Lock on my Heart.

8.

Miley slammed their front door as Jackson sat on the couch.

"Damn. Why're you so mad?"

"Because Eli saw me! Holy fuck he saw me!"

"Its not that big of a deal, he said he was okay with it."

A scoff came from the platinum blonde, "I've heard that before."

"Yeah, well, fuck that dude. He sucks."

Miley's eyes grew softer and sadder as they stared at the ground after Jackson's comment.

"Miley."

A hum was heard from them in response.

Jackson stood up and went around the couch to Miley. He placed his hands on their shoulders for a moment and then pulled them into a hug.

Miley's lip quivered as they began to sob.

"Hey it's okay. I'm sorry."

Miley only nuzzled into Jackson's chest further. Jackson then leaned down and placed his face in the crook of their neck, he whispered quiet hushs to calm them down.

"Your dad was a jerk anyway. He didnt need to get distant just because he found out you drank. He wasnt any different. After your-" he stopped when he felt Miley shake and freeze at the almost mention of their mother. "Sorry."

--

Corinne was sat at the island eating her chinese once again, somehow still hungry even though she said she was stuffed.

"Bro, you pissed em off somehow." She said with a mouthful of food.

"Ugh atleast swallow your food when you speak, you're so disgusting." He grumbled. Corinne only rolled her eyes as Eli plopped on the couch. "I'm not even upset with Miley, I just wanted to know why. They didnt seem like the type to drink."

Corinne watched her older brother place his head in his palm in thought. "You're so annoying." She sighed, aggravated. "I feel like to show that you arent upset with them you'll have to circle them like a vulture to just, y'know, prove it." She shrugged and began to eat again.

Eli frowned and turned toward his sister. "But you know how I am Corinne."

"Socially awkward? Yeah I know, but I feel like that's the only way." She said, muffled by the food in her mouth once again, but still understandable to the male.

He looked at the floor in distress, fidgeting with the ring on his thumb.

--

Eli began to try and speak to Miley more as for he followed what his sister suggested, but only because she was more social than he was. Today had been the first day of him trying, it went okay, he thought.

Eli took a breath in as he watched Miley stay sat as the bell rung for the end of the day. He'd been trying to gain the courage to speak to Miley all day but he just kept giving up after Miley would walk away from him, waiting too long.

He watched as Miley tried stuffing their pencil case in again, just like that other day.

He finally could do it, but in his own way rather than the many sentences he repeated to himself all of the times he chickened out.

"You really do have a hard time getting that pencil case in your bag dont you?" He smirked.

Miley froze when Eli spoke to them. Why is he talking to me? They thought, putting down the pencil case onto the desk.

"Yeah actually. Wanna help?" They asked him, turning around to face him with a grin.

"Tch, but only because you seriously need it." He teased back.

He walked over to Miley's desk, leaving his own bag on his desk. He leaned over their desk to put the pencil case in the bag.

"Thanks Eli." They said, looking up at him, his eyes locking with theirs soon enough.

"Yeah. No problem Miley."

"So. What's up with you today? You've been like a puppy, following me around." Miley said, looking away to fix Eli's collar on his shirt.

"I wanted to show you that I wasnt mad at you." He continued to lean over the desk as Miley fixed his shirt.

Miley snorted. "Thanks. I didnt expect you to do that, you arent that kind of person." They pat his shirt, showing that they were done.

But he continued to stay leaned over them. "I'm usually not."

Miley lowered their head, and their face turned red only for it to go away quickly, "Okay, okay weirdo, let's go." They pushed him gently.

Eli moved to the side as he watched Miley get up and slip the straps of their bag over their shoulders.

"Hey, Miley?"

"Yeah? What's u-" Miley was cut off when they looked behind them to see Eli kissing a strand of their hair. "W-what are you doing?"

"I'm not upset." He looked up at them in the eyes, seriousness covering his brown eyes, a frown adorned on his lips.

Miley held onto the strap on their shoulder, their grip tightening as a blush grew on their face. They looked to the side and just nodded. He then let the strand fall back to their side as he moved to grab his bag off of his desk, "Come on."

And so Miley still held onto those backpack straps that held them so tightly to the ground. They realized slowly but also really fast that they liked Eli. He made them so happy but yet so shy and they didn't know how to feel about it and they didnt know why. They barely knew him...

"Yeah, I'm coming." Miley responded to the raven-haired male.