Sydney Bay Janes

"--That was Will," Hunter let me know upon returning to the table.

He slid into the booth and thanked Damian for letting him use his phone.

Chyna said she was hungry too and they agreed on dining in somewhere. Hunter suggested one of the best places Wilson hooked him on so we went there, I wanted to see what it was about, too. Wanting to see him again, Chyna invited Damian which was good because I didn't have his socials and Hunter didn't know his number by heart.

"He's gonna be so mad at me," Hunter croaked, burying his head in his arms.

"For what?" Damian asked.

"Everything. I skipped school again," he admitted.

"What do your parents say?" Damian questioned.

Hunter shrugged.

"Hey, yeah," I chimed in. "why didn't you just call them instead of Will, I know he's your older brother, but-"

Damian, mouth full of a burger, creased his forehead and said, "Oh, they not real brothers. Will's an only child. Well... nevermind."

I looked confused. "You said he's your brother?"

"They don't even look alike," Damian commented, earning an elbow from Chyna. "I don't know where Hunter came from, I don't even think he has parents."

"Will is my real brother, you ass-wipe," Hunter raged, trying to storm off from the table until he saw a girl.

"Hey, Hunter," she smiled, not knowing what to do with her hands.

"Shit," Hunter cursed under his breath.

"Uh, hey, Malena," he tried saying cool.

I could appreciate how cute this moment must've been for the two of them, but it made me look back to when I was that age getting hit on and just seemed cringe.

Hunter so clearly had a big crush, you could practically see his heart thumping out his chest like in old cartoons.

Malena was a little brown girl with thick, dark hair in two braids. She had braces and perfectly trimmed eyebrows, a developed chest, and pair of Jordan's on.

I noticed Hunter going from making eye contact to ogling her chest and it reminded me that males of all ages are pigs. And even more sad, Malena realized it too and didn't seem to care, she grinned actually, straightening her posture so they'd stick out more.

This is pathetic, I thought in my head.

"Hey, you guys wanna get your own table?" I suggested.

"I second that," Chyna said, "the kiddie table."

"C-can I?" asked Hunter. "Will wouldn't let me."

"Will's not here," I swayed.

"Yeah, and he said he at work. You know he ain't leaving work for nothin'," Damian added.

So, Wilson's a workaholic? I don't know if I admire that or resent it. . .

"I don't mind," Malena talked. "My Mom dropped me off to run errands, I usually sit over there alone while my sister works, she's a waitress."

Just as she said that, our waitress came back with our drinks.

"Sorry for the wait," she said, passing out paper straws.

"Malena?" she asked.

"Karina, hey. Mom dropped me off. This is my friend, Hunter, we're just going to sit over there, k?" Malena conversed.

Karina and Malena actually looked just alike it was uncanny, but what are the odds she was waiting our table?

Karina nodded. "Orange soda for you?"

"Yup!" Malena bubbled, taking Hunter's hand.

"Wait," I said aloud, pulling Hunter back.

"What?" he whispered as his girl friend went ahead.

"Stop staring at her chest, you look like an idiot. She has a personality, get to know it. Now, go!"

"Not all heroes wear capes," Chyna breathed out, raising her glass to me as I sat back down.

"Shut up," I laughed.

"--Then I shit myself," Damian amused us at the table.

My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard at him, he's so stupid.

"Unh unh," Chyna sounded, playfully turned off.

We all came down from a fit of laughter when Wilson approached the table.

"Oh, sup, Will?" Damian spoke. Chyna just waved, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

He stood tall over us, smelling like outside, and didn't look happy. Yet, he was still a ten and looked better than the last time our eyes met.

"Where is he?" was the first thing he said instead of a proper greeting.

Damian bobbed his head in the direction of Hunter.

Before Wilson could rain on the kid's parade, Damian said, "Come on, Will, let 'em be. They ain't even get their food, yet."

"Neither did we," Chyna scoffed. She got really testy at restaurants, always expecting top service and had a cow if she got anything less.

"Yeah," I chimed in, "they're just talking."

"He can't do this, we gotta go, he's gonna get in trouble-" Wilson got cut off.

"By who," I asked, sitting back with folded arms and legs. "your parents?"

Damian choked on his drink at that.

With six eyes on him, he cleaned himself up and slid out the booth.

Damian clasped his hands together seeing that Wilson wasn't going in for the handshake.

"Uh, I just remembered I'on even like this place, for real," he made up.

Chyna played along. "Facts, and the food's taking way too long. We should just go."

"Yeah, we out. Uh, see you, bro. Syd," Damian rushed.

"Text me, sis. Bye Will," Chyna talked, leaving.

Tense, Wilson took a seat across from me, not looking pleased about it.

I pursed my lips and just looked at him.

"You lied to me," I spoke up.

"About?"

"Hunter's not your brother. And don't try to say he's like a brother, I mean, a real one."

"Chyna called you 'sis,' she's not your sister," he argued.

"What? That's different. No, you made me believe he was your little brother," I stated.

"It's different," he claimed.

"Yeah," I scoffed.

