Hardly that crafty

"Syreeta, I hardly ever see you, anymore." It was Angie who broke the ice. She was sure Syreeta would never say a word. It was awfully quiet in the commons of the high school.

Angie checked her watch. In about five minutes the doors would open for the craft show. Both were on duty at the concessions.

"Yeah, sorry about that." She still wasn't very talkative.

"Is that Clive keeping, you busy?" Angie teased.

Syreeta almost smiled.

"Hey, I'm not in a perfect relationship, either." She let slip, forgetting that Sawyer was Syreeta's ex. She sighed, as if she hadn't meant to forget.

"How is Sawyer?" Syreeta looked at her as if she still might be friends with him.

"Oh, he's... you know, Sawyer." She shrugged. "Only child. A little on the selfish-side, but I think its done him good to get to know Abel." She spoke of the little boy she babysat. "He's too smart for his own good."

Syreeta almost laughed. She talked of Shan and his little sister who had been staying with them.

"I feel a little lost now without such a crowded house." Syreeta shrugged.

"I met Bree." Angie remembered. "She seems older than middle school to me. I guess its because she was with Cody."

"Cody? Cody is with Bree?" Syreeta winced.

They both looked up when someone asked if they were talking about him. He wasn't with Bree.

Cody just couldn't shake this Ruby. What had only been barely a week or so felt like a good six month relationship to him. She did like to talk. He hardly got a word in. Now they were at the high school craft show helping out with concessions. Oh, if only Ruby could find someone else to talk too.

He'd only kissed her to shut her up. And it was a pleasant surprise. Granted, she wasn't all that good in the beginning, but she was now.

Oh, he'd let her talk and talk and talk, until he couldn't stand it another minute. Then they played his game. It was right down to an unspoken schedule. He guessed.

He hadn't had time to think about who they arrested for his brother's murder. It was still unknown if it was a random incident or if this Jared had been out to get Van from the get-go.

"Cody..I know..this must be.." Well, at least he got a really good hug from Syreeta. He tried his best not to smile about it. Maybe he'd be getting a lot more of this kind of thing if Ruby wasn't around. But Ruby had to cut in.

She asked a dozen questions or so about the soda machine and if they had the correct amount of change.

If only she could stop. Just stop.

Finally, Cody blew up before the first customer arrived.

"No wonder your sister ran away!" He glared at her. "You never shut up."