Chapter#10:Can we bring yesterday back around?.

The next morning Sid was standing outside, leaning against the tree in front of his house. Smoking. He hadn't smoked in years, three years to be specific.

The cigarette almost touched his lips for another puff when he felt someone take it away.

"I thought you quit."

Sid just stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds as Cindy threw it on the ground and stepped on it to light it out.

"I did, it's just … today … and-."

"The girls are having a slumber party at their houses for the rest of the holidays … so .." She cut him off.

"I understand." he couldn't argue, it was his fault anyway.

"Oh honey but we haven't had enough of you yet." Sid's mom told her.

"Let her go toots, the girl needs to be with the girls. She needs a little privacy." Ray reasoned.

" Well I understand." Sid's mother placed her hand on Cindy's face. "But you know you can come here anytime you like, right honey?."

"I do. " They both gave each other a hug.

"Thanks for everything."

"Don't mention it hun, Sid how about you drop her over to her friend's house?."

"Uh … sure, sure mom."

"So … how was the sleepover?." Sid asked as they walked over to Phoebe's house.

"It was good."

"Ok."

"You … goin' to the party?."

"What party?."

"The New year party. Rachel's party."

"I ."Sid scratched his head. "don't- are you?."

"Are you?." She smirked with her retort.

Sid was kind of taken aback by her 'back questioning' but he kinda liked it in a way. It still showed that she can always bounce back no matter how hard she was hit.

"Only if you're going." He smiled.

They reach phoebe's place.

"Give me a call when you make up your mind." She told him.

He smiles as he watches her go inside.

Sid finds his dad sitting at their stoop having a smoke when he got home.

"Did you drop her all right?." Ray asked.

"Yeah."

" Sit down Sid."

"What is it dad?." Sid sat beside him.

Ray puffed out some smoke."How are things between you and Cindy?."

" … Things are good."

"You sure?."

" … Do you think otherwise dad?." Sid raised a brow at him.

"Maybe, yeah. Why'd she leave all of a sudden?."

"The girls are having this slumber party thing till the New year … she already told you the reason."

"You sure that's it?." His father pressed on.

Sid opened his mouth to say something but wasn't sure what, he felt as if his dad was reading his thoughts.
He felt himself almost ready to break down and 'fess up.

Ray blew one more puff of smoke before putting his cigar out on the snow. "Y'know Sid, when I was your age I too had … hormones."

'Oh boy', sid can't be one of those father- son talks … he thought he's passed that already.

"I've lived like there was no tomorrow, smoking, drinking, hanging out with my buddies … girls."

"Weed?." Sid smirked.

"… Yyeah."

"That explains your hair … or what's left of it."

"… Uh-huh." Ray replied with a half lidded eye look. "Anyways, no kind of 'wild life' could be complete without girls. And I had lots of them let me tell ya …"

" You?." Sid almost couldn't believe it.

"Yes son me, now lemme continue I'm tryin' to teach you an important lesson here. So girls, yeah we did stuff, it never occurred to me how my life would be when I met the right girl, the one at the end of the road."

"Mom?."

"Yeah." He sighed. "You see, when I met her, I regretted doin' those girls before her. You see, she was special and I gave her my heart it's true, but I've done that many times before her … there was one thing I could've kept … that one thing that could only be reserved for one person only. The ultimate love gift. But I've already given it away … and I've never shown it, but only God can tell how many times I've beaten myself for it. Even to this day."

Sid just sat there looking at his dad. He could really see the regret in his eyes … his parents weren't very romantic with each other, at least not to his knowledge, but …

"Thanks for the advice dad." Sid got up from the stoop. "I'll never forget it."

Ray gives his son a weak smile before Sid darts off, if he didn't do this he might end up like his dad.
Sure he lost it to Rachel, that can never be undone, but there's one thing that can be.

"Yes?."

"Hello Mr. Hyerdahl … is Phoebe home?." Sid was already out of breath.

"No, they're at the city park. Is there something you want me to tell her."

"No it's alright Mr. Hyerdahl. Belated merry Christmas to you sir!." He told him before he ran off to the City Park.

" You know what I think? Maybe we should do the New year countdown in Times square. That would be so romantic." Nadeen sighed.

"Somebody asked you out?." Helga asked her.

The black blonde blushed. "Peapod thought it would be great if him and I spent the last day of this year there … being each other's kisses for the New year."

" That is so romantic!" Rhonda clasped her hands. "Wanna go there Helga? Maybe the marriage predictor I used back in the ninth grade might be true." She teased.

" Shut it princess. We're already dating anyway …"

" No I meant something beyond dating …" Rhonda sighed dreamily. "Think about it, a kiss at the Times square just as the clock strikes twelve."

"Times square? Yeah! Yeah! that's an awesome place to celebrate the New year!." Sid came in from behind them causing the girls let out a short scream of surprise..

"Sid!. Don't creep up on us like that!." Cindy warned.

"Sorry Cindy, I … I wanna talk to you."

"We'll leave you two alone to chat." Rhonda winked at Cindy as she and the girls walked away leaving Sid and Cindy alone.

"What do you think he wants from her now?." Sheena whispered.

"He's probably going to apologize to her." Phoebe guessed.

"Times square huh? You and the girls goin'?." Sid tried to start a conversation.

"Actually it was just Nadeen. I personally prefer watching it all on TV, that way you get a better view of the whole thing, plus, I hate crowded places."

"Right." Sid tittered.

"So, what brings you here Sidney?."

Sid takes a deep breath. "Once again, I'm sorry for trying to cross my boundaries with you like that. I should've known bet-."

Cindy takes his hand before he continues. She just gives him a weak smile telling him that it's ok … not really, but, she forgives him for manning up and apologizing … she trusted him.

A cold breeze comes over them pushing cindy's hair to her face, sid just pushes them away smiling warmly at her.

" I meant what I said when I told you I loved you, and truth be told I feel like it's gonna go on like this for the rest of my life. "Sid told her warmly. "And if it ceases to do so then you're free to punish me for the rest of my life if it turns out to be a lie."

"Do you think it will?- last forever I mean."

Sid just looks deeply into her eyes and shakes his head.

"When did you get all poetic?." She crossed her arms with a smirk.

"Somewhere in my senior year at high school I guess." He shrugged.

Cindy feels her insides cringe but she tries not to show it. Senior year at high school? That's when he first started dating Rachel!.

"And you never really showed it because … ?."

" I don't like to brag."

Cindy nudges his arm and he chuckles.

"So, we spending New year's eve at your crummy ex's place?." Her mood changed.

"I got a better idea."

(MUSIC: SUGABAGES-ABOUT YOU NOW)