she seems to have left… Can't blame her, she sure was nodding off at breakfast!" he replied.

Lilly sighed and left gloomily. If Miley had left early, it meant something was wrong. Never had Miley forgotten to wait for Lilly before, in their five years of friendship. She skated sullenly up the street to Seaview High School.

"Miley's just tired after the concert, this does not mean she isn't my friend anymore!" Lilly told herself, almost consolingly, brightening up.

But then, an awful thought struck her. What if Miley had got another best friend? After all, she was Hannah Montana, and it was a mere cakewalk for her to make friends. Grumpily, Lilly realised that the only true friends she had were Miley and Oliver. She hardly ever talked to anyone else, with the exception of Amber and Ashley, but they weren't exactly her friends.

After a pause, she contradicted herself, "But then, there couldn't possibly be better friends than Miley and Oliver, so who wants anyone else?!" That returned the smile to her face, and she practically skipped along.

After a while, she resumed thinking. If she did not have any other friends, did that mean she was anti- social?

"I'm a friendless old freak!" she garbled crankily to herself. "I'm a friendless old freak, and I'll most likely live that way. I'll probably be buried at ninety, a mean old me, all alone, with no one mourning my death. Miley'll be too busy with her Hannah Montana stuff, and Oliver…well, he'll be married happily, he won't even remember me, and my parents won't even be there, and my brother won't give a hoot! Why should I even bother going to school, if that's my destiny??" she sulkily mumbled, and stomped on to school.

"Wait up, Truscott!" the only too familiar voice of Oliver called out merrily behind her. The sound of her friend should have cheered her up, but she only grew angrier. He caught up with her, not noticing her frown.

"Ha! I've suspected it all along and when I heard you talking to yourself just now, I know it's true. You've finally cracked!" Oliver remarked, smirking.

"What would you want now? Aren't you supposed to be living happily with your wife and kids, and not even mourning my death? You don't even remember my name, I suppose!" Lilly shot back fiercely, still lost in her reverie.

Oliver looked truly bewildered. "Er…Lilly, are you okay?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Fine, just fine. Perfect, in fact! I mean- what else do you expect when you find out you are going to die all alone at ninety, with no one shedding a single tear?!" Lilly retorted heatedly.

Frustrated, Oliver shook his head. "Well, that's true…you probably will die like that if you continue confusing your friends like this!" he said, annoyed. Then he added, "I expect you drove off Miley just like you are about to drive me off? You will definitely die lonely, then!"

That touched a nerve in Lilly and she gave Oliver such a murderous look that for a moment, he looked startled. "Lilly, what's wrong with you today?!" he asked persistently, "I mean- you're usually not like this! Whatever it is, you know Miley and I are always here for you; you can tell us anything."

"Well, Miley's not. Anyway, you should be getting back to your wife and kids; they'll be wondering why you're attending a friendless old dork's funeral!" Lilly replied crossly, not really realizing what she was saying.

"Alright, Lilly, that's it! I'm off!" he snapped and strode forward.

Lilly watched him go, suddenly realizing what she had almost subconciously said to him. She felt horribly self- demeaning and miserable.

"Great! Simply great! Another best friend gone! Lilly Truscott, why do you have to be such a wet blanket?!" she complained to herself, already predicting an unpleasant day ahead.