The Consequences of Attraction
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters you recognize, although I do own Joshua, Tommy, and many other smaller insignificant(some) characters later on in the story.
Summary: Sydney and Michael both go to UCLA and bump into each other one day, they are instantly attracted to each other. The Problem? Sydney's boyfriend Joshua Holmes and Michael's girlfriend Alice. This story is about their battle of fighting their attraction to one another and the evolving of their relationship, plus the deterioration of their relationships with Alice and Joshua. NO SD-6 or CIA. Will also have Will, Francie, Marshall, Eric (Weiss), Sark (aka Brian), Danny, Jack, and Dixon, plus many other characters (not all of them from the show.)
Pairings: Syd/Josh, Michael/Alice, Syd/Michael, Francie/Will, Marshall and Eric will get girlfriends later in the story.
A/N: This is actually my fourth fic, but the first one for this time period, two of my other ones are about S/V being married, and the other one is about them dating while SD-6 still exists. If you want the titles just ask. Enjoy! And please review.
Chapter 1
Sydney Bristow was walking across campus on her first day of school, not paying attention to where she was walking, searching her schedule when she bumped into someone and both of their books went flying.
She instantly looked up into a pair of green eyes. "I'm so sorry," she said, "I wasn't watching where I was going." She looked him over, sandy blonde hair, six foot, green eyes, nice build, hot. She instantly scolded herself, 'Don't be thinking he's hot Syd, you have a boyfriend, you love Josh, even if he isn't half as hot as this god.' 'There I go again,' she thought. She didn't realize she had been staring at him this whole time.
"No that's okay," he replied, "I wasn't watching where I was going either." He was doing the same thing she had, he was checking her out. He thought almost identical to what she thought, 'She's really hot.' 'Mike, don't think that, you do have Alice.' He had also been staring at her. "Oh," he said, "my name's Michael Vaughn." He put his hand out.
"Sydney Bristow," she shook his hand, "nice to meet you." They handed their books back to each other.
"Are you a freshman too?" he asked.
She nodded. "Am I that obvious?" she replied in question.
"Only if I am," he replied, giving her a charming smile.
"Well, I gotta go, I'm going to be late for class," Sydney said.
"Okay, well maybe we'll have a class together or something," he said.
"Yeah maybe," she replied smiling, "bye Michael."
"Bye Sydney," he said. And walking in opposite directions they parted physically but not mentally, both still thinking about each other.
Chapter 2
She knew she was late because as she walked into the lecture hall, there was only one open seat. She quickly sped down to the front row and sat in between two people. She turned to the guy sitting to her right. "Did I miss anything important?" she asked.
"N-no, he was j-just beginning," he replied.
"Oh, excuse me for being so rude," she told him, my name's Sydney Bristow." She stuck her hand out.
"Oh," he replied, "Marshall Flinkman." They quickly shook hands.
"Have you heard anything about this professor?" Sydney asked Marshall.
"N-no, I'm sorry," he said.
"Oh no it's okay," she told him, "just wondering."
"Well excuse me," Sydney looked over at the girl on her left side, "sorry to butt in, but I just wanted to tell y'all that I heard he was an excellent professor. Someone told me his class is rarely boring."
"Oh no it's fine," Sydney replied, "my name's Sydney Bristow."
"Sophie Johnson," the girl said, "nice to meet you."
"Where are you from?" Sydney asked curiously. The girl sounded like she had an accent.
"Austin, Texas," the girl replied, "how about y'all?"
"I'm from right here in LA," Sydney told them, "actually my childhood home is about 10 minutes down the road."
"And I'm f-from New York City," Marshall replied, stuttering.
"Oh cool," Sydney and Sophie both said at the same time, laughing afterwards. 'This is awesome,' Sydney thought, 'maybe it won't be that bad.' Then the professor started class.
Chapter 3
Michael was also late, but he didn't care, that little run-in with Sydney was way worth not showing to class the first day on time. He opened the door to the Biology lab and looked around for a seat before he heard, "Yo Mike over here." He'd know that voice anywhere. He turned and looked at the back corner of the room where he saw his three best friends Tommy Gibson(Alice's twin brother), Eric Weiss, and Danny Hecht sitting.
"Hey guys," he replied, coming to sit in between Tommy and Eric.
He looked up when Tommy began to talk, "There definitely are some hotties on this campus."
"Yeah whatever," Michael replied while mentally thinking to himself, 'You don't know the half of it.' His mind instantly back to the run-in with Sydney, and just Sydney in general. He had to keep his head on and not say anything about it, Tommy may be his best friend but Alice and him are blood. But he did have Alice, so whay was he thinking about Sydney? 'Let's see: she's gorgeous, hot, perfect.' "Shut up," Michael said out loud, it wasn't supposed to be said out loud, only in his head.
"What Mike?" Tommy asked, "where were you just a second ago? I was waving my hand in front of your face. Dreaming about a certain blonde we both know?" Eric and Danny both snickered.
He wanted to scream 'No! I was dreaming about a certain brown-haired, brown-eyed girl that only I know,' but that right there would be giving away too much. "I was just thinking about something," he replied.
"Yep Mike," Tommy answered, "we all know what you were thinking about." Yet again Eric and Danny both snickered. "Don't deny it." Just then the biology professor began to speak, 'Saved by the Professor," Michael thought to himself before his mind switched back to thinking about Sydney and a slow smile began to creep across his face.
Chapter 4
Sydney walked into the dining hall with Marshall and Sophie, she was just about to find a table for the three of them when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around and began smiling, "Brian!" she exclaimed, she practically jumped on him, settling to give her best friend a hug.
"Syd, Syd, Syd," he replied in his cocky British accent, "anxious enough to see me?"
Sydney nodded. "I haven't seen you all day, how has your first day been?"
"Okay, and yours?" he asked.
"Wonderful," she replied, just then remembering Marshall and Sophie were still standing there looking uncomfortable, "oh sorry, where are my manners? Marshall, Sophie, this is Brian Sark my best friend - Brian this is Marshall Flinkman and Sophie Johnson - they were in my morning class."
Brian shook Marshall's hand while Marshall stuttered out, "Nice to m-meet you."
Brian nodded and replied, "You too." Then he turned towards Sophie and put on his most charming smile. Sydney knew instantly that Brian was attracted to Sophie, just by the look on his face. "Oh yeah Syd everyone else is back at the table."
"Who consists in 'everyone else'?" she asked.
"Will and Francie are back there - and they aren't keeping their hands off each other, and Josh is back there," he said, stressing the name Josh, and he also noticed Sydney's smile grew wider, "Brandon's there, and so is Abby, and Andy, and Alex and April."
"So everyone's here now?" she asked.
"Yep," he replied, "right this way." He put a hand rather presumptuously on the small of Sophie's back as he led the three of them back towards the table.
* * * *
As Sydney reached the table, she notcied Josh look up, he began smiling just like she had when she had found out he was there. She sped up and made it to the table a full forty feet in front of the other three. The minute she reached him, he pulled her into a kiss. After a minute or so they broke apart, but for some reason she wasn't fulfilled. Normally kissing Josh made her feel so warm inside, but this time while kissing him all she could think about was Michael. "Sweetie," he quietly told Syd, "who are those people?" He was pointing towards Marshall and Sophie.
"Oh, Marshall, Sophie, this is Josh Holmes, my boyfriend, and you've already met Brian, that is Will Tippin and Francie Calfo, and this is Brandon Klein, that's Abby Greene, and Andy Meek, and Alex Martinez, and finally that's April Pitkin," she said to Marshall and Sophie, "everyone this is Marshall Flinkman and Sophie Johnson, I met them in my first class this morning."
"Hi," Marshall stuttered, "nice to m-meet e-everyone."
Sophie nodded and said in a Texan drawl, "Yes it is nice to meet all of y'all."
There were a lot of 'heys' and 'how are yous' and 'nice to meet yous' said as Marshall and Sophie sat down and immediately blended in with all of Sydney's friends.
Chapter 5
Michael also was headed to the dining hall, he was supposed to meet Tommy, Eric, and Danny for lunch. He walked in and saw them instantly, all his high school friends were eating lunch. Alice saw him almost immediately and got a grin from ear-to-ear on her face, he plastered a fake smile on his face, for her sake. Alice stood the minute he came closer and instanly pulled his face towards hers, he gave her a quick kiss, not wanting to deepen it at all. The minute he tried to pull away she linked her hands behind his neck to pull him back. He reached up behind his head and unlimked her hands, she looked at him with a hurt look on her face, as if asking 'what?' "Alice not with everyone here," he whispered. Inside he was thinking, 'Yeah that's the real reason. Ever heard of denial? De-nile ain't just a river in Egypt (A/N: sorry my english teacher said that the other day and it just kinda stuck, sorry if it's kinda corny). Just keep telling yourself that.'
