By the time he reaches his hidden area, he could see a figure of someone lying on the ground. Maybe someone was there before him? He thought. He took a closer look and could see Jane's phone by the body. He crept slowly towards that person eventually realizing that it was Jane. He crouches down with a broken smile just to see her swollen puffy eyes as he pulled strands of hair behind her ears.

It saddens him watching her cry in silent and keeping things to herself. Cody didn't like seeing her out here with no warm clothing on in the night out in the cold. He then carried her on his back. He puts her phone in her bag and holds it too. Off he went with Jane on his back and back to the parking lot where his car was. He lays her down in the back seats and drives carefully home. Knowing Jane, he thought that maybe she didn't want to go home for the night so, he brought her into his house. Taking her upstairs to his room, he gently lays her on his bed then pulls the blanket over her. He sighs watching and heads on to the showers. After a while, he came out of the shower and dresses up. Looking at her, he caresses her cheek and wipes the small tears on her cheeks. Cody smiles gently at her then goes to his closet taking out an extra pillow and blanket that was at the very bottom for guests who would come visit but tonight, Jane was his guest and she needed a comfortable place to sleep for the night rather than sleeping on the couch.

"Goodnight Jane." He whispers at the doorway and shutting off the lights then closing the door as it creeks to shut quietly.

Heading downstairs, he sleeps on the couch for the night.

___________

 

            The light rays of the sun reflecting shadows to the shelves and tables in the room and to the bed made Jane wake up feeling comfortable in the bed. She opens up her eyes seeing that she was in a completely different room. It was filled with shelves of books and study books. The desk was messy with a laptop and papers piled on top of each other. A large pin board filled with sticky-notes, reminders, equations, quotes, pictures, and more notes. It was a room completely different from Jason's she thought. 

She yawns and looks around wondering where she was and sees a picture hanging, an award picture of Cody in a suit. Her eyes widen now that she knew where she was at, in Cody's room. It didn't bother her much since he wasn't in the room but it made her curious where he was though so, she got up from the bed. Just when she was going to leave the room, she couldn't stop herself to see the things and explore Cody's room. It seems to her like he's been a workaholic since young. 

She read some notes on his pin board and came across a note written in calligraphy that wrote, 

'I Promise to Never fall in Love'

For some reason Jane wondered why this note was the only beautifully had written quote. Cody is such a great guy most of the times but she could never guess what made him write such a quote.

 It was quiet as if no one has woken up yet. Jane then slowly crept down the stairs and can see someone sleeping on the couch. The more she went the more she could see that it was someone similar. It was Cody that she saw and she smiles seeing him sleep. She crouched down and just sat there on the floor waiting for him to wake up. A weak smile came upon her lips to see that he looks just like a little kid sleeping with such a peaceful expression. About an hour later, Cody wakes up seeing Jane in front of him. 

Sitting up straight, he opens his arms out to her, "You need a hug?"

Right when he said that, Jane remembers what she saw yesterday and cried as she got up going into his arms and he hugged her tightly.

 "It's okay Jane. Cry all you want." He whispers to her patting her back. 

Her silent tears couldn't hold back and she starts to weep. Cody was there holding her and condolence her till she was okay again. He knew something like this would happen and glad that he told her beforehand. After all this, Jane didn't know what to do anymore. Cody was the only person to lend a shoulder for her to cry on and she was glad that he was there for her even though she didn't show gratefulness to him knowing that he likes her.

During half of that morning, Jane was still in Cody's arm trying to stop crying. Meanwhile outside, Jason went over to Jane's house but her parents said that they haven't seen her since last night and that maybe she must have had an all-nighter out at night school. Jason was worried and took out his phone to call her. Up in Cody's room, her phone was ringing in vibration and could not be heard at all. The intense atmosphere was starting to form around Jason. Something didn't feel right since usually she would pick up right away. 

Jane backs away from Cody and forced a smile, "Sorry, I kinda lost it." She said as Cody listens wiping the tears away from her face.

"It's okay to cry. I don't know what happened but I know for sure that it was him wasn't." Cody said not even wanting to mention the name. 

