Chapter 10

After the award show we all met in the lobby before going to get into the car. Alli and Lilly both fell asleep. We stopped at some traffic lights and Cody placed his hand on my leg. I flinched at first but then left it. He struggled to hide the smile on his face yet the car was still silent. A beautiful kind of silence.

I slid my fingers between his and lifted his hand to my lips. Cody watched me kiss his hand and then looked back at the road. I placed our hands back in my lap. "You did good today." "Thank you." "Not everyday a girl walks away with all the awards they were nominated for as well as doing a performance like that." "You liked the performance?" "Very much." He nodded.

"So what did Dad mean earlier? Arrangements for tonight." "You and Lilly are sleeping at ours. I'm taking you both to school tomorrow as well." "How come?" "Your parents don't want you home alone all night." "Where will they be?" He gave me a blank look. "Work." I answered my own question.

Cody lifted our hands to his lips and kissed them. "You're never alone, no matter what. I'm always gonna be here. Even when you don't want me." He told me. "What?" "I know how you feel. They're hardly ever there but I'm here. I'm here to stay." I smiled at his words. "You're never gonna be able to get rid of me." "I want cake." I announced. Cody laughed.

"You're being serious? It's almost twelve." "I want cake." "We're making a detour." He said and flicked his indicator before turning left at the next turning. "Chocolate cake." I imagined it. Cody watched me with a smile.

We stopped in the parking lot of a Walmart. "Wait here." He instructed and out out of the car. "What are we stopped for?" Alli woke up. "Cody's getting cake." "Why?" "He's my bitch." "Whipped." "You know it." We both laughed. "I'm going back to sleep." She said and got comfortable again.

"Your cake, my lady." Cody handed me a bag with a box in it. "Why thank you." "Don't get it in my car. I will murder you." "I'll eat it when we get back." "If you get it in my bed you'll be in even more trouble." "Who says I'm sleeping in your bed?" "I do." He locked our fingers again and placed them back where they were.

Cody carried Lilly inside the house. Alli carried the dresses. I carried my cake. Problem? I went to Cody's room with my cake and two forks. "I thought you weren't sleeping in here?" He came into the room. "I'm undecided." "Fine by me." He shrugged and got undressed. Well he had underwear on.

"This is good." I mumbled with cake in my mouth. "Lemme taste?" "I got you a fork." I pointed. "You're actually sharing your food?" He acted shocked. "I'm feeling kind." We ate the whole cake and relaxed on the mattress.

"I've never been so full in my life." Cody said. "I think I'm gonna explode." "You've still got jeans on too." He realized. I unbuttoned them and kicked them off before taking off my shirt too. "Do you want one of my shirts?" "I'm okay." I cuddled up to him. Cody's hand brushed over the scars on my leg.

"Every inch of you is beautiful, did you know that? Not just your face or your body. The inside is beautiful too." "I wish others would realize that. It's like all guys notice is ass and boobs, the occasional guy will compliment my eyes but that's it." "You wanna know my absolute favorite two things about you?" "I do." "Your smile and your flaws."

"My flaws?" "Your imperfections. They make you perfect to me." I hid my face against his arm. "You wanna know my favorite thing about you?" I gently ran my nail up and down one of his v-lines. "Mhmm." "You. Everything about you. Your sense of self. But mostly the way you make me feel. You're the only guy who can get me in my underwear without saying a thing." I told him.

"And I feel comfortable about my body around you. I don't feel like your eyes are all over my body. They rarely are. And when they are, you have a reason for it. You're a gentleman and you respect girls. You're not one to dribble over a show of flesh and it makes me feel comfortable. When you get mad. It's scary but I know you'd never lay a finger on me. You'll never hurt me yet you can scold me in a way that makes me listen."

"I get mad because I love you." "Sure." "I get so scared. You put yourself in some seriously dangerous positions and it scares me." "I'm all for this mushy confession time but I have school tomorrow so I gotta get some sleep." I said. "Sleep well, baby." He kissed my temple. "I'm not your baby. Not yet anyway." "I'm getting there." He said and held me tighter.

