"Cody," Nate sighed, "if it's bugging you so much, just go talk to Squib." The two were sitting, as per usual, in Bates' office, this time going through a box of books Bates had discovered in storage.
"No," Cody said as she pulled another dusty tome, "No way. Keep this one, it's not in our library," she handed him a ragged paperback.
"Macbeth? Our library doesn't have Macbeth?"
"We go to a tennis academy."
Nate nodded, placing the book aside, "True. Now, where were we…?"
"I'm not talking to Squib."
"Look, this is probably the closest I'm ever going to come to defending Squib, and, believe me, it's gonna hurt me more than you. And, I would like it noted that I'm not doing this because I feel any sort of sympathy towards the guy, but because I don't like to see you mope around," Nate began.
"Noted," Cody rolled her eyes.
"Good," he spoke again. Nate took a deep breath and, with a rather pained expression, continued, "Whatever Squib said to you, he probably didn't mean it. I mean, he's been losing matches or whatever, and the guy's kind of a walking mood swing as it is, without all the extra pressure. By now he's probably realized he was a jerk. I mean, did he even tell you why he was mad at you?"
"No," Cody said quickly, suddenly fascinated with the Nancy Drew mystery before her. Nate snatched it out of her hands, promptly discarding it in the 'ditch' pile.
"Cody," he prodded, "don't bother lying to me. I can read you like a book," he grabbed a copy of The Borrowers, holding it up for emphasis.
"He said he was mad because he saw us…canoodling," Cody looked down, embarrassedly. Nate was quiet for a moment before speaking, a pensive look on his face.
"…He said canoodling?"
"So not the point here!"
"I'm sorry, it's just…canoodling? Who says that? Who?"
"Nate!"
"Fine, fine, so, he saw us-,"
"Don't even!"
"…Talking," Nate continued, "The guy's obviously jealous, because he's madly in love with you, as I've pointed out numerous times. And, as much as I loathe the thought of sending you running into his arms…" Nate sighed dramatically.
Giggling and rolling her eyes, Cody urged him on, "Yes?"
He sighed, finally wearing a serious, almost disappointed expression, "We both know he's not going to come to you."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Adena," Tanis sighed, frustrated, "we've been going over this for three days! I. Am. Fine."
"Okay! It's just, I mean, you got…dumped," Adena winced at the word.
"Yeah, and it sucked. But now I'm good."
"Okay," Adena sighed resignedly, "If you're sure…"
"I am."
"Well, what made you perk up so fast? Did Cameron say something?"
Tanis shrugged, focusing on her plate, "No, not particularly…" she cast what she thought was a subtle glance over to the tall boy two tables away. Apparently not subtle enough.
"Oh my God!" Adena whispered harshly, "You like Cameron! You said you didn't! You lied!"
"Shut up!" Tanis whispered back, "I do not like Cameron! And you said you didn't either! So what would it matter if I did? Which I don't!"
"Nothing!" Adena said quickly. "I don't! I just don't appreciate being lied to!"
"Well, I don't like Cameron, so I didn't lie."
"Well, I don't like Cameron, so I didn't lie."
"Good."
"Great."
"Fine."
"Perfect."
"I have practice."
"I have homework."
"See you later."
"Have fun."
"Squib?" Cody approached him hesitantly. She had finally found him at the backcourt, characteristically practicing against the wall.
"Yeah?" He didn't look away. From his labored breathing, she guessed he had been out for a while.
"Can we…talk?"
"Sure," he breathed. After a few more swings, he moved to where she was sitting on the bleachers and returned his racquet to his bag, not looking at her.
"Look, about…what happened. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that…"
After a moment of silence, Squib sighed and spoke, "No, I mean, you were right. I was being a jerk."
"I don't want to fight about this anymore, Squib," Cody moved to sit next to him.
"I know…it's just…"
"You need to learn that just because I care about Nate, doesn't mean I've suddenly stopped caring about you. That's never going to happen."
Squib nodded and tossed her a little smile. After a moment, Cody continued.
"…This is where you say 'I'll always care about you, too, Cody!'"
Squib laughed, "Sorry. I'll always care about you, too, Cody. And, I'm sorry about all this…drama," he chuckled.
She nodded and smiled, "It happens."
"Okay," he grinned, wider this time, and pulled her in for an awkward sort of half hug.
"Good," she smiled after they had separated. "I'm going to go in for lunch. Coming?"
He nodded, "Just let me grab my stuff." He quickly packed up, and the two headed inside together.
