Trading Heartbeats
Chapter 8 - Home
Daybreak broke into Amelia's suite lazily. As the sun crept in through the glass of the veranda door, Amelia flinched as the light had caught her eyes. Gently rubbing her eyes, she looked up at Cody who had still been sleeping. She smiled to herself admiring how perfect he seemed. Sliding herself out from Cody's grasp, she pulled down the blinds over the veranda door shutting out any light that had wanted to penetrate the room any further.
Carefully stepping around Cody, she made her way into the suite's kitchen and peered into the refrigerator. "Right, no food," she murmured to herself closing the refrigerator door and seating herself on the barstool. She placed a hand over her stomach as it growled. "Shh," she unconsciously spoke to it as she yawned. Finally realizing that she needed food and fast, she rose up out of the barstool and proceeded into the bedroom.
Once there, she quickly showered and changed into dark blue jeans, a black tank top accompanied by a short blue jeans jacket, as well as black gladiator sandals. Unwilling and downright lazy to deal with her hair, she merely scooped it up and held it back in a loose ponytail. Grabbing her purse, she proceeded towards the door until a voice had stopped her. "Where are we going," spoke a man. Amelia turned around her green eyes fixing themselves on Cody who'd been propping himself up on his elbows.
"To the restaurant," she admitted as she made her way over to him. As he lifted himself up off the ground, Cody stood in front of her.
"Do you mind if I accompany you," he asked as he rubbed his eyes sleepily. Amelia chuckled.
"Let's go," she invited as they both headed off to the hotel's restaurant. As they made their way there, they noticed a considerable amount of people already dining at their tables. Glancing at the clock that hung directly above the buffet table, Amelia had realized that it was now 10:05 am. Cody placed his arm around Amelia's waist as he escorted her to a free table toward the back of the restaurant. As they passed occupied tables, Amelia could hear them murmuring not about the food or service of the restaurant - not even about the customers or guests - but about Cody and herself.
"Mom, that's Cody Rhodes," a little boy whispered to his mother. The lady shushed the little boy as she glanced over her shoulder at Amelia and Cody making their way to their table.
"Hold on, wasn't he dating a girl from the roster," a girl from a group of teenagers who sat right behind the mother and son had chimed in. Amelia's cheeks blushed a vague shade of red.
"What ever did she do with her hair," another teenager from the same group teased. The many stares and whispers had made her antsy for reasons, she, herself, had not known. Finally, and to Amelia's great relief, Cody had pulled out a chair for her at the table. Amelia sat herself down and Cody sat opposite.
"Would you like for me to get the food," Cody asked politely and quietly. Amelia glanced back over her shoulder at the many still staring at both of them. Cody quickly took hold of her hands. "Hey," he whispered softly. Amelia looked over at him. Apparently, the anxiousness had become visible on Amelia's face as Cody rubbed the back of her hands soothingly. "Don't worry about them," Cody continued in his hushed tone.
"I don't know why it's bothering me; the whispering and the staring just," Amelia tried to explain before a shudder came over her. Cody sensing her discomfort picked up both her hands and brought his lips to them kissing them sweetly.
"We don't have to stay here," he finally whispered. Amelia looked up at him. "Let's pack up and leave, and then we can order something from somewhere else," he stated with a slight smile. Amelia merely nodded - her mind set adrift induced by the murmurs. Cody gave her hands a confident squeeze as both of them rose up from the table and strolled back to her hotel suite. "Are you ok," Cody asked as Amelia seated herself on the bed with her suitcase laid open beside her.
She looked up at him, "Hm? Oh, yeah." In all truth, she hadn't been alright. She didn't know what came over her in the restaurant downstairs, and most of all, she'd felt ultimately embarrassed at the fact that Cody had seen her like that. She slowly packed up everything she had placed in the hotel's drawers.
"Amelia," Cody spoke her name. Amelia looked back at him for one second then resumed her packing. "Amelia, look at me," he spoke once again. She ignored him all the same. Her cheeks were flushing red as she mentally replayed the incident in the restaurant. How she must've seemed to him, she thought. She couldn't face him now, not right now. She needed time to wallow in her embarrassment so as to forget it, or attempt to, later on. Cody, however, was persistent; His arms wrapped themselves around her from behind taking both her hands and holding them in his. "Amelia," he whispered once again. She turned her head slightly in his direction. "It's ok, you know," he stated comfortingly.
