Day Nine
"Bailey," I said to her after finding her on the Sun Deck early that morning "come on will you just talk to me." Part of me was wondering what she was doing out here so early; the sun was still rising. It was beautiful really. The sky bleached bright orange and pink, the faint calls of seagulls and the gentle sound of the waves lapping against the side of the ship.
"Come on Bailey," I said, approaching her "just talk to me. Please?" She didn't even turn around to look at me. I couldn't understand what I had done to offend her so badly yesterday.
"Will you at least just tell me what I did wrong?" I asked quietly "Please Bailey? I can't stand you being mad at me." Still no reply. I'm used to women acting strangely due to living with my mom for 15 years, but this was pushing the limits of female irrationality. I decided to take a guess.
"Was it because I answered the question right in class yesterday?" I asked. I doubted it would be, but that was the only theory I could possibly think of.
"Yes," I heard Bailey say quietly. I couldn't believe it. She was this mad about me answering a question right that she got wrong.
"You're mad because I answered a question you got wrong?" I asked, genuinely confused by her.
"Well not just that!" she exclaimed, turning to face me at last.
"Then what is it?" I asked softly "you know you can talk to me."
"It's just that…" Bailey started, but then stopped.
"It's just that what?" I asked.
"I'm used to being the smart one!" Bailey blurted out, catching me well and truly off guard.
"What do you mean?" I asked. I just needed a bit more information to get my head around this.
"Back in Kettlecorn," Bailey explained "I was the smartest person in the town. Then again I guess you can't expect much from a town with a goose as the mayor. I was used to being the smartest person around. Sure it could be burden, with everyone coming to you with problems because they'd heard of your 'fancy book learning', but I liked being respected because of that, you know?"
"Yeah, I know," I said. I was now stood next to Bailey, both of us leaning on the railing, gazing out at the sunset.
"But then I decided to enrol here," Bailey continued "and, I don't know why, but I thought that even in a totally new place, I'd still be the smartest. I had gotten used to being the smartest person around, and I sort of liked it, so…"
"So when I answered the question you got wrong you realised you weren't the smartest any more and you'd become so used to being the smartest person around, so…"
"So I reacted badly," Bailey confirmed "and I'm really sorry by the way. I know it isn't your fault, but I just felt so one-upped, and I guess I took it out on you. That was unfair of me Cody. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it Bailey," I said "I understand."
"No you don't!"
"Not entirely," I admitted "but I'm in sort of a similar situation."
"Really?"
"Yeah," I said "back in Boston I was the smartest kid in any school I went to. I was the clear runner for being my old school's valedictorian by a large gap. I wasn't used to really being challenged academically. The closest I had to a challenge was when Zack was better than me in woodshop. Then I decided to enrol here, to possibly get away from the normal pressures of school. I had the idea that there would be less pressure in this place. But then I met you."
"Me?"
"Yeah," I explained "Like I said, I wasn't used to any academic challengers, except perhaps Barbara. But then I found out about you and how smart you were, and instantly I had a challenger. I thought having a challenge in school would be good, but it's just put more pressure on me to be better, and I was already pretty much full to bursting with pressure, so I just tried my hardest to be better than you. Call it an ego thing."
"I guess we're just two pieces of corn in a cob," Bailey said and I couldn't help but chuckle at how cute that was.
"I guess we are," I said.
"Cody," she said "I really want to be friends with you, so please can you forgive me for acting out yesterday?"
"Of course," I said "I could never stay mad at you anyway."
"Thanks," Bailey said with a smile "and I'll try not to put too much pressure on you by being smart."
"No, that'd be wrong," I said "you're really smart Bailey. And there's no reason why I or anybody else should get in the way of your talent. I'll just find some other way to deal with the pressure. I wouldn't want to stop your education just because of my own selfish reasons."
"Aww thanks Cody," Bailey said "you know, you're a really great guy."
"Thanks," I said, blushing slightly against my own will "you're a great girl."
"Thank you," she said, blushing slightly too "someday you're going to make some girl a great boyfriend." Some girl? I wanted it to be her, not just 'some girl'.
"And I know any guy would be lucky to have you as his girlfriend," I said, desperately wishing that that 'any guy' would be me.
"So, friends?" she asked.
"Okay, friends," I replied, holding out my hand for a handshake. I had thought a hug would be a bit too far. Apparently Bailey didn't think so and quickly pulled me into a tight embrace. A warm happiness filled my whole body as we stood there in each other's arms, but all too soon she pulled away, leaving me sad and disappointed, but I wasn't going to show it and put on a friendly smile.
"You know you're a really nice guy to talk to Cody," Bailey said.
"You too," I said and we shared a genuine smile.
"Come on, let's go get breakfast," she said "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." I laughed a bit and we headed off to get ourselves some breakfast.
- - - - - Later - - - - -
"So what were you guys doing up on the deck alone with morning?" asked London with a sly smirk. My blood ran cold as I looked over at her. When had she been there?
"Nothing," I said, perhaps a little too quickly "I mean, we were just talking."
"And hugging?" London asked, smirking for ear to ear.
