A/N: First 15/love fic I've written on here, so I hope you all like it. You won't see many, sadly I'm uninspired by 15/Love as of late. Probably all the re-runs. I need new episodes! But alas, I must wait, so for now, here's a sad little one-shot. Set right before Cody and Squib's memorable bus kiss.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of 15/Love. Owning Max Walker would be a pleasure, but it is not so.

"You gotta stop her!" Rick yelled, storming into the change room and nearly leaping on Squib's back.

"What?" Squib asked with a laugh, "Stop who?"

"Cody! She's leaving." He gasped, grabbing Squib by the shoulders, "Leaving, Squib!"

"Oh, she is not. She's been 'leaving' for months and it hasn't happened yet." Squib scoffed, "Now scram! I have the single biggest match of my life to get ready for."

"I'm telling you, she's leaving!" Rick insisted, stepping in front of Squib when he tried to reach his locker. "As in soon! And no one knows! Except you cause you're the only one I could find! She's leaving! Now! And you have to stop her!" He shouted almost angrily and crossed his arms, refusing to let Squib pass.

"Rick, god! It's gonna be fine. She isn't leaving right now. We'll talk later. Now…shove off!" With a violent push, Squib pushed Rick out into the hall and locked the door behind him. "And if you're so desperate, go stop her yourself!" He yelled as an afterthought.

"Idiot." He muttered under his breath, pulling a clean shirt over his head. "Ok, now focus Squib, focus." Playing the biggest match of your life in a minute! Racquet in hand, he paced back and forth across the deserted change room, muttering about serves and forehands. Her face popped into his head about midway through the second time he'd paced back across the change room. Cody. She wasn't really leaving was she? Because he really didn't want her to. But then again, she'd been supposedly 'leaving' ever since her photo was published. That was months ago! He had plenty of time. He'd play the match, win, come back to Cascadia and then convince Cody to stay with him. Yes, that's how it would go down. Everything would be perfect. Pushing all thoughts but tennis out of his head, he resumed pacing, mentally listing his opponent's every weakness.

Stepping out onto the court, Squib grinned and waved his racquet at the exuberant crowd. He noted with satisfaction the number of 'Go Buzz Saw!' signs that littered the stands. He saw Adena and Tanis and gave them a little wave. Their response was a hefty thumbs-up. He caught President Bates' eye and gave him a confident smirk. Cascadia, here I come. He hardly paid any attention to the 'good luck' he received from his opponent as they shook hands, merely gave a weak shake and a muttered "You too." Stepping to his side of the court, Squib squared his shoulders and gripped his racquet, watching his opponent carefully. The ball flew through the air with a whoosh and the biggest match of Squib's life began.

"Winner: Buzz Saw Furlong." The announcer shouted to the screaming crowd. Throwing his hands in the air, Squib pumped his fists towards the crowd, victorious. Adena and Tanis were jumping up and down, squealing excitedly and even Cameron had a smile. Coach Gunderson looked pleased and President Bates' was obviously happy at victory Squib had scored for Cascadia. Typically, Cody's smiling face would beam along with the rest of them, but today, try as he might, Squib couldn't spot her happy smile, her bright red hair. His eyes widened. Rick couldn't be right…could he? He frantically searched the swarming crowd for Rick's face and his heart plummeted when he found it. He watched Rick frown and shake his head slowly, turning away. No, Squib panicked. Dropping his racquet with a clatter, he bolted out the door, calculating in his head. Buses usually came…oh, hell, he had no idea! He heard the doors click open behind him and the crowd surged into the hall, reporters calling his name. He didn't dare stop in his headstrong rush. He had to get there, he had to. Crossing his fingers, he prayed silently as he raced against the clock. Clambering to get through the metal gates at the front of Cascadia's long drive, he burst onto the road.

"Because I can't stop thinking about you ok? Your stupid face, your stupid hair, your stupid laugh…and like you care…because I don't play tennis, I'm not Adena, so go ahead. Make fun of me I don't care." I had to do something. Moving as if guided by some invisible force, I found myself moving across the boat and taking her chin in my hands.

His feet pounded on the asphalt and his legs began to burn, his lungs felt as though they would explode. He didn't stop.

"It wasn't just luck…sometimes I wonder what I'd do without you."

He had to get there. He had to tell her. She belonged with him. She couldn't leave, he couldn't take it.

"Truce?"

"Ok, ok, truce." She agreed, smiling form below me. That invisible force took action again and I reached out to brush a stray hair from her face, my breath catching when she took hold of my arm. It was now or never…

He was almost there. Just around that corner, he could make it. The match was forgotten, Cascadia was forgotten, everything but reaching Cody had been pushed right out of his mind.

"A part of me doesn't want to leave this place."
"That's funny because, uh…a part of me doesn't want you to go either."

And it was true. He didn't want her to leave. Not now. Not him. It couldn't happen. It wouldn't, Squib decided. This was just like one of those romantic movie scenes. He'd burst around the corner and shout her name, just as she was boarding the bus. She'd whip around and throw herself into his arms and he'd tell her how much he loved her and she'd say the same and everything would be a perfect. Feeling confident, Squib puffed out his chest and burst around the corner triumphantly, opening his mouth to shout her name. He widened his arms for her embrace, preparing to shout. He turned the corner just in time.

To see the bus pull away.