I pulled a tipsy Penn through a crowd of reporters and paparazzi standing near the conference room. I could see Cody and Corey sitting at the table. People were asking questions, and shouting at them for answers.
Cody always had the same annoyed but respectful look on his face, and I loved every minute of it. His natural disposition of confusion was too adorable not to stare.
"Cody, TMZ seems to be one of your biggest fans lately," One reporter remarked, the crowd around them laughing a bit.
"Yeah he's on there more than ESPN." Corey nudged his arm.
"And would you credit that to your friend Victoria?"
"Tori loves baseball more than I do, she's super supportive of me and I couldn't ask for anything more than that.
"But could she be distracting you from plays like the error in the bottom of the fifth?" Another person snarked.
"No one is distracting me. I'm doing perfectly fine," Cody crossed his arms. "This doesn't sound like much of a post-game interview."
Corey answered a few more questions before everyone filed out of the room.
"Nice," I mumbled, slowly walking over to him and a few other stragglers. "You screw up a play and it's my fault? What a dream living in a mans world is."
"Hey, hey," Cody said, reaching out for my wrists as he leaned on the back of a couch. "You know, you know, it isn't like that. Sometimes I have to say things I don't mean just to shut them up. I have to keep it short and sweet."
"Cody." I huffed, looking down at my feet. "Maybe I am distracting you, because you're one person when we're alone and another when we aren't."
"Come on T, that's not true. You just don't understand. I've got a lot on my shoulders and the media look at me like I'm a celebrity right now." He sighed, placing my palms flat on his chest.
"So you're all famous now, I guess you can't be caught with someone like me." I rolled my eyes, knowing how ridiculous I sound. But I don't care. I was finally starting to get used to the idea of us being together, and I loved the feeling, I didn't want anyone or anything to take that away.
"Are you being serious right now?" He tilted his head, staring into my eyes.
"Kind of." I looked down at my feet. "I-i'm sorry." I was embarrassed, the way he looked at me made me feel so small.
"I'm crazy for you, Tori. And yes, you sometimes drive me crazy, but no question no person no, no nothing will change that. As long as you know that, no one can take it away. Right?" He said, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze once again.
"You're right." I sighed. He's so smart, and kind and rational and I'm just impatient. "You're so right."
I kissed him once, pulled away and then kissed him again as he smiled.
"I just need you to know i'm working really hard right now, it's not that I don't want to show you off and give you everything you deserve, I just can't. Okay?"
"Yes, I understand. I'm just dumb sometimes." I laughed, taking a deep breath.
"You're the smartest woman I know, Victoria." He said, mocking the reporters high pitched voice. "It turns me on that you're so defensive."
