Chapter one
He plainly said it, "I don't like you the way that I like you, Cody. I'm sorry."
Cody played that one sentence over in her head so many times, as she lay on her bed in Cascadia Tennis Academy. She suddenly sat up and walked briskly over to her dressing table and picked up the application to the NY School of Photography.
Applicants must submit a portfolio of work and a panel of judges will select the top ten applicants. The portfolio may contain a minimum of 20 photographs and a maximum of 40 photographs. This competition is open for those in the US….
Cody laid the forms down back onto her clean, polished oak dressing table. With that she knew what she was going to do, she was going to fight for Squib, even if it killed her. Cody shut the dorm door with her trusty camera in her hot hands. On the way to the dark room she passed Squib and brushed him off quite quickly. Once in the room she took out the reel of film from the camera, briefly looking at each tiny photograph. She began to unroll the pictures and assemble then into the water. But to her surprise someone barged in, out of breath and gasping for air. It was Squib.
First Cody looked in shock and in almost agony at him band Squib realized it as soon as he had a chance to look up at her face, the most beautiful face he had ever seen. So perfect, like an angel's face only much more beautiful. Squib shook his head, he was on a mission. "Cody, I'm so sorry, we've been together since we were 15 and now we're 18. We've been through thick and. And I've made such a mistake Cody; my feelings are changing about you, about us." Cody cut him off, she'd had enough. "Squib, you've said enough I know your feelings have changed." "Cody, wait I wasn't finished, I've wanted to say this to you since I knew your name and now when it is appropriate I screw it all up… again. I know Cody, I'm a bad boyfriend but you can't deny that I don't try. This is what I've been wanting to say to you City Girl, I love you and always have." Cody put her hand to her mouth and drew back in shock. "Squib, you, you, what?"
"Cody, I love you." Cody put down her reel of film, and slowly walked over to Squib tears in her eyes. In order to cover up her pain she hid her face from Squib's view. Once by Squib she reached up toward his neck and laced her arms around him, this position to Cody felt so natural and safe, like nothing could hurt her. She finally looked up to Squib, tears gently running down her face she whispered in a voice that only Squib could hear. "Squib, I love you too." Squib reached down to Cody's forehead and kissed it gently, he then caught one of Cody's tears as it ran down her cheek and said, in an equally quiet voice, "that's no way for an angel to act." Cody again looked up at Squib and gave him a smile.
Cody and Squib stood in the dark room for almost an hour, just in each other's embrace when very unrepentantly Rick entered the room and said in a shaky voice, "Cody you had better follow me." Squib nodded in agreement to follow Rick. Squib was quite nervous for Cody, as this had only happened in Squib's presence once, when Ryan was killed. So he took her hand and brought it up to his own lips where he kissed it. He then whispered something in her ear, "It will be okay City Girl." The two then followed Rick hand-in-hand. He could tell the Cody was nervous, as he as her hands were quivering in what he thought fear. So he put he arm around his girl to bring her closer to him. Cody appreciated it, much that she put her head on Squib's shoulder and put her own arm around the back of him. Rick was silent until he reached Mr Bates office, when he spoke in a soft, far away voice. "You should go in Cody, Squib you wait here with me." Squib took his arm off Cody and pulled her in close to himself, where he kissed her yet again on the forehead. Cody then pulled away from the warm embrace of her boyfriend only to hear him say "Luck." She nodded and carefully stepped in Mr Bates office.
"Thank you Ms. Myers, please sit down as I have some terrible news to tell you." Cody did as Mr Bates had told her and wished that Squib was in the office with her as he was the comforting type. She noticed two men standing close to the files. A policeman and man form the ambulance services. Both had their hats in two hands at the full extension of their arms. They also had their heads down and as a tear escaped from the policeman's eye Cody knew something was wrong.
Mr Bates spoke in a calm voice but yet Cody could hear the sorrow and sadness in his voice. He spoke once again, "Cody, there was an accident." Cody grabbed the arms of the chair and walked over to the door, she then opened it, stepped outside and rushed over to where Squib was standing. "Uh, Squib, can you come in with me." "Sure, City Girl." They both walked in slowly as ever and took their seats, before Mr Bates could speak again Squib reached over and grabbed Cody's hand and slipped his into hers. He knew what was coming, and Cody couldn't deal with it on her own, she needed him and he needed her. They were perfect together.
Mr Bates spoke once again. These words would change Cody's life and she was oblivious to it. Squib thought about what he was going to do, if what he thought would happen, happened.