by E. L. Todd
Nancy crossed her arms over her chest. “And I hope I passed.”
“Why don’t you study with me during open lab? I can help both of you,” Sydney offered.
Henry shook his head. “We aren’t on the same—level. When you explain things to me I’m just confused the whole time.”
Sydney narrowed her eyes. “I’m speaking English.”
“But I still don’t get it.”
“It’s pure memorization,” she snapped back. “You just have to do the work. You aren’t putting in the effort.”
Nancy shook her head. “We aren’t as intelligent as you are.”
“I hate it when people say that. People are intelligent in different ways. I have a more mathematical and logical mind. Henry is more of a language person. He can always speak elegantly and form ideas without any issues. He can read Shakespeare and understand it perfectly. Nancy, you see things in art that I never see.”
Henry raised an eyebrow. “So you’re saying that I should be an English major and Nancy should change her major to art?”
“No,” she said in frustration. “You just learn differently than I do. I see something and I just get it. Henry, you need to read and talk to yourself out loud. Nancy, you should draw pictures of what you see.”
Nancy was quiet for a moment. “I guess I could try that.”
Henry nodded. “And I can just read the textbook.”
“Or you can change your major to English,” she teased.
“Maybe I should,” he said.
“I’ll support whatever you want to do. Don’t study zoology if you don’t like it.”
Henry looked at her but said nothing.
Nancy sat down at the table. “What do you guys want to do now?”
I shrugged. “Take a nap.”
“That doesn’t sound bad,” Henry said.
“We do have the bonfire tonight,” Nancy said. “We need to be rested for that.”
“Let’s finish our classes then head back to my place,” Sydney offered.
“I wonder when Jones will have the exams back,” Henry said.
Sydney tossed the banana peel in the trash. “Monday.”
Henry shook his head. “I hope not.”
“Did you see Coen?” Nancy asked. “His entire exam was blank.”
Sydney looked up. “It was? The whole thing?” She had hoped that he at least tried to guess. It was a twenty-five percent chance he got his answers right. It was better than nothing.
Henry noticed the concern in her eyes. “He obviously doesn’t care so why should we?”
Nancy shrugged. “Maybe something happened to him.”
“He could’ve just told Jones and rescheduled the exam if that were the case,” Henry said. He looked at Sydney. “He’s a loser.”
Sydney met his gaze but said nothing.
“Well, I have English,” Nancy said as she walked away. “I’ll see you later.”
“I wish I had English,” Henry said with a grin. “Bye.”
Nancy waved. “Bye.”
Henry looked at Sydney. “Are you ready for physio?”
“Yeah,” she said with a sigh. “I can’t believe we have all the same classes this semester again.”
He shrugged. “What a coincidence.”
They walked into their physio class and took a seat in the back. Sydney was tired from the exam she just took so she wasn’t taking as many notes as usual. Henry wasn’t taking any at all. He normally typed away on his laptop but that wasn’t the case today. After the class was done, they walked back to the parking lot.
“Your place?” Henry asked with a smile.
“Why don’t we ever go to yours?”
“You remember all the stories, right? That place is practically a brothel.”
“Maybe they would behave differently if a friendly girl was there.”
He shook his head rapidly. “They would gang up on you like a pack of wolves.”
“Talk about raging hormones.”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you have girls over all the time?”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I just haven’t found anyone I like.”
“Is that why they’re mean to you?”
He sighed. “They keep saying I’m gay.”
“Are you?”
He looked hurt. The light disappeared from his eyes. “I’m definitely not gay.”
Sydney stared at his chest. He was wide and strong, and his flat stomach was noticeable through his shirt. He had long legs and muscled thighs. Henry was a hot guy, someone that most girls were attracted to. Sydney was surprised that he didn’t sleep around with all the women he could get. “I just never hear you talk about girls you think are hot.”
“Well, that’s disrespectful.”
“How?”
“It’s disrespectful to you.”
“I’m not following.”
“You’re a girl. You really want to hear me say which girls I’d like to fuck?”
“It wouldn’t bother me.”
His eyes lost even more light. He opened his car door and averted his gaze. “I’m not feeling well. I’ll see you at the bonfire later.” He shut the door, started the engine, then took off. Sydney stayed by her Jeep, lost in thought. She didn’t know what she said to offend him, but she obviously said something. Since they spent so much time together, she wondered why they didn’t talk about sex or potential partners. It was something they never discussed. She thought it was weird.
She climbed into her Jeep then left the parking lot. After she drove through the suburbs, she parked in her driveway under the trees and saw that Nancy had already arrived. Her class must have gotten out early.
“Hey. What took so long?”
“Henry and I were talking.”
“Where is he?” Nancy asked.
“He decided to go home.”
“Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know,” Sydney said as she walked to the front door and unlocked it. “I asked him about girls and he got all weird. Sometimes I wonder if he’s gay but he’s too afraid to admit it, like I’ll judge him or something.”
