"Vaughn, I'm really sorry. I can't come. It's just… uh, my dad's being a bastard. And… I don't know, don't be mad. Please. I just… can't come. How about next weekend? Um… just call me and let me know. No guarantees that I'll answer, but whatever. Sorry again. Um, bye."

Vaughn frowned, lowering the phone from his ear. That could not have been Sydney. Dear God, tell him that hadn't been Sydney. Setting his jaw, he ended the call and then called his voicemail again intent on listening to the message again.

It didn't change. Not one word.

She had really cancelled on him.

Was it normal to feel so disappointed and abandoned? Yes, he supposed it was. Especially when the girl you like does it.

He couldn't believe that she'd canceled on him. This wasn't just a friendly get together at the mall. This was school related. No, this was school based and she had canceled on him. Sydney would never cancel school work related plans. Not unless something was really wrong.

Which made him wonder, was there?

He knew her well enough to know that if it had been an emergency, something including the hospital, or Eric in any way, then she would have told him. But she never mentioned that. Just that 'her dad was being a bastard'. So, in Sydney speak, what did that mean? It could mean a lot of things to be honest.

Vaughn tapped his finger on the table he sat at absentmindedly, trying to decide what to do for the rest of the afternoon. Spending the afternoon at the mall unless he either had something to buy –which he didn't- or someone to be with did not sound like very much fun. But then again, it was better than going back home and being bored there.

This was certainly a pickle of a situation.

Exhaling slowly, he stood up, grabbing his soda with his right hand and gazing around the food court. Kid screaming in the corner about the lack of a toy in his food. A group of chatting girls, laughing over something. A couple of soccer moms were talking over a much deserved break from their kids and husbands. The entire food court was alive with activity, except for maybe him. He was still trying to figure out what was going on with Sydney.

"Vaughn?"

He knew that voice. "Francie?" He asked, turning towards the source of the voice and sure enough, there was Francie, and surprisingly, Nadia. Both girls smiled at him; Nadia waved a little. "What are you two doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Francie replied, adjusting her purchase bags. "You hate the mall."

"I don't hate it," Vaughn defended.

Francie raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

Vaughn sighed. "Alright, yes, I hate it here."

"Then why are you here?" Nadia asked curiously.

Vaughn hesitated. How would it sound to tell her two best friends that she'd ditched him at the food court because her dad was 'being a bastard'? Probably not very good. "You know," He shrugged.

"No, I really don't," Francie replied bluntly.

Vaughn sighed again, giving her a look. "I felt like coming here for some reason," He lied.

"Couldn't have something to do with that photo project you and Sydney are supposed to do together could it?" Nadia asked slyly.

Vaughn looked at her sharply. Did she have to sound so… happy about that? It wasn't funny. Maybe to her it was, but it wasn't to him. Not even a little. "You know about that?"

"Well, we did ask her to go shopping with us today," Francie answered before Nadia could. "She said that she was going to be with you today, doing photo stuff." She shrugged a little.

"And you've got your camera," Nadia pointed out. "That kind of gave it away."

Vaughn glanced at the camera bag that he had slung over his shoulder. He had completely forgotten about that. "Oh, so I do. Imagine that."

"So is Syd coming?" Francie asked, excited at the prospect at having her best shopping buddy there. Nadia was great and all, but she couldn't stop Francie from spending all of her money she didn't need and didn't even like that much to begin with and only wanted because it was on sale.

Vaughn hesitated before shaking his head. "Nope."

"Why not?" the two girls chorused.

He shrugged. "She didn't really give an answer."

"You talked to her?" Francie asked earnestly.

"No," Vaughn shook his head. "She left me a message."

"Because you didn't feel like answering your phone?" Francie asked, staring at him.

"Or it was on silent and I didn't feel it," He replied in the same tone.

Francie glowered at him. "Then what the hell good are you?"

"What she means is, that she hasn't talked to any of us all weekend," Nadia interrupted quickly. "And I think Francie wanted to know if she said anything to you as to why that would be."

