Author's Note: This didn't turn out at all like it should have, well like I planned it to, but oh well. There was a supposed to be Sydney's talk with Alison and all of that, but that'll probably work itself into the next chapter. Dedicated to Writerbug44 just because she's awesome. Hope you guys like this chapter.

Chapter 13 - He's Such A Stupid Boy

My pre-set alarm goes off, waking me up. Usually, I wouldn't have an alarm set for Saturday being that it's the weekend and whatnot, but if I don't keep an alarm, then I'll wake up really late and won't have that much time to spend with my grandma. And plus I've got to talk to Alison today so I need to leave some time accounted for that. Like I said, Alison and I aren't exactly friends. Well we are or were mutual friends through Walker, I guess. So since we're not friends, I have no idea where to find her on a Saturday. Walker probably knows but I'm trying to stray away from the topic of ex-girlfriends because he's really down in the dumps about it, obviously.

I look down at Walker, who's cuddling one of my fuzzy pink pillows to his chest. Last night after about seven rounds of some pretty intense karaoke, the two of us went out to this Chinese place for dinner. I'm not really a huge fan of Chinese food, but Walker loves it and he was all sad, so I figured, what the hey? And anyway, after that, we came back here to my house and watched reruns of The Walking Dead until we fell asleep which as at around 12:30 this morning. I don't know if I should wake him up so that he can like go get his car or whatever or just let him get his rest.

"Walker?" I say, hitting his arm.

"Hmm?"

"Wake up, it's morning time."

"I don't wanna wake up." He tells me stubbornly.

"Don't you wanna go and get your car?"

Sighing he sits up in the bed and stretches, "I guess so."

"So you're feeling better, yeah?"

Walker shrugs, "I guess so."

"You just said that."

"Right. Well, yeah, I do feel kinda better."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to Alison today and hopefully she'll back into your arms by tomorrow."

Walker smiles, leaning over at hugging me tightly, "I love you so much, Sydney Barker."

"Well, I love you too Walker Davis." I tell him, pulling away from the hug. "So I'm going to go see my grandma, you wanna stay here or what?"

Walker nods, "I'm gonna stay here and pig out on your food." He tells me bluntly.

"Right, okay then. Well, get out."

He groans, "I can't move."

"Yes, you can. I need to get dressed, so go." I tell him, shooing him.

Walker sighs heavily as if moving out of my bed is the hardest task he's ever been faced with since birth, and pulls himself to his legs, sluggishly leaving my room, shutting the door behind him quietly. I go over to my closet, pulling it open and looking for something to wear.

I pull out the first pair of blue jeans that catch my eye along with a red t-shirt advertising some band called Three Days Grace. I've only heard like two of their songs and that's because last year when I was seeing this one guy - like I said, I have actually had about four boyfriends - and he was a really hardcore TDG fan and he found out they were coming here to Michigan and promptly got the two of us tickets to go and see them. I personally didn't enjoy it, but he seemed to really be loving it.

I get dressed quickly, then leave my room, going into the bathroom and brushing my teeth and then washing my face. When I'm done, I go back into my room, pull on a pair of shoes, and grab a jacket and my cell phone before going downstairs. Pulling my hair into a low ponytail, I walk into the kitchen and find Walker sitting on a bar stool chair with his head lying on the granite island.

"Walker, please get up. You're bringing me down with all of your sadness."

"I'm sorry I'm so depressed. And I'm hungry. Feed me?"

"You're just like Tanner." I tell him, walking by him and rolling my eyes. "You've been in the kitchen for a good ten minutes and you haven't gotten anything to eat?"

"Didn't I just tell you I'm depressed?"

"You are not depressed. But because I love you, I'll get you some cereal."

"Noooo, I want toast."

"You're really whiny, you know that?"

"I guess so." He replies, laying his head back down on the counter. That seems to be his catch phrase today.

I go to the breadbox opening it and stick four slices down into our toaster, pushing the button down. I jump up on the counter beside Walker's head, swinging my feet back and forth, hitting the counter with the heel of my shoe each time. I hear footsteps coming down the stairs and then my mom and Josh appear in the kitchen.

