Free Chrysalis (Dangerous Secrets) by Rose Francis Page B

parents, my brother. You know how it is—Christmas is such a family holiday. How about you?”
    “Me? Oh, I’m going home too. You know, it’s like you said.”
    “That’s nice.”
    He cleared his throat.
    “Well, enjoy your holidays Sydney. I don’t suppose I’ll be seeing you in the library anymore. I mean...”
    Sydney giggled.
    “You enjoy your holidays too and I’ll see you in January! In the library of course.”
    “Until then. We’ll see what the new year brings.”
    Sydney chuckled through their goodbyes and was still smiling to herself when she disconnected the line.
    Maria brought her out of her reverie.
    “See? Even Nicholas agrees you should press charges. Don’t you want to make sure the creep thinks twice about doing it again?” she asked. “And what about those other girls out there who...”
    Sydney sighed.
    “Maria, I feel like I’m playing that whack-a-mole game.”
    “Okay fine, I get it. Can I ask one more serious question?”
    “Shoot.”
    “Can I ask what you and Nicholas were doing outside?”
    ***
    A few days later, Sydney came back to their dorm room from the library early once again.
    Maria was drawing in her art pad, but when she saw Sydney, she jumped up and told her she had something to show her then dug into her backpack for it. She pulled out a black folder then plucked a photo from it and held it hidden against her chest. She grinned wide before presenting it to Sydney.
    “What?” Sydney asked, confused as she stared at the photo of herself.
    Maria let out a frustrated sigh.
    “Look at your eyes,” she said.
    Sydney struggled to see what her friend was talking about. It was just a picture of her as she emerged from the dance floor at her second and last party, but it did seem she was glowing from the experience.
    “The light’s pretty bright,” Sydney said.
    “Amazing what love can do to bring out that light, huh?” Maria said.
    Sydney looked at Maria.
    “Have your paints finally gone to your head? What are you talking about?”
    “You don’t think you’re in love with him?”
    Sydney sighed.
    “Maria I’ve had...what, three conversations with him? Been in the same social setting twice?”
    “But how long have you known he existed?”
    “Maria that’s not fair. TheDhaltons are like celebrities at home. We’ve known about them for years and years...”
    “Yeah but how long has he been making you feel self-conscious?”
    “Maria, I would hardly call that love...”
    “How long have you been waiting to talk to him? Or for him to talk to you? How long did you wait to kiss him?”
    “Maria I still don’t see how...”
    “I bet it was something like love at first sight.”
    “Right. You can’t really think that exists? Honestly, do you know anyone who that’s happened to?”
    Sydney looked at her, defying her to come up with an example but found herself lost in thought, thinking about her parents. They would probably be an example; in fact, it seemed to her they loved each other in a previous life and it had carried over.
    “So you don’t think it’s possible? To fall in love with someone quickly?”
    “I never said it was impossible in that case—I’m skeptical about that ‘first sight’ business...”
    “Forget about ‘first sight’—you admit it’s possible over a short period of time?”
    “Well, yeah I guess...”
    “Syd, it only takes a spark. Besides, I think ‘at first sight’ could mean more than one thing. Not just literally at first sight. For example, say friends of the opposite sex never saw each other as beyond that...”
    “That’s an issue in itself—what friends of the opposite sex never had a thought about being more than friends? Ever?”
    “Stay focused Syd. Now say these friends for whatever reason—tragedy, a huge act of unselfishness, whatever—something forces them to see each other in a different light. That’s a form of first sight—they’re seeing each other for the first time in a completely