I can't wait to get to school each day
And wait for you to pass my way
And bells start to ring and angels start to sing
Hey that's the girl for you (ooh, yeah)
So what are you gonna do (ooh, baby)
- Jackson 5
~~Dominic~~
"Alright y'all, so I just got word that there is this sweet ass back to school party going on and we are all invited. We going or what?" Andie reaches our table smiling big and sits down next to Darnell. Sydney is not with her though and I start to wonder where she could be. I find myself taking glances around the cafeteria hoping to catch her eye and I stop myself. Even though I barely know Sydney, I have really enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about her over the past two weeks.
"Hell yea we are going!" Mitchell says this while trying to grab one of Andie's bags of chips.
"Ah ah, stop it! Don't get cut!" She swats Mitchell's hand away and he pulls it back looking hurt.
"Come on, you have like ten bags over there!"
"Don't trip, it is only four! Two of them are for Sydney anyways!" At the mention of her name I start to ask where she is but Danny beats me to the punch.
"Speaking of Sydney, where is she?" Danny asks without fear and I kick myself for letting him beat me to the punch. I do want to hear Andie's answer because I have not seen her all morning. She was not in english, math, or history class today.
"She has been in the office all morning helping with shit I do not care about, but her lucky ass got to miss all the boring classes of the day. Well she still has to go to science, but hey she is still lucky."
"Hey y'all." Sydney walks up and sets her stuff onto the table. I give her entire body a glance over. I always like to see what she has decided to wear for the day. I told her I like her style, it's like simple and does not make her stand out too much but still makes her look really good. Today she has chosen a skirt, a half shirt that shows her belly a little bit, and some sandals. I would have never guessed that she would be the type to have a belly ring, but it fits her and adds this touch of sexy that makes me feel a little warm.
"Damn girl, your mom let you get your belly pierced too? See, this is why I am so ready to get mine, because that piercing looks so good on you! Can I touch it?" Sydney scrunches up her face at Andie.
"Ew girl, no!" She shakes her head laughing a little and sits down. Her eyes catch mine across the table a little and she gives me a small smile. I wink back and I can tell she can't help but blush a little. My mom used to always tell me that I am a flirt, but with Sydney it comes natural. Her smile is very beautiful and I like to make it appear as much as possible.
"Ugh, well here! I got you some chips." She drops the two bags in front of Sydney and, in return, is given a big hug.
"Thank you! You are the best, I am starving." She instantly pops one of the bags open and momentarily the rest of us do not exist.
"Where have you been though? Been skipping class haven't you?" She plays hurt by Danny's question.
"Danny, how dare you? I am a good child, but I have been in the office."
"So you swear you are a good child but you have been in the office?" Darnell is giving her that "girl please" look.
"It's not even like that. It probably would have been better if I was in trouble though because they had me filling out all this useless paper work. Half of this information I don't even know."
"Why couldn't your parents do it instead?" Her hands freeze and she seems a little tense about the question. She continues to chew but slowly and she won't look at anybody. Danny starts regretting asking and you can tell by the look on his face.
"They are," she clears her throat and she shifts a little in her seat, "they're dead, Danny."
"Oh shit, I'm sorry Sydney." There is silence and finally she breaks it.
"It's okay. Really...um, I have to get something out of my locker. I will see y'all later on today." In the blink of an eye she is up out of her seat and out the doors of the cafeteria. We are all sitting here not sure what to say to what just happened, but when I realize nobody has gotten up to go check on her, I do it. I don't know why I do, but I head towards her locker. I already know where her locker is because that is where most of our conversations have been and I get to it with ease.
"Sydney, are you okay?" She is standing and just staring at her open locker. Not reaching for anything to pull out, and not trying to put anything in. Just staring.
"Yea, I'm fine. I'm sorry for my reaction, I just haven't been asked that in a really long time, and visions started popping up and...." She trailed off.
"It's fine. Parents are a picky topic for me too. They all understand. Especially Andie and I." She still will not look at me. I don't know if it is because she is embarrassed or she just can't. So I try to console her. "You know, my parents died too." Okay, not the best start, but she does respond.
"How did you get over it?"
"I didn't. I will probably never get over it."
"You cry anymore?" This time she turns her head to look at me.
"Yea, I do." She gives me a sad smile, but I also see a little hurt for me in her eyes as well.
