LA Big Break

Chapter Seven

I walked out the door after him. I wasn’t really sure what he meant by it, and knowing me, if I didn’t find out now, it would play on my mind for the rest of time. 

‘Cody!’ I shouted, picking up a little half run/ walk. The type you do when a car lets you across the road and you don’t want to waste any more of their time.

Well that’s what I do… but it’s probably just me.

He turned around and stopped where he was.

‘Hannah?’ He said, looking confused.

‘What did you mean by that?’ I said in an awkward, out of breath fashion.

‘By what?’ He laughed.

‘What you said before you walked out.’ I replied, regaining some oxygen into my lungs.

‘Oh that, it was nothing! Just a compliment, I hate seeing people putting themselves down!’ He laughed.

Oh thank god.

‘Oh, thanks.’ I said, not really knowing how to reply to that.

‘Um… you’re welcome, I guess.’ He said, looking about as awkward as I felt. He gave me a hug and it eased the atmosphere.

‘Oh so you asked her? Aww, you guys are cute!’ Alli said, walking from the set.

Cody turned around faster than I’d ever seen anybody turn around before and he glared at Alli.

‘Asked me what?’ I said, probably looking like a lost puppy, and I definitely felt like one.

‘Nothing.’ Cody said, and Alli had a look of shock on her face.

‘Cody? Alli? Can somebody tell me what’s going on here?’ I said frantically.

‘Umm…’

‘It’s too late Alli.’ Cody interrupted.

‘GUYS?’ I half said, half spat out.

‘Um…' He sighed. 'Can I speak to you, in PRIVATE.’ Cody said and Alli gave him an ‘I’m sorry’ look before walking over to the dressing room.

He took my hand and walked over to the bench that was out of the way from all the drama. It was nice and peaceful, and I was quite amazed that I hadn’t discovered it before.

‘What?’ I said. I didn’t know what to think, what to say or what to do. I just sat there, watching a nervous Cody searching for words.

‘Cody? Please tell me what is going on.’ I said.

‘When I said what I said before…’ He paused, looking nervous.

‘It wasn’t just a compliment was it?’ I said.

He shook his head.

‘No.’ he finally said. ‘It wasn’t.’

‘I’m sorry... I have to go.’ I said, running off. 

‘Hannah?’ He shouted after me.

‘I’m sorry, I’m not ready.’ I said, trying to fight back tears.

Fool.

I sat in my room for what felt like hours. I sat on my bed looking through old photo of home, Caleb and myself, and crying like an idiot. It hadn’t really sunk in until now how much I miss Caleb. Then I thought about what happened and got myself angry. I shouldn’t put myself on hold in hope that he will come back. He hadn’t even called, not even texted me saying that he was sorry, did I really mean that little to him?

Now I felt mad, at myself and at Caleb. I was letting him get in the way of how I felt for Cody. I’d never thought about it like that before, but all the times I’d hugged Cody and it had felt right and all the times we’d laughed like maniacs at things that weren’t funny. It didn’t feel like we were just friends.

Oh god what have I done?

I looked at my phone and didn’t realise that I had a message from Alli.

‘Hey, Cody told me what happened. Are you okay?’ it read. I glared at it for a moment and did the little jiggle with my thumbs, thinking what to put.

‘I’m coming over.’ I replied.

I grabbed my bag and walked out of the door. I decided to walk to Cody’s house, to give me time to clear my head and think about what I was going to say to him.

About twenty minutes later I got to the gate. I rung the buzzer and Alli let me in. I saw Brad in the garage, sorting through surf boards and Tom playing ball with Buddy on my way up the drive.

‘Hi Hannah.’ They both said before returning to what they were doing.

‘Hi!’ I said, continuing up the drive.

I walked up to the door and Alli met me there.

‘He’s over at the beach; do you want me to take you?’ She asked.

‘It’s okay thanks, I’ll go.’ I said, smiling.

I walked down the path, and saw the entrance to the beach, and I headed for it. I saw Cody sat at the brink of the ocean and I walked down to him. I don’t think he’d been expecting me because he looked pretty shocked to see me there.

‘Hannah?’ He said.

‘Hey.’ I replied, sitting next to him.

‘I’m sorry.’ We both said in sync and I asked him what he had to be sorry for.

‘I should’ve told you, instead of lying to you, and I should’ve thought about Caleb.’ He sighed.

‘Don’t be sorry, please.’ I said, feeling quite guilty about what I’d done.

‘I really like you Hannah.’ He said, looking at me.

‘I just need to know if you like me back.’