He was too busy fighting a battle within himself to hear her mutter under her breath, "That never stopped you before." But apparently nobody heard her and she plastered a smile on her face and acted normal.
"So Michael how was your first day gone so far?" Alice asked.
"Wonderful," Michael replied, quickly thinking about his encouter with Sydney that morning.
"Well, that's good," Alice said. She was so busy talking she didn't notice Michael staring at a point a little farther across the hall. There he saw a familiar face that brought a smile to his face. "Michael what are you looking at?" Alice asked beside him,
"Oh I just saw someone I met this morning." he replied.
Alice grabbed his hand, "Well let's go say hi."
"No Alice that's okay," Michael said, trying to get out of it.
"Oh Michael come on, it's never too late to make new friends. So come on where is this person?" she asked. He pointed over to where Sydney was standing with her friends and off they were on an adventure he really didn't want to embark on.
Chapter Six
Michael knew this was going to be a disaster. Alice could be so clingy when she
was jealous. As they were getting closer Sydney turned around and smiled at him,
"Michael!" she exclaimed. As soon as he reached her, they hugged as Josh also turned around. Alice began to glare at Sydney, as Josh glared at Michael. They just kept gazing at each other.
Alice poked Michael in the side as if to remind him that she was there. "Oh yeah,
this is Alice," Michael lamely said. Alice was furious, she was Michael's girlfriend
wasn't he supposed to introduce her as that? She grabbed Michael's arm.
"Alice Gibson," Alice said sounding annoyed, "Michael's girlfriend." She
stressed the word girlfriend.
"Yeah and I'm Sydney Bristow, I'm Michael's friend," Sydney said mocking
Alice by stressing the word friend. She plastered a fake smile on her face and put her
hands on her hips. 'God is this woman clingy or what?' she thought, 'she acts like I'm stealing her property. I didn't know Michael was a possession, but to her he is. And God, I just met him this morning.' Josh was now staring at Sydney. "This is Josh," Sydney said, looking defiantly at Alice.
"I'm her boyfriend too," Josh replied. He put his arm around Sydney's waist and
Sydney felt like pushing him away. He was being clingy now, he was never this way, and she guessed that is what jealousy did to you. He was being just as petty and juvenile as Alice was acting.
Michael nodded, "And I'm her friend," he stressed the word. He felt like Sydney
and himself were being grilled by their significant others over their ties to each other.
Someone from Sydney's table asked, "Why don't you guys eat lunch with us?"
"Well we're eating lunch with our friends over there," Michael replied pointing,
and thought to himself, 'plus it'd be torture watching Josh all over Sydney, plus I
guarantee you Alice won't leave me alone.'
"Well they can come with you too, we can make room," the girl invited them.
"Okay, sure," Alice quickly answered. Michael knew she had agreed only to keep
an eye on Sydney. And Michael was pretty sure Sydney knew that too. He also noticed
the look Alice was giving Sydney, and the look he was receiving Josh. Both him and
Sydney were annoyed, Alice and Josh were acting like crazy, jealous people, as if Sydney and Michael had started making out in front of them, they'd only hugged.
Alice grabbed Michael's hand, "Come on Michael, let's go get everyone." She
dragged Michael across the hall towards their table, practically kicking and screaming.
"What was your problem?" Michael practically screamed at her.
"What are you talking about?" Alice asked, trying to sound innocent, it didn't
work too well for her.
"God, Syd and I are freakin' friends, that's it, friends, get it? I just met her this
morning. If you think there's anything else going on you don't know me as well as you
think you do," he yelled in her face.
"Whatever Michael," she angrily replied and then stomped off across the hall.
"Wonderful," Michael muttered, but inside he was rejoicing. Alice was really
getting on his nerves and he might of just got her so mad that maybe things wouldn't
work out like they always seemed to.
* * * *
Sydney was also angry with Josh. "What about Michael makes you so jealous?"
she asked, wanting to scream it, but not wanting to make a scene.
"Jealous? Me? I was so not jealous," he replied.
"Then why were you so clingy? Why did you have to tell him that you were my
boyfriend?" she asked, "if you weren't jealous it shouldn't have mattered. I know you're my boyfriend, you know you're my boyfriend, that's all that matters."
"Excuse me, Sydney, whatever, maybe you shouldn't have thrown yourself at
him."
"Threw myself at him? What are you talking about? If you think that then maybe
you don't know me as well as I thought you did and as well as you think you do," she
yelled.
"I'm suddenly not hungry anymore," he replied. He stormed off, casually
throwing over his shoulder, "maybe I'll talk to you later." Stressing the word maybe.
Sydney could feel the tears coming as she thought to herself, 'Syd there's a time to
cry and this is not it, just wait until later.' She knew this was going to be a long, long lunch, because she knew Alice would probably be staring her down the whole time.
Chapter 7 – Part I
That lunch had been a week ago and Sydney could still remember it, and it wasn't something she wanted to remember, Alice wouldn't keep her hands off Michael and her eyes off Sydney. Josh had decided to come back, but it hurt Sydney even more because when he did come back he sat on the complete other end of the table from Sydney, so then everyone knew that they were fighting. But that was a week ago, and things between her and Josh was fine again. In the last week she had had lunch with Michael four times, without Alice and Josh. "Josh are you coming to the party with me tonight?" she asked him through the door. She was in his apartment and he was in the shower.
"Sweetie remember I told you I had a study group tonight?" Josh asked.
"So I take it that's a no?" she asked back.
"Yep," he replied, "sorry."
"It's okay," she said, "I'll just go meet some hot guy and replace you." She was just joking.
"Haha, very funny," he replied.
"It must have been funny," she told him matter-of-factly, "you just laughed."
"Yep whatever," he replied.
"I got to go get ready for the party," she said, "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Yep bye." And she left the apartment, to go get ready for the most fun night of her life.
* * * *
"Alice are you coming to the party with me tonight?" Michael asked his girlfriend.
"Nope, sorry I can't," she replied, "going out with Lane and Emily. But why don't you call and ask Tommy and Eric?"
"No, that's okay," he told her, "I'll just have to make new friends now won't I?"
"Yep, but I got to go," she replied, while thinking, 'I'll call Eric and Tommy to ask them to meet him there.'
* * * *
Sydney walked into the party and immediately a drink landed in her hand. She sipped it, and it didn't taste that bad. She looked across the room looking for anyone she knew. Suddenly her eyes locked with a familiar pair of green eyes. She began smiling and walked across the room towards him. "Michael," she said, "what are you doing here?"
"Just having fun," he replied, "you?"
"The same," she said, she looked around him, "where's Alice?" She internally cringed at the name.
"Oh she couldn't make it," he told her, "how about Josh?"
"Oh he couldn't make it either," she replied. He nodded.
They sat there for a couple of minutes without saying anything, and then Michael broke the silence. "Do you want to dance?" he asked.
"Of course," she replied. He took her hand and walked with her out onto the dance floor, where a slow song was playing. They danced together for the longest time, content with just being in each other's embrace. That was until that didn't satisfy them anymore; Sydney moved her head off of his chest and looked up into his eyes. Next thing they knew, their lips were crashing into each other's, their hands exploring places the other's hands had never been before. They continued kissing for what seemed like forever when they finally broke away only to get a breath of air and then they were back at it. This went on through the next four songs before Michael said, "Let's go." Sydney nodded just as Michael grabbed her hand and led her out the door to his car.
What they didn't see was Eric and Tommy standing near the door watching the whole scene. "Come on man, let's go," Eric told Tommy.
Tommy nodded and said, "He's dead."
Sydney and Michael were on their way back to his place while Tommy was heading to find Alice.
Chapter Seven – Part II
Sydney sat in the passenger seat smiling away. She looked over at Michael who was driving her back to where her car was parked. He looked over at her at that minute and smiled back. They reached the house where the party was and subsequently where her car was. Before she got out of the car he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "We'll definitely have to talk later," he told her.
"Okay, later," she replied, "we definitely need to talk about things."
He nodded, "I'll call you later." She leaned in for another quick kiss before she got out and got into her car to go back to her place and tell Francie everything.
