Chapter Two
Cody’s POV
I pressed my face at the tinted glass of the window, hoping to see if there was anybody home. “Lexie?” I called again. And like earlier, I didn’t receive any response.
I felt frustrated. I have gone everywhere and anywhere just to find that stupid girl. This wasn’t an easy task for someone like Cody Montomery. I had tons of things to do. I was one of the country’s hottest movie stars, and right there and then, I was trying to force myself into the mission of trying to find my best friend for the past twenty years of my life.
My blood started to boil when I felt the effect of the overnight non-stop shooting I went to last night. If it wasn’t for Teddy, I would never care about her step child’s problem. She was one of the very few people who could tell me what to do.
“Teddy, I’m sure she’s fine. Lexie is a big girl. She can take care of herself. Maybe she’s just taking off some steam,” I remembered myself telling the older woman over the phone a few hours ago.
Truth is, I was also worried about her. She’s been gone for days now and hasn’t been answering her phone. That was what got me into this mess in the first place.
It was amazing, really. When I think long and hard about it, how we managed to stay friends for such a long time. We were almost the exact opposite of each other. Alex was Ms. Prim and Proper while I was the liberated type.
I had the keys to her unit. I thought I would never get the chance to use it. After all, she only gave me a spare just so I could look over her things whenever she went abroad, or to pick up Charlie, my best friend’s golden retriever.
“What’s this for?” I asked when she gave me the key.
“Just in case you’re trying to evade the paparazzi.”
“You’re sure it’s okay to crash?” I liked her unit. It was conveniently located near the shopping district, and was very spacious. Plus, the fact that she was spick and span when it came to her pad. I didn’t even know how to cook or do laundry or iron.
“Uh-huh, of course there is another reason.”
I could hear a punch line in the end. That was always her style, she would wait for me to ask it out of her. “And what could that be?”
“Just in case you change your mind and fall for me,” she said with a smile.
“Yeah, you wish!” I knew her too well to even think she was making a pass at me. Not since day one of our friendship, not that moment, and not ever. “So why don’t you get married or something?”
“You’re psychic, Sexy?”
“Psychic? What did I just say?”
“I am getting married.” The smile was still plastered on her face.
I was stunned.
“Well, why don’t you say something? Of course, I expect my sexiest friend to have a say on this.”
“Well. . .it’s about time. You’re not getting any younger.”
I didn’t know why I was remembering that now, even that small pause I had when she first announced she was getting married. I wasn’t against Max for Alex. There were many instances where Alex planned to introduce Max to me but thee were always some last minute things to do.
Alex was very proud of her boyfriend. She have shown me his picture many times before but his form never did register in my mind. I couldn’t even remember his face. If their wedding was not cancelled, I would have finally had the chance to meet Max in the flesh.
From what I had heard by now, Max was handsome. He was smart and was from a decent family. . . And yet, he was the perfect gentleman. Something was amiss, something smelled fishy. But just like any good friend, I kept my vibes to myself and threw Alex a reassuring nod of approval.
Hey, it was going to be her wedding. It was going to be her life. Back then, I didn’t object because I never had anything to show for it. I didn’t have any evidence, he didn’t have any motive, and I couldn’t find any fault with Max. After all, nobody walked over his best friend to say, “I don’t like him, he’s fishy.”
I never did believe in gut instincts. Or probably I did. But I never believed even I could have one. I would later learn I had instincts. And while Max wanted out of the relationship, the way Alex was taking it, I was so sure the decision wasn’t a mutual one.
Max was happy now. Alex, on the other hand, was in a disappearing act. She had vanished without a trace. Even her co-worker and college chum, London, didn’t know where she vanished.
I was starting to lose heart, was running out of ideas, and my patience was wearing thin. It was then that the idea of this place came to me.
It was the last place on my list. It was a new house and lot Alex bought a few weeks back. I was with him when she decided to buy this property. I could clearly remember the day she took me with her to have a look at the new property.
“Why did you bring me here? Shouldn’t you bring Max instead when you buy a property?”
“I told you it was my surprise for him. It wouldn’t be mush of a surprise when I would tell the person I’m surprising the surprise, duh.”
“Why me?”
“Because, I need a man’s opinion in this.”
I roamed my gaze around the house. It was so perfect. I wanted to tell her, “Hey, this is MY dream house!”
