Madeline's POV- August 2017

I closed the door and watched as Cody placed my duffle bag on the floor before turning to me.

"Make yourself comfortable"

He chuckled as I placed my hand on his arm to steady myself. Once my heels were off, I let out a happy sigh as I wiggled my toes against the carpeted floor.

"I could have carried you"

"This dress it too short to be carried in" I stated.

"Remind me again why you couldn't take them off"

I looked at him.

"Would you walk around barefoot?" I questioned.

He smiled as he shook his head.

"Why not wear comfortable shoes then?"

Because they're pretty and matched my outfit.

"Dinner was nice though"

Alex had planned out a nice evening with close friends. Cody's teammates were invited, and they all showed up. Some left early because they had plans with their significant others and others had plans with friends.

"Alex isn't mad you left, right?"

I shook my head.

"The night was over, and she wouldn't let me clean up. If it makes you feel any better, she gave me a wink and two thumbs up as we made our way out" I informed him.

"That does make me feel better"

He sat on the bed across from me and smiled.

"I was promised a face mask"

I stood up and reached for my duffle bag.

"Do you want a peel off mask?" I asked.

"I'll let you decide"

I set my bag on the bed next to him and took a good look at his face.

"You haven't shaved, so no peel off masks" I noted.

"Does it matter?"

I nodded.

"It will pull the hair" I answered.

He shook his head.

"No peel off masks"

"A nice clay mask should do the trick" I said.

I pulled out my anti stress clay mask.

"What color is it?"

"Blue" I replied as I squeezed a bit out of the tube and lightly touched his face.

"That's cold"

"Sorry about that" I told him.

I applied the mask on this cheeks and forehead.

"And we will use a grey clay on your chin and beard area"

He opened his eyes to look at me.

"Joc made me try that once"

I applied it on his chin and neck area.

"What about my nose?"

"That's where my charcoal peel off mask comes in" I said.

"Is it going to hurt?"

"It's like a nose strip" I told him.

"That's not to bad"

I nodded and began applying it.

"Can I just point out how much of a pro you are at this. You just applied three types of masks on my face with three fingers"

I smiled and finished off.

"Are you going to put one on?"

"I need to take off my makeup" I answered as I grabbed my makeup bag.

I stood up and made my way to the bathroom to do that. Before I took my makeup off, I washed my hands. Once my hands were dry, I took my fake eyelashes off. Just as I was putting makeup remover into a cotton pad, I heard the door open. The door close, and chuckle was heard.

"Am I invited to this face mask party?"

"Of course!" I called out.

Once my makeup was removed, I grabbed my makeup bag and made my way back to the room. Chris looked away from Cody and offered me a smile

"How was drinking with friends?" I asked as he stepped forward for a hug.

"I'm a bit buzzed"

I laughed.

"I could tell" I noted.

He stepped back and smiled.

"Pamper me away"

I looked at his face before smiling.

"Can I put a peel off mask on you?" I wondered.

"Sure, just don't get my beard"

He lied down on his bed and I went to work.

"That's cold"

I applied a nice layer of charcoal mask on his nose and reached for my cucumber peel off mask.

"You have really nice skin" I told him.

"Thanks"

I finished applying the mask and stood up to go wash my hands.

"Are you putting one on"

"I am" I answered before making my way into the bathroom.

Once my hands were washed and dry, I made my way back to the room. I sat next to Cody and looked at his face.

"How much longer?"

"Your nose is almost done" I replied.

He hummed and closed his eyes. I reached for my mirror and used Cody's arm to prop it. Once the charcoal peel off mask was on my nose and chin, I moved onto the rest of my face. I put a bit of the blue clay mask on my t-zone, and decided to put the cucumber peel off mask on my cheeks.

"Hey Madeline"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"The food was really good"

"Malin will be very happy when I tell her" I answered.

He hummed lightly.

"So your dad is Mexican American, and Maia is Colombian American"

"Correct" I responded.

"Interesting"

I looked at Cody when I saw his nose strip was dry.

"You can peel it off" I said to him.

He slowly opened his eyes and sat up.

"Can I see that mirror?"

I handed him my mirror and watched as he slowly peeled the black strip off his nose.

"This is oddly satisfying"

He looked at the back of the strip and made a face.

"All of that was in my nose"

Chris snorted.

"Wait till this dries"

Cody stood up.

"I'm going to shower"

I nodded.

"Keep Maddy entertained"

Chris opened his eyes and sat up.

"How's Andrea?" I asked.

He nodded a bit.

"School has her busy"

She had just started school, which is why she was unable to come. Chris was not too happy about her not being able to spend his birthday with him, but school came first.

"That's good to hear" I replied.

Andrea was Chris' girlfriend who was in her first year of the Pharm.D program at USC. She did her undergrad at OU and actually played on the school's softball team. Yes, we did play against each other in the championship series so it was a bit weird when we saw each other again. Nonetheless we were both adults about the situation.

"When are you leaving to Toronto?"

"September 10" I answered.

"That's in like two weeks"

Less than two weeks actually.

"So are you driving there?"

"I was originally going to, but I would have missed Cody's bobblehead night" I replied.

"How are you getting your car to Toronto?

"My parents decided to ship it there" I responded.

"How nice of them"

I nodded.

"You've got a really nice family, I'm talking about both sides"

"A lot of people tell me that, especially when they learn my parents divorced when I was still a kid" I confessed.

"You turned out pretty good"

I laughed.

"How long is the program?"

"Two to three years" I replied.

"I'm sure you'll be done in two"

I hope so Chris, I hope so.

🙂