Chapter 20

"You ready?" Justin came into my dressing room. "Pretty sure." I gave myself one last look over in the mirror. "You look beautiful as always." He cheesed sarcastically. "You been taking lessons from Cody?" I walked past him. "He learnt from the best." "Oh boy." I rolled my eyes. "You know you believe me." "Who's the single one?" I teased. "Oh yeah, Cody told me to tell you he's breaking up with you. So I guess we're both single." "You're funny." I laughed.

"Sister's counting on you so you gotta put on a show." "I plan to." "Alli brought her a shirt with you on it and she's been strutting around back stage like she owns the place." Justin laughed. I laughed too at the idea. "She learnt from the best." I grinned. "Go get 'em!" Justin passed me my mic and pushed me towards the stage opening.

I walked on and introduced myself. "How's everyone doing tonight?" I asked. "Goood!" They said in unison. "You guys ready for Cody?" I laughed at the screams I got in response. "He's more than ready for you, London! Let's do this!" My backing track started and I got ready to put on a show.

"Lauren!" Lilly came running down the hall. "Hey!" I caught her as she jumped into my arms. "I watched you and Alli buyed me this shirt." "She brought you that shirt and how was it?" "It was really really good." "Thank you." "Shall we go watch Cody now?" "Yes." She nodded. "Let me go get dressed and then we'll go see Jake and Alli." I lead her to my dressing room.

We watched Cody's performance and then met him in his dressing room. "I liked the bit when you did the funny dancing." Lilly told Cody which made us both laugh a little. "You did?" "Yeah." "Good." "And I like your songs too." "Thank you." "I still think I should be your girlfriend, not her." Lilly pointed to me. "We'd be better, wouldn't we?" Cody agreed. "Excuse me?!" I raised an eye brow. "You heard us." Cody stuck his tongue out.

"We're on the bus tonight." "How long's the journey?" I asked. "Four to five hours." "What?!" "You'll be alseep." "Can we do a ustream?" "I like those." Lilly said. "I know you do." I smiled at her and then turned back to Cody. "Maybe." He smiled. "I gotta shower now." "Here?" "Uh.." He looked around. "Shall I just have one when we get back?" "Yeah." I nodded.

"Let's go then." Cody took my hand and picked Lilly up. "She has legs, Cody." I groaned. "Are you jealous?" He pouted at me. "No." "Yeah yeah." I rolled my eyes at his smug face. Lilly giggled at our squabbling. We all met up and went back to the hotel. "I'm gonna pack Lilly and then I'll come help you." I told Cody. "Don't you need to do your own?" "I did it before we left." "Okay, Mommy." He smiled and kissed my lips.

"Lil, put your pyjamas on for me." I got out some pyjamas. "But it's not bed time." "I know but you can wear them on the bus." "Fine." She lifted her shirt off her body and threw it at me. I laughed at her and packed her clothes. Once I was done with her I turned on the TV and left her watching it. "What are you wearing on the bus?" Cody came out of the bathroom with just his towel as usual.

"That." I pointed to a white tank and sweats which were on the bed. "What shall I wear?" "Something comfy. Come on, you don't need help with that." I laughed and started to change. "I hate packing." He changed as well. "But getting dressed isn't packing. I told you I'd help you." I put his case on the bed and got out his clothes.

"Lauren?" Jake came into the room. "Yes?" "Can you help me as well?" "What is it with you guys? Does Mommy have to help you with everything?" "Yes." They said at the same time. "Ask Alli." "Bu-" "I'm helping this baby." I tapped Cody's chest. "Fine." He groaned and left the room. I turned back around and started folding.

"Are you gonna help?" "Yeah." Cody stood behind me and helped me fold the clothes. "You don't have to stand right there." I pushed him with my butt. Cody dropped the shirt which he was holding and caught my waist. "I think I do." He said with his lips to my ear. "Stop playing games, we have to leave here in a half hour." "We can be quick." He held my butt against his lap.

"Stop it." I turned to face him. "You know you find me attractive." He moved my hair behind my ear. "I'm not playing this." I laughed. "You are." "And what makes you so sure?" I ran my finger along his jawline. "You're already doing it." He lifted my legs and pressed me against the wall before slowly kissing my lips.

