Chapter 24

"Australia, baby!" I jumped off the last step out of the plane. "The Goald Coast, baby!" Cody copied me. "We gon' tear this shit up." We did our hand shake that we made up on the unnecessarily long flight here. "Language." Tom scolded. "Yeah, don't be naughty." Cody agreed. "So what's happening for rooms?" I asked. "We're at the usual hotel, yeah?" Cody checked. Brad nodded.

"Your mother and I are together with Lilly," Dad started, "Trey and Cara are one, Brad, Angie and Tom are one and then you three." "But we wanted our own room." Cody moaned. "Charming." Alli scoffed. "I want Alli." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. "This always happens now that you guys are together." "Well we're sorry." I sarcastically apologised.

"No, we're not." Cody pulled me to his side and slid his fingers between mine. "She's my baby." "She's my best friend." Alli pulled my free hand. "Who's your favorite?" Cody smiled innocently at me. "Tom's my fave." I grinned. "Hey!" They both let go of me. "Always liked you, Lon." Tommy grinned.

We got to the hotel at around eight in the evening and the three of us began to unpack. "Lauren, do you wanna go out tonight?" Cody asked me. "It's late already." I checked the time. "Nah, we won't go far and besides you slept all the way here." He said. "And leave Alli? Why don't the three of us go?" "Because Jake asked if we wanted to go on a double date. I don't think Alli would enjoy that." He laughed.

"We can't leave her alone while we go out with her ex boyfriend and his new girlfriend." I pointed out. "We'll just say we're going to dinner." "She'll wanna come." "But I really wanna go." He moaned like a kid. "How old are you?" I laughed at him. "Please?" "Finish hanging these up and I'll go speak to her." I sighed and handed him my dresses.

"Als, can I speak with you?" I sat on her bed. "Sure." She smiled and carried on sorting out her clothes. "Cody asked me if I wanted to go to dinner tonight and I was wondering if you'd mind?" I wondered. "Tonight? Just the two of you?" "Well.." I looked down. "Jake wanted us to go on a double date." "Oh.." She said quietly.

"Well don't let me hold you back. I'll see if Charlie wants to chill out." She shrugged. "You don't have to pretend to not care, I know it's hard." "I'm fine. I want him to be happy, he's my friend." "I'll tell you what she's like." I smiled. "Just make sure she doesn't take my best friend away from me?" "Alli, that's never gonna happen." "Promise?" "I promise." I got up and hugged her.

"Okay. Want me to help you get ready?" "Yeah! Let's go." We went into mine and Cody's bedroom. "We're on, yeah?" He asked, I nodded. "Imma jump in the shower." I said. "No, we have like half an hour." "You could of told me earlier." I rolled my eyes. "Well I'm sorry." He said sarcastically. I giggled and pushed him.

Alli picked out a royal blue, backless shirt with a black skater skirt. I wore a slim gold belt and royal blue heels. She curled my hair loosely and applied my makeup. Smokey eyes with winged eyeliner and then a neutral lip color.

"Wow." Cody looked me up and down. "What? I look bad?" I became insecure. "No, you look gorgeous." He smiled and took my hand. "You had to pick the corniest of guys." Alli rolled her eyes at him. "He's your brother." I laughed and let Cody lead me through the small apartment. "Have her home by ten." Alli instructed. "Eleven." Cody fought.

"Just be careful." "Alright, little sis." He grinned. "And Cody..?" "It's okay, Alli." Cody wrapped his arms around her. "She's not going to hurt him." He assured her. "If she does, Lauren will bitch slap her." He said which made Alli laugh. "Love you forever, Als." He kissed her head. "I promise." "And me." I added. "But Cody's hugging you so I can't." "Okay, go have fun." She pushed us out the door.

"Love you!" I called as we went down the hall. The doors of the elevator closed. My back hit the wall, I leant my head against it and closed my eyes while letting out a deep sigh. "It's going to be okay, baby." "I know it is. I just feel really bad." "There's no need." "She's worried about Jasmin becoming my new best friend." I opened my eyes and looked at him.

"I thought Madison was your best friend?" "Cody," "Okay. You have two, that's cool." He held his hands up. "Well at least you're not gonna sleep with both my best friends." I smiled sarcastically. "Lauren, can we just have one day? No arguments." "You're lucky I'm even doing this." I glared.

"Mhm." He shoved his hands in his pockets. There was a few awkward moments of silence before the doors opened. We walked through the lobby in still in silence. The silence continued while we walked to the restaurant.