"I don't. I cried for a week and then one day my tears just stopped pouring. Mainly because I realized that I am not the only one hurting and that now I must protect my little cousin and be there for her. But it still hurts...do you talk to someone?"
"No, my aunt and uncle will not waste money on a shrink. What about you?"
"Music...and my diary." She gives a sad smile again and I try to think of what I can do to cheer her up. Some how I feel like I could help her better than anyone because I know the pain she feels. Losing my parents was the worst day of my life.
"You want to get out of here?" At first it seems like she doesn't understand, then when she does she shakes her head yes. "Come on." I go to my locker and get out the books I know I will need for my assignments and I put back the ones I don't need. After I am sure I have everything we head to my car. She hops into the passenger side and puts her things in the back.
"Where we going?" I know somewhere that would definitely get her mind off the past conversation.
"You hungry?" She shakes her head yes and I pull out onto the road.
"Wait, I don't have my wallet. That's why I asked Andie to get me chips and I would pay her back tomorrow."
"That's alright. I will treat." She immediately starts talking about how she will pay me back as soon as we walk into school tomorrow and I listen but I know I am not going to accept her money. Honestly, I want to do this for her. You know, pay for her food and stuff. Might as well be honest with myself and face the fact that I have a little crush on her. She is staring out the window and softly singing along to some Rihanna song on the radio. "You still upset?"
"No, I'm just thinking about some things. I'm obsessed with this song though." I realize the song she was singing along to is Cockiness by Rihanna.
"You like Rihanna?" Her smile grows on her face.
"Yes! My favorite singer of all time! I looove all her music, and I own all her CDs." I never really took an interest in R&B as much as Rap.
"You like any rappers?"
"Yes, of course, but I am more on the R&B side of music. Also, old school is really good sometimes. You probably think that's lame, but it is better then most of the crap they call "music" nowadays." I can't help but laugh at her honesty. She sounds like my parents when it was my day to play music in the car. "Did I say something funny?" That makes me laugh even harder. She looks at me confused and I shake my head no.
"You are a mess, you know that?"
"I kind of talk a lot when I get comfortable. Just tell me if I am ever getting on your nerves because I hate when I am getting on someone's nerves and they don't tell me."
"Okay well, Syd, you are getting on my nerves right now." I say it as seriously as I can trying to be as convincing as possible.
"Oh my gosh, really?" Her apologetic look makes me bust out laughing. She swats my arm playfully.
"That was not funny!" She pouts and pokes her lip out. I am trying to cheer her up and so far I think it is working. We pull up to the restaurant I decided to take her to and I shut off the engine. "Well tell me how the food is." She is looking out the window and still has the pout on her face.
"Uh uh, you are going into this building!" She shakes her head no at me and I get out of the car and go on her side. When I open her door she sits there and stares out the front window like she's mad. "Don't make me pull you out of this car."
She looks up at me and says, "You can't do that."
"Girl please, you are so little I could pull you out with my pinkie." I lean down and pull her by the waist out of the car. Even though she is trying to make me struggle, I pull her out with ease and lock the door of my car. By the time we get inside I have her back to me and I have my arm wrapped around her waist to keep her still. No lie, she is kind of strong for a girl, but I got her under control.
"You know this makes us look like we are together right?" She looks up at me and waits for my reply to her question.
"Yea, so." I shrug it off, even though it makes me feel good to have someone as beautiful as her be considered my girlfriend to other people.
"I just don't want to ruin your game or anything. You never know when one of your admirers could appear." She starts looking around like she'll catch one spying on us. I laugh and roll my eyes. Ever since girls started stopping in the middle of our conversations to say hey or ask me questions she always jokes about my "admirers". She said a couple of them look at her weird in class, but I tell her they are just mad I haven't been on my flirtatious A-game since school got back. I never told her she is a huge part of the reason why.
"I don't know what are you talking about." I raise one eyebrow and look down at her confused.
"Please, you know what I'm talking about. I pay attention!"
"So you have been watching me?" She smirks at me before she looks forward again so she can watch her step as we make our way to the door. I shift her so that we are walking side-by-side but I take advantage of the opportunity to hold her as long as possible.
"I watch everyone. Sometimes I just lay back and observe. I guess you could call it a hobby of mine." Even though I am listening to what she is saying, I can't help but realize that she has stopped struggling against me and is now resting against me. Some part of me wishes it was intentionally because you can clearly tell she is doing it absentmindedly.
