Chapter Seventy Three
Primadonna

THE LONGER SHE was at the water park,  the more comfortable Sydney became. She missed the joyous feeling that she got when she was around her friends. The stress of the All Valley tournament and the karate drama had been putting a strain on their friendships but it was Summer, meaning it was their chance to go back to being normal teenagers. "Quelques sandwichs pour un pique-nique." She spoke French.

Eli looked at her like she was crazy. The girl was currently trying to teach him French. "Huh?"

Sydney rolled her eyes. "Quelques sandwichs pour un pique-nique," she repeated slower that time.

"Did I hear the word sandwich?" Yasmine questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's about all I got." Said Eli, giving up.

The Brit huffed. "I said 'You're a few sandwiches short of a picnic." She translated.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It's means you lack common sense," Miguel spoke before she could, his arms crossed over his chest as he was slouched in the water park chair.

Sydney looked his way and she smiled slightly. He smiled back and looked down at his swim trunks. "Il semble que quelqu'un ait prêté attention à mes phrases." She uttered with the slightest bit of delight.

"Huh?" The other three of the friend group questioned at the same time.

But Miguel only smiled to himself. He didn't respond.

"Okay, can you try something a bit. . . sexier?" Eli asked. Moon widened her eyes and the others held back their laughs. "N-No, I just mean. . . Teach me something that I can say to Moon!" He played it off. His girlfriend still wacked him on the arm.

"Nice save," Sydney snorted and rested her head back. "Okay, let's see. . ." She scrambled her brain. "Je n'ai pas fini de tomber amoureux de toi." She spoke in French, the words rolling off of her tongue.

"That sounded pretty," said Sam, her eyebrows raised with interest.

"What does it mean?" Moon asked with an excited smile.

They stared at her while waiting for an answer. The brown eyed girl moved her head slightly to the right, her eyes settling on Miguel who was already looking at her. Her face softened subtly but it was noticeable.

Saved by the bell, an obnoxious laugh echoed in the air and their attention turned to see the Cobra Kais terrorizing Anthony by the lazy river. "Oh, god damn it." Eli cursed.

"Eli, don't," Moon warned but the boy was already getting up from his chair. She sighed when he marched his way over to them.

"Don't worry about it, Moon. They're not going to do anything. They're too scared." Sydney assured her.

"I just want a normal day for once."

They observed Eli and Kenny getting in each others faces. Miguel scoffed. "Jesus, it's like the kid's possessed by someone."

"Not possessed. Brainwashed." Sam corrected, her book clutched in her hands as she watched the scene. "They all are."

When Tory got in the middle of the boy's petty argument,  Sydney's eyes blazed in anger.  Her muscles twitched causing her body to jolt.  She couldn't stop herself from getting off her own chair.

Miguel's eyes widened.  "Sydney,  no—"

But the girl had a mind of her own.  She took long strides to the fueding teenagers.  "What seems to be the problem?"  She announced herself,  their eyes going to her.

Tory glared.  "None of your concern,  Sydney."  She spat.

"It seems to be as your the ones bullying my best friend's brother,"  she shot back and stepped closer.  Her hard eyes shifted to the others.

"Maybe we should just go,  Syd."  Eli spoke and took a small step back,  his arm bushing hers.

"Yeah,  why don't you l just go back to your boyfriend,"  Kenny said out loud.  Then,  he laughed.  "Oh,  wait—"

Eli's eyes closed and he sucked in a breath.  Sydney sent the kid a death glare and she stepped closer to him.  "Say that again or I'll rip that prepubescent face off."  She threatened with hatred.

Tory and Eli stepped back in.  "Whoa,  whoa,  hey,"  the Cobra girl intervened and held her arms out.  She glared at Kenny again.  "Seriously,  knock it off."

"Hey,  champ!"  A little boy not far from them shouted.  His eyes lit up at the sight of Eli and he flexed his skinny arms while smiling widely. 

The British girl's face softened and she glanced at her friend,  seeing that he did the same.  She backed off from the younger boy and swallowed back her anger.  To everyone,  Eli was the All Valley champ.  He won the title and the glory.  He deserved to keep his image up.

"All right.  You guys stay on your side,  we don't have a problem,"  he said to the Cobra Kais.  He smirked.  "We have better rides on our side anyway."

"And better class."  Sydney added.  She tapped him on the shoulder and they began walking back to their friends.  She huffed loudly in anger.  "God,  I just want to claw their eyes out."

"Don't go anywhere.  Might need you to later."  Said Eli.  He looked her way and smirked slightly.  "I'll rip your prepubescent face off?"  He recited with amusement.

"He started it."  The girl grumbled.

He nodded slightly.  "Do you,  uh—"

She immediately shook her head.  "No."

"Right.  Yeah."

Miguel was in the middle of a crisis.

He felt like a complete mess, the kind that was hard to explain. As he stared at the long haired brunette, he felt as if he couldn't breath right. His eyes settled on her from a couple feet away where the large pool was. When she stepped out and the water dripped from her skin and hair, he surely felt like he was going to pass out.

He felt like he was in a dream. She was the dream.

But then he saw Kyler walk up to her and his heart dropped to his stomach.  He saw her face twist into digits and her arms crossed over her chest.  His jaw tightened in anger.