What Sydney didn't know was that Michael was going to go back to his place and tell Eric everything also, only he didn't know that Eric knew what had happened between Sydney and himself the night before.
* * * *
As Sydney walked in, she felt the guilt already coming to surface. She had cheated on Josh, it's not like she regretted it, who would regret it? She knew she needed to talk to someone, tell someone the whole story from the beginning of how she met Michael and what had happened last night. "Francie, you here?" she yelled through the apartment.
"I'm in here Syd," she yelled back from the kitchen. Sydney walked in and Francie saw her face, "Syd what's wrong?"
"I've got to tell you something," Sydney replied.
"What's that?" Francie asked curiously.
"Remember Michael?" she questioned.
"Yeah, that guy that had lunch with us the other day. You know he's really cute," Francie replied.
"Whatever," Sydney jokingly replied, while thinking, 'Really cute? You must mean hot, sexy, gorgeous, then we're talking about the same guy.' "But back to the point. Did I ever tell you how I met him?"
"No, I don't remember you telling me that," she said.
"Okay well I'll tell you then. I was just walking across campus, looking at my schedule, not paying attention and I bumped into someone. When I looked up I got lost in his green eyes. And you want to know the first thing I thought? I thought that he was so hot. That's not normal is it? Especially when you have a boyfriend that supposedly you love."
"Well Syd it's natural for you to think someone else is hot, especially that man. He's definitely not hard on the eyes," she replied.
"But that wasn't it Francie. You saw us at lunch that day when him and his 'I'm the goddess of the world, everybody bow down before me' blonde girlfriend came over. Did you see how jealous she was?" Sydney asked.
"Yeah Syd I did, and I kind of had to laugh about it, it was really funny," Francie said with a hint of laughter in her voice.
"But that's not it Francie. I've had lunch with Michael four times this week," Sydney told her.
"So Syd? What's wrong with that?" Francie asked, "you were having lunch with a friend, what's wrong with that?"
"But yet again, that's not it. I cheated on Josh last night with Michael. Now before you say anything, let me tell you the whole story. So I asked Josh if he wanted to come to the party last night with me and he couldn't, and I guess Alice couldn't come with Michael either. So I got there and was trying to find someone I knew and I ran into him. We talked for a little while, and then he asked me to dance and of course I said yes, who wouldn't? So we were dancing and next thing I knew we were kissing, we kissed for like 15 minutes before he asked me if I wanted to leave and I said yes. We went back to his place and I think you can figure out what happened then, and the bad thing is I don't regret it," Sydney rambled on.
"Wow," Francie replied.
"Yeah, wow," Sydney said.
"What are you going to do?" Francie asked.
"He's going to call me later and we're going to figure it out," Sydney told her.
"Well no matter what you decide I'll be happy for you, and I'll be here for you," Francie said.
"Thank you so much Francie," Sydney replied, practically in tears.
"Oh sweetie, it's okay, come here." Francie told Sydney and pulled her into a hug.
"You have to do me a favor, please?" Sydney asked.
"Sure, what is it?" Francie questioned.
"Josh is supposed to call me today, you have to tell him I'm not here and take a message, I don't think I can talk to him right now," Sydney replied.
"Okay, I'll tell him you're not here, I'll take the message," Francie answered.
"Thank you Francie, you're such a great friend," Sydney replied in tears.
Chapter Seven – Part III
Michael walked into his place wondering if Eric was back yet. He hoped Eric didn't bring
Danny and Tommy with him because he seriously needed someone to talk to. He remembered the conversation he had had with Sydney just that morning, and he reminded himself that he had to call her later. 'Wouldn't want to get her mad at me, or forget to call her,' he thought, 'especially after last night.'
Just then Eric walked in the door, but Michael wad so far gone in his thoughts he didn't hear Eric walk in the door or say "Hey man what's up?"
When he didn't answer, Eric walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. Michael jumped practically six feet in the air. "Mike what's wrong with you? You are zoned out again. What's your problem?" Eric questioned.
"Nothing, man, it's nothing," he replied.
"Ha ha nothing? Yeah right, it's never nothing," he told Michael.
"Okay so you're right, and don't tell anyone I admitted you were right about anything," Michael said, "Promise right now."
"Okay I promise. So what is it? What is this 'nothing'? Come on tell me? Please?" Eric begged Michael.
"I was going to tell you any ways, you didn't have to beg," Michael stalled.
"Mike, come on, you know how I hate to wait for things," Eric replied, "tell me, tell me, tell me." He really did sound like a two-year old.
"I cheated on Alice," Michael blurted out.
"Whoa… wait a minute… back up… you cheated on Alice. Who? What? Where? When?" Eric asked playing the innocence card.
"Okay so I'll answer your questions one at a time. Remember that girl Sydney you met the other day at lunch. Of course, I already told you I cheated on Alice. At a party and back here. Lastly, last night after that party I told you I was going to," Michael answered each and every one of Eric's questions.
"What are you going to do?" Eric asked.
"What do you mean?" Michael questioned.
"I mean how are you going to handle this? Are you willing to break up with Alice in order to be with Sydney? I mean you can't really be fair to both of them if you're stringing them both along," Eric clarified.
"I actually truly believe I would be willing to just leave Alice for Sydney. I mean I honestly think it might have been love at first sight or at least attraction at first sight. I know I certainly was attracted to her right away," Michael replied.
"Well I would suggest you tell both Sydney and Alice that," Eric told Michael, "they both
deserve that."
"I have to call Sydney later and once we figure everything out then I'll talk to Alice," Michael explained.
"Good luck Mike," he replied, "that's all I have to say. You're probably going to need it."
Chapter Eight – Part I
Sydney was sitting in her kitchen when the phone rang. She made a grab for it and got it just before Francie did. "Hello?" she asked.
"Syd?" she heard Michael ask.
"Hey Michael," she replied, instantly her mood brightening and a smile beginning to show.
"Hey," he said, "so what are you up to?"
"Nothing much," she told him, "how about you?"
"Nothing either," he replied, both knowing that the other was stalling, not knowing what to say.
"So we had better talk," Sydney said, starting the conversation.
"Yeah we should," he replied, "what are we going to do?"
"I don't know," she explained, "I know how I feel, I just don't know how you feel."
"If I promise to tell you how I'm feeling, will you tell me how you're feeling?" he asked.
"Yeah, I think I can do that," she told him.
"Okay so the truth?" he asked, "I think I was attracted to you from the first day we met. And I believe Alice and Josh both picked that up during lunch that one day, that's why they were acting so jealous. I also don't think last night was a mistake. I certainly don't regret it, I don't know about you." He smiled at her as she tried to put her thoughts and feelings into words.
"I definitely don't disagree. I definitely felt something for you the first day we met and I definitely believe Josh and Alice picked up on that and to me last night was not a mistake and I don't regret it," she rambled.
"Okay so what are we going to do now?" he asks.
"I have no clue, but I do know that my feelings for you are definitely deeper than my feelings for Josh," she replied, "and that's certainly pathetic because I've been going out with Josh for almost two years, and I've known you for what, like a week?
"That's exactly how I feel for Alice," Michael said, "so do you agree that we definitely have something between us and we should act on it?"
"Yes, I agree," she replied not knowing what else to say.
"So should we break up with Alice and Josh right away or what?" he asked.
"Yes, that would be our best bet," she said, "that way no one gets strung along, and they don't get hurt more than they inevitably will."
"Okay sounds good," he replied, "and I'll see you tomorrow for lunch?"
"Yep, we'll meet in the dining hall after our first morning class," she told him.
"Bye Syd" he said.
"Bye Michael," she replied. And with that they hung up and were off to find Josh and Alice to break the bad news.
Chapter Eight – Part II
Just as Sydney was about to leave to go find Josh, the doorbell rang. Francie ran and opened the door; it wasn't a big surprise that she found on the other side. "Hey Josh," she said, keeping the door open a little bit in case Sydney didn't want to see him, so he couldn't see her in the house.
"Hey Francie," he replied cheerfully, "is Sydney here?"
"Umm…umm…umm…" Francie stalled.
"It's okay Francie," Sydney told her, "let him in." Francie opened the door and let Josh in.
"Syd, I'm going out," Francie explained, "I'll be back later."
"No Francie, that's okay," Sydney replied, we're going to go for a walk." She grabbed Josh's hand and pulled him to the door, "Come on." She pushed him out and turned to Francie, "I should be home in a few, without Josh."
"Okay," Francie said, "good luck, sweetie."
