[TD NOCO] Barks And Bites

6

Cody nervously walked to work.

Gwen looked up from the counter and raised an eyebrow. "That's not a good look. Didn't you chill with Noah yesterday?"

"Oh. Yeah. I did. It was great!"

"Then why do you look like that?"

"Oh, it's... nothing. Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Okay..." Gwen said suspiciously but decided not to ask anymore.

Cody went to the back to change.

While he was still shirtless, Noah happened to walk in.

Cody blushed and covered himself up. "Uh..."

Noah laughed a little as he walked passed him.

Cody smiled, happy that Noah seemed to be acting normal. Or at least, that he's still being friendly.

He quickly put his work shirt on.

"You have my phone, right?" Noah asked.

"Noah, I'm so sorry!" Cody turned to face him.

"It's okay. It's not really a big deal..."

Cody looked like he wasn't sure what to say.

Noah raised an eyebrow. "Did you... look through it?"

"No! I mean, yes... I mean, no, I wouldn't! Or at least not really..."

"Cody." Noah sighed. "What did you see?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I only opened it because I thought it was mine! I swear!"

"Cody. I believe you. Just tell me what you saw..."

Cody passed him his phone and Noah opened it.

It was still on the chat with Eva since Cody hadn't done anything else.

Noah covered his face and sighed.

"I'm sorry..." Cody said again.

"What's there to be sorry about? You already knew that I dated Justin."

"Yeah, but..."

"And now you know exactly what he did to me. He drove my friends away and pretended to love me for 5 years."

Cody already figured that out but hearing it from Noah's mouth really surprised him.

Noah sighed and just turned around to go to his locker and started changing.

Cody blinked a few times before leaving the room.

He went to sit next to Gwen and dropped his head at the counter.

Gwen frowned. She patted his back supportively.

"I'm fine!" Cody said in annoyance.

Gwen retracted her hand and looked around awkwardly.

Cody sighed.

"You don't need to tell me what happened, but you're clearly not fine!"

Cody looked down in thought before suddenly getting up and heading to the back room, leaving Gwen confused.

Noah had finished changing just as Cody walked in.

Cody went straight to him and hugged him tightly.

Noah widened his eyes.

"Cody..?"

"I'll never leave you, Noah... we'll always be friends. I promise. Even if you start ignoring me one day, I'll keep bothering you until you come back to me." Cody said firmly.