Vaughn considered it for a moment. He was pretty sure that Sydney wouldn't mind if he gave her friends the same reason she had given him, but then again, she hadn't called them for a reason. Might as well leave them in suspense and let her explain it. "Just that she couldn't make it."

"Hm," Nadia frowned, considering that.

"She's at her dad's this weekend, right?" Francie asked.

Nadia nodded after a moment's pause.

"That might be it," Francie continued. "They do have a tendency of getting into fights when she's over there."

How did he never know this? He thought he knew everything about Sydney's relationship with her dad. He knew that they didn't get along, but he had no idea that they fought every time she went over there. Why did her mom still let her go if that happened? What kind of parenting was that?

"Or maybe he's just refusing to give her a ride," Nadia pointed out, oblivious to Vaughn's thoughts. "It's happened before, and she's only got her permit."

"True," Francie nodded before shrugging. "We'll see her tomorrow at least."

That was it? Vaughn stared at her. Her friend most likely got into a fight with her father, who was not known for being the world's most nice person, and that was all she had to say about it? We'll see her tomorrow? If that were his friend, he'd be calling, or at the very most, going over there. Women.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Francie asked, giving him a strange look.

"Like what?" Vaughn asked.

"Kind of like you want to smack me."

Well, the girl wasn't ever known for being subtle. "I don't want to smack you."

"But you were thinking about it," She pointed out with a smirk. "Don't worry about it," She added. "Happens all the time."

"Somehow I don't find that hard to believe," Vaughn replied sarcastically.

Francie gave him a look. "Oh aren't you just the funny man," She rolled her eyes.

Nadia laughed softly. "Do you want to go shopping with us, Vaughn?" She asked.

"Oh yes, please do," Francie said. "I always wanted a caddy boy to carry my bags."

"…I think I'll pass," Vaughn said with a nod. "I've probably got chores to do anyway."

"Oh no you don't," Francie said when Nadia gasped. "No chores for you until I'm shopped out."

"But Francie," Nadia replied. "I'm going to be grounded."

"Your mom said until five," Francie pointed out.

"It's four forty five," Vaughn commented, looking at the clock on his phone.

Nadia gasped again. "We've seriously got to go," She said, grabbing Francie's arm and pulling her towards the exit.

"It's a half mile to your house!" Francie protested, trying her hardest not to be dragged along.

The last thing he heard from the pair of girls was "you'll live!" from Nadia. He laughed, rolling his eyes at the two girls. He stared at his phone for a couple seconds before dialing home. "Maman? Can you come pick me up?"

Sydney glared at her pencil when the tip broke again. She might have been pressing a littler harder than normal but that didn't give it any right to break. Especially since this was like the third time in the past five minutes when she had to get up and resharpen her pencil. She exhaled slowly, considering for a moment just doing her math homework in pen and not caring if she got docked points. Pen tips didn't break, unless you pressed really hard on them.

She tapped the eraser end of the pencil on her notebook, considering. No, it really wasn't worth it to be docked twenty percent just because she was lazy. She grabbed her pencil, stopped to pause her CD, and then jumped off her barstool.

Rather than risk running into her dad in his study, she elected to climb the stairs and use the one in her room. It might take more of her energy, but it would definitely save her another headache. This weekend had been crappier than it usually was. Ever since that fight in the car, they hadn't said much to each other, and when they did, there was obvious anger and resentment behind the words.

She hadn't really meant what she said. She'd been in a mood, and then with her dad giving her the third degree, she got a little snappy. And she had tried to apologize, but her dad didn't seem to let her talk long enough to get the actual apology out. Well, that was just fine and dandy with her anyway. She'd be back at her mom's tomorrow anyway and life could go on.

Sydney made a frustrated noise when the phone started to ring. Someone up above really did not want her to finish her math homework. After backtracking her steps to go get the phone, she picked it up. "Hello?"