A minute passed before either of us said anything. And just as Wilson was about to, Karina brought out the food.

"Let me know if you need anything else, okay?" she offered with a smile.

"Thanks, Karina," I beamed, looking over everything.

"Of course," she bubbled. As she turned and walked away, her long, black ponytail swept her mid-back.

I wasn't even hungry anymore.

"Here," I said, pushing a box to Wilson.

"What's this?" he asked, making a face.

"Dinner?"

He opened the plastic top and took a fry, popping it into his mouth.

"Hm," he chewed. "how long 'til I need the antidote?"

I almost laughed.

"It's not poisoned. Damian ordered it for you, he said it's your favorite. He knew you weren't going to leave work," I clarified.

"I did, though," he claimed. "I'm here."

"Barely."

He chuckled, followed by a jaw clench. "I don't need a lecture from you, too."

"Too?" I questioned.

Wilson sighed deeply and sat forward, putting one fist in his hand in front of his mouth.

"How was your day, why'd you kidnap my brother?"

"Not your brother, but, real subtle subject change. I found him at the store, playing hooky. Again."

I saw disappoint cloak Wilson's whole face. In that moment, though he was still Godly nonetheless, he wasn't just a hot guy, but a fully realized human who cared for that little boy.

"I'm sorry I'm giving you such a hard time about Hunter," I opened up. "family isn't just blood, it's whoever is there for you. You're his Chyna."

"Yeah, that," Wilson chuckled. I was just happy to see his wide, bright smile.

"Tennis skirts, indie music, Showgirls, Paris, cheerleading, and Chips-a-hoy with vanilla frosting," I randomly spilled.

Will waved his hand and laughed. "What?"

I popped my shoulders, holding the straw before my lips. "Just things I love. Your turn."

"Okay, okay," he hummed, tapping his knuckles on the table as he thought about his answers.

"Got it?" I rushed.

"Got it," he agreed. "Ready?"

I nodded, excited.

"Alright. Uh, leg day, working on cars, my job, the color blue, Rush Hour Three, and Rice Krispie treats," he listed, impressing me.

"Rush Hour three was filmed in Paris, you know? That's where I wanna go."

"Why Paris?"

I stirred the ice cubes in my water, hesitant to reveal why.

Clearing my throat, I looked down and said, "That's where my parents wanted to retire to."

"They should," he said, oblivious.

"Yeah," I swallowed.

"My brother lives in Paris," Wilson told me.

"Your real brother?" I tested.

He laughed. "Yeah, my real brother. You two would get along, y'all both talk a lot."

"You don't talk enough," I rebutted.

"I do," he said shakily.

I tilted my head. "Eh, not really. You, like, respond."

"That's still talking, right?" he enforced.

Giving him a hard time, I said "no," earning a fry thrown at me.

Hunter coming over saved Wilson from a full fledged food fight.

"What's up?" Wilson asked Hunter.

"Mom just called," he looked scared. "she's on her way to your house to pick me up."

"Shit," Wilson dragged. "Alright, come on, let's go."

I stood with them, wide-eyed, hoping this wasn't the way he'd leave me. Not after all I did for Hunter, I mean.

"But-" I stammered, probably coming off desperate.

"I'll call you," Wilson said to me.

I looked around but remembered my phone died anyway. Karina walked by and I asked for the pen in her hand.

I pressed hard and scribbled my number on Wilson's arm, the part that wasn't covered in tattoos.

I'll admit, he caught me staring at the ink story that made up his sleeve.

Wilson smiled at me holding onto him still.

"Oh," I gasped, stepping back meekly. "see ya."

"I'll call you," he repeated, following Hunter out as I waved.

***

10:14pm

"He'll call," I assured myself, just an hour after seeing him.

I sat on the bed with the lights on in case he would FaceTime instead.

*

11:32pm

"Syd, can you turn off the light?" Chyna groaned in bed.

"No," I barked. "not yet. He's literally about to call me."

"You said that twenty minutes ago," she grumbled, kicking me off the mattress.

*

12:14am

"Good night," I whispered to Chyna. She was already asleep, I kissed her head and rolled off her body to turn off the light.

I went to the bathroom, phone in hand just in case, and began carrying out my nighttime routine. After washing my face with cold water, I applied an Aztec clay mask and put my hair up high in the messiest of buns.

In my pink baby tee and underwear, I spit the toothpaste from my mouth and rinsed out the sink.

That's when my phone rang: an incoming call from an unsaved number.

I so badly wanted to ignore the call, but part of me wanted to pick it up on the first ring.

"Will, hey," I beamed right away.

"Will? Who's Will?" a man asked.

I looked in the camera this time and saw someone I wished I hadnt.

"No, it's me, Donovan," he talked fast. "Listen, it's about Tony-" Nope.

I hung up.

Blinking, in shock, I pushed my phone away on the counter.

My phone rang again, this time another number and on FaceTime.

I was slow to reach for my phone again. If it was Donovan about his client, I planned on threatening them.

On the third ring, I answered but waited for them to speak first as their screen was dark.

