friends //cody bellinger

twenty-three

   Cody and I were finally on our way home; alone since Chris went back with the rest of the team. I was so happy for this trip to be over. It's like walking on eggshells just to make sure we avoid Chase. Being alone in the hotel terrified me, even though I knew Chase was at the stadium the team.

Cody and I kept our distance at the airport to make sure that if somehow Chase had gotten someone to take pictures, there wouldn't be anything to prove me and Cody's relationship.

I hate this so much. The situation has gone so far that I don't even know if it will end. I'm not eighteen for eight more months, and a lot can happen in 8 months.

"What if I offer Chase money? Do you think he'd stop then?" Cody asks.

"He's a professional athlete; I don't think it's money he's after."

"He is absolutely sick if he's doing this all just for fun." You could hear the anger in Cody's voice, and all I wanted to do was grab his hand and kiss him. I knew that it would calm him down. But I couldn't. And that kills me.

"I think he's a monster whatever way you look at it."

Our plane landed, and within a few minutes, we were allowed to exit. Our luggage was already back at the apartment because we sent it back with Chris, so we were able to leave the airport quickly.

It was until we had reached the apartment and were in Cody's room (Chris had dozed off on the couch) that the silence was finally broken.

"I think I'm going to tell my parents everything. I want them to know, and I want you to stay with them in Arizona."

"Cody, that's crazy. You can not tell your parents about this." The thought of Cody's family knowing about us was one that had never crossed my mind before. But now that I was thinking about the situation, it was certain to me that there was no way we could tell his family. It would be too complicated.

"It's crazy, I know, but this whole situation is crazy in itself. It's best for us right now if you stayed there. It'll suck not being able to see you every day, but I'd feel better knowing that you're in a different state than Chase."

"Your parents are not going to approve of me, and you know that. No one wants their son dating an underage ex-prostitute."

"I'll fly them down to meet you, and I'll tell them. There are only three months of the season left. Then we can stay in Arizona with my parents for the four months of off-season. You'd only have to stay with them until a couple of weeks after spring training's over. Then you'll be eighteen, and we'll be able to be public about us. It seems like a long time, but it will be over before you know it. I just want you away from Chase and whoever else he works with."

I sighed and took off my sweats before climbing into the bed. Cody took off his shirt and did the same. I got under the covers and cuddled myself into Cody's chest. He rubbed and squeezed my shoulder before pulling me closer to him.

"You're parents are going to hate me." I mumble.

Cody shushes me and kisses my forehead before saying, "They won't. They'll love you. I know that they'll love you because I love you. That's just the kind of parents they are. They'll be shocked of course at first; what parents wouldn't be? But once they get to know you, it won't be hard for them to understand why I fell in love with you."