Disclaimer: Disney owns PR. I don't.
Feelings Revealed
Chapter V: Red-Handed
Though there were no designated meal times, it was around dinner time when Syd and Z pulled into the parking facility of the Academy. Syd had her arms full of shopping bags containing the new clothes that Syd said she was going to purchase. Syd looked peppy and cheerful because she had just bought some new clothes, while Z looked like she was out on her feet due to exhaustion.
"Oh please, I'm not buying the whole shopping act you two are pulling!" Bridge remarked while leaning his weight against a pillar in the parking facility.
The sound of Bridge's voice startled Syd and Z. Not that Bridge's voice has a tendency to startle people, but Syd and Z thought that there was nobody else besides them in the parking facility. Syd knew that Bridge caught her red-handed spying on him and Sky at the mall earlier, but she wasn't about to let him know that she knows that he knows that she was spying.
"Oh really? Well answer me this Bridge. What exactly is in these shopping bags if not clothes?" Syd asked pressing her shopping bags to Bridge's chest for him to inspect them.
Bridge played along and inspected each and every one of Syd's shopping bags. He then folded his arms over his chest.
"I saw you spying on Sky and me at the mall, so don't say you weren't because I won't believe you. Not that I don't believe anything you say because I do, but if you were to say that you weren't spying on Sky and me at the mall earlier today, then I wouldn't believe that because I saw you spying on Sky and me at the mall. As far as the whole shopping thing is concerned, you probably just did that so you wouldn't arrive back at the Academy when Sky and I did in the hopes of concealing the fact that you were spying on Sky and me in the first place," Bridge replied.
Syd knew for sure that she was caught now. She just looked down at the ground because she didn't dare look Bridge face to face right now. Not that she was afraid of what Bridge would do because after all this was Bridge.
"Ok Bridge, your mind may work like this at this time of the evening, but given that I've spent hours at the mall with Syd being bored out of my mind, mine doesn't, so I'll let the two of you have your little spat and I'm going to hit the sack!" Z said before leaving Syd and Bridge alone in the parking facility.
Syd couldn't believe that her partner in crime had just ditched her to get some sleep. She let out a nervous laugh while thinking of what to do or say next.
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Sky had finally come out of the bathroom in the room that he and Bridge shared. He couldn't take it anymore. He was getting hungry and there wasn't exactly a food replicator in the bathrooms. On his way to the cafeteria, he received some weird looks from some of the cadets and he heard others giggle. Sky dismissed the looks and the giggles because he was too hungry to care about that right now. Apparently though, word had gotten around the Academy about what had happened at the mall earlier in the day. Sky had a pretty good idea who had started the gossip, and when he found him, Sky was going to have a few words with his roommate.
"Well, well look who finally came out of the bathroom! You know I think you were in the bathroom longer than Syd has ever been at one time!" Jack remarked.
Sky glared at Jack and then proceeded to enter the commands for the food he wanted from the food replicator. He knew he might end up regretting it, but Sky sat in a seat next to Jack.
"What are you still doing here Jack? It looks like you are done eating, so don't you have somewhere else to be?" Sky asked.
Jack made like he was going to get up and leave the cafeteria, but then decided against it. Instead, Jack walked over to the food replicator and got a second helping of dinner before sitting back next to Sky again.
"Are you sure you don't want any soda Sky?" Jack asked before doubling over in laughter.
Sky rolled his eyes at Jack's little jabbing comment. It was obvious that everyone at the Academy wasn't about to let Sky forget about the mishap at the mall anytime soon.
"If you're not careful Jack, I'm not going to be the only one people at the Academy will be talking about!" Sky warned.
Jack didn't know whether or not to believe Sky. Maybe it was just an empty threat. Maybe Sky was just bluffing. Just to be on the safe side, Jack gulped down the rest of his soda before speaking to Sky again.
"On a more serious note Sky, I was going to ask you for a favor," Jack said.
Sky was shocked. Jack was asking him for a favor? Isn't that some sort of a violation of the whole rivalry thing that the two of them have going? Out of everyone at the Academy, why was Jack asking him for a favor?
"Nice Jack. First you poke fun at me and then you ask me for a favor. Might I suggest asking me for a favor first and then poking fun at me? On second thought, how about you don't poke fun at me period? My day's been plenty embarrassing without people poking fun at me here too!" Sky commented.
Jack stopped laughing and took a deep breath. Well, here goes nothing.
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"Just admit it Syd! You and Z were spying on Sky and me!" Bridge exclaimed.
