Author's Note: I'm sorry this chapter's short. I'm starting to lose a little inspiration. I have to do some major thinking.

Chapter 3: Painful Stuff

I haven't talked to Zack or Cody since yesterday, but we're back at school now, and I can't help but crash into one of them when I get on the bus. It happens to be Cody. "Cody, what happened yesterday?"

He gives me a look that clearly says, Shut up.

So I do. I don't say anything and if I wanted to, I couldn't either, because Isabelle is coming up the line onto the bus and she sits on the seat right across from me right next to her friend Alayna.

Oh God, I'm suddenly self-conscious about how I look… oh my God, do I look ok? I run my hands through my hair and suddenly feel embarrassed about how messy it is—something that hasn't bothered me for the last sixteen years I've been alive—why should it matter now?

"Hi Tapeworm," says Isabelle with a small grin.

"Hi," I say back, but only this small wheezy gasp comes out, so I try again. "Hi."

Alayna laughs a little, and I flush a deep red. Cody smiles knowingly at me, his mood better now that Tapeworm's being tortured. God, sometimes I hate Cody.

Isabelle just looks understandingly at me. I really am in love.

My heart's beating so quickly now, and I can't take my eyes off of her. She tucks a strand of black hair behind her ear, and somehow I want to be the one doing that, running my hands through her waterfall-looking-like hair, but of course I have to wash my hands first and…

She smiles at me, her teeth straight and even, her eyes bright and excited. I feel like I'm a punching bag and someone just hit me. I really want to go over there and sit next to her, because well… Isabelle smells really good—like vanilla ice cream or something.

Suddenly, I really want to eat a chocolate-chip-cookie.

Oh well, off subject. Anyway, the bus starts and I fall down on the ground and Alayna laughs at me, and Isabelle can't help a smile. I manage to scramble up in the bus seat next to Cody, my eyes darting over to Isabelle every once in awhile, but Cody keeps trying to catch my attention. God, why can't Cody see what's important sometimes? I can see him everyday, but Isabelle…

I'm so busy looking at her, the way she laughs and the way her eyes crinkle up in the corner, the pretty natural beauty she has—she doesn't even wear make-up usually—the light cleanness of her clothing…

"TAPEWORM!"

I literally jump about a foot in the air. "God, what is it Cody?'

Cody gives me a rather hurt look with those brown eyes. But somehow those brown eyes aren't getting the usual pity they get from me. I'm just mad because I could be looking at Isabelle's brown eyes instead of Cody's. Then I calm down and manage to realize what I'm thinking and how selfish I'm being.

"Sorry, Cody. What is it?"

Cody sighs in impatience. "Forget it," he says flatly.

"No, Cody, I'm really sorry," I butt in, trying to make him listen and understand. This is Isabelle we're talking about here—the only person I've ever actually fallen in love with. (That's why I made sure not to tell my mom. My mom has the biggest mouth on the planet—well, maybe besides me. She'd be after me, trying to find out what the girl's name was, what she looked like, if she liked Peter Pan or not).

"I…" Cody breaks off as he glances at me. My eyes are going back to Isabelle—God, can you blame me? I love this girl!

"Sorry, Cody," I snap back over to him as Cody sighs again.

"So do you want to know what happened yesterday or not?" he asks me.

I nod yes.

"You know how I said the whole 'dad' thing?"

"Yeah." I know something's coming up that's important, so I keep my mouth shut for once. I even wish I had duct tape to tie it shut or something, so I'm not tempted to talk.

"Well… Zack really hurt me yesterday and why I said I thought Dad came back," Cody's voice is shaking now, shuddering like he's a leaf and he's about to fall apart any second.

"Cody…"

"Tapeworm, I have to tell you this because I can't handle it anymore, Tape. I'm sorry I'm being selfish, I'm sorry I'm scaring you, but I really can't…" his voice arches onto a higher note, "I really can't handle it anymore by myself," his voice is getting all teary, and he's talking really quietly now, keeping his eyes on his hands in his lap. "I mean, Zack was there to talk to me about it, but after what he did yesterday… I don't think I can…"

I'm starting to get really impatient—itchy even, from all this waiting. I wish Cody would just tell me what's going on so I don't have to sit here and feel all antsy and so I can go back to looking at Isabelle. But I don't say anything, because I know how Cody is when he's saying something serious.

"My dad left when we were eight—I think you know that."

I nod.

"And, well, he comes to visit us a couple times each year and…"

I nod, waiting for more to come. I wish Cody would just hurry up and say what he has to say.

"I don't want him to come this time because…"

WOULD YOU JUST GET ON WITH IT AND TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON? HOW BIG OF A DEAL CAN IT BE? GOD!

"My dad goes out and gets drunk..."

Ooh, this is getting pretty serious. My heart's starting to beat faster, just sitting here next to Cody.

"And sometimes he comes back and he beats us."

Then I know why Cody took his time dragging it out. It's painful stuff…

And I know better than anyone what it's like.

Author's Note: Gasp! It was sort of repetitive, sorry, but I hope you liked it anyway. Review?