Jane nods her head and sighs, "Let's not talk about it. I think I'll call it off with him. Maybe he didn't really like me from the beginning." She said standing up and so did Cody. 

They both went upstairs to his room, "Thanks for letting me stay here for the night." She says sitting on the bed. 

Cody nods, "You're welcome. Come by anytime you need a place to be alone and need someone to cry on. I'll always be the one, remember, we're friends."

She smiled widely with her puffy eyes, "I didn't think your room would be this messy and busy looking."

"Oh yeah, I didn't get the chance to clean it. Well, I never do." He chuckles.

"You seem fascinated by quotes and notes to remind you." She says wiping her tears.

"Well I catch on pretty fast but I forget things while I'm at it."

"Can I ask you something? About one of your notes on the pin board?"

"Sure which one?"

" 'I promise to never fall in love'"

Cody's expression suddenly turns cold, "What about this note?"

"It seems pretty unique from the rest and probably the strongest meaning."

"Really? I don't really think so. It's more like a friendly reminder to me and it catches my eyes first with it's fancy swirls and everything."

"Reminder?"

"Uh, it's nothing really. Don't take it to heart."

"Um, okay...anyways, I think I'll leave."

"I'll walk you." Cody insisted and Jane just went along even though it was next door.

Coming out of the house, Jason was at her door on the phone. Jane pauses and Cody watches the two and couldn't do a thing about it. He thought if he should take her back inside and without even realizing it, he quickly pushes her back into the house right before Jason looks up to him.

"Hey Cody!" He shouted, "Have you seen Jane or heard from Jane?"

 

Cody was hesitant, "Um, no. Why, is there a problem between you two?" He asks wondering what happened.

"No nothing's wrong between us. I was just worried about her." He smiled. That smile made Cody feel annoyed.

"Why don't you stop smiling?" Cody said lowly.

"Excuse me?"

"You make her cry then start smiling saying that you're "worried" about her?" Cody's voice was rising higher as Jane watched him from the doorway. Jason was taking a step closer towards him looking at him as if he knows something.

Cody took a step back, "Do you really even love her? Do you really even treat her with fairness?" Cody questions him with an irritated tone.

"What the hell do you know huh?" Jason hissed back.

"What do I know?!" He sighed, "That you're a cheating bastard and left your lady - no left Jane alone crying her eyes out with no one to comfort her but me. You don't even know your own mistakes. I was right, you're a disgusting bastard." Cody said with anger filling up inside of him. Jason was dumbfounded and couldn't get himself to speak.

"Now you're talking crazy Cody, when did I ever cheat on Jane?"

"Quit your blabbering. Who the comes out of their house with messed up hair and clothes wrinkled in areas they shouldn't be?" Cody was raging at Jason as Jason stood there listening to every truth of his words.

Cody then brought out Jane, not by force but to help her.

"Jane?" Jason said happily walking over to her. She quickly hid behind Cody. "Jane?"

"Don't ever sweet talk to her like that again." Cody said as Jason was confused. Jane had silent tears running down her face once more seeing Jason act as if he didn't know anything.

 

 "Come on Jane, what's wrong? What did you do Cody? Why was she in your house?" Jason was getting to the point of beating Cody. Cody didn't want to just stand there and stood up for her and him.

"What did I do? I comforted her, I gave her a place to sleep where she wouldn't be bothered, I brought her from the cold night park." Cody coughed up a laugh, "And you think I'm playing dumb, look at yourself Jason. I don't know what Jane saw but I'm sure it terrified her." Cody said as Jane wouldn't dare to look at him. Jane hesitated and took her last chance to talk to him

 "Let's call if off Jason. I can't trust you anymore after what I saw." She pulled a fake smile, "I shouldn't have given you the chance if this was just how you were going to act. You know... if you still loved your ex, why bother using me as a substitute?"

Jane said whatever she could leaving Jason speechless. Her words shattered him.

"Jane? You didn't see that-"

"Shut it Jason." Cody said, "She knows what she saw and she isn't stupid."

Jason couldn't believe the words coming out of Jane's mouth. He was stupid enough to know it was wrong yet he still did it with Katherine anyways. There's no way Jane would go for a liar and cheater. 

