Sydney to the Max Season 4: Episode 6 - Sex and the Confusion

Present Day Scenes Written By: "Fun But Shy Girl", With: Katy Kear

Flashback Scene Written By: Katy Kear, Edited By: "Fun But Shy Girl"

Based on Characters Created by: Mark Reisman

Sydney Reynolds and her best friend Olive Rozalski were doing homework together in Sydney's room as Olive said, "So what did you get for problem eights and nine on the homework?" Sydney then said, "Hydrogen Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide." Olive then said, "Me too. Looks like we're both on the same track. Lets just hope we both have the right answers. Anyway, you mind if I compare my history homework to yours?" Sydney nodded her head and said, "Yeah. It's right there in my notebook." Olive then opened up Sydney's notebook nearby and said, "Okay. Now where is your... What!? Sydney, what is this!?" Sydney's eyes suddenly widened as she said, "Oh no. Did I leave it in..." Olive then took a piece of paper as she said, "Sydney... please tell me this pamphlet here is for a Health Class I don't know you're taking yet, because if it isn't... then why do you have a pamphlet about birth control options in your notebook?"

Sydney sighed, then took a deep breath and said, "Well... me and Harry are considering... having sex sometime in the near future." Olive suddenly looked concerned as she said, "Sydney, are you serious?" Sydney nodded her head and said, "Yes. Me and Harry have known each other since we were little, and we both think we're ready." Olive then said, "Sydney, you've known Harry since you were little, but then you spent many years apart, and you've both only been dating for a short time. Plus... birth control isn't one hundred percent perfect. Are you ready to have a kid before you're ready?" Sydney then opened the pamphlet up as she said, "I mean, sure condoms can break and birth control pills aren't one hundred percent perfect. But they've improved. Plus, if a guy is good with the 'pull out' method that greatly helps. Plus, haven't you heard of an IUD? Look right here in the pamphlet. It's a small device that can be placed in a woman that can prevent pregnancy for years, and it's safe for teenagers to get now."

Olive sighed and said, "Look Sydney. This might seem like good news but have you fully thought through every single aspect of how this is going to affect you?" Then Sydney began to look more frustrated as she said, "Why are you acting so high and mighty with me Olive? I mean you're the one that started a secret relationship with Emmy last summer. I'm sure you two have already had sex with each other behind our backs." Olive then with a straight face said, "We... we haven't Syd. I mean... just because you're dating someone in high school, doesn't mean you have to have sex with them." Sydney then sighed and looked at Olive as she said, "I'm sorry I got mad at you Olive. This is just new for me." Olive nodded as she said, "I know. So just... promise at least you'll be very careful at deciding what comes next." Sydney nodded back as she said, "I will."

The next day at school Sydney was walking into the school cafeteria when suddenly she almost bumped into Harry. The two teenagers both paused as they looked at one another for a moment. Then Sydney slowly said, "Hey... Harry." Harry then slowly said, "Hey... Sydney." Sydney looking a bit lost for words said, "So... how did you do on your history test?" Harry sighed and said, "I got a C minus. How about you?" Sydney groaned and said, "Same. Ugg. How do they expect us to memorize so many dates and people?" Harry nodded and said, "Yeah. I hear ya. Well... I guess there's a lot more we still need to know." Sydney nodded back and said, "Yep. So... anyway, I should... get some food now." Harry nodded again and said, "Yeah. Same."

Meanwhile at a nearby table Olive and Emmy were already eating their lunch as they watched Sydney and Harry. As Emmy watched the two she said, "Why are those two acting so awkward around the other? Did Sydney catch Harry talking to another unknown girl again?" Olive then said, "No. I was talking to Sydney yesterday and... she and Harry are thinking about having sex." Sophia who was walking by the table the second she heard Olive talk, stopped and looked very surprised as she said, "What!? They are!?" Olive nodded her head and said, "Yeah. I mean Sydney sounds like she's put a lot of thought into how the two can stay 'safe', but... I mean... I don't know but... I just think they're too young to be thinking about doing it." Sophia suddenly looked a little nervous as she said, "Well... how young do you think is too young?" Then Olive said, "Well I learned from my brothers: the high school years come with so many hormones that really mess with how you feel; so it's better to wait a bit until you have a firm grip on adulthood to make that kind of bold choice." Sophia then titled her head down as she said, "Oh."

