| Jack |

I stare at Cody, lost in my thoughts, as she talks to Alex and Kelley who are sitting with us for lunch, before we leave to go home. My thoughts stray to my dream as I scan my best friend's face. I've always thought and known that she's incredibly beautiful, but now I'm having a hard time deciphering my feelings for her. Are they real and I'm into my childhood best friend, or are they fleeting, burning so fast that they'll be gone by tomorrow?

If I do like her, would I have the guts to tell her? No way. She's my best friend, and I'd rather swallow my feelings than even risk losing her. At the end of the day I need her in my life, just as much as I know she needs me.

"Jack?"

Part of me hopes that these feelings would disappear right this moment, but ever since she told me that she's leaving, signing her first professional contract, I can't stop thinking about her.

"Asshole?!" I hear a muffled voice followed by a thud. "OW! Mom!"

Her face replays in my mind, even when my eyes are open and she's not in front of me. Her blue eyes that seem to shine with happiness. Her smile, that's incredibly infectious, just like her laugh-

"JACK!" My best friend screams, finally snapping me from my thoughts.

"Huh? What?" I ask, blinking and physically shaking my head as I zone back into the conversation. Alex is smiling, Kelley has an eyebrow raised and Cody looks straight up confused.

"You were just staring at me. It's fucking creepy." She chuckles. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I respond shortly, sipping on my water, hoping that the subject changes, and Alex eventually steers the conversation in a different direction.

_____

"So, what was that?"

"What was what?" I ask Kelley, as she sits on Cody's bed while my best friend is with her mom.

"At lunch? You've been acting weird for the last few days. What's going on with you?"

"Nothing." I stand, pretending to finish packing until Kelley puts a hand on my shoulder and gently lowers me back onto my own bed, as she resumes her previous position - directly across from me, holding eye contact.

"I know I'm not around as much as Hope is, and I'm not the 'serious one', but I do care about you and if I can help you in any way then I will. Just tell me what I can do for you, tell me what's wrong, Jack."

I study Kelley's face, not detecting a single hesitation or lie in her words, wondering if she'll be able to keep her mouth shut. If I tell her about my thoughts, does that make them real?

"Jack, you're zoning out again."

"Okay...um...how did you know you liked Hope? I mean...you were friends first, right?" I ask, taking her by surprise, before a look of understanding crosses her face.

"Well, at first I didn't know. Then as time went on, I realized that I loved being around her. She was the one person I always wanted around, I never got tired of her. I found myself thinking about her when she wasn't there, dreaming about her. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." I try and evacuate the bed again, but the squirrel is faster than me, and stands to stop me.

"Is this about Cody?" When I don't answer her and avoid eye contact at all costs, she cheers. "I knew it! That's adorable."

"Okay, we're done here."

_____

| Cody |

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" I smile as my mom asks me once again, clearly worried and scared about 'losing' me.

"I'm sure, besides...I feel like I need to do this." She nods before hugging me. "Don't worry so much, mom. England isn't too far away."

"It's the other side of the world to me." She mumbles but I hear her clearly.

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too, Cody."

"What about me?" Jeri asks over the video call that I'd forgotten was even still connected.

"You're alright, I guess." I smirk as my Aunt feigns hurt.

"You little shit. You're definitely Alex's kid." My mom smiles at her sister, while I just take it all as a compliment, before zoning out of their sisterly conversation.

"CODY!" Jeri starts, gaining my attention, "How's Kristie and your cute little love life?" As soon as she asks I feel Alex tense beside me, and obviously my Aunt notices. "Did I say something wrong?"

"That little bitch-"

"What my mom is trying to say." I cut Alex off, throwing her a look which she shakes off, clearly still angry with Mewis, "Is that we're not together anymore. I gotta go pack though, so I'll talk to later, aunt Jeri!"

"Okay kiddo, love you!"

| Alex |

"Love you too!" Cody yells as she walks out of my room, and I turn to look at the screen. Jeri is wearing a knowing look.

"What happened? She was crazy about Kristie."

"She cheated."

"Cody cheated?!" Jeri yells, catching my mom's attention, and after greeting her, the question is repeated.

"No, no. Kristie cheated." I reply through gritted teeth, the anger building within me.

"What?! I hope you smacked a bitch!" Jeri yells, before getting hit upside the head by my mom. "C'mon. I'm an adult, I can say whatever I want!" Jeri complains.

"Not in my house." Our mom sasses before her attention turns to me. "How is Cody?"

"It's weird but...she seems fine. She's had Jack to help her through it."

"Jack?" My mom asks, and as I'm about to answer, Jeri speaks up.

"That's the girl who thought I was Cody's one night stand." She laughs until her face turns red and she faces our mom. "She's Cody's best friend."

"I wouldn't worry about it so much, baby girl." My mom begins. "She'll talk to you when and if she needs to."

"I can't help it." I sigh out, my head dropping. "I hate this, mom. I'm constantly worried about her, even when she's standing next to me."

"That's motherhood. You just have to remember that Cody is already an amazing young woman. She has her head on straight, she won't put herself in any kind of danger or trouble. Now, what's all this I'm hearing about my grandbaby leaving the States?" My mom asks, suddenly strict. "And why did you not tell me yourself?"

"Ha!" Jeri snorts "Nice knowin' ya, sis!" She continues to laugh as she flees from view, leaving me with my mom.

"I only just found out, mom, and I spent the rest of the time coming to terms with the fact that my daughter will be moving. I know we weren't living together but at least I knew she was in the same country. She'll be all alone in England."

| Cody |

"So...you're really leaving?" Jack asks as she throws the last of her clothes in her suitcase. She's been acting weird lately.

"I am."

"Cool, cool."

"What's going on with you?" I ask, coming to an end of this 'just pretend it's not happening' routine.

"Nothing. Why?"

"Well, for one thing, you won't even look at me." I reply, and she seems to freeze for a moment, before zipping her bags and leaving them by the door.

"You were complaining that I was staring at you when we were at lunch."

"Fucking hell. Forget it, Jack." I groan, slipping my shoes on and ignoring the fact that my best friend's eyes are on me now. I stand from my bed and walk to the door, but before I can open it, a hand wraps around my wrist and turns me around. Before I can react, I'm pinned against the door, and Jack kisses me. Not expecting it - I freeze.

"Sorry." She mumbles, pulling away from me with a hurt expression on her face.

"Don't be." I breathe out, lifting my hands to cup her cheeks and pulling her back in for a kiss that I can actually reciprocate.