"Alrighty. Here we are." Cody announced as he let go of Maleena's hand to turn off his truck, unbuckling his seat belt. 

        "I just realized something. You didn't bring a trailer, so how are we gettin' the livestock back to your place?" Maleena asked, following Cody's suit by hopping out of the cab of his truck. 

       Cody let out a warm, deep chuckle as he asked for her hand again, walking towards the arena. "I know the owners, plus, they give everyone 24 hours to pick up their animals."

      Maleena teasingly let out a groan. "Don't tell me that your parent's own this place, too?" 

       "No, they don't, but the folks who do are really good friends of my family. Besides, I am not even sure if we are buyin' any livestock today. I was fixing to just look, even though my dad gave me enough cash if I see somethin' worth bidding on." Cody led Maleena over to the registration booth so they could pick up a call card, 'just in case.' 

       At the moment, the animals being auctioned off were the sheep and goats. The cattle weren't set to sell for another ten minutes or so. 

       Not surprising, but the arena bleachers were almost completely packed full. Thankfully, Maleena and Cody found an empty row in the back of the floor seating. If they ended up bidding on anything, they would have to be sitting in the floor section rather than the balcony seats so it was easier for the auctioneer to hear and see them. 

       Once they were seated on the wooden benches, Cody wrapped his arm around Maleena, leaning back against the fencing behind them. Maleena snuggled up against him, listening to the sound of the auctioneer calling off numbers and bids, raising the number higher with each hand raised in the audience. 

     "Thank you for bringin' me here today. Before we moved, I spent almost all of my time at the fairgrounds or auction yards, or places like that, but ever since we moved here, I haven't really gotten out and done anything. Shame on me, but I didn't even know where these auction grounds were located. I don't have many friends here, so I am thankful to have you to take me out and do things like this." 

      "Of course, darlin'. This is my life right here. Being at auctions and sales, rodeos, all of that stuff. I travel so much to different places. We have a hauling business as well where we deliver hay, silage, straw, bedding, and things like that to surrounding ranches. It's hard work and long days, but it is so worth it. I'm just sorry that we aren't doin' something more fun right now." Cody stroked Maleena's hair with the hand that was around her shoulders. 

     "No need to apologize. I seriously love this type of thing. Besides, anytime I am with you, it is fun." She smiled up at him happily. 

      "I'm glad, darlin'. I always have fun with you as well." He dropped a soft kiss on the side of her head. "So, why was it that y'all moved?" Cody asked, having to raise his voice slightly over the loudness of the auction. 

      Maleena took in a breath. She missed her hometown, and the house she grew up in. She would do almost anything to go back there, but then again, if she was back home, never would she have met Cody, so there were good things to them having moved. "Because of my dad's job. He was co-owner of the company back home, but then I was born and he stepped down so he could be home more with Chandler and I because my mom always had to work night shifts and she was always on call. My grandparents lived too far away to take care of us full time, and mom couldn't give up her job as a nurse, so my dad made the sacrifice. So now, the company is opening up a new location here in Montana, and they asked my dad to be the one starting it. So, it's a good thing that he is getting a promotion, but I just wished it could have been back in Wyoming. We weren't given hardly any time to move, so goodbyes were kept short." As she said it, Maleena thought about the friendships that she had left behind. In her heart, she really believed that they were lasting friendships, but only one of her friends had texted her since she moved, and Maleena hadn't heard from her for months. 

      "That's a hard thing to go through. I can't imagine havin' to leave behind all of that. But for what it is worth, I am glad that you did move here. You have really changed my life for the better, Malie." 

       "Malie?" Maleena smiled at the nickname. 

       "Yeah, short for Maleena. It just kinda slipped, but I think it fits." Cody grinned.

       "It does, I like it a lot. No one has ever called me that before." 

        "Good. It'll be our own special thing then." Cody looked back to the auction ring as the last goat exited, the auctioneer announcing that they were about to start the sale of replacement heifers. 

         Maleena was about to respond to Cody, but when she looked over at the gate that the first group of heifers were being brought in from, she saw something that made her freeze. 

        Walking in from the people door to the left of the livestock ring was the last person, er, people, that Maleena expected to see.

       "Cody, Dillion is here." Maleena whispered, leaning closer to her boyfriend. "Please don't let him see me." She turned so her back was to where Dillion and Sarah were standing. Glancing over her shoulder, Maleena saw the couple glancing the stands for a place to sit. 