"Good morning Sydney and....Walker?" My mom says, inspecting Walker. Like I said, his head is on the counter, so I guess she can't really tell that it's him.

"Morning." I say, slyly sliding my jacket on so that there's not another 'did-you-get-a-tattoo?' moment. Josh runs over to me, yanking on my pant leg. I reach down, picking him up and sitting him next to me. "Hey bud."

"Hi Sydney," He says happily. I swear, he's always just so happy. Not that that's bad, I mean, it's good, but still. "What's wrong with Walker?" Josh wonders, looking over at Walker who's stilling idly lying there.

"His heart hurts." I tell him.

"Does he need a Band-Aid? Because yesterday at school at recess I fell off of the monkey bars and Nurse Smyth got me a Sponge-Bob Band-Aid. I bet Walker can get one if he asks her."

I smile at my little brother, ruffling up his brown hair. "It doesn't hurt like that, buddy."

"Then how does it hurt?" Josh wonders, his brown eyes widening in confusion.

"I'll tell you some day."

"You said the same thing about an affi-aff, well that thing you called me when we were at Dad's house." He reminds me.

"And that one day is coming." I promise him, kissing the top of his head.

The toast pops up out of the toaster, scaring me in the process. It's kinda ridiculous. We've had the toaster since before I can remember and every single time I - or anyone else for that matter - toasts toast, it scares the hell out of me once it pops back up. I jump down off of the counter and walk over to it, grabbing a plate and swishing some butter over the slices. Walker likes his toast buttery, and if I wasn't such a good friend to him, I wouldn't do it. I take it over to him, and grab a fistful of his hair pulling him up, earning a whine from him.

"Thanks." He says monotonously, taking a big bite of the piece of toast.

"No problem," I reply, inspecting him. He's just so...lifeless. I had no idea he'd be so miserable without Alison. "I'm gonna leave now. You sure you'll be okay?"

He shrugs, "I guess so. I'm just gonna back up to your room and watch that Animal Planet channel." There he goes again with that 'I guess so'. 

I wrinkle my nose, "Animal Planet? Why?"

"Because," Walker explains, standing up from the bar stool with his plate, "It's the only channel with no love."

With that, he stalks out of the kitchen and heads up the stairs slowly to my room. It takes him a while to get to the top as I can literally hear him walking at the pace of a half dead snail, but when he does reach the top and gets to my room, I hear my bedroom door close behind him.

"What on earth is wrong with him?" My mother wonders as she hands Josh a glass of orange juice.

"He and his girlfriend broke up." I explain.

"Oh, that's so sad. Alison? Isn't that her name?"

I nod, "Yeah, that's her. But I'm gonna talk to her and maybe get them back together."

"Do you really thing you should get involved?" My mom wonders, raising her eyebrows.

"As his friend, it is definitely a part of the job description." I say seriously.

"Well, then I hope that you can help him find happiness."

"I'm sure I can." 

"Okay, so what do you want for your birthday?" She wonders, changing the subject.

I groan, "So many people are asking me that question."

"That's because on your birthday you get presents, darling." My mother tells me, smiling.

"Right, I know that."

"So what would you like? You don't have that long until the big day, you know."

"Are there any limitations?"

"Of course there are limitations, you can't just get anything, but tell me what you want and if it's reasonable, I can try to do it."

"What about a car?"

"A car?"

"Yeah, I need a car."

My mom seems to think about it for a second and then says, "Okay, I'm not saying I'll do it. But I'll think about it."

Knowing that's as close to a confirmation as I'm gonna get, I nod, "Okay. Well I'm going to Shady Pine."

"Tell Helen I said hello." My mom says.

"I will. See you later." I tell her, leaving the kitchen, "See you Josh."

"Bye!" He calls after me.

I walk through the living room, and find Jared lying out on the couch with a blanket tossed over him. Evidently he and Arianna had an argument. Again. I'm not interested in what it was this time, so I walk by him and walk out of the front door, nearly colliding with Mikey who's about to knock on the front door.

