Always Adam

Chapter 37

For the next several days, he sits by me in the two classes we have together. With Mike unable to join me for lunch, he also sits across from me at the lunch table I sit at each day. Mike had to switch one of his classes and it interfered with our lunch plans. We don't talk to each other besides saying hello. I don't know what to make of him. After two weeks, I finally decide to talk to him. "I'm Carly," I say watching him eat his hoagie. His face is clear and smooth. His eyelashes long, but transparent. His lips are a bit on the thin side. Overall he's cute. He's not as tall as Mike, Adam or Donnie. I remember this from when he walked next to me. He's shorter than most of the guys I know.

"Cody," he says extended his hand to shake. I reach out and shake his hand. "I don't plan to date you Cody," I tell him. He laughs. "I don't plan to date you either," he tells me. I look at him and laugh. Before I know it the two of us are laughing our asses off. "So, what's your issue," Cody asks once we both stop laughing. "Broken heart. Yours," I ask him. "Ditto," he says. We both stare at each other. Now I know what made me think of Adam when I looked into his eyes. It's the same sadness I saw when I first met Adam. I wonder if mine look the same. "Want to grab pizza this evening and trade stories," he asks. I stare at him for a good minute. "Sure," I finally say. He programs his number into my phone, and I do the same with his.

I sit at a nearby pizza place waiting for Cody. Mike wasn't happy to hear I was meeting a random guy for dinner. When I told him I planned to walk, he insisted on driving me. I'm guessing he's camped out in his car outside watching. He's become quite the protective brother. I look around at the other people sitting around. Some are on dates. Others are just friends hanging out. Cody slips into the seat across from me. I smile at him. He smiles back. The waitress comes over to take our drink order. "What kind of pizza do you like," he asks. We decide to keep it simple and order pepperoni.

I listen while Cody tells me all about Anna. How she cheated on him with his cousin. I listen while he describes the heartache of losing his cousin and girlfriend all in the same day. We are finished eating our pizza when Cody's story is finished. Before I start my story, we head down a few streets to a coffee shop. While we drink coffee and eat cheesecake, I tell him my story. When I finish his mouth is on the floor. I think I won that one. "It's like right out of a lifetime movie," he says. I can't help but laugh. "You're a lifetime movie fan," I say raising an eyebrow. "Guilty," he says with a blush. I laugh. "Come on everyone loves a good psycho movie." I agreed.

I find Mike hanging out at the house a lot. I finally break down and ask him to move into my old room I shared with Adam. It's silly to make the hour drive from his house to the campus each day. Not to mention his car is old and ready to die. It was all he could afford. It's got a million miles on it and looks like it belongs in a junk yard. Ava and Nat were fine with Mike moving in. They both realized we had made peace with our past and moved on. I love having Mike as a friend. Our relationship was becoming better than it had been in years.

After a couple weeks hanging out as friends, Cody and I actually try to have a date night. We go to dinner and a museum. We enjoy each other's company but realize in the end that we are only meant to be friends. The hand holding was off and the kiss at the end of the night was kind of weird. We laugh about it and move on. Cody becomes a regular at the house. My friends grow to like him. Mike wasn't too happy, and it took some time for him to come around. I assured him he would always be my number one go to guy.

It's the end of September and I'm digging through my desk for an eraser. When I don't find one, I look at the boxes still unpacked from Ted and Donna's. I open the first box and find some makeup, nail polish and other beauty items. I open the second box and find myself staring at my old phone. Donna got me a new one after my breakdown. I walk over and sit on my bed. I look down at the phone in my hand. I hadn't turned it on since that day I shut it off. I do something utterly stupid. I turn on the phone and wait for it to start up. It still has service and charge left. I guess Donna didn't cancel the old number. I can't help but check my missed text and calls. My heart clenches when I see Adam's name. It started about a week ago. Calls and texts. I quickly turn off the phone. I call Donna and tell her to cancel the service immediately. I don't want to hear or see anything Adam has to say at this point. I have come so far. I will not go back down that road. I don't mention anything to anyone about Adam's calls and texts. I don't want advice from anyone.