Authors Note: So, Helms wanted to write her friend Baleigh a story, but she had writers block, and over one of our brainstorming lunches at Cracker Barrel I came up with this awesome idea, and so she turned it over to me to write. Only it probably didn't turn out the way she intended or Baleigh would have liked.
So, Hi Baleigh. I know you don't know me, but um .. Don't kill me?
Disclaimer: I don't own Cody or Teddy or Baleigh or her cat that Cody is not allergic to.
Song lyrics from "I'd Lie" by Taylor Swift, aka Tyler Hilton's song (you know it is!)
Baleigh rushed into the baggage claim area of the airport, practically tripping over her own feet in her hurry. She had taken longer than she'd planned to get ready, changing outfits four times before she finally decided on one, and traffic had been at a standstill at one point.
She quickly scanned the area, looking for the familiar face, and nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice in her ear.
"Only blind people and assholes wear sunglasses inside."
She whipped around and was met with his teasing smile, his left cheek dimpled, his usually mischievous eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.
"Oh? What's that make you then?" Baleigh questioned, her hands on her hips.
"Haven't you heard? I'm priceless." He grinned at her and she laughed, shaking her head at him.
"I'm glad you're here Cody," she greeted, and he pulled her into his arms.
"Me too," he said, burying his face into her neck. "I missed you like crazy!"
Baleigh sighed, closing her eyes as he held her. "You have no idea."
Cody yawned for the hundredth time in 10 minutes, and Baleigh swatted him.
"Knock that off, you're making me tired."
"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Didn't get much sleep last night." He stretched his arms over his head.
"Oh yeah?" She took her eyes off the road to watch as he pulled his sunglasses off and rubbed his eyes.
"Yeah, we were at this bar, and oh man. This girl. Man." He shook his head, and Baleigh swallowed the lump that immediately rose in her throat.
"Did you get her number?"
"Why would I do that?"
Baleigh shrugged. "I dunno Code. What if you want to see her again?"
Cody blinked at her, lowering his eyebrows.
"Why would I want to see her again?"
Baleigh rolled her eyes. "I don't know Cody, 'cause that's how it works in the real world? You meet someone, you get to know them, you date, you fall in love .."
"I'm never falling in love," Cody interrupted, running his hand over his recently dyed black hair and wrinkling his nose. Baleigh laughed, shaking her head. "Besides, why would I want to get to know another girl? I got my girl right here," Cody teased, patting Baleigh on the thigh. She faked a smile as he winked at her, those blue eyes piercing straight into her heart, before replacing his sunglasses.
Baleigh fumbled for the CD player and hit play, music quickly filling the car, and Cody sat up, turning the knob as the song started. "I love this song! Last time I saw you you were lonely and out of place.." he began to sing along.
"I know you do," Baleigh sighed as she continued driving.
I don't think that passenger seat has ever looked this good to me
He tells me about his night and I count the colors in his eyes
He'll never fall in love he swears as he runs his fingers through his hair
I'm laughing, 'cause I hope he's wrong
And I don't think it ever crossed his mind, he tells a joke, I fake a smile
But I know all his favorite songs
And I could tell you his favorite colors green
He loves to argue, born on the 17th
His sisters beautiful, he has his fathers eyes
And if you asked me if I love him ..
I'd lie.
Cody walked into the apartment, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, dragging his rolling suitcase behind him.
"Welcome to Casa de Baleigh," Baleigh announced, moving her arm in a sweeping gesture to present the small one bedroom apartment. "It's not much but it has four walls and a ceiling, and it's in my budget!"
Cody grinned, dropping his luggage next to the couch. "It's nice." He looked around and spotted the series of frames on the opposite wall. "Oh wow. Is that..?" He walked over for a closer look and Baleigh cringed, mentally kicking herself for not taking those down before Cody came. He inspected them one by one. "Wow, I haven't seen these in forever! Look at how young we were!"
Baleigh nodded, moving to stand next to him. There were pictures of her and Cody from when they were young all the way up until the last time they saw each other, a few months before. Every picture was the same thing, Cody with his arm around Baleigh's shoulder, grinning at the camera, as Baleigh looked up at him dreamily. There was no way he wouldn't notice that. Baleigh cringed again.
"God, look at my hair! Who let me cut it like that?" Cody pointed at a picture of them from middle school. "And check this one out! Think I accessorized enough?"
Baleigh laughed sadly, shaking her head. Of course he wouldn't notice the way she looked at him. He never did.
Baleigh stood up and flipped on the light, turning when she heard a sniffling noise. She looked at Cody incredulously, her eyebrows raising.
"Are you .. are you crying?"
"What? No," Cody lied, turning his head away. "It's .. allergies.. maybe I'm allergic to your cat." Baleigh resumed her seat next to him on the couch.
"You've never been allergic to a cat before."
"They can develop over time," Cody stated, then fake coughed for emphasis.
"Whatever you say Cody," She scoffed, pulling a pillow to her chest.
