Time

Four

My heart instantly dropped, I tried really hard not to look disappointed, but that wasn’t easy. I thought back on the way Roger acted the past two nights, I never would have guessed that he was seeing anyone. Actually, I guess I could, he was an amazing guy that any woman would be lucky to have. But to think that I was starting to fall for this guy, this guy that belonged to someone else, someone that I could tell was much better than me. I began to wonder, “Did Roger really care for me? The things he said, his mannerisms, were they real? Did he feel the same way I did at any point, or was this all an act?” It hurt a little thinking about that, my mind began to wander away, but I got shot back down to reality, “Well, are you going to let me in or not?” Judy said.

 I took a deep breath, “Oh! I’m sorry,” I said and stepped out of the way.

“Little too much to drink last night?” she said, I could feel her judging me, and I didn’t like it. I nodded at her and faked a smile, “typical Syd…” she said rolling her eyes. She walked past me, and kind of had a disgusted look on her face. I watched her walk over to Roger, she went over and sat where I was sitting not even ten minutes ago, “hey, baby, wake up. Roger, wake up,” she whispered in his ear. He breathed in deeply and started to wake up. He stretched his arms and back and groggily muttered, “Mmmm… Me-” he opened his eyes and looked very surprised, “Judy,” he said quickly, “what are you doing here, darling?”

“I came by to check on you, you weren’t home and Nick said that you were here. I was worried and I-” she suddenly stopped and looked at me very coldly, then snapped at me, “Do you mind giving us a little privacy?” I was shocked that she had the nerve to say such a thing to someone she hardly knew, Roger seemed a little appalled as well, “Judy, please honey, she’s just-“

“No, Roger” I said, “I’ll just go back to Syd’s room.” He looked a little surprised and wasn’t completely aware of what just happened. I wasn’t sure exactly where Syd’s room was, but as I walked down the small hall, out of sight, I heard Roger say, “You didn’t have to snap at her like that, you know.”

“Oh, Roger,” Judy replied, “She’s one of Syd’s girls, we’re never going to see her again, what does it matter?”

            I opened the first door down the hall and it was the bathroom, so tried the next door and it was empty. I tried the final door at the end of the hallway and there was Syd, sitting on his bed, sketching. “Oh, hey Meg,”

“Hi,” I said, “mind if I hide out in here for awhile?”

“Not at all, what are ya hiding from? Roger can be pretty scary in the morning.”

I chuckled a little, “no, it’s not Roger… it’s his girlfriend, Judy.”

Syd’s mouth became the shape of an ‘O’ and then quickly turned into a grin, which turned into a laugh, “oh yes, you better watch out for her, she’s a feisty one.”

“I’m so embarrassed,” I admitted, “I had no idea he was… unavailable I guess.”

Syd put down his sketchbook and patted his bed as a signal for me to sit down next to him, “Oh, Meg. I’m sorry, Roger isn’t normally like this, but, I mean, he does like to have fun.”

“But why would you do that if you’re in a relationship with someone?” I asked, still very confused by the whole situation.

“Do you want to know my honest opinion?” Syd asked, I nodded my head, he continued, “I think Judy is wrong for him, she is very proper, and very uptight. She’s really strict with Roger and a tad over-protective, kind of like his mother is. It’s strange though, even his mother want him to find some one ‘more fun’ than Judy. But, you know, they were childhood sweet-hearts, so he’s got a place for her. However, I do think he get sick of her sometimes.”

“Well, she didn’t seem to care too much for me,” I said shaking my head.

“Well, what did she say to you?”

“She just… kept looking me over and mentioned something like it was apparent I had too much to drink last night…”

“Darling,” Syd interrupted, “I’d hate to break it to you, but you do look like you went through hell and back.”

“Thank you for that, Syd,” he nodded and had a smug look on his face, I continued, “… and she assumed that I slept with you.”

“Well, I am the only one who lives here,” he protested.

“… and when she snapped at me, Roger defended me, and she said ‘she’s one of Syd’s girls, we’ll never see her again.’”

“Awe…” Syd said wrapping his arm around me, “you poor thing, come here.” He said hugging me, holding me close to his chest, “I’d love to see you around more, you’re a sweet girl.”

            Syd and I sat on the floor of his bedroom for the next hour or so talking about everything. I loved the way he saw the world, and wish I still had that innocence and joy in everyday thing. “I can see us becoming great friends,” he said, “come here,” he reached out and gave me another hug, and at that moment the door flew open, Syd loosened his grip on me and I turned around to see Roger standing in the hallway, looking rather confused. “Okay,” he said, “what the hell happened last night.”