||Alex||
I stalked to the hotel room that Layla had directed me to, pissed off beyond all belief. They had promised that August would come running into my arms after this, but now Layla said there was a "change of plans" I didn't want to hurt August anymore, It had killed me to see how broken she'd been when she saw that tape with Mike and Michelle, the tape which I'd filmed. I felt like the scum on the bottom of my shoe, but I had to get August, and I honestly saw no other way. I knocked on the door and Layla popped her head out. She looked both ways and dragged me inside, locking the door behind her. Michelle was sitting on her bed, painting her fingernails pink.
"What the Hell is so important?" I snapped. Layla glared at me. "I never thought you guys were going to hurt August that badly or I would have never done this!"
"You're in this just as deep as we are, so don't act all high and mighty." Layla snarled. "Besides, we're helping you, remember?"
"Well, I thought this was supposed to make Cody and Mike hate August so I could grab her? What happened?" Michelle and Layla looked at each other.
"Cody forgave her." Layla finally admitted. It took a moment for the news to sink in before I saw complete red.
"WHAT?" I hollered. Layla stood her ground.
"It didn't go according to plan, Cody took her back and is really pissed at us." Layla teared up. "He's mad at me…" Michelle hoped off the bed and took over.
"What was supposed to happen was that Mike was supposed to give up on August and I was supposed to have him. Cody was supposed to never want to talk to August again and realize Layla was the one for him. Then you were supposed to get August." Michelle explained. "But Mike didn't give up and Cody forgave her, so were screwed."
"So you just made me look like an asshole." I finished. I took a deep breath. We had hurt August for no reason at all, she was on thin ice, could even be fired, and it didn't get me any closer to her. I felt like I was going to be sick. I turned and started to walk towards the door.
"Where the Hell do you think you're going?" Layla snapped.
"I'm out. I'm going to get August the right way, this, this isn't…"
"Like Hell you are!" Michelle hollered, turning me around.
"Why should I stay? You haven't helped at all!" I hollered back. Layla slithered up to me with that look of pure evil she always seems to have when she smiles. She walked her two fingers up my chest and patted me cheek.
"Because Alex, you leave, and we tell everyone that this was all your idea and we were just roped into it because you didn't have the balls to do it yourself." Layla gave me that sick smile again. "How long do you think your career would last after that? Ten seconds? Five? And August…" Layla began to stalk around me, knowing that she had me completely. "Oh August, she would never want to speak to you again, she would feel so betrayed Alex, can you image?"
"She'd never say another word to you." Michelle added. "And you would be alone for the rest of your life while she was with Cody…"
"Or Mike." Layla interjected. "What does it feel like to have your own boss using the woman you love? You know what'll happen when he finds someone better. She'll be tossed to the side and he'll forget all about her. It'd kill her Alex, you know that better than anyone." I thought about Mike, how torn Michelle had been when he decided he didn't want her anymore. I thought about how the second he slept with August he wouldn't want her anymore. She'd just be another plaything in his sick little world. But…
"I… I can't, it's wrong. All you two are doing is hurting her!" I argued.
"Suit yourself. The doors right there, but you leave and we tell August everything." I stood there, frozen, but finally looked back up at Layla.
"What's our next move?

~august~
Cody took my hand in his and led me back to our hotel. We took the service entrance to avoid the press and laughed and chuckled in the elevator like nothing had happened. But I couldn't get what Cody had said out of my mind. He loved me? Like how Mike said he loved me before he…
No. I wasn't going to ruin this moment by thinking about Mike.
Cody intertwined his fingers with mine as the elevator door opened. He kissed my cheek as he led me to his room. I didn't want to stop him but,
"Cody." He stopped as he opened the door.
"What's wrong August?"
"We're, we're not going to, to sleep together, right?"
"Not if you don't want to." He promised, and pressed his lips to mine, silencing all my other questions as he led me inside and shut the door. As soon as it was shut he pressed me against it, keeping his lips to mine. This was so different than before, before Cody had been shy and sweet, now there was nothing but pure determination. His pressing me into the door reminded me so much of Mike that I had to pull away.
"Cody, I…" He let out a frustrated sigh and ran his hands through his hair. I flipped on the light behind him and began to walk back to the door when he grabbed my wrist.
