HANNAH MONTANA: Confessions Through a Yearbook

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hannah Montana and its characters and places. It is owned exclusively by the Disney Channel.

"Hi, Miley."

I whirled around to take in an eyeful of Jake Ryan. Okay, so you're wondering how a normal girl like me would see a TV star like him. Well, first of all, I'm not a normal normal girl. Let me explain—I'm Miley Stewart by day, while I'm Hannah Montana by night. Next, Jake Ryan, who most of you all know is the actor from Zombie High, came to my school so that he could live a "normal life." And by normal life, I mean getting followed around the campus by your classmates just because you're a super-famous star. With a huge ego. So that just about says it all.

But don't get me wrong, I like Jake. A lot. Ever since I guess-starred as Zerronda the zombie princess on Zombie High. Where we did a kiss. But not a real lips-to-lips kiss, just a fake Hollywood one. You know what I mean. So, anyway, we did that after Jake asked me to be his date to this 70's-style dance being held at our school, but I turned him down. Then, while we were filming, he told me all about asking "this girl," which, as I said a while ago, happens to be me, to the dance, and he said why. He said that when Miley talks to him, she doesn't talk to Jake Ryan the star, but Jake Ryan the person. So, he wasn't an ego-maniac, after all, I realized then. He really does want a normal life. What's it with boys and showing how they really feel, anyway? Maybe once I get to know Jake, he'll be much better than the jerk that he seems to be. And that's how I totally fell in love with him.

"Uh, Miley?" Jake said again. "Hello?"

"Oh, hi, Jake," I said, snapping back to attention. "So, what's up?"

He pushed his yearbook in my hand. "Do you mind signing my yearbook?"

"Shouldn't you be the one going around and doing so?" I shot back. "After all, you are the so-called superstar." Superstar was the name Jake had used to refer to himself when our class first met him. Lilly, my best friend who's got my other best friend, Oliver, as the love of her skateboard-prioritized life, went insane on that day, believe me. But now she's over him, leaving me to like Jake all I want... And that's because of what you already know. Lilly's actually trying to rake up the courage to ask Oliver out and confess her feelings for him. But no such luck.

"Please?" Jake pressed on. "Come on, Miley! I'll sign yours, too."

"Oh, yeah," I said. "As if having a really cute guy like you sign my yearbook would make me do it." I suddenly stopped, and my eyes widened. Had I really flirted with Jake? Lilly elbowed me.

"Oh," Jake answered, using my words against me. "So, you think I'm cute, huh?"

I was kind of starting to like this flirting thing. "Hot, even."

Now Jake's own eyes widened. "Really?"

I rolled my eyes as if I was being sarcastic all along. "No, Ryan," I told him. "Not really." He gave me one of those puppy-dog looks. And I couldn't help but to give in. It's like I had to. "Alright, alright! I'll sign your yearbook. If you want to sign mine, too, then go ahead, if that'll make you leave easier."

"Where is it?" Jake asked me triumphantly, obviously happy that he was victorious and he had charmed his to make me finally agree with him.

"It's with Oliver." I looked at Lilly desperately. And I didn't know why. She was just looking over at Oliver.

"Thanks, Miley! I owe you one." Jake hurried next to Oliver.

"You sure do," I replied, pulling a blue felt-tip pen from my pocket. I looked up; the cafeteria was packed with people asking each other to sign their yearbooks. Then I looked down at my lunch. Fruit salad, Jell-O, a carton of milk and a tuna sandwich. Which, take it from me, is what I also eat for lunch during Hannah Montana photo shoots and concerts, and all that other stuff.

"What was that?" Lilly elbowed me again.

"Ow, that hurt," I replied. "What was what?"

"That thing you did. Just now. With Jake."

I turned red and look down. "You saw what you saw."

"But I couldn't see what I saw." Lilly crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Excuse me," Lilly said. "I couldn't understand what you did. Did you flirt with Jake?"

I nodded, still not meeting her green peepers. "But I acted sarcastic so it wouldn't mean a thing to him. He doesn't return my feelings, anyway."

"Maybe that's what you think. But that's not really what he thinks." Lilly took my Jell-O. "Hey, would you mind if I take this?"

I shook my head. Both to say no, I don't mind, and to say I give up. "Sure, get it. I'm not hungry anyway."

I pushed my chair away from the table, got up, and left Lilly, Jake and Oliver, even Jake's yearbook, without a word. In the corner of my eye, I could see Jake's eyes following me as I darted across the cafeteria. I got out of there quickly, making sure I'd never come back any second.

ooHMoo

"Hey, Miley, wait up!" Jake called from behind me as I neared my locker.