"Jesus, you scared me." I say, putting my hand over my heart.

"Well good morning to you too, sunshine."

"What are you doing here?" I wonder.

"I came to see your sister."

"Why?" I ask him suspiciously.

"Because we have business to discuss."

"What kinda business?"

"Business that doesn't pertain to you, pretty kitty." Mikey tells me, tapping my nose.

"O...kay, then, weirdo."

"You heading out?" Mikey asks.

"Obviously."

"Right. Any idea how long you'll be gone?"

"About an hour or so? Why?"

"Just wondering." He says in a sing-song voice.

"You're being so weird." I murmur, walking by him. "Oh and Walker's here. He's really down though, so don't mess with him."

"What's wrong with him?"

"He and Alison broke up."

"Seriously? I really thought they'd be the only couple in our whole school to make it out."

"They will be, because I'm gonna talk to her when I leave my grandma's nursing home."

"What, you gonna try to get the two of them back together?"

"Not try, but succeed, Mikey dear."

"Right, well good luck with that."

"You don't need luck when you're good like that." I say chirpily.

"You are just a ball of sunshine, aren't you?"

"Always." I say. "Anyway have you talked to Bradley lately?"

"Not since yesterday. Why?"

"You two are both being weird."

"Weird? How are we being weird?"

"I don't know, there's just something off."

"You worry too much, Syd." He says, smiling and kissing the side of my head. "Go and see your grandma and talk to Alison and take your time."

"Okay, okay, I'm going. I'll see you later."

"See you." Mikey says, going into my house.

It's actually a really pretty day and being that I don't have a car and I don't really wanna drive for just fifteen minutes, I'm gonna walk to the nursing home. Hopefully though, I won't be forced into a car again like last weekend. I cut across my lawn, going over to Bradley's. He's riding around the yard on one of those riding lawn mower things, cutting the grass. I mean, he's going really slowly now, but his back is to me. I walk over to him, as he stops the mover and picks up a water bottle, drinking from it.

"You're really sweaty." I tell him, noticing a heavy sheen of sweat on his back which is bare of a shirt.

"You love sneaking up on me, don't you?" Bradley says, turning around in the mower.

"I do, because you never suspect it." I say, smiling.

Bradley hops down off of the lawn mower, wiping his hand across his sweaty forehead. He picks his cell phone up, looking down at the time and then back at me. "What are you doing up so early?"

"It's eight o'clock in the morning."

"Right, and you get up at like three p.m."

"No, I don't. But actually I'm going to see my grandma."

"Oh, right. You want me to take you?"

"Nah, I'm fine. It's a nice day."

       "It's gonna rain though."

I look up at the sky - there's not a cloud in sight and the sun is shining bright. "No it's not."

"Yeah, it is."

"How do you know?"

"I watch the news, smart one."

"And they said it's gonna rain?"

"They said it's gonna rain today." He confirms, nodding. 

"So if it's gonna rain, why are you moving the lawn?"

"What do you wanna be when you get older?" Bradley wonders, suddenly changing the subject.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Like what do you wanna do for a living?" He clarifies.

"Oh," I say, and then shrug, "I have no idea. Why?"

"I just think you should be a lawyer."

"Why would I be a lawyer?"

"Because you ask a hell of a lot of questions." He says and then smiles at his joke.

"Ha, ha, ha." I say, feigning laughter. "I gotta get going. I'll see you later though."

"What, no hug?"

"No, no hug. You're sweating enough to fill a water pitcher. Rain check until you're clean."

"You sure you wanna walk? Do you have an umbrella?"

"Yes. No." He cocks his head to the side and before he opens his mouth, I say, "Yes I'm sure I wanna walk. No I don't have an umbrella."

"Oh, right. Okay then, but when you get soaked in the rain, don't say that I didn't warn you."

"10-4." I tell him, waving goodbye and heading towards the sidewalk.

