Chapter 3: Just Friends?
As Sydney sat in history class, completely zoned out, she fiddled with the bracelet that Newt had just given her on her right wrist.
She put her chin in her palms and sighed, that is until she caught Jason Stickler glancing at her out of the corner of her eye.
If looks could kill, Jason Stickler would have been in the floor, out cold, dead.
"Sorry" he mouthed
Sydney shot another look at him and rolled her eyes.
"Really" he mouthed back
"Yeah Right" she mouthed at him
She jumped as she felt someone poke her in the arm.
Candy Smiles gave her a sickening sugar coated smile and handed her a note.
The note was written on paper that was supposed to be used to write musical compositions on.
She gave Candy a thumbs up and took the note.
She took a deep breath as she opened up Newt's note.
Syd,
I hope you're okay. I was really worried about you, I still am. Stickler will pay for what he's done to you, mark my words. Just know, I would never do anything like that, Meena or Cory either. Stay away from Stickler, okay, if not for yourself, for me. Please.
Newt
She smiled and tore out a piece of paper.
Newt,
Thanks so much. Without you, I wouldn't be okay right now. I hate to say this, and you are going to freak when you read this but, Stickler is my next door neighbor. Not much I can do about staying away, but I can't say that I won't try. Thanks a lot, for everything.
Sydney
She folded up her paper and handed it back to Candy and nodded over to Newt.
Candy nodded in agreement and handed Newt the note.
Newt read the note and looked over at Sydney and smiled.
As the bell rang Stickler came up beside her and took a deep breath and said, "Look, I'm really sorry, I didn't know, I really didn't."
"Yeah right, Stickler, you're lying!" she hissed
"No I'm not! I really didn't!" he said
"Stickler!" Newt said, coming up beside Sydney
"What are you doing?" he asked him
"Trying to apologize." Stickler replied
"You've done enough, thank you, come on Newt." She said, pulling Newt by the arm out of the classroom.
Later that day at lunch, Sydney sat down beside Newt and Meena.
"Are you okay, girl." Cory said
Sydney nodded.
Meena looked at the girl until something caught her eye.
She smiled at the sight of Sydney wearing Newt's bracelet.
"Sydney, can I talk to you?" Meena said
"Yeah, what's up." She said, turning to her.
"In private." Meena said, staring over Sydney's shoulder at Newt.
Newt smiled and nodded, putting his hands over his ears.
"No Newt, we're going to leave, you don't have to sit like that." Meena laughed
Sydney smiled at him and waved as Meena pulled her away.
"Dude, what's up with you and Sydney?" Cory asked
"What do you mean?" he replied
"Okay, exhibit A. you act all funky when you are around her, exhibit B. she's all smiles when she's around you, Exhibit C. You ran after her after that whole incident this morning, and finally Exhibit D. Homegirl is wearing your bracelet!" Cory said
Newt ran a hand through his blonde hair and stared around nervously and then looked at Cory, "I dunno, I guess I kind of….Sort of…"
"Like her." Cory finished
"Yeah, maybe" Newt said, scratching the back of his neck.
"Dude, then tell her, she obviously has a thing for you too!" he said
"Really? You think?" Newt asked
"Uh, duh." Cory said
"I don't know, I mean I haven't technically known her for a long time, and It might be weird." Newt said
"Dude, the girl is in love with you. You can tell she always gives you this look, and it's not like a look of lust, it's this look that maybe she cares about you." He said
Newt smiled at Cory's idea.
"Maybe, but I'm going to wait it out, maybe, I'm not sure, this is confusing, more confusing than the time we were in the mall and I didn't know who I was and then President Martinez was working at the cheese in a cup and it was really weird." Newt said
Cory nodded in agreement, looking a bit baffled at his friends comment.
At the same time, Meena and Sydney were in the girl's bathroom talking about the same subject.
"YOU ARE WEARING NEWT'S BRACELET! SO CUTE!!" Meena shrieked in excitement
"Woah, chill girl." Sydney replied
"Are you two like 'official' now?" Meena asked
"Define 'Official'" she said
"Like, are you two a couple?" she replied
"Oh no, at least I don't think." Sydney said
"Do you like Newt?" Meena asked
Sydney's face turned a deep red as she looked to the ground an inaudibly replied, "Yes."
"What?" Meena asked
"Yes" she said a little bit louder, but still not loud enough for Meena to pretend like she didn't hear
"What did you say?" Meena laughed
"YES! I AM ABSOLUTELY HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH NEWTON LIVINGSTON THE THIRD ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air dramatically.
Meena crossed her arms over her chest and laughed, "I knew it."
Sydney put her face in her palms and then looked up at Meena.
"Now what?" she asked her helplessly
"You could ask him out." She said, "But in my country, Bahavia, the girls wait for the boys to ask them on a date, but apparently America does things differently."
"Yeah, but what if he feels differently?" she said
"He gave you his bracelet." Meena said
Sydney looked down at the bracelet.
"He did, but he could have been doing that as a friendly gesture." Sydney said
Meena shook her head, "Have you seen the way he acts around you, he smiles all the time and he always gives you this look, like he wishes he could just grab you and kiss you right there and no one would notice and you wouldn't care." Meena smiled
Sydney blushed again.
"Would you care?" Meena asked
"About what?" she said
"If he grabbed you and kissed you, like in the middle of the quad." She said
Sydney's blush deepened.
"Not really…" she smiled
"Ha! You truly are in love with him!" she grinned
Sydney sat there, speechless for the second time that day.
"That girl is good." She thought, applying another coat of red shimmer lip gloss and exiting the bathroom.
"Maybe we are more than friends?" Sydney thought as they went back out into the quad.
"Maybe I should ask her out?" Newt though as Sydney came back into view.