* * * *
Ten minutes later…The Park
"So now that we've stopped walking, how was the party last night?" he asked.
"Oh it was okay," she replied. 'More like wonderful, best ever, absolutely perfect,' she thought.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come with you. I'm sure we would have had a lot more fun together than you had by yourself," he told her.
"Yeah probably," she lied, while thinking, 'Yeah right. We'd never have that much fun, I'll never have more fun with anyone other than Michael.'
"I'll never make you go to another party by yourself," he said with a smile, "I promise right now."
"Josh," Sydney said, "Josh." She was trying to get his attention.
"Huh?" he asked, "What?"
Here it goes. "Josh, I don't think this is working out for me," Sydney said.
"Haha, very funny. Syd, I told you not to be mad at me for not going to the party with you." He thought it was all a joke.
"No Josh, I really don't think this is working out for me," she told him, "I'm not lying."
It all hit him right then. "But…why?" he asked.
"It's just not working out," she replied. She knew what his next question was going to be and she knew what her answer was going to be…the truth.
"Is there someone else?" he asked angrily.
"Yes," she replied, "I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? YOU'RE SORRY?" he screamed, "Who is he? Do I know him?" Inside he was fuming, 'my girlfriend cheated on me, there's another guy. Who is he? I want to know…I need to know.'
"Remember Michael?" she asked calmly.
"That guy from lunch the other day?" he questioned.
"Yeah," she replied, "it's him."
"It's that guy. Doesn't he have a girlfriend?" he screamed.
"Yeah, he does," she told him.
"Well I hope you're happy," he said angrily, trying to get out of there, he had someone to visit.
"Josh I still want to be friends," she replied.
"Well, we'll see," he brushed her off.
"Josh, I really am sorry," she said sorrowfully.
"Yeah I bet," he replied and then pushed past her and walked out of the park, going to look for Michael, to knock some sense into him.
Chapter 8 - Part III
Michael walked into the dining hall and immediately saw Alice sitting at a table by herself. 'It's now or never,' he thought, 'let's get this over with.'
He began to walk towards the table and plastered a fake smile on his face, "Hey Alice," he said, "is anyone sitting here?"
"No," she replied with a fake smile also on her face, although he didn't know that, "you can sit down." 'He wants to cheat on me,' she thought, 'then let the games begin.'
"Thanks," he told her, "so how was your day?
"Oh it was terrible," she replied, playing it for all it was worth, "I got my first test back and found out I failed. And one of my new friends found out that her boyfriend cheated on her with another girl at a party. So she was crying on my shoulder and I felt really bad for her." When she looked at his face, she saw the guilt begin to creep across his face, she knew that she had suceeded in making him feel guilty and inside she was laughing. 'He wants to cheat on me? He'll get what's coming to him.'
"Oh well tell her I'm sorry," he said, trying to gain some of his composure back.
"And then she warned me about guys like that," she replied, 'And here comes the kill shot,' "but I assured her you weren't that way, and that you'd never cheat on me because you love me." She knew that after that there was no way he was going to break up with her, at least not today.
And when she looked up at his expression, it didn't surprise her. He practically spit the sip of coke he had just drank out and looked to be choking. He smiled at her then and even though she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, she knew that the smile was forced. She knew that what she had said, although it was a lie, had affected him greatly and now not only was he feeling guilty, but he was really confused. 'I have him right where I want him,' she thought.
* * * *
As Michael walked in his door he didn't know what he was going to do. What Alice had said had really affected him. 'So now it's time for a decision,' he thought, 'Alice or Sydney.' He sat there quietly in his living room making a pro and con list in his head. In the end, Alice had one pro and the rest were cons and Sydney had all of her points in the pro section and none in the cons.
'So the decision was made, he thought, 'tomorrow I am going to break up with Alice, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.'
* * * *
11:30 am, The Next Morning, Michael's apartment
Michael had just walked in the door from his first morning class when his phone began to ring. He picked it up on the second ring, saying a casual, "Hello?" to the person on the other line.
"Michael?" Alice asked, "are you busy right now?"
"No, why?" he questioned, 'Just the person I want to talk to,' he thought sarcastically, 'today's the last day I'll ever have to speak to her.'
"I just wanted to know if you wanted to do something," she replied.
"Sure," he said.
"Cool," she told him, "I'll pick you up in 15 minutes."
"Okay see you then," he replied rather lamely completely forgetting about his lunch date with Sydney.
* * * *
12:00 pm, The Dining Hall
Michael still didn't know why Alice had brought him to the dining hall. But he didn't care as long as he broke up with her. He decided to start right then. "Alice we need to talk," he said. But Alice ignoring him grabbed his head and brought his lips to hers.
Sydney decided to show up right then for her and Michael's lunch date. And what she saw when she got there made her wish she had never come to meet him in the first place, it squished her heart and made her turn around and run in the opposite direction. Michael saw her as she was leaving just then remembering their lunch date and as he was rising to go after her Alice pulled him to her for another kiss.
Chapter Nine - Part I
Sydney ran into her apartment, tears streaking down her face. She wasn't expecting Francie to be home but when she ran through the living room Francie asked, "Syd what's wrong?" In trying to get out of there and into her room quickly, she tripped over a bag leaning against the couch. She fell flat on her face, as if she wasn't embarassed enough over running in the house crying, this took home the trophy. She began crying harder and ran into her room, slamming her door shut. She flopped on her bed, after locking her door, and began crying her eyes out into her pillow.
She heard Francie walk down the hallway rather quickly. Then she heard a knock on the door. "Syd?" she asked. Sydney heard her try the doorknob and when she found out that it was locked she tried again, "Syd, come on, you need to talk to someone. What's wrong? Please let me in."
Sydney squirried to the door and unlocked it, then she flopped back down on the bed and continued crying. Francie let herself in and stood in the doorway for a minute as she watched Sydney cry harder than she had ever seen her cry before.
"Syd what's bothering you?" Francie asked.
In response Sydney began to cry harder. Francie came and joined Sydney on the bed gently rubbing her back and just being there for her friend. She figured once Sydney calmed down a little she'd try to find out what was going on.
About 20 minutes later Sydney calmed down enough to mutter out a few words, "Michael," sob, "Alice," sob, "kiss," sob, "dining hall." Then she broke down again this time taking advantage of Francie being there and crying on her shoulder instead of the pillow.
Francie decided to give Sydney a little while longer to compose herself so maybe she might be able to form coherent sentences. Another 20 minutes did the trick and Sydney now began to tell Francie the story. "Well when I talked to Michael yesterday, we decided that we were going to give 'us' a go, right? So right after that was when I broke up with Josh and he was supposed to break up with Alice."
"Yep, I know, you told me all this last night," Francie replied.
"What I didn't tell you was that we were supposed to meet in the dining hall as some sort of a lunch date," Sydney told her.
"Well that sounds nice," Francie replied, "but what makes me think this story doesn't have a happy ending?"
"Well what story ever does?" Sydney harshly asked.
"Okay this story definitely doesn't have anything near a happy ending," Francie observed.
"Because it doesn't," Sydney said, "okay so back to the story. You know I walk in the dining hall to meet Michael for lunch and as I walk in I recognize someone sitting in the center of the dining hall. And wouldn't you know that sitting there is Michael making out with his bimbo of a girlfriend Alice."
"Wow," Francie replied, noticing Sydney had started to cry again, "are you sure there wasn't a misunderstanding?"
"I don't know," Sydney told her, "I didn't stick around to find out, I turned and ran in the opposite direction, never looking back."
"Oh," Francie said, just as the phone rang, "Hold on a sec, I'll get it."
She walked out into the hallway and answered the phone just outside the door. With the phone being so close to her door, Sydney could hear Francie's side of the conversation.
"Hello?" she asked. The person must have asked for her.
"Who is this?" she questioned politely. Francie's facial features changed drastically and she knew it could probably only be one person: Michael.
"No I'm sorry," Francie replied, "she has no interest in talking to you right now."
"No I'm not sure when she might have some interest in talking to you," Francie said.
"No I don't think she'd want to see you either," she told him.
"I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I need to get back to my friend who's going through a crisis right now and I don't want to leave her alone for too long because I don't know what she'll do, plus I just got her to stop crying after 2 hours," Francie replied snarkly and hung up on Michael.
She then returned to Sydney's room and said, "Syd I think we need to get out tonight. Let's go to that new club."