Jason was at his breaking point and shouted to them, "Fine, if that how it is then, I'll leave. Everything I did with you was a lie okay Jane. I used you as a substitute, and cheated on you, and I lied about loving you. Happy? This relationship was all a fake."

He was done. He didn't care anymore. Jason left the two alone and marched back to his house. Once he enters, Jane drops to the ground with her legs feeling weak and broken. 

Cody went down with her, "you okay?" He asks her calmly hoping she was alright and not too stressed.

 "I'm fine." She said. 

Just then, a similar car shows up on the Jason's driveway, Katherine. She gave them a small smirk and walks into the Jason's house. Jane and Cody stood up watching her get inside and Jason giving them a threatening glare. Jane's eyes began to become blurry again from the tears. One by one heavy tears dropped. She didn't want to live in this neighborhood anymore. She wanted to just kill herself. Everything they did, each kiss, each hug, each night, it was all a lie. She believed in the words Jason always told her. Every single thing and it all came to this. She thought her life was finally open but it wasn't. Her first heartbreak by a liar and a player came true. Cody held her in an embrace comforting her and wiping her tears away. He then brought her back into his house.

 

"Don't cry Jane, everything's going to be alright." He sat her down on the couch and went over to the kitchen getting her a glass of water. She didn't drink it. She didn't feel like doing anything anymore. Jane stopped going to school for a while. 

Cody would visit her at her house here and there but she would always stay in her room even if Cody tried to convince her to come out and go somewhere with him. She had to get it over with sooner or later. It wasn't like Jason was going to come crawling back. The way Jason is, anyone would doubt that. Jane sighs, she didn't dare to look at the house across the street and the car that parked right outside every day and never left. She always wondered what they were doing. Wondering if Jason really meant about his words. She wanted to know but knew it would just hurt her even more if the answer is 'yes'.

 

That very next morning, Jason's phone was ringing from his mom. He unlocks his phone and his background was still the same picture of him and Jane hugging each other in bed. After the conversation with his mom, he shuts down his phone. He was sleeping in the same bed that he shared with Jane but with someone else completely different.

 

 

Cody came knocking at the door and Kerri opens it, "Why good morning Cody. What brings you here so early?"

Cody smiles, "Well, Christmas is coming so I thought I'd take Jane out for some shopping since she needs a day with a smile. Am I right? She hasn't been smiling lately so."

"Come in." Kerri dragged him inside, "Micheal and I too wanted to do something special for her and was wondering if you can help with that too. You know since because she and him are out of the image together."

Cody chuckles with a big smile, "You know I will say yes so why not?!" He laughs and Kerri laughs along. Going up the stairs to Jane's room, he knocks and the door opens.

"Jane?" She was in bed still asleep. Quietly walking over, he sat at the edge of her bed watching her for a while then moves onto her closet to find her some warm clothes to wear if they were going to go out into the cold. By the time she woke up, Cody already had some clothes ready for her.

 "Put these on." He said. She was wide awake seeing him in her room all of a sudden but listened to him as he went outside and waits for her to change. He knocks on the door and sees that she's ready dressed up in a big cozy jacket with a red yarn scarf around her neck, furry boots, and gloves. Grabbing her by the hand, he didn't explain anything before they were in the car.

"Okay." He closes the car door, "Let's go now shall we."

"To where?" She yawns.

"The mall silly. We are going to buy your parents some gifts. I wanna surprise them too you know."

Once they head to the mall, there were huge crowds of people walking around and Cody grabs onto her hand and wouldn't let go until they were out of the crowd. Finally they reached to an area with more open space, just in a clothing store, Cody eyes Jason and Katherine together. Quickly, Cody rushes her to a different area far away from them.

 

"What's with the sudden pushiness Cody?" Jane asks with a smile.

Cody stops, "Oh uh, nothing. Just wanted to check out other stores that are more...over here." Cody said looking at the stores that were the Christmas section and thank god they were there. 

