A/N: Hey. Sorry for the long update. I'm back in school, so it might be awhile till I'm actually free to work on the story. But anyway, here's the newest chapter.

Chapter 4

"Meaning Behind the Kiss"

A few days have gone by as Bridge and Z remained quiet about the kiss. They agreed to never speak of it again nor even think about it. However, there wasn't a time when they wouldn't stop and look back on it for the kiss turned out to be a big deal, especially to Z. She'd think about it constantly during the day and even before going to bed as she listens to the music on her headphones for comfort and ease, but that doesn't seem to work for her either as she kept her mind on the subject. While working on her daily assignments within SPD Headquarters, Z would drift off in the middle of her work, just thinking about the incident without getting anything done. She'd also volunteer to help out Kat and Boom in the lab to avoid the distraction that's been bugging her all week. Z's teammates also seem to realize how distant and quiet she has become--always busy and finding something to do.

It's currently twelve in the afternoon when Z entered the cafeteria to grab something to eat when suddenly Sky called out her name. She looked over her shoulder and found him waving across the room with Bridge sitting right next to him. "Come join us, Z." She weakly smiles in response while looking away and joining Syd and Jack at a nearby table. Sky furrowed his eyebrows and frowned. "What was that all about?" He questions out of frustration, followed by a deep sigh. "Lately, she's been acting weird around me. It's like Z doesn't want anything to do with me." Bridge stared at Z from the corner of his eye and looked down on his food which was barely eaten. "Has she spoken to you?" Sky asks his best friend. "Do you know anything?" Bridge didn't reply at first as he began playing with his food. "Look, if you know anything you have to tell me."

He dropped his fork and sighs. "I don't know what's going through her head right now, Sky. She's been avoiding me too."

"Why is that?"

Bridge's elbow rested on the table as he buried his face in hand. "You don't wanna know."

"Come on." Sky chuckled while playfully hitting his shoulder. "Tell me. What did you do this time?"

"It's beyond my stupidity, trust me."

In the other side of the room, Z joined Jack and Syd moments later with her back facing Sky and Bridge's direction. She slowly looks over her shoulder to glance at them and turns back around with a confused expression. Jack and Syd exchange worried looks. "You okay?"

Z looks up and nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm perfectly fine." She smiles for their sake.

"Then why aren't you sitting over there with Sky?" Syd questions.

"Because...he's with Bridge. They're probably having a moment to themselves."

Jack raises an eyebrow. "Why are you acting like they're some gay couple?" Syd immediately moved to the edge of the table and spits out her drink, coughing uncontrollably. Z covered her mouth, roaring in laughter.

"Oh my gosh. Are you okay, Syd?"

She sits right back up and wiped her mouth. "Uh huh." The blonde turns over to Jack and punched him on the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for!"

"Don't ever say that again!"

Jack chuckled in response as he places an arm around her shoulder. "It was a joke."

Z pursed her lips while watching the two get really at it. "I'm gonna go."

"What?" Syd averted from Jack's gaze and looks at Z. "But you just got here."

"I know, but I have a lot of work to get done. I'll see you guys later." As Z rises up and leaves the table, Bridge looked her way and decided to follow.

"I'll be right back." He tells Sky and leaves the room.

Once Z exited the cafeteria, she heard footstep following her from behind as she turned around where Bridge stood. She glared at him for a moment and grunted. "Look, I don't want to--"

"We have to talk about it, Z." He retorts as if he knew what she was thinking. "Avoiding the subject isn't doing us any good."

"What is there to talk about, Bridge? A kiss is a kiss."

"Is it really?"

Z wrinkles her forehead in utter confusion. "What?"

"I don't know." He groans. "If it wasn't supposed to be a big deal, then why are you acting so strongly about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're avoiding the entire squad. Why?"

She scoffed. "I got my badge taken away, Bridge. I'm not just gonna sit here and do nothing while you guys are out there saving the world."

"It's not about that, Z! I know you keep thinking about it."

"What!"

"The kiss. It means something to you."

Her lips parted. "And how would you know?"

Bridge waves a hand in front of her. "I'm psychic remember?" He responded with a slight chuckle.

Z rolls her eyes. "Yeah, so what? I was sickened by the whole thing."

"Oh really?" He smirks while taking a few steps in front of her. "You know what else I see when I read your mind?"

"I don't wanna know."

Bridge shuts his eyes and thinks carefully. "Whether you want to admit it or not, that kiss meant something to you. And you wanna know why?" He pauses in mid-sentence and searches her worried eyes carefully. "Because you also have feelings for me."

Z didn't reply as she beams coldly at him. There was tension building up between the two as she quickly finds a way to get out of it. "That's what you want to believe."

