Calling To The Night

Chapter Eight: Connection

The safe house was quiet in the early morning hours. Jake sat alone at the kitchen counter waiting patiently for the sounds of running water to cease.

After arriving back the others heavily implied that they should wash the smell of sewage off before it becomes a permanent addition to the already rundown looking safehouse; to which Jake wholeheartedly agreed.

He grabbed his phone and checked for the time. It had been exactly one hour since their successful heist had been completed. Jake sighed in frustration and sat his phone down. "How long does it take to freaking shower?"

He looked towards the cots and saw Clover completely passed out with a book in her hand. Jake wondered how long it would be until he got the chance to blissfully fall asleep in his bed.
                                 ---
Water circled the drain as a torrent of liquid poured down on Sydney while she sat on the shower floor. She brought her legs in close and slumped her head gently on her knees as she contemplated the evenings successful event.

This had been possibly the most fun she's had on a stealth mission since joining the gang and she couldn't figure out why. The job went without a hitch and yet she was annoyed.

The Aussie lifted her head and let the warm water rain down on her face. She pushed her hair back and tilted her head to the side to allow the water to reach her neck. She opened her eyes slowly and stared at the wall.

"Why can't I shake this feeling?" She said softly. Sydney slowly stood and turned the water off. She reached for a towel and made her way to the small mirror and sink.

She placed her hand on the mirror and gently wiped away the condensation the had accumulated. The Aussie stared at herself for a moment before the mirror fogged up again. "Guess I can't ask you why I feel this way, huh?"

What the hell is bugging me so damn much about tonight? She thought curiously as she finished drying herself off. Sydney slipped on her sleeping shorts and oversized t-shirt before looking back into the mirror.

"We got in, stole all we could bag, and left without tripping the bloody alarm. Why are you so annoyed?" She said to herself in the mirror. Sydney brought up her brush and started cleaning her teeth. "Jakesh plan made ush lotsh of money tonight." She said in the middle of brushing.

Her eyes widened as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Jake. It's him that's annoying her so much.

Being nice and offering gum to her. Helping relieve the slight burn she received from the sparks. Complimenting her on just about every idea she came up with.

He chooses to be nice to me even though I'm nothing but mean to him. But why does this bother me so badly? The Aussie thought. Sydney had always acted harsh and rude to the people she considered friends; but that's because everyone she's ever met acted that way to her. Except for him.

"He's not afraid to throw a bit of banter my way, but he always goes out of his way to be just as nice to me..." Sydney threw her towel on the floor and frowned. "It's just too good to be true."
                                 ---
The bathroom door swung open and steam poured out into the foyer. Jake lifted his head as footsteps came towards him. Sydney calmly walked to the kitchen counter and sat across the bearded heister.

"It's about damn time. You were in there for an hour!" Jake said in frustration. Sydney just looked at Jake and was unable to find anything to say.

Jake looked back at the Aussie in confusion as to why she didn't reply to him. "Well, I guess it's not too big a deal. You probably just fell asleep in there." He said with a chuckle.