That Sunday, Jackie went over Slyder's house to see if he was doing better. He was asleep since she had left from 7PM Saturday; aware that his sleeping schedule would be off.
Thankfully, he was doing just great sitting at his laptop in a black tank and grey pants. Jackie smirked, thinking how he was so irresistable sometimes.
"Hey." Slyder took the time to notice Jackie, stopped to just get up and peck her cheek.
"Good morning." Jackie hugged him. "Feel better?"
"Much." Slyder agreed. "You?"
Jackie placed a hand on her stomach, "Mostly. Wish I didn't have to be starved to death most of the time. I feel fat."
Slyder grinned, "Jacks, you're not fat at all. You're actually in..." As he glanced at her posture then turning his head back quickly, "Fairly great- uh, shape."
Jackie sat on the bed staring at the ceiling, "I hope Inez is okay. She never texted me back last night. And we hadn't seen Matt since Friday. Who knows what might've happened."
Slyder got up shutting down his computer, "We should go visit them. Take a break from Cyberspace. As much fun it is to leap between dimensions like that; it's clearly messing with our brains. We don't know why these side effects are triggered and hit back harder all the time. We need to find the reason. Maybe,...have Max do a scan?"
Jackie gaped at the grey-eyed teen, clearly glaring at him "Excuse me...?" Slyder felt a chill.
"Jackie...what I meant was-" Slyder tried to explained, but she poked him hard in the chest.
"You just shut up right there! Not another word! And I was being crazy!" Jackie glared at Slyder with narrower eyes. "I think Matt and I are the pretty much sane one here! We're not going to that two-faced sarcastic ass guy for nothing like that! Nuh uh!"
Slyder playfully smiled, "This is so serious Jackie. I mean it. As much as we all despise this guy, he's done some help for us. We could just give him another chance to prove his loyalty for the meanwhile. Besides...he could maybe help me fix Digit."
Jackie was infuriated of how all of a sudden Slyder was considering that android Max on his good side. But hopefully for benefits. At the same time, she couldn't blame him for some of the reasons. They weren't able to do things but he could do with an ease. It was perfect.
Too perfect.
Slyder held Jackie's hands smiling at her, "Please, Jackie?" As he stared at her with stormy grey eyes. She blinked, her own brown eyes nearly absorbed in his. She sighed irritably; then calming down. She could never seriously get mad at him; only if he done anything so rash. But that was seldom.
"Alright, under one condition." Jackie said.
Slyder raised a brow, "Yeah?"
Jackie tried keeping a serious face, but it was too difficult. She smirked back at her boyfriend.
"You have to kiss me Slyder Hayden." As she pressed herself against his chest; they stood nose-to-nose. Slyder chuckled at the easiest task.
"That, I'll do any day." Slyder whispered as they enclosed the space between them locking lips.
/
Max kept the correct time in his database; as it read 28:12. Hours after that earthling Slyder told him to keep watch until tomorrow; that became today and apparently was morning for them.
Max wanted to just teleport quickly to Earth and get to the bottom of things. He didn't like things not on prompt. He didn't like waiting. He didn't like the earthlings' ways of doing things.
For the greater benefit. He clutched his hand trying to keep the motivating quote in his head. Sometimes though, he felt the need to follow that dwindle by the grain of sand. He scowled.
Going in the garage, he stood in the dark room with the critically damaged robot named Digit. Max could be doing a million other things, but a part of him hated following orders from anyone. Dr. Alvin...those earthlings especially.
He roared as he swung his arm flipping a table of tools over. Metal screamed as it clattered on the floor. Max held his ears tightly as the sound waves pained him.
Of all the annoying things; it had to be sharp sounds. What a fucking great creator I had.
Max returned outside in defense mode; staring blankly out at the horizon from danger.
/
Matt could almost recalled yesterday afternoon a dream. But today, he felt like a new and refreshed person. His heart thumped rapidly against his chest and Matt could feel his full strength returning to him. He got up and went to the bathroom, staring at himself. He was merely glowing with happiness. It almost scared him.
Bathing with unusually hot water his thoughts were filled with the happiest moments with Inez yesterday. His first with her was better than all his other first kisses with ex-girlfriends. He breathed when he exited from the bathroom.
There, he saw his phone ringing. Staring at it; he saw somebody calling him. It made him stand in statue.
He saw his dad calling him.
"What the hell?" He stared as he picked up the smartphone. The phone rang many times more, until it finally stopped.
Matt stared at it still like it was just an illusion. His dad never called. He hasn't heard from him in years. Being that his parents were divorced, Matt figured that his father was no longer an important aspect of his life. His main excuse of never coming home was his job. He started to write, but stopped as of his sophomore year. Lately, his mom has come around the corner the same as well. The most she has done is leave an abundant amount of money for him for food, clothes, and other necessities.
Matt has lacked the family. With an exception of the gang, they have been the best company so far in his life. And most of all, he had Inez to thank for it mostly.
Matt changed into a black tee that had a pocket with green checkers and blue jeans with his black Chucks. Slipping on his jacket, he headed downstairs to grab a sandwich two days old in his refrigerator and head over to Inez house. He text her:
I'll be right over.
/
Inez leaned against the fence outside her house as awaited Matt, as he appeared on the hill a few feet away. Matt glanced at Inez, as she wore a purple short-sleeve hoodie with a cyan shirt and khaki shorts. Always the innocent one.
And for a slight second, they stared at each other before hugging...awkwardly.
"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Inez tripled checked. Matt nodded, his sky blue eyes glinting in the sunshine. He knew how concerned she was about his health, but he really did feel great.
"Positive." Matt grinned. He pecked her on the forehead, smoothing her golden brown hair.
"Alright..." Inez looked at him as she glanced down, "Let's head over to Slyder's place."
They walked hand-in-hand, almost too surreal to actually exist. Matt was walking with Inez, holding her hand. Her hand.
Inez side-glanced the red-headed teen, trying to ease her mind off the excitement of holding his hand.
"What did you...guys find while there?" Matt tried to veer their attention away from the heat between him. His face was boiling.
"Digit. We found-I mean..." Inez sighed as the irritable thoughts of Max returned. She groaned, "Matt, I need to get this off my chest; Max is working with us."
Matt stood as if she fell from the sky. "What?"
Inez gave him a pleading look, "Just listen, I know it sounds bad."
Matt rolled his eyes, trying to not be upset with Inez. He didn't think it was her fault specifically, but that she and the gang agreed on it...without him.
"It is bad." Matt emphasized. But he took several breathes; cooling down a bit. "But, you guys must have a reason. Despite my absence lately..."
"It mainly has to do with him giving us leads to beating Hacker. I mean,...I was getting to the point were we-I mean, he, found Digit..." Inez led on. Matt looked at Inez with determination.
"Good, this sounds great." Matt said as the two walked hand in hand.
/
Jackie groaned as she was disrupted from her cuddling moment with Slyder with the ringing of the doorbell. She knew they were here. Slyder sat up as she tip-toed to the door. She leaned on it, peeping through the hole. Her eyes were wider.
"Sly'...I don't believe it."
"What?"
"Matt did it."
"Are you serious?!"
"They're HOLDING hands!" Jackie refrained from squealing.
"That sly dog him." Slyder shook his head.
"Should we let them in? I kinda don't..." Jackie whined as she leaned against her boyfriend. He held her from behind.
"I know, but we got work to do. We'll have more time later." Slyder promised as he kissed her ear. Jackie sighed as she opened the door. She no longer saw the new couple holding hands, as if they were being discreet. She raised a brow.
"Well, nice to see you two together."