Walking around the sections, Cody would take Jane to each aisle filled with stuff animals and asked if she wanted any in which she declined. He smiles knowing he wouldn't have a chance with her and he accepted that a long time ago. He just wanted to make her smile. While looking around Jason and Katherine comes their way. Cody was panicking and didn't know what to do. It's been two months since they haven't seen each other and he couldn't have Jane become reminded of what happened those past 2 month. He then drags her between an empty space and covered her.

 "Please don't yell at me for doing this." He said with a cheeky smile. Jane was confused but went along with it as Jason and Katherine passed them and Cody sighs.

"What's wrong with you though Cody?" She asks calmly. 

Cody smiles and jokingly said, "Trying to protect you from harm." He laughs.

"You're stupid. What harm is there around here?"

He couldn't answer her.

"Let's just go on." Cody said throwing his arms around her shoulders, "Today, we are just going to have fun and window shop okay. No worries, no stress, just all up in fun and laughs."

She scoots a little closer smiling shyly. 

Cody leans to look at her, "There's the smile I want to see. Remember what I said when I first met you, 'Beautiful smile.'" Cody smiles giving her a slight pinch on the cheek making her laugh.

 "Yes I remember Cody. It was the first compliment anyone has ever said to me."

 

"It's a week before Christmas, have the fun and memorable moments you can have..." he smiles putting his cheeks against hers, "with me of course." He bursts out of laughter while Jane chuckled with red cheeks.

"I'm sure I will."

"Glad to hear that." Cody says as they walk into a candy store filled with all kinds of sweets and baked cakes and cookies. They took small samples of the cakes, cookies, crackers, and candies in the store and Cody would attempt to feed her but she wouldn't go along so he just laughs at himself for even trying. Coming out, Cody takes her outside of the mall where outside, people were also selling things such as hot chocolate and secret Santa gifts. There was so much to see during this time of the year and Cody was glad he could spend it with Jane making her happy after what Jason did to her. 

Something caught Jane's eyes and it was a pendant of her name on it along with other people's name. 

Cody came behind her, "Do you want it?" He asks. She looks behind her seeing him and shakes her head.

"No, it's fine. It just caught my eyes." She smiles and they moved on to the next store. 

While at that same time, Jason and Katherine came outside too. Passing the store with the pendant, Jason notices the pendants with names and told Kathrine to come over and see if she can find her name since it was also a common name. As they were looking, Jason's eyes caught on Jane's name, he couldn't take it eyes off of it. Eventually Kathrine finds her name and made Jason come back to himself.

 "Hm, you found it?"

 Katherine nods her head and Jason buys the pendant for her. He puts the necklace on for her and off they went. After walking for a while, Cody asked Jane to stay at a cafe for a bit using it as an excuse that he needs to go use the restroom. She believed him and sat there in the small cafe that was connected with the mall. Cody then ran to where the store was with her name on the pendant. Quickly he bought it and ran hiding the small box in his jacket pocket. He came back a few minutes later smiling. Jane was busy drinking her coffee and asked what too him so long. 

"Number two." Cody said laughing. 

Jane gave him a disgusted look, "Okay, maybe I shouldn't have asked." They both laughed and enjoyed their time together.

~Christmas Day~

 

The day Cody's been waiting for to finally give Jane her necklace for Christmas and to spend time with her family too. For once he wanted to spend some time with her than his family since his family does the same thing every year with a Christmas dinner and nothing else and Cody getting those gifts. But this year, Cody bought gifts for his parents and Jane's parents. It was about seven at night now and Cody was making his way to Jane's place with the presents and watches the lights at Jason's house seeing the shadows of his and Katherine's. He ignores it already knowing what they might do. He rolled his eyes walking in the snow and rings the doorbell to Jane's place. The door opens with Jane's smiling face.

"Hey Jane!" He said with a smile with his baby face. He walks inside shivering and places the presents on the floor and sits down on the couch. Their own little Christmas party with just the four of them. They had their Christmas dinner and fun then came the presents. Cody had gotten Micheal a nice looking sweater with a good quality of wool and for Kerri; he got her a jewelry set of necklaces and bracelets. They thanked Cody very much and appreciated it. He had a feeling Jane wouldn't want such expensive things and wouldn't take it.

