People Change

“Okay, Jimmy, spill: What the fuck happened to your sister?” Matt demanded the instant Jimmy stepped into the lounge Monday morning after the Halloween party. Brian instantly perked up at Matt’s question. He’d been wondering the same exact thing all weekend. Ten years ago, Sydney had been ugly, a little chubby, fashion senseless, awkward, and a total nerd. But now...she was actually extremely attractive, and she’d lost the extra weight. She walked with new gracefulness and confidence, and she even seemed to have come to her senses when it came to fashion.

“You guys have been asking yourselves that question all weekend, haven’t you?” Jimmy asked smugly as he sank back onto one of the couches. All the guys moved themselves so they sat closer to Jimmy to hear the story. “Alright, so where should I begin?

“Well, we graduated and went off to chase our rockstar dreams, which meant we spent less time here in Huntington Beach and more time all around the country,” Jimmy continued after a short pause. “Two years after we graduated, Sydney graduated. Remember when I left briefly to see her graduation? Well, I think when she graduated, everything clicked for her, and she decided that she didn’t want to be awkward and nerdy and completely single for the rest of her life.

“The next thing I knew, when I came home and visited Sydney, she was a completely different person—on the outside at least. She said that she’d gone on a diet to lose the extra weight. She took ballet classes to learn how to be graceful. She was a brilliant ballet dancer. I think she always had the grace; she just never knew how to use it. She started fixing up her hair and putting on makeup and she even bought a whole new wardrobe of trendy clothes. And she told me that she was going to a culinary institute because she wanted to open a bakery. That’s where she met Lanie: the chick dressed up like Dorothy that came to the party.”

“The one that M Berry boy took a liking to?” Johnny interrupted. Jimmy nodded.

“That’s the one. Well, once Sydney and she graduated, they opened up Sweetness Bakery down the street. It’s fairly successful. That’s the story, folks,” Jimmy concluded. “She’s spent the last ten years trying her hardest to avoid the three of you.” Jimmy sent a stern look at Brian, Matt, and Zacky, all of whom looked a little guilty.

“She changed herself that drastically...all because of us?” Zacky asked, his eyebrows stitching together over his pale green eyes.

“Well, it wasn’t all you, I suppose,” Jimmy mused. “But about ninety-five percent of it was because of you guys, yeah. I think she wanted to make the change as well. It’s one of her better decisions, I think.”

“Damn, we were assholes, weren’t we?” Matt asked with a frown.

“Yeah, pretty much,” Jimmy agreed with a nod. “But, if you apologize sincerely, she’ll probably easily forgive you and put it behind her. She’s an extremely forgiving person.”

Everyone looked around at the sound of disbelief that issued from between Brian’s lips.

“Well, Brian, you were a total douche bag to her in high school,” Jimmy continued logically. “Of course she won’t forgive you so easily. But the rest of the guys weren’t very mean to her. They were just as mean as the other kids in her grade. Well, I’m having that barbeque the Sunday after next. She’ll be there, and you three can apologize to her.”

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That afternoon when Brian left the recording studio, instead of heading home, he drove down the street and parked his SUV in front of Sweetness Bakery. After hearing Jimmy’s story that morning, Brian had realized how much his cruel comments in high school affected Sydney. He didn’t even know the girl, but chose to make fun of her anyway, just because she wasn’t pretty or fashionable or graceful. Quite frankly, she didn’t deserve any of the shit Brian threw at her.

Brian climbed out of his car and walked into the bakery. As he hoped, Sydney stood behind the counter. Today, she wore half of her hair up in a ponytail. She glanced over as the bell above the door chimed and her face instantly fell into a scowl at the sight of Brian.

“Listen, Sydney, I didn’t come to be an ass to you or anything,” Brian said quickly before Sydney could demand that he leave. “I just came to apologize and maybe make a truce. I was an asshole to you in high school, and I realize that now. I’m sorry for all the humiliation I undoubtedly caused you. It was uncalled for and extremely foolish on my part.”

Sydney stared coldly at Brian as he stepped up to the counter. She remained silent, letting his sincere apology seep into her ears. Her blue eyes looked like chips of ice, hard and cold.

“I was even sort of hoping that we could be friends, or some sort of acquaintances,” Brian continued, uncertain about Sydney’s cold silence. Slowly, she raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth to speak.

“Well, isn’t that convenient?” Sydney said slowly. She braced her palms against the top of the counter as her eyebrows dropped low over her eyes as she glared at Brian. “When I was ugly, you hated my guts, but now that I’m pretty, you want to be my friend. You’re right, Brian, about the asshole part. But you got something wrong: you still are an asshole.”

Sydney whirled around and stormed through the swinging doors into the kitchen. The doors barely swung close before Lanie appeared and took Sydney’s place at the counter. Unlike Sydney, she had to look up at Brian, but she still had a mean-looking glare. Brian could practically see the daggers raining out of her eyes, so he took that as a sign and quickly left the bakery.

It looked like he’d need something smarter than just an apology to get Sydney to forgive him.