I remember when I had first met her.
The real her, not the guy she disguised herself as. Bailey Pickett. The love of my life. She was amazing. Smart. Funny. Beautiful. Perfect. I'd never been in love, but she changed all that. I was only alive when she was around, and when she wasn't she was all I could think of.
Of course Zack was interested in her too. He'll hit on anything with long hair and a pulse. I admire his enthusiasm, I do. But he's so shallow. He lost interest as soon as he learned about her 'baggage'. If he wasn't my brother I'd just want to hit him sometimes. He was willing to abandon Bailey for an easier option so he wouldn't have to do any work on the relationship.
But while he went after random girls who happened to look pretty that day, hoping for some quick action, I couldn't. I was hopelessly in love with Bailey, and nothing was going to stop me from being with her. If I could do that, I said, I'd die a happy man. And I really thought I was going to die a happy man, but I guess the world has other plans. Always does. Always conspiring against me. Holding me back, cut off from all that I love. From her.
You should know now, this isn't an everyday love story. The "boy meets girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after" dynamic doesn't exist in my life. Nothing is simple. Life is just one proverbial slap in the face after another, and just when you think life is handing you one, you remember the old saying "one hand giveth, the other taketh away". And sure enough, it comes true. Never fails.
I guess Benjamin Franklin was wrong. He once said "Of two things you can be certain; death and taxes." But he was wrong. Very wrong. There are four things. Death, taxes, heartbreak and betrayal.
I'm Cody Martin, and this is my story. It won't be nice, and it'll probably be as emotional and difficult to read as it is to write. Like I said, this isn't a "boy meets girl, they fall in love" story. So don't get your hopes up about it like I did. Trust me, you'll be disappointed.
Oh, and a word of advice? Have a tissue ready for this one. It's a story I like to call:
500 Days of Bailey