Cody Baxter will be mine; there can be no other outcome. I’ve waited years, put up with his treatment, and have even been the brunt of many jokes because of it. No way am I giving in to some little nobody who just showed up here a few weeks ago. I have my life all planned out, and she doesn’t play a part in our future, Cody’s and mine.
Things should’ve been sorted between us already. I should’ve won him over the way I have with everyone else I’ve added to my cap. I have no doubt I would’ve worn him down eventually since, like he’d said, he just wanted to concentrate on the game for now. I always thought that meant that once his future in the NFL was solidified, he’d be mine.
Now that things were heading that way, something I’d heard while eavesdropping on my dad, who seems as taken with Cody as I am, this Lisa person had shown up to snatch the prize. I ignored the other three as I relived the humiliation I’d suffered tonight. No one had said anything, but they were all thinking it, I’m sure.
Cody had been all over her, well, not really, he’d just been by her side the whole night, his arm around her, or their fingers linked. He’d included her in every conversation he had with others, and even his friends seemed to accept her as one of theirs, something they never did with me.
“I’m not going to stand for this.”
“What’re you gonna do? Where are you going?” Belinda stood in my way as I got to my feet as if she expected me to rush out the door to commit murder.
“Nothing yet; I need a plan; I need a better plan. I need that idiot gone!” I screamed the last sentence as I felt my control slip. It’s been doing that more often of late, but I can’t be bothered to keep myself in check.
Everything that I’d planned where Cody and I were concerned was going up in smoke right before my very eyes. A problem I hadn’t anticipated had fallen square into my lap. Mom always said to use my head in cases like this, don’t rush in. Find the enemy’s weakness and chip away at it with force.
“I’m giving you one more chance, all of you. Get me something on her, or don’t bother coming back.” It pleased me to see the look of panic on their faces and hear their ready acquiescence and their promises to do better going forward.
LISA
“What’s with you?”
“Huh?” I turned to the door where Jess and Alexis had just come in. I’d been lying across my bed, lost in my own little dream world for the last hour or so after Cody left. I felt light and giddy and happier than I’ve ever been. It wasn’t the end to the night I’d expected, but who could’ve dreamed of anything this perfect?
“What happened? Did you two….?” Jess sat next to me on the bed while Alexis hovered, both with an evil gleam in their eyes.
“Of course not; he’d still be here if we had. Get your mind out the gutter.”
“Well, excuse me, how long do you think the deed takes, Missy?”
“What? It’s only been a little more than an hour since we left.”
I have no idea why my answer made them both howl with laughter but whatever. Now that they were here, my mind turned to the night’s events, and I was bursting at the seams to share.
“We kissed; I told him I love him.” Their laughter died as they both rushed me, digging for details, which I was more than happy to share. I half expected my stalwart no-nonsense Jess to shoot me down, or at the very least caution me to go slow, but instead, she seemed genuinely happy for me.
“I can’t believe my little innocent landed the hottest guy on campus without even trying. If I didn’t love you so much, I’d hate you right now.”
“Lay off Jess; she has enough to deal with, with that Susie nut.”
“Did you see her face tonight?” I’d already shared my happy news, and now it was time to get down to business.
“Everyone did; it’s all anyone could talk about after you two left. I get the feeling she’s not as well-liked as she thinks from some of the things I heard.” Alexis plopped down on my other side and kicked off her shoes.
“So, what’s next in your scheme to drive her mad? I think tonight was a success in more ways than one. But you’d better watch your back. From what I heard, she’s not one to take things lying down, and I think you really pissed her off tonight. Not to mention the way Cody was hovering over you like a protective bear for everyone to see; I’m sure she’s going to come out swinging.”