People Change

“So, you let your icy veneer slip a little bit and was actually nice to Brian. Big whoop, bitch. Get over it and move on,” Lanie told Sydney sternly as they pulled into Jimmy’s driveway. Soon, his driveway and probably a bit of his front yard would be filled with cars as his friends arrived for the barbeque. Sydney had just voiced her concerns about Brian being at the barbeque; she really didn’t want to deal with him being smug about her actually being nice to him. He didn’t deserve her kindness.

“But Brian will take advantage of that,” Sydney replied as she cut the engine. She grabbed Lanie’s arm as she reached towards the door handle. “More than likely, he’ll bring it up when I’m being a bitch to him and he’ll get smug again. He’s an asshole. He does that.”

“The guy’s trying really hard, hoe,” Lanie answered calmly. “I think he’s earned himself at least one chance. Just be pleasant with him, okay? Don’t be a bitch to him, no matter how much he deserves it.”

“Okay,” Sydney agreed. Lanie nodded firmly as Sydney released her arm and climbed out of the Taurus. Sydney took a deep breath, ran her hands down her face, and then climbed out after Lanie.

“Look at you!” Jimmy cooed the instant Sydney and Lanie emerged into his humongous backyard. Jimmy could always be counted on for having a kick-ass party at his house. Even a simple get-together with friends could become a great time at Jimmy’s house. Leana and Jimmy made an amazing host and hostess team. “You’re so gorgeous and green!”

“Thanks, Jim,” Sydney answered as she hugged Jimmy. Her natural height was five foot ten inches, but her heels gave her a couple more inches so that she was nearly as tall as Jimmy, with the top of her head level with his nose, about. Jimmy then hugged Lanie before motioning for them to snag a patio chair.

“Get ‘em before they run out,” Jimmy said happily before going back to the grill. “Beer’s in the cooler, Elena!”

“It’s Lanie, you ass!” Lanie yelled back, but she walked over and grabbed a beer for herself and Sydney anyway. “Your brother knows me too well.”

“Sadly enough,” Sydney agreed. The two of them tapped their bottles of beer together—a strange ritual they’d started in college—before popping the caps off and taking a sip each.

“Everyone will probably be congregating out here,” Leana’s voice could be heard drifting out the open back door. Both Sydney and Lanie looked around; they’d been the first people to arrive. Leana appeared, followed by Johnny and Lacey.

“Hi, Sydney,” Lacey greeted cordially as Leana stepped back into the house to lead anyone else who arrived to the backyard. They exchanged a hug, as did Lanie and Lacey, while Johnny just reserved his greeting to a simple nod of the head in Sydney’s direction. Johnny grabbed a beer of himself and Lacey before snagging a patio chair as well. Lacey settled herself on Johnny’s lap and studied Sydney for several moments.

“Err...is there a zit on my face?” Sydney asked uncertainly, feeling a little self-conscious as Lacey just continued to stare.

“No,” Lacey answered with a smile. “I’m just trying to picture you ugly. It’s not working.”

“I suppose I should take that as a compliment,” Sydney replied with a smile of her own. Lacey nodded. “Well, thanks.”

“No problem,” Lacey said. “Oh, hey, Gena!”

Lacey quickly struggled to her feet, pushing her hand against Johnny for leverage. He made a face and shifted uncomfortably, and Lacey looked confusedly around at him.

“Don’t damage the goods, babe,” Johnny said, pointing down at his groin. Lacey just laughed before hurrying over to greet Gena, who had just arrived with Zacky.

“Hey,” Zacky greeted Johnny as the two women chattered in the background. They shook hands and Zacky laughed as Johnny shifted uncomfortably again. “Palm to the boys, huh?” Johnny nodded. “Yeah, that’s happened to me too. Women don’t understand.”

“You know, Johnny, Lacey only laughed because she knows better than anyone that there’s really nothing there to hurt,” Jimmy said, walking up with a spatula in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. Johnny scowled up at Jimmy as Zacky laughed.

“Honestly, it’s getting old,” Johnny grumbled, taking a cranky sip of his beer.

“For you, maybe, short shit,” Jimmy laughed, glancing over at the grill. “But for us, it never gets old.”

“Bastard!” Johnny called after Jimmy as he sauntered back over to the bar. “You’re brother’s a jerk, Sydney.”

“You’re just now realizing that?” Sydney asked in amusement as she rose to her feet to greet Val, who had just arrived with Matt. “C’mon, Lanie, I’m sure Mattie B will arrive soon enough.”

“Really!?” Lanie answered excitedly, snapping out of her little world in an instant at the mention of Matt’s name. Her curly bright red hair bounced against her neck as she hurried to follow Sydney. Sydney just laughed as she hugged Val and exchanged pleasant hello’s with Matt.

