Chapter Twelve
Primadonna

SYDNEY ALWAYS LIKED a good party. There were always four destination spots to throw a good party: Sydney's house, Moon's house, Sam's house, or the beach. It was Yasmine's birthday and despite Sydney having no interest in going beforehand, all she wanted now was to crash after what she did to Aisha.

They all took her care, Hawk riding the hump, which he had been complaining about the entire way to the party spot. "I still don't get why you made me ride hump." He complained as they all took the alcohol out of her trunk.

"For that bitches will be bitches comment you made at the store," Sydney told him in a dull tone, "degrading women is so 1960s."

Miguel laughed. Hawk rolled his eyes and walked off. "You're going to slap him one day. I can feel it."

"Might be tonight, who knows." She grumbled and grabbed another cart of alcohol.

He quickly took it from her hands. "Let me get that for you, m'lady." He said in a British accent.

She grinned. "Ooh, your accent's getting better."

"I have a great teacher." Miguel said and smiled.

A lot of people showed up thanks to Sydney's many Instagram followers. Most of them she didn't know, others she recognized as people she made fun of since middle school. Sydney stood with Miguel at the drink table, eyeing all of the partiers. How did she get to this point? she asked herself. She never saw herself ever being her same perimeter as some of these people, especially not Demetri or Hawk, but they were Miguel's friends. They were Aisha's friends and she cared about them both.

Was she really going to change her entire view point on things to keep Miguel in her life? It seemed that way.

"I can literally see the wheels turning in your head." Miguel voiced.

"Sorry. Just pondering." She excused.

"Pondering," he repeated in her accent, "I love hearing you talk."

"Préférez-vous que je parle comme ça?" Would you prefer for me to talk like this?

His eyes lit up. "What does what mean?" He asked with a boyish grin.

Sydney smirked. "Exactly." She placed her hand on the back of his neck and brought him forward, kissing him softly. She pulled away slightly, their nose still brushing together. "How's your first West Valley party?"

"Partying with my friends and kissing a really pretty good that I have no clue how I got to like me? Sounds pretty good to me."

She giggled.

"Sydney!" Aisha yelled for her.

When Sydney saw that Moon was with her, her face fell. "What the hell is she doing here?" She said with hostility.

"Uhhh," Miguel trailed off, not knowing the situation.

"I'll be back, yeah?" She told him, kissed him quickly on the jaw, and walked off.

"Don't hit anybody!"

"There you are," Aisha smiled when she saw her come over.

Sydney's face was hard as she made eye contact with Moon. "Hi, Ocean." She said cautiously, a cup of beer clutched in her hands.

"Is your sidekick here as well?" She said bitterly.

"Syd, I'm really sorry about everything." Moon said somberly. "I've already apologized to Aisha. I really miss you."

Sydney was silent. Her eyes cut to Aisha and she smiled, nodding slightly. That was a different they had. Aisha was quick to make amends with people. Sydney could hold a grudge like no other. She was highly protective over the people she loved.

But she and Moon were so close. They were best friends. "Are you still friends with—"

"No, I'm not." She instantly denied, already knowing.

Sydney pressed her lips together tightly and she inhaled deeply. "You're too good for her anyway."

Moon grew a smile. She wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug.

"I just with Sam was here now."

Sydney managed to forget her anger towards Moon as soon as she told her that she thought Hawk was cute. "Hawk?" She said in disbelief. "The kid with the mohawk? You think he's cute?"

"Yes!" Moon said brightly. "I mean, I've always thought he was kind of cute, but, look at him." She said, her eyes directing to the side. "He's so hot."

Sydney followed her eyes. Hawk stood with Demetri and Miguel and she pulled a face. "Whatever you say." She muttered.

Moon just laughed. "Well, look at you." She said and lightly hit her on the arm. "You've got a new man. How's that going?"

Instantly, Sydney's mood lifted. "It's different, but, it's a good kind of difference." She looked over at the three boys again and this time, Miguel looked her way as well. He sent her a smile.

"Aww, that's so sweet!" She gushed. "So are you guys, like, together, together?"

Sydney's lips parted. "Um—"

"Ladies," Hawk exclaimed and he and Miguel joined them. "Sorry, are we interrupting?"

"Yes, actually—"

"No!" Moon interrupted and smiled big. "Of course not." She said to Hawk.

He smirked. "Cool." They took each other's hands and walked off.

Miguel looked at Sydney and laughed at her surprised face. "Has the world gone mad?" She voiced.

"Seems like it," he answered and stood in front of her, "nerds getting with hot, popular girls? It's completely mad."

"That's a perfect movie if I've ever seen one."

Demetri stood there, watching both of his friends make out with the girls, and he sighed in defeat. "Serious, I need to get some game."

Sydney's hands were cupped around Miguel's face. "You're so pretty. Have I told you that?" She asked him, the alcohol she had consumed obviously getting to her.

Miguel laughed. "Not as pretty as you." He played along, one of his hands settled on her waist.

"Well yes, but, you're pretty close."

He nodded sarcastically. "That's very generous. Thank you."

