Chapter 1

"We're friends." Cody confirmed. "But will it stay that way?" "Of course, she's happy and so am I." "Do you still see her?" "Yes. Our parents are best friends so no matter how hard we try we can't avoid each other." I scoffed at that statement. "You mean I can't avoid you?" I spoke to the TV and changed the channel.

"Hey! I was watching that." Lilly moaned. "Go watch it downstairs then." I didn't break my stare from the TV screen. "Why does Cody talk to Ellen about you guys but not to me?" "Get out, Lil." I looked at her and then back to the screen. "Just saying." She shrugged. "Lilly!" I got annoyed. "I'm going." She rolled off the bed and went for the door.

"Can you make me some lunch?" She asked me as she approached the door. "Make it yourself." "You're supposed to be baby sitting me, remember?" "You're not a baby, you're seven. Go make yourself a sandwich." I dismissed.

"You've changed." She mumbled and lowered her head as she left the room. I sighed before turning off the television and following her. "Want some fries?" I asked as I put some shoes on. "Yes!" She grinned and ran off to get a jacket. I laughed at her enthusiasm.

Once we got to the beach we went into the small cafe on the peer, Lilly sat down and looked through her menu with a massive grin on her face. "You don't have to look so happy. It's not like we keep you locked up in that house all day." I chuckled lightly. "I was remembering something." She said with that same smile.

"What's that then?" I placed my menu down to look at her, Lilly did the same. "Cody used to take us here. And that one time we ate our fries on the beach and played in the ocean and you told me to splash him." Her eyes sparkled as she reminisced.

"I remember." I smiled slightly. "One day he said he would bring me here with him. But he never did." I watched as her adorable smile faded. "I'm sure he'll do it one day. He probably forgot. Cody likes to forget promises." I looked down at my finger where my promise ring used to sit. "Cody never forgets!" She defended him.

"No, never. What am I on about?" I forced a smile. "Why you say it like that?" She cutely tilted her head. "One day when you're big enough I'll explain what happened between Cody and I." "How big?" She grew interested. "Big enough to accept that Cody isn't perfect." I smiled at my answer and went back to reading my menu.

Lilly struggled to read the world "Strawberry" I smiled at her while she did it and then I gave in. "Strawberry, Lil." "What does the next world say?" "Break it down." "M-Milk.. S-Sh-Shake.. Milkshake!" She looked up at me, pleased with her efforts. "You want a strawberry milkshake?" "Chocolate one." She said, I nodded.

"And what food?" "Fries." She answered as if I was stupid. I laughed and then ordered our food. We ate it and then walked home. When we got home still no one was in. I sighed and plopped onto the couch. "What now?" I asked. "We go to see Alli." Lilly grinned. "You mean, "let's go to Alli's because I know Cody's the only one there"?" I guessed, Lilly responded with a grin and a nod.

"Nice try, princess." I laughed at her. "But maybe if you see each other you can talk and sort everything out and then we can see him all the time again?" She innocently suggested. "Lilly, you've been saying that for the last two months." "No, cause this time you can be all alone." "You'll be there." "I'll play outside." "No."

She huffed and sat on the floor, sulking. I let out a laugh and then turned on the TV. There was a knock at the door. "I bet that's Cody." She lit up, I giggled and went to answer the door.

"Told you it was him." I heard Lilly behind me as I opened the door to reveal Cody. "Aye, there's my favorite little girl!" He opened his arms and crouched down. Lilly ran over and he picked her up while walking into the house. "Please, come in." I mumbled sarcastically. "What do you want?" I asked Cody. He placed Lilly on the ground, she looked up at him in admiration while I awaited his answer.

"Food. I need food." He said. "Cody, you live in a house with plenty of cupboards and a fridge full of it." "No. They're full of ingredients." "Mommy's not here to help you." "Where is she?" "My mother works." I stated the obvious.

"Well I have no mother." "Don't be stupid." I rolled my eyes at him and went into the kitchen. Cody followed me and Lilly trailed after him like a lost puppy. "She's in a complete different state right now. I can't call her and ask her to make me food so I came to your mommy." "Mom's at work, so leave." I pointed to the door.

"She's mean, ain't she?" He looked at Lilly, she nodded and hugged his leg. "What's up?" He crouched to her level once again. "You don't come here anymore." She looked at the floor. "I do." "Not all the time, you used to be here all the time." I watched a tear fall the to ground. It broke my heart to watch her cry.

The poor girl cried non-stop for the first month. She has some kind of attachment to Cody which isn't fulfilled by seeing him a few times a week. She has to see him every day and she hates that she can't. Her first heart break for sure.

"I'm sorry, Lil." He pulled her into him and returned to his normal height. Lilly clung to him as he lifted her into the air. "Please don't make him go, Lon." She looked at me. I took a deep sigh and then came up with an idea. "How about you, me and Cody make him some meals so that he doesn't starve." I proposed, her eyes sparkled with delight.

"What right now?!" "Yeah!" I smiled at how happy she became. Cody mouthed 'thank you' to me but I ignored it. I still don't like him. We messed around in the kitchen while preparing all kinds of dishes and then Cody and Lilly went in the living room while I wrapped them in cling film for him to take home.

"It's time for Cody to go now, Lilly." I spoke up as I went into the living room. "Nooo." She gripped his shirt. You could see how his heart sank by the way his face dropped. But then he became brave and took her hands off him.

"I'll see you soon, Lil." He kissed her head and then walked past me. "Stay in here." I told her, she nodded and then I followed Cody into the kitchen. "Thank you for feeding me." He laughed a little, I did too. "Want me to help you take it to your car?" "Yes, please." He said and picked up two dishes, I did the same and then we went to the front door. I opened it with my foot which made Cody laugh.

