Publicity

40

Miley's POV

"Don't touch me!" I cried out, pushing Nick's hands that were prowling around to grab my face.

"I'm so sorry," He said "Please don't cry,"

"Too late," I spat bitterly in between sobs.

"What do you want me to do to make you stop? You want me to ask you to stay?—"

"No! Just get away from me! Even if you asked me to I wouldn't want to anymore!" I shoved him forcefully, but somehow he didn't budge. Maybe I didn't really have any strength at all at that moment because I was too drunk.

"Miley," He spoke tenderly, trying to get ahold of my hand.

"You're such an asshole," I said, more tears streamed down my face.

"Baby, No—"

"Yes, you are! That time in the trailer, I trusted you wouldn't treat me like Patrick did! But then you—"I couldn't finish my sentence and started bawling "—Y-you just, You..."

He didn't say anything and only stared at me crying my eyes out; he was probably waiting to hear more. "I trusted you could make the decision, the best decision for me; because I trusted you wouldn't be like him. It's different now...this time I know you want a say in this, this time whatever you decide will affect you and not just me. But you don't seem to understand that! You think by asking me to stay you're doing a favor for me; you just won't admit that you need me! You're an asshole!"

"It's not that easy, I can't decide this time!" He suddenly cried out.

"Why not?!"

"Because I don't know...if you really want to stay," He lowered his voice "I have to keep my promise, because at the end of every day you hate me."

"The problem isn't me!" I cried out, wiping fresh tears from my eyes. "Maybe I wouldn't hate you! Each time you do something right that doesn't make me hate you...you went and did something stupid to mess it up!" I paused and then added "Like right now."

"Should we do something?" I heard Frankie whisper from the front seat, it instantly reminded me of their presence, but I didn't care so much and continued to stare at Nick who just looked drunk.

"Shh, just leave them." Joe replied in a hushed tone and I caught him glancing towards the backseat before he returned his gaze to the road ahead.

"Please don't hate me," Nick said quietly and pleadingly, this time he reached over to get ahold of my arm again.

"I can't believe you," I muttered, holding back my sobs "I can't believe myself either. I'm such a fucking idiot...trusting you, thinking you were different..."

"You can trust me," He said like it was a promise, leaning forward to look directly into my eyes.

"No," I protested quietly, I started to cry again "How can I? You're just like every other dickhead, what's worse is that you know you're not a dickhead, but you try and act like one. You literally do it on purpose, and for what? To drive me away?"

He shook his head violently "No, Miley, I would never try to drive you away. How can you think that?"

"Because," I gestured to him, sniffing tears "You...knew, you just knew from the start how hurt I was over what Patrick did, how scared he made me, I thought you'd get how I feel, I thought you'd never do the same thing because—" I sobbed and lowered my voice "—you cared...and you wouldn't do that and hurt me but you did anyway, and I just felt like shit—"