Chapter 6

Sydney and Terri waited in the gym with about five other women. Glancing at her watch, Sydney noted that their instructor was late.

"This is it?" Sydney whispered.

"Probably. No one here likes fighting I guess. Or they actually have things to do at night," Terri replied, pulling her short brown hair into a tiny ponytail.

Just at that moment, an extremely blonde woman burst through the doors.

"All right!" she exclaimed. "Let's get started. I'm your instructor, -"

"That's her!" Terri said in a low but excited voice.

"Who?"

"Before you say women cannot fight, just look at yourselves. You all want to learn. I already learned, so now I can pack a mean punch. It's extremely useful, especially in my line of business. I'm Gabriella -"

"Dickens! Patrick's little woman off on the side! Um, do you want to leave?" Terri asked, disguising her question with a weak cough.

"Leave? No, why? We can take her," Sydney joked, ignoring the dirty looks they were getting. What was so important about learning names anyway?

"That's why we're here, so we can learn how to do just that," Terri replied from the corner of her mouth.

"And you are?" Gabriella asked, staring pointedly at Sydney.

"Lily," Sydney answered shortly.

"Terri."

"Great. Now, I brought along this video to give you a background on what you're going to learn these next few weeks," Gabriella explained, inserting the video into the VCR underneath the portable TV.

With the lights dimmed, six women were staring intently at the screen - all except Sydney and Gabriella. Gabriella was examining her nails, while Sydney was examining her martial arts instructor.

Dear god, Sydney thought, rolling her eyes. An FBI agent checking out her nails. How intensely boring. And useless. The only thing long nails are good for in the espionage business are for poking someone's eyes out. But even then, Marshall would have some gadget to do it for you, Sydney thought, smirking. Pupil extractors. Socket emptiers. Something.

"Lily! Are you watching the video?" Gabriella called out, flicking a long pointer finger towards the TV screen. "You do want to learn how to fight off unwelcome attackers, don't you?"

Sydney narrowed her eyes at the instructor, but turned towards the screen. What is her problem? I'm the teacher here. I tell kids what to do. But no one, and I repeat, no one tells me what to do, she thought angrily.

Terri shot a sideways glance at her. She made a face at Gabriella before breaking out into laughter.

Sydney stood there, wondering what was so funny. Apparently, the other women were wondering the same thing.

The lights flicked on, and the TV screen darkened until it was black.

"All right girls. Let's begin," Gabriella began, glaring at Sydney and Terri. She walked to the front of the room and peeled off her U of Michigan sweatshirt.

Sydney decided not to show off her skills. Rather, she decided to brush up on her acting. She pretended to not understand each kick and punch. She even let a fist fly out, unrestrained, towards Gabriella.

"Oops," she said, giggling. Inside, she was smiling like insanely. Then she stopped. This is so childish, she thought. But I can't stop now . . .

"OK. Why don't you try the kick?" Gabriella suggested, rubbing her shoulder blade, where Sydney's punch had landed.

Sydney did. Her foot almost hit Gabriella on the shoulder.

"Oh, sorry . . . I used to do ballet," Sydney replied, turning red accordingly.

"This is not ballet. Why don't you just watch the other people? Were you even paying attention to the video?"

"Of course I was!" Sydney responded indignantly as Gabriella left.

Terri snickered. "Guess I'm not the worst one here."

Sydney laughed. "Yeah, what can I say? I can't be good at everything."

--

Gabriella poured herself a glass of Coke and headed towards the living room. As she turned to reach for the remote control, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Gabby," a deep voice said warmly.

"Patrick!" Gabriella smiled, forgetting about the television.

"What's up baby?"

"I should be asking you that. But guess who I met today."

"Who?"

"Lily."

"Lily?"

"Your little girlfriend. She's in my martial arts class. With Terri."

Patrick was silent. "You sure Terri didn't recognize -"

"Of course not. She never even saw us together."

"She was there at the -"

"It was dark."

"So, how was she? Lily I mean."

"At fighting? She kicked me a couple of times. Can't control her punches. No skill, no talent, no potential. She's better off in the classroom," Gabriella said snidely.

"Well, I just called to see what my fighter Gabriella Dickens is doing tonight."

"Why?" Gabriella purred.

"I was planning on asking you to dinner," Patrick replied.

"Ask away," Gabriella grinned.

--

"- so I was like, if your dog ate your homework, then . . . hello? Lily? Lily!" Terri waved a brown napkin in Sydney's face.

"Huh? I mean, go on," Sydney blushed. "You got me. What were you saying?"

"Hey, if you're thinking about Pa -"

"I'm not."

"Well, you're definitely thinking about something," Terri concluded. "Tell."

Sydney shook her head. "It's nothing. Really."

"Then why do you space out every other minute? It's not normal. But then again, things here in Jefferson, Michigan are never normal. But you just came here a couple of years ago. Couldn't have affected you so soon."

"Terri . . . what in the world are you talking about?"

"Seriously?" Terri asked, "I have no idea. But what is with you and keeping secrets? I tell you mine."

"OK. Stop with the puppy dog face," Sydney laughed. She reached into her pocket for her cell phone, which was currently playing the song she had set it to ring at.

"Hold on a sec," she said to Terri.

"Hello?" Sydney asked, turning away from her friend and from the chatter of the other customers.

"Um . . . Joey's Pizza?"

-----

So what'd ya think? =)