I hold her until we get to the register, then I have to let her go and I high five my cousin behind the counter before I pull her out of the line. "Come on, I want you to meet someone." I grab her hand and pull her over to the bar where my uncle is standing behind it wiping glasses. "Hey Unc, this is my friend Sydney. Syd, this is my Uncle Richie. I have been staying with him and my auntie since my parents passed away."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Richie." She shakes his outstretched hand and smiles politely.
"Okay Dee. This one is actually cute. I was almost worried for a second nephew." He is taking her in over his glasses. She laughs and gives me a knowing look, referring to our conversation before we walked in. I roll my eyes and shake my head.
"Unc man, it is not even like that, she is just my friend. If you want something to eat, Syd, he can help you with that."
"Now pretty lady, if you will just follow me down to the bar." She walks down to the end and they start talking about way more than just food. I watch how they react with each other and how animated they are in conversation. Something told me they would get along. Sydney is really quiet and to herself until she gets to know you. I had to pick and pry at a few layers but I finally got her to open up more, like she has with Andie. They love being around each other already, their friendship grew quick and effortlessly.
"So what's special about this one?" My Auntie Missy pops up out of nowhere and leans in front of me on the counter. When I look up at her she is watching Unc and Syd talk.
"Nothing Auntie, she is just a friend, and she needed an escape from school. This is no ruse to impress her or anything." When I have a good excuse they do not punish me for skipping school. It is not like I do this all the time.
"Mhm, the last one started out as "just a friend" and that relationship ended with tears and body bags." I roll my eyes at her. She is always so dramatic.
"No, Syd's different. Plus, we have more in common than you think."
"What do you guys have in common?" She starts wiping down the counter with a wet rag.
"She lost her parents too. Lives with her sister and her little cousin now in our building."
"Oh, poor dear. I commend her at how strong she seems. That stuff usually wrecks a girl. Especially a teenage girl." I look over at the other end of the bar where Sydney is laughing with my uncle. They are both dying of laughter about only Lord knows what. "By the way, business has been going great these past few days and money is going good. Plus, your uncle is doing great in his painting career we decided to invest in a new house. You know, so that you can have your own room. I know you are tired of our kids driving you crazy and we think this move will be good for everyone. Especially you and Hope."
"We are staying in Chicago, right?" I only ask because I just, you know, met Sydney and all, and I want to keep getting to know her. Also this is the place I feel closest to my parents and this is familiar for Hope. Living without our parents has been enough change for her.
"Yea, of course. Why would you as---" She follows my gaze over to where Sydney is standing. "Mhm, we would never move you out of Chicago, sweetie. Especially not at the beginning of your senior year. You will still get to see your "friend"." Aunt Missy's tone makes me look back up at her and she is grinning at me.
"What?"
"Nothing. How you doing sugar?" I realize Sydney is now standing beside me.
"I am good, how about yourself?"
"Tired, hunny."
She nods her head showing that she understands. "Want a piece?" She places her two slices of pizza on the counter and I grab one. "This place is so cool, and it so nice."
"Thank you, we have been running this place for only about five years now, but it is another one of our babies." All of us start to get into conversation about any and everything. We stay and hang out at the restaurant until it is closing time and then I leave for our building.
"Thank you."
"For?"
"For being there. You didn't have to be, but you were. So thank you. This was fun."
"It's no problem. I had my uncle there for me when my parents died, so it is only fair you have someone there for you right?" She nods her head and smiles as she is looking out of the window. We pull up to our apartment building and I walk her to her sister's door on the second floor.
"Once again, thank you for being there. I will see you at school tomorrow?" She smiles up at me and I can not help but smile back.
"Of course. Try to get some rest."
"Yea, I will. You too though."
"I will."
After getting a hug goodbye she disappears behind the door and like an idiot I am still standing there after a good five minutes has passed. I should move before her sister or someone comes and sees me standing here just staring at a blank space. Once I snap out of my daze I walk back to the apartment and walk in. I am soon tackled by my little cousins and Hope. I give them all a hug and Hope reaches for me to pick her up and I take her into the kitchen with me.
"So what do you feel like eating today?"
"Macaroni." This little girl loves her macaroni. Hopefully there is some left.
"Alright, macaroni and cheese it is!" I set her down on the counter while I gather the ingredients.
As I start dinner for them I can't help but think about Sydney. I can't wait to see her tomorrow. She gives me a good feeling, one I don't recognize, but I do want to explore further.