That afternoon Sydney was working behind the smoothie counter at the bike shop as Max was sitting near her looking upset. As Sydney noticed her father's facial expressions, she said, "Hey dad. What's wrong?" Then Max said, "Well I'm going to that small business conference this weekend, and with your grandmother gone for now, this place is gonna be short-staffed." Then Sydney said, "Well if you want, I could help around here. I've done it when you weren't around before." Then Max said, "Yeah, but if me and your grandmother are out of town, who are you gonna stay with? I mean Olive, Emmy, and Sophia's parents are all gonna be out of town too for the three day weekend. That's why you were gonna come with me and stay at the hotel while I was in the conferences." Then Sydney said, "Well... I could stay home alone. You've let me do it before." Max then said, "Yeah, for a few hours, but never overnight." Then Sydney said, "Hey. It's just like when I've been alone before. I'll call Mrs. Carrollton down the street if there's any problem and run to her place if I don't feel safe." Max looked reluctant as he said, "Well... okay. Plus, at least you'll be spending most of the day here working. But like you said, you go to Mrs. Carrollton the second things don't seem safe. Got it?" Sydney nodded as she said, "Got it."

Then Max walked over to his office as Harry walked out from the back room and approached Sydney as he said, "Okay. Everything in the back is stocked." Then an excited looking Sydney said, "Harry, great news. My dad is gonna be out of town for the three day weekend coming up and he's gonna let me stay home alone." A surprised looking Harry then said, "Really?" Sydney nodded her head and said, "Yeah. So... you wanna come over and maybe... finally... do the thing we were talking about finally doing recently?" Harry took a deep breath and then said, "Sydney, I never wanted you to feel pressured into doing anything you're not ready to do with me. But if you're completely on board and prepared... then I guess I am too." Sydney made a big smile as she said, "Okay then. And don't worry, I promise I'll have protection ready for us to use, and we'll be as safe as possible. Now excuse me, I've got make a smoothie." Then Sydney turned on the blender, but forgot to put the lid on, causing a huge wet mess to shoot up and cover her in wet smoothie goo. Sydney turned off the blender and looked at Harry as she said, "Okay, not my best moment to show I know how to be protected and safe."

Several days later, Sydney was sitting on the couch in her family's living room curled up in a ball and hugging her legs with an excited look on her face. Sydney then heard the doorbell ring, and looking confused said, "Whoa. Harry came really early." Sydney then opened the door and saw Sophia standing in the doorway. Sydney looking confused said, "Sophia! What are you doing here? Aren't you and your mom supposed to see your grandmother this weekend?" Sophia then said, "It always takes extra time for my mom to get a vacation started with all her final work calls she has to make. But I'm glad though because I wanted to see you before I left." As Sydney and Sophia sat on the couch together, Sydney said, "Okay, so... what's up?" Sophia then said, "Look, I'll be completely upfront. Olive told me you and Harry were thinking about having sex, and when my mom heard from your dad you were gonna be home alone this weekend... I wanted to talk to you before you did something you'd regret."

Sydney rolled her eyes and said, "If you're gonna talk to me about STD's or teenage pregnancy, remember: we all took the same Health Class in middle school together. Geez, I'm getting tired of my friends acting like they're so much better than me because they apparently think they can wait to have sex until they're all grown up." Then Sophia with reluctance in her face said, "Well the thing is Sydney... I didn't wait." Sydney suddenly looked very shocked and confused as she said, "What?" Then Sophia with a bit of humiliation in her face said, "Last summer... when you, Olive, and Emmy were all away, I met a cute looking older boy at the outdoor pool, and after just hanging out for two weeks... we had sex... and I very quickly regretted it." Sydney looking concerned now said, "What happened? Did he hurt you? Did you get STD's or get pregnant or something?" Sophia turned her head and said, "No. It was completely consensual and we used protection, but... there isn't any kind of protection out there though to guard your heart when you have sex." Sydney looking confused said, "What do you mean?"

Sophia then took a deep breath and said, "Sydney... when you finally have sex, your body experiences feelings and emotions that go beyond anything you can imagine. I mean... when you know it's finally about to happen, and that final build up occurs, there is this excitement like no other. It's like you want your partner more than anything in the world and the second before contact occurs, it's like you feel like you'd be willing to sell your soul to be with them. And then when the... union happens, you feel a pleasure that far exceeds your wildest dreams. Suddenly your fears, anxieties, and thoughts of any possible negative consequences that could come from what you're doing... they're completely gone. All that exists in the universe in that moment is you and your partner, and your mind is filled with these thoughts of being completely in love with one another, and all you can see ahead is a happy future with them. However... when it's all over and reality sets in that the guy you were with was just using you for his own pleasure, and he bails on you and never calls again... you're left with an emptiness like no other."

Sydney looking sympathetic said, "Sophia, I'm so sorry." Then Sophia said, "But the thing is... I didn't learn better at first. After the boy I lost my virginity to dumped me, I felt an emotional low like no other. I was desperate to feel good again. So I started to wear more revealing bikinis at the pool to get the attention of guys, and when the first guy came onto me... I had sex with him as well. And for a short time I felt better... only to feel low again after that guy showed he had no interest in a future with me. So I had sex with another guy, and then another guy and... Sydney, I had sex with six guys this past summer, and all six of them broke my heart." Sydney looking confused then said, "But Sophia. Why did..."

