A/N: Oh gosh, I hope all of you are patient! I was at my dad's through the week and didn't even write this chapter until today/tonight. Oh, and I do like tomatoes, but none that are flying through the air at my face. And you'll get the point soon. :x

Review responses are now at my Livejournal, the link on my profile (Homepage...yup). From now on I'll just put the responses there so you can just get to the story quicker. And sometimes a spoiler if I'm extra happy. ;)

And thank you for the reviews! I don't know how much I can stress this, but just taking some time out of your day to write one is cool, and makes me happy. And input is always welcome, I love looking at the ideas everyone has and maybe incorporating them into the story.

So, depending on how fast I get the next chapter done, expect an update by Wednesday. If I get some writing done, and reviews (I know, I love to do that now, blame my buddy Aryn..:P)...Mayyybe Monday/Tuesday! Sunday nights are seriously boring at work, so maybe my muse will help then:P

But for now, once again...and like always...Enjoy it!

Sydney watched as she ran house by house down the neighborhood, coming close to finish the mile along the neighborhood then make the trek back. She listened to her MP3 player, blaring out the songs currently of Jet, the one motivating her to run was 'Cold Hard Bitch.' Running by herself and away from the groups let her have her alone time, to think, not to be bothered, and to reflect on what's happened.

It had been a month since school had started, she was alive, considering the mounds of homework that would come her way everyday. She would remind herself to kill the person that said that senior year would be the easiest year of high school. Maybe later it would be, but now it just sucked. She still had to deal with Noah, and he tried to bug her as much as possible, even trying at times to get back with her whenever her friends would be doing something else.

She and Danny, one of the cross country seniors, became good friends once again. Always during runs, usually at meets, besides having Will by her side (which would usually turn out into an all out sprint because of their competitive nature) she would explain to him what would be going on. The two always became good friends during the cross country season.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when someone tapped her shoulder, making her rip off her headphones and whip her head in the direction of the person tapping her. "Danny?"

"Ah, gosh, sorry if I disturbed you," He said as they both stopped, catching their breaths for a second before starting the other way back. He noticed her expression and wanted to run away as fast as possible.

After noticing who it was, she smiled, softening her features and began to run at a leisurely pace. "No problem, you just scared me."

"I'll make sure not to do that again," He said with a grin, then noticed her MP3 Player. "So what are you listening to today?"

"Jet, wanted to run like the wind and nothing makes you run like a cold hard bitch," She smirked, beginning to run faster and watching him keep the pace up.

After a second he finally got the pun, and shook his head. "Syd, now, if you even think that you are like that I'll have to knock you senseless."

"You know if you even try I would probably kill you."

"Good point," He noted, laughing shortly. "But anyway, you know Homecoming is coming up soon, right?"

"Three weeks and five days."

"Gosh, counting down?" Another laugh emitted from him.

"Trust me, when you're bored in Calculus, you do ridiculous things. I don't think I've gotten to the part yet where I bang my head on the desk of complete boredom," She said, waving to the freshmen that passed by. "I think we need to get them into top shape."

"No kidding, hell, when we were freshmen, we kicked ass in running."

"Because it's us!" Sydney smirked, slowing down once again. "So, what did you want to say earlier?"

Danny became silent, fear taking over him at what he was just about to ask Sydney. "Well, just wanted to know if you would...Like to go to Homecoming with me?"

She froze, her legs not being able to move anymore as she stopped right in front of another large house. He noticed, stopping soon afterwards and making his way back to her.

A large audible gulp came from his throat as he struggled with what to say to her sudden stop. "So?"

'Um, uh, yes, but no? Gosh Damnit, you are messed up, Syd...JUST SAY YES! He's so nice, for fricking sakes! Just think of how nice he'll look in one of those suits.' Sydney battled with herself. After looking at Danny for a few seconds, she cleared her throat, and he prepared himself for the worst.

"Yes."

xxxxxxx

Sydney sat on a bench at the pier a week after she accepted Danny's invitation to take her to Homecoming. Since then, she separated herself from society, not hanging out with her friends, and barely even talking to anyone from cross country. She really did not know what to do about going with him to the dance. Ever since Noah broke up with her, she decided she probably wasn't even going to go thinking of her own emotional well being. But then, she had to deal with Michael, not actually deal because he was so nice to her all this time. And now she just blocked him out of her life, only a few words spoken to them during all of their classes together.

Even Nadia tried to get to her, but Sydney refused to speak. Either locking herself up in her room or saying that she would go out for a run, which would turn out in her either going to the pier or the park and just thinking.

She knew why she was now acting this way, she wanted to go to Homecoming, but not with the guy she was going with now.

She stopped staring into the horizon when the weight suddenly shifted on the bench, and after a couple of seconds, she looked to where a person sat down. After gazing into his green eyes for what seemed forever, she looked forward once again, letting out a deep sigh.

"Syd, what's wrong? You've been avoiding everyone like we have a plague or something."

"It's nothing, Vaughn."

He knew it, every time she used his surname; something important was always on her mind. He didn't want to push her, but whatever was on her mind, straying her from everyone else, was driving him insane. "Please tell me."

She looked into his eyes again, showing compassion. She cleared her throat, sitting back on the bench. "I didn't know what to say."

His eyebrows knotted in confusion as he tried to figure out what she was saying. "To say to what or who?"

"Danny, a guy from cross country," She said, looking away again. She didn't want to meet his face at what she was about to say. "He asked me to the Homecoming Dance."

Michael's face fell and he slumped back onto the bench. His plans were officially ruined for waiting so long, and Nadia and Francie accused him of it.

"Okay, Mike, are you going to ask her soon?" Francie questioned as she took a drink of her water, sitting on the couch, along with Nadia and Will.

Michael just shrugged. "I do want to, but I want to take it slow. I don't want to make it seem that I want to date her so fast after she broke up with Noah."

"It's been a month," Nadia added in. "I know my sister pretty well; you should ask her, soon."

"Alright, I'll ask her tomorrow," Michael said, as he caved into their demands. Hopefully two weeks before the dance and she would still be date-free.

Now he knew the answer, tomorrow was officially today. And he was the idiot of the day; he should've known that any guy would've asked her, she was so beautiful.

"Michael?"

He nearly jumped at the simple calling of his name; he was so deep in his thoughts that he had Sydney looking at him, concerned. "Yeah?"

"You okay?" Her deep brown eyes showed caring, something he probably needed at the time.

'Well, not exactly, Sydney. I was just about to ask you to the dance but instead I was a complete idiot and decided to wait too long, and someone has already asked you. How do you think I am?'

"Good."

"Are you sure?" She asked, quietly, and placed a hand on his.

He stared at her hand over his, like it was the only thing that mattered on the Earth. "I don't even know anymore."

Giving his hand a squeeze, she wanted him to continue.

"Syd, gosh, I can't believe I'm about to say this," He sighed, looking up to her face. Then, in the distance, he saw someone jogging towards them. It took him a second to realize, but then he did, and it was Danny. Looking at her hand, he slid his own off from under hers. "Have a good time." He got up from the bench, walking away quickly.

"Vaughn!" Sydney shouted after him, but he continued his fast pace out of her sight. She looked the other direction and saw Danny coming closer to her. Now she had no idea what he was about to say, but the last words that came out of him, even a stranger could tell, was a lie.

"Hey Syd," Danny greeted as he finally approached her. "Want to go for a run?"

Smiling at his offer, she got up off of the bench. "Definitely."

She would need a run, a punching bag, and an Eric Weiss mixer to figure out what the hell was going on.