"Hey, Z, can you pass the napkins" Zaylia's dad asks and she nods before handing the set the waiter placed in front of her.
"Okay, either the kid is trying to get with me, or these were meant for you" He rolls his eyes and throws one of them to her. Frowning, Zaylia turns over the napkin to see a phone number written on the white fabric. Charlotte and Donna squeal from beside her as they look at the writing.
If that dude across from you isn't your boyfriend, call me
Her face blushed in embarrassment as the whole table makes comments and teases her about it. Dylan sits back in his chair and watches her intently. He did not like the waiter.
Zaylia turns her head and finds Jake serving another table. As if feeling her gaze, he turns to look over at the table and sends Zaylia a wink before leaving to the kitchen.
"So..." Charlotte nudges her.
"So what?" She asks taking a sip of her beer which was almost empty.
"You gonna call him?" She smirks. Zaylia chuckles before shaking her head.
"Nah, I'm not interested" She says locking eyes with the oldest Fader who's lips twitch at the corners—trying to suppress a smile.
"All right I'm going to get a beer, anyone want one?" Lenny says, standing from the table.
"If you insist. Thanks Hollywood" Zaylia winks and Lenny rolls his eyes.
"You keep calling me that and I won't get you one" He points at her and she grins cheekily.
"Can I get another one too, thanks dad" Dylan pats his dads back and Lenny mumbles stuff under his breath before leaving the table.
"Looks like I'm driving home" Marcus says. Zaylia gasps mockingly.
"Oh no, the responsible adult is driving his daughter home? It's a tragedy"
"Oh sassy pants, calm it down" Marcus scolds. Zaylia just sends her dad a sticky sweet smile that makes him forgive her immediately. She was a daddy's girl, no doubt.
"Love you, too"
"Yeah. Yeah"
As everyone at the table begin making small talk, Dylan's foot made its way up Zaylia's legs again and she sent him a nasty glare.
"Stop" she mouthed to him. The smirk he was wearing, only grew even more. She shivered at the touch.
"Rematch. I dare you" was suddenly blasted through the restaurant from a microphone and everyone turned to the source. Lenny was standing with his basketball rival Dick Bailey.
"Who's that dude?" Dylan asks staring at his dad and the guy across from him.
"Oh my god...Dick Bailey. Your dad and us beat his former basketball team during our championship game" Eric answers. Dylan nods.
————
Zaylia had just finished her third beer and was feeling a little buzzed. To the point where her fingertips felt light as feathers and every inch of her body is hot. Most of kids had found themselves in the arcade. Dylan stole Charlottes previous spot, flashing a smile at the Blonde who was blinking, trying to focus on the conversation at hand.
"You feeling okay there, Higgins?" Dylan smirks, pushing her left shoulder lightly to see if she'd tip over.
"Puh lease, I've been way more fucked up then this before" She says, whispering in his ear. Dylan's neck tingled at her action. He too was feeling a little hot due to the beers he had. He throws his arm over her shoulder and she leans her head against him. His stomach flips and he swallows harshly.
"Gonna be an emotional day tomorrow, boys; Spreading the buzzers ashes" Eric says and Zaylia felt herself sadden at the thought.
"Oh, my god" Lenny says.
"Well the coach requested that we scatter his remains on McIntyre Island. I got a beautiful ceremony planned" Robbie says.
"Lenny, you gonna be able to do that? What time do you leave?" Sally says and this draws Zaylia's full attention. Leave?
"What are you talking about?" Eric asks.
"What do you mean, leave?" Robbie asks.
Zaylia looks at Dylan who avoids her gaze. He had forgotten about the fact that they were leaving early. She had overheard at the funeral they'd be leaving early, it had completely slipped her mind.
"I forgot to tell you, fellas. We gotta take off in the morning" Lenny says sadly.
Lupine leaving the lake house?" Marcus asks.
"What are you talking about?"
"You're leaving?"
"You can't leave. We got the ceremony tomorrow" Eric says desperately.
"Oh, Lenny's just playing, everybody" Deanne reassures.
"No, he's not" Sally shakes her head