      Dillion's eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on the only open seats in the arena, the row of seats next to where Maleena and Cody were sitting. That sly grin rose to Dillion's lips; it was the one that told Maleena he was up to no good. Just before she tore her eyes from him, Maleena saw him say something to Sarah, making her leave his side as he made his way up the bleacher steps, taking them two at a time. 

      "Great." Maleena mumbled, seeing Dillion making his way up the steps, rolling her eyes just as she felt Cody's arm tighten around her, making her feel slightly better. 

     "Hey, these seats taken?" Dillion asked, pointing to the empty seats next to Maleena and Cody. 

     "I know you will sit there regardless, so I guess they are open." Maleena said bitterly, refusing to look at her scum of an ex-boyfriend. 

      Dillion took a seat next to Maleena, sliding a little too close for her comfort. Just to make her disgust visible, Maleena snuggled up to Cody a little closer, casting a glare towards Dillion. To show her Cody understood her frustration with Dillion, Cody dropped a kiss on her temple, keeping his arm tight and protective around her waist. 

        "So, it was really good to see you to the other day. I really enjoyed talkin' to you." Dillion said coyly, knowing he was the last person that Maleena wanted to see at the moment. Something about the way that he said it made it seem like he knew that Maleena hadn't told Cody about the confrontation.

      Maleena could feel Cody tensing up beside her. She had failed to mention her and Dillion's confrontation that occurred about a month ago before her and Cody began to date. Instantly, Maleena knew that after the auction her and Cody would have a...conversation of a sort about Dillion's comment. 

      "I would say it was nice to see you, too, but that would be a lie." Maleena said in a snotty voice that she couldn't help. There was just a way about Dillion that brought out her fiesty side.

      "Hey man. It's Cody, right?" Dillion ignored Maleena's comment to stretch out a hand to Cody.

      "Yeah." Cody shook Dillion's hand, just to be polite. Just so Dillion knew how he disliked him, Cody squeezed Dillion's hand a little harder than necessary before letting go. 

     Just then, Sarah came back and joined Dillion. "Here you go, babe." She said, handing Dillion something.

      "Thanks, baby." Dillion replied, giving Sarah a kiss, casting a look at Maleena out of the corner of her eye. 

      "Hey, it's Maleena, right? How are you?" Sarah said, acting like she just now saw Maleena. She leaned over Dillion's lap to greet Maleena. 

       Maleena couldn't believe how Sarah acted like they were best friends, and how she pretended like there was never any conflict between her, Dillion and Maleena. 

       "I'm good." Maleena replied, keeping the conversation short. Everything in her hoped that someone would pick up on the hint and leave, but she was also going to try her hardest to not let Dillion bother her that much, considering that this was supposed to be a relaxing date for her and Cody. 

       "So, Cody." Dillion started. "How long after Mal and I broke up did you sweep in and ask her out?" From beside him, Maleena could hear Sarah chuckling under her breath. 

       "I don't think that is any of your business, man." Cody replied, trying to stay calm. He kept his eyes on the auction ring, watching the prices rise as each bid was given for the replacement heifers. 

        "Well, I think it is my business, frankly. I mean, I asked her out first, so I reckon you were just the rebound." 

         "Nah, I wasn't the rebound, I reckon Maleena was just savin' the best for last. You were just someone that was a lesson to her, someone who showed her how rude some guys can be. I just showed her how great she deserved to be treated." Cody somehow seemed to keep his cool though his body language, how he tightened his hand around Maleena's waist, said otherwise.

        "Really? I thought that you were just her sloppy seconds." Dillion looked away from Cody, convinced that he won the battle. 

       "You better watch it, man. I'm warnin' you." Cody shook his head, letting his irritation begin to slip through. 

        "I'm just tellin' you what Maleena told me when we went and got ice cream together the other day." Dillion grinned harshly. Sarah, sitting next to him, just played on her phone the whole time, acting like she wasn't hearing any of this conversation. 

       Something in Cody snapped, making him let go of Maleena to shoot up from his seat, giving Dillion a look. "How about we take this outside?" His teeth were partially gritted, his hands forming fists at his sides. Though his voice was quiet, Maleena knew him well enough to know it was takin' everything in him to not let his anger out.  

       "Why not?" Dillion scoffed, standing up and turning to Sarah. "I'll be right back, baby." He whispered to her, giving her a kiss before walking down the bleacher stairs. 