"Okay," Sydney replied and headed to the bathroom to get ready to go out with Francie.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters you recognize, although I do own Joshua, Tommy, and many other smaller insignificant(some) characters later on in the story.
Summary: Sydney and Michael both go to UCLA and bump into each other one day, they are instantly attracted to each other. The Problem? Sydney's boyfriend Joshua Holmes and Michael's girlfriend Alice. This story is about their battle of fighting their attraction to one another and the evolving of their relationship, plus the deterioration of their relationships with Alice and Joshua. NO SD-6 or CIA. Will also have Will, Francie, Marshall, Eric (Weiss), Sark (aka Brian), Danny, Jack, and Dixon, plus many other characters (not all of them from the show.)
Pairings: Syd/Josh, Michael/Alice, Syd/Michael, Francie/Will, Marshall and Eric will get girlfriends later in the story.
A/N: This is actually my fourth fic, but the first one for this time period, two of my other ones are about S/V being married, and the other one is about them dating while SD-6 still exists. If you want the titles just ask. Enjoy! And please review.
Chapter 1
Sydney Bristow was walking across campus on her first day of school, not paying attention to where she was walking, searching her schedule when she bumped into someone and both of their books went flying.
She instantly looked up into a pair of green eyes. "I'm so sorry," she said, "I wasn't watching where I was going." She looked him over, sandy blonde hair, six foot, green eyes, nice build, hot. She instantly scolded herself, 'Don't be thinking he's hot Syd, you have a boyfriend, you love Josh, even if he isn't half as hot as this god.' 'There I go again,' she thought. She didn't realize she had been staring at him this whole time.
"No that's okay," he replied, "I wasn't watching where I was going either." He was doing the same thing she had, he was checking her out. He thought almost identical to what she thought, 'She's really hot.' 'Mike, don't think that, you do have Alice.' He had also been staring at her. "Oh," he said, "my name's Michael Vaughn." He put his hand out.
"Sydney Bristow," she shook his hand, "nice to meet you." They handed their books back to each other.
"Are you a freshman too?" he asked.
She nodded. "Am I that obvious?" she replied in question.
"Only if I am," he replied, giving her a charming smile.
"Well, I gotta go, I'm going to be late for class," Sydney said.
"Okay, well maybe we'll have a class together or something," he said.
"Yeah maybe," she replied smiling, "bye Michael."
"Bye Sydney," he said. And walking in opposite directions they parted physically but not mentally, both still thinking about each other.
Chapter 2
She knew she was late because as she walked into the lecture hall, there was only one open seat. She quickly sped down to the front row and sat in between two people. She turned to the guy sitting to her right. "Did I miss anything important?" she asked.
"N-no, he was j-just beginning," he replied.
"Oh, excuse me for being so rude," she told him, my name's Sydney Bristow." She stuck her hand out.
"Oh," he replied, "Marshall Flinkman." They quickly shook hands.
"Have you heard anything about this professor?" Sydney asked Marshall.
"N-no, I'm sorry," he said.
"Oh no it's okay," she told him, "just wondering."
"Well excuse me," Sydney looked over at the girl on her left side, "sorry to butt in, but I just wanted to tell y'all that I heard he was an excellent professor. Someone told me his class is rarely boring."
"Oh no it's fine," Sydney replied, "my name's Sydney Bristow."
"Sophie Johnson," the girl said, "nice to meet you."
"Where are you from?" Sydney asked curiously. The girl sounded like she had an accent.
"Austin, Texas," the girl replied, "how about y'all?"
"I'm from right here in LA," Sydney told them, "actually my childhood home is about 10 minutes down the road."
"And I'm f-from New York City," Marshall replied, stuttering.
"Oh cool," Sydney and Sophie both said at the same time, laughing afterwards. 'This is awesome,' Sydney thought, 'maybe it won't be that bad.' Then the professor started class.
Chapter 3
Michael was also late, but he didn't care, that little run-in with Sydney was way worth not showing to class the first day on time. He opened the door to the Biology lab and looked around for a seat before he heard, "Yo Mike over here." He'd know that voice anywhere. He turned and looked at the back corner of the room where he saw his three best friends Tommy Gibson(Alice's twin brother), Eric Weiss, and Danny Hecht sitting.
"Hey guys," he replied, coming to sit in between Tommy and Eric.
He looked up when Tommy began to talk, "There definitely are some hotties on this campus."
"Yeah whatever," Michael replied while mentally thinking to himself, 'You don't know the half of it.' His mind instantly back to the run-in with Sydney, and just Sydney in general. He had to keep his head on and not say anything about it, Tommy may be his best friend but Alice and him are blood. But he did have Alice, so whay was he thinking about Sydney? 'Let's see: she's gorgeous, hot, perfect.' "Shut up," Michael said out loud, it wasn't supposed to be said out loud, only in his head.
"What Mike?" Tommy asked, "where were you just a second ago? I was waving my hand in front of your face. Dreaming about a certain blonde we both know?" Eric and Danny both snickered.
He wanted to scream 'No! I was dreaming about a certain brown-haired, brown-eyed girl that only I know,' but that right there would be giving away too much. "I was just thinking about something," he replied.
"Yep Mike," Tommy answered, "we all know what you were thinking about." Yet again Eric and Danny both snickered. "Don't deny it." Just then the biology professor began to speak, 'Saved by the Professor," Michael thought to himself before his mind switched back to thinking about Sydney and a slow smile began to creep across his face.
Chapter 4
Sydney walked into the dining hall with Marshall and Sophie, she was just about to find a table for the three of them when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around and began smiling, "Brian!" she exclaimed, she practically jumped on him, settling to give her best friend a hug.
"Syd, Syd, Syd," he replied in his cocky British accent, "anxious enough to see me?"
Sydney nodded. "I haven't seen you all day, how has your first day been?"
"Okay, and yours?" he asked.
"Wonderful," she replied, just then remembering Marshall and Sophie were still standing there looking uncomfortable, "oh sorry, where are my manners? Marshall, Sophie, this is Brian Sark my best friend - Brian this is Marshall Flinkman and Sophie Johnson - they were in my morning class."
Brian shook Marshall's hand while Marshall stuttered out, "Nice to m-meet you."
Brian nodded and replied, "You too." Then he turned towards Sophie and put on his most charming smile. Sydney knew instantly that Brian was attracted to Sophie, just by the look on his face. "Oh yeah Syd everyone else is back at the table."
"Who consists in 'everyone else'?" she asked.
"Will and Francie are back there - and they aren't keeping their hands off each other, and Josh is back there," he said, stressing the name Josh, and he also noticed Sydney's smile grew wider, "Brandon's there, and so is Abby, and Andy, and Alex and April."
"So everyone's here now?" she asked.
"Yep," he replied, "right this way." He put a hand rather presumptuously on the small of Sophie's back as he led the three of them back towards the table.
* * * *
As Sydney reached the table, she notcied Josh look up, he began smiling just like she had when she had found out he was there. She sped up and made it to the table a full forty feet in front of the other three. The minute she reached him, he pulled her into a kiss. After a minute or so they broke apart, but for some reason she wasn't fulfilled. Normally kissing Josh made her feel so warm inside, but this time while kissing him all she could think about was Michael. "Sweetie," he quietly told Syd, "who are those people?" He was pointing towards Marshall and Sophie.
"Oh, Marshall, Sophie, this is Josh Holmes, my boyfriend, and you've already met Brian, that is Will Tippin and Francie Calfo, and this is Brandon Klein, that's Abby Greene, and Andy Meek, and Alex Martinez, and finally that's April Pitkin," she said to Marshall and Sophie, "everyone this is Marshall Flinkman and Sophie Johnson, I met them in my first class this morning."
"Hi," Marshall stuttered, "nice to m-meet e-everyone."
Sophie nodded and said in a Texan drawl, "Yes it is nice to meet all of y'all."
There were a lot of 'heys' and 'how are yous' and 'nice to meet yous' said as Marshall and Sophie sat down and immediately blended in with all of Sydney's friends.
Chapter 5
Michael also was headed to the dining hall, he was supposed to meet Tommy, Eric, and Danny for lunch. He walked in and saw them instantly, all his high school friends were eating lunch. Alice saw him almost immediately and got a grin from ear-to-ear on her face, he plastered a fake smile on his face, for her sake. Alice stood the minute he came closer and instanly pulled his face towards hers, he gave her a quick kiss, not wanting to deepen it at all. The minute he tried to pull away she linked her hands behind his neck to pull him back. He reached up behind his head and unlimked her hands, she looked at him with a hurt look on her face, as if asking 'what?' "Alice not with everyone here," he whispered. Inside he was thinking, 'Yeah that's the real reason. Ever heard of denial? De-nile ain't just a river in Egypt (A/N: sorry my english teacher said that the other day and it just kinda stuck, sorry if it's kinda corny). Just keep telling yourself that.'