"That movie was stupid anyway. They should have ended up together," Cody pouted, playing with the fringe on the blanket over the arm of the couch.
"Sometimes people that should end up together .. don't," Baleigh said quietly, shrugging.
"No way." Cody shook his head. "People that are meant to be together always find their way in the end."
"You think so?" She looked up at him.
"I know so," he said matter-of-factly. Baleigh's eyes met his, and she dared to hope for a few seconds that he was right. Then his cellphone vibrated and he reached to answer it, smiling when he read the caller ID. "Well hey pretty girl," he greeted, standing up and walking into the kitchen.
"Sure they do Cody," Baleigh whispered, resting her head on the back of the couch. "Sure they do."
He looks around the room, innocently overlooks the truth
Shouldn't a light go on? Doesn't he know that I've had him memorized for so long?
He sees everything black and white, never lets nobody see him cry
I don't let nobody see me wishing he was mine
I could tell you his favorite color's green
He loves to argue, born on the 17th
His sisters beautiful, he has his fathers eyes
And if you asked me if I love him ..
I'd lie.
Baleigh stood back while Cody checked in at the counter, placing his bags on the scale and collecting his boarding passes. He signed a few autographs and posed for a few pictures before coming to join her. They walked together to the security checkpoint, the silence heavy between them.
"Well. I guess this is goodbye," Cody said. "Thanks for having me."
"Anytime," Baleigh answered automatically, looking around to avoid looking at Cody.
"Hey." He put a finger under her chin, turning her face to meet his, and once again those blue eyes went straight through her. "Miss me, okay?"
Baleigh bit her lip to avoid blurting out the response screaming in her head, the one that said she missed him every second, every minute, every hour, that most of the time she felt like she wasn't even living when he wasn't around, just surviving. Instead, she shrugged, giving him a smirk.
"I'll see what I can do."
He pulled her into a hug again, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Well I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too Cody. Always do."
And with that, he turned around and walked away.
He stands there, then walks away
My God, if I could only say
"I'm holding every breath for you."
"He's worried about you," Teddy said, and Baleigh groaned. Of course, leave it to Cody to care now that he was across the country again.
"What's he worried about?"
She could almost hear him shrugging. "I dunno. He said you were different this time. Like, sad or something."
"Well why isn't he the one telling me this?"
"Yeah, right. When has Cody ever discussed anything to do with feelings? The closest he gets is the lame John Mayer songs he tries to play on that stupid guitar," Teddy ranted, and Baleigh laughed .. very few people even knew Cody played the guitar, because he was terrible, but that didn't stop him from sitting for hours crossed legged on the floor strumming out "Come Back To Bed" and "Split Screen Sadness" until his fingers bled. "But he definitely knows something's up."
Baleigh sighed, twirling her makeup brush between her fingers.
"You gotta tell him eventually," Teddy said quietly. Baleigh sat up straight in front of her vanity, pressing the phone closer to her ear.
"Tell him what?"
"That you're in love with him."
"What? Who .. who says I'm in love with him?" She sputtered. Teddy laughed.
"You're not?"
"No."
"You're a terrible liar."
Baleigh finished putting on her makeup and grabbed her purse, heading out the door. She couldn't get Teddy's words out of her head. What if she did tell Cody, and he didn't feel the same way? Their friendship would never be the same. She could lose him completely. So which was better, continue lying to herself and everyone else and keep Cody in her life as a friend, or tell the truth and risk losing him forever?
He'd never tell you, but he can play guitar
I think he can see through everything but my heart
First thought when I wake up is "My God, he's beautiful"
So I put on my makeup and pray for a miracle
Yes I could tell you his favorite color's green
He loves to argue, oh and he kills me
His sister's beautiful, he has his fathers eyes
And if you ask me if I love him ..
Her phone rang abruptly at four in the morning, and she glared at the screen, blinking as she tried to read the caller ID.
"Somebody better be dead Cody," she grumbled, pulling the blankets over her head.
"I have to ask you something."
"Or in labor. Is somebody in labor?"
"What? No."
"And nobody is dead?"
"No?"
"Then whatever you have to ask me can wait until it's not ass o'clock." She hung up the phone and a few seconds later it rang again. Baleigh groaned.
"Fine, what?" she practically barked into the phone.
"Are you in love with me?"
She sat up straight, a cold sweat taking over her body as her stomach began churning. This was it, now or never. She could tell him the truth, that she loved every inch of him, every small detail, every thing that probably only she would ever notice. Or she could do what she had been doing since she was 10 years old and those blue eyes locked on hers for the first time.
"No."
She heard Cody let out a breath.
"Okay, goodnight." He hung up the phone and Baleigh let her phone drop to the bed, staring in the darkness.
Why did it sound like he was disappointed?
If you ask me if I love him ..
I'd lie.
So maybe if you guys read and review and all that good stuff, this won't be just a one-shot.
Just sayin'.