As tears appeared in her eyes Sophia said, "Because sex without real love is like a drug Sydney. It gives you this amazing emotional high... but without someone to keep loving you and staying by your side after it's all over... it just gives you an even more stronger low. Sydney, when you have sex: you are opening yourself up physically, mentally, and emotionally to another person. But if that person isn't someone that's going to love you, protect you, and support you in a long term relationship... then you've just opened yourself up to letting someone make you feel completely like trash. And there is nothing worse than lying in your bed at night all alone believing you're just some slutty piece of trash."

As more tears appeared in Sophia's eyes, Sydney said, "Sophia... I'm so sorry." As Sophia wiped away some tears she said, "Look... I know you and Harry have been dating for some time now. I know he's better than all of the guys I shared my body with. But... you still haven't been dating Harry for that long. Plus, we're still so young, and all these emotions we're feeling are still so new. Just... please take your time Sydney and be absolutely certain you know what you're doing before you make a choice you could regret." Sydney looked down and kept her mouth silent. Sophia then stood up and said, "Well... my mom will probably be ready to go soon. I... I'll see you later Sydney." Then Sophia walked out of Sydney's home. Then Sydney took out her cell phone, dialed a number into it, heard an answer and then said, "Harry? Yeah. It's me. I've been thinking about it... and maybe this weekend is too soon for us to do... you know... Wait. You didn't feel ready too? Well... I'm glad we're both on the same page again."

Three days later, Sydney was sitting on her bed reading a book when Max stepped in through the open door and said, "There's my girl. How you doing?" As Max sat next to Sydney on her bed, Sydney said, "Good. Store is fine, and I got a lot of reading in this weekend." Max smiled as he said, "Sounds good. Anyway, I saw you got some extra food and put it in the frig. Did you have anyone over here this weekend?" Sydney then said, "Well... I got the extra food because I wanted to invite Harry over. But then we both decided it would be better if we weren't... alone in the home... or my room until we were more ready and much older."

A look of clarity went across Max's face as he said, "I'm glad you both decided to wait. And just remember, I want you to spend as much time as it takes before you decide Harry is the right kind of person to share yourself completely with. That's why a lot of people wait until marriage because that person you're sharing yourself completely with will hopefully be the person you'll be spending the rest of you life with. Your mom and I waited for that reason."

"I know you really loved each other," Sydney stated. "Well I never want you feel what your mom felt when we were your age," Max admitted, "And I never want Harry to have to feel what I did then, either." "I thought you just said you guys waited," Sydney said in confusion. Max then looked a bit hesitant to continue, but then said, "Sydney... there are things about your mothers' past and our family's past that I never told you before, but I probably should have." A concerned looking Sydney then said, "Dad, what are you talking about?" Max took a deep breath and said, "Well..."

1994:

Max and Alisha were sitting on Max's couch playing video games. "I won!" Max yelled, smiling. He looked over at Alisha. "Wait… I won." "Good job, Max," she replied. She walked to the video game console and set her controller down. "But I usually never win at this game," Max recalled. He looked at Alisha. "You okay?" "I'm fine," she told him. "No, you're not," Max countered. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you lying to me?"

"I'm not," she said, now sounding irritated. "Fine…," she glared at him "Kevin... he broke up with me." She looked away from him.

"That's not all it is, is it?"

"Yes, it is."

"Why won't you tell me anything?" Max snapped at her. "Because you'll blow up at me again," she yelled at him. "Remember how you said you thought we were a couple the first week of school." She used her fingers to make air quotes. "You screamed it at me in front of everyone. That alone shows that you didn't even mean it."

"Ali—"

"I don't want to hear it, Max," she told him. "See you at school tomorrow." She walked to the door. "Alisha, don't leave," Max told her, standing up, himself. She reached for the door handle. "I love you." She stopped and looked at him.

"Max…"

"I love you," he repeated. "We're best friends. You can talk to me about anything. Please stay." Alisha then looked at Max, turned towards him, and walked a few steps forward and spoke three words that changed everything.

"Max... I'm pregnant."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Coming Soon:

*Episode 7 - My So Called Pregnancy - When Alisha reveals she's pregnant, this hidden chapter of the Reynolds family history forever changes the way Sydney sees both her mother and father.

*Episode 8 - Bitter Sweet Family - When Sydney and Sophia's families decide to finally have a vacation together, drama erupts when Sophia's brother shows up.

*Episode 9 - Grave Expectations - When several characters begin making very dangerous choices, it's up to their friends to step up and help them before it's too late.