"August, don't go, I'm sorry." He pulled me into a giant hug. "I just missed you so much." He kissed the top of my head. "Please don't leave." I felt another pang of sadness, remembering Mike at the hospital, how he begged me not to leave him.
No.
I couldn't keep doing this to Cody. He cared about me and that was more than Mike had ever done. So when he pulled away from me I stood up on my tip toes and kissed him softly. I pulled back and looked into his eyes, he grinned.
"I missed you too." I told him. He grabbed my wrist and led me to the balcony and pulled me close with the cold winter air whirling around us. He pulled back and looked at me, taking his hand and holding my cheek.
"August…"
"Yes?"
"I just missed hearing your voice." He smiled again and pressed his lips back to mine, pulling me closer to him as it began to snow gently, the flakes landing in our hair as we just held each other on the balcony. Cody pulled back and looked at me, his face serious. "August, there is one thing I have to know."
"What is it Cody?"
"When you were in the hospital with Mike, when he asked you if you loved me, why didn't you answer?" I felt my heart drop.
"Can we not talk about it right now?" The wind picked up and started to whip my hair back and forth as Cody looked like he was starting to get angry.
"Why can't we talk about it now?"
"Because I just, I just want to be with you right now! I don't want to think about Mike, I just want to be with you!" I pressed my face into his chest and felt as my eyes got warm. Cody gently pulled my head back and looked into my eyes.
"Why didn't you answer him?"
I couldn't do this, I couldn't tell Cody the truth, it would break his heart. I couldn't tell him that I was going to choose Mike before he betrayed me, that I thought I may even be in love with him, it would kill Cody.
"Because I was confused, I still am." I said. I reached out to Cody but he stepped back. "Cody please, you have to understand, I didn't know what to do, and I was so scared and you weren't even speaking to me, and then Mike told me he loved me and I didn't know what to do!" Cody had a blank look on his face. I felt tears stream down my face. "Cody please." His eyes snapped back to mine and he let out a long sigh.
"I'm going to need some time to think about it." He said finally. "This is a lot to take in." He looked deep into my eyes.
"How will I-" I started.
"You'll know when I've made my choice."

::Mike::
I couldn't believe this was happening. This had to be a bad dream. I felt like I was going to be sick. August didn't love me, she was going to choose me and Layla and Michelle made sure that didn't happen. I knew only one person could explain to me what was going on.
Alex.
As I strode back into the hotel with tunnel vision set on that son of a bitch. I threw open the door to our room. "RILEY!" I hollered. He was nowhere to be found. That little bitch had taken off with his tail between his legs. I walked over to his suitcase. It was still packed, so where was that little creep? He had to come back eventually, so I just sat in a chair facing the door.
As I was waiting for Alex I thought about August with Cody. He was probably fucking her right now, a little welcome back present. I thought about all the dreams I'd had of them together, they always seemed so happy. Maybe August would be happier without me, I mean, look at all the pain I'd already put her through. Then again, Cody didn't talk to her for months, so we were probably on equal ground. I thought about the way her heart had shattered when she told me I didn't mean that I loved her. That had absolutely killed me.
After what seemed like an eternity of reliving the Hell that was my life, Alex walked in the door. He saw my face and looked like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. "Mike-" I lunged at him, grabbing him by his shirt collar and slamming him into the door.
"If you don't tell me what the fuck happened today, I will rip you eyes out, right now Alex."
"Mike, what happened today was just, bad luck. I didn't know what was going to happen." Alex realized he'd just shot himself in the foot.
"So you knew something was going to happen? How could you hurt August like that? She's your only friend you shallow, slimy son of a bitch! She saved your worthless life and that's how you pay her back; by teaming up with those weasels?" Alex was totally calm.
"Mike, if you'll let me explain, Michelle and Layla said that it would make sure August didn't end up with you, ever again." The look in Alex's eyes made me shudder.
"What?"
"You don't realize what you do to women Mike. You treat them like a toy or something! August has feelings. She's a beautiful, magnificent person and you don't deserve to get your filthy hands anywhere near her." Alex growled.
"I can't believe you." Then it clicked. "You love her." Alex's eyes stayed the same, narrowed into furious slits.
"Maybe I do Mike, but maybe just by your standards. To you love doesn't mean anything. It's just a word you use to get women to sleep with you."
"Take that back you son of a bitch!" I snarled. Alex stood his ground, I'd never seen him like this before and I didn't like it.