"Sydney? Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to finally talk to you," came the reply.

This only confused her more. "Um, alright… what's up?"

"Well, I'm sure your father told you about the wedding," Natalie started.

"He did," the teenager agreed.

"And I hate to badger you, but are you coming?"

Truthfully, she hadn't put anymore thought into the wedding since her dad mentioned it on Friday. She hadn't even looked at the invitation. "When is it again?"

She could almost hear Natalie's frustration. "The twelve of December," She replied softly.

Sydney paused, trying to think if she had anything going on in two months. If she did, then she couldn't remember and thus, it couldn't be that important. "Can I bring someone?"

"One guest, I suppose," Natalie sighed. "That means you'll be there?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Sydney promised.

"Good," Natalie admonished. "Oh, and try not to wear anything white." She added.

The teenager laughed. "I'll try my best."

Natalie laughed with her. "I'll call you later. Maybe we could have lunch or something."

"Alright," Sydney agreed. "Talk to you later."

"Bye."

"Bye."

After replacing the phone on the hook, Sydney continued onwards to her room. She got about halfway across her room before she heard her dad yelling for her. She was right. Someone really did not want her to finish her math homework. Tossing the pencil to the table, she turned on her heel and went back down the stairs, two at a time.

"Yes, Dad?" She droned.

"What do you want for dinner?" Jack asked her, staring at the freezer.

It wasn't that she expected her dad to cook something from scratch. It was that he sounded annoyed with the fact that he had a daughter to feed that irked her. "I'm not hungry."

"Nonsense," He responded. "It's almost seven. You're hungry."

And now he was telling her when to eat. She was fifteen for goodness's sake. "I'll find something when I finish with my math homework."

"It's Sunday night."

"So…?" She raised a confused eyebrow.

"You should've done it by now."

Oh hell. "I was busy," She said patiently.

"With what?"

"My other homework."

Jack closed the freezer door and turned towards her. "Alright. Eat when you want," He said, moving past her to go back to his study.

Sydney turned and stared at his back. And to think, she had been bracing herself for an argument. Well, she wasn't going to question it. No argument and confusion was better than any arguing. Deciding to procrastinate a little more, she walked over to the counter, and opened the bread box.

When she'd finished making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and had put everything away, she leaned against the counter and surveyed the kitchen. Even though she had been coming to this house for the past fourteen years of her life, she hadn't ever taken the time to study the room. Well, anything to delay her homework a bit more.

It wasn't a fancy room. There was definitely not something you would find in the home of someone really rich or famous or both but it was expensive enough. The microwave was fairly new, along with the refrigerator. Her eyes stopped on the doors of the fridge, narrowing slightly.

Pushing off the counter with her back, she walked over to the fridge, bending close to study the things stuck onto the doors with little magnets. They were pictures. Pictures of things she wouldn't expect to see on a fridge of her dad's. Her sixth birthday, her first soccer team, the time she broke her leg when he was ten, her and her dad when she was a baby, even a picture of her, Francie, Nadia, Eric, and Vaughn at her last birthday. He hadn't been there, which would mean that her mom had given him that picture. Or he had asked for it.

She wasn't entirely sure on how to react to this new revelation. How she had never noticed the pictures was beyond her really. They were plain as day but she never saw them before. She took another bite, chewing thoughtfully.

She'd just have to be a little nicer to her dad now.

"Dude, how many times am I going to have to repeat myself now?"

"What?" Vaughn asked stupidly.

Eric made a frustrated noise, throwing the nerf ball he had been fiddling with at his wall. "Are you listening to me?"

"Of course I am," Vaughn retorted.

"Then what did I just say?"

"Are you listening to me?" Vaughn responded smartly.

"Oh ha ha," Eric rolled his eyes. "What have I been talking about for the past ten minutes?"

"That I haven't been listening?"

"Nice try, but no."

"Then enlighten me."

"I don't think I will."

Vaughn sighed. "Why the hell not?"

