Learning from life

Stella burst out laughing..."oh that crazy man..." she grabbed her stomach....."he cant do anything. what i do is what i do...." she slowed her laughing to a chuckle...."what exactly did he say to you?" Stella gave him a sideways glance. with a come and get me grin.

Cody gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. He wanted ti reach over and stroke her so bad... through gritted teeth he muttered, "He said not to touch you and that he would be watching me. He also said not to hurt you." He looked over at her, his eyes filled with sadness. "I would never hurt you stella. I hope you know that."

Stella wante to roll with luaghter. "what i allow he cant stop. and wont know." she winked at him. she took one of his hdans in hers. "I know you wouldnt hurt me..." then she reached into her bag and pulled a bottle of whisky out opening it nad taking a shot. "want some?" she asked...

Cody looked at her sternly. "Stella please put that away. And I am actually going to respect that Old mans rules" he squeezed her hand gently."I want to earn his trust. I'm sorry if that makes me not worth hanging out with but I also want to respect you." He pulled up the beach parking lot.

Stella skook her head lughed. took a couple more shots then put it back in her purse. she got out of the car and got out. sliping out of her cloths she already had her bikini on. She joined Cody on the other side. She have a side grin. pulling out the bottle but leaving her purse in his car. "dont worry about him." she leaned close to him...then decided something else and walked over taking another shot of whisky.

Cody grabbed the bottle from her hands and threw it on the ground, watching as the liquid spread over the concrete. "I need you to understand something Stella." his voice was eerily calm. "I didn't bring you here so you could get drunk, I brought you because I wanted to spend time with you and talk.If you don't want to do that then I can take you back or you can go run off with someone else." he didn't know why he was acting so responsible all of a sudden but he decided to go on this path anyways.

Stella smiled at him..."whats wrong?" she snickered...Then she sobbered up. "your smart to be afread of Singing Bird...but dont you ever do that agian.." She took Codys hand and they walked to the rest of the group

Cody sighed and rubbed his left temple with his free hand. Even though he was still a bit irritated he followed her, smiling when Taylor ran up to them, a cherry coke in one hand and Seans hand in another.

"Yay you came!" Taylor said as she released Seans hand and wrapped her arms around Stella. Her coverup was gone and her blonde hair fell in wet waves down her back."I for sure thought you were going to reject my brother." She winked at her and smiled.

stella sensed the irratation, but she could care less. she wasnt completely there. the whisky had loosend her up quite a bit. she smiled at taylor. "well you know. I didnt want him to be alone." she smiled at cody..."and i like to party every now and then.... then she took a flask from her back pocket took a swig then retruned the flask. She took Codys hand "ready?"


Sean couldnt help stare at Stella...after they had walked off he looked at Taylor..."shes been drinking..." He shook his head and smiled..."Her grandmother would have a fit....

Cody felt like he was about to burst with frustration causing him to let go of Stella's hand."Damn it Stella!" he yelled and stormed back to his truck.

Taylor narrowed her eyes at Sean's stare at first but took a deep breath and ignored it. "I don't understand how she can stand the taste of that stuff." she said taking a sip of her soda. She grabbed his hands and pulled him towards the water, setting her can in the sand. Once they were in the water, she came closer to him and whispered in his ear, "So why did you invite me here Sean?"

"in order to know that you have to have known her for as long as i have....she took the bottle when she was 14...just trying to drawn her life away....had a baby when she was 15 and the damn government took it from her cause she was underage. Her grandmother dosnt know she drinks and she didnt really know about the baby...still dont know how she pulled that one...kunshi would be heart broken but its either the bottle or shell kill her self. shes tried that about 4 times...Shes messed up cause her homes broken." his words where shallow. He loved Stella like family he was as close to a brother as shed ever had...it pained him to see what was happing to her...he sighed..."i just wanted to be with you thats all..." he said smileing looking into her eyes.


Stella watched cody. then sighed..."great.." she mudderd her head was fuzzy but she ran after him anyways. "listen, im sorry." she said getting in front of cody and stopping him..."Im sorry what do you want from me?"