 He brought her out to the backyard even though it was snowing. They sat on the porch and Cody took out the box.

"I knew you wanted this so... I got it for you."

 

Her eyes widen seeing the box and once he opens it with the pendant of her name, a huge smile ran across her face. Cody smiled just seeing hers. Taking the necklace out the box, he unhooks the necklace and scooting a little closer towards her to put it around her. The feeling of him so close to her made Jane smile like a fool. Once he was done hooking the necklace back on, he looks at her and the pendant.

"I-It looks nice on you." He says lowly. 

Jane only smiled as Cody then looks up towards her and eyeing her lips. Slowly Cody leans a little closer tilting his head and lowering his eyes along the way. Jane was still and didn't budge. She closes her eyes as Cody gently places his lips gently against hers. It was a different feeling from the kiss he gave her at the party, a softer yet warm feeling. He backs away slowly biting his bottom lips. 

"S-Sorry." He stutters looking into her eyes. His heart was racing, beating as if an angel was playing with his heartstrings like a harp.

Her face had a slight blush on her cheeks and the kiss was just enough to warm her body up from the coldness. 

Right at the same time when the lights were on in Jason's house, Jason and Anna were really arguing about something that made it look as if they were going to do something.

 

"You still like her don't you Jason?!" Katherine barked at him holding his phone. He took a deep breath and glared at her. 

"No! I don't like her anymore. I have you now. Isn't this what you wanted, just to be with me and no other guy?" Jason asks her as she turns on his phone. She shows him his own background which was still the picture of him and Jane.

"Then explain this to me Jason. Why would you still even have your ex's picture on your phone especially with you holding her too?"

Jason couldn't say anything to her. It was true that he still liked Jane but after the things he did, he doubts that he could gain her trust again. All the words he told her in front of Cody lying about their love, he lied to himself. The words were already hard enough for him to say but he only did it so Jane wouldn't get hurt by him again. Their argument when on through the night, Katherine shouting at him about why he still liked Jane and why he even chose her if he was going to start crawling back to Jane.

Meanwhile back at Jane's place, Cody attempts another kiss but knew it would make her feel awkward around so he stopped halfway.

"Let's head back inside. It's getting really cold." He says and Jane stands up as they both walk back into the house. 

It was already midnight and Cody thought it was time for him to leave. He waved goodbye to Kerri and Micheal then giving Jane a small side hug while running his hand down her arm.

 "Night Jane." He whispers as she nods her head. He stood at the doorway and shouted towards Kerri and Micheal," Goodnight Micheal and Kerri!" 

They said their good nights to him and off he went walking to his house. As he was about to enter his house, Katherine came raging out of Jason's home along with Jason just standing there watching her. Cody wondered what happened but that was none of his business to deal with.

 

It was early in the morning around seven-twenty something, Cody felt light headed. Allof a sudden he felt as if he was getting weak. Maybe it was because of all thestress and late night work hours but no, it wasn't. 

He managed to get himselfup and head to his restroom. Looking at himself in the mirror, he had darkcircles around his eyes and he looked at himself in confusion. He had no ideawhat was going on until he scratched his head and hair was falling out. Itdidn't shock him much as for he already knew what it was. Only a dead smileappeared on his lips and his eyes watery. He thought he had been done with thisbut to think it came back after 8 years. He couldn't believe it himself. Heopens the small cabinet behind his mirror and looking at his medication pills,after 8 years of course they'd be expired. He had to go get more at thehospital. Cody calmly went to his parents' room and explained it to them whiletears were running down their cheeks. Cody would come to them wiping it andsaying that everything will be okay.

 

The only words he could only say when something was wrong, 'everything will be okay.' It was quite foolish of him to say so but it was his way of comforting people. Throughout the day, Cody went back to the hospital to get his new medication and made appointments with doctors. His condition had been back for a few weeks now and the symptoms were finally starting. It scared Cody for a bit but knew what was coming his way. He was calm during the talking with the doctor and grabbing his medication. The doctor suggested that he should wear something to cover his head for the time being.

 

*** To Be Continued***