The Streets Transcript

> "So...where am I dropping him off?" Nadia avoids speaking directly to Zach, instead opting for asking Sydney.
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> Sydney shrugs in response. "I don't know, actually. Where are we taking you?" She turns to face Zach, eyebrows slightly furrowed.
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Jerith Walker

> "Um--" Zach gives clear directions. Pauses. "This is really nice of you. Thank you."
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Maya Rice

> Nadia simply shrugs and continues to drive, remaining silent.
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> "So," Sydney turns slightly toward Zach. "You're a sophomore too, aren't you?"
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Jerith Walker

> He looks startled for a moment, but his expression quickly settles into a smile as he nods. He's turned to face her as well, but is careful not to stare too much.
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Maya Rice

> Syd's lips quirk up into a smile at how quiet he's being. She wouldn't have thought that someone willing to do what he'd done to Kaleb would have been so reserved.
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> "What classes are you in? We might have something together."
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Jerith Walker

> "Um--" he looks down, away from her when he feels himself blushing. Hopes she doesn't see.
> He names the one class they have together, not about to tell her that he's memorized her schedule.
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Maya Rice

> Sydney is a bit surprised that he's able to list the class off so easily. Maybe they had met before and she just didn't remember him well enough.
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> "Hmm," she mumbles. "I guess I should pay better attention in class, then," she laughs a bit. "Honestly, I probably couldn't name half of the people in that class even if I was held at gunpoint. There are way too many students in there for one teacher to handle."
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Jerith Walker

> "Yeah." he still isn't directly looking at her, but holds his smile. "Ms. Carter looked like she was about to fall down from stress today."
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Maya Rice

> Sydney laughs again, nodding in agreement. "I bet her hair will start falling out soon enough. She'll have to retire halfway through the year."
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Jerith Walker

> His spirits lift at her laugh. He chuckles in response. "That would be a shame." Back to not knowing what to say and feeling crushing shyness.
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Maya Rice

> Sydney, sensing his shyness, allows for a period of silence. She's sure that she could get him to talk more if she really tried, but she doesn't want to force him.
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> Nadia arrives at Zach's stop first. "We're here, kid," she says, turning around to look at Syd and Zach.
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Jerith Walker

> He had just thought of something to say when Nadia speaks up. "Oh." pauses. "Th-Thank you again." he opens the car door. Had this been his only opportunity to talk with her directly?
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Maya Rice

> Before Zach fully exits the car, Syd reaches across the back seat and grabs a hold of his wrist.
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> "Hey," she says, looking up at him. "I'm really glad you stepped in and saved my ass today." She grins. "I mean, I totally could have taken him on my own, but..." Syd shrugs. "If you ever need anything, just come and find me."
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Jerith Walker

> "Yeah! I-It was no problem." he had met her gaze for several seconds, but now looks away again. In a quieter voice, "It was an honor."
> And he's screwing this up. She'll think he's weird. Why can't he talk right, just for a bit, just long enough to show her that he isn't a freak?
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Maya Rice

> Luckily for Zach, Syd finds his slightly awkward nature to be endearing. She releases her hold of his wrist, nodding and smiling. "I guess I'll see you around, then. Bye, Zach."
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Jerith Walker

> Smiles more, lifts a hand. "B-bye!" mentally beats himself up for stuttering so much.
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Maya Rice

> Once Zach has closed the door and exited the car, Nadia mutters, "There's something off about that kid."
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> Sydney pouts, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around the driver's seat despite Nadia's grumbled protests. "He's not a kid. He's the same age as I am."
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> Nadia rolls her eyes. "You're also a kid." She shakes her head, sighing a bit. "You can't tell me that you don't think he's a bit strange."
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> "Yeah," Syd says, shrugging and leaning back. "He definitely is. But he helped me out."
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> "What did he help you out with, exactly?"
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> Syd, now having the whole back seat to herself, stretches out her legs. "You know Kaleb, right?"
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> "That kid who always looks like he's been awake for a few days straight?"
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> "Yeah, that's him," Syd confirms. "Anyway, he came up to me today, started acting like a major dick." She frowns, remembering their conversation. "Eventually he got a little too pushy. He shoved me to the ground, actually."
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> "What?" Nadia interrupts, voice sharp.
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> "It's whatever, Dia."
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> "He pushed you to the ground," she huffs. "If I see him again I'll have to kick his little scrawny ass."
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> "Well I would have," Sydney continues. "But Zach showed up out of nowhere and took care of him for me."
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> Nadia falls silent for a bit, a small frown on her face. Eventually she says, "Don't you think it's a little concerning that he was so ready to fight someone?"
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> "You just said you would have kicked his ass!"
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> "Because I know you, because you're my friend. It sounded like you'd never even spoken to this kid before."
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> Syd frowns, tossing her head back with a sigh. "Whatever. I'm grateful that he was there."
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> Nadia's frown intensifies, but she says nothing else, simply continuing to drive until she reaches Sydney's house.
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> "Sydney --" Nadia starts to say, but Syd has opened the door and fled from her car before she has a chance to continue. She watches her leave with a worried expression, shaking her head and sighing before slowly driving away.
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Jerith Walker

