meant to be | j. parker¹

TWENTY-EIGHT

"This is really weird," Aaliyah mumbled, moving into a planking position outside in her backyard with Layla, Liv, Spencer, and JJ. The group of friends were engaging in goat yoga which was just supposed to be yoga, with no goats involved. "The goats weren't my idea," Liv bluntly told her sister making a motion at her boyfriend.

"I thought GOAT stood for greatest of all time," JJ told them. "Sometimes it's just goat, man," Spencer sighed, clearly fed up feeling a goat climb onto his back. "I'm sorry, okay? This week sucks. Goats are peeing everywhere, coach is suspended, Spence might not play, and the venue for the jamboree party fell through," JJ said, spewing complaints out.

"Whose fault is it that the venue fell through?" his girlfriend scoffed, laying flat on her stomach and turning her head to tease him. "Someone forgot to send the deposit on time. Not important who. I even had the perfect theme—Pajama jammy jamboree," JJ sighed, reaching across the yoga mat to pinch her cheek.

"Well, can't let that go to waste. Why don't we have the party at my house?" Layla suggested. "Maybe that's not the best idea," Liv told her, subtly trying to shoot the idea down. "Yeah, it ain't just for Beverly," Spencer added. "It's for all the teams in the jamboree."

"Well, it's a good thing I have a big house, then. Parties weren't my problem. It was the party crasher in my head, and she's been quiet lately. It'll be fine, I promise," Layla reassured them. "Where is Jordan? Why isn't he suffering through this?" Spencer asked.

"He stayed back to talk to his dad," JJ told him. "Probably about the suspension. You know anything about it?" Spencer asked looking at the Baker sisters. "Nope, haven't heard a thing. But, I need a burger. Come on, JJ. Let's go to in & out," Aaliyah sighed standing to her feet and stretching her hand out for him.

"It's 11 am," he mumbled, shuffling his feet against the floor and following behind her.

✯✯✯

"What the hell are you wearing?" Aaliyah immediately asked her brother walking up to him and JJ at the jamboree party. "What? What's wrong with my pj's?" Jordan asked looking down at his sheep-adorned pajamas. "I mean...compared to them you two are kind of slacking," she mumbled watching Westlake pass by in their matching robes chanting State Champs. "I look cute, though," she hummed, glancing down at the brown cropped satin tank top with matching shorts and Ugg slippers on her feet.

"She's not wrong. They've got something we don't," Jordan sighed. "Cool smoking jackets?" JJ asked slinging an arm around his girlfriend. "What? No. Unity, alright? They even came as a team. They're all dressed the same. Now, look at us—No coach, no Spencer. Ash doesn't even bother showing up. We need to get it together, or there's no way we're in the jamboree," Jordan told him.

"Yeah, it's gonna be tough without your dad. Did he tell you guys why he was suspended?" JJ asked the two. "No. But, she clearly knows something, I know that look. Spill," Jordan said pushing his sister's shoulder and watching her face twist up in annoyance. "I don't know shit," she hissed, pushing him back.

"I heard it had something to do with drugs," JJ hesitantly told the two. "Where's he going?" he asked watching Jordan walk off to the back where the Westlake boys were chanting Dane's name over and over. "That's Simone's actual baby daddy. And if I didn't know my brother better then I'd know he might be trying to start something over there," she revealed. "I need a drink," she complained, looking up at her boyfriend.

"I always come prepared," he said cheekily grinning at her and pulling a flask out of his pocket. "Come on!" she yelled dragging him over to the couch and curling up on his lap while the two passed his flask around and getting tipsier and tipsier. "No more," she slurred, stretching her legs out onto the couch and grinning sideways, slowly squinting her eyes at the people across from them on the other couch. "Liv! Layla!" she cheered waving her arms around accidentally knocking over the red cup that magically appeared in her hand.