Nancy smiled. “Henry is definitely straight.”
“Then why did he act like that?” She placed her backpack on the floor then walked into the living room with her friend trailing behind her.
“What did you say exactly?”
“I said I didn’t care if he checked out girls and talked about fucking them—something like that. Then he just took off.”
Nancy nodded but said nothing.
“Weird, right?”
“Uh—yeah.” She had a different expression on her face, like she was trying not to fart.
“Are you not telling me something?”
She turned away. “No.”
“Nancy?”
“I don’t know why he acted that way,” she said quickly. “I’m not as close to Henry as you are. Maybe you should just ask him next time you see him.”
“Maybe I will,” she said.
“Okay.” She walked into the kitchen and started making a margarita. “You want one, right?”
“So we are going to get drunk before the bonfire?”
“Well, I am.”
“I guess I’ll be the designated driver tonight.”
“Duh.” She added the ingredients and turned on the blender.
Sydney went into her room and changed into yellow shorts with a white tube top. She wore a dangling golden necklace the held a pendent of a dolphin. Then, she curled her hair and teased it, making it big and wavy. When she walked out to the back porch to join Nancy, her friend eyed her in approval.
“You look hot,” she said.
Sydney laughed. “I just did my hair.”
“You should do it like that every day.”
“No. Too much work.” Sydney grabbed the drink from the table and started to sip it. There wasn’t much wind and the waves were docile. The moon was nowhere in sight as the sun went down
.
“We should leave soon,” Nancy said.
“Yeah.”
“So, speaking of dating people.”
“When were we talking about dating people?”
“When we were talking about Henry.”
“Oh. Are you seeing anyone?”
“No. Is there anyone you like?”
She was quiet for a moment. Coen popped into her mind. “No. Not really.”
“Not really?”
“There’s no one I have any real interest in. I think a few guys are cute but that’s it.”
“So you aren’t over Aaron?”
Sydney drank half the glass then put it down. “I’m definitely over him.”
“I would hope so. It’s been six months.”
“Yeah.”
“So why haven’t you moved on?”
“I have moved on.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why haven’t you started dating?”
“I would if I saw someone I liked.”
“How will you know unless you start going out?”
“Well, going on random dates doesn’t sound productive either.”
“Don’t you need to get laid?”
Sydney glared at her. “Are we really going to do this?”
“I’m just trying to help you get back on the horse.”
“When I see someone I like, I’ll ride him, okay?”
She laughed. “Okay.” She spun her straw around her glass and avoided Sydney’s look. “How about Henry? He’s cute.”
“He’s my friend.”
“So?”
“I don’t see him like that.”
“Well, I think he’s hot.”
“Then why don’t you date him?”
She glared at me. “I know how to get back on the horse. We are trying to help you here.”
“By ruining my friendship with him?”
“Why would it be ruined?”
“Because when friends date and break up, they’re never friends again. It would just be awkward.”
“Is that the only reason you won’t date him?”
“No. I don’t see him like that.”
She drank from her straw. “Oh.”
“And Henry doesn’t see me like that either.”
Nancy laughed into her straw and the margarita came out her nose.
Sydney looked at her. “What’s so funny?”
She wiped her face with her napkin. “Nothing.”
“Nancy?”
“I was just thinking about something that happened earlier today.”
She narrowed her eyes in suspicion but didn’t comment.
“Do you think Coen is cute?”
Sydney smiled. “He’s a good-looking guy.”
“Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?”
Her smile dropped. “Yes.”
“So, he’s out.”
“I wouldn’t date him anyway.”
“Why?”
“I can tell what kind of guy he is. He’s a heartbreaker and a player. Definitely not trustworthy.”
“So the only guy you’re interested in is a total ass?”
She sighed. “What’s wrong with me?”
“First Aaron and now this guy. You sure know how to pick em.”
“I know, right?”
Nancy looked at her watch. “Let’s go.”
Sydney finished the rest of her glass then followed behind her.
3
There were five controlled fires scattered along the beach. The small parking lot was already crammed with cars, so they parked along the sand like everyone else. It was dark outside but the bonfires acted as a bright beacon, more powerful than the lighthouses that called lost ships to shore. The other students were frolicking along the sand, throwing footballs to one another, drinking beer from the ice chest, or making out in the sand. Sydney spotted one couple lying under a blanket on the sand. It was obvious they were having sex by the way they were moving. She missed having sex on a regular basis. It was odd when something you had every day just stopped.
They climbed from the Jeep then walked down the sand. When they passed different groups near the fire, the men stared at Sydney and Nancy, pleased by what they saw.
“They must like your hair too,” Nancy said.