I stopped in my tracks. "Oh, what do you want, Jake?"

"You still haven't signed my yearbook yet."

I calmed down. "I'm sorry. Would it be okay if I took it home?"

"That's perfectly fine by me. I'm taking yours home to, if that's fine by you." I nodded. Jake had his adorable smile showing. "Consider it...homework."

ooHMoo

"What should I write, Lil? I'm all out of ideas." I slumped on our dining table, over a clean ceramic plate.

Dad motioned for me to sit up straight so that he could put in a bowl of ice cream sundae on the plate. "How about, Stay as you are, don't ever change. Love, Miley?"

I looked at him like he was crazy. "Not helping, Dad. That was from Lizzie McGuire. Now it'll seem to unoriginal and, well..."

"Meaningless." Lilly took the words right out of my mouth. "Think up something, Miley. You've written some songs, right? You can do it." She licked off the last of her sundae, while I looked at my own untouched one. That was the fastest time someone ate a sundae that I have ever seen. That's probably because Lilly has been winning the pie-eating contests at parties—I know. It's like they ran out of hats and papers for Charades or ran out of stick-on tails for Pin the Tail on the Donkey or something that they had to make this a legal game at parties. It's so lame.

"Fine, Lilly. I'll go upstairs and think it over. Thanks for the sundaes, Dad." I took my still-untouched bowl upstairs and got ready for some light bulbs flashing over my head, just like in those cartoons.

"It should start with Dear Jake," I said to myself. "No, how about, 'Sup, Jake? Nah... Hey, why should I care so much, anyway? I didn't even fully accept doing this. But I do care what he thinks." I turned serious, and made up my mind. "I'm going to confess to him. About my feelings and about being Hannah Montana. But not on the yearbook itself. I'll write him a letter."

I thought of good words to use, nice phrases, sarcastic comments. Finally, after a few hours—yes, a few hours, since I really, really care what Jake thinks of me—I was done.

I had written on the yearbook:

You really shine in all ways, Jake. Even your hair does. Thanks for being such a jerk and for the space. And I'm sorry that you're just into showing off 24/7. Eitherway, you're kind of cool and okay. Your friend (if you really want me to be), Miley.

While on the letter, I was a bit more serious, writing:

Hey, Jake,

I wrote this because this has more serious issues. Well, they're not really "issues," just some stuff that I want to clear. First of all, I want to let you know that I'm Hannah Montana. And that I know all about the reason why you like me. And I can't blame you, either. I'm the only one treating you like a normal person, and it's hard having people gush at you like you're some higher being most of the time. I know it's hard being a celebrity, because I am one. That's why I decided to keep it a secret, because having people at your school befriending you just because you're a big pop star of TV star is not what I'm looking for. You'll never know who's pretending and who's not. So, during the day, I ditch the blond wig and live a normal everyday life. The next thing that I want to discuss is my crush on you. Yes, I like you. But, no, I don't like the way you keep the real you a secret from other people. Maybe we can discuss this more? Like, maybe on a date? If you're not mad at me for keeping half of my identity a secret from you, and if you like me back, meet me at the beach tomorrow, 5:30 in the afternoon. I'll be waiting for you.

Miley

P.S. I would really appreciate it if you didn't show this to anyone. Sorry for the sucky yearbook message. I'll try to do better when we're closer.

I tucked the letter into Jake's yearbook and fell sound asleep.

ooHMoo

"Here, Miley." Jake handed me my yearbook.

"Thanks." I handed Jake's own yearbook to him. Then I walked away when he was about to say more.

I pretty much avoided Jake that day. Everytime he came up to me, I was like, "Gotta go," or, "See you later. I'll be late for class," or something like that. When he tried to talk to me when classes were dismissed, the bell rang, and I said, "I have to go home. Bye, Jake," and left with Lilly and Oliver, who both shrugged at him. He may have asked them what was up with me.

When I got home, I plopped down on a couch and flipped through my yearbook. Aha. Jake had written his message on his picture, but still leaving enough so I could still see his gorgeous face. He wrote, Hey, Miley. I hope you don't hate me for forcing you to let me write here and to write in mine. Stay as you are. Don't ever change. Love, Jake. I sighed. How typical; he wasn't original enough to make up his own message, except for the first sentence. He probably watched that Lizzie McGuire episode to study for acting.

I changed and got ready to meet Jake at the beach, if he wouldn't stand me up.

ooHMoo

I looked at my watch. It was 7:41. The jerk had stood me up. I was raging with anger as I climed onto my bike and went home.