The next day, I followed my usual routine of getting ready. I borrowed some of Alli's clothes and then we left. "Have fun at schoooool." Lilly said to me as Cody pulled up. "You too, princess." I kissed her cheek. "Marcus!" I called and closed the door behind me.

"Bye then." Cody watched me walk over to Marcus. I waved over my shoulder. "Hey, what's up man?" I greeted. "He's still watching you." Marcus was looking over my shoulder. I turned around and looked at Cody. "Just ignore him." I said. Marcus was still looking. They were glaring at each other. If looks could kill.

"Come on." He took my hand and lead me into the building. "You're asking for trouble, you are." I laughed and went to my locker. "He should accept that you're not his girl anymore." "There's plenty of me to go around." I settled.

"If a guy wants you, he's gonna want all of you. Not to share with your ex boy." "I don't give all of myself to guys anyways." "Oh no?" "Nope." I started to walk to first period. "Wait up!" He came after me. "What's that supposed to mean?" "What I say. I don't give all of me to guys." "Are you a virgin?" "Typical." I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"What?" "That's all your type of guy thinks about, isn't it?" "My type of guy?" "You think with your dick." "Language!" Mrs McCan scolded. "What's with the sudden change of attitude?" He sat at the desk next to me.

"Has he done something to change you?" "Who's he?" "Your ex. He seems like a dick." "Leave Cody out of this." I stood up. "Just because you think with your dick doesn't mean he's done anything wrong." I left the class. "Miss Miller, please return to class." Mrs McCan stood by the door. "Go away!" I called over my shoulder.

I left the building and got off the school grounds. I made sure I wasn't going to be seen by anyone and rung Cody. "Why are you calling me? Get to class." Cody picked up imeadiately. "Can you come and get me?" I asked. "No, Lauren. Get to class." "Please?" I begged. Cody sighed loudly, we both knew I was gonna win. "I'll be there in a few minutes. I've just left Lilly." "Why so late?" "I'll explain in a minute." He said and hung up.

I went and stood by the gate and waited for Cody. When he pulled up I quickly got into the car and made myself comfortable before he started driving again. "Why so late with Lilly then?" "She started crying and wouldn't let go of me." "Aw." I cooed. "It was hard." He admitted.

"I'm sorry my sister is such a heartbreaker." I smiled at him. "She learnt from the best." He looked at me. We fell silent for a few minutes. "So why did I have to pick you up?" "People annoy me." "I must annoy you then?" "You're my kind of person." I squeezed his knee. "I'm guessing we're not going home?" He looked at me. I shook my head.

I noticed he kept looking at me so I called him on it. "You lost something over here?" "Nope." He smirked and looked back at the road. "So when do I get that date you promised me?" He stopped by the woodland walk we went to the other day. "I didn't promise anything." I got out of the car and walked towards the entrance.

"What?" He followed. "Why are we here?" I asked. "You wanna walk around on the streets and have to answer to questions of if we're dating or not?" "Good point." I smiled and we went into the woods. "Let's ditch the path." I suggested. "We're about to get lost." "Let's do it." I giggled and went into the trees.

"This date thing then?" "God's sake, you're so obsessive. Just give in and let things flow." I rolled my eyes. "Be spontaneous. Be surprising. Be a man. Don't be so desperate. It's a lot more attractive." I walked around with him following like a lost sheep. "Like this?" He pushed me against a tree and started to kiss me. I was shocked at first but then started to kiss back.

We stood against the tree kissing for a few minutes before I pulled away. "Hey.." He whispered and brushed his lips against mine. "Hmm?" I watched his eyes as they were looking into mine. "I've missed those lips." Cody kissed me again. He gently bit my bottom lip and pulled it away slowly.

"And your big, beautiful, brown eyes." He stroked my cheek with his thumb. "You don't need to be a man. I like this charming guy." I smiled and pulled his neck down so he'd have to kiss me. "You're a pretty boy." I smiled. "Pretty?" "Pretty." "I don't like pretty. I'm not a dog." He scrunched his face up. I giggled and kissed his nose.

