"I seriously don't know what to do with Sydney again. She's continuing to drive me nuts every single day here and I'm completely fed up with it" Miley could be seen inside her bedroom, walking around in circles while Mack, her mate, watched her movements in silence.
"I feel like I'm losing total control of her" She sat on the bed with a grunt, her palms soothing her aching and worrisome forehead to relieve it.
"Then put her back in control. I don't care how you do it. Just put her back in control. I'm fed up with her too, you are not the only one she's driving nuts here" Mack didn't show much interest in the complaint Miley laid to him and waved it aside trying to go to bed.
"I should put her back in control? How do I do that all alone when you don't bother to help out like you used to do?" Miley stopped Mack from going to bed and gave him a daring scare that said he should go to bed if he thinks he can.
"I don't know, Miley. Just do it your way. Remember, you used to be just like her when you were her age. It goes in the same blood, like mother, like daughter, right?" Mack still showed no interest in this conversation with Miley. As long as it's about Sydney, it has bored him already.
Her brothers never cause trouble as she does. She's the only black sheep in this family.
"No, I think you are wrong here about who Sydney acts like, Mack. It's you, you were the wild one and I was the one who tamed you. Remember?" Miley can't believe that Mack wants Sydney to become her responsibility only.
The two of them should be responsible for her together and not the other way around. Yeah, they are a mother and daughter but Sydney absolutely inherited her stubbornness from her father.
Mack let out a scoff when Miley claimed she was the one who tamed him. She never did and still hasn't and probably would never. The only reason it seems like he's no longer wild is because he's always there for his family, even though he still goes after other women. His father was always there for his family and so will he.
"No, you are the wrong one here, Miley. I'm still wild, You never tamed me" Mack laid off the bed to sit on it. This conversation was starting to interest him.
"I'm always here for you guys whenever you need me. That's what makes you think you tamed me, Miley. But you didn't, remember I still share this bed with Alice or should I mention...."
"Stop, stop it, Mack!" Miley stopped Mack from going on with the stupid confession he was about to make. This conversation was about Sydney, not him and his stupid girlfriends. He doesn't even give a damn how hurt she feels whenever he talks about them.
The worst part of everything is that he doesn't try to hide the fact that he constantly cheats on her. Maybe it's a good thing he doesn't. Maybe it's better she knows she's not the only one he shares his love to? Rather than him hiding it from her.
"This isn't about you and your stupid girlfriends. This is about Sydney, so let's just stick to that" Miley heaved a deep sigh, her heart feeling a quick sharp pain hit through it when she saw the look on Mack's face. It doesn't look apologetic to her.
He is never sorry towards her, knowing fully well he hurts her.
"So.." Mack dropped the topic about his girlfriends, going back to the one concerning Sydney when a sudden knock on the door cut him short.
"Come in" Miley welcomed the knocker in. She wasn't surprised to see Shane but was surprised to see the kind of look he had on his face. Shane's face was always bright and lit with smiles. So what could be wrong with him now?
"Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you guys. It's about Sydney" Shane announced to his parents. "I'm sorry, Syd," He murmured under his breath. Sydney's going to hate him for this, probably forever, but then he can't just sit by and watch her ruin her life.
If he wants to stop her, he can't do it without his parent's help. It's the only reason he just got them involved. He knows Sydney will never forgive him, but he hopes she will be able to. He's doing her some good here, she might not know it now but will later.
Mack didn't put much interest when Miley was talking to him about Sydney, but he just did now. Seems like the girl has completely gone bad lately.
****
Sydney sighed a sigh of relief after locking the door quietly and finding out that her overprotective mom wasn't waiting for her in the foyer like she usually does.
"Yes!" She screamed in delight with a low tone. Thank goodness, no one was around to disturb her tonight. This was Sydney's thoughts, till she stepped into the living room only to receive the shock of her life.
"Oh my God, you guys scared me!" She clutched her chest dramatically when the lights were put on and she saw her Mom, Dad, and Shane in the living room staring at her as if they had all been expecting and waiting for her return tonight.
Sydney's face swiftly turned to a scowl. She started to think it was much better when it was just her mom, who waited for her each time she sneaked out every night to go see Barry. And not her dad and Shane now too. It's a good thing Henry's not around though.