Fifteen minutes or so later, I arrive at the nursing home. I walk in the sliding doors and sine in before going to my grandma's room. When I get in there though, I see that the bed has been made up and the room is empty. The television, which is usually always on some old game show or Lifetime movie is on when I come, is now turned off. Okay, I've seen this scene a million times in the movies and whatnot.

I leave the room hurriedly, running back up to the front desk ready to demand to know where they've taken my grandmother when I hear a stereo coming from the common room which is adjacent to the front desk. I walk over to the common room and see all of the seniors - including my lovely grandma - dancing around the room. I guess it's a part of their exercise or something.

They're all so cute, man I love old people. Well, most of them. I especially love old couples, even though I know I'll never be a part of one for obvious reasons. I smile to myself as I see my grandma spinning - well not spinning, but twirling, I guess - around the room with one of the old men who live here. Sam, I think is his name. Deciding not to interrupt her fun time, I go back to the front desk and sign out, telling the lady behind the counter to tell my grandma that I'd came and then I leave.

I guess Bradley did know what he was talking about because as soon as I walk outside, I see that it's just began to pour down. And my jacket doesn't even have a hood on it. Great. I sigh heavily, deciding to just toughen it out - THIS is why I need my own car - when I hear a honk as Bradley's maroon jeep pulls into the circular driveway. I walk over to his car, getting in and looking over at him suspiciously.

"What? You didn't think I'd let you walk home in the rain did you?"

"I guess not." I say, smiling as I pull my seatbelt on. "How'd you know to come get me now and not later?" I wonder.

"My aunt works in there. She called and told me that you were here and said that you were about to leave, so I came."

"Aw, you're so sweet." I coo.

"Right?"

I'm about to reply when my cell phone goes off in my pocket, causing me to stop short. I reach down into my pocket as Bradley pulls out of the drive of the nursing home and look down at it. I see that it's a text from Reese and immediately open it. I'm glad he's actually texting me. I really thought that he was mad at me, given how fast and abruptly he left my house yesterday after Josh came to ask me for some money.

You busy tonight?

That's what the text says. I'm not busy tonight; I mean, I'm never busy really. I quickly type and reply with, Nope, free as a bird. Why?

See a movie with me?

See a movie with him? Isn't that kinda like a date? I mean, I don't mind going on dates, just the prospect of going out - exclusively, I mean - with someone just mortifies me. And it's Reese freaking Logan. How many girls would kill or seriously injure and/or incapacitate to go to a movie with him? I know the answer to that. Millions. That's how many. Okay, maybe not millions, but hundreds, definitely.

Sure, sounds great.

Cool, meet me at Riverdale at 7?

Well, obviously it's not a date if he's not coming to pick me up. Not that I mind, but still. Maybe I'm just mindlessly dreaming about this thing with Reese.

Yeah, see you then. (:

I put my phone back into my pocket and out of my peripheral vision, I see Bradley looking at me. "What?" I ask, wondering if I missed something he said.

"Zoned out?"

I shake my head, "No, I was talking to Reese. We're gonna see a movie tonight."

"Yay?" He says, not even trying to sound happy.

"You know, you could at least pretend you want me to be happy."

"I do want you to be happy. Just not with Reese Logan."

"What is your deal with him?"

Bradley heaves a heavy sigh, before shaking his head, "It's nothing."

"Tell me."

"No, it's nothing."

"Just tell me," I urge.

"Well, you're not gonna like it." He warns.

"I wanna know though."

"Sydney," Bradley says, turning down a street and turning the radio down a bit. "Reese doesn't want you. No, that didn't come out right. He does want you, but just physically. All he wants to do is have sex with you. Can't you see that? He may come around every few days and kiss you, sweet talk you or whatever, but all he wants is sex, Sydney. That's all he wants."

I blink a few times at his bluntness and look over at him, "That's not true, Bradley."

"It is true, Sydney. You're a smart girl. You're a really smart girl, and I know you are. You're convincing yourself that it's something more, and it's not. I'm telling you, all he wants you for is sex. And once he gets that, it's over. Once you two have sex, he's not gonna try to be your friend or whatever. I'm a guy, I know how it works." He continues, staring out of the windshield.