By the pool,  Sydney huffed.  "What do you want,  Kyler?"  She asked with boredom in her voice.

"Damn,  you lookin good,  Syd,"  Kyler ignored her question and his eyes raked her exposed frame.  "I almost forgot you had all of that."

She looked and felt disgusted.  "I'm walking away now."

As she started to walk past him,  he grabbed her arm and stopped her.  "Whoa,  whoa,  whoa!  Hey,  hey,  hang on.  Come on,  girl."  He spoke quickly.

"Let go of me."  She gritted her teeth.

"Y'know,  now that you and Miguel aren't a thing no more,  I've been thinking—" 

Before he could finish the sentence,  she grabbed a hold of his wrist and twisted it.  He yelled and she dug her nails into his skin.  "Let me stop you there.  I would rather chew and swallow glass than to ever think of getting with you.  So if you went to keep that hand,  I suggest you don't ever touch me again unless it's me beating your ass on the mat.  Understand?"

The boy blinked his eyes rapidly.  "Y-Yeah,  okay,  fine.  Whatever!" 

She released his wrist and Kyler immediately retracted it to his chest,  holding it in pain.  She whirled around and walked back to her friends,  her long brown hair clinging to her wet skin. 

"Syd,  are you okay?"  Sam asked,  seeing as how she watched the interaction.

"Me?"  She inquired and sat back down.  "I'm the bees knees,  Sammy."  She faked a smile her way.  Her brown eyes cut to the side and she saw Miguel sitting there with a tightened jaw.  She frowned slightly.  "Tossers like Kyler always think it's easy to get someone like me."

"I felt that one."  Yasmine uttered,  her eyes remaining closed behind her sunglasses.

Miguel gritted his teeth and forced himself to not look her way.  If he did,  he would surely explode.  There was a burning sensation in his chest and his cheeks were flushed a deep crimson.  He popped his knuckles and tried to remain calm.

She secretly looked his way again.

Suddenly,  there was another uproar coming from the slides and Sydney lowered her sunglasses.  "Are you kidding me with this bullshit again?"  Eli scoffed.

This time,  Robby showed up with Tory and that set Miguel off. 

"There's Keene.  I thought you said he wasn't in Cobra Kai anymore."

"It's what sensei told me.  I don't know why he's with them."

"Because Tory's with them.  Obviously."  Sydney scoffed and she was the first one to jump up from her seat.

The boys followed after her.  The fighting karate teams were shoving each other on top of shouting at one another and it was getting out of hand.  Sydney spotted Devon in the midst of all the guys and she grabbed her arm,  pulling her out of the crowd.  "Hey,  Devon,  what the hell is going on?"

"We were just trying to ride the Double Dragon when Kyler and his army of karate jerks stopped us!"  The younger girl expressed with anger. "I will not be subjected to this karate hierarchy!"

Sydney nodded understandably and patted her arm.

One of the water park employees blew his whistle is the fighting died down slightly. "Stop it. All of you. Or you're all getting kicked out'" He threatened them loudly.

Sydney scratched the back of her neck and he walked away. "Okay. Clearly we can't coexist in peace, so let's find a solution." Miguel announced.

"We can't fight. We'll get kicked out. Do what are we supposed to do?" Mitch questioned.

"I don't care about getting kicked out." Sydney spoke, her cold glare settling on Tory.

The Cobra girl raised her eyebrows. "Oh really?" She stayinred and stepped forward. "Are you forgetting that I beat you?"

Sydney got in her face.  "Are you forgetting that I have a 6 year dance career on top of karate?"  She spat with vexation.

Robby pulled Tory back by her arm Miguel grabbed the girl by hers.  He pulled Sydney back by his side,  his touch lingering when he pulled away.  "Okay,  we need to go."  Robby said to Tory,  knowing that it would end badly.

"How about a race?"  Bert suggested.

It sparked their interests.  Slowly,  everyone looked back at the Double Dragon slide behind them.  Eli grew a smirk.  "Yeah,  I'll go."  He stepped up.

He eyed Robby challengingly for s split second and then Tory stepped up in front of him.  "So will I."  She took the challenge.

"All right,  champ verses champ!"  Kyler made public with an obnoxious laugh.

"Whoever wins gets the park."  Tory announced to everyone.

"And whoever loses has to never show their face around here again."  Sydney added,  her arms crossed firmly over her chest. 

Tory's eyes cut to her and she sucked in an angry breath.  It made the Brit smirk.  "Deal."

"Deal."  Eli agreed.  "But you won't win."

Sealing the deal,  the rival teenagers took off towards the slide and Sydney followed alongside Devon.  Miguel quickly followed her.  "Hey,  hey,  Syd!"  He urged and stood by her.  "This isn't a good idea,  right?"

She looked up at him.  "Maybe not.  But you know what they say:  chaque défi est une opportunité égale."

The boy grinned.  "Every challenge is an equal opportunity."  He translated.

It made her stop walking.  She looked at him again and her expression softened.  The brown eyed boy smiled at her and continued walking with everyone,  feeling her soft stare linger on his back.

they're my conrad and belly

I've missed the sydney + eli friendship!