White Flag
Chapter 6
The next morning Sydney headed sleepily to the mess hall. She saw an equally tired Michael entering a few minutes after she had sat down.
"Hey." Michael greeted her sitting down.
"Hi, how are you?" She asked before taking a bite of her eggs.
"I'm doing pretty good. A little tired I guess" Sydney looked at him.
" I can tell" Michael grins. "And how are you doing this fine morning?" Sydney looks at him, a weird expression crossing her face.
"Fine? What do you mean? It's storming outside" She pointed out the window.
"Yes, but I do believe your radiant smile cancels that out." Michael gave her a huge grin. He can see Eric behind Sydney, making gagging faces. Angela sent Sydney a look that said 'You gotta be crazy not to be head over heels'. Sydney shot back a look 'I know!' She squirmed in her seat wondering how to reply.
"Umm . . . Thanks, I guess." Her eyes shifted nervously, avoiding his.. "Yeah, well . . . I guess I better go get some breakfast." He stood up and walked away.
"I can't believe that!? Why did you get the hot guy?" Angela asks, pouting. Eric looked at her insulted.
'Hey Angela, I'm hot." He gave her a grin. "What do you say?" Eric asked Angela egoistically.
"Uh . . . No thank you" She glanced at him and turned back to her food, then glanced at him again. 'Actually, he isn't that bad looking' She thought, letting her eyes go over him. 'Not bad at all' she thought, smiling a wicked grin.
"Like what you see?" Angela looked up to his eyes. 'Wow! Those eyes are so . . . . ' She contemplated for a minute, trying to find a word to describe them. 'Milky Way brown? Hmm . . . Yes, that's the word.' "Actually, now that I look at you, you don't look half bad." Angela smirked. Eric raised an eyebrow.
"Really now?" Eric asked, unsure of whether it was a joke or not.
"Yup" Sydney decided she had had enough of their flirting, and went off in search of Michael.
"Hey, what's up?" Sydney asked, sliding onto the bench next to him. "Not much, just a little tired from this dream I had last night." He replied.
"Really? And what was this dream about?"
"Oh, just some girl."
"Just some girl, huh? And was there any thing special about this girl?" "Well, she had the most beautiful golden brown hair I've ever seen, with bright chocolate colored eyes, and this cute little nose." He answered, shooting her a look. She blushed and asked
"And do I know this girl?"
"Hmm . . . I'm sure you've met, It would be strange if you hadn't"
"Oh really" Sydney added suggestively, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips. They broke apart when they heard someone gagging behind them. Angela and Eric were bending over, pretending to barf
"Hey cut it out!" Michael looked at them, annoyance showing in his eyes.
"Okay, okay" Eric stopped and went off, Angela following him.
"He is so annoying sometimes." Michael complained to Sydney. Sydney laughed at his irritation as she quickly pecked him on the lips.
"Lets go eat."
"Okay, does everybody have their water bottles?" Michael asked. They had free time until lunch, and had decided to take a hike in the forest down by the lake. They had heard that there was a breathtaking view on a cliff above the lake, and had wanted to see for themselves.
"I do." Eric replied, holding it up.
"So do I." Angela and Sydney said together.
"Okay then, lets go." They started off onto the path walking over rocks and roots that had overgrown onto it. They had been trudging along for about half an hour when they heard water.
"Yahoo!" Eric shouted running up ahead. He took of his shoes and socks and started jumping in the water. As the other three came up to the little creek he was in the process of taking off his shirt.
"Umm, Eric? You're gonna stop there, right?" Michael asked him, his eyebrow raising.
"If you insist." Eric pouted, jokingly.
"If he doesn't, then I do." Sydney stated, grinning.
"I feel so loved." Eric put on a face of mocking pain.
"Get over yourself already." Angela joked, laughing. Eric's face lighted up and he came racing toward her.
"Your going to regret that" He told her as he dragged her threw in the water. She squealed loudly before being covered by water and the sound of a loud resounding splash. They were about to get into a full-blown water fight, but Mike intervened.
"Guys., If we want to get back to lunch in time, we need to get moving." They sighed and Angela got out of the creek, wringing her hair out. They waited for Eric to put his shirt back on, before heading back on the path. They walked in two's, Mike and Syd walking hand in hand, with Eric and Angela walking a few feet in front, joking around.
"So" Eric starts out. "There was this guy, who waked into a bar on the 5th floor of a building. He sat down and ordered a beer. The guy next to him turned around to face him and said 'I bet you $50, that I can jump out that window and come back up here in 5 minutes.'"
"Does he take it?" Angela asked, curious. "I mean that would be an easy 50 bucks wouldn't it?"
"Just let me finish it." Eric replied. "So the guy agrees, because he thinks there is no way he can survive. He watches as the guy goes to the window and jumps out. He leans over and picks up the cash, grinning" Angela watches him, seeing his face light up as he gets closer to the punch. She never noticed how much Eric talked with his hands until now. She let the sound of Eric's voice bring her back to the joke. "So, when the guy comes walking back in a few minutes later the other guy almost has a heart attack.."
"How'd he survive? Huh?"
"Just let me continue, okay?" Eric asked, irritated.