He looked into her eyes and felt his anger slipping away, there was so much pain clear in them he felt his heart breaking a little bit. Cody reached out and took her hand, "I want you..." he pulled her closer, "To tell me everything. So I can make it better.I know you don't think I can but I promise I can do something." He reached around and took the flask out of her back pocket, shoving it into his. "That is what people use to run away. You need to look the situation in the eye and fix it before everything falls out of your grasp. I want to help you do that." he searched her eyes, his own pleading with hers.

"there nothing you can do" stella finally said after a pause. "im already to far gone." her body went numb. She cared about cody. His hand in hers and his body close to hers. She wraped her arms around his waist. Looking into his eyes she whispered..."just love me.." her words where quite and her voice sounded rough..."love me cody...you cant help ecapt to love me"

Cody pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear, his heart beat wildly at how close she was and his voice struggled to stay steady. "Stella, I love you but I just can't without..." he paused. "Helping you some other way."

Taylor's expression was sad as Sean told the story but her happiness quickly returned at his last words. She giggled happily, wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled his neck with her lips, "Well you could have been with me earlier..." she said lightly, "Can you only see me when it's on your schedule?' she said jokingly and smiled, running her fingers up the back of his hair.

stella turned her head away from him. "i already told you im to far gone" if you cant love me, then you should go" it pained her to say those words, but the only way to help her heal was to just simply love her where she was at.





sean chuckled "anytime you want to get together just say so. ill always make time for you." he kissed her lips

Cody gently turned her face back towards him and kissed her passionatly. "Stella, I didn't mean that. I never could. I love you so, so much. I have since the day I met you. " he looked into her eyes, trying to draw away any pain there.

Taylor smiled against his lips and closed her eyes. "Hmm anytime huh? That's a lot of times your going to have to live up to. " she pressed against him and kissed him again, craving the feel of his lips.

Stella felt the passion in his kiss. It made her want to melt, but she couldnt pull down her wall. She looked at him. "you make no sense to me. one minute you dont want to touch me, and now your kissing me?? whats your problem. Kicking Birds just full of hot air yet hes got you scared enought to pee." she sighed....her eyes went to the ground as she stood there.....she wanted to be close to him, but her wall woudlnt come down. She felt his hand on her arm and it drew her close. she wraped her arms around his waist..."what i meant is." she said more gently. "words are just words. easy to say and quickly broken. i want you to show me you love." She finished kissing him on the lips.





sean smiled "your worth it" he said kissing her agian,

Cody held her close, afraid she would run away. "Its always been about whats best for you and I'm still unsure of what that is so I can't make up my mind." He kissed her hungrily, craving the smoothness of her lips and the connection he felt whenever he did. "How can I show you that?" He asked against her lips.

Stella pressed her body agianst his. It had been so long since she felt love....she continued to kiss him...she didnt want to leave him..."common." she said pulling him toward the car...."i knw a place.."

Taylor laughed, "You say that now, but you will get tired of me eventually." she bit his lip gently as she kissed him.


Cody raised his eyebrows and followed her to the car. He handed her the keys so she didn't have to bother telling him directions and hopped in after opening the door for her.

Sean smiled and kissed her his hands around her waist.


Stella took the keys and got into the car. She pulled onto the highway then onto a back road. about 10minutes later she parked the car at a small lake. She got out and closed her eyes taking a deep breath....a gentle breath blew playing with her hair...she took his hand and lead him to a big oak tree. a low branch was curved perfect for sitting in...she climb up then waited for Cody

Cody smiled at how beautiful she looked then joined her on the branch. He played with her hair.

Stella chuckled. "I love this place. It means more to me then anyone could imangine." she closed ehr eyes as the brezze ran through her hair. When she opend them she cought Codys glance. She scooted closer to him. "I dont want to go back....will you stay with me tonight?"

"Of course." he said, giving her a light kiss. He leaned against the trunk of the tree and pulled her onto his lap. " This is beautiful."