He was too busy fighting a battle within himself to hear her mutter under her breath, "That never stopped you before." But apparently nobody heard her and she plastered a smile on her face and acted normal.
"So Michael how was your first day gone so far?" Alice asked.
"Wonderful," Michael replied, quickly thinking about his encouter with Sydney that morning.
"Well, that's good," Alice said. She was so busy talking she didn't notice Michael staring at a point a little farther across the hall. There he saw a familiar face that brought a smile to his face. "Michael what are you looking at?" Alice asked beside him,
"Oh I just saw someone I met this morning." he replied.
Alice grabbed his hand, "Well let's go say hi."
"No Alice that's okay," Michael said, trying to get out of it.
"Oh Michael come on, it's never too late to make new friends. So come on where is this person?" she asked. He pointed over to where Sydney was standing with her friends and off they were on an adventure he really didn't want to embark on.
Chapter Six
Michael knew this was going to be a disaster. Alice could be so clingy when she
was jealous. As they were getting closer Sydney turned around and smiled at him,
"Michael!" she exclaimed. As soon as he reached her, they hugged as Josh also turned around. Alice began to glare at Sydney, as Josh glared at Michael. They just kept gazing at each other.
Alice poked Michael in the side as if to remind him that she was there. "Oh yeah,
this is Alice," Michael lamely said. Alice was furious, she was Michael's girlfriend
wasn't he supposed to introduce her as that? She grabbed Michael's arm.
"Alice Gibson," Alice said sounding annoyed, "Michael's girlfriend." She
stressed the word girlfriend.
"Yeah and I'm Sydney Bristow, I'm Michael's friend," Sydney said mocking
Alice by stressing the word friend. She plastered a fake smile on her face and put her
hands on her hips. 'God is this woman clingy or what?' she thought, 'she acts like I'm stealing her property. I didn't know Michael was a possession, but to her he is. And God, I just met him this morning.' Josh was now staring at Sydney. "This is Josh," Sydney said, looking defiantly at Alice.
"I'm her boyfriend too," Josh replied. He put his arm around Sydney's waist and
Sydney felt like pushing him away. He was being clingy now, he was never this way, and she guessed that is what jealousy did to you. He was being just as petty and juvenile as Alice was acting.
Michael nodded, "And I'm her friend," he stressed the word. He felt like Sydney
and himself were being grilled by their significant others over their ties to each other.
Someone from Sydney's table asked, "Why don't you guys eat lunch with us?"
"Well we're eating lunch with our friends over there," Michael replied pointing,
and thought to himself, 'plus it'd be torture watching Josh all over Sydney, plus I
guarantee you Alice won't leave me alone.'
"Well they can come with you too, we can make room," the girl invited them.
"Okay, sure," Alice quickly answered. Michael knew she had agreed only to keep
an eye on Sydney. And Michael was pretty sure Sydney knew that too. He also noticed
the look Alice was giving Sydney, and the look he was receiving Josh. Both him and
Sydney were annoyed, Alice and Josh were acting like crazy, jealous people, as if Sydney and Michael had started making out in front of them, they'd only hugged.
Alice grabbed Michael's hand, "Come on Michael, let's go get everyone." She
dragged Michael across the hall towards their table, practically kicking and screaming.
"What was your problem?" Michael practically screamed at her.
"What are you talking about?" Alice asked, trying to sound innocent, it didn't
work too well for her.
"God, Syd and I are freakin' friends, that's it, friends, get it? I just met her this
morning. If you think there's anything else going on you don't know me as well as you
think you do," he yelled in her face.
"Whatever Michael," she angrily replied and then stomped off across the hall.
"Wonderful," Michael muttered, but inside he was rejoicing. Alice was really
getting on his nerves and he might of just got her so mad that maybe things wouldn't
work out like they always seemed to.
* * * *
Sydney was also angry with Josh. "What about Michael makes you so jealous?"
she asked, wanting to scream it, but not wanting to make a scene.
"Jealous? Me? I was so not jealous," he replied.
"Then why were you so clingy? Why did you have to tell him that you were my
boyfriend?" she asked, "if you weren't jealous it shouldn't have mattered. I know you're my boyfriend, you know you're my boyfriend, that's all that matters."
"Excuse me, Sydney, whatever, maybe you shouldn't have thrown yourself at
him."
"Threw myself at him? What are you talking about? If you think that then maybe
you don't know me as well as I thought you did and as well as you think you do," she
yelled.
"I'm suddenly not hungry anymore," he replied. He stormed off, casually
throwing over his shoulder, "maybe I'll talk to you later." Stressing the word maybe.
Sydney could feel the tears coming as she thought to herself, 'Syd there's a time to
cry and this is not it, just wait until later.' She knew this was going to be a long, long lunch, because she knew Alice would probably be staring her down the whole time.
Chapter 7 – Part I
That lunch had been a week ago and Sydney could still remember it, and it wasn't something she wanted to remember, Alice wouldn't keep her hands off Michael and her eyes off Sydney. Josh had decided to come back, but it hurt Sydney even more because when he did come back he sat on the complete other end of the table from Sydney, so then everyone knew that they were fighting. But that was a week ago, and things between her and Josh was fine again. In the last week she had had lunch with Michael four times, without Alice and Josh. "Josh are you coming to the party with me tonight?" she asked him through the door. She was in his apartment and he was in the shower.
"Sweetie remember I told you I had a study group tonight?" Josh asked.
"So I take it that's a no?" she asked back.
"Yep," he replied, "sorry."
"It's okay," she said, "I'll just go meet some hot guy and replace you." She was just joking.
"Haha, very funny," he replied.
"It must have been funny," she told him matter-of-factly, "you just laughed."
"Yep whatever," he replied.
"I got to go get ready for the party," she said, "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Yep bye." And she left the apartment, to go get ready for the most fun night of her life.
* * * *
"Alice are you coming to the party with me tonight?" Michael asked his girlfriend.
"Nope, sorry I can't," she replied, "going out with Lane and Emily. But why don't you call and ask Tommy and Eric?"
"No, that's okay," he told her, "I'll just have to make new friends now won't I?"
"Yep, but I got to go," she replied, while thinking, 'I'll call Eric and Tommy to ask them to meet him there.'
* * * *
Sydney walked into the party and immediately a drink landed in her hand. She sipped it, and it didn't taste that bad. She looked across the room looking for anyone she knew. Suddenly her eyes locked with a familiar pair of green eyes. She began smiling and walked across the room towards him. "Michael," she said, "what are you doing here?"
"Just having fun," he replied, "you?"
"The same," she said, she looked around him, "where's Alice?" She internally cringed at the name.
"Oh she couldn't make it," he told her, "how about Josh?"
"Oh he couldn't make it either," she replied. He nodded.
They sat there for a couple of minutes without saying anything, and then Michael broke the silence. "Do you want to dance?" he asked.
"Of course," she replied. He took her hand and walked with her out onto the dance floor, where a slow song was playing. They danced together for the longest time, content with just being in each other's embrace. That was until that didn't satisfy them anymore; Sydney moved her head off of his chest and looked up into his eyes. Next thing they knew, their lips were crashing into each other's, their hands exploring places the other's hands had never been before. They continued kissing for what seemed like forever when they finally broke away only to get a breath of air and then they were back at it. This went on through the next four songs before Michael said, "Let's go." Sydney nodded just as Michael grabbed her hand and led her out the door to his car.
What they didn't see was Eric and Tommy standing near the door watching the whole scene. "Come on man, let's go," Eric told Tommy.
Tommy nodded and said, "He's dead."
Sydney and Michael were on their way back to his place while Tommy was heading to find Alice.
Chapter Seven – Part II
Sydney sat in the passenger seat smiling away. She looked over at Michael who was driving her back to where her car was parked. He looked over at her at that minute and smiled back. They reached the house where the party was and subsequently where her car was. Before she got out of the car he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "We'll definitely have to talk later," he told her.
"Okay, later," she replied, "we definitely need to talk about things."
He nodded, "I'll call you later." She leaned in for another quick kiss before she got out and got into her car to go back to her place and tell Francie everything.
