The Unexpected Ride (Cody Christian AU)

Chapter 3

Apparently every school year here at UCSF has something called "welcome week." During welcome week, they hold activities for all of the undergraduates. Some are informative and help you in understanding what classes to take with your major and some are fun like water balloon throwing and whatnot. We didn't have any classes during welcome week, I believe it's designed to help everybody adjust to being away from home or something like that. Whether that was true or not, I know it was helping me adjust being away from home. It wasn't too hard. The first two nights were hard, talking on the phone with my parents and brother was sad. Seeing three people through a screen was difficult, especially when I was so used to walking a door or so down to see them. But Hailee going to university with me helped a lot, her living in a dorm two doors away helped even more. It was like nothing had changed. Back home, we hung out at each other's houses a lot and now that I have a single dorm, sometimes she will just spend the night in my room.

Everything with Cody was okay too, not that I'm expecting it to be or not. We all hung out at the diner two nights ago and since then, I've seen him once at Tyler's dorm room the day after we all hung out when everybody wanted pizza. It wasn't awkward nor was it too friendly. He's a charming guy. But that's another thing. A guy so charming, so handsome, he has to have something wrong with him. Maybe he has a weird hobby or freaky obsession. I didn't like him, not yet at least. I don't even know him well enough. All I know is that I love staring at those green eyes that melt me. He is so freaking handsome, it's kinda scary. Back at my high school, there weren't many cute guys. And the guys that were cute, I've known them since middle school so we all knew the weirdest crap about each other that it kinda made me unattracted to them. Not that I really looked for a boyfriend or anything, I just didn't care for that stuff. I've liked a few guys and thought many are cute but I never found someone extraordinary I guess. All of them were the same and many of them wanting just one thing. I had a knack of trying to get to know a guy for a few days, realizing it wasn't working out, then not replying anymore. I guess more things mattered to me than a silly guy.

Hailee and I were getting ready for our club's welcome meeting. We were in the university's arts club because in high school we were in our student body council and we were in the small group that was in charge of making posters for events, so we grew to really enjoy painting and crafting.

"I guess dress casual," Hailee looked at her laptop screen. "It's just a welcome meeting so I'm assuming all they do is—"

"Welcome us?" I sarcastically remark.

"Ha ha, yes. But just talk to us, I don't think they're gonna make us do anything like paint right off the bat." She closed her screen. "I'm just going to stick to my jeans and sweater."

It was chilly outside. Best part about moving to San Francisco was how cool the weather always was. Back in LA, it's so hot. I left my jeans on and put a light sweater over my tank top. We both got our bags and school map and got ready to go to our club meeting.

After fifteen minutes of walking around campus to find the auditorium our meeting was to be held in, we finally found it. Good thing Hailee's always had a habit of leaving half an hour early for anything, even better that she rubbed that habit off on me. The meeting was nice. The club president and other board members welcomed us and informed us of what would be going on for the school year. All that we expected—making little crafts in our weekly meetings, occasional club hang outs, the usual.

Hailee and I got some juice after our meeting and decided to stroll all around campus to familiarize ourselves with our new surroundings. After taking our time and getting to know our campus, we decided to grab some lunch.

"So," I pick up my sandwich and ask her, "how has it been going with Nathan?"

Hailee smiled, "Great! We've been texting since the night of the party. He is extremely dashing and is great."

"Really?!" This was big, Hailee has not dated someone since Mike Morris was dared to date her until winter formal of our sophomore year. What a jerk.

She nodded excitedly. "Nathan and I just click! It's really really nice and refreshing."

"I'm glad. He seems like a great guy for you. And if he isn't, well.. I'll send my goon of a brother and his friends on him like we did to Mike." We laughed together.

"What about you?" She took a sip of her drink. "How's Cody?"

"Eh."

"Eh?! What do you mean 'eh' Carli?! He was so interested in you!" She exclaims at me.

I shrug, "I'm interested in him too but I haven't seen him since pizza night and I don't know too much about him yet."

"Well you better change that."

"I want to," I sigh. "I guess we just need to hang out more. And besides, he hasn't even texted me. What if he realized I'm not that great?"

"And don't do that thing you do," Hailee points her finger at me. "That whole you want to get to know somebody then back away because you don't 'feel it'."

"I'll try, I'll try. If I don't though, then I won't act like I do. But I don't know.. It's so different with him. I don't think any boy has intrigued me this much in a long, long time."

"And you're difficult to intrigue, hm?" She rolls her eyes at me.

"Well that I am!" We finish our lunch and talk some more about how much we miss our families back home.

After lunch I decided to take a much needed nap. I was just using my laptop in bed and all of a sudden, my eyelids felt so heavy. I did not know how tired my body was until I laid in bed. I woke up three hours later. Boy that was a long nap and I woke up feeling groggy. I rolled over and checked the time, 6:48 p.m. Hailee and I liked to eat dinner late so I wasn't worried. Right on cue, there were three knocks on my door and then Hailee peeked her head in.

"Hey sleepy head," she spoke softly. "Hungry?"

I sat up, "Starving." I didn't bother brushing my hair. I put on a sweatshirt, tugged my tennis shoes on, got my wallet and phone, and headed out with her. The dining hall was a five minute walk from my dorm building so it wasn't too bad. Hailee and I were mindlessly chatting the whole walk there.

"College food is way better than high school food," Hailee told me as she was sniffing her potatoes.

"Debatable," I say looking down at this.. salad?

"Phoebe already ate but I told her how we eat at around 7 and she said she'd want to join us next time," Hailee informs me as we are sitting down. I nod and dig into my dinner.

"Hey Hailee!" We look up and see Nathan walking over to us with his hands filled with food. "Hey Carli!"

"Hi!" Hailee and I greet Nathan as he takes a seat right next to Hailee.

"God I am starving!" Nathan takes a huge bite out of his burger. "What's up with you Carli? Haven't seen you in a while!"

"I saw you the day before yesterday, Nathan," I playfully role my eyes at him. Just as Nathan opens his mouth to answer, a tray is set next to my food. I look up and see Cody taking a seat right next to me.

"Hello ladies, Nathan," Cody nods at the three of us. I did not even brush my hair! I try to be subtle and brush my fingers through my knotted hair and try to tame it. "This is Dana guys, she lives in our hall." I see a pretty girl sit next to Cody and feel my heart sink a bit.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

How is it coming along? What do you guys think?! :]