Sydney Bay Janes A month later. . .

I sat outside of Delaney's one afternoon waiting for her car to pull up. She made me return my key which phased me none, I was glad to.

I was only there to offer her some company. Outside of my late mother, her clients, and boyfriends, she had no one. That's why I made it a point to stay in contact and at least show my face every once in a while after moving out.

Honestly, I think the move was hard on her. In her time of need she probably needed me. But I had to be selfish this once.

Sitting in the comfort of my air conditioned Audi, I was on FaceTime with Will.

He was at the gym, in the lockerroom fooling around.

"GOOB!" I yelled to get his attention back.

Once he came down from a fit of laughter, he went "Huh?"

"How long have you been there?" I asked him, chin on my knee.

"Uh, two hours, like two?" he answered, unsure.

"Two," I heard Damian's voice boom in the background.

"Yeah, two," Will let me know.

"Hey, D-Dawg," I giggled in the camera.

"Hey Nene," he twinkled.

I smiled, returning my attention back to a shirtless Will -- or Goob-- who was flexing in the mirror.

"Taking more thirst traps, hm?" I teased.

"Facts," he clucked, repositioning himself.

I shook my head and switched hands I held my phone in.

"Can you come over tonight and help me move the furniture finally?"

"Uhh," he dragged out, sitting the phone in the locker as he wiped his sweaty skin down with a towel.

"Will," I hissed, getting irritated. I just knew an excuse was coming.

"No, I'll be there," he promised. "at like seven, though. I gotta do something--"

"For Hunter, yeah, yeah," I grumbled, assuming.

"Not this again," he complained, putting his gallon of water down.

I sat up and sighed, looking out the tinted window. Still no Delaney.

"It's whatever, Will," I stressed.

I just watched as he muted me to catch up with the guys, laughing.

Annoyed, I didn't hang up, but scrolled down my timelines.

After a few minutes, Will was in his Jeep.

"Syd?" he called out.

I ignored him despite internally screaming at how cute "Syd" sounded coming from him.

"SYDNEY!"

"What? I'm here," I barked, returning to the camera.

He smiled and took a screenshot of us.

When I didn't say anything cute back or appreciative, he blinked in the camera.

"Are you mad at me, because I feel like you're mad at me?" he animated his voice.

"No," I whined, playing in my hair. "I'm just so annoyed because, like, you're at the gym right now and we could've been together all morning."

Will put on his glasses and made a face. "Dude, I literally tried to call you to run errands with me and you were doing your hair. What are you doing now?"

"Waiting for Delaney."

"Oh," he voiced. "How's she?"

"Fine, I guess. I'm about to see."

"Did I tell you she hit on me the other day?"

I blinked, baffled. "You know you didn't tell me that, Will."

He drank more water then said, "Yeah, I cut the grass or whatever and she was just on some other shit, I dunno. It was how she looked at me and she was being way too nice."

"So she's a cougar, that's something? Oh, she just pulled up. I'll see you when?" I quizzed, unfastening my seatbelt.

"Tomorrow," he acted dumb, nodding like he was sure of his answer.

"Will-" I exhaled, trying not to laugh at him.

"I'm playing. Seven."

"Don't be late again," I snarled, getting out.

"That was, like, one time," he claimed, driving.

"Try five. Bye, Goob. Seven."

"Eight, gotchu," Will joked again, ending the call.

I watched my phone, waiting.

'DING!' Aha, a text, just as I suspected. From Will, it read:

ok for real, 7

Seeing Delaney's car pull wildly into the driveway, I put my phone away and met her at the front door.

She put little to no effort into her appearance, wearing a pair of paint-coated clogs, ratty unwashed hair, and distressed denim skirt.

"Hey," I spoke first.

With a quick glance, she said, "Hello," and pushed open the door.

I walked in after her and looked around at what she'd done with the place.

The house once filled with plants now reeked of cigarettes and coffee. Mail on the dinner table was in a stack that had to be at least seven inches high, it was leaning.

"What have you been up to?" I asked from the filthy kitchen. Dishes went unrinsed, left with food on them and there was something deadly coming from the overflowing trashcan.

Covering my nose, I leapt into the living room where Delaney sat on the arm of the couch and lit a cigarette.

She never answered my question, just glared at me.

After blowing smoke my direction, she sniffled.

"You came here for what?"

I was taken aback. "To see you?"

"And fuck me over some more?"

I blinked in confusion. "What are you-"

"You drive my man away and think, what, you did me a favor? Then can't even have balls to stay and clean up the mess you made?"

"Excuse me, I drove him away? He has a family, and treated you like shit. Not to mention how uncomfortable he made me," I yelled.

"You knew what you were doing with your tits all out and those skimpy outfits," she upbraided, getting in my face.

I took a step back, catching a whiff of her body odor.

I knew Delaney was man-crazy, but this was a whole new level of pathetic.

Her eyes started welling up, I could see how hurt she was on the inside. Her issues were beyond me, there was something mentally she needed professional help for.

"I hope you heal," I went out with.

At the door, Delaney called out my name.

"How's Wilson?" she asked me.

I stopped and looked over my shoulder at her.

"Young love, it's beautiful. You know him well? He know you, all your secrets?" Delaney mused, pulling the cigarette.

She almost got a rise out of me but I told myself she would never do such a thing, that's just evil and not her place. I was witnessing her have a psychotic break, she'd be back to herself in time - not that her "normal" self is a saint, either.