Once everyone arrived, Leana walked over and asked Sydney if she would be willing to help her set out some of the food in the kitchen. Sydney instantly agreed and followed her back into the house. As her and Leana started to warm things up and take stuff out of the refrigerator, Matt wondered in looking a little anxious.

“Leana, can I talk privately to Sydney real quick?” he asked.

“Yeah, that’s fine, I have to go out and keep an eye on Jimmy anyway,” Leana answered with an exasperated smile. “He likes his hamburgers burnt, but he refuses to acknowledge that not everyone likes their hamburgers burnt too.”

She walked out into the backyard. Sydney pulled the lid off of a plastic container with watermelon in it and popped a piece into her mouth to taste test it. It tasted pretty damn good, and she placed the lid underneath the container before putting it on one of the counters.

“Sydney, Val’s been bugging me about doing this ever since the Halloween party,” Matt began. Sydney grabbed a peanut from a nearby bowl full of an assortment of nuts and threw in her mouth before turning to look at Matt. He stood in the middle of the kitchen, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. What, did he expect Sydney to bite his head off the instant he said something? “And I’ve been thinking about it as well. I just want to apologize to you for the total ass I was in high school. It was a douche move of mine.”

“Congratulations, you’re forgiven,” Sydney answered with a smile. Matt smiled uncertainly back. She grabbed the bowl of peanuts and held them out to Matt. “Want a peanut?”

@@@@@

“Damn, Jason, your brother’s getting action and you aren’t!” Johnny exclaimed as Sydney stepped out of the kitchen with her plate of food. She sat down in a plastic patio chair next to Jimmy and crossed her legs, balancing her plate on her palm and taking a bite of watermelon. Ever since the Berry brothers arrived, Lanie had been all over Matt, talking and flirting to her heart’s content. He seemed pretty content with all the attention, however, and did some flirting himself. Sydney thought they looked cute together, and Val had agreed when she voiced her opinion.

“Mattie’s just a man whore,” Jason answered with a smile. “Besides, me and my right hand have bonded quite intimately over the past years.”

Sydney was unfortunate enough to take a drink right as Jason said that, causing her to choke as she swallowed in shock and the beer went down the wrong pipe. Jimmy hit her once on the back, and Sydney rubbed her throat, glaring across the little circle they’d made out of patio chairs on Jimmy’s wooden deck at Jason.

“We’re eating here, Jason!” she protested. “I really don’t need to hear about your personal dealings.”

Jason just shrugged, and Sydney sighed before taking a bite of her hot dog. She’d managed to avoid talking to Brian ever since he’d arrived about five minutes after Matt and Val did. Zacky had also apologized for being a “total douche” in high school, to which Sydney had gladly forgiven him. She really didn’t like holding grudges, preferring to be friends with a person rather than fighting with them. The only exception was Brian. She’d much rather hold a grudge against him than be his friend.

Speak of the devil. Sydney swallowed back a groan when Brian sat down in the empty patio chair on the other side of Sydney. She looked at Jimmy, about to say an excuse as to why she wanted to move, but he just shot her a stern look, almost like he knew what she was going to say.

“Just be nice to the guy, Syd,” Jimmy muttered just loud enough for Sydney to hear. “He’s trying really hard to make you forgive him.”

“Fine,” Sydney sighed, taking an unhappy bite of her hot dog.

“So, that crazy ex-boyfriend of yours ever find his way back to your flat?” Brian asked a few minutes later. Everyone else was having separate conversations, and Sydney and Brian appeared to be the only ones who weren’t chatting it up.

Sydney took a deep breath and prayed for patience before answering Brian. “Nope, I haven’t seen him. I guess you scared him away.”

“Anything to help,” Brian said with a small smile. Sydney glanced at him, planning to see contempt and smugness in his chocolate eyes, maybe even a little sarcasm, but no, he actually looked very sincere. Obviously, he’d meant what he said. “So, got any more requests for your number this week?”

“A few,” Sydney answered, hating herself when she began to relax while talking to Brian. She didn’t know what it was about him that made her just relax once they started a conversation. Any other time, she’d be tense and a little anxious about speaking to him or seeing him, but once they actually started talking, she couldn’t help but relax. Maybe it was his eyes.

“That must get annoying after awhile,” Brian said.

“Yeah,” Sydney agreed. “But it’s no more annoying than getting mobbed by crazed fan-girls all day.”

“Hey, I’ve only been mobbed twice this past week,” Brian corrected, pointing at Sydney with a smile. “Once in Wal-Mart when I was buying milk, and then another time when the guys and I were at Johnny’s Bar. Fan-girls are crazy.”

“I can tell,” Sydney said, amused. Maybe Brian wasn’t as bad as Sydney assumed.