"Can you do me a favor? In return for this one." "Yeah." He smiled as he put his key in the ignition and started the engine. "You're not working tomorrow, right?" "Nope." "Can you take Lilly to the cafe at the beach?" "Why?" "You promised her. You can break your promises to me all you want but you don't mess with her." I glared.

"I'm sorry. I forgot all about that." "I've told you too many times. Don't make promises you can't keep." "Lauren, I love that little girls so much and you know it." "You used to love me." I reminded and walked away from the car door. I heart him mutter "Used to.." Under his breath but I chose to ignore it and went inside.

The next morning I told Lilly I was taking her to lunch again. She got excited as usual and bounced around the house all morning. I heard the door go off so I went to answer it. "Oh, Lil." I sighed and gestured for Cody to follow me.

"What?" She asked. I walked into the living room. "Looks like I can't go out anymore." "How come?" "I have to get ready for that party." "But you promised we would go." She pouted at me. "Good job I'm here then, ain't it?" Cody came into the room.

"You're taking me?!" She jumped off the couch. "Yeah, just like I promised." He winked at her. "Told you he keeps his promises." She poked her tongue out at me. "Hmm." I looked blankly at Cody, he rolled his eyes and took my little sister's hand.

"I'll have her home by three, Miss Miller." He joked. "Not a second later." I played along, Lilly happily skipped out the front door. "Thank you." I smiled at Cody, he returned the gesture and then followed after Lilly. I decided to do a ustream, live chat for my fans as I had nothing else to do.

At around quarter to four, Lilly and Cody came into the house. I came down the stairs and stopped on the third to bottom one. "What time do you call this, Simpson?" I tapped my foot on the ground. "Sorry. We were on the beach and lost track of time." He said, Lilly nodded at me to confirm his story.

"It was really fun. We had the radio on really loud and then your song came on and we sang to it." She beamed. "Sounds like fun." I smiled at her. "Can I help you get ready?" She asked as she went past me on the stairs. "Sure, wait for me in my room." "I will!"

"Ready for what?" "House party." "Don't go getting drunk and hooking up." He teased. "Just for you saying that I'll be hooking up with five." I joked. "Have fun." He smiled and then walked towards the door. He stopped before exiting the house. He turned to look at me. "You have my number. If you need me, I'll come." He reassured and then left.

I went into my room to find Lilly buried in clothes in my closet. "What are you doing?!" I giggled at her. "I was looking and then the thing fell down and the clothes landed on me." She giggled and wriggled her way out of the heap.

"Were you climbing up the shelves?" "Nooo." She lied. I laughed. "I like this." She pulled on my blue dress. It's short and simple, skater skirt style with a U-neck cut. "If that's what Lilly likes, that's what Lauren wears." I said and took it off it's hanger. "Now go get in the shower." She pushed me towards my bathroom.

"Find me some shoes." I ordered and then locked the door behind me. Once I was showered I dried my hair and put on my underwear before leaving my bathroom. "Take your time." Lilly tapped an invisible watch on her wrist. "Alright, bossy." I surrendered.

I sat at my dresser, Lilly pulled the stool from her room into my room and sat next to me. She watched as I applied my foundation and then pretended to do the same. I brushed face powder on my face, Lilly picked up the brush and copied me. She carried on with everything I did. It makes me happy to see how she tries to be like me.

I curled my hair loosely and put my dress and heels on. Before long Paul showed up ready to take us to the party. We were dropping Lilly at Trey's first because Mom and Dad are both working late.

We pulled up down the street from the party and walked the small distance. The music could be heard from a while away as well as all the laughing and chattering. We walked past the drunk, high and boring people who were stood outside. I went straight to the kitchen to find myself an alcoholic beverage. It's time to party!

"Lauren, I don't want you getting too drunk." Paul took my overly powered coke and vodka off me. "Why not?" I asked while watching him re-pour my drink, adding less vodka this time. "You're too easy to take advantage of when you're drunk." "Are you calling me easy?" I took the drink off him.

"The sober you is far from easy." "But.." "The drunk you is hella hard to look out for." "You don't mean that." I pushed him playfully. "Oh but I do." He assured me. "Lauren! Come dance with me!" Some guy took my hand. I probably did know him but it was too dark to make out who he was.

"What the hell?! Don't touch me!" I slapped the guy's hand away from my butt. I now recognised him, Dom from my Health class. "I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life." He tried to kiss me but I pushed him away. "I said don't touch me." I rolled my eyes and went back into the kitchen.

"Yo, Lauren will do shots!" John, from a different class, said to some other guy that I didn't know. "Will she?" I made sure Paul wasn't around before pouring myself a vodka and coke with the original amount of vodka. "She will." John pulled me to his side. I watched the other dude pour us three shots each.

"Pass me this." John took my drink and placed it on the side. "On three. We'll do them all as fast as possible." The dude announced. I nodded and got ready. I did them fastest of course, I cheered and span in circles. "Do they have any vodka jellos?" I asked as I drunk more of my drink.

"Lie on the counter and we'll eat them off you." John suggested with a dirty but damn sexy smirk. I hesitated. "Oh what the hell!" I gave in and hopped onto the counter. "I'm Louis, by the way." John's friend introduced, I smiled and replied, "Lauren."

John pushed me down and pulled up my dress. I squirmed a little as the cold jello hit my stomach. "If Paul comes in, pretend we're innocent." I told John, he nodded. I felt his warm lips touch my skin as be sucked up the jello. It was a strange sensation. Louis did the same to me creating the same sensation. "Lauren, what the fuck?!" I heard Paul scold.