It will be three people against her tonight, not four.
"Is it true?" Mack was the first to talk, not making Sydney quite clear to understand his point.
"What is it, dad?" Sydney feigned real innocence, not knowing what her dad's question was about.
"About you and Barry. Is it true you plan on running away with him?!" Mack thundered, Sydney pretending not to have any idea of what he asked about made him really mad.
Sydney's eyes quickly darted over to Shane in a flash, who avoided her gaze like Covid. He must not be able to look her in the eyes, of course he has failed her as a friend. "You told them, Shane?. How could you?!"
Tears wanted to escape from Sydney's eyes but she fought them back. It wasn't yet time to cry. She will do it later after she has taken care of this. Shane, who she asked a question couldn't say anything and kept his eyes glued down to his feet.
"So, it's actually true that you plan to run away with Barry? What has gotten into you, Syd?" Miley was the second to attack Sydney with questions.
"That's none of your business, Mom!" Sydney felt her heart break into pieces. As if she could hear the cracking sound of it. She trusted Shane with a secret she never planned to tell anyone and he ended up breaking it. He's a f**king betrayer!
"Shut your damn mouth, young lady, you do not get to speak to your mom that way" Mack scolded Sydney for raising her voice at her mom.
"I'm sorry…Syd. I couldn't just sit by and watch you do that when I can stop you from doing something you are likely going to regret later" Shane mustered a little courage to look at Sydney. He might have failed her as a friend but not as a big brother.
"You do not get to decide that and I don't need your goddamn apologies, Shane. You f**king betrayed me when I needed you the most! How could you?" Sydney didn't mean to curse at Shane, but he hurt her in the worst way ever.
"Language, Syd!" Mack scolded Sydney for the kind of language she used on Shane. She's the only one who uses that kind of language in this house and Shane's frigging older than her!
"I can't believe you" Sydney instantly became weak in the knees. Now, she's starting to think about it. She did more than wrong by letting Shane know her plans to run away with Barry. This time, her parents won't ever take things easy with her and Barry.
They stopped disturbing a little whenever she sneaked out to go see Barry. Especially her dad, but this news of her planning to run away with Barry seems to make him extremely mad at her.
Now, they are going to find a way to use this as an excuse and get rid of Barry away from her life completely. Sydney's never going to forgive Shane for this.
"Now, go up to your room and never step foot out of this house again. You are grounded for life!" Mack sent Syd a serious warning. She must have been misbehaving because he stopped checking on her as he frequently used to.
Not this time around.
"No!, I'm not going to do that, Dad" Sydney didn't listen to her dad's warning. She has given her parents too much control over her life, not anymore. She will never be allowed to step foot out of this house again, so why not go ahead with her plan to run away with Barry now?
The plan wasn't fully ready yet and hindrance had set in, leaving her with no choice but to proceed with it now.
"What did you say?" Mack was shocked by Sydney's challenge.
"I said I'm not going to do that" Sydney repeated her words in a more daring tone. "I have always been in the shadows for too long in this house now, Dad. Not anymore, I won't"
"You guys do as you like. Henry hangs out with his mate likewise Shane, but I'm never allowed to do the same with Barry and you?..." She pointed to her dad.
"You cheat on Mom just because the moon goddess dumped us and you expect me to do the same to Barry, but I won't. I'm not going to do that to Barry. He's my mate and forever will be"
Sydney did the talking here while everyone against her in the living room listened attentively.
"I have stopped giving a damn about you guys. And just because mom acts like she's not hurt by you hanging out with other females doesn't mean you should continue…"
"Keep your mouth shut, Sydney!"
"No, I won't, Dad!" Sydney refused for her voice to be silenced. She wants it to be heard loud and clear. Now, she's talking about the wrong her dad does in front of him and everyone else in the living room. He wants her to keep her mouth shut.
No, she won't. If the others don't talk, she will. She's going to expose him and make him feel guilty.
"You can control them. You can control Mom but not me. And Shane, you are wrong, you can't stop me. None of you can, so please leave me alone in peace" Sydney started to retrace back while her family watched.
"Sydney, come back here!" Mack ordered, watching Sydney slowly back away from them.
"I told you to f**king leave me alone. I hate you, dad. I hate you, mom. I hate all of you!!!"
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