"Sorry for interrupting," I heard Justin's voice. Cody let go of my legs and let me slide down the wall as he turned to look at the door. Justin was stood with a smirk on his face. "I was sent by Matt to make sure you're nearly ready. I'll just tell him that you're a bit busy." He turned around. "Almost ready. Cody's just got his things and then everyone's done. I think, I don't know if Jake's done though." "Yeah. Him and Alli weren't kissing so that's probably why." He laughed.

"Him and Alli aren't dating." Cody went and picked up the shirt which he'd dropped a few minutes ago. Justin nodded and walked away from the door. "You always get us caught." I hit Cody's chest. "You're hot." He shrugged. "Shut up." I rolled my eyes. "Well I'm sorry." He appologized sarcastically. "But you are hot." "Do it yourself." I went to walk out but he caught my wrist.

"Okay, I'm gonna shut up. Just help me pack." He begged. I scoffed and carried on doing what I was doing. "Thank you." He kissed my temple. "It's okay.. I guess." "Sleeping on my bunk tonight?" "No, I'm sleeping by myself." "But I need my teddy bear." He pouted cutely. "I can't sleep without my teddy bear." "Cody, you're not five." I giggled.

Once we'd gotten on the bus, it was just the five of us, we all cuddled up in the back with a blanket. I noticed Jake smiling at his phone so I looked over his shoulder to see who he was texting. "Who's Jasmin?" I asked with a smirk. "Aye?" He quickly locked his phone and shot his head towards me. "Who is she?" I grinned. "No one." "No one?" "Just a friend." "You send those types of emojis to just friends?" "She's a friend." He stuck to his lie.

"Where did you meet her?" I asked. "Shh!" Lilly shushed me. We're watching a movie. "Sorry.." I said and then turned back to Jake. "So..?" I whispered. "I met her at the beach a few weeks ago." "And..?" "And we've been on a few dates but it's nothing ser-" He cut himself off as he watched Alli get up and leave the room. "Good one." Cody glared at me.

"How was that my fault?" "How do you think?" He went after Alli. "Well someone's a bit cranky." I laughed. "It's nothing serious. I like her a lot though." "How come you didn't tell me about her the other day when we were talking about Alli?" "Because we were talking about Alli, not Jasmin." "You just weren't gonna tell me?" "Cody knew." He shrugged.

"Is she cute?" I asked. "Wanna see a picture?" "Yeah." I moved closer to him. Jake wrapped his free arm around my waist and pulled me closer. I rested my head on his shoulder as he went through his camera roll. "Here." He pressed on a photo. "She's pretty." I smiled. "I know." He agreed. "She's really nice too." He added. "As long as you're happy." I said.

Jake looked down at his lap. "What's wrong?" "I feel really bad." He looked at the door. I lifted my head off his shoulder. "It's nothing to feel bad about, you're moving on and being happy. Alli should be happy for you and she will be." "Would you be happy for Cody if you'd never gotten back together?" "We were together for six months and we saw each other every day, it's a little different." "But would you?" "I would want him to be happy." I smiled.

"Did you know that when we broke up he slept with someone else?" I asked. "Uh- Yeah." He nodded. "Do you know who it was?" "I can't tell you." "But you know?" "Yes." "And I know them?" "Yes." "Well who is it?" "Lauren.." "Jake, come on." I begged. "I'm not ruining it for you guys." "Why would it ruin things?" I asked with more curiosity now.

"I shouldn't have said that." He said and pushed me away from him slightly while unwrapping his arm from my waist. "Jake, what's going on? Who was it?" "I gotta- Um- Ring Jasmin." Jake got up and left as well. I turned around to find Lilly asleep. I sighed and picked up her motionless body. I carefully set her down in her bed for tonight when Cody came through.

"Cody, can I speak with you?" I asked while pulling him to the back of the bus. "What?" "Who is this chick? Why will it ruin us if I found out who it is?" "Who what is? What chick?" He asked. "The girl you slept with." "Lauren," He threw his head back in frustration. "Can you just drop it? It's getting tiring." "You wouldn't like not knowing who else has been with your baby." I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

"Well you said poeple have been with my baby.. Just not like that." Cody's arms snaked around my waist and held me tightly. "Why do you have to know everything?" He sighed and rested his chin on my head. "I don't like it. You're mine." "I didn't think you were ever going to speak to me again when I did it. I was vulnerable and upset. I shouldn't have done it." He said.