“Do you imagine yourself living here? Say for instance, with the girl you love?” she said breaking my awestruck moment.
“It’s great.”
“Thanks.” She pressed my hand and turned to the agent standing in front of us and it loked like she was waiting for her decision. “You heard the gentleman, we’ll take it.”
I felt a smile cross my face. It felt like I was playing somebody else’s role. And I wondered whether if and when I decided to marry, my future wife would pull off the same surprise for me. The smile of the agent reached her ear.
“Thanks. And, Sir, can I have your autograph?”
The ring of my phone brought me back to the present. I pulled out the phone from my pocket. When I saw that it was Bailey calling, I pressed the answer button. “Hi, honey.”
“Baby, where are you? I’ve been calling you up since nine.”
“The phone was in my pocket. Besides, I was driving, I only heard it ring now.”
“Still working?”
“Nah, just got off the shoot a few hours ago. I’m just going somewhere,” I said while walking to the front door. I turned the doorknob but it was locked. I remembered one of Alex’s secret habits.
“Where exactly?”
I didn’t answer right away. I was trying to figure out whether to say the truth or make a story, all in a matter of seconds. When I thought there was nothing wrong about telling my girlfriend about my best friend, I decided to tell her the truth. “I’m meeting a friend.”
“Ah, okay. Listen, I have to go. Our pictorial is about to start.” I understood. Bailey was calling me from a shoot. She was one of the hottest print ad models in town.
“Alright.” And of course it was alright. I was just a little disappointed that she didn’t ask about the friend I mentioned. I missed the feeling that my girl didn’t want to share me with anybody else.
“I miss you.”
“I miss you, too.” But I was surprised to hear the empty line. I wasn’t even sure she heard the last thing I said. She misses me, huh?
I reached under the doormat. I felt the key hiding there. Gotcha! I stood up and entered the key in the doorknob. I put the phone back in my pocket.
I looked at the living room. It was already filled with furniture. This was a detail that even I did not expect. It was completely empty when I was last here. It was then that I saw her lying on the couch.
I came closer. “You look like you need a makeover. You look like shit.” She was very drunk. I noticed she needed sleep, too. “Talk about bad hair days.”
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Cody Gil. . .”she said without as much as a glance in my direction.
She just called me by my real name, something she did only when she was mad or upset. My manager had decided to use my middle name instead.
“Look at you, you’re a complete mess. Do you know that Teddy is worried about you? Even London is looking for you. What are you trying to do with your life?”
“Rot till I drop.”
“That’s not going to bring him back, you know.”
“Uh-huh. . . I guess not.”
“The problem with you is that you have a lot of people to talk to yet you just keep it inside you.”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“And why wouldn’t I?”
She mumbled something incomprehensible.
“Love is not about going on a drinking spree.”
“Why did you come here?”
“To get you home.”
“Home?” she said absently. “I don’t want to. That place brings back too many memories.”
“But, honey, you’re staining the furniture.”
She opened her eyes and looked at me. “Why do you have to be cute all of a sudden?”
“I’m an actor, that’s what they pay me for.” Even though I wanted to get angry at her because of what she’s doing with herself, I couldn’t, my pity for her was greater.
She laughed.
“That’s better. Stand up, I’m gonna take you home.”
“I said I don’t wanna go there.”
“How about your parents’ place?”
“I don’t wanna go there more.”
“What are you planning with your life?”
“Just stay here with me.”
“I don’t have all day. Besides, you’re drunk and self-pitying.”
“So, you’re leaving?”
“I’m not going out that door without you.”
She didn’t comment as she closed her eyes.
I wondered whether she was even thinking of what I had just said. “Come on.” I touched her shoulder. “Can you get up and walk?”
She shook her head.
Sighing, I picked her up and carried her out.
“Where are we going?”
“Why don’t you crash my place for a change?”
“Why?”
“I need someone to do the laundry for me.” I smiled. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision I didn’t find hard to make. I feel that if I leave her alone, she might do something crazy. I wasn’t going to back out now. “Where’s Charlie?” I asked when I remembered her dog.
“Max took him with him. Why do you think I am so upset?”
I laughed at what she said.
“You’re such a crack-up,” I said as I shook my head while carrying her to the door.
“Cody. . .”
“What?”
“Thanks for being here.”
“What are friends for?” I smiled.
“Cody. . .”
“What?”
“I think I’m gonna throw up.”
But even her warning came too late.