Can't Have You

Part 4 - Guilty Consciences

Part 4: Miley

The next week might have been the most awkward week of my life. Nick and I avoided each other at all costs – we barely acknowledged each other's presence when we were in the same room. We'd occasionally say a "good morning" or "goodnight" to each other, but that was the extent of our conversation. Demi and Joe were starting to catch on that something was wrong.

"Hey Dem, Nick and I are going to run to the gym! We'll be back in like two hours!" Joe said.

Demi smiled back at him, getting up and giving him a peck on the lips before waving them off. "Okay, have fun! I love you!"

"Aw, Dem, I love you too!" Nick smirked at Demi. I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. Nick looked at me and we made eye contact for the first time in a week. I quickly stopped chuckling and continued to play on my phone, hoping Demi and Joe didn't notice our awkward moment.

The boys soon left, and I felt a pair of eyes staring me down. I looked up to see Demi analyzing me from across the room. "What's going on between you two?" Demi narrowed her eyes at me.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Ever since we got home from the club last weekend, you and Nick have been acting awkward around each other. Did something happen?" I stayed silent for a few moments, trying to figure out whether or not I wanted to tell Demi what happened. "Oh my god!" She suddenly yelled, "You guys fucked!" A shocked but devilish expression across her face. She ran over towards me and sat down next to me on the couch. "I totally knew it would happen! Definitely not this soon, but—"

I cut her rambling off quickly, "Demi! No! We did not sleep together!"

A frown spread across her face. "What happened then?"

We almost ripped each other's clothes off in a back hallway of the club. "We just—I don't know, we made out at the bar, I guess. It wasn't a big deal and it didn't mean anything. And we both regretted it right after we realized what was happening," I decided to tell her. It had been hard holding it in and keeping the secret from her.

Demi's mouth dropped open. "Oh my god, I knew something had to have happened! You guys were totally all over each other on the dancefloor!" I just nodded slightly, looking away at her and remembering that night. "Have you guys talked about it? Like what is going to happen now between you guys?"

I shook my head violently, "No! We haven't talked about anything, Demi. We've barely said a word to each other after it happened. And nothing is going to happen! Nothing can happen, he has Olivia and I definitely do not want to go back to an ex-boyfriend, especially him."

Before Demi could respond back to me about some well maybe you're meant to be! bullshit, there was a knock at the door. Demi got up and answered it. "Oh, uh, hi," she said, her voice laced with confusion, "Nick's not here right now..."

"Yeah, I know," I knew that voice, but I couldn't put a finger on who it was, "I was hoping I could talk to Miley, maybe?"

"Um, sure, she's right here actually. Come on in." Demi lead the mystery person inside, and when I noticed who it was, my heart dropped.

Olivia.

Before my head could process exactly what was happening, Olivia started speaking. "Hey Miley, I know this is completely weird and I really don't want it to be awkward because I would love to be your friend, but I don't know who else to turn to." She was looking down at her hands, and I could tell she was trying hard to calm her nerves.

Guilt starting coursing through my body. I made out with her boyfriend, the least I could do was try and help her with her problems. I looked at her sympathetically, "Uh, of course, Olivia. What's going on?" I started to become nervous too. What could she possibly be going through where she needed me? Why not Nick, or even Demi?

I moved over on the couch I was on, signaling that she could come and sit next to me. She sat down on the couch next to me and immediately started crying. My eyes widened and I looked over at Demi, not sure of what to do. Demi and I looked at each other in confusion, unsure of how to deal with the current situation. I awkwardly put my hand on Olivia's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Olivia, what's wrong? Did something happen with you and Nick?"

Olivia took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I-I just don't know what to think or what to do. It's Nick, I mean, he's just been acting super weird and super distant this past week. I thought maybe he was just stressed because of apartment hunting but he's just not the same Nick I know." She was still crying, but not as hard as before she started talking. "Miley, did Nick ever cheat on you?"

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Demi's eyes matched mine and we both looked at Olivia shocked. I didn't even know that she knew that Nick and I had a past. "Um," I cleared my throat, "I don't think he did. I mean, how that I know of, at least. Nick's not like that." Yeah, Nick's not like that except for the fact that he was exactly like that last week.

"I think he's cheating on me." She started crying again after she finished that sentence. "There's just no other explanation for the way he's been acting. He barely lets me kiss him and he's turned me down every time I asked him to stay over this past week. It's like he's avoiding me. He's never been like this before!"

I pulled her into a hug. Guilt coursed through my body. I looked over at Demi and she mouthed to me that I should tell Olivia. I nodded my head back, knowing Demi was right: I had to tell Olivia that Nick and I kissed. "Olivia, um, last week something happened—"

I was cut off by the loud laughing of two guys. Olivia and I shot our heads in the direction of the sound, only to be met by the guy we were just talking about. Nick noticed Olivia crying on the couch and quickly walked over.

"Liv, baby, what's wrong? What happened?" Nick bent down to reach her level and put his hands on her knees in an attempt to comfort her.

"Are you cheating on me?" Nick's eyes immediately shot to me and I shook my head no, signaling that I didn't tell her.

"Baby, why would you think that?" I could hear a little bit of guilt coming through his voice, but not enough for Olivia to notice that something was off.

"You've just been acting so different. It's like you're trying to completely avoid me. Every time I tried to talk to you, you would blow me off and tell me you were tired, or you were busy." She sniffled. "I came here to talk to Miley, hoping she would be able to help me. I just needed to talk to someone who would understand, who knew you the way I do." Another tear rolled down her face.

Nick ran his hands through his hair, clearly surprised by what Olivia was revealing to him. "I'm sorry, Liv," was all he managed to say.

Olivia looked up at him shocked, knowing that the apology wasn't just because she was upset. "Oh my god..." she whispered.

"Come here," Nick grabbed Olivia's hands and took her out to the patio. He looked back at me with pain in his eyes before he closed the door.

"Holy shit, he's actually going to tell her!" Joe said.