"She's not cold hearted, she's just tired of getting fucked over."

Sydney's POV

I knew after my first practice, word would spread of my return after my abrupt departure. Not wanting the same attention that my motorcycle seems to garner, I opt for my car. Still when I pull up to the school on the first day and step out, people still stare. The fucking pricks couldn't stop gawking.

Yes, it's me.

Yes, these tattoos and scars are real.

Yes, they did hurt.

No, I don't want to talk to you.

Why'd I leave? Well, it's none of your damn business. Nosy cunt.

With music blasting through my earbuds and steaming cup of black coffee,I headed to my locker. Honestly, I already had all my credits to graduate, considering the rigor of the classes I completed during my time away. They kinda had us speed run our high school classes. They said it was because "they cared." I probably could get into a good school, but that kind of future just isn't in the cards for me. But I wasn't in a hurry to rush into all the shit that accompanies adulthood, so I pieced together a schedule consisting of classes that would either be the most enjoyable or easiest.

My hardest classes were AP Japanese (since my Japanese was kinda rusty), AP lit (a class I was only enduring because I knew I'd have it with Kal), another programming class, and linear algebra that I had to take at a nearby community college. Though, we've already established that I'm a math freak. If I could, I would have left my classes at that, but my school requires a minimum number of credits per year. So, I threw in some joke classes that I could never show up to and probably still pull off a B and a few random electives that sounded interesting.

01101001

Once people started to get over the shock of my return, former friends and acquaintances began to recruit me into their friend groups. I had a couple theories as to why. The first was my sudden disappearance made them realize how much of an awesome person I was and, they were trying to make up for lost time and build a life-long friendship. My other theory was that the ethnically ambiguous chick who disappeared is back and now she's hot and they either want to mooch off my reputation or hook up with me. Pretty sure it's the first one...if you can't tell I'm being sarcastic in case your dumbass couldn't tell. Oh right the snark...rein it in. Cole also used to say I was a condescending bitch—he's not wrong.

I'm also a narcissistic asshole. So when I say reading these high school pricks is easier than stealing candy from a fucking baby, I mean it. I don't even have to try. Which means I easily evaded the few guys who wanted to ask me to homecoming and groups who invited me over to get ready with them. I really didn't want to go. I'd rather go for a run or to the shooting range. And this isn't my pathetic attempt to be all like 'I'm not like other girls.' That shit pisses me off. As if my piece of shit self is somehow better than other girls based on my preferences. Although I am one of the greatest people I know, but I digress. What I mean is I was given a direct order to attend, and it was stressing me the fuck out.

01110011

I surveyed the crowd of teens dancing and talking in the dim gym. Tony and Maria were dancing together. Maria's blond hair was pulled back in some fancy updo a royal blue dress hugged her body, though I had a good four inches on her. Still, they looked good together as much as it hurt. Not only had I lost my boyfriend all those years ago, I'd lost one of my best friends. Maria got pulled away by a group of girls to go take pictures, leaving Tony by himself.

For a fleeting moment Tony and I made eye contact and for a second it was freshman year and everything was fine. He still cared about me, and we were still together. I thought he'd turn away like he had so many times when we made eye contact in the hallways or at practice, but instead he walked over to me, near the edge of the room.

"Hey, Sydney."

"Hi, Tony."

"You look beautiful," he said sincerely and we both seemed surprised by his words as years worth of feelings came flooding back.

I tried to smile, "Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself." Desperately trying to avoid my emotions from saying something stupid, I steered the coversation in a way I knew would maintain the distance between us, "So, you and Maria? Still together after all these years?"

Haven't cheated on her yet?

He nodded, suddenly looking very uncomfortable and I smirked to myself. Yeah, I'm a little evil.

"Yeah, I always thought she had a thing for you," I pretended to muse before turning back to him with an innocent smile and cocking my head, "Guess I'm not as dumb as I look."

By now, Maria was done with her friends and when she saw us talking, she picked up the pace. Don't worry, hon. Anthony may have a history of disloyalty, but I'm not interested in him right now. Not that I wouldn't mind toying around with you and him, but I've got bigger things to worry about. Maybe next time.

"Hey, Tony," Maria greeted, making a point of calling him by the nickname I had given him and grabbing his hand. She turned to greet me with a smile that, to the trained eye, was as real as Kim K's ass, "Sydney. Everything okay?"

"Yeah everything's great," I dismissed breezily, "Just catching up with Anthony. I'll let you guys go."

They walked off together and I sighed, questioning whether or not I should have said all those things. But I can't take it back, and honestly I don't feel as bad as I should. Am I being petty? Hell yeah! Do I care that much? Not really!

Anyways, Maria is actually very nice, despite what you just witnessed. She was just being territorial. She understandably feels threatened by me because of my history with Anthony. Well, that, and I'm a hot piece of ass who could run circles around her both literally and figuratively.

I turned away and brushed my fingers over the designer dress I had leftover from my time gone and strolled around the edge of the crowd. Never have I felt so out of place among my peers, and I hated it. The shit I've seen...gone through...done. All I wanted was to melt into the crowd and dance with Kalinda and Halle. Maybe grind and dance with some of the cute, single guys here. But the setting reminded me of this one time—this one time...

I could have recognized him in a room of a million other people. My heart rate doubled and everything else seemed to disappear. His back was to me, but I knew it was him. From his posture, to his stance, his dark curly hair, and the way he favored his right side. The rumbling, closing chords of the last song faded into a slow song, and he turned around and approached.

A devilish smile played on his lips and a roguish sparkle danced in his sea green eyes.

"Care to dance?" Cole asked.