She let out another tipsy giggle. Then suddenly, Sydney looked over and saw Yasmine in Aisha's face. "Oh no, this is not happening." She said angrily.

"Wait, wait, Sydney—" Miguel tried to say but he was ignored. "Shit." He said and quickly followed her.

She and Yasmine locked eyes and the blonde laughed resentfully. "I should've known you'd be here." She said with a bitter tone.

Sydney gave her a jeering smirked. "You know I love a good party."

Yasmine scoffed. "You actually think you're better than me? You think you're above me now? You were worse than me!"

"No, actually, I'm not." Sydney defended herself. "Because at least I know when to admit when I've done wrong, and I have. But I'm making up for it."

"Sydney's nothing like you." Aisha took up for her, standing by her side.

Yasmine laughed again, giving her a dirty look. "You think you and your little karate gang are so cool, but you're all just a bunch of losers." She sneered. Her eyes cut to Sydney again. "Looks like your Queen Bee status is going to crash and burn."

Everyone around them grew nervous. Sydney stood there, remaining calm, her face not moving.

Everyone around them grew nervous when they saw that Sydney was remaining calm. The anger she was clearly feeling seemed to sober her up and she stood there with her arms crossed. To their surprise, she suddenly laughed, causing Yasmine to look around, confused.

"Oh I'm sorry," she laughed again and covered her mouth sarcastically. She took that hand and placed it on her chest. "I didn't realize I was supposed to be intimidated. It's really hard to get over yourself, isn't it? If you were as smart as you think you are, you'd realize you sound like a whiny bitch whose friends left you here and your other only friend is currently holding hands with my new friend.  So, who's the loser now?"

Hawk let out a small snort that he quickly covered with a cough while Miguel stood there, looking proud.

Yasmine only scoffed. "And to think we used to be friends. C'mon Moon, let's go."

Moon, whom at some point during the argument came and stood with Hawk, shook her head. "No, I'm staying. I apologized to Aisha for what we did and Syd and I are on good terms. You should too." 

She stood flabbergasted, looking between all of them, and Sydney smiled tauntingly. Yasmine sneered. "Whatever. You deserve them Moon."

She pushed through Aisha and Sydney, bumping their shoulders, and started to march off. "Hey, Yasmine!"

She swung back around. "Huh? What?"

"Let me help you to your car." Aisha jeered and grabbed the front of Yasmine's jeans, yanking them upwards.She let out a loud scream when Aisha gave her a wedgie. "No mercy bitch!"

Sydney's jaw dropped and her and Moon looked at each other as the boys bursted out laughing. Yasmine whimpered in pain and looked around, embarrassed as people laughed at her. Sydney grabbed Hawk's cup of beer and walked up to her. "One more thing," she said and poured the liquid over her head. She heard multiple gasps. "Don't ever talk about my friends or my boyfriend ever again." 

"Boyfriend?" Hawk and Miguel sat at the same time while Moon answered Aisha gasped, smiling big.

Yasmine started to cry and she got up from the sand. She limped away in pain, the trails of laughter following her like bad karma.

"I love you so much," Aisha said and grabbed her shoulder, "do you know that?"

"Of course I do, love." Sydney responded and they hugged each other.

"So we are friends?" Hawk said to her, smirking.

She pushed her hair off of her shoulders and sighed. "Oh, don't push your luck. I was trying to make a point."

He continued to smirk. "Sure, sure." He grabbed Moon's hand and lead her away.

When it was just them, Miguel faced her, shock still written on his baby face. "Boyfriend?" He said with a half smile.

Sydney suddenly felt shy. "Whatever," she said and looked away from him, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear when it fell in front of her face.

"That wasn't just a spur of them moment kind of thing?" He asked her, nerves boiling in his stomach.

"Obviously not," she stated, matter of fact, and looked at him again, "Diaz, I'm a girl of tradition. My father literally moved countries to be with my mother. I'm not going to settle for anything less than that."

Miguel breathed out a laugh. He licked his lips. "I've, uh, never had a girlfriend before."

She shrugged. "I've never had a boyfriend before."

"What happens if I mess it up?"

Her dark eyes became soft. "Then we'll figure it out together." She said in a gentle voice.

Miguel grew another smile and looked down at the sand for a split second. "Okay." He took a small step closer to her, trying to hide the fact that his hands were shaking anxiously. "Sydney Benoist," he said her name, pronouncing her last name in French, which nearly out her in tears, "will you please be my first ever girlfriend?"

Sydney broke out into a smile. She looked away from him for a second. "Um," she said and rubbed the back of her neck, "that sounds like something I can do."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah." She giggled and yelped when Miguel suddenly grabbed her, picking her up by the waist. She laughed and circled her arms around his neck.

"I GOT A GIRLFRIEND!" He yelled out so everyone could hear him. "SYDNEY BENOIST IS MY GIRLFRIEND!"

Sydney fought him to put her down. She shushed him, still laughing, and while everyone who heard him cheered, she grabbed his face and kissed him.

this is so random but the scene in the first Avatar when Neytiri smiles at Jake (iykyk) is exactly how I picture Sydney smiling at Miguel