Giving the Footballer a Chance (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Three: More To Him

"How did I let you get me into this.." I sipped the last of my drink and watched as Cody motioned for the bill. Huh, how surprising. I raised a brow and he seemed to notice my expression. "I know I don't look the type, but I can be a gentleman when I feel like it." He swished around his iced tea and averted his eyes to meet mine.

"Don't flatter yourself, you just asked for the bill. If you wanna be a gentleman, I'd like to see you pay." I was only half joking, but something in his eyes told me that he would do it. He smirked the same smirk that always tugged on his lips when someone was challenging him and turned to face the window. His hair shone in the sun that was piercing through the glass. He looked.. Thoughtful, in a way.

When the waitress came back with a black tray with the bill on it, I looked up to see what Cody would do next. The tray was on his side of the table, but I could still make out the amount. I'm pretty sure it read fifteen dollars, which was.. Pricey, to an extent. We'd only ordered one hot chocolate and an ice tea. His choice in cafes made me wonder what kind of money he had. When I realized that he hadn't placed cash or a card down, I began to speak, "What's the matter? Daddy didn't give you your weekly allowance?"

I waited for a reaction – some sort of retaliation to my mocking comment, but nothing seemed to come out. It was strange in a way to see Cody Andrews, a guy with usually too much to say, not.. Saying a word. In his left hand, he held his wallet. To my surprise, it looked battered and flimsy, with tears in the leather. He was foraging through his wallet, but from what I could tell, the only bills in there were one's. And.. He only had two of them.

What's the matter with him? He acted like some bigshot jock, and hung around with the kid of one of the wealthiest families in town. Don't tell me Blake Brooks's best friend is broke? Then I thought about it some more: this felt like a situation that I would laugh in – I should be laughing. So how come nothing's coming out? The tension in the air grew, with both of us silent, while he frantically searched through his wallet.

"Look, Cody, it's really no big deal, I can pay–" He looked up at me with a grimace that made me shut up, "The fuck? I'm not gonna let you pay, I'm the one who drove us here." I looked out the window, and pondered what to say and do. For the first time, I didn't really feel like arguing with the guy.

I feel like there's more to him than what meets the eye. I just.. Don't know what it is. "Cody, do you like me?" I said, interrupting the silence. His expression changed to a more confused look, and he parted his mouth slightly before speaking, "Are you seriously asking me that? I've been pining over you ever since–"

"Then let me pay. If you love me, then you'd let me pay. Just this once.. And then on all of our dates after that, you can pay. Deal?" I can't believe I just said the word, "dates". To him! Of all people! Why am I getting his hopes up? This is my first and last "date" with him. I faked a smile, with my eyebrows knitted together in discomfort. Truthfully, this was getting awkward, and I just wanted to go home.

"Are you suggesting that we go out together more?" Suddenly, his whole face lit up. God, here it comes.. "I knew you secretly had a thing for me. After all, no one can resist the sexy Cody Andrews." On the inside, I was screaming. Like, get me the fuck out of here! On the outside, however, I gave my best shit-eating smile, trying my hardest to not knit my eyebrows together in discomfort. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

The waitress had come back to our table, and I could tell she was waiting on Cody. God, I can't believe I'm about to do this.. I pulled out my wallet, and placed bills onto the black tray. "Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your day." She walked away with a smile. My eyes reverted back to Cody, only to see him staring out the window, lips pursed together in a thin line.

 "You're lucky I covered for your ass." I joked, hoping to ease whatever tension was in the air. As soon as she left, Cody and I stood up from our seats, and immediately, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Ew! Get off me!" I shrugged his arm off, to which he decided to hold my hand instead. "Do you ever get the hint? I do one nice thing for you and–"

"Shh. You wouldn't have done it if you didn't like me." I only did it to get away from you, ugh. Away from you, and your stupid grin, stupid hair, and your stupid, but weirdly chiseled face– "Where to next, princess?" I looked up at him and rolled my eyes, "Home." I was too tired of his antics by now, and it hadn't even been an hour.

"Aw, so soon?" He chuckled lightly afterwards, making me even more irritated than I already was. "I wish it was sooner." I retorted. All he did was smile. Nothing makes him mad! It's like he's some golden retriever who's always happy. No matter how many insults I throw his way, all he does is laugh it off. I'd call him a people pleaser, but the only person he ever tries to please is me.

As soon as we got to the parking lot, he opened the door for me with a winning wink. Man, I just want to not see his face again for the rest of the day. No one irritates me the way he does. He just always manages to get under my skin– "When should we have our next date, babe?"

"Don't fucking call me that!"

"You're the one who said we were going to go on more."

"To get you to shut the fuck up!"

"Aw, really? Because it seems like you like me a lot–"

"Please, like someone who doesn't even have fifteen bucks in his wallet?"

Cody chuckled, and let out a sigh. But this time there was something different about his slight laugh, something I couldn't put my finger on. "So.. Your place or mine?" He said, breaking the silence. "Mine!" I wanted to physically start stomping my feet and throw a tantrum, but I knew I couldn't do that. He makes me want to throw temper tantrums, that's how mad he gets me.

"Mine.. As in my house? Or.. Mine as in my cute little Eric's house?"

"Just.. Shut the fuck up and take me home!" Ugh! He's so damn annoying!

–

I stared down at the crumpled up receipt in my hand. Fifteen dollars. Just a mere fifteen dollars. Yet, he didn't have that? In a way, I knew I was supposed to laugh about it, the way I laugh about everything he does, just to make him mad, but I couldn't for some reason. Strangely, I felt bad for the guy. But at the same time, it didn't really make much sense. A Porsche, hanging out with rich guys like Blake, expensive shoes.. Yet not a single dollar in his wallet?

Suddenly, I heard a loud notification coming from my phone. Curious, I opened up my messaging app. What the..? Two hundred dollars? From Cody? From.. Cody? The same guy who could barely pay the bill earlier? I texted him back immediately, mouth still hung open in shock, "wtf?? Cody it was just 15 and ure giving me 200?!"

I watched as three bubbles appeared, indicating that he was replying, "only the best for my princesssss :)" he mocked. "what is wrong with u.. I cant accept that. im sending it back." Cody immediately replied, "if you do im just going to show up at your school again and make sure to hand you the 200 in person."

He's insufferable, but.. Money is money. In a way, I did feel bad. This guy probably had nothing, and here he was giving me 200 out of nowhere. I was playing it off cool, but honestly.. It was two hundred bucks! Two hundred! I could go on a book spree with this! "fine.. wtv." A smile crept up sneakily on my face, as the realization hit me. I wasn't going to let him know this, but god was I excited!

Maybe he wasn't as broke as I thought he was. I guess I have to give him credit for some things. But this still doesn't make up for the other things he's done. "Eric! Dinner!" I heard my brother call through the door, knocking furiously. "Okay, okay! I'm coming!" I hurriedly scrunched up the receipt and ignorantly threw it into my bedside drawer.

"God, mom, what is that fucking smell?" She quickly shut me up, "Hey! Watch your language. And for your information.. It's my lasagna." I looked over at my brother, and we quietly laughed in agreement. "Whatever you say mom.." He said, making his way over to the dinner table.