Syd was enjoying seeing Bridge angry. It was a rare treat to see Bridge display any emotion other than happiness. Syd wasn't even sure if Bridge getting angry was even possible, but apparently it was. Syd couldn't help but notice how cute Bridge looked when he was angry. Although Syd tried not to, she ended laughing at the sight of Bridge angry. The way he tried to look so intimidating and imposing while not being able to pull it off was so hilarious.
"What is so funny Syd? Your spying on me? Because I don't find that funny at all!" Bridge commented while glaring at Syd.
Syd burst out laughing and was stamping her foot and slapping her knee. Bridge just looked at Syd in disbelief.
"You do know Bridge that the whole intimidating Sky like glare that you do doesn't work when you are doing it don't you?" Syd asked in between fits of laughter.
Bridge started to get uncomfortable. It wasn't just because Syd was laughing at him, but it was also due to the fact thathe and Syd have been alone for a good amount of time now and Bridge was starting to feel nervous around her. He could feel the butterflies in his stomach.
"Seriously Bridge, if you don't like me laughing at you, then what are you going to do about it?" Syd asked.
Bridge casually walked over right next to Syd and started tickling her. Syd tried to get away but Bridge wouldn't let her get away and continued to tickle her.
"Say it or I won't stop tickling you!" Bridge exclaimed.
Syd was laughing and squirming and fell to the ground in an attempt to free herself from Bridge's tickling, but Bridge dropped to the ground and wouldn't let up.
"Bridge stop! You're going to make me wet my pants!" Syd begged while still squirming and giggling.
Bridge didn't relent. He was going to make Syd admit she was spying on him and Sky whether she had a little accident or not.
"Say it!" Bridge repeated.
Syd wasn't sure if Bridge was being serious or if he was just being playful. If Syd didn't know any better, she'd guess that Bridge was flirting with her.
"Ok, ok! I was spying on you and Sky!" Syd admitted desperate to get Bridge to stop tickling her. As soon as Syd said that, Bridge held true to his word and stopped tickling Syd. They both rose to their feet and there was an awkward silence between the two of them.
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Back in the cafeteria, Jack was just getting around to asking Sky for a favor.
"Hey Sky, I was wondering if you could loan me $100 because I'm a little short on cash," Jack said.
Sky was a little surprised by the favor Jack asked of him. It's not like he made anymore money than Jack did. If Jack really wanted money, then he should ask Syd because Syd's dad would probably be happy to oblige giving his daughter some dough.
"That's about all I have left after taking Bridge to the mall today and having to help him pay for a Valentine's Day gift for Syd," Sky answered.
Jack was stunned. Did Sky just say that Bridge got Syd a Valentine's Day gift? That could only mean one thing. Bridge was going to ask Syd to be his valentine. Why didn't he know about this?
"Whoa, whoa. Back up. Did you just say that Bridge got Syd a Valentine's Day gift?" Jack asked.
Sky thought Jack already knew about that. He figured Bridge told him, but based on how surprised Jack was, he reckoned not. Sky hoped that Jack wouldn't tell Z that Bridge got Syd a Valentine's Day because since Z and Syd are roommates, Z might let it slip to Syd. That was a little much to hope for though because Sky knew how close Jack and Z were to each other. If he didn't know any better, Sky would guess that Jack was going to ask Z to be his valentine.
"Yeah, but just don't tell Z because I'm afraid she'll tell Syd since they're roommates and all," Sky replied.
Jack thought of something. He'd agree to that, but on one condition.
"Ok, fine. In return, you can't tell anyone that I plan to take Z to that new restaurant downtown for Valentine's Day, which is why I need $100," Jack replied.
It was just as Sky had suspected. Jack was going to ask Z to be his valentine. Sky wondered why it is that Jack and Bridge had valentines while he didn't. As far as he was concerned, tomorrow wasn't Valentine's Day to him, but rather Singles Awareness Day.
"Fine, but you owe me," Sky said handing Jack $100.
TBC
A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long to get an update up. Fall quarter started at my college this past Thursday, but before that I had 9 days of break from college which I spent at home with my parents. If you recall I did manage to get one update up while at home with my parents, but there are only two computers at home and four people (including me), so I couldn't get on the computer all that much during my break. I know one thing people liked about me (notice the past tense) is how I was fairly consistent with my updates, but I'm afraid with school started and all, that I'll probably only be able to update on weekends this quarter. Since I don't have classes on Friday this quarter, weekends for me are Friday-Sunday. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story and I am really grateful for everyone who has listed this story as one of their favorite stories and those who listed me as one of their favorite authors. That means a lot to me, and if nothing else, chips away at my lack of self-confidence. Don't forget to R&R and no flames please.