"Who is it?" "She's so similar to you. She's trouble for starters." Cody squeezed my butt. I pushed him playfully. "Please tell me?" "Don't look at me like that." He laughed. "Please?" I gave him a puppy face. "It's always been you, baby." "That's not answering my question." "I think it's bed time." Cody looked at his watch.

"Why did you get mad at me when Alli left earlier?" "She was upset." "But it wasn't my fault. I thought she was okay." "I know, I'm sorry. I was just looking after my baby sister." "You're a good big brother." I squeezed his cheeks. "I know I am." He grinned.

"While we're alone.. I wanna talk to you about something." Cody let go of me and took a step back. "What?" I moved closer to him. He pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket and unfolded it. "Who's number is this?" He asked. "How am I supposed to know?" "It was in your pocket." "When?" "I took it from your pocket in Turkey." "You took it from my pocket?" I took the paper from him.

"I was curious." He shrugged. "How would you like it if I went through your pockets and took your things?" "You were acting suspicious after I caught you looking at it. I wanted to know if you'd notice and but you didn't." "No. I decided not to call him." "Who's number is it?" "Who did you sleep with?" "Lauren!" I jumped when he snapped.

"What guy is giving you their number?" "You're so annoying! You get jealous over anything. I can't even look at another guy without you thinking there's something to be jealous over. Just because you can cheat on me like it's nothing, it doesn't mean I can do that to you." I glared at him. "You need to stop using my mistakes against me." He said calmly but with a clenched jaw. If anything, that was more scary than him shouting.

"Because before you know it, I'm gonna get real mad." He held my wrist. "You don't wanna make me mad, do you?" He gripped tighter the more I struggled. "You wouldn't hurt me." I tested. "You wouldn't lay a finger on me." I pulled my wrist away from him. "Don't make me mad." "What exactly will you do?" "Let's just hope that Dan doesn't find out about how you can't forgive him for leaving you and don't want anything to do with him." "I never said that!"

"How will you be able to tell him any different?" Cody took the paper off me and ripped it up. "How did you know it was him?" "I do my research." He smirked and walked out. "I hate you." I mumbled. "You're so sweet." He said over his shoulder. I scoffed and sat down on the couch. I covered myself with the blanket and turned on the TV.

"Hey." Alli said softly. I looked over at her and then back at the TV. "Sorry. I didn't know Jake was that much of a sensitive subject." "It's okay, I didn't realize he had a new girl." "Me neither." "What's happened with you and Cody?" "How did you know?" "He's in there, you're in here." She said like it was obvious. "There was no shouting which isn't normal." She laughed lightly and sat down with me while covering herself with the blankets too.

"It got serious really quickly, one minute we were stood with our arms around each other and the next minute he was giving me threats." I explained. "He was threatening you?! What did he say?" "He wasn't threatening to hurt me. He was just being a jerk." I sighed. "You don't take that well, do you?" "No. He tries to be intimidating and it makes me want to hit him."

Alli giggled at me but she was soon stopped by the sound of someone clearing their throat. "I'll- Um- Leave you guys to talk." She got up and walked out. "It didn't take you long to come back." I didn't look at Cody. "You want me to tell him because I will." "If you came back just to carry on acting like a jerk then you can go to bed." I pointed to the bunks.

Cody closed the door and stood in front of the TV so I'd have to look at him. "Can I see your phone?" "No." "Can I see your phone?" He repeated but it was more like a command this time. "No." "Give me your fucking phone!" He raised his voice. I rolled my eyes and threw it at him. He unlocked it and then started typing. "What are you doing?" "Just trust me." He didn't look up.

I watched him as he looked between the two phones he had in his hands. Mine in his right and his in his left. He passed me my phone again. I looked to see what he'd done and then looked up at him. "I know what he meant to you. I'm still mad at you though." He said and opened the door again. "Are you coming to bed?" "No. I'm sleeping here." I stared at the knew contact which Cody made on my phone.

"You can't sleep in here." "I can." I still didn't look at him. "Fine then." He lifted his shirt over his head and slipped his body behind mine on the couch. Cody's arm wrapped around my waist loosely. "I thought you were mad at me?" "You're my teddy bear." He kissed the back of my head and locked my phone before putting it on the floor and turning off the TV.