"No, it really isn't," she admitted. "I should've never … I don't know what came over me, and I apologize if I looked like a … a freak. I just," she paused, her mind placing itself in a tizzy as she tried to explain. "I don't know," she finally relayed. Cody turned her around so that she faced him. She placed her hands on his chest as his hands relocated themselves to her back. Looking up into his mesmerizing blue/green eyes, all worry seemed to melt away.
"You're the most wonderful thing that I've ever laid my eyes on. I love all your quirks and your clumsiness," he spoke softly. "You didn't look like a freak back there; you looked exceptionally normal," he whispered. Then corners of Amelia's lips pulled themselves into a bit of a smile. "Everything about you is … absolutely brilliant," he spoke once more. "And -"
"And you are probably one of the sweetest, most amazing men on this earth," Amelia hastily spoke. Cody's smile appeared softer.
"It's not a matter of being sweet for me. I'm simply telling you what I truly feel," he paused before continuing, "but enough with that; let's get going," Cody stated as he kissed her forehead before releasing her from his grip. Amelia nodded with a smile as she quickly locked and closed her suitcase heaving it off the bed. As Cody and Amelia quickly checked out of the hotel and loaded the suitcase into the cab that they'd hailed, the two set off down the road.
"Will you tell me where we're going," Amelia whispered to Cody in the cab as he had his arm around her. Expecting he'd say 'no', Amelia looked out the window already preparing her mind to wander.
To her surprise, Cody answered, "Yes, in fact, we're going over to the hotel that I'm staying at." Amelia looked back up at Cody; her heart had sunk a little bit. She had expected something maybe a bit more … adventurous; nevertheless, she was with Cody, and that was all that mattered. After arriving at the hotel, Cody paid the cab driver and carried Amelia's suitcase up to his suite. Amelia sat on the couch looking at the T.V. not taking in a bit that had been moving on it. Cody had been in the kitchen, on the phone, and was ordering two chicken cutlet sandwiches for lunch.
Amelia smiled as she listened to his voice. She'd never truly recognized how much she had adored his speech. Glancing out at the window that had been set directly beside the couch, she felt relaxed. Almost as if, just the aloneness with Cody had brought her a little piece of serenity. Whatever it was, she was sure that every ounce of worry had disappeared.
It had been noon by the time Khaila and Punk had woken up. Khaila quickly scrambled into Punk's shirt that had been under hers and rose up from the sofa. Being the petite girl she was, the shirt covered everything that needed to be. She looked back at the sleeping creature that now lay sprawled on the couch. With her cheeks flushing a light shade of pink, she hurried into the kitchen peering into the refrigerator. There had been two loaves of bread, two packs of bagels and a small container of cream cheese.
Taking out half a bagel from the pack and the container of cream cheese, Khaila quickly toasted the it and smeared the cream cheese on. Just as she was about to turn around to put back everything she'd taken out, she bumped into something. "Hungry," his voice asked groggily. Khaila nodded looking up at a now half-clothed Punk. He smiled and planted a kiss on her cheek as he moved out of her way and made himself a cream cheesed bagel. Khaila had now found her way to the couch sitting cross-legged and flicking through the channels in search for some cartoons.
Punk, after taking a bite out of his bagel, marched off into the bedroom. "Khaila," Punk called from the bedroom. Flicking off the T.V. and setting the bagel down on the small table beside the couch. She rose to her feet and entered into the bedroom. "Yes," she asked. Punk's suitcase had all been packed as if he were about to leave to somewhere. "Wh-Where are you going," Khaila asked unsurely as she stepped closer to the suitcase.
"You mean, where are we going," he corrected Khaila as he pulled on his Captain America t-shirt. Khaila raised an eyebrow. Going, she thought, but I've only just got here. Punk smiled and then clarified, "For now, we're not going anywhere, not anywhere serious, but we will. Later tonight, perhaps, I'll take you to a little house that a friend had been willing to rent to me." Khaila's brow furrowed even more. A house now?
"Punk, what," she asked confused, "we're going to a house? Why aren't we just going to stay here?" Punk smirked and approached her.
"It would be nice having more nights like, well, last night's without the whole floor listening in," he told her in a hushed tone. "It would especially be useful for someone with lungs like yours," he ended with a wink as he lugged his suitcase behind him. A smirk played on Khaila's lips as her cheeks blushed a bright red. Picking up her clothes from off of the living room floor, she quickly through it on and folded Punk's shirt - handing it back to him. Punk shook his head. "You keep it," he encouraged once checking that everything that needed to be packed had been.