"…And then she's all 'Oh, I so don't like Cameron!' But she so does! What a little liar! I mean, she lied right to my face! Why can't she just admit it? It's sad, really. It's not like she's even got a chance- she's so not his type! Can't she see that? He would never go for a girl like her!" Tanis took a deep breath and turned to the person sitting on the floor in front of her. "So, what do you think?"
"…Why are you talking to me?" Nate finally asked.
Tanis sighed, "Well, I obviously can't talk to Adena or Cameron about this, and there's no way I'd talk to Squib about it. And when I couldn't find Cody, I came in here to look for her. Where she obviously isn't. But you'll do. So," she repeated, "What do you think?"
"I think," Nate sighed, pulling himself up off the office floor, "that this school has far too much boy drama."
"Come on! Seriously! I need an outsider's opinion on this!"
"Seriously?" Tanis nodded, so he continued, "It's obvious you like Cameron. And you're jealous because Adena likes Cameron."
"…What? Have you not been listening? I don't like Cameron, but she does! And I'm not jealous!"
"If you're not jealous, then why are you standing in Bates' office, talking to someone you barely know?"
"…Okay, so, let's just say I did like Cameron, hypothetically, of course, what should I do?"
Nate sighed, "I don't know…Why don't you go find one of your girlfriends?"
"Come on!" Tanis sighed angrily.
"Okay, okay! Fine, uh…okay, chick advice…"
"Well, you and Cody talk all the time," Tanis pointed out, trying to be helpful, "What would you tell her?"
"Cody's never come to me complaining that she hypothetically likes a boy her best friend actually likes and isn't jealous," Nate told her.
"Well, fine then. What would she say? You spend a lot of time with her; channel your inner Cody."
"My inner Cody…okay…" Nate sighed to himself. "Uh…tell him how you feel? Be honest? Yeah, that sounds like Cody."
"You're right! I need to talk to him! Thanks…"
He sighed, "Nate."
"Nate! Right! I knew that! Thanks!" Tanis ran out of the room.
"So, what do you think?" Adena asked.
"Uh, Adena?" Cody said, "Why are we in a closet?"
"Because I don't want Tanis to find us! Besides, haven't you ever dreamed about being in a closet with a boy?"
"…Okay, one, you're a girl, and two, no."
"Not even Nate?"
"I thought we were talking about your problems," Cody quickly pointed out.
"You're right! We are! So, tell me what you think!"
"You like Cameron."
"… Cody! No!"
"Adena, it's obvious," Cody sighed, "and you're totally jealous of Tanis! Just admit it!"
"Whatever," Adena flipped her hair, "let's just say I was jealous, because I did like him. What should I do?"
"Tell him," Cody said immediately.
Adena sighed angrily, "I knew you were going to say that!"
"Then why did you ask me?"
"Because, you're all, like, wise, and stuff…"
"Huh. Whatever. Look, you have to be honest with him. Soon."
"Fine, fine, I'll tell him just as soon as we get out of here," Adena moved to open the door, "Uh oh…"
"What?"
"Okay, Cody, you need to stay calm…and not, like, violent…"
"Adena!"
"Thanks for letting us out, Nate," Cody smiled at him as the two ate dinner together later that night.
"No problem," he chuckled, "what were you two doing in there, exactly?"
Cody rolled her eyes, "Discussing her boy drama."
"Hey, that reminds me," Nate said, "Can you ask your friends not to come to me for love advice anymore? It's unsettling."
Cody burst out laughing, "Who asked you for advice?"
"Tanis. She was all worked up about Cameron. Told me to channel my inner Cody."
"Oh? And what did you tell her?"
"To go talk to him. Be honest, and all that junk."
Cody laughed, "Well, you're inner Cody is very in tune. That's what I told Adena."
Nate laughed, before suddenly coming to a realization, "Wait, Cody, if I told Tanis to go talk to Cameron, and you told Adena to go talk to Cameron, then…"
"Uh oh…"
"Hey, Cameron, I was wondering if we could-," Adena froze as she opened the door. Both Cameron, who was standing up, and Tanis, who was sitting on the bed before him, whipped their heads around to look at him.
"Adena? What are you doing here?" Tanis asked.
"Tanis? What are you doing here?"
PrincessOats42- Lol, thank you! I like that logic! Cookies for you!
Nova-Janna- Added Nat's canoodling line just for you!
You know one thing that makes all shippers happy? Reviews!