Slowly (Sydney Novak x reader)

I want to know you

I stood there in shock. 'I barely even know her. There's no way I could have feelings for her.'
I walked home and walked straight into my room, ignoring my mom and Liam. I sat down on my bed and put my head in my hands.
'I can't have feelings for her. I don't know her.'
I felt like absolute shit.

"Syd?"
Liam came into my room, he looked worried about me. "Hey, goob."
"Are you okay? You look upset. You can talk to me."
"I'm okay. I'm just...dealing with some stuff. You know, love stuff." I dragged out the last two words to make him laugh. He smiled. "You know, Syd, I can help you out. I might not know much but I could definitely listen." I smiled at him and patted the spot next to me for him to sit down.
"Well...I like someone. I think. I don't know." "Why don't you know?"
"Because I don't really know them." I didn't wanna tell him that it was a girl. I know he won't care but it still scares me. "Well, get to know them. Besides, maybe you do like them and you'll like them more as you guys become closer. You just gotta try, Syd."

He was right. I do need to get to know her better but I didn't know how to go about that. Plus, with the psycho jealousy from earlier, I don't know how to approach her.
"You're right. Thanks, goob."

I went back to Stan's to talk to him about it, too
"Well, shit. Syd you could've just told me. You know I would've hooked you up."
"I don't want you to 'hook me up'. I want you to help me figure out how to talk to her." "Well, you guys talk already. She spent the night and you guys talked then."
"It's not the same. We talked about a lot that night but more like what's going on in our lives right now and stupid shit. We didn't talk about her family or hobbies or anything like that."
Stan sat down on the couch and started to think. "Okay, so maybe ask her that? Just be forward. What's the worst that could happen?"
"She could say no. Maybe she's not comfortable with that."
"She won't be." "How do you know that."
"Just trust me."

So, I stupidly did. I went back to the market to see her. "Syd?" I walked over to her and waved. 'Okay, be cool. You're fucking cool.'
"Are you okay?" She stared at me with a concerned look. 'Say something. Come on. Form words. ANYTHING.'
"I'm dandy."
'I hate myself.'
"Okay?" She laughed. 'Ask her to hangout. Come on, Sydney, you got this.'
"Umm, so, do you want to hangout tonight? At the bowling alley?" I felt nervous asking her, I didn't know how she would feel about hanging out so many times in a week when we just met. Well, reconnected? I don't know. I don't remember us meeting. I wish I did.
'Please say yes.'
"Sure, I'll head there when I get off. I get off at 9." "Cool, I'll see you then." I walked out of the market.

Y/n POV
I sat down at the register.
I wonder if she really doesn't remember us meeting. I could never forget it even if I never saw her family.

I walked into the diner and sat down at the bar. I ordered a burger and fries and then took out my book. As I read, I looked up at one of the waitresses who approached me. I talked to them a lot since I came here often. As we talked, I noticed a new woman working. They introduced me to her and she said hello and told me she had a daughter my age. "Her name is Sydney, she's your age. She's actually sitting over there in the booth."
I turned around and saw her sitting by herself listening to music and eating some fries. "Maybe you could go sit with her? I'd like if she could meet someone her age to be friends with. I know it can be tough in a new town."
"Sure." I walked over to her booth. "Hi, umm, can I sit with you?" She looked confused. "Sure..."
I sat down and looked at her. I noticed she had freckles. 'Cute.'
"I'm y/n. Your mom said you guys are new to town." "Yeah, we are. I'm Sydney."
"It's nice to meet you. So, how are you liking it so far?" "It's fine, I guess. It's not the best."
"Yeah, it's pretty shit. I'm not a fan." She laughed. "Yeah, it fucking sucks." We both laughed. She looked down at her hands on the table and played with her fingers. I stared at her with a smile on my face. She was so pretty. Her smile was beautiful. When she looked up at me, I looked down so she wouldn't feel creeped out by my staring. 'I hope we can be friends.'

"I have to go. I gotta get home soon." I told her as I stood up with my book. "Oh, okay. I'll see you around?" "Hopefully. I don't go to the school here but maybe around town?"
"I'll look out for you. Bye." I waved goodbye to her, gave her a smile and left the diner. I didn't realize that was the only time I'd ever speak to her until a while later.

I sighed and dropped my head into my hands. 'Maybe I'm just weird for remembering us meeting. It was a while ago.'

I went to the bowling alley after work. It was empty so I figured they were closed. As I was about to go back to my car, Sydney came out. "Hey! Come in!" I went inside and saw her and Stanley. I've seen him around town but I've never spoken to him. "Isn't it closed?" "Yeah but Stan is fine with us here while he closes up."
I looked over at him. I don't even know when they close this place.
"Hiiiii, nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you, too." He came over to shake my hand. Syd and I sat down at a table and she looked nervous for some reason.
"Umm, so, I realized we don't know a lot about each other." "Oh, yeah, you're right. Well what do you wanna know?" I asked her. "Anything, really. I just wanna know you better."
So, I told her whatever I could. My favorite things, my hobbies, my family, anything that could give her an impression of who I am.

Sydney's POV
She told me everything. I don't know why I was so nervous. Isn't that like a normal thing to ask? Especially if you're new friends? I don't know. But I do know that her confiding in me made me feel happier than I have been these last few months.

I wonder how I tell her about me, because that's a whole shit show.