Snowed In [#JustWriteIt]

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE~

Early the next morning, the doorbell rang, echoing through the house.

Marian and Sydney remained glued to the TV as they had been since five in the morning, leaving one of their parents to get the door. Sydney listened as she heard enthusiastic greetings from her mother. She refocused on the show playing, assuming the visitor to be one of her mother's friends dropping in.

Her mother's loud laughter drifted up the stairs distracting both Sydney and Marian. Marian paused the show.

"Does mom have to be that loud all the time?" Marian grumbled as she stretched and scratched her ear.

"Apparently."

The sister waited for a while. Soon footsteps sounded, growing louder and louder.

"Wonder who she wants to introduce us to this time," Marian commented. "Don't forget to sit with a straight back Syd!" Marian chirped mockingly.

Sydney rolled her eyes. "More like who she wants to show us off to," she corrected bitterly.

The sister shared pained smiles and turned their attention to the door. It swung open quickly but neither girl was prepared for the person standing at the door. Marian was the first to recover while Sydney cowered behind her.

"Hello Dion," she greeted, somewhat coldly as her protective instinct kicked in. She began thinking of a scheme to get Sydney out of this situation. She loved her romance novels with their happily-ever-afters and she really shipped Dion and Sydney... Sion she dubbed them but she was not sure if Sydney was ready to have this conversation. And as an older sister, it was her sworn duty to keep her younger sister in tip top condition. Sadness meant that Sydney was not at her best. That was not acceptable. "What do you need?" she asked with some hostility.

Dion's bright smile faltered. He stuck his hands into the pockets of his jeans nervously as he averted his gaze. When Marian saw his uncomfortable stance, she softened her cold expression marginally but still watched him warily.

"I wanted to talk to Sydney," he whispered. The tension was so thick that he might as well have been shouting.

"About?" She could practically feel the embarrassment and fear radiating off Sydney so she shifted to better cover her sister.

Dion closed his eyes and Marian narrowed her eyes. She did not like the feeling she was getting. This would not end well.

"Her... confession," he stammered out.

"No!" Sydney cried out abruptly from behind Marian, her voice muffled from the fabric of Marian's shirt. "I don't want to talk about it. Can we pretend it never happened? Please?"

"But Syd, it did happen and I don't think I can pretend," Dion replied pleadingly.

For a few long moments there was no response. Marian examined Dion's downcast expression. She frowned deeply. This was not going to end well.

"I'll leave you two to deal with this problem alright?" Marian interrupted before they could go further. She felt Sydney's finger curl into her shirt, trying to keep her there. But Marian did not want to intrude on a conversation that was not meant for her ears. She could find out about everything later on if she really wanted to. Besides, Sydney had to have this conversation sooner or later.

She gently detached Sydney's fingers from her shirt and turned around. "I'll be downstairs or my room," she whispered just loud enough for Sydney to hear, before slipping out the door. She walked downstairs and was greeted by her appalled mother.