It was nearly one o'clock in the afternoon when Arlen knocked on Sydney's bedroom door. It was unlike her to sleep so late unless she wasn't feeling well. He knocked softly, but went into her room without waiting for a response. "Syd, honey?" He walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge. He ran his finger along her shoulder. "Sydney?"

"Hm?" she answered, still half asleep.

"It's almost one, honey, are you feeling okay?" She opened her eyes and did everything she could not to smile. Arlen then saw a bottle of whiskey on her dresser. She had taken the temptation out of Nathan's kitchen and didn't think as she brought it up to her room. "Oh, Syd! What kind of sad, lonely night did you have? I thought you said you had a school emergency…thingy."

She sat up, wiping the remaining sleep from her eyes. "I did. That's what I, um, confiscated."

Arlen smiled widely. "Look at you, super teacher. You went to a student's aide outside of school?"

"In a way," she lied. "It started with an issue over a paper that was written and…escalated and…well, I resolved the issue…" Over and over again…My God, it really was the hottest sex I've ever had…

Arlen caught a whiff of soap, one that he didn't recognize. "…and you got in awfully late." He began to piece some things together.

She couldn't help blushing. "Do you still keep that 'chocolate calendar?'" She tried to sound innocent.

Her best friend's eyes went wide. "Please don't tell me you had sex with a student!"

"What? Jesus, Arlen no!" Before she could stop herself she blurted, "It was the student's father!" She bit her lip immediately. She knew why it came out of her; she really did want to tell him…she was just still too scared to be a hundred percent honest. Arlen was speechless, something unheard of. "Everything happened so…it was just…" She felt herself against the wall, remembered the exquisite feeling of nothing between her sex and Nathan's bare length…

"It wasn't just sex," Arlen said, breathless. "It was good sex."

"The best I have ever had in my life," she whispered, unable to stop herself.

"Oh, honey," he cooed. "Please tell me this means you're ready to…"

"It was just sex," she said, lying to herself.

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's a step in the right direction," he laughed. "Wait a minute…you asked about…oh, Syd! Really? You didn't use anything and…"

She looked down at her hands. "I don't have anything to worry about other than…that."

"How can you be sure? Honey, who is he?"

"I…" She looked at Arlen and he thought he understood. She had been so busy taking care of everyone else and so lonely since John broke her heart. If a one-night stand lit up her eyes, he wasn't going to judge her for it.

"I'm pretty sure you're in the clear…just tell me, is he cute?"

Sydney smiled fully. "Gorgeous."