Khaila smiled and held the shirt in her arms. As the two trudged down the hall way, a door had swung open nearly knocking both Punk and his suitcase backwards. Out from behind the door, a red headed and green eyed girl stepped out. "I'm so sorry," she apologized hastily before her eyes had caught sight of Khaila. "What're you -" she stopped mid-sentence only feeling Punk glare at her for holding them up.
"Amelia, are you - What're you doing here," another person had appeared from out of the room - it had been none other than Cody Runnels. Punk cleared his throat distinctly.
"I don't think that's any of your business, frankly. If you don't mind, we're kind of going somewhere," Punk stated holding onto Khaila's hand and placing her before him. Cody raised one eyebrow and nodded unwilling to start something over a mere sentence.
"Well, by all means, carry on," Cody wished in a serious manner
"I intend to," Punk retorted just as seriously. Amelia and Khaila merely exchanged uneasy looks before being pulled off in opposite directions by their men. As Amelia had glanced back over her shoulder, she'd locked eyes with Punk for only an awkward second. Immediately turning around after that, the two couples proceeded down to different ends of the hallways.
Thoughts of why Khaila had been there dizzied Amelia as she continued to be pulled down to the end of the hallway. "Cody, where are we going," Amelia asked unsurely. All she could see were doors and doors leading to suites and more suites. Suddenly, Cody had come to a stop right outside a room. Amelia looked for the room number on this suite, but no plaque could be found. "Cody, where -" she paused as an elderly-looking man stepped out from behind the door.
Amelia's eyes widened as she had immediately recognized exactly who it had been. "Dustin," Cody spoke, "I, um, remember when I'd asked you if it'd be alright if you could possibly, well …"
"Get to the point, kid," Dustin Runnels had finally spoken, "You're here about your equipment, yes?" Cody nodded once and Dustin disappeared into the room once more. In an instant, he'd reappeared and handed Cody a duffel bag probably filled with his wrestling gear and boots. Cody gave a slight yet courteous nod at Dustin before walking briskly down the hallway with me once more.
"Cody, that was …" Amelia began absolutely awed by the man she'd just seen.
"My half-brother, yes," Cody answered a bit of impatience in his voice. Realizing this, Amelia didn't bother to touch on the subject again. The two had re-entered Cody's suite. "I'll go change," he announced as he grabbed up his duffel bag and slid into the bedroom. Amelia lounged herself outside on the couch looking around the warm and comfortable hotel suite. Suddenly, something had buzzed in her pocket. Fishing in her pockets, she finally pulled out the source of the buzzing - her cell phone.
As she quickly answered it, there came a voice on the other line, "Amelia?" Amelia held the phone closer to her ear she was unable to hear the person on the other line clearly. There'd been a lot of chattering and music behind them.
"Yes," she asked unsurely.
"It's Brit," Brittany's voice piped up trying to overcome the noise around her. She continued, "Listen. I don't think I'll be coming to Smackdown tonight with you. Justin won't be on till' tomorrow, so there's really not much sense in me going tonight. Plus, he claims he has something special for us." She managed to whisper the last part quite clearly. Amelia chuckled a bit.
"Okay, Brit; well, you two have fun," Amelia wished. Brittany thanked her and the two hung up their phones. Just then, the door to the bedroom had swung open and out came a sweatpants wearing Cody Runnels. Amelia smiled. "I suppose your wrestling gear is under all of that," she asked as she got to her feet. Cody chuckled.
"Your supposition would be correct," Cody replied as he'd taken the nose-guard that he'd 'needed' and stuffed it in his duffel bag once more. Amelia smiled.
"Brittany cancelled; apparently, both she and Justin are going somewhere special tonight," Amelia relayed as she gathered up her phone and stuffed it inside her pocket once more. Cody nodded as he rounded up everything that he'd needed. To her surprise, Cody had also reached for his suitcase. "You're going somewhere," Amelia asked in reference to the suitcase he'd lugged out of the room.
"Remember when I'd told you about that place I would take you," he asked. Amelia in turn grabbed her suitcase and lugged it behind her out of the suite. She nodded in response to his question even though she'd thought that this was 'the place'. "We're going there," Cody added, "tonight." Amelia smiled as she watched Cody proceed down the hall in front of her. As the two checked out of Cody's hotel, they'd loaded their luggage into the trunk of his car and moved off in the direction of the Georgia Dome.
