imessage: honey 💦

honey 💦: stop being upset, naya

honey 💦: you didn't say anything to me on the whole ride home

honey 💦: i'm sorry

2 hours later

honey 💦: are you okay?

honey 💦: answer me for fucksake

honey 💦: i have a question for you

honey 💦: i'm coming over, i'm worried about you

anaya ignored his texts, rolling her eyes as each one came through. she wasn't mad at cody as much as she was mad at herself. he didn't do anything wrong, it was her that flirted with the stupid kid at the beach, and she hated herself for it. cody was always making this effort for her and she didn't know how to handle it, he treated her so different. a knock played at her door and she wiped a tear off her cheek as she opened it.

cody stood there with a pitiful look on his face, his hands folded behind his back, "hi," he said before seeing her tear stained face, "what's wrong?"

he took a step in and anaya allowed him, sitting back on the couch, "i'm sorry," she replied.

cody remained standing as he tried to think of how to say what he wanted to say, "it's alright, but i do have a question."

"go for it," anaya said, looking at cody up and down as if that would help her figure out why he was so different.

"don't freak out," he said as a precursor, "so, uh, dev and i had this trip planned, to spain. now he's sick, like throwing up, hospital type sick. so, since you're from there i thought i would invite you, instead of dev. it's all paid, think if it as an apology."

"wait," anaya stood, "you're inviting me, to spain.."

cody smiled a bit, "yeah, if you wanna go."

"when do we leave?" she asked, "if you're being serious."

"tonight," cody said, "the flight leaves tonight, so you need to make a decision quickly."

anaya tried to process all that was happening and she answered before she could totally think it through, "yes, yes i'll go. thank you."

they both looked at each other with a large smile on their faces and she couldn't help but jump into his arms. she squeezed him tightly and he was caught off guard, stumbling back a few feet before catching himself and wrapping his arms around her, "it's really not a big deal.."

anaya unraveled herself from him, placing her feet on the floor. she turned her head and wiped more tears from her face, trying to hide it from cody, but he caught her wrist, "come here, what's wrong?"

he sounded genuinely concerned as he studied her face, tears were streaming heavily now.

"i haven't been back home in five years," she explained, "i've just, uh, never had the money, and now i get to go. to see my family, because of you."

he placed a hand on her face kindly and listened, not removing his eyes from her.

cody's face softened as he heard her, "naya, i'm really happy that i get to do that for you. it's no problem, honestly."

"but it is," she said, "i know i've been treating you poorly, and fucking you over a little. you don't deserve that, okay?"

cody scoffed, "you have been fucking me over," he agreed, "but we just don't have any boundaries, maybe that's why."

"what do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"boundaries, like you know, we aren't dating. we're just friends, distinct lines like that," cody explained, "i feel like that would eliminate some confusion between us."

"so," anaya answered, removing cody's hand from her face, "just friends?"

"just friends," cody nodded, "and a trip to spain."

"okay," she agreed, "thank you again. thank you so much, my mom is going to be so happy, cody. you don't understand. i'm going to call her right now."

anaya walked away from him and grabbed her phone, cody could hear her chatting excitedly in spanish to her mom. he felt good, at first he invited her to make her less upset with him, but at this point he could see that it meant more than that. seeing her happy and knowing that he helped that along was so liberating to him. she entered the room again with a large smile on her lips, "she's excited!"

"so, yes?" cody asked, "you're coming?"

"yes," anaya said, "i'll start packing now, god, i'm thrilled."

cody laughed as he made his way to the door, "i'll pick you up at seven, be ready."

anaya smiled and nodded, "thank you, honey. thank you."

he nodded and shut the door behind him.