Going Under
Chapter One: Beach
"Hey Z, does this make me look fat?" Syd questioned, examining her reflection. She was wearing a pink two piece with white polka dots, and of course she looked gorgeous.
"No it doesn't," Z answered impatiently. "Can we go now?"
The four rangers were meeting Jack and Ally at the beach. They were planning on just hanging out and lighting a bonfire after dark, maybe playing Truth or Dare. Z had been ready to leave for twenty minutes.
"Just let me put on my lip gloss," Syd responded. She puckered her mouth into a full pout and brushed a coat on. "Perfect."
"Thank God," Z muttered. She wore a simple one piece identical to a female lifeguard's, except in yellow. A black sarong was tied around her waist.
Syd emerged in her bikini top, a pair of white denim short shorts and pink flip flops. "Am I cute or what?" she wanted to know.
"If that's code for 'Will Sky notice me in this?' then yes," Z replied. Syd smiled.
Sky and Syd Sky and Syd Sky and Syd
Syd sat on her beach towel, drinking a soda and watching the sunset. Z and Bridge had gone on a "walk" which meant they were looking for a place to make out; Jack and Ally were fishing, and Sky was sitting next to her, silent as usual, wrapped in his own thoughts.
"It's nice," he said finally. "People try to describe sunsets with words, but it's never good enough, you know?"
"I tried to paint a sunset once, remember? I think I was around ten, so you were eleven."
"It wasn't bad," Sky protested.
"You're just saying that," Syd scoffed.
"No I'm not," he argued. "I don't 'just say' things with you, Sydney."
Syd rose from the towel, pulled off her shorts, and ran into the waves. "Come on Sky!" she shouted. "The water is great!"
"I think I'll pass!" he yelled back over the crashing waves.
Syd marched over to where he sat and tugged on his hand, dragging him up from the sand. "My best friend is in there somewhere," she whispered. "Let him out."
Her cornflower blue eyes were both sparkling and pleading at the same time. Sky allowed her to lead him to the water's edge.
He indulged her for a bit, splashing her with the salty seawater. She stared at him in shock for a moment, mouth hanging open in disbelief, pondering what to do.
The next thing he knew, Sydney Drew, his lifelong best friend and crush for the same amount of time, was on top of him, in her bikini, no less. He grew more embarrassed when he remembered all he was wearing was a pair of swim trunks.
"Syd," he managed to gasp.
'Oh my God, he must think I'm a cow,' Syd thought. She clambered off him as fast as she could, humiliated.
Sky and Syd Sky and Syd Sky and Syd
Everyone but Syd was gathered around the bonfire. She was still at the water's edge, allowing the tide to lap around her bare feet. Back at the fire, Z was becoming annoyed with boyfriend of two months Bridge, who had brought along a whole loaf of bread and was using said fire to toast it. Ally and Jack were talking quietly and Sky was thinking about Syd. She hadn't spoken to him since the awkward situation a few hours before when she'd tackled him. He was concerned about her, sitting by herself in an extra sweater Ally had brought along. She looked so alone.
"Go see if she's OK," Jack said, voicing Sky's musings. "It's cold out there."
"Why's she there, anyway?" Z asked. "Wasn't it her idea to come to the beach?"
"I don't know why she's alone," Sky answered, running a hand through his hair.
"Maybe it's just a misunderstanding," Ally suggested as Sky stood.
"Bring Syd some toast," Bridge called after him. Sky rolled his eyes.
"I'm fine," Syd said quietly. She hadn't seen him, but she had always felt his presence, ever since they were little kids. It was comforting, most of the time, but right now she was too mortified to even think about him, let alone speak.
"Want some company?" Sky asked, trying to be friendly. He wanted to coax Syd's problem from her. Maybe he should just explain everything. But was he really willing to do that? Is the moon made of cheese?
Syd hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. "No."
Sky groaned inwardly. Why did she have to be so damn stubborn? "OK. I think we're packing up soon. See you."
Syd nodded. "Yeah." She sounded like she was trying to hold back tears.
Sky returned to the campfire, looking furious both with himself and with Syd.
"No luck?" Ally asked sympathetically. Sky glared daggers at her.
"Obviously," Jack snickered, "You're not…ow!" he yelped, rubbing the side of his head where Z had hit him.
"Maybe we should head back," Bridge said, bits of toast spewing from his mouth.
"Chew with your mouth closed," Z demanded. "And he's right, we should get going. It's after eleven."
The guys set about putting out the fire and Syd wandered back to the car, looking crushed. Ally put a comforting arm around her.
"Cheer up, Sky," Z said, clapping him on the shoulder. "She'll forgive you…eventually."
'I didn't even do anything,' he thought bitterly. 'I hope she'll let me talk to her tomorrow.'
My first non one-shot for PR. I hope you enjoyed, and an update is already on its way.
And in case the whole Sky/Syd problem didn't make sense, Syd thought he thought she was fat. Sky doesn't know that, and thinks she thinks he doesn't like her romantically. It'll all become clear, I promise. : )