"Argh!" I yelled, throwing my helmet on the couch.

"What's the matter, Bud?" asked Dad. He was watching the news.

"Jake Ryan. He's the matter." I sat down beside him, tears beginning to fall down my cheeks. "He stood me up! I asked him to meet me at the beach two hours and fifteen minutes ago. He didn't come."

Dad hugged me tight. "Speaking of Jake Ryan, there's a letter from him that I found under the couch." He handed me a folded white paper. Maybe it had slipped when I flipped through my yearbook. I read it.

Dear Miley,

I just had to write this to you, because the yearbook didn't have space and wasn't formal enough. The first thing is, I want to tell you that I want to say sorry and thank you. Sorry if I've been such a jerk for showing off. I just did it because I was insecure. The second, I want to tell you that I really like you. The reason is, you've been treating me like a normal person, not like Amber and Ashley, or even Lilly, who treated me like I wasn't a human being like them. But I guess they're okay, especially Lilly. And, you're smart and beautiful. If only I could show you the poetry I'd written for you and about you. Well, I guess we could hang out sometime and I would. That's all I can tell you. Maybe we can arrange a date?

Jake

P.S. I'd rather that you wouldn't show this to anyone. Sorry for the yearbook message, I'll write something better when we get to know each other better.

"So, he was insecure?" I said out loud, my tears drying slowly. "And we had written almost the same message. Is it fate?"

I turned to look at Dad, who was already dozing off on the couch.

I just sighed and tried to get some sleep. Maybe I won't be so hurt if I sleep on it.

ooHMoo

The hours passed as if time didn't matter the next day. "I can't believe it's already the afternoon," I said, sipping my smoothie.

Neither of my best friends replied to me. I looked over at them, seeing that they had been giving each other "looks." I coughed loudly. "Something happened, didn't it?"

Lilly looked away from Oliver long enough to answer my question. "Yeah. I told him how I felt, and turns out, Oliver felt the same way."

"And let me guess," I said. "You're dating each other now?"

"Yeah, kind of," Oliver replied. "Oh, and Miley, feel free to think of yourself as the third wheel."

I knew this was a joke, but I was sort of hurt, after Jake stood me up. I haven't even told them. I managed to give Oliver a sarcastic "Thanks," though.

"Miley," Jake called as he neared me.

"I have to go," I said to Lilly and Oliver, who didn't seem to mind. I took my bag and walked away.

Jake was still following me. "Miley, wait!"

I slowed down. "Oh, Jake, what do you want now?"

"You."

Now I completely stopped. "What?"

"You, Miley. Or should I say Hannah?" Jake said as he leaned down to kiss me.

I kissed him back, but I was still confused and mad. "Why didn't you come?" I asked when the kiss was over.

"I'm sorry. The letter, it fell down when I looked through my yearbook. I only saw it this morning."

I nodded, as if to say that I understand now. "So, do you really?"

"What? Love you? Of course," Jake said, leaning in to kiss me again.

I stopped him. "Me, too."

"I knew you would, sooner or later. No one can resist Jake Ryan."

I punched him in the shoulder. "What have I told you?"

"Ouch!" Jake cried. "Not to show off. Of course, that was just a joke." When he leaned in again, I didn't stop him. Instead, I was the one who kissed him.

"Hey, your acting wasn't bad," he told me.

"In Zombie High? I guess so. How about my songs?"

"They're great. I wish I could sing them." Jake mimicked me, singing If We Were a Movie, and I laughed. His dance moves were funny and dorky, but his voice was actually good. Who knows? I might consider a duet with him. "Is that song about me?" he asked when he was done.

"You bet," I said. "Can you show me one of your poems sometime?"

"Heck, I'll show them all."

"Good." I laughed, and kissed him again.

"You know, one of them was inspired by the time I wrote the letter to you." Jake grinned. "It's called Confessions Through a Yearbook."

CONFESSIONS THROUGH A YEARBOOK

She's five feet four, with long brown hair

When she walked by, she caught me stare

I signed her yearbook and what did I say?

I really love her, all the way

Confessions through a yearbook, they're so confusing

You won't remember what words you're using

All you know is that you made her day

When you had some compliments coming her way

Her name is Miley and she's is my class

She has brains, beauty and so much sass

I'm just Jake Ryan, famous TV star

Who is actually crushing from afar

(A/N: Please excuse the poem, I was in some kind of hurry. My first Miley/Jake oneshot! I hope it's successful.)