"Don't yell at me, I know it's late," a deep voice spoke. Then they turned a light on, revealing their true identity at once.

"Wilson?" I exhaled, not expecting that.

"Yeah," he laughed in the car, "who else calls you this late?"

"Well, I didn't know when you said you'd call me later that you meant after midnight. I'm getting ready for bed."

"I see that, E.T.," he had jokes.

I clicked the light off and went to sit in the corner of the bedroom, trying not to be loud as Chyna was sleep.

"How's hunter, not in a lot of trouble with his parents, I hope?"

"He'll be fine. Now can we talk about me?"

I giggled, playing with my feet in the chair as I waited for Alexa's timer to go off to wipe the mask off.

"Okay, the floor is yours," I voiced.

"I forgot that shit you were talking about," he said, snapping his fingers, "to fall asleep. What was it?"

"Oh, lavender," I remembered. "Can't sleep?"

"I have a problem staying asleep."

"I can never fall asleep."

"And that shit worked?"

"I like to think it does," I hummed.

Wilson didn't say anything, just looked in the camera as I got up to go to the bathroom and wash my face.

"Interesting," he sounded.

"Why are you staring?" I laughed, trying to hide behind the towel.

"Just wanted to see what you looked like without your makeup, didn't see that on your Instagram. And yes, I did stalk you."

I made a face in the camera before killing the lights. "I look like a little boy," I pouted.

Wilson was quiet so I sucked my teeth.

"I hope you weren't waiting for me to disagree, 'cause," he gritted his teeth, joking.

"You're so annoying," I laughed.

"Sydney! Quiet!" Chyna roared, startling me.

Wilson went, "Yeah, Sydney, be quiet, damn."

I dropped my jaw and then apologized to my roomie.

"See, you got me yelled at when you could've just picked me up in the Jeep."

He showed me that he was in another truck instead.

"Well, next time," I stated.

Wilson yawned. "Nah, I want a ride in that Audi. Did I tell you I like cars?"

"Yeah," I bobbed my head, remembering. "you work on them, right?"

"Lil' bit."

"What don't you do?"

"Not much. I'm an astronaut, too," he was boastful with his lie.

"Mm. I fought in World War One."

"Facts, I saw you out there," he said through another yawn.

"Hey, if you're tired, you can hang up. I know you have work."

"Nah, nah, it's good. Sometimes I listen to podcasts to fall asleep; you talk a lot so it's like the same thing," he said, walking inside a house.

"Okay, I'll be your podcast. Tonight's topic?"

"Anything but sex," he said, "I'm saving myself for marriage."

I laughed.

"Why you laughing?" he chuckled, walking me (the phone camera) all throughout his bedroom.

"Oh, sorry. I am, too. That's why I practice the 'A' word," I talked, switching positions in the chair.

"Ah, abstinence?"

"Oh, I meant anal, but let's go with that," I played.

Wilson brought his camera close to make an animated face of disgust in it.

"Hanging up now," he joked.

2:41am

"--yeah," he rasped.

If I hadn't answered the call, I still would've wondered what people talk about on the phone for two hours. I'm glad I did.

I sat on the patio, looking over all the work Wilson put in on my aunt's backyard.

"It's almost done," I said softly, chin on my knee.

"Yeah, it's coming along. Aheh. Why do I feel like... when it's done, you'll be gone?" asked Wilson, lying in bed.

My blinks got slower, longer. "Not quite that fast, but I wish."

"So what, back to LA?"

I hunched my shoulders covered by a throw blanket. "I don't know, yet. I, um, haven't thought up a plan, so."

Shirtless, he shut his eyes, hair a disheveled mess in his face. I stopped and analyzed my screen, studying the features that made his face so easily attractive.

"You need a plan, Syd," he told me.

I stopped for a second to internally scream at the fact that he called me a nickname and how cute it sounded coming from his sleepy voice.

"You sound like my father," I sniffled.

"I sound like my father," Will said, making me laugh through my nose.

"Oh my God, I didn't know it was almost three," I gasped in disbelief of the time.

"Shit, me either," he groaned. "you're lucky I'm awake right now."

"'Lucky', special, same thing," I teased.

He just chuckled and fluffed his pillow to lay on.

I let him sit in silence for a few minutes. Then I called out his name. "Will?"

No answer.

"Good night," I said in a whisper. I stood and dusted my butt off.

The smile never left my face as I carefully made myself a bed on the floor to not wake Chyna.

Once comfortable, I propped my phone up inches from my face and blinked at the camera.

Peaceful, he looked. I wished I could sleep so at ease like that. For me, sleep is when the nightmares came, most nights were restless without pills or watching bright, aimless cartoons first.

10% battery

I almost didn't care, going to let my phone die as I figured we'd be sleep and it didn't matter anyway. But then, I recalled Wilson saying he has difficulty staying asleep and I didn't want him waking up alone. So, I got up in search of my charger. Chyna had it plugged to her phone which was fully charged so I took it, plugging the extension cord in.

When I lied back down, I rolled on my side and saw Wilson awake.

"That's why you need the lavender," I taunted.

He cracked a smile. "Shut up."