"Because you should know already," Eric pointed out.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I wasn't listening. I'm a bit distracted." Vaughn replied.

"By what?" asked Eric.

"Nothing that concerns you."

"You tell me what's bothering you, and I'll tell you what I was talking about."

After a moment's consideration, Vaughn consented. "What do you know about Sydney's relationship with her dad?" He asked, turning his cell phone –which was currently out of battery power forcing him to use the house phone- over in his hand.

"Random much?"

"She was supposed to meet me yesterday for a project but she never showed. Left me a message that said her dad was being a bastard. Thought you could explain it a little."

"Hmmmm… I don't really know much…" Eric admitted. "All I know is they don't get along very well. I don't know why. So don't ask."

"Wasn't going to," Vaughn muttered. "Alright, your turn."

"My turn?"

"What were you saying?"

"You're still on that?"

Instead of protesting, Vaughn simply said "Yes."

"Dude, you need to learn to let things go."

"Just tell me already."

"Alright already, take a chill pill." Eric muttered. "I was saying that I think it's about time to put Eric back on the market. I need a girlfriend."

Vaughn was silent for a moment. "I gave up my concern over Sydney's problems with her dad for that?"

"Hey, that's important stuff."

Vaughn snorted. "Sure it is."

"Well, you wanted to know, so there." Eric paused. "Why would your concern with Syd be a big thing anyway?"

Vaughn silently berated himself for ever saying that. "It's not. I was just commenting on how crappy your conversation was. No wonder I tuned out."

"You're a funny one tonight, got anything else you need to get out?"

"No I think I'm good."

"Good, because I'm about to hang up on you."

"Thanks for the warning then."

"See you tomorrow."

"Bye."

Neither Jack nor Sydney said anything during the drive over to her school. Normally, this was her least favorite part of the weekend, even though she was going home. It was hard to explain. She would wish that the weekend had gone better, and that she hadn't said some of the stuff that she did say to her dad, but then resign to the fact that it wasn't going to change.

This morning however, she didn't hate it as much as she normally did.

As usual, her dad didn't say anything besides 'be in the car by seven' that morning. He didn't have to say it, but she could always tell that on Monday mornings, he disliked having to detour to her school. It hadn't bothered her before, but what kind of man kept pictures of her on his fridge but hated giving her a ride to school?

Her dad was far too complex.

Sydney hesitated before getting out of the car when he pulled over at the curb. "Dad?"

"Yes Sydney?"

She licked her lips. "I love you," She said softly, closing the door behind her before he could answer. And she didn't want to see the expression on his face. It'd probably make her cry no matter what it was, and getting questions about crying wasn't something she wanted all that much.

She managed to get to her locker before Francie and Nadia swooped down on her. "How was it?"

"Did you fight the entire time?"

"Why didn't you call us?"

"Come on, speak to us!"

Sydney laughed, brushing Francie's hand off her shoulder. "It was fine," She replied, opening her locker.

Francie and Nadia stared at her. "I don't believe you," The former said finally.

"It's never fine," The latter added.

"Well, it was this time," Sydney answered, pulling out her chemistry book. "I'll tell you all about it at lunch."

"No you won't," Francie argued.

Sydney smirked. "Alright, then I won't," She said. "See you next period," She added, dodging into the mass of kids in the hallways.

"She's too good at that…" Nadia muttered.

"Mhm," Francie agreed. "C'mon. Bell's gonna ring."

Sydney managed to slip into her seat just as the bell rung. Thank God too, because she was pretty sure that being late again would get her kicked out. She sighed, getting out her finished yet horribly done worksheet, passing it down the row with the other papers. As revealing as this weekend was, she was still really glad to be able to go home after school.

SSB's note: Well, it's been a long time since I've updated. If you've read my livjournal, then you'll know why. If not, why not head over there and have a read? -hinthint-

Anyway, I'll try to update more and I know this was a pretty uneventful chapter.

Review responses are on the livejournal. It's on my author's page under 'homepage.'