"We hugged once," said Bailey "no big deal." It was to me.
"Besides when were you there?" I asked.
"I'm everywhere," London said, trying to sound mysterious "and nowhere."
"Also known as?"
"I was upstairs and saw you hugging down below," London admitted "so what'd you talk about?"
"Nothing much," said Bailey "I just told him about my life back in Kettlecorn."
"Why did you tell him instead of me?" London threw me a dirty look as she asked.
"Because you turn everything I say into fashion advice," Bailey said "and I wasn't in the mood to be told my dress looks like old curtains."
"I understand," said London, then leaned in to whisper to me "that dress does look like curtains."
"I can hear you!" Bailey said.
"So?" asked London "better you hear the truth now. You can thank me later."
"London, do you have any idea how –"
"I'm bored, bye." London declared and just walked off. I could tell Bailey was close to exploding with anger, so I put a hand on her shoulder.
"Bailey," I said "calm down."
"But she's so…so…"
"…so London," I finished "that's just what she does. You'll get used to it in time."
"Hopefully it'll be soon," said Bailey "she's just so annoying."
"I know," I said "I've known her for 3 years. And with London, you know all there is to know about her within a few weeks. She isn't exactly the most complicated person in the world."
"Not complicated?" said Zack as he joined us with a smoothie "she's two marbles in a tin can." Bailey burst out laughing.
"Sorry, that's a horrible thing to laugh at," she said, looking guilty "I'm sorry."
"Don't feel sorry," said Zack.
"But I shouldn't have laughed at her expense," Bailey said.
"Don't worry about it," I said "everyone laughs at her expense."
"Yeah," said Zack "but I need to borrow Cody now."
"Okay," Bailey said "see you later Cody."
"Bye," I said as Zack led me away from her.
"Dude, why aren't you ready yet?" asked Zack.
"Ready for what?" I asked.
"The double date with Sarah and Michelle," Zack said "we've gotta meet them in half an hour!" Oh crap! How could I have forgotten? I had just gotten so into talking with Bailey I'd totally forgotten the date.
"Damn!" I said "I totally forgot. I'll go get ready. Be back soon." I rushed off to my room to get myself ready for the date. I took a quick shower, then got dressed in black skinny jeans, a black T-shirt and a red silk shirt over the top, sprayed on some cologne and headed out the door.
- - - - - Later - - - - -
"So then Tippy knocked Cody over right into it," Zack said loudly, laughing at his own story. Sarah and Michelle both laughed and I had to pretend to find it funny, even though my idea of a good first date isn't having them regaled with tales of how I once got knocked over into a pile of horse crap.
"Do you guys always get into those sort of situations?" asked Michelle. I wanted to tell her that we don't, but that would have just been a lie.
"Yeah, pretty much," I said "to be fair they're mostly Zack's fault, I just get caught up in them."
"Guilty as charged," said Zack.
"You're such a bad boy Zack," said Sarah with a smile.
"You have no idea," Zack said, his smile matching hers. God give me strength! Not only was there no connection between me and Michelle at all because she seemed more interested in Zack, but now I had to put up with Zack laying the flirting on thicker than usual with Sarah. Great, I thought, why can't I just die now?
"Excuse us for a moment ladies," I said. They agreed but Zack protested so I grabbed him and yanked him away from the girls.
"What?" he asked, clearly annoyed. I had no sympathy at all.
"I'm getting out of here," I told him "this is pointless. Michelle's more interested in you than me, so there's no point in me being here."
"Dude you can't just suddenly leave," Zack said.
"I don't care," I said "so far you've embarrassed me about 10 times with stories from the past where I end up getting the short end of the stick, and my date seems to like you more than me."
"So?"
"So," I said "I'm out!" With that I turned and went back to my room. I didn't care about Zack's date, or about what he'd tell the girls about me leaving.
I got back to the room and just tried to get to sleep. I'd not stopped thinking all day. Thinking about Bailey, thinking about me and Bailey, thinking about Zack, thinking about the date. I needed a rest. But it wasn't to be. Not yet anyway. A knock on the door.
"Cody?" asked Bailey from the other side of the door.
"Come in," I said "the door's open." The door swung open and in came Bailey.
"Hey," she said "you're not on your date?"
"No," I said "it wasn't working out. And Michelle liked Zack more than me."
"I find that hard to believe," I heard Bailey mutter.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I mean," she said "Zack can be charming and all, but at the end of the day he's a typical guy. But you? You're a really nice guy. You're sweet and you're sensitive. Zack may get more girls temporarily, but any girl, when given the choice, would choose you for a proper relationship."
"Thanks Bailey," I said "you always know just what to say."
"It's a gift," she said "but it's late, you must need your sleep. So I'll go now. See you in the morning."
"Bye," I said as she left. My mind was going a mile-a-minute. Bailey had just told me I'd be great for a relationship. That any girl would choose me. And she's a girl. So she might choose me.
And I went to sleep with that thought in my mind.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Author Note - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sort of an odd chapter, but mostly just to get some deeper Cody/Bailey interaction going on, as well as another chance for Zack to be Zack. And London to be London.