Chapter Three! I know you're probably dying for some actual Sydrian action. I promise I'm building up to it! Read, comment, review! Once again, I don't own the characters (no matter how much I wish I did).

XOXO

-M

My alarm blared angrily at me. I groaned and glared at the bright red 6:00 on the clock. With a sigh, I threw off the covers and zombie shuffled to the shower. It only took about ten minutes for me to shower. Any longer and my dad would criticize me for my "blatant disregard for the environment and my obvious lack of respect for time efficiency". I put on a pair of khakis and a gauzy, orchid purple shirt Adrian got me for my birthday. Adrian insisted on buying it for me saying purple was the best color on me. I quickly styled my hair into a ponytail and slid on a pair of nude pumps and headed downstairs.

I found my father sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, reading the paper. He glanced up briefly and said, "There are oranges on the counter if you want breakfast. I threw out those breakfast bars you bought. They had too much sugar and too many carbs. You need to restrict your diet. We don't have the money to buy you new clothes."

I looked away and fixed myself a travel mug of black coffee. I put an orange in my bag and began to walk to the porch to wait for Adrian to pick me up. Despite his party boy attitude and tendency of being late, since he started driving me to school, he had never been late. He knew how much school meant to me. Right before I got out of the door, my dad looked up and said, "Oh and Sydney? Maybe rethink your blouse selection next time. You draw too much attention to yourself wearing such bright colors. It's unprofessional."

I walked out to see Adrian pulling into my driveway. As soon as he saw the look on my face he got out of the car and pulled me into a hug. He looked at me with concern. "What happened, Sage?"

"Oh just the usual. I can't do anything right apparently. I'm trying to stop taking it so personally. Today, I am apparently an obese overeater and a whore with the way I dress. But I disagree. I love this shirt." I pulled back from the hug and got in the car. Adrian pulled out of the driveway and started off to school.

"And you are perfectly shaped. If not a little too skinny. So… are we okay? I know I fucked up yesterday. I shouldn't have gone behind your back. And I shouldn't have kept the dress thing a secret. I just wanted to surprise you with it." He looked at me with his green puppy dog eyes, melting my heart a bit.

I grinned at him. "You make it so hard to stay mad at you, Ivashkov. We're cool. I love the dress," I said. My smile faltered as I said, "But my dad wouldn't ever let me walk out in it. 'Too immodest,' he would say. I have a plan, though. I'll get Jill to come over and make a big scene about rejecting the dress and giving it back. Then I'll tell my dad I have a study group on Saturday and I'll be spending the night at Kristen's to maximize our study time. That should work."

He looked at me in amazement. "You have quite the scheming mind, Sage. It inspires awe." He grew silent for a moment and looked back at me cautiously. "Will you… will you still go with me? I know last night you said you wouldn't. Any chance you changed your mind?" he questioned as he pulled into the parking lot.

As a reply I got out of the car and he did the same, confused. I walked up and hugged him. "Of course, I will. I'm sorry for going off on you last night. I didn't mean it."

I pulled back to see him, a huge grin spanning across his face. "I can't think of anyone I want to go with, Sage. No one's as cool as my best friend." We walked into school and caught up with Jill and Eddie. Trey and Angeline were putting on the biggest public display of affection they can get away with. I thanked Jill for the dress, absolutely gushing over how beautiful it was, and laid my dress plan. Jill complied and squealed about me going to dance.

"Oh, Sydney! You should come over to my house to get ready! I'll do your makeup! And I have the perfect pair of shoes to go with that dress!" Jill gushed.

"Thanks, Jill. I honestly didn't know where I would get ready. I figured I'd just get ready at Adrian's but I'd love to hang with you," I replied, smiling graciously at her.

She leaned closer to me and in a hushed tone said, "Besides, you can't put that dress on alone. You have to get someone to lace it. Do you really want to get Adrian to help you get dressed?"

I blushed and shook my head. Adrian looked up from his conversation with Eddie at that moment and looked at me, one eyebrow raised in confusion. I looked down and started talking to Jill again her sewing class.

The bell rang and we all said our goodbyes. Adrian grinned at me and bid me luck in biology and promised we'd meet at the same tree we always do so he could take me to Spencer's. We went our separate ways and I went off to hell.