Damaged || Cody Simpson

15

"How was your day, Bella?" My mom asks from across the dining table. I place a small piece of chicken in my mouth and look up to find her and my dad already looking in my direction.

"It was okay." I nod, scraping the leftover food to the side of my plate. "I mean, school was boring, but it's always boring."

"You still find school boring even though your boyfriend is there?" My dad teases, a grin shaped on his lips. I roll my eyes as I look down at the table.

"He's not my boyfriend." I retaliate, a small smile playing out on my lips. My dad's been teasing me ever since Cody was over the other night, when we got takeout. It's annoying, but I cant help but laugh at the whole situation.

"You like him though, right?" My mom asks, meanwhile my dad just shoves another fork full of chicken in his mouth. "I can see right through you." She grins.

"Yes, I like him." I sigh, placing my fork and knife together at the side of the plate to show that I'm finished. In this house, we have a rule. Usually, we have to sit together until we've all finished. It's a good chance to catch up, really. So in some ways, it's a good thing.

I scraped back my chair and stood up the second the doorbell went. My parents shot me a teasing smile, but I didn't care. I simply smiled back and skipped down the hallway to the door, where I pulled it open to reveal Ryan on the other side.

One part of me wanted to slam the door back in his face since he still hasn't apologised to Cody, but I decided to give him a chance and keep it open.

"Can you come out for a while?" Ryan asks whilst awkwardly rocking back and forth on his feet. I bite my lip before looking towards my parents who were minding their own business, talking to each other at the table. "If you're having lunch I can come back later.."

"I've just finished." I answer, annoyance in my tone. "Hang on." I sigh, shutting the door for a second. I walk over to my parents who look up at me and smile.

"Your boyfriend?" My dad grins.

"He's not my boyfriend!" I laugh, pushing the chair I was previously sat on back into the table. "And it's not actually. Can I be excused?"

My mom and dad look at each other and sigh before looking back towards me. "I guess." My mom says as she stands up and places my plate on top of hers before grabbing my dads. "Don't be home too late, though."

"Thanks." I smile as I walk back to the door and quickly put my shoes on. Ryan throws me a sympathetic look as I step outside, closing the door behind me. Neither of us said anything as we began to walk down the pavement, but it wasn't awkward, either.

"You're still mad at me, aren't you?" He asks, already knowing what the answer is. I nod, looking back at Codys house as we turn the corner. "Bella." He sighs.

"I'm mad at you because you haven't apologised yet." I reply as I place my hands in my pockets to escape the cold. Ryan shakes his head as we walk across the field that me and Cody stop at whilst he usually finishes his cigarette. "What happened to you?"

His eyebrows furrow in confusion when he looks towards me. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you have changed." I sigh, looking towards the ground. He throws me a curious look as I continue walking, not really paying attention to where I'm going. "There's a difference between jealousy and taking it further."

"Bella, please." He scoffs as he rolls his eyes. "You can't just say I've changed when you have as well."

"How have I changed?" I ask sounding just as surprised. Ryan shakes his head before pushing his fingers through his hair.