"Kay"
"So the guy is all amazed by him coming back and stuff. He asks 'How did you do that?' The guy motions him towards the window and points out it. 'You see that ledge?' he asks 'Yes' the other guy replied. 'Well if you time your jump just right with a big gust of wind, you can land on it.' 'Really?' the guy asks. 'Yes.' He replies. So the guy wants to try it and jumps out of the window. He falls to the ground and dies. The bartender who had been watching this whole time came over and asked the guy 'How did you do that?' The guy replied 'I'm superman.'" Eric burst out laughing at the end of the joke. For a few seconds he didn't even notice that Angela wasn't joining him. "Isn't that so funny?" He asked. "Why aren't you laughing?"
"Well . . . " Angela looked at him. "It wasn't really that funny."
"What?! It was hilarious! I made it up myself!" Eric said, indignantly. "Hmmm, maybe that's why." She teased him.
"Psh! You wouldn't know a good joke if it came up and poked you on the shoulder."
"Whatever." Angela muttered, before laughing.
"Ha! I made you laugh!" Eric shouted, pride in his voice. They continued bickering and teasing each other as they continued their hike.
Sydney felt Mike's hand tighten around hers as she stumbled over a hidden root.
"Whoops!" She started to fall forward, but was stopped by Michael's arm pulling back upright.
"Thanks."
"No problem." He squeezed her hand as they went around the root and followed the two in front of them. "So . . . Do you collect anything?" Mike asked, glancing at her.
"Yes."
"What?"
"Key chains."
"Really?"
"Yup!" She smiled widely, her pearly teeth showing.
"How many do you have?"
"Umm . . . . " Her eyebrows scrunched up as she thought. "Probably about 120."
"Wow! How long have you been collecting them?"
"Since I was 10."
"What's your favorite one?"
"Well . . . " She hesitated for a second before answering.
"Come on." Michael urged her, smiling.
"Okay. It's one that pops open, and inside it has beavers that move back and forth. They have wood in their mouth and look like they are building a dam." Mike chuckled.
"Hey! I like beavers." Sydney defended herself.
"Really? Why?" He asked, curious as to her reason.
"Well, they are so funny. They just sit there chewing on wood, building homes, and they are so cute! In fact . . . " She stalled for a moment, debating whether to tell him or not.
"Yes . . ?"
"Well. When I was little I used to have an imaginary pet. His name was Chompy."
"And he was a beaver?"
"Yes. And if he didn't like you, he'd bite of all your fingers except your middle one." She laughed. "I remember when I told my dad that. Got a very funny reaction."
"I bet."
"So . . . Do you collect anything?"
"Yup, I collect rocks."
"That's cool. I like rocks."
"Yeah, my favorite rock is the hematite. They're smooth and shiny. There's this one, that's shaped like a bullet. My dad gave to me." He stopped for a moment, his memory going back.
Flashback
Michael sat on the ground, watching his dad dig through the dirt. His strong fingers pulling away the sundry rocks and shells.
"We'll never make it early enough if you don't help me." He shot Mike a pointed look. Michael glanced up to his face, studying it. A look of impatience. William was never satisfied with how quick you did things. He was the clock, and if you weren't fast enough you'd know.
"Sorry." He mumbled shoving his fingers into the dirt. He searched until he found some, long and wriggling. "Got a couple" He threw it into the pail.
"Five more and we can start." William patted him on the back. Michael had always enjoyed these days. Days when his dad didn't have to work and would take him fishing at the nearby Lake Yuma. They usually caught dinner and brought it home for his mom to cook. Though on one occasion they had an unusual amount of bad luck. Instead of going home empty handed, they had bought a fish from another guy there. When they arrived home, they of course told his mother, Amelie, that they had caught it. As his dad always said, what you don't know won't hurt you. It was on one of those days that his dad gave him the rock. He called it the Rock of Courage, telling Michael that he had found it one day when he had lost hope, and that it had given him the courage needed to find it again and finish the task. That task was, his dad said, asking Amelie to marry him. He had always found the story uninteresting, he like ones with action better. But then he was just a boy of seven, with no worries in the world.
End of Flashback
Michael kept that rock in a special place now; a pouch in is bedside drawer. And whenever he needed courage, he'd always take it out and think of his dad. Feeling the firm, cold, smoothness of it in his hand somehow gave it to him.
"Are you okay?" Sydney's question brought him out of his reverie.
"Oh, umm . . . Yeah. Just thought of something for a second." He reassured her. Before Sydney could ask anymore questions they came into a small clearing at the edge of a cliff. It was pleasantly shaded by the tress bordering it. Sydney walked toward the edge, the others following her.
"Wow . . . " She sighed, breath taken by the view. They were above the lake in a crescent shaped bay. Below them lay sand, stretching out to the soft waves, lapping up on its shore. The surface of the lake reflected the scenery, the sky melting into the deep blues and greens, swirling together.
"This is beautiful." Angela whispered, her eyes taking it all in.
"You got that right." Michael muttered. Suddenly, Eric reached over to Angela, spinning her to him. He placed his lips on her, putting his hands around her waist. Angela stiffened for a moment, before relaxing into him. Michael and Sydney look at them for a moment, before getting uncomfortable.
"You know? I'm feeling left out." Sydney whispered, slyly. Mike grinned before diving his lips to hers. He felt her hands wrap around his neck, pulling him closer. He knew that at this moment, there was no other place he'd rather be.
Please review!
I hope it only takes a few weeks for the next one to get out, but you never know . . .
Thanks,
Cheyanne
AN Sorry if there are any " to ? 's. My program went wacko and changed all the quotes to question marks. I think I got them all though. :)