*
Chapter Three
*
"Okay," Sydney started, "I know you guys are having trouble with the kicks, so today we are gonna start off with some stretches. So we don't get too bored or frustrated, we are going to make it a fun little contest."
It was a fresh day and Sydney was feeling the need for a change. Stretching seemed perfect. All the fighting had become tiring and always such a struggle with two beginners.
"Sounds fun, but a little strange Syd." Francie consented.
"Yeah, Syd, are you sure, it doesn't sound too fun." Will eyed her carefully.
"Would you rather have me knock you on your ass fighting?" Sydney teased.
Silence.
"Good then." Sydney was pleased with herself.
And with that, Sydney sat down Indian-style on the smooth exercise pads and beckoned her friends to join her.
"I'll go first." Will tried to act manly.
Will set his legs straight out in front of him and reached his newly tones arms to touch his toes. There he stayed, in full stretch position for several seconds before grunting lightly and rising back up to sit again.
Sydney had to stifle a smile at Will's futile attempts at what he called a 'genuine stretch'. "Francie, why don't you go next?" she asked, hoping to save her friend's humiliation until last.
"Sure, I guess I will."
Francie's stretch seemed a little more complex than Will's. She too stretched her legs out in front of her, but then grabbed her toes with her hands and flattened her body so that it was parallel to the floor, nose to the ground between her feet. She managed to hold her stance for at least a minute before giving in to her aching muscles.
Will seemed impressed and Sydney smiled comfortingly again at Francie.
Well, I guess it's my turn." Sydney sighed deeply. Though she knew it would be slightly devastating to her friends, she had to take her turn. It was just a contest, afterall.
She stayed standing, pulling one of her legs straight up, past her head, into the air parallel to her ear and side. Now, balancing on only one leg, and using one arm to keep her other leg in the air, Sydney bent backwards slightly before fluidly falling onto her hand and thrusting her upside-down form back up into the air, finally straightening up. Once she had steadied herself upright, she gripped her leg tighter to her side, pressing her ankle to her earlobe. Now more confidant from her trial run, she attempted the flip again, but this time managing to flip a rotation of four in a row.
Finished, Sydney lowered her leg back into its normal position, and turned cautiously to look at her friend's astonished faces.
"Wow." Francie spoke first, "You sure know how to stretch."
Will stared wide-eyes at Sydney, "I think you win, Syd."
Abruptly, the room was filled with laughter as the friends relieved the tension in a fit of giggles.
"Maybe this mission won't be so horrible." Sydney thought to herself in the midst of a new roar of glorious chuckles.
"Am I interrupting something?" Came a familiar voice from the doorway to the make-shift gym.
Startling green eyes met Sydney's brown ones when she located the source of the voice. There was a radiant smile facing her way. A smile she never thought she would actually have the grace of seeing again.
Her breath caught in her throat, "Vaughn."
Chapter Three
*
"Okay," Sydney started, "I know you guys are having trouble with the kicks, so today we are gonna start off with some stretches. So we don't get too bored or frustrated, we are going to make it a fun little contest."
It was a fresh day and Sydney was feeling the need for a change. Stretching seemed perfect. All the fighting had become tiring and always such a struggle with two beginners.
"Sounds fun, but a little strange Syd." Francie consented.
"Yeah, Syd, are you sure, it doesn't sound too fun." Will eyed her carefully.
"Would you rather have me knock you on your ass fighting?" Sydney teased.
Silence.
"Good then." Sydney was pleased with herself.
And with that, Sydney sat down Indian-style on the smooth exercise pads and beckoned her friends to join her.
"I'll go first." Will tried to act manly.
Will set his legs straight out in front of him and reached his newly tones arms to touch his toes. There he stayed, in full stretch position for several seconds before grunting lightly and rising back up to sit again.
Sydney had to stifle a smile at Will's futile attempts at what he called a 'genuine stretch'. "Francie, why don't you go next?" she asked, hoping to save her friend's humiliation until last.
"Sure, I guess I will."
Francie's stretch seemed a little more complex than Will's. She too stretched her legs out in front of her, but then grabbed her toes with her hands and flattened her body so that it was parallel to the floor, nose to the ground between her feet. She managed to hold her stance for at least a minute before giving in to her aching muscles.
Will seemed impressed and Sydney smiled comfortingly again at Francie.
Well, I guess it's my turn." Sydney sighed deeply. Though she knew it would be slightly devastating to her friends, she had to take her turn. It was just a contest, afterall.
She stayed standing, pulling one of her legs straight up, past her head, into the air parallel to her ear and side. Now, balancing on only one leg, and using one arm to keep her other leg in the air, Sydney bent backwards slightly before fluidly falling onto her hand and thrusting her upside-down form back up into the air, finally straightening up. Once she had steadied herself upright, she gripped her leg tighter to her side, pressing her ankle to her earlobe. Now more confidant from her trial run, she attempted the flip again, but this time managing to flip a rotation of four in a row.
Finished, Sydney lowered her leg back into its normal position, and turned cautiously to look at her friend's astonished faces.
"Wow." Francie spoke first, "You sure know how to stretch."
Will stared wide-eyes at Sydney, "I think you win, Syd."
Abruptly, the room was filled with laughter as the friends relieved the tension in a fit of giggles.
"Maybe this mission won't be so horrible." Sydney thought to herself in the midst of a new roar of glorious chuckles.
"Am I interrupting something?" Came a familiar voice from the doorway to the make-shift gym.
Startling green eyes met Sydney's brown ones when she located the source of the voice. There was a radiant smile facing her way. A smile she never thought she would actually have the grace of seeing again.
Her breath caught in her throat, "Vaughn."