"So, Cody left today, you said?" Rose, Maleena's new-found friend asked. Her and Maleena met one night after the rodeo when the Bible study group all went out to Steak-N-Shake. On that night, not only did Rose and Maleena hit it off, but so did Cody and Maleena. In fact, it was that same night that Cody had asked Maleena out on a date. The rest was history. 

     Maleena let out a sigh as she walked out of her house, heading towards the barn. "Yeah, they left really early this morning. He was driving, so I haven't heard anything from him for several hours." She explained, opening the barn door, walking inside. 

      "Well that is a bummer, I'm sure he is really sad he won't get to see you ride on Saturday. I'm sure you're upset, too, I can imagine." Rose stated the obvious. 

      Maleena flipped on the light switch in the main aisle of the barn before heading towards the tack room. "I was at first because this futurity race is such a huge deal to me, but at the same time, I understand. It isn't like Cody deliberately planned this college visit trip specifically just so he couldn't see me ride, y'know? I mean, I am bummed, don't get me wrong, but I understand the circumstances, and I know he would understand if the situation was vice versa. Speaking of the race, Cody asked me to ask you if you wouldn't mind please filming it, so he can watch it when he gets back?" 

        Rose let out a whistle. "Man, you are such an amazing and understanding girlfriend. I mean, seriously, I would be furious and probably demand that my boyfriend come back, just to see me ride, but then again, maybe I am too bossy, and that is why I am single. Who knows." She chuckled. "And oh, of course I will video your run. I was fixin' to whether you asked me to or not." 

      Maleena could just picture her friend sitting at the desk in her bedroom, her feet propped up on the desktop, leaning back in the chair as she picked her nails, shrugging her shoulders at the comment she just made. Chuckling, Maleena said, "Thank you. And for the record, you're not too bossy, you just haven't found the right guy who can handle your sass yet." She said it in a teasing way so her friend knew she wasn't serious. 

       "That is a true statement right there, girl. Ugh, I wish I could find a guy like Cody..." Rose groaned out. "I mean seriously, I hope you know how lucky you are to have him." Rose was not trying to steal or hit on Maleena's boyfriend at all, instead, she was just stating a fact. Cody seriously was an amazing guy, and Maleena was definitely blessed to have him. 

       "He is pretty great. And remember, he does have an identical twin brother..." Maleena chuckled, leaving the sentence hang. Hearing a beeping noise on her end of the phone call, Maleena pulled the phone away from her ear to see what it was. "Speaking of Cody, he's callin' me now. Can I call you back in a bit?" 

     "Yeah, girl, of course. Kisses, love you." Rose said their usual closing, hanging up the phone. 

     With an excited giggle, Maleena answered Cody's call, tucking her hand in her back pocket as she strolled up and down the aisle of the horse barn. "Hey there, handsome." She greeted, biting her bottom lip.

      "Hey there, gorgeous. How are you?" Cody's deep drawl came across the line.

      "I am much better now that I got to hear your voice. How is the drive goin'?" 

      "It went really really well. We just got to the hotel that we will be staying at tonight. The college is paying for us to stay here. It's a pretty nice hotel." Cody explained.

      "Wow. That is really really amazing! Which college is it for again?" Maleena momentarily forgot all about her chores that she needed to get done in the barn as she listened to Cody's voice. 

       "It's one of the honors colleges that my brother, Cory, got into. I have no interest in goin' here, to be honest, but since it is only about 20 minutes from one of the colleges on my list, but isn't on his, it works out pretty well." 

       "That does work out well. Make sure you send me lots and lots of pictures, even though it isn't a school you like." 

      "Of course, sweetheart. So, what're you up to today to keep yourself busy from missin' me?" Cody's voice seemed to echo, making Maleena know that he was walking around somewhere in the hotel. 

      "Well, I am about to get the stuff together to scrub all of the horses water buckets, then I have to fill their hay bags and reload the grain bins. After that, I think dad wants my help with some haying and changing oil in the truck. If I have time, I am hopin' to practice my runs some more, too." Maleena rattled off from her long work list. 

      "Yeah, I still feel horrible about havin' to miss that. Seriously, I really hope that I can make it up to you somehow." Cody sounded genuinely apologetic. 

       "Really, honey, it's okay. I understand; Rose said she would film it for me anyways. Besides, I will just make you take me out on that Steak N Shake date that you promised me, but never followed through on." Maleena said, teasingly. 

      "Which Steak N Shake date are you talkin' about?" 

      "Remember the night that you asked me out for the first time? It was after the rodeo and the Bible study group all went to Steak N Shake afterwards, and you walked me to my truck and said how next time you hoped it would just be you and me goin' to Steak N Shake together." Maleena reminisced on the night; the memory of it made her smile. 

     "Oh that night. Yeah, of course I remember. You had broken up with Dillion about a week before and I was super nervous that you would say no, and that you would think it was too soon after your breakup to go out with me, but I had liked you from the first time I met you, and couldn't wait any longer." The smile in Cody's voice could be heard. "And for the record, I wasn't technically askin' you on a date to Steak N Shake. I said that I had fun with you and we should do it again sometime, but the next time I wanted it to be just the two of us. Besides, do you really think that I would take you to someplace like Steak N Shake? My girl deserves a much better date than that." 

     Before Maleena could form a response, she could hear voices on Cody's end of the line. Following a sigh, Cody's voice came back over the phone. "Hey, Malie, I'm really sorry, but I have to go. I'll call you later, okay?" 

      "Alrighty." Maleena smiled, hanging up the phone, immediately calling back her new best friend, Rose.

      "Hey girl. That was a quick phone call with Cody. Everything good?" Rose asked, partially concerned. 

      "Oh yeah, everything is great. He just had to head out to the first college tour. What're you up to?" Maleena asked as she hooked up her headphones to her phone, tucking her phone into her pocket so she could have both hands free. Opening the first horse stall, Maleena grabbed the water bucket out of it, setting it in the aisle way before walking to the next stall. 

       "Oh, nothin' much. Just thinkin' about Lucas, what else is new, right?" Sadness swept over Rose's voice. 

       "I know, girl. Have you talked to him much recently?" Maleena asked. Lucas is Rose's ex-boyfriend; the couple was perfect for each other, and even talked about marriage, but Lucas' parents were moving over eight hours away, and forced Lucas to break up with Rose, telling him that he should start fresh. It left both Rose and Lucas truly heartbroken.

      "Not a whole lot, to be honest. Whenever we do, it just ends up being how much we miss each other." Rose let out a heavy sigh. "Some days, like today, I just want to drive out there and elope with him. I just turned 19, and he's almost 21, so we don't need our parent's permission to get married since we are both over 18. Sometimes, I don't know what stops me from drivin' to see him." 

        "Hang in there, girl. I know it's hard, but if y'all really are meant to be together, nothing can keep y'all apart, not even his persistent parents." Maleena tried her best to comfort, knowing in just a few short months, she could potentially be in the same boat as Rose since Cody will be leaving for college. The thought instantly made Maleena practically shiver with nerves. All she could do was pray he chose a college close to her. Otherwise, Rose wouldn't be the only one desperately missing the man that was her other half.