A/N: Silent readers, I hope you're enjoying the story so far! It's gonna start ramping up in this chapter, so get ready for some DRAMA.

Ch 3: Castles on Quicksand

Well, I could love you, baby, but it's a fact

When I get too close you pull right back

Your hands get cold and your eyes get sad

I guess somebody must have hurt you real bad

Setting: Interior, Sharkey's, that afternoon.

The quiet scene was a far cry from the normal scenery in Sharkey's, the local burger joint the high schoolers and surfers would hang out at. Usually, this place was loud and bustling with customers and music. Patrons would be bouncing back and forth between ordering a chocolate shake, grabbing their boards to rush off to the beach, and dancing to the latest jams the California Dreams were playing that day.

But it wasn't quite rush hour yet. The final bell hadn't rung, the waves weren't ripping, and traffic was minimal. In a corner booth next to a window, semi-hidden from the front entrance, a boy and a girl sat cuddling, enjoying the calm before the storm. Lorena laid, relaxed, in Sly's arms. They both cut their last class to get some time after school alone, and more importantly - together. They rested on the side of the booth facing the entrance so they could be on guard, but for the most part… they were pretty tranquil.

"This is nice," the Italian sighed. "No gang, no school, no teachers or parents." They both found themselves breathing in unison. "You know, you're right about keeping this a secret. The pressure is off this way."

"Did you ever doubt me?" Lorena chided. Sly playfully shrugged and she slapped his hand, which she then took in an embrace. They fell into a calm silence.

"Lorena?" Sly asked in almost a whisper. She just moaned a "hmm." "Why did you hate so much when we first met?" It was an honest question.

"Do you want an honest answer?" she pushed back, and he nodded. "First of all, I didn't hate you… you just refused to be honest with me about who you really were. You only acted like how you thought I wanted for a boyfriend. But I didn't care if you were into fashion design, or dancing, or anything like that."

"I really blew it, didn't I?" he commented.

"Well, maybe." She paused for a moment. "But I look back at that time now as 'the early years'." Lorena laughed her bellowing laugh he loved so much. It was how someone could tell she was really happy.

Another silence.

"And you are sure you're okay with this?" Sly asked, staring down at the female's hand he had been grasping. The grasp was lying casually on the table, his thumb massaging in a circular motion.

"The gang all said they wanted to go to the beach after school," Lorena beamed. "And I doubt the manager cares who we are. So, yeah. I'm totally okay with this…until 3:15pm."

"No," Sly retorted. "This. Us." He was suddenly terrified of the answer.

Lorena repositioned herself to cuddle more into his body. "I'm here, aren't I?" The brunette gulped, feeling perplexed. "I'm sorry about this morning."

Sly just sighed, trying to not sound frustrated. "It's okay. It's worth it for moments like this." He squeezed her tightly.

"I don't deserve you," Lorena suddenly grumbled and shook her head.

"What?" Sly snapped, shocked. "You DO realize who you are dating, right?" he quipped. "Sly, the sleaze? The weasel? The ferret face?"

Okay, first of all," Lorena shot back, sitting up, "the self-degradation stops now. Second, of course I don't deserve you. After everything I just put you through, and you are still so charming."

Well," Sly smirked, "you know how you can make up for it." He pulsed his eyebrows quickly.

"Of course," she smirked right back, and their lips pressed together longingly. They really enjoyed this kissing thing. Taking a breath, Lorena asked quickly, "what time is it?" Sly peeked down at his watch, then right back to Lorena.

"3:16," and went back in for another smooch. Lorena just moaned… then shot open her eyes, grabbed his wrist that was decorated with his watch, and squealed.

"Oh my goodness!" she yelled. A burst of teenagers packed their way through the doors, including the gang itself. "Hurry! Uh, under the table!"

"I thought they were going to the beach!"

"Well, I guess they changed their minds. Now, under the table!" Lorena grabbed his head and started shoving him under.

"But I don't wanna go under there!" Sly cried. "It's disgusting!" His protests didn't matter, and he shrieked as he flew under, arms wailing.

"Lorena," Jake exclaimed, leading the gang in, "ditching last period? Rebel." The group crowded around the booth. There was no escape for Sly as Lorena made every effort to keep her cool.

"Yup! You know me," she yammered, her legs squirming around, as if hiding a fully abled human under the table was possible. "Gotta check off that bucket list before graduation."

"Sly ditched last period, too," Mark pointed out. Jake just smiled.

"Oh, really?" the guitarist smirked. "What a coincidence."

"Yeah, but he always does that," Mark shot back, shrugging. "He figured out how many absences he can have before he could fail the class."

Tony chuckled, grabbing the back of the booth to sit down. "He's a real Ferris Bueller."