What Sydney didn't know was that Michael was going to go back to his place and tell Eric everything also, only he didn't know that Eric knew what had happened between Sydney and himself the night before.
* * * *
As Sydney walked in, she felt the guilt already coming to surface. She had cheated on Josh, it's not like she regretted it, who would regret it? She knew she needed to talk to someone, tell someone the whole story from the beginning of how she met Michael and what had happened last night. "Francie, you here?" she yelled through the apartment.
"I'm in here Syd," she yelled back from the kitchen. Sydney walked in and Francie saw her face, "Syd what's wrong?"
"I've got to tell you something," Sydney replied.
"What's that?" Francie asked curiously.
"Remember Michael?" she questioned.
"Yeah, that guy that had lunch with us the other day. You know he's really cute," Francie replied.
"Whatever," Sydney jokingly replied, while thinking, 'Really cute? You must mean hot, sexy, gorgeous, then we're talking about the same guy.' "But back to the point. Did I ever tell you how I met him?"
"No, I don't remember you telling me that," she said.
"Okay well I'll tell you then. I was just walking across campus, looking at my schedule, not paying attention and I bumped into someone. When I looked up I got lost in his green eyes. And you want to know the first thing I thought? I thought that he was so hot. That's not normal is it? Especially when you have a boyfriend that supposedly you love."
"Well Syd it's natural for you to think someone else is hot, especially that man. He's definitely not hard on the eyes," she replied.
"But that wasn't it Francie. You saw us at lunch that day when him and his 'I'm the goddess of the world, everybody bow down before me' blonde girlfriend came over. Did you see how jealous she was?" Sydney asked.
"Yeah Syd I did, and I kind of had to laugh about it, it was really funny," Francie said with a hint of laughter in her voice.
"But that's not it Francie. I've had lunch with Michael four times this week," Sydney told her.
"So Syd? What's wrong with that?" Francie asked, "you were having lunch with a friend, what's wrong with that?"
"But yet again, that's not it. I cheated on Josh last night with Michael. Now before you say anything, let me tell you the whole story. So I asked Josh if he wanted to come to the party last night with me and he couldn't, and I guess Alice couldn't come with Michael either. So I got there and was trying to find someone I knew and I ran into him. We talked for a little while, and then he asked me to dance and of course I said yes, who wouldn't? So we were dancing and next thing I knew we were kissing, we kissed for like 15 minutes before he asked me if I wanted to leave and I said yes. We went back to his place and I think you can figure out what happened then, and the bad thing is I don't regret it," Sydney rambled on.
"Wow," Francie replied.
"Yeah, wow," Sydney said.
"What are you going to do?" Francie asked.
"He's going to call me later and we're going to figure it out," Sydney told her.
"Well no matter what you decide I'll be happy for you, and I'll be here for you," Francie said.
"Thank you so much Francie," Sydney replied, practically in tears.
"Oh sweetie, it's okay, come here." Francie told Sydney and pulled her into a hug.
"You have to do me a favor, please?" Sydney asked.
"Sure, what is it?" Francie questioned.
"Josh is supposed to call me today, you have to tell him I'm not here and take a message, I don't think I can talk to him right now," Sydney replied.
"Okay, I'll tell him you're not here, I'll take the message," Francie answered.
"Thank you Francie, you're such a great friend," Sydney replied in tears.
Chapter Seven – Part III
Michael walked into his place wondering if Eric was back yet. He hoped Eric didn't bring
Danny and Tommy with him because he seriously needed someone to talk to. He remembered the conversation he had had with Sydney just that morning, and he reminded himself that he had to call her later. 'Wouldn't want to get her mad at me, or forget to call her,' he thought, 'especially after last night.'
Just then Eric walked in the door, but Michael wad so far gone in his thoughts he didn't hear Eric walk in the door or say "Hey man what's up?"
When he didn't answer, Eric walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. Michael jumped practically six feet in the air. "Mike what's wrong with you? You are zoned out again. What's your problem?" Eric questioned.
"Nothing, man, it's nothing," he replied.
"Ha ha nothing? Yeah right, it's never nothing," he told Michael.
"Okay so you're right, and don't tell anyone I admitted you were right about anything," Michael said, "Promise right now."
"Okay I promise. So what is it? What is this 'nothing'? Come on tell me? Please?" Eric begged Michael.
"I was going to tell you any ways, you didn't have to beg," Michael stalled.
"Mike, come on, you know how I hate to wait for things," Eric replied, "tell me, tell me, tell me." He really did sound like a two-year old.
"I cheated on Alice," Michael blurted out.
"Whoa… wait a minute… back up… you cheated on Alice. Who? What? Where? When?" Eric asked playing the innocence card.
"Okay so I'll answer your questions one at a time. Remember that girl Sydney you met the other day at lunch. Of course, I already told you I cheated on Alice. At a party and back here. Lastly, last night after that party I told you I was going to," Michael answered each and every one of Eric's questions.
"What are you going to do?" Eric asked.
"What do you mean?" Michael questioned.
"I mean how are you going to handle this? Are you willing to break up with Alice in order to be with Sydney? I mean you can't really be fair to both of them if you're stringing them both along," Eric clarified.
"I actually truly believe I would be willing to just leave Alice for Sydney. I mean I honestly think it might have been love at first sight or at least attraction at first sight. I know I certainly was attracted to her right away," Michael replied.
"Well I would suggest you tell both Sydney and Alice that," Eric told Michael, "they both
deserve that."
"I have to call Sydney later and once we figure everything out then I'll talk to Alice," Michael explained.
"Good luck Mike," he replied, "that's all I have to say. You're probably going to need it."
Chapter Eight – Part I
Sydney was sitting in her kitchen when the phone rang. She made a grab for it and got it just before Francie did. "Hello?" she asked.
"Syd?" she heard Michael ask.
"Hey Michael," she replied, instantly her mood brightening and a smile beginning to show.
"Hey," he said, "so what are you up to?"
"Nothing much," she told him, "how about you?"
"Nothing either," he replied, both knowing that the other was stalling, not knowing what to say.
"So we had better talk," Sydney said, starting the conversation.
"Yeah we should," he replied, "what are we going to do?"
"I don't know," she explained, "I know how I feel, I just don't know how you feel."
"If I promise to tell you how I'm feeling, will you tell me how you're feeling?" he asked.
"Yeah, I think I can do that," she told him.
"Okay so the truth?" he asked, "I think I was attracted to you from the first day we met. And I believe Alice and Josh both picked that up during lunch that one day, that's why they were acting so jealous. I also don't think last night was a mistake. I certainly don't regret it, I don't know about you." He smiled at her as she tried to put her thoughts and feelings into words.
"I definitely don't disagree. I definitely felt something for you the first day we met and I definitely believe Josh and Alice picked up on that and to me last night was not a mistake and I don't regret it," she rambled.
"Okay so what are we going to do now?" he asks.
"I have no clue, but I do know that my feelings for you are definitely deeper than my feelings for Josh," she replied, "and that's certainly pathetic because I've been going out with Josh for almost two years, and I've known you for what, like a week?
"That's exactly how I feel for Alice," Michael said, "so do you agree that we definitely have something between us and we should act on it?"
"Yes, I agree," she replied not knowing what else to say.
"So should we break up with Alice and Josh right away or what?" he asked.
"Yes, that would be our best bet," she said, "that way no one gets strung along, and they don't get hurt more than they inevitably will."
"Okay sounds good," he replied, "and I'll see you tomorrow for lunch?"
"Yep, we'll meet in the dining hall after our first morning class," she told him.
"Bye Syd" he said.
"Bye Michael," she replied. And with that they hung up and were off to find Josh and Alice to break the bad news.
Chapter Eight – Part II
Just as Sydney was about to leave to go find Josh, the doorbell rang. Francie ran and opened the door; it wasn't a big surprise that she found on the other side. "Hey Josh," she said, keeping the door open a little bit in case Sydney didn't want to see him, so he couldn't see her in the house.
"Hey Francie," he replied cheerfully, "is Sydney here?"
"Umm…umm…umm…" Francie stalled.
"It's okay Francie," Sydney told her, "let him in." Francie opened the door and let Josh in.
"Syd, I'm going out," Francie explained, "I'll be back later."
"No Francie, that's okay," Sydney replied, we're going to go for a walk." She grabbed Josh's hand and pulled him to the door, "Come on." She pushed him out and turned to Francie, "I should be home in a few, without Josh."
"Okay," Francie said, "good luck, sweetie."