     Maleena stood up as well, grabbing Cody's wrist. "Cody, please." 

      "I'm not goin' to sit here and let him trash talk like that." He replied, jerking his hand free from Maleena's grasp, following Dillion down the stairs. 

     Letting out a groan, Maleena followed her boyfriend down the stairs, walking outside, just in time to see Dillion saying something to Cody before pushing him backwards hard.

       Cody took the shove by getting up close to Dillion, as if he didn't even feel it. "How dare you trash talk my girlfriend like that. Especially right in front of her. Don't you ever do that again." He shoved Dillion right back, his voice raised slightly. 

      "Man, I was just tellin' you what Maleena said when I got to see her the other day. Those were her words, not mine." Dillion smirked.

      Cody's hands were tightly clenched in fists at his sides as he glanced over his shoulder, seeing Maleena having joined them outside. "Dillion, I don't know what you are talkin' about, but I do know for a fact that Maleena would never lie to me, and she has never mentioned anything to me about y'all meeting up recently." 

       "It couldn't have been long after y'all started datin'." Dillion took a step closer to Cody, smirking before he said, "Dang, still talkin' to her ex-boyfriend while she was dating you. Guess she really is more of a player than we both thought, huh?" 

       It was at that moment that something in the normally always calm Cody snapped. Lunging forward, Cody raised his right fist, slamming it into Dillion's face, hard, making Dillion stumble backwards, grabbing his face in his hands. 

       After takin' a couple seconds to recover from the sucker punch, Dillion squared back up. "Oh, it's on, man." Dillion gave that sly grin before punching Cody back.

      Before she could really process what was happening, a full out fist fight had ensued right in front of her. "Guys, come on. Break it up." She started, walking forward some, but not getting too close, knowing it was a good possibility that one of the guys could accidentally hit her. Neither of the guys seemed to hear her, as evidence from them continuing their fight. 

     Beside Maleena, the arena door opened, and Sarah walked out. Rolling her eyes, Sarah stood next to Maleena. "Ugh, Dillion always has to find someone to fight with, doesn't he?" She clicked her tongue before shaking her head. 

      "I guess so." Maleena looked Sarah up and down, amazed with how oblivious she was to everything going on.

       "Hey, for what it's worth," Sarah started, turning to Maleena, becoming serious. "I know that this isn't the time or place, but I want you to know that it was stupid of me to be hookin' up with Dillion when y'all were together, but I just want you to know that he really does love you. I will never ever be able to measure up and be as good for him as you were for him. And, also, please don't tell him I said this, but Cody is a lot better for you that Dillion is, and I am not just sayin' that. Please, stay yourself and don't settle, or lower your standards. It only ends in more heartbreak than it's worth." Sarah's eyes went misty before she looked away, clearing her throat as she began walking towards the guys. "Y'all, knock it off. Come on." She pushed her way between Cody and Dillion, shoving each of them off of each other. It was clear that this wasn't the first time that she had had to physically stop Dillion from a fight. 

    Maleena stood there, dumbfounded as she tried to process everything that Sarah had just admitted. Maybe there really was a soft, good side to Sarah, but then again, she was the one who chose to sleep with someone that she knew was in a relationship at the time. 

     Before Maleena could react, Cody was by her side. "I'm sorry you had to see that." He mumbled, his voice quiet, refusing to look at Maleena. 

      "It's alright. Are you okay?" She asked, concerned, lifting her hand to caress his red cheek.

    Cody, jerking away from her touch, responded, "I'm fine. You ready to leave?" He refused to make eye contact with her. 

    "Y-yeah." She replied, knowing Cody was very upset; everything gave it away, especially how he practically stomped as he walked away, towards his truck. His pace was fast, not caring if he was walking beside Maleena or not. 

     For the first time in as long as she could remember, Cody didn't open Maleena's truck door for her; instead, he hopped in on his side, slamming his door shut before sliding the key into the ignition, starting his truck. 

       You could cut the tension between Maleena and Cody in the truck with a butter knife as Cody peeled out of the auction grounds and onto the dirt road. Closing her eyes for a second, Maleena prayed for strength to endure whatever was about to happen between her and Cody. Whatever it was, she knew it wouldn't be good. 

                                                               ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Merry Christmas, y'all!!!! Hopefully the update is a good surprise gift, and I hope it brightens y'alls day! If y'all would be obliged, please let me know what all y'all think of it. God bless, and Merry Christmas! :)