you look at the stars while i look at you. -Noco

Chapter Three- But I should tell you that I think of you each night

The next morning, I woke up to the sun in my eyes and a strangely familiar voice. "Wake up Noah!" It was Cody, and he was shaking me by the shoulders. When he saw my open eyes he immediately stood up from the foot of my bed. "Uh, sorry, Chef Hatchet said that if you don't come in the next five minutes, you're going to be hungry for the entire day and yeah." I felt my cheeks flush. From embarrassment (right?) "Why did you care enough?" Even though I asked him a genuine question, I think it must have come off as annoyed to Cody because his smile seemed to falter. "Heh, I just thought that it would be better than doing the challenges on an empty stomach, y'know?" I gave a nod and Cody went out the cabin. I got ready, face still hot.

The challenge from today was something like a third-grade talent show. I didn't have a talent to perform. Instead Heather, Izzy, Justy Trent and Cody performed. Heather did some boring ballerina dance, Izzy did a cool snake dance thing and Justy just acted hot? (I mean he was but that's not the point) Yeah, not the best asset for the team. Trent's guitar solo completely flunked leaving Cody as our only hope for impressing Chris enough to beat the Killer Bass. I wasn't really interested before but I gotta admit, the anticipation got to me and I started to become nervous for the guy. He ended up doing some magic trick where he swallowed a long piece of fabric and took it out from his shoe? Somehow this clown act got us a win. "I announce the Screaming Gophers the winners of this challenge!" shouted Chris.

"YES NOAH WE WON!!!" Cody ran to embrace me in a hug. I was frozen in shock. After about 3 whole seconds, I hugged him back. That doesn't happen often. I don't know what made me do that. The shock in my body must have been evident to Cody because when he pulled away he asked me if I was okay. "Yeah, I'm good." I gave a half smile. Probably my first real smile this whole season.