"Cody!" Jake caught my attention. I looked up and smiled at the pair of them. "Hey, man." They did their 'bro hug' thing. "This is Jasmin." Jake introduced the rather shy looking girl. "Hey, gorgeous." Cody smiled and hugged her. "Hi." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Hey." I smiled at her, she returned to gesture. "Can we go eat? I'm really hungry." I smiled.

"Always the deal." Jake laughed. "Let's go." We went inside and waited for the waiter. "How may I help you?" He came over. "Table for Thrupp?" Jake asked. "Come right this way, Sir." The man smiled and guided us through the restaurant.

The waiter pulled out Jasmin's chair for her and then did the same with mine before helping to tuck me in. Cody watched him intently. "Can I get you any drinks?" He asked. "Coke." "Me too." Jake agreed with Cody. "And me." Jasmin smiled. "And you, beautiful?" He looked at me. I smiled. "I'll have a sprite, just to be different." I giggled. "Coming right up." He smiled and walked away.

Cody continued to watch him. "Cody, snap out of it." "Okay, beautiful." He glared and picked up his menu. "Sorry about him, he's in a bit of a bad mood." I smiled. "It's okay." Jasmin laughed a little and picked up her menu. Jake gave me a questioning look across the table. I rolled my eyes which made him laugh a little.

"Who's paying?" I picked up the menu. "I'll pay for us an-" "What's the most expensive thing on here?" I looked through it. "Whatever you did, you did it bad." "I don't even know what I did." Cody sighed. "Are we having puddings?" "I'll get you something on the way home." Cody said. I nodded and went back to reading.

After the meal we went to the beach. Jasmin and I walked along the water front while Jake and Cody sat on the sand. "So how are you and Jake? Are you guys official yet?" "Not really. We've been on a few dates. But I really do like him." "I can tell. I can tell he really likes you too." I said which made her smile.

"We haven't had an argument yet." She said after a few moments of silence. "You say it like it's a bad thing?" "How far into your relationship with Cody were you before your first argument?" "We weren't in a relationship for our first. We hated each other for years." "But when you realized you liked each other, how far?" "When we admitted to liking each other? A day or two." I laughed a little.

"Maybe it's bad that we haven't had an argument yet then? Because you and Cod have a successful and long relationship." "Nah. Some couples don't argue. Cody and I argue too much. Daily even." I laughed. "But that works for us. Other couples don't argue often and some not even at all and that works for them." "Maybe." She smiled.

"Did he tell you about me?" "Yeah." I looked at the ground. "He was smiling at his phone so I confronted him and he told me about you but not about the two of you." "He didn't?" "He's very private when it comes to relationships. But that's Jake." I shrugged. "When he was with Alli, yeah?" "Yeah." I nodded. "Does she hate me?" "No. She wants Jake to be happy." I assured her.

"Have you kissed yet?" I asked which instantly brought a smile to Jasmin's face. "Kinda." "Kinda? How does that work?" "There was a kiss but it wasn't very forceful. There wasn't much to it. He was too gentle for it to be counted as a good kiss." "Oh right. I never pictured Jake to be soft." I laughed. "He's really gentle and caring." "But you want him to have a bit more force?" "Yeah." "I'll speak to him for you." "No! That'll be really embarrassing." She laughed.

"It won't. Jake and I are cool." I smiled. "I won't say you brought it up." I promised. "Okay." "And when he walks you home tonight, I'll make sure he kisses you properly." I grinned. "How was your first kiss with Cody?" "It was cool." I smiled at the ground. "We were in Bora Bora and it was night time and all the lights were shining and reflecting off the ocean, we were on this hill type thing and he just went in." "Is he soft with you?" "It depends on his mood really." I shrugged.

"He's so attractive." She looked over at the boys. "I know." I giggled. "They both are." I added. "He called me gorgeous." "He's a gentleman." I smiled as we approached them. They both stood up instantly. "What are you talking about?" Jake asked. "Puppies." I grinned. "You tell lies." Cody laughed.

"I'm cold." I hugged myself. Cody took off his jacket and wrapped it around me. "I think we're gonna head now. It's quite late." Jake said before Cody could speak. "Can I talk to you before you go?" I grabbed his hand and pulled him behind the beach huts.

"What do you want?" "You gotta kiss her." "What?!" "Shh!" I put my finger on his lips. "How do you know I haven't already kissed her?" "You have but you haven't done it right." "She said that?" "No. She said you were too soft, you gotta kiss her properly. With passion." "Now I'm nervous." He looked away from my eyes.

