I Want to See Love Through Your Eyes

Lola hadn't seen Cody for a weeks since their kiss and she'd been doing everything she could to try and forget about it. But every time she let her mind wander, she'd begin to creep back to the thought of kissing someone like Cody Linley and she'd find herself daydreaming in the memory of his soft, warm, pink lips touching hers. She could remember what his kiss felt like and even tasted like, and all she wanted to do was forget it all.

Exhausted and sick of remembering, she got into her pyjamas (a simple tee shirt and some short shorts) and walked up to her music stand. She opened the case to her violin, taking out the elegantly stringed instrument. The finish was striped black and white with red, dripping hearts painted on. It was a custom Emilie Autumn design that she'd requested, and it was her prized possession. She took out the bow and struck a soft, low chord, smiling at the flawless sound. She stared at the sheet music in front of her, hating the song. She'd begun writing it the previous year, a year where she was happy. She could hear her composition playing in her head, filled with beautiful and loving chords and infatuated melodies. She could perfectly remember how much she once adored the melodious music, but now it hurt to look at it all.

Lola jumped from a tap on her bedroom window. She approached the glass and pulled the shades up, jumping a second time when she saw Cody at her window. She propped it open and nearly seethed. "Dare I ask you why you're here? You following me around is starting to get creepy."

"Please, Lola, let me in," he requested. She rolled her eyes.

"No, Cody," she told him.

"Please," he pleaded.

"Why should I?" she asked him. He sighed, looking up at her with pleading eyes.

"Because I came to your window in the middle of the night by ladder despite the fact that I've always had a fear of falling. Is that convincing enough?" he replied. She became quiet, thinking for a moment, the sighing.

"You know, I should say no, but I won't," she said. "Come in." He climbed in with one fluid motion, sort of stumbling on the way in. "So what do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the kiss..." he mumbled. Lola rolled her eyes.

"Cody, are you serious right now?" she grumbled, glaring at him.

"I have to be honest with you, Lo," he told her.

"You know what? I think I was mistaken; you need to leave," she insisted, pushing him toward the open window, gesturing for him to leave.

"Lola, I'm in love with you," he confessed. She froze as still as stone, caught in surprise of what he said.

"You... wait... what? You don't love me!" she exclaimed. "This is fucking insane!" She backed up as Cody approached her.

"I'm not lying; I really feel like I'm falling in love with you," he continued.

"You don't know a thing about me!" she cried.

"You hide your emotions from everyone, you act like you don't give a damn about anything, you play the violin, you're emotionally wounded," he whispered. As Lola backed against her bed, Cody placed his hands on her cheeks. "And you're beautiful, Lola. I'd really like to kiss you again."

She tried to wriggle away unsuccessfully. "Y'know that's all fine and dandy but we don't have chemistry!"

"That's not true," he sighed. He leaned in, pulling her closer to kiss her and she began to panic. She placed a hand over his mouth, terrified of enjoying his kiss again

"I don't even know anything about you!" she gasped. Cody eyed her carefully. "I don't even know so much as your middle name." He smiled at her.

"My middle name is Martin; now may I kiss you?" he asked. Lola was very skittish; she didn't want to open herself up to him, but she couldn't help getting a little lost in his eyes. She hated how perceptive he was, able to read her like a book as easy as blinking. She was putty in his hands and they both knew it. With each passing moment, she became weaker and more tired. Frankly, she wasn't sure if him showing up at her window was sweet or creepy.

She stared into his almost teal eyes, feeling warm and (strangely enough) safe. He held her face again and pulled her closer until their foreheads touched. "I don't know about this... I don't think-"

"Don't, Lola," he said. Their noses brushed and she trembled as he touched his lips softly to hers. She could feel herself melting as they stood in her room, lips just barely touching. She quickly tore her mouth away, completely shocked at herself. No, she screamed at herself, don't kiss him again! But there was another portion in her subconscious, of which took the form of Emmie, that was swooning and giggling and falling for him. She witlessly released her inner Emmie and choked out a small, girlish giggle. She clasped a hand over her mouth in surprise, but Cody smiled. "There you go, Lola. There's no need to be so bitter."

"I... I..." she couldn't get anything out more than a single syllable. She cleared her throat and tried again with a new question. "How many girls have you hunted down like this? Or do you do this with every girl you meet at a music store?" This time she moved closer to him so their foreheads touched yet again. He softly stroked red hair from her eyes.

"Lola, you're different from any other girl I've ever met before, and all I've been doing is making sure that you know that I don't see you as just another girl I've had my eye on," he said quietly. "Besides, that little giggle was adorable." She blushed, feeling herself ease to Cody. "I don't know if I can say that I'm positively in love with you, but I can say that I have feelings for you, and I promise you: I'm not going to hurt you. Please, give me a chance to prove it to you."

Lola closed her eyes, listening to her two mental standpoints bicker. It was like listening to herself fight with Emmie all over again. Emmie yelled at her to open her heart to Cody, but she argued back that it wasn't worth the future pain. Back and forth, back and forth, and for once she did something she'd never done before.

She listened to Emmie.

She smiled at Cody, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him softly on the lips. In just one kiss, she was able to display so much emotion, and Cody felt his fingertips tingle just knowing what she was displaying. She pulled away, brushing the wing of her nose against his. "Okay. You win. I'll give you a chance." She hugged him, hearing him chuckle.

"Good," he said sweetly. She pulled away from him, only to see that his pale olive tee shirt was sticking to her own shirt. She pulled the clothes apart. "What the hell...?"

"Did you cling to that sap tree outside my room?" she asked. He nodded. "You're all sticky with sap. Let me find you another tee shirt. I'm sure I have something in my closet other than corsets, slim tees, and hoodies..." Lola removed herself from his arms and went through her closet. She heard the rustle of sappy fabric, knowing mentally that Cody must have taken off his shirt. She gabbed an old, large Slipknot tee shirt, turning to toss it to Cody. Her jaw dropped slightly when she saw his shirtless frame, staring at his visibly muscular abs. He ruffled his hair in adjustment, looking up at her and smiling.

"You alright, Lo?" he asked. She nodded silently, still staring at his smooth stomach.

She snapped out of her trance, violently shaking her head. "Um, I found you a tee-"

"Lola! You left your heels down in the shop... ag-" Emmie walked into Lola's room, staring at the ever-shirtless Cody Linley standing in her older sisters room. "Oh. My. Go...uhh..." The Emilie Lynch proceeded to faint. Cody and Lola just looked at the unconscious girl. Cody chuckled.

"Well, there."