Serendipity

Let him go

The guy that outed Sydney comes closer, and I take the time to assess him. He's a bit taller than me, but he's also more lanky, whereas I'm a bit stockier. I can probably take him if I have to.

I feel Sydney shift behind me slightly as the guy— Luke— looks at him.

Finally, he stops about three feet away.

"I haven't seen you since middle-school," He says, ignoring me. "What happened to you?"

"Why do you care?" Sydney spits with a surprising amount of malice in his voice.

Luke raises his hands in surrender. "Woah, calm down, would you? I just came to talk."

I glance back at Sydney, wondering who I should be more concerned about— Luke, who's being condescending... or Sydney, who looks like he either wants to attack Luke or disappear.

I opt to puff out my chest and raise my chin slightly, making eye contact with Luke, who raises one brow.

"Can I help you?" He asks, looking me up and down briefly. "Who are you, anyways?"

I open my mouth to speak, but Sydney cuts me off, stepping in front of me.

"He's not a fucking jerk, that's what."

Luke snorts. "I wouldn't have thought I'd see the day! Sydney Summers standing up for someone other than himself! How shocking."

"As if you could talk," Sydney's hands clench. "All you do is betray people and tell all their secrets."

"That was one time," Luke rolls his eyes. "And it's been two years. Have you seriously not gotten over it yet?"

"Not gotten over it?" Sydney echoes disbelievingly. "You ruined my life. Did you expect me to just move on?"

Luke shrugs.

"Why are you here, anyways?" I jump in, frowning.

"Scumbag," Sydney adds under his breath.

"I live here," Luke glares at me, a hint of emotion other than entitlement sparking in his voice. "I actually just moved to this beach last summer. Am I not allowed to go outside on the off-chance that I'll see my e—"

"Don't finish that sentence," Sydney stops him, raising one hand and looking away. "We were never anything."

Now I'm confused. They dated? But Sydney says they weren't anything?

"Why would you go out of your way to talk to him though?" I ask.

This time, Luke pauses before speaking.

"I just felt like it," He brushes me off, but I feel like he's hiding something.

There's a tense silence between us for much too long for my liking. So I turn slightly and whistle for Kiki to come over.

Immediately she spins around and dashes towards us, tail wagging wildly. She skids to a stop before she can get too close to us though, eyeing Luke warily.

She glances at me, and when I beckon for her to come again, she curls her lip at Luke and trots over to my side.

"Cute dog," Luke says. "He looked at me funny though."

"She doesn't like you," I notice, watching how she makes sure to keep him in her sights as I crouch down to pet her.

Sydney scoffs. "See? Even his dog thinks you suck."

Luke frowns, studying himself briefly as though to try to find what made Kiki dislike him.

"Sydney," I say, not looking up from Kiki. I feel him shift closer. "I think my mom is here."