"How do I do it right?" "Aw, Jakey's worried." I cooed. "Lauren, you just completely knocked my confidence." "I'm sorry." "Well you're a girl. How do I do it?" "You walk her to her door and then hold her hands." I took his hands to show him. "Slide your fingers between hers while staring into her eyes." I showed him. "Look down at her lips every now and then. Then slowly moved your head towards hers before resting your forehead on hers." I showed him by pressing my forehead on his, Jake's breathing quickened with his hot breath on my lips.

"And then what?" He whispered. "And then you just go for it." I whispered back, Jake moved his lips closer to mine but I moved away quickly. "What do I do with my hands while we kiss?" Jake tried to cut the sexual tension which was rapidly growing between the two of us.

"You wrap your arms around her waist and pull her body into yours." "I can do that." He nodded. "And don't be nervous." I tapped his nose. "Thank you." He kissed my forehead. I pulled his hand and went back to Cody and Jasmin. "You ready?" Jake dropped my hand and connected his fingers with hers.

We said goodbye and started walking home. "You think Alli's gonna be up when we get back?" Cody asked. "I don't know." "I hope she's not." "Why's that?" I looked up at him. "It's been a while." He smirked at me. "You don't need sex every night." I laughed. "I have a lot of energy that needs using up." "I don't care." I giggled while shaking my head.

Cody shut the apartment door behind us and pushed me against the wall. "Cody, Alli could be awake." "Shh." He shushed me before pressing his lips to mine. "Not here." I refused as he picked up my legs and wrapped them around his waist. "Shh, you'll wake her." Cody hushed me and started kissing my neck.

"Too late." The light flicked on. Cody put me down and turned around. "How was the date?" Alli smirked. "Good." Cody said awkwardly. "I'm going to bed so keep the noise down." She smirked again before going back into her bedroom. "I'm having a shower." I went to the bedroom. "I can join you?" Cody offered. "No." "I need one though!" "Shame." I undid my belt and let my skirt fall to the ground.

"Baby, you know you're asking for it." He watched me take off my clothes. I laughed and went into the bathroom before taking off the remainder of my clothes and getting into the shower. I was washing the rest of the conditioner from my hair when the door opened. "Cody, I told you no." I rolled my eyes.

"Chill." He laughed. "What are you doing?" I wiped a space on the steamy glass. "I see you." He turned around and came towards the shower. "Gimme a kiss." He opened the doors. "You're gonna get the water everywhere. Stop it." I pushed him. "Don't slip." He teased. "Stop!" I laughed. "Loosen up. You're so boring." He rolled his eyes and walked away.

I dried my body and hair before going into the bedroom with my towel wrapped around my body. "Where did you have a shower?" "Alli's." "Is Charlie in there?" "No, she couldn't come over." "Oh right." I started to look for something to put on.

"Drop the towel, baby." "You're annoying." "Drop it." "Shut up." "Let go." "Be quiet." "Come on." "Hush." "Laure-" "Would you jus-" Cody span me around and crushed his lips into mine as his body pushed mine back against the closet. "I told you to drop it." "No." I giggled and held onto it. "No?" "You gotta impress me." I smiled. "And how do you expect I do that?" He put me on the dresser.

"I dunno but it's very late so think fast." Cody picked me up again and laid me on the bed carefully. I watched his face as he unwrapped me like a present. "Aren't you gonna stop me?" He met my eyes. I rested my hands behind my head and closed my eyes.

Cody's lips soon met the damp skin on my stomach. They travelled down to my leg and he kissed along my thigh. I guided his head closer to me but he lifted it up. "I'll do it how I want to." "You'll do it how I want it or you won't do it at all." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Fine, I'll just skip it then." He smirked and crawled back up to meet my lips with his.

"I don't think I said that." I giggled. "Well then. Cody will do as Cody wants." "Cody just do it now." I pushed him down. "Keep quiet though." He reminded. "Mhmm." I nodded and ran my fingers through his hair.

After a few minutes he crawled back up and started kissing my neck. "I missed you, baby." He whispered in my ear sending shivers down my spine. "Take your pants off." I said while pulling on the strings of his sweats. "I convinced you then, huh?" He smirked. "Your mouth has talent to say the least." I smiled before kissing his lips.

"Come on.." I groaned. "Don't have to tell me twice." He kicked off his pants and started kissing me again. "Wait, under the covers." I tried to move but Cody pinned me to the bed. "No, right here." He shook his head. "What are you waiting for?" I asked. Cody smiled and we both watched as he pushed himself into me.

"Oh fuck." Cody groand, I dug my nails into his back. "Don't scratch me too bad, baby." He said. "Don't push me to it." "Can't make no promises." His smirk was clear on his face. "You'll have to deal with the consequences then." I giggled. I moaned and held onto him tighter as he found a rhythm. "Oh my God." Cody buried his face into my neck.