The Bet

Sydney POV

“So are you seeing anyone right now?” Daniel asked bluntly. I nearly spit out my coffee over the coffee. I looked at Daniel in disbelief. It was his first full day here and this is what he was choosing to talk about.

“Are you?” I asked avoiding the question. I knew that he was still seeing the same girl he had been for the past four years.

“Cut the bullshit Sydney,” Daniel spoke sternly. “Dad and I are worried about you.” I took a big sip of my coffee hoping it would give me enough time to think of the appropriate answer. I couldn’t exactly tell him about Brent and I and I defiantly couldn’t tell him that I had slept with him, even though we barely even knew each other, and know I was avoiding him.

“Not really,” I lied. Well it wasn’t much of a lie because Brent and I hadn’t spoken in two weeks. Lord knows he had tried to contact me but I couldn’t do it. I felt so stupid for just climbing into bed with him, especially since I had always prided myself in not being that kind of girl.

“What does that even mean?”

“I’m sorry I must have missed the part where this is any of your business,” I asked becoming pissed off at his persistence. We were sitting in the middle of Starbuck’s for fucks sake, this wasn’t exactly that place to be having a heart-to-heart. I grabbed my purse and went towards the door hoping this bullshit conversation would be dropped. Daniel followed me through the parking lot and grabbed my arm to make me stop. I whipped around making sure my hair hit him in the face.

“It’s my business because you’re my little sister and I’m worried.”

“Well you shouldn’t be. I’m fine.” I started digging through my purse looking for my keys trying to get out of her as fast as I could.

“You’re not fine Syd. You’re obviously still not over Ian.” I stopped moving and looked up at him.

“Sydney I know this is hard. We have done our best to let you handle this on our own but it's time.”

“But…” I stuttered, overwhelmed with everything I was hearing.

“I talked to Chelsea last night after you went to bed and she is worried also. We just want what is best for you and I’m sure Ian would too.”

As soon as I heard his name come out of Daniel’s mouth the tears started falling. “How do you know?” I croaked.

“Come on lets go there is something I think you should do,” Daniel coaxed, ushering me into the car and taking the keys from my hand.


My eyes fluttered open as I felt Daniel gently shaking me. I opened my eyes fully and immediately wished I hadn’t.

“Why are we here?”

“Because you two need to talk.” I chuckled at how ridiculous this was but I knew Daniel wouldn’t let this go until I did it.


Flashback:

“Holy shit we just graduated!” Ian cried downing his fifth shot of the night, he leaned over to kiss me and I giggled when he missed my mouth. We had both been drinking pretty steadily throughout the night but unlike me Ian hadn’t stopped. I looked over my shoulder and saw Chelsea making out with Preston, the same guy she had broken up with two weeks ago. I knew her well enough to know she would regret it in the morning but I figured I would let her have her fun for now.

“Babe come here.” I turned to see Ian headed towards me holding two red cups filled to the brim with liquid. I laughed as I watch the drinks slosh all over his shirt.

“Fuck,” he cursed, his shirt soaked with pink liquid.

“Come with me I’ll help you,” I offered pulling him with me up the stairs, I dragged him all the way to Chelsea’s room and pulled his shirt of his head. I entered the bathroom and turned on the faucet. I let the shirt soak under the hot water. I gasped when I felt Ian’s arms wrap around my torso. I turned around so that our noses were practically touching, he was about to kiss me when I suddenly ducked out from under his arms and made and escape back to the bedroom.

“You’re such a little tease you know that?” he grunted. I sat down on the bed and pulled him down with me.

“You love me,” I whispered lying down on Chelsea’s bed, the only part of her room that wasn’t packed away in boxes.

“Always have always will.” He said softly finally kissing me firmly on the lips. “So are you excited?”

“Am I excited to move Chicago with my boyfriend and best friend? Hell yes I am!” I exclaimed making Ian laugh. He pulled me onto his bare chest and we laid there listening to the party going on below us. I looked at the watch on my wrist and groaned when I saw the time. It was already 2:30.

“Hey I love you and I need to get going. I promised my dad I would be home at 3.”

“Alright I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning and we can go get some breakfast or something.”

“Promise?” I asked remembering the last time he said he would pick me up to go do something.

“Would I ever lie to you?” I laughed at him and got off the bed. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back down to his mouth kissing me goodbye.

I was awoken the next morning by Chelsea. I turned to look at my alarm clock. 5:45 way too early to be awake. I was about to yell at Chelsea for getting me up so early when I saw her red, puffy eyes.

“Chelsea what’s wrong?” I asked starting to panic.

“I’m so sorry.” She sobbed tears flowing freely from her eyes.

“Chelsea just please tell me what is going on”

“It’s Ian.” The words I was dreading came out of her mouth. I made a silent prayer to God begging him to be okay.

“What’s wrong with him?” I could barely even think straight, my mind going a 100 miles an hour. I got out of bed and started putting on the first articles of clothing I could find. I looked over to Chelsea who was still sitting on my bed sobbing. I knew what she was about to say, but a part of me was still hoping that he would be okay.

“He’s dead,” she choked out and just like that my world collapsed. I fell to the floor abandoning my clothes. I felt Chelsea’s arms around me trying to comfort me in anyway, but it wasn’t worth it. I felt like I was dead too.


“Daniel I can’t do this,” I told him as he led me to our destination.

“You have too,” he stated. I knew he was right, eventually I was going to have to come back here and I guess I couldn’t put it off any longer.

I hadn’t been here since the funeral and even then I had been the first one to leave. I remember that day, it was the first time I had gotten out of bed in days. I thought that because my mom had died I would be used to this whole death thing but I was wrong. I remember standing there as I watched Ian’s casket sink into the ground. It was nothing like my mom’s funeral; this time I was numb, no tears were falling. It seemed unreal to me, I just couldn’t believe he was gone.

“I’ll be back at the care just come find me when you’re ready to go.” Daniel’s voice brought me back to the present and I watched him walk away. I took a deep breath and turned around to face what I had been avoiding for four years. I looked around at the surrounding scenery. It was calming, unlike me who was the furthest thing from calm. My eyes fell to his tomb stone, it was simple and just how I remembered: ‘Ian McDonald 1987-2005; beloved son, brother and friend.’ I sat down next to it not sure what to do next.

“Hey,” I whispered, jumping as a breeze blew through the trees. “I don’t have flowers or anything, sorry.” I sat there awkwardly playing with my jacket waiting for something to happen. “I know it’s been awhile since I came to see you, I’ve just been busy. Alright that’s a lie, I wanted to come but I couldn’t. This is so hard for me. I miss you so much and even though it’s been 4 years since your accident not a day goes by that I don’t wish I could go back to that night. I should have made sure that you got home safely or I should have taken you home myself. I knew how much you had to drink but I never even thought that you would drive home. I never thought that it would be the last time I ever saw you.” By the time I finished it was practically raining on my face. I sat there staring at his headstone. I waited again for something to happen, even though I knew nothing would. I guess I thought that if I came and talked to him I would feel better, like I had gotten some closure but I didn’t. I still felt the same way I had before.

Disappointed I got up and brushed off my butt. “I’ll come back I promise.” I leaned over and kissed the edge of the cold stone. I sighed and walked back to the car. I was feeling slightly better than I had when we came. I climbed into the car, scaring the shit out of Daniel.

“Better?”

“A little bit.”

“Good,” he said kissing the top of my head. I placed my head against the cold window looking back at the cemetery. I knew that if I was going to give Brent and chance that I needed to let go of Ian once and for all.