In about half an hour they'd arrived there. Amelia and Cody mounted the steps and embraced each other one last time before proceeding off into two different directions. Amelia slowly walked down the seat marked on the ticket. Exceptional choosing, Cody, she thought to herself as she stood against the barricade watching the pyrotechnics explode and listening to the song Know Your Enemy by Green Day be overcome by the screaming and cheering of fans.
Amelia smiled and in time, cheered along with many of her fellow fans. Two or three matches had passed before finally, it was time for Cody's. In this match, it was a title shot - an opportunity for Cody to win the Intercontinental Championship from the current champion, Ezekiel Jackson. Amelia clutched onto the padding of the barricade as she watched Ezekiel Jackson make his way to the ring first; the muscles that the man had were incredible. It was almost as if there muscles stacked on top of muscles. Suddenly, the dragging song played.
Amelia's heart leapt as she watched eagerly for Cody. As the announcer introduced the nose-guarded man who'd pushed away the camera from time to time, Cody stepped into the ring looking very much prepared. "Come on, Cody," Amelia yelled from the crowd. She hadn't known if he'd heard her, but she did see his head shift in her direction for a second. The match proceeded as the bell rang. Cody had gained the upper hand at first, but then Big Zeke, as he was also called, had begun to gain momentum of his own too. Amelia chanted and cheered along with some of her fellow Cody Rhodes fans, until … the bell had rung once more.
"And the winner of this match and still your Intercontinental Champion … Ezekiel Jackson," exclaimed the ring announcer. Amelia saw Cody roll out of the ring and trudge back to the locker room as Big Zeke continued to dwell in the cheers from the fans. Amelia sprinted up the steps of the Dome not bothering to watch the main event. All she wanted to see was Cody. She planned on waiting in the lobby of the arena till the show had been over then move out into the parking lot to meet Cody; however, this plan had just been changed quickly as a fully clothed man with a nose-guard had made his way into the arena lobby as well.
Amelia smiled grandly and embraced him. Cody hugged her back before pulling off the nose-guard and looking at her. "You ready," he asked as a smile had begun to sprawl across his face. Amelia nodded smiling back in return. In little to no time, both had seated themselves in Cody's car and sped off onto the road. Not knowing where she had been going, Amelia looked out the window for any clues. All she saw was a sign that read 'You are now leaving Atlanta'. Whatever Cody had planned, it was definitely not in Atlanta.
In about 40 minutes, they'd finally arrived. Parked in a grand driveway, Cody got out and opened Amelia's door as she too exited the vehicle. Curiously looking around the strange house or driveway they'd been in, she looked towards Cody for a clue or hint or … the answer. Cody smiled and placed an arm around her. His lips pressed themselves against her temple. "Welcome home," he whispered. Home, Amelia subconsciously questioned. Then she'd realized, they were in Marietta, Georgia. Cody's home. She excitedly looked at Cody who seemed to have possessed a smirk.
Amelia had spoken no words as she was lead up a flight of stairs and into a grand bedroom. Amelia's hand had left Cody's as she made her way over to a window where the moonlight had seemed to shine right through. Looking back at Cody, she grinned. "This is perfect," she said breathlessly.
"It's yours," he whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her from behind. His whisper had sent a shiver up and down her spine.
"Mine," she asked just as hushed. She saw Cody's head nod as his lips grazed her jaw bone then her neck.
"Ours," he breathed along her neck. Amelia's lip slipped under her teeth. In a second, Cody had spun her around. Looking intensely into each other's eyes, their lips had succumbed to each other's in an instant. Her hands climbed themselves up to his shoulders as his pulled out the clip she'd used to tie her hair in. Amelia could feel them beginning to move closer to an object … some soft. Suddenly, her back had been laying against this soft object that she now recognized as the king bed that sat in the middle of the room. With their lips still intensely trying to overcome one another's, Cody had slid his hands to the bottom of her shirt pushing it up her body and finally pulling it off. Amelia had done the same with his once he'd lain himself on top of her.
In a few moments, clothes had been spread around the room as the two lay on top of one another under one sheet. Amelia marvelled at how the moonlight had perfectly hit his skin as she had lain on top of him. With her head on his chest, she allowed herself to be lulled to sleep once again by his heartbeat - one, she swore, was different, unmatched and unlike anything she'd ever encounter.