"You're beautiful." "I'm a girl now?" "What do you wanna be then?" "Pretty damn sexy." He smiled smugly. "You're pretty damn sexy." "Good girl." He whispered in a raspy voice into my ear. "Oh boy." I felt my knees go weak. "You like that, huh?" He smirked. "It seems that way, doesn't it?" "It does." He looked as cocky as hell but it was cute so I let him have it.

"Let's keep moving." I pushed myself off the tree and began exploring again. "How come we've never been here before?" I asked. "We came here the other day." "Before that." "I found it a while ago when I was driving around." "Why were you driving around?" "I needed to clear my head." "Why?" "Things were getting to me." "What things?" "You ask too many questions." He laughed.

"I thought you didn't like walls?" "If I build them, they're okay." "No. I'll bring my wrecking ball." I grinned. "Like Miley Cyrus?" "I ain't being naked." I dismissed. "We'll see." "Seriously, I've had enough of that attitude for today." I rolled my eyes.

"What's happened?" "Marcus, he wa-" "Did pretty boy upset you?" "Don't push it." I sent him a glare. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" "Forget it." "No. Tell me?" "It's not important." "Please, Lauren." "No." "Why not?" "You'll get too much joy out of it." I said and changed direction. "You're no longer friends with him then?" "I am. I'm just annoyed." I shrugged.

"Can I ask a question?" Cody asked. I turned to look at him. "Is there a reson for you bringing me as far into the woods as you can get?" He looked around. "You drove us here." "You brought us off the path." "You pushed me against the tree." "You kissed me back." "You kissed me first." Cody didn't say anything. "Ha! I win!" I poked my tongue out.

"Are you busy on Friday?" He started to walk again. I walked by his side. "I don't think so." "How would you like spending time with me?" "Are you asking me on a date?" "Why do you do this?" He sighed. "Do what?" "You completly ruin it." "How?" My voice went high pitched. "How?" Cody copied me.

"It worries me that your voice can go that high." I giggled. "But how did I or do I ruin it? And what do I ruin?" "You emasculate me." "What?!" "Are you asking me on a date? Be a man. Don't be so desperate." He mimicked my voice. "If you acted like a man then I wouldn't have to say those things. You have to have masculinity to be emasculated." I pointed out.

"Seriously, it's annoying." "Well when you're easy that's annoying." I said. "I'm not easy." "Okay." I smiled. "Don't do that either." "What now?" "Just stop talking." He said. "Poor Cody feels like a little girl." "You're so dominant." "You ain't seen nothing yet." I winked at him.

"Oh please." "What?" "You think you can out do me in the bedroom?" "I know I can." Cody laughed at me. "I can!" "Cody.." He moaned his own name. "Cody, Stop!" "Shut up! I don't sound like that." I pushed him playfully. "Slow down! I can't take it!" He smirked at me. "Stop!" I shouted and hit his arm. "See, there it is." He laughed. "Cody!" "Mmm, say my name, baby." He watched as I got more and more annoyed.

"I'm not talking to you." I walked faster but he caught my wrist and pulled my body into his chest. "Is baby girl annoyed?" He smirked. Our faces were close enough for me to be able to feel his breath on my lips. "I'm not your baby girl." "I didn't say my baby girl." "Let go of me." "Or else what?" He tested.

"Do you think you're threatening?" I asked with a smile. "Because you don't scare me." "I have a lot more power over you than you want to admit." "If that was true, I'd admit it to you." "You don't wanna show it though. Although you know it. I have all the power I need." He pulled my hair tie out of my hair. "Wear your hair down. It's more attractive." He kissed my lips and carried on walking.

"My hair took forever to do this morning." I followed him slowly. "That's a shame." He didn't care. "I think you should take me to get lunch." "I don't." "Cody?" I begged. "All you do is eat. You're like pet dog." "That's mean!" "You like cuddles, sleep and food." "There's nothing wrong with that." I defended. "You're my little puppy." He smiled.