"No." He snaps as she stood back in surprise. "It's exactly what you're thinking." Bridge looked at Z with pure seriousness in his eyes as he nodded in dismay and walked away.

Z looks his way and watches him leave when suddenly she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. As a gasp escape from her lips, she spun around and opens her eyes wide at the sight of Sky.

"Whoa." He raises his hands up defensively and chuckles. "You alright?"

She shook her head and calmed down. "Yeah, I'm fine. How long were you standing there?"

"Just a few seconds ago. Why?"

Z shuts her eyes and sighed in relief. "Okay, good."

Sky pursed his lips. His expression was almost blank and uncomprehending. "Is there something wrong, Z?" He finally ask as though it was the one question he's been dying to ask her all week. "I mean things have changed between us. It just feels like we're distant from one another and I miss being around you."

Z weakly smiles. "I know, but I have a lot on my mind lately."

"You want to talk about it?"

"No." She answers softly. "I really don't want to talk about it." She averted from his gaze and deeply sighs as Syd came walking pass them from the cafeteria. "At least not now."

He nodded his head understandingly. "That's fine." Syd turned around for another look before disappearing to another room. "Whatever." Distraught by her strange behavior, Sky vaguely shrugged his shoulders and left Z alone standing in the middle of the hallway. He turned at a corner where he found Bridge and Syd talking in front of the girl's room. Sky stopped and hid behind the wall to listen.

"You know what this means right?" The blonde shot back with her arms crossed. "You're gonna have to tell Sky the truth."

"I tried to, Syd." Bridge exclaims in frustration. "But it's so hard to look at my best friend in the eye and tell him I kissed the one woman he wants to be with more than anything."

She scoffs exaggeratedly. "Maybe you should have thought about that before making a move on her!"

"I know. But I couldn't help it."

Sky's back was leaning against the wall with his head titled up as he listens closely at their conversation. His body felt numb and his eyes began to fill up in hurt and betrayal. 'How could they do this to me?' He thought angrily as every word that came out from their mouths began to jumble in his head. Suddenly, it reached his boiling point for Sky couldn't take it anymore as he abruptly punches the wall, leaving a hole behind. Bridge and Syd heard the impact as they walked over and found Sky standing behind the wall. Syd's mouth fell open in surprise as she turned away and bit her lip. Sky's gaze fell upon Bridge who couldn't bear to look at him as he presses his lips together and drew in nervous gulps. "Sky, I wanted to--"

"How could you do this to me!" He interrupted without letting him finish. "I thought you're my best friend!"

"I am."

Sky nodded his head disapprovingly. "You're a liar and I hate you for doing this to me."

"If you just let him explain--"

"Stay out of it, Syd!" He snapped angrily while shifting his gaze over to her. "You were in this too."

"But, Sky--"

"What? Are there more secrets you're keeping from me just to save his butt?"

Before she could even answer, Z came walking in the scene on her way to the room as she stopped before them in confusion. "Hey." She furrowed her eyebrows.
What's going on…?"

"Like you don't know." Sky gave her a scornful glare.

Z looked more puzzled than ever. "What are you talking about?"

"Is it true that you and Bridge kissed at the park?"

Z exchange looks with Bridge and Syd as she turned away and shuts her eyes in disgrace. "Sky, it didn't mean anything."

"So it's true!" He stared at her despicably. "And you weren't planning to tell me."

"I wanted to!" She cried out. "But I was too afraid to lose you!"

"Lose me!" Sky shouted out. "What happened to honesty!" Z brushes her hair back as tears came streaming down her cheeks. She tries to be strong to fight it, but with Sky lashing out on her, she could no longer hold it in. "This is exactly what I was afraid of and I fell for your every word!"

"It wasn't supposed to happen, and believe me; I meant every word of it!" She searches deep in his narrow blue eyes. "I'm sorry!"

Sky chuckled in disbelief. "Wow…I feel so hurt right now as if my heart was torn into a million pieces, and here you are, asking for forgiveness." He nodded his head in dismay. "Z, I don't think I can. And as for you," he points at Bridge with a cold stare, "our friendship is officially over. You two can finally have a happy life together. I mean, that's what you two want right?"

"No!" Z grabbed his hands. "I want to be with you more than anything! You can't end this because of one stupid kiss!"

He pulled away from her grasp with his sadden eyes fixated on her. "From what I see, there's something more behind that kiss and you know it." Z could no longer look at him as she lowered her head down and continued to flood herself in tears. "I gotta go. This is too much for me. I just can't stand being in the same room with you or Bridge.

"Sky, don't."

"I'm sorry, Z" His voice cracked as though fighting back the tears. "But right now, I don't want anything to do with you or Bridge. I can't even look at you." She looks down and weeps in sorrow.

"Who knows? Maybe it's meant to be this way after all."

A/N: Review. I'll update ASAP.