A Different Perspective

A/N : I'm sure this plot has been painfully overused, and I'm sorry - first SLOZAC story, cut me some slack! I've had this story sitting around forever, so I figured I would just submit it.

She had been crying again.

Cody saw the faint traces of mascara on her cheeks, despite her thorough attempts to wipe them away. He saw that her eyes shone unshed tears. He noticed that she lacked usual enthusiasm.

She snapped at Esteban ruthlessly at every opportunity, bossed Maddie around more than usual, and wholly ignored Zack. She denied any trouble when Mr. Moseby asked if she was alright, and canceled her private yoga class to get lost in a nearby mall with only a credit card and a few unsuspecting boys to carry her shopping bags for the afternoon.

Anyone would have disregarded the issue, thought that maybe she was on the worst dressed list or her current boyfriend (whoever that may be) had dumped her or, in the case of those that knew her better, her father had failed to show up at a scheduled father-daughter dance or banquet or something of the sort.

That wasn't it.

"London…" he had pleaded, trying to coax an answer out of her as he followed her down a hallway to her suite like a pathetic little puppy. She had pretended she hadn't heard him, but finally turned, her eyes flashing angrily.

"What?!?" She had exclaimed furiously, her fists clenched so hard that her knuckles were white. "What the hell do you want?!" Cody had never heard her use any bad language, he didn't even know she ever used any. Then again, there was a lot about London he didn't know.

They stood there, both silent except for London's quiet sniffling. She blinked rapidly to hold back tears that threatened to fall.

"I-I just…w-wanted to know what's wrong. Maybe I can help?" He stuttered lamely.

She turned, obscuring her face from view and hurriedly wiping away tears.

"Please, London." He said softly. He couldn't stand seeing her in such a state.

"Why are you even bothering to ask?" She spoke so quietly he could barely hear her. The hallway was empty, filled with an uncomfortable silence until he responded.

"Because I care about you." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, but she apparently didn't think much of them

"Liar." She spat harshly, still not turning to face him.

He felt himself growing angry. Angry that someone like her - so special but not noticed yet - like a diamond in the rough - would think so little of herself. So little that she was unwilling to believe that someone like him - just an ordinary thirteen-year-old - wouldn't even regard her as something more than a superficial heiress that worried more about her shoes matching her skirt than going to college.

They had different priorities, the two of them. They were as different as night and day - but yet he knew more about her than almost his twin brother. And still there was so much he didn't comprehend. She was like that - she had so much character, so many secret wishes and longings that went unnoticed - with the exception of Cody. How did everyone else fail to see that, the person behind the designer clothes? She was smarter than they cut her out to be.

It was strange that understood her on such a level when they didn't even know each other that well. He could figure her out better than her best friend, Maddie. He had a connection with her.

He'd made the mistake of talking about her to Zack. His twin had just said that he had a crush on her, which he'd quickly set straight. It wasn't a crush - it was deeper than that - somewhere between blatant adoration and love. He didn't quite have a name for his feelings. He didn't want to feel this way about her, he couldn't help it. Otherwise he would have ignored London; just like everyone else.

"No one cares." She continued, her tone saturated with self-pity, "I'm stupid, not very smart, shallow, a spoiled brat -"

"Stop!" Cody shouted, not caring how many people he disturbed.

She turned her head slightly to glance at him, her makeup ruined and her eyes moist. She was a truly pitiful sight.

"Just stop." He repeated in almost a whisper, closing his eyes. What had made her believe she was all those things? She wasn't the smartest girl in the world, true, and she was what some would call a "material girl" and wouldn't be seen wearing anything but designer brands (or dating people that didn't wear them), and yeah, she was a bit spoiled, but that was her father's fault, right?

"If you're trying to make me feel better -" She paused to dab at her eyes with an embroidered handkerchief (most likely a present from her mother, how thoughtful) she had pulled out of her Prada bag - "It's not working. So you can just leave now."

Cody sighed, looking at the floor. "If you want me to leave, I will -"

"Then go!" She yelled, causing him to back up slightly.

"London, please." He begged. "I know a lot of people have disappointed you -"

"Including myself." She whispered, but he didn't hear her.

"-but I can help. Just talk to me."

"It's none of your business." She said crossly.

"London, I already told you I care about you." She stared at him, a bit unnervingly. "You're my friend." The three words hurt him, in a way where you've already accepted something but it still pains you to think about it. London could never think of him but anything as a friend - maybe - so there was no use dwelling on the impossible.

"You're just trying to get me to stop acting like this. Look, I know I've been horrible, OK? To Esteban, to Maddie, to Zack -"

"This isn't about them." Cody stopped her. "It's about you. I hate seeing you like this, London. I want to help you out -" He hesitated, fidgeting. "-that's what friends do for friends." He allowed the information to sink in - to London and himself. There was that word again - friend. That word that he, at the moment, hated.

London finally gave in.

"Cody, do you know what it's like to care about someone…?" She sighed. "Really care? Not in the friend sense but -"

"Yeah." He answered, his voice cracking.

"But you don't want to because you can't have them - because they live in a completely different world, and even if - if you could, it would be so hard, because everyone else would ridicule you for liking someone they don't approve of? Someone that's so different?" She stopped, afraid she had given away too much.

He nodded in reply. He understood; better than she'd ever know.

She smiled awkwardly at him, the kind of smile that made his heart hurt.

"It's alright to cry about that…" He began thoughtfully. He paused before speaking again. "I mean, everyone expresses their feelings differently."

"Cody."

He looked up. She had stopped crying.

"I'm fine. I shouldn't have talked about this to you at all, you probably think I'm -"

"London, stop saying negative things about yourself. Give yourself some credit."

She laughed bitterly.

"I do. I go on more shopping sprees than I can count. I order people around, they do whatever I want…It's my own fault, Cody. I created this lifestyle for myself. I have luxuries, and I took them for granted. Don't try to convince me otherwise."

He fell silent. Sometime their feet had begun moving again and they had reached her suite. She opened the door, kicking off her high heels and letting them fall sloppily on the carpet.

She gave him a last lingering look before she closed the door.

"But thanks." She whispered, and she didn't need to say anymore.