"Why are you so convinced that he's a bad person? You don't even know him. And I'm not a whore, you know. Just because I kiss him a few times, doesn't mean I'm gonna have sex with him." I say, getting angry at his insinuation.

"No, I didn't mean it like that Syd." He tells me, looking over at me. "You know I didn't."

"It sure sounds like you meant it that way."

"I didn't, I swear. It's just that I know his type."

"You know his type, but you don't know him. He's a nice guy, Bradley."

"He's not a nice guy! If he was a nice guy, he'd actually treat you how you deserve to be treated! And I think it's really stupid of you to let yourself be treated this way."

"So," I say, now really upset, "Now I'm a whore and I'm stupid?"

"I didn't say that!"

"You didn't have to say it! You implied it!" I retort, my voice rising.

"What, so you're mad at me now?"

"You know what, Bradley? Yeah, I actually kinda mad at you."

"Why?"

"Because you're my supposed best friend, yet you think so lowly of me that you think I'm gonna have sex with Reese just because he's nice to me."

"Well, you know, that's kinda how you act."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demand.

"What do you think it means?" He says, his voice hard.

"Why are you being so mean to me?"

"You asked me what I thought, and I told you."

"You're being a real jerk right now, you know?"

"I don't see how telling you my opinion is making me a jerk. You asked for it."

"I would have rather you'd lied than call me stupid and say what you did. We're just going to see a movie, that's it."

"Okay, I'm sorry for being honest." Bradley says sarcastically.

"Stop being so damn sarcastic all the time. It's not funny anymore."

"It's not supposed to be funny. I just don't want you to get hurt, Sydney."

"Reese isn't going to hurt me!" I yell, tears brimming my eyes.

Bradley and I never fight. Like, never. In fact out of all the guys, he's the one I get along with the best. I'll have a not really serious fight with all of the other guys, but never Bradley. The last time we had a fight was that time in kindergarten when he stole my animal crackers and apple juice even though he still denies he did it.

"You may think that now, but when he up and disappears the morning after, you're gonna see that I was right."

"Will you stop saying that I'm gonna sleep with him? I'm not!"

"Okay, Sydney."

"You know what? Since you're being an immature prick right now, I'm getting out. Stop the car."

"What?"

"Stop the car. I'd rather walk to my house than ride with you."

A flash of hurt comes over his face, and he says quietly, "Sydney, it's raining."

"I don't care, stop the car."

"I'm not gonna stop the car so you can walk all the way to your house which is right next to mine."

"Either you stop the car or I'm just gonna open it and jump out." Of course I'm lying, I'm not gonna jump out of a moving vehicle, but Bradley doesn't know that.

"Stop being so melodramatic." He murmurs.

"Stop the god damn car, Bradley!" I shout at him.

We arrive at a red light and I unbuckle the seatbelt, opening the door. "Sydney, come on, please don't. You're gonna get sick."

"That's why they have doctors, now-a-days." I mutter, getting out of the car and closing the door behind me, walking down the sidewalk, despite the rain pelting me.

It's actually falling a lot harder than I thought it'd be, but I'm determined to not get back into the car with Bradley. He's really pissing me off with all of his stupid opinions and insinuations and I don't like being upset. Bradley steps down on the gas, riding beside me slowly. 

"Sydney, I'm sorry. Okay? Please get back in the car." Bradley pleads through the open passenger window.

"Stop talking to me. Just go home."

"I'm not gonna go home while you're out here walking in the rain."

"Well I'm not getting back in the car so don't keep asking me to."

"What do you want me to? Just leave?"

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"You're being a real brat right now, and for the record, I don't like it."

"Well I don't like you very much right now, so I guess it's a mutual feeling then, huh?" I say sarcastically, crossing my arms and continuing to walk through the rain.

"Fine, if you're gonna be like this, I'm just gonna leave you out here."

"Bye then."

Bradley sighs heavily before letting the window up and speeding off angrily. Well I don't care if he's mad at me. I'm mad at him too. And it's all his stupid fault. He's such a stupid boy.