The 6 Greatest Errors of All Time | ✓

VIII. little troublemaker

He put me into a headlock and we have been fighting for over five minutes about my disappearance and him waiting for me at lunch. Basically I'm being murdered by my best guy friend over a promise to tell him a story.

Get yourself a guy like Cody, ladies.

Cough.

"Bruh, you wanna stop?" I huffed, pushing his arms away, "I'm out of breath."

"Unfit as usual," Cody scoffed, "Where'd your stamina go from last week? Let me guess, down the drain like that big ass shit you were taking that kept you in that bathroom for so long?"

I slapped him on the arm and he pulled away with a frown. "Stop it," I leaned in and gave him a stern look, "People are looking. Save me face, Cody."

"Save me the excuse," he raised his eyebrows and tossed me an apple, which I caught with ease as I shook my head at the boy.

"What went down in there? Besides the shit."

I rolled my eyes and took a bite of his apple before recalling the events.

I could expose one of two things: T6-GEO@, or Serenity.

Serenity it was.

"Serena and Vanessa were conspiring to sabotage me by somehow magically getting me to attend 'Serenity.' They were in the bathroom and I happened to eavesdrop." I propped my head onto my arms and took in Cody's surprised expression. "What are your thoughts?" I asked cheekily when I saw him ponder a bit.

Cody folded his arms as a smile of disbelief crossed over his face. "I mean," he started, face twisting into something too cocky for my taste, "I'd like to see you twirl in a dress sometimes."

"Why is it I could already sense something stupid out of your mouth before you even say it?" I snapped at him, pressing the apple against my lips to avoid commenting on the topic.

"Hey, I'm all for tomboy Risa," Cody nudged me and made a smile appear on my face, "But let's say a man held a gun to your head—"

"Cody, this is getting a bit gruesome for lunch," I cut in with a weird look. He shushed me so that he could continue his thought.

"—held a gun to your head and asked, 'wear this dress or I'll take Cody's life,' what would you do?"

I coughed and choked on the water I was drinking before immediately concealing my mouth behind my hand as I slapped the cap of the bottle on. Recalling how to breathe, I looked up at Cody with a perplexed expression.

He shrugged and patted my back as he regarded me curiously.

I cleared my throat and beckoned a finger for him to lean in as my face contorted into an expression like I was going to announce something important. When his face was close to the point that I could feel his breathing on my skin, I cupped my hand next to his ear and whispered, "If I asked that man if I could put that gown on you instead, do you think he'd have a good laugh and let both of us go?"

When I pulled away and saw the look of pure disgust on Cody's face, a thin line formed on my lips as I remembered something else. "Also, why the fuck is he holding a gun to my head when you're the one who's about to die?"

Cody raised his eyebrows before breaking out into laughter, shoving my hands away as he composed himself with his face in his hands.

I watched the boy crack a smile and found myself smiling as well. It had been a while since we had a hearty conversation. Lately, I've been busy with the team and he was struggling in school. Our schedules just didn't line up much for us to click together and relax.