Shadows Peak |✔

Chapter 1: Sydney

"Come on, Syd! You have to hurry!"

"Hurry? For what?"

Sydney was sprawled out across her twin-size bed, watching her ceiling fan go round when Liz called out. Her wavy blonde hair fanned out above her head, completely covering her pillow as she listened for her friend's answer.

"There's a good reason! Now just come on!" Liz shouted.

Sydney could hear she wasn't far from her dorm room, and from the sound of her breathing, she probably ran all the way to tell her this, but Sydney could be stubborn. Especially when she was on a comfortable mattress.

"Nah, I'm a little busy, and all your shouting is annoying."

"Oh, sorry," Liz said, lowering her voice.

She peaked her head through the door with an apologetic expression. Sydney noticed, and hadn't meant any harm by her words, but they seemed to come across harsher than intended.

"Hey! You're not even doing anything!" Liz shouted when she saw Sydney.

"Relaxing is doing something to me," teased Sydney. "Besides, I just got back from a meeting with Mrs. Dawson so I'm a little tired."

"Wait, the Guidance counselor? Since when do you need a shrink?" she asked, worry living in her tone.

Liz's face was focused but her eyes were getting bigger each second that went by, and Sydney knew she was frantically trying to recall what traumatizing incident she must have forgotten.

Aww, she thinks I've been suffering and she's been oblivious to it.

"It's nothing big, Liz," Sydney reassured her. "I've just been talking to her about things that bother me about the recruit program and some inconsistencies in it with regards to females."

"What kind of inconsistencies?"

"We'd be here all day if I start up on it now, but don't worry. I'm prepared to blow up every misogynistic wall standing in my femme-fatale way!" Sydney joked, putting up her fighting stance, and a smile on Liz's face.

"Okay then," Liz cheered. "But you're seriously going to want to come see what's happening. President Hayes is making an announcement in Centre Park on campus."

"Wait, what!?" Sydney shot out, startled.

"Yup. He's scheduled to be there in less than fifteen minutes. So, are you coming?"

Sydney was already getting off of her bed.

"Of course I am! I want to hear this for myself."

"I knew you would," teased Liz.

"Then why didn't you just tell me instead of beating around the bush?!"

Sydney wasn't mad, and Liz wasn't caught off guard by her raised voice. The two of them were like sisters, teasing and messing with each other every chance they got.

"Why didn't you just come with me!?" Liz retorted, this time from the hall. Sydney let out a sigh of frustration, though not audible to anyone else.

"Liz, this could be really important!" Sydney said before looking down the hall at the back of her best friend. "You know he has the power to change our whole course in life!"

But Sydney was just talking to the back of her friend's head. Naturally, this would irritate her, but this was Liz, and there was possibly a more pressing situation at hand.