> Shanelle had figured that Nova deserved a break. She caught herself monopolizing the situation, and decided that she didn't want to impede on Nova's chance at a good time.
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> She wipes a couple tears from her eyes, but distracts herself enough to prevent more from coming. She'd done enough of THAT today.
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> Once she's on the bus, she starts texting a couple other people to help with distraction. Sydney, and a cousin of hers. She feels a stab of gratification when she sees that Sydney doesn't have a date yet; that means she isn't the only one, and the blame isn't all on her. However, she quickly regrets the way she expresses this, and the conversation turns sour. She decides she's done messaging her.
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> She leaves the messaging app and pulls up her music, sticking in some ear buds and leaning her head against the window, closes her eyes.
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> She swipes away the first two messages. But they keep coming.
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> Ugh.
> She turns off her phone, not really feeling great at all.
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> What else can she do, if she doesn't have her music?
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> She can think about what the hell she's going to do for Homecoming.
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> There's Jin...she'd already started something with him. Should she do more? Push up her breasts more? Linger around him, be flirtatious? Do whatever it takes to catch his attention.
> She's NOT desperate enough to ask /him/, nope.
> So...she's just gotta wait until he asks her!
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> If he ever does.
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> Her appearance. Is that why no one's asked her? Is something wrong with her appearance?
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> She pulls the mirror out from her purse and flips it open.
> Her eyebrows are all wrong. They need fixing.
> Damned poor family being unable to afford real beauty care!
> It isn't fair.
> She flips the mirror closed again.
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> Re-opens it, goes back to staring at herself.
> Her cheeks are pudgy, her skin is a gross shade of yellow-brown-peach, she's gross and unattractive and--she closes the mirror a second time before she can make herself too worked up.
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> Puts it away and resists the urge to text Nova asking if she's pretty; it will seem self-centered and fishing, and the reassurance won't help, anyway.
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> All right...what to do now?
> She pulls out her phone again. Turns it on, goes to temporarily block text notifications from Sydney, then starts playing some game.
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Jerith Walker

After several moments of silence, Zach decides he ought to finish up a quick assignment.
He swings his backpack onto his lap, unzips it, and pulls out a class folder.

Maya Rice

Sydney, noticing that Zach is busying himself with schoolwork, decides to talk to Juli. She doesn't want to distract him, after all. Shifting far enough forward so that she can rest her head on the back of Juliette's seat, Syd asks, "So you're still coming with us, right? To the party?"

"Mmm," Juli mutters, focusing on driving.

"Mmm?" Syd laughs. "What's that supposed to mean, Juli?"

"...Yeah," She responds with a shrug. "I guess I am."

Jerith Walker

He can't help but listen, not when it's Sydney talking.
And he shames himself for it, knowing that eavesdropping is a bit creepy, despite them all being in the same car.

· Reply · 14 October 2016 at 22:23

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Maya Rice "I'm assuming you aren't dressing up?" Syd says. It comes out as more of a statement than a question.

"Why would I?"

"Because you could have over half of the boys at this party staring at you if you did? Even the ones with dates."

Juli doesn't respond, simply staring on ahead at the road.

"Or, you know, all of the girls." Sydney adds.

Juliette sighs. "I know that's what /you/ want, Syd, but I'm perfectly happy just going the way I am right now."

· Reply · 14 October 2016 at 22:34

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Jerith Walker Zach forces himself to focus on his homework.

· Reply · 14 October 2016 at 22:47

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Maya Rice Syd is distracted by her phone vibrating. She pulls it out, curious as to who is texting her, and -- ooh. Well, this was a change. Her last conversation with Nova through text messages had been nearly two months ago. Sydney considers for a few moments before sending a response, feeling happy that Nova had come to her for advice.

· Reply · 14 October 2016 at 22:56

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Jerith Walker He manages to continue to focus.

Maya Rice

Juli continues to drive, occasionally chatting with Syd. She doesn't bother trying to speak to Zach, figuring that Sydney would find a way to bring him into the conversation if she wanted to include him.

Eventually, after a bit of time spent driving, Juliette arrives at Syd's house. She pulls up into the driveway and parks her car, turning back to look at Sydney.

"Do you want us to come in or wait out here? I'm assuming you're going to take --"

Syd is already exiting the car. "Just come inside. You two can wait downstairs, find something to chat about."

Maya Rice Syd shakes her head in response to Zach, able to see the time displayed on the clock in Juliette's car. "We still have some time," she responds.

· Reply · 16 October 2016 at 15:20

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Jerith Walker "I assume we'll be arriving early, then?" he rests his arm on his lap and looks over at her.

· Reply · 16 October 2016 at 15:22

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Maya Rice "Maybe a little bit," Sydney says. "Though I'm sure there will be people there already." She snorts. "Everyone tries to rush there to take advantage of all the alcohol before it runs out."

Juli laughs from the front seat. "Is that why I'm taking you here early?"

Syd smiles mischievously. "Maaaybe..."

· Reply · 16 October 2016 at 15:25

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Andrew Gaidry Red snickered. "God..." He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Pretty sure my dad would be very against a pre-marriage pregnancy, so I'm afraid your dad is going to have to wait if he wants heirs to the castle." He chuckled softly, but his tone certainly matched Cecily's in enthusiasm. He definitely understood the parental pressure.

· Reply · 16 October 2016 at 15:32

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Maya Rice "Thank god for your father," Cecily responds, pausing a moment after, realizing what she's just said. She starts to laugh, trying to settle down and focus on driving.

· Reply · 16 October 2016 at 15:37

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Andrew Gaidry Red laughed wholeheartedly at that as well. God. After managing to stifle his laughter to quiet giggles he rests his elbow on the windowframe and peers out the window.

· Reply ·  · 16 October 2016 at 15:44

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Jerith Walker Zach shifts, worried about the inclusion of alcohol. Of course, this IS a high school party.
His mind flits back to his parents, but returns to Sydney soon after. His parents don't pay enough attention to him for that to be a problem.
He's coming along to make sure Syd's protected, so...he'll make sure to follow her and keep any boys from taking advantage of her while tipsy or drunk.

· Reply · 16 October 2016 at 15:47

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Andrew Gaidry Red pulls out his phone and types out a quick message.