8:31 pm

Sitting at the antique white Safavieh Tia modern rectangular four person dining table, I exhaled through my nose and finally braced myself to check the time on my phone. And by "finally" I meant for the sixteenth time since seven o'clock.

"Where is he?" I huffed, speaking to myself.

I shook my head, feeling stupid for thinking he'd care to show up on time, or at all.

I got up from the table -- the only other furniture I had set up and took pride in besides my bedroom-- and threw his meal away. I wasn't the best cook unless I followed a recipe exactly, and had forgotten to take out any meat to cook. So, as a nice little call back, I ordered out. I figured we could do Raising Cane's since Wilson introduced me to it and I knew his order.

"Fast food doesn't taste good microwaved, anyway," I told myself to feel better about wasting the food. Although, I did save his lemonade.

Then my eyes aligned with the air-fryer on the counter.

I pulled my lips into a straight line and bit that one. I suppose 'the Caniac combo' could've been saved in the air-fryer. Well, too late now.

Bored, I picked up the steps to our upcoming dance.

I twirled in the middle of the hardwood floor, humming out the lyrics.

My phone vibrated in my hand, a text from Miranda to our 'Fidelity events' group chat that read:

found a dope spot for our next event! meet me there this weekend for drinks???

Before I could fix my fingers to reply, there was a knock at the door.

I didn't know if I wanted it to be Wilson, or not, anymore.

Putting my phone down, I went to answer the door.

Already knowing, I just let him in.

"I'm here," he greeted, chuckling like he's so cute.

"You're late," I gave him grief.

"Don't say it," he gritted.

I rolled my eyes. "Again."

"Ah, you said it," he groaned.

Wilson then entered with my exposed back turned to him.

"You look pretty," Wilson tried to say.

I looked down at myself. "I'm wearing sweatpants."

"Beautiful," he played, smiling his way out of trouble.

With my arms folded, Will hugged me, squeezing tight.

"It's almost nine o'clock, Will," I grumbled. "you promised."

I broke out of his arms and stomped away to blow out the candles that were almost burned out anyway, that's how late he was.

"I know, I just got caught up with Hunter; I'm tryna teach him how to drive-"

"Whatever," I sighed, holding my hair back as I blew out the pink sands-scented candle.

Wilson grabbed me from behind and waddled me over to the couch, pulling me onto his lap.

"Stop, Will," I whined, annoyed.

He kissed my cheek and just chuckled. "Come on, Syd. I'm here, right?"

I stopped squirming enough to say, "That's not the point, Will, you don't care!"

He let me go and flailed his tattooed arms. "I really don't wanna do this again."

I stomped a foot in a mini tantrum and folded both arms over my chest in the white baby tee. "Do what, Wilson?"

Head thrown back, Will groaned and said, "This. Sorry I'm late, I had to pick Anna up from work but she took another table so Hunter and I just grabbed something to eat-"

Anna, Anna, Anna. Hunter, Hunter, Hunter. Give me a break.

"What about me, is it too much to ask for some of your time, too?" I asked, almost begged.

When Will didn't say anything, only yawned big, I dropped my shoulders.

"Don't answer that," I lamented, fearing I wouldn't like his honest reply.

Ignoring the whole prior exchange, I collected myself and began unboxing - what I called Will over for in the first place.
He was supposed to help rearrange things but since he was late, I did the living room myself. I didn't plan on keeping it as is but I was tired with an aching back.

I put my hair up with an acrylic hair claw and bent over to grab some decorations from the cardboard.

A nostalgic smile stretched across my lips as I revealed a family portrait. We looked so happy, my dad, mom, and I.

It was Easter, my mom was big on it. She loved history, even if Dad said it was all made up - the bible.

God, I had the cutest pastel purple v-neck sweater vest on and pigtails. My mother, gosh, just the biggest, brightest smile ever. I remembered how she used to swear by Crest white strips, she'd yell at me when I tried to use them myself. And my father, he never looked at the camera. That or he made the craziest faces, my mom would have to yell at him. Family photos would take forever because we were so dysfunctional, but in the best way.

Before, you'd rarely see anything highlight the memory of my parents. I had one photo I kept framed by my bed always, but I had so many more great pictures.
Since I had my own place now, I decided to hang one on the wall.

I hardly knew what I was doing but it's just a hammer and nail, how hard could it be?

Feeling triumphant after I hung the photo, I stepped back and smiled. Wasn't perfect, but I did it myself and loved it in the dead center of the living room wall.

Will then walked up on my side. I didn't have to look his way to know he was smacking on my leftover crinkle-cut fries.

"It's crooked," Wilson said, wiping the grin from my rosy face.

That set me off. I stormed to my room and got right in bed.

It's not his fault, he doesn't know about my situation, but it was perfect to me. And, hell, he should've did it, anyway, he's the man. I did ask for his help, after all.

Light shone in the dark bedroom and I knew it was just Wilson, coming to be the little spoon per usual.

I tossed onto my side and pulled the blanket over my head and face.

"Syd," he talked low, shaking my body. "I'm gonna go, okay?"

So not what I expected.

He can't even cuddle me, he's sucks at this dating thing, I thought in my head.

Perhaps I'm a needy brat, just longing for his attention, but I hated that I had to fight for a spot in his life. Hunter comes first, he's made that clear, and as a result - Anna. Then, his job, Damian, and finally his parents. I wondered where that left me. . .

Wilson, at this rate, is going to burn out and I don't know if I'll stick around to be a casualty when he does.