CHAPTER NINE ! 
( eighteen )

           SYDNEY'S ANNUAL BIRTHDAY PARTY was finally happening. However, for maybe the first time, Sydney was absolutely dreading it. She'd begged Teresa to call it off, but only got ignored in return. 

And now, she was standing in the foyer of her home with her face hurting from smiling so much as people arrived. 

And after nearly half an hour of standing there, she'd decided it was time to finally stop waiting for Ethan to walk through that door. 

She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying her hardest to remain awake as she made her way to the drinks table, unbothered to excuse herself as she pushed past the crowd of teens. 

And once she finally made it, she poured herself a cup of punch and leaned back against the countertop, wondering how she'd gotten there. In her own home, on her favorite day of the year, with the entire school surrounding her, yet wanted nothing to do with it at all. 

      "I take it, you're not enjoying the party?" Paxton asked with a small smile, joining her at the table. 

She sighed, pulling herself on top of the table, crossing her legs. "What gave it away?" 

       "Your cup is unusually full." He nodded toward the clear plastic cup in her hand; Sydney never was one to purchase the cheap-looking red ones. 

       "Ah," Sydney nodded, and she wanted to laugh, but couldn't quite bring herself to. 

Paxton propped himself up with his elbow, looking at her with his full attention. "Where's... Ethan?" 

He said Ethan's name with question, as if he was unsure of his name, although he knew damn well who Ethan was. 

She looked at him with amusement; her eyebrow raised and her lips set in a smirk. "Paxton Hall-Yoshida, are you jealous?" 

He returned the smile and shook his head briefly. "Just wondering what type of boyfriend he is if he's not at your birthday party." 

Sydney's eyes squinted, examining the boy. "Where'd you hear boyfriend from?" 

         "Oh, gossip moves fast around the faculty lounge." He joked, offering a grin. 

Sydney nodded, letting out a soft laugh. "Right." 

          "There's the laugh," His smile only grew as he said it; but he didn't exactly say it--it was more than that. It was quiet so no one could hear it, yet it was so loud Sydney could swear her body felt as though it'd been struck with something. And the two only looked at each other, not necessarily saying anything, simply enjoying one another's presence. 

          "Hey," Ethan's voice startled her as he rushed toward her, his hand resting against her waist as he pressed a gentle kiss against her cheek, almost like an instinct. "I am so sorry I'm late, my mom insisted on making you this cake, and she took--" he blew out an exasperated breath, handing Sydney a white box. "forever."

Sydney smiled, her heart twisting at the gesture but ultimately feeling guilty for doubting him. She turned to her right to thank Paxton to see that he was nowhere to be found. 

After a quick moment of remembrance, she looked down at the box and opened it, revealing a white-frosted cake with pink writing saying Happy 18th Birthday, Sydney! And Sydney laughed at just how cute Ethan's mom was for doing this. "Thank you." 

The two shared both a smile, and a kiss, before being interrupted by Ben. "Who's the gross one now, Sydney?"

Sydney laughed, pulling away from Ethan to face him and Teresa. "At least my last name isn't Gross." 

He acted hurt, bringing a hand to his heart. "Well, not all of our moms can have their last names changed." 

Sydney rolled her eyes playfully, and all negative feelings were completely gone now, and were replaced with gratitude, not only for Ethan and Tess, but surprisingly enough, for Ben. "I can't believe I'm going to have to spend four more years with your annoying ass." 

Ben cracked a smile, but shortly faded when a drunken Devi approaches them, sloppily wrapping her arm around Sydney's shoulder. "Do you guys want to play Two Truths and a Lie?"

The four friends exchanged a look of disapproval, but before any of them could individually answer, Devi decided for them. "Come on!" 

She grabbed Sydney's wrist and dragged her to the living room, where her friends followed. "Two Truths and a Lie, everyone!" Sydney shouted, catching the attention of the teens surrounding, who were delighted to hear that one of many high school party game cliches would be played just now. Devi messily plopped down onto one of the sofas of Sydney's living room, harshly pulling Sydney with her, leaving Ethan, Ben, and Tess to surround. 

The room was entirely full when Sydney looked up, and Devi insisted on going first, and that pit of anxiety formed once again in her stomach as Ethan sat next to her on the gray sofa. 

        "Okay, uh, one, I'm a virgin." she chuckled, giving her lie away already. "Two, I didn't get into any of the Ivy Leagues, and Three... I ran into Sydney purchasing a pregnancy test last week." 

There it is. Sydney thought her heart might have actually stopped in that moment. And it was almost as though the entire world slowed around her, she just watched as all eyes fell on her. She was at a loss for words; and all she could think to do was freeze. 

         "Yeah, right." Ethan was the first to laugh, but it soon died when he saw the look on his girlfriend's face. Sydney watched from the corner of her eye as his brows knitted together. "Syd?"

This was the true downfall of Sydney Gilmore, she was sure of it, at least. There was no coming back from this, and truly, from this point forward, she'd be known as the girl who had that pregnancy scare. 

Before she could help it, she felt her cup slip out her hand and punch splashed against the white rug and against her bare legs, triggering a soft gasp to escape her lips as her eyes welled with tears. 

She was quick to stand up and push past her peers; attempting to swallow down a sob and blink back the tears from streaming down her face. 

She could hear Teresa shout from behind her as she ran up her stairs. "Okay, party's over!"