Before the Fame

I made it back to the studio minutes later to see Miley back as well. Our eyes met and she quickly took me by the hand leading me to the elevator despite my protests.

“What?!” I exclaimed angrily once we were inside. Her blue eyes held so much sadness that I had to look away.

“I need someone I can talk to about Nick and everything. You’re the only person who would listen to me,” she got out, but I scoffed.

“What about how you treated me months ago? You honestly expect me to take your side or even become your shoulder to cry on? Get real,” I said honestly pressing the button to open the doors.

A ding sounded as they opened on the lobby floor seeing as we went nowhere. I stepped out of the elevator getting ready to take another step when her voice filled the air.

“I knew you had feelings for Nick. I knew everything that happened. Nick didn’t have to tell me. I just knew. The least you could do is listen to me considering all of this is your fault,” she said spitefully.

I whipped back around to her, holding a hand on the elevator doors as I spoke.

“You’re kidding me, right? Nothing happened between Nick and I and how do you figure all of this is my fault?” I asked incredulously.

“Oh please. The late nights Nick spent staying awake talking with you, watching movies with you. The days in which you two would just hang out or write songs together? I’m not dumb. I was especially not dumb the night you got sick. Before you came along, Nick never defended anyone as much as he’s done for you. That’s when it all fell into place; I knew then that Nick had feelings for you and considering how angry you’d get around him, I knew you liked him, too so explain to me, Samantha how exactly this all isn’t your fault,” she concluded leaving me flabbergasted.

My hands slid from the doors of the elevator as I held my head down in shame.

“I never meant to fall for Nick, Miley; honestly, I didn’t. But,” I got out lifting my head as I stared at her slightly shocked face, “I don’t regret being friends with him. I agree the timing of everything was horrible, but I’m glad I met Nick. I’m glad I fell for him even if I never end up with him. He’s a great person regardless of what’s happened.”

I turned and began walking away leaving a stunned Miley in the elevator, but even as I walked away, I felt a few tears fill my eyes as I realized the situation.

Miley knew Nick and I had feelings for one another, but as I said, I probably wouldn’t ever end up with him. A quiet sigh escaped me as I thought of myself, my life, and more importantly, my feelings towards Nick and about the tour.

…

-December 27, 2007-

Christmas wasn’t very eventful and neither was the day of our concert. I’d not spoken to Miley nor Nick since they day they broke up. Nick had been out of it, but whenever Miley was around, he seemed fine. Miley had already left the sound check as soon as she was done with her set and now it was time for mine.

I walked onto the stage in this seeing as I was already back stage after I watched Miley go on with the guys and the guys sung a couple of songs.

I breathed a couple of breaths before starting my set, but when I was in the middle of So Yesterday, my mic got turned off.

“Hey, what’s going on?” I asked in confusion to the stage crew.

Joe walked over to them turning the switch to my mic back on where the sound equipment was stationed behind stage giving me thumbs up so I sung again. When I was in the middle of Fly, it happened again so I walked over to the crew to ask what was going on again.

We followed the cord of the sound equipment for my mic to the numerous plugs seeing it unplugged again with Miley nearby.

“What are you still doing here?” I asked folding my arms across my chest.

“Watching you sing?” she asked as though it were obvious.

I rolled my eyes as Joe and his brothers walked over as well.

“Are you unplugging my microphone?” I asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

“No! Why would I do that?” she asked innocently. I glared at her walking to the plug and re-plugged it in its socket.

“Touch my mic again and you-,” I began, but Joe cut across me.

“Sam!” he said in a stern tone shooting me a look.

I quickly got the message and walked back to the stage upset more than I was that day.

…

-Concert Time-

The following night came and I was in this, my hair straight and parted to the right as usual.

I fiddled with my freshly painted nails which were French-tipped as I sat in my dressing room. I hadn’t spoken to Miley or the guys since the sound check earlier in the day. I’d wished with everything that this concert would be good.

The door opened interrupting my thoughts. I stood abruptly turning to face the door only to see Nick standing there in black jeans, white sneakers, a blue suit jacket, and yellow shirt underneath that had a matching tie.

I stared at him in the reflection of the mirror before turning to him, but avoided his eyes. He walked next to me and decided to speak.

“Have a good show tonight,” he got out in a monotone.

I was stunned, but managed to say something just before his hand touched the doorknob.

“You, too,” I said honestly staring back up finally in the mirror. I watched the confused look that spread across his face for a second before it disappeared causing me to feel bad, but it was better than him not feeling anything at all.

I stood saying a mental prayer before heading out onto the stage.

…

That night, nothing bad happened during my performance. I’d decided to keep the clothes I’d worn on even during On the Line instead of changing to get all dressed up. When the guys went on, I watched them perform, but I saw the masked pain Miley put up when they performed We Got the Party.

I knew it was only a matter of time before the media found out about their split, but that wasn’t the important thing right now. I figured out what I needed to do; I had to help Nick feel emotions again besides nothing. Even if it meant I would get hurt eventually or might lead to him and Miley getting back together, I was ready to sacrifice my feelings for him to help him feel emotions again.

Now one question remained: how in the hell was I going to do that?