* * * *
Ten minutes later…The Park
"So now that we've stopped walking, how was the party last night?" he asked.
"Oh it was okay," she replied. 'More like wonderful, best ever, absolutely perfect,' she thought.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come with you. I'm sure we would have had a lot more fun together than you had by yourself," he told her.
"Yeah probably," she lied, while thinking, 'Yeah right. We'd never have that much fun, I'll never have more fun with anyone other than Michael.'
"I'll never make you go to another party by yourself," he said with a smile, "I promise right now."
"Josh," Sydney said, "Josh." She was trying to get his attention.
"Huh?" he asked, "What?"
Here it goes. "Josh, I don't think this is working out for me," Sydney said.
"Haha, very funny. Syd, I told you not to be mad at me for not going to the party with you." He thought it was all a joke.
"No Josh, I really don't think this is working out for me," she told him, "I'm not lying."
It all hit him right then. "But…why?" he asked.
"It's just not working out," she replied. She knew what his next question was going to be and she knew what her answer was going to be…the truth.
"Is there someone else?" he asked angrily.
"Yes," she replied, "I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? YOU'RE SORRY?" he screamed, "Who is he? Do I know him?" Inside he was fuming, 'my girlfriend cheated on me, there's another guy. Who is he? I want to know…I need to know.'
"Remember Michael?" she asked calmly.
"That guy from lunch the other day?" he questioned.
"Yeah," she replied, "it's him."
"It's that guy. Doesn't he have a girlfriend?" he screamed.
"Yeah, he does," she told him.
"Well I hope you're happy," he said angrily, trying to get out of there, he had someone to visit.
"Josh I still want to be friends," she replied.
"Well, we'll see," he brushed her off.
"Josh, I really am sorry," she said sorrowfully.
"Yeah I bet," he replied and then pushed past her and walked out of the park, going to look for Michael, to knock some sense into him.
Chapter 8 - Part III
Michael walked into the dining hall and immediately saw Alice sitting at a table by herself. 'It's now or never,' he thought, 'let's get this over with.'
He began to walk towards the table and plastered a fake smile on his face, "Hey Alice," he said, "is anyone sitting here?"
"No," she replied with a fake smile also on her face, although he didn't know that, "you can sit down." 'He wants to cheat on me,' she thought, 'then let the games begin.'
"Thanks," he told her, "so how was your day?
"Oh it was terrible," she replied, playing it for all it was worth, "I got my first test back and found out I failed. And one of my new friends found out that her boyfriend cheated on her with another girl at a party. So she was crying on my shoulder and I felt really bad for her." When she looked at his face, she saw the guilt begin to creep across his face, she knew that she had suceeded in making him feel guilty and inside she was laughing. 'He wants to cheat on me? He'll get what's coming to him.'
"Oh well tell her I'm sorry," he said, trying to gain some of his composure back.
"And then she warned me about guys like that," she replied, 'And here comes the kill shot,' "but I assured her you weren't that way, and that you'd never cheat on me because you love me." She knew that after that there was no way he was going to break up with her, at least not today.
And when she looked up at his expression, it didn't surprise her. He practically spit the sip of coke he had just drank out and looked to be choking. He smiled at her then and even though she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, she knew that the smile was forced. She knew that what she had said, although it was a lie, had affected him greatly and now not only was he feeling guilty, but he was really confused. 'I have him right where I want him,' she thought.
* * * *
As Michael walked in his door he didn't know what he was going to do. What Alice had said had really affected him. 'So now it's time for a decision,' he thought, 'Alice or Sydney.' He sat there quietly in his living room making a pro and con list in his head. In the end, Alice had one pro and the rest were cons and Sydney had all of her points in the pro section and none in the cons.
'So the decision was made, he thought, 'tomorrow I am going to break up with Alice, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.'
* * * *
11:30 am, The Next Morning, Michael's apartment
Michael had just walked in the door from his first morning class when his phone began to ring. He picked it up on the second ring, saying a casual, "Hello?" to the person on the other line.
"Michael?" Alice asked, "are you busy right now?"
"No, why?" he questioned, 'Just the person I want to talk to,' he thought sarcastically, 'today's the last day I'll ever have to speak to her.'
"I just wanted to know if you wanted to do something," she replied.
"Sure," he said.
"Cool," she told him, "I'll pick you up in 15 minutes."
"Okay see you then," he replied rather lamely completely forgetting about his lunch date with Sydney.
* * * *
12:00 pm, The Dining Hall
Michael still didn't know why Alice had brought him to the dining hall. But he didn't care as long as he broke up with her. He decided to start right then. "Alice we need to talk," he said. But Alice ignoring him grabbed his head and brought his lips to hers.
Sydney decided to show up right then for her and Michael's lunch date. And what she saw when she got there made her wish she had never come to meet him in the first place, it squished her heart and made her turn around and run in the opposite direction. Michael saw her as she was leaving just then remembering their lunch date and as he was rising to go after her Alice pulled him to her for another kiss.
Chapter Nine - Part I
Sydney ran into her apartment, tears streaking down her face. She wasn't expecting Francie to be home but when she ran through the living room Francie asked, "Syd what's wrong?" In trying to get out of there and into her room quickly, she tripped over a bag leaning against the couch. She fell flat on her face, as if she wasn't embarassed enough over running in the house crying, this took home the trophy. She began crying harder and ran into her room, slamming her door shut. She flopped on her bed, after locking her door, and began crying her eyes out into her pillow.
She heard Francie walk down the hallway rather quickly. Then she heard a knock on the door. "Syd?" she asked. Sydney heard her try the doorknob and when she found out that it was locked she tried again, "Syd, come on, you need to talk to someone. What's wrong? Please let me in."
Sydney squirried to the door and unlocked it, then she flopped back down on the bed and continued crying. Francie let herself in and stood in the doorway for a minute as she watched Sydney cry harder than she had ever seen her cry before.
"Syd what's bothering you?" Francie asked.
In response Sydney began to cry harder. Francie came and joined Sydney on the bed gently rubbing her back and just being there for her friend. She figured once Sydney calmed down a little she'd try to find out what was going on.
About 20 minutes later Sydney calmed down enough to mutter out a few words, "Michael," sob, "Alice," sob, "kiss," sob, "dining hall." Then she broke down again this time taking advantage of Francie being there and crying on her shoulder instead of the pillow.
Francie decided to give Sydney a little while longer to compose herself so maybe she might be able to form coherent sentences. Another 20 minutes did the trick and Sydney now began to tell Francie the story. "Well when I talked to Michael yesterday, we decided that we were going to give 'us' a go, right? So right after that was when I broke up with Josh and he was supposed to break up with Alice."
"Yep, I know, you told me all this last night," Francie replied.
"What I didn't tell you was that we were supposed to meet in the dining hall as some sort of a lunch date," Sydney told her.
"Well that sounds nice," Francie replied, "but what makes me think this story doesn't have a happy ending?"
"Well what story ever does?" Sydney harshly asked.
"Okay this story definitely doesn't have anything near a happy ending," Francie observed.
"Because it doesn't," Sydney said, "okay so back to the story. You know I walk in the dining hall to meet Michael for lunch and as I walk in I recognize someone sitting in the center of the dining hall. And wouldn't you know that sitting there is Michael making out with his bimbo of a girlfriend Alice."
"Wow," Francie replied, noticing Sydney had started to cry again, "are you sure there wasn't a misunderstanding?"
"I don't know," Sydney told her, "I didn't stick around to find out, I turned and ran in the opposite direction, never looking back."
"Oh," Francie said, just as the phone rang, "Hold on a sec, I'll get it."
She walked out into the hallway and answered the phone just outside the door. With the phone being so close to her door, Sydney could hear Francie's side of the conversation.
"Hello?" she asked. The person must have asked for her.
"Who is this?" she questioned politely. Francie's facial features changed drastically and she knew it could probably only be one person: Michael.
"No I'm sorry," Francie replied, "she has no interest in talking to you right now."
"No I'm not sure when she might have some interest in talking to you," Francie said.
"No I don't think she'd want to see you either," she told him.
"I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I need to get back to my friend who's going through a crisis right now and I don't want to leave her alone for too long because I don't know what she'll do, plus I just got her to stop crying after 2 hours," Francie replied snarkly and hung up on Michael.
She then returned to Sydney's room and said, "Syd I think we need to get out tonight. Let's go to that new club."
"Okay," Sydney replied and headed to the bathroom to get ready to go out with Francie.