"I just tell the truth. I'm protecting August because unlike you, I actually do care about her. I don't want to just sleep with her and then treat her like she never existed! I'm not like you Mike, and I never will be."
I wasn't hearing this. Alex was the closest thing I had to a friend. But, was he right? Was it just the chase of August that I loved after all, and not actually her? But I thought about our kiss, I had wanted her, I had wanted August, all her emotions, baggage, future, past, I wanted her completely, not just her body. I wanted her brilliant mind and her quirky humor.
I loved her.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Alex barked.
"You're wrong. That's what I have to say. I love her." Alex started laughing.
"You are a twisted little bitch, do you know that? The only person you love is yourself."
"And you're so much better, trying to win August by ripping her heart to shreds, she wants to be with me, not you, and no matter what sick little plans you come up with that will never change." Alex just shook his head.
"Even if it kills me Mike, I'm going to keep her out of your greedy little hands." I smirked at Alex.
"Do your worst."

-CODY-
I sat in my hotel room with my head in my hands. I'd been sitting here for hours now. I couldn't take it anymore. I loved August, but I didn't want to have to share her heart with Mike. If she was going to be mine, I wanted all of her. But what could I do to make sure she wanted me, and just me? No Mike, no anybody else.
Just us?
I racked my brain trying to think of something. I took in a deep breath. I couldn't take this, I already missed her. I just got her back and I was already trying to push her away again. Whatever she needed to do to forget Mike, I would support her through it. I stood up and opened my door, walking nervously to the elevator and going up to the sixth floor, where August's room was. I took another deep breath, my hand shaking as I knocked on the door. I paced as I waited to hear her. I had to talk to August. I took in a deep breath and knocked on her door again. There were a few moments of silence and I was considering either bolting or knocking for a third time when I could hear her footsteps. I swallowed my fear as I heard her grab the handle and she opened the door. I felt my like my stomach was on fire as she opened the door in a short white silk robe that barely made it halfway down her thighs. She saw it was me and her face turned bright red. "What are you doing here?" She asked, worry in her eyes. "What if-" I couldn't hold myself back anymore and lunged at her, sweeping her off her feet and shutting the door behind me as I stumbled over to the wall. My lips never left hers as I guided us over to a side table and set her down, keeping her legs wrapped around me and I slipped off her disheveled robe. I took in a sharp breath. Under that she had a small little black nightgown that did a terrible job of covering her pink underwear since it was so short. It was black with white lace on the edges. I started to reach for the straps when she grabbed my wrist. "We shouldn't…" I kissed her neck and she stopped talking. I picked her back up and threw her onto the bed, ripping off my shirt and unbuckling my pants. I kissed her again as I laid down. She pulled her head back and I looked into her eyes.
"What's wrong?" I knew August hadn't wanted us to sleep together, but I couldn't hold myself back anymore. August looked up at me and I saw tears in her eyes.
"I'm scared." She whispered.
"Of what?" I suddenly realized she meant she'd never done this before. I gave her a reassuring kiss and then she was mine. She didn't quite know what to do, but I gently guided her as I slipped off her nightgown and my heart began to race. Her face was bright red and she just held me tightly to her. When we became one she let out a small whimper of pain, but when I asked if she wanted me to stop she just shook her head, sending tears flying every direction. It was just us and nothing else existed in the world, and it was absolutely incredible. When we were done she was crying, but smiling. "August…" I whispered, hearing the panic in my voice as I was about to say those three words again.
"Yes?"
"I, I love you." Her eyes were huge, but then she gently kissed me.
"I… I love you too Cody." I felt my heart leap in my chest. She loved me, she really did love me! I pressed my lips back to hers and hugged her. She buried her face in my chest and I could feel tears, I looked down at her.
"What's wrong?" She shook her head.
"Nothing, I just…" She wiped at her eyes. I sat up and held her face in my hand.
"Please August, talk to me."
"I just feel guilty I guess."
"Why?" I asked, confused.
"I don't know." She admitted, looking into my eyes. "I just do." I hugged her even closer to me.
"You don't have to, because I love you, and I'll never leave you August." She wrapped her arms back around me.
"I, I love you too Cody." She said, more to herself than to me. But I wasn't going to let anything ruin this moment, so I pressed my lips back to hers and rolled over and we spent the rest of the night in each other's arms,
And it was perfect.