"WAIT!" Lorena shouted and threw her hands up, causing everyone to freeze. "We, uh, can't sit here."

"Why not?" Tiffani pondered.

"It's just that uh, we can't all fit in here. And the days are counting down." She was scrambling, that was certain. "I just think sitting all together at a table instead gives us more time together." Lorena's hands and arms flailed dramatically. Warily, the gang accepted this and walked over the typical table they would lounge around as Lorena breathed a sigh of relief.

All Sly had to do was sneak his way to the back door and pretend like he was just coming in. Simple, easy, painless. He started his way on his hands and knees, creeping behind tables and chairs, and taking a moment here and there to make himself not noticeable.

"So, Lorena," Sam chimed and sat down in a chair that Tony pulled out for her next to him. "Have you given my friend Scott any thought?"

"I don't know, Sam," Lorena griped, clenching her teeth, thinking of something to grasp onto. "If he's in the honor society, he probably wouldn't want to go out with someone who ditches school, right?"

"He's in the honor society, but he's not dead," Sam joked, but her face was deadpanned. "And besides, he can party like anyone else."

"Sam's right, Lorena," Tiffani added. "We know what happened with John wasn't the best circumstances, but you can't let something like that stop you from dating altogether."

"I actually think if Lorena doesn't want to meet him, we should just honor her decision and not push her," Jake chimed in, winking at Lorena quite quickly. Especially if she's already dating someone.

"Thank you, Jake," Lorena said, grateful to have one voice of reason.

"And why are you suddenly so interested in Lorena's dating life anyway?" Jake snapped, a snide stare at his girlfriend. One raised eyebrow from Tiffani was all it took. Jake flew his hands up. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Jake Sommers, you do NOT take that tone with me, bubba."

"Anyway," Sam interrupted, "just say the word, and I can give him your phone number."

"Ugh," Lorena groaned, "I'll think about it, okay?" Anything to stop this conversation.

A sudden shriek exploded from the tables near the side exit, a table shook from a head bump, and Sly shot up, eyes dumbfounded. "I am SO sorry," he apologized, and it was sincere. He thought he was grabbing for the leg of a table, but it was the leg of a woman.

"Creep!" and slap connected her hand to his face. Sly could have sworn he saw stars as he went down for the count. Jake walked over to help up his friend, Sly thanking him on the way back up.

"Sly, are you okay?" Tiffani asked, seemingly worried at first.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he conceded, brushing off the dirt from his clothes and straightening himself up. Grabbing the back of his head, he massaged a small bump that was forming.

"Then, what is wrong with you?" Tiffani slapped him on the shoulder, clearly frustrated.

"It was an accident!" Sly motioned to the scene of the crime.

"Oh, sure cuz," Mark chimed in, "it's always an accident."

"But–"

"When are you ever going to treat women with respect?" Sam asked, just as upset.

"I wasn't–"

"Forget it," Lorena chimed in. "Asking Sly to not be a creep is like asking him to not breathe." She winked at the man currently on trial. He would understand, she was just continuing the ruse. But Sly didn't appreciate that at all. It hurt to hear an insult from her.

"Yeah, Sly, at some point you're gonna have to put all of this childish behavior away if you ever want to be in a meaningful relationship," Tony added in. "Look at me and Sam!" Sam just glared at him. "Well, I'm trying," he brightly smiled.

"But I am! I–," he stopped cold.

"You're what, Sly?" Tiffani jeered back, her hands placed firmly on her hips. She meant business.

Sly stood there, wordless, his eye-line shooting between those who stood on his left and on his right. He could say it now and save face. But he might lose the trust of the one he loved most. Sly caught her in the corner of his eye. Lorena held her hands in a pleading fashion, quietly mouthing the word "please" enough for him to notice. In frustration, Sly's arms shot up as he allowed his hands to drop to head.

"I, Sly Winkle," he started, his words straining through his attempt to calm his temper, "am a creep who can't grow up. I treat women like objects, and I scheme and smarm my way into dates." He shot his eyes at Tiffani. "Happy?"

"Geez, you didn't have to be that dramatic," she shot back. They all started back to the table as Lorena stood there, mouthing "thank you" to Sly.

But Sly wasn't having it. He was seething, and he needed to leave now. Clenching his fists, he stormed to the back exit and slammed the door open, gaining suspicious looks from the gang.

No one made him look like a fool. Not even Lorena Marina Costa.

You can't build castles on quicksand

You can't build bridges on thin air

You can't paper over the cracks of a broken heart

And pretend it's not there

A/N: Oof, there is that Sly Winkle temper we all love to watch but don't want to be on the receiving end of.