Sydney ignored her comment. She knew she wasn’t ugly but she didn’t think she was pretty either. Her legs were a little larger than the usual skinny girl. She had muscles from her training and her swimming exercises. She was thicker than most girls her size. She had a petite frame and a tiny body, but had more muscle tone than normal. Her stomach was flat and defined. Sometimes Sydney wondered if she looked a little too muscular, but she didn’t care what people thought. She would rather be slightly bulky than thin and frail. When she and Aaron made love, he always said he loved her body. But then again, perhaps he was just lying. She couldn’t trust anything he said.
“There’s Henry,” Nancy said happily.
“I hope he isn’t still acting weird.”
“He probably wouldn’t have come if he was.”
They approached Henry and everyone else.
“I like the hair,” Derek said, cocking his head to the side.
“Thanks,” Sydney said. “It took me a long time. I’m glad someone noticed.”
“It looks amazing,” Henry blurted.
Sydney looked at him and smiled. “Thanks.”
He smiled back. It seemed like they were back to normal.
Derek was the same height as Henry. He had blond hair and blue eyes, typical surfer. “I heard your zoology exam was brutal.”
She shrugged. “It was okay.”
“For you,” Henry added.
“How are your classes going?” she asked Derek.
“They’re going. I want to stay in school as long as possible. I never want to leave this place.”
“Get your PhD in surfing,” she said.
He laughed. “If only I could.”
Laura walked over with two beers in her hand. “Here you are, honey,” she said as she handed one to Sydney.
“Thanks,” she said as she took it.
Henry grabbed the top and twisted the cap off.
“I can do it,” she said.
“I wanted to save you the trouble,” he said.
She turned back to Laura and hugged her. “How are you?”
“Good. I’m just glad it’s Friday. I’m always happy on Friday.” Laura was tall and thin with blonde hair that reached her breasts. She was very beautiful but couldn’t stay in the sun for long without getting burned. She was one of the few people I knew who didn’t like living on the island.
“Me too.”
Derek laughed. “This is my Sunday night.” He covered his face with his hands and looked like someone had just died. “Then this is me on Friday.” He smiled wide and clicked his heels.
“Sundays are the worst,” Henry said as he drank from his beer. He returned his gaze to Sydney and stared at her for a long time. When she looked back, she wondered how many beers he’d had. She could tell he was already buzzed.
“Sydney?”
She turned around, facing the ocean. “Aaron?”
“Hey,” he said with his hands in his pockets. “I thought that was you.”
She nodded. “How are you?”
He glanced down to the sand then returned his eyes to her face, looking crestfallen. He took a deep breath. “Good. I heard you had an exam today. I’m sure you aced it—like usual.”
“Yeah. I’m glad it’s over.”
He stared at her for a long time. His brown hair was ruffled from the wind but it still looked nice. His wide shoulders always reminded her of their midnight fuckings. She loved his body. When she pictured him naked, she forced the thought from her mind. She was just lonely. The thoughts meant nothing.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” he asked.
“Uh—”
“Is he bothering you?” Henry asked as he wrapped his arm around her waist. He
glared at Aaron. “Fuck off, you piece of shit.” Everyone was looking at them now.
Sydney looked at Henry in shock. He really did have too much to drink. “It’s okay, Henry.”
“No, it’s not. He keeps bothering you and I’m tired of it.”
She pulled his hand from her waist then patted his shoulder. “I appreciate you looking out for me but I can take care of myself, okay?”
His eyes still held the rage, but he didn’t say anything more.
Sydney left his side and joined Aaron. After they walked to the water and got their feet wet, he looked at her.
“He’s had too much to drink, huh?”
“I’m sorry. I think he’s drunk.”
“I’ve never seen him act like that.”
“He’s been weird all day. Something is bothering him.”
“I have a feeling it isn’t just me.” He let the waves wash over his feet.
The water felt warm even at that hour. This was the hottest ocean that Sydney had ever experienced. In California, the water was so cold she almost got hypothermia a few times. They told her to stay out of the water but she never listened. That was like asking a child not to stick his hand in the cookie jar. It couldn’t be done. “So, what’s up?”
He walked farther along the beach with his hands in his pockets, Sydney walking right beside him. “It’s been six months, Syd.”
“I know.”
“I haven’t been with anyone else, talked to anyone else, slept with anyone. I don’t want anyone but you. I’m sorry about my stupid mistake. I would take it back if I could but I can’t. Please give me another chance.”
She continued to walk but said nothing. The light from the campfires was disappearing, leaving them in darkness. “We’re over, Aaron. I’m sorry.”
He closed his eyes and said nothing for a long time. “I’ve proven that you can trust me. Let me show you how much I’ve changed.”
“You can’t undo what you did.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “You never would have found out unless I told you the truth. I could have kept it from you and we would still be together right now, but I respected you too much to lie to you. Doesn’t that mean something to you?” He stopped walking and grabbed her, holding her to his chest. “Doesn’t it?”
She looked into his eyes then averted her gaze. “Yes, it does. But you still cheated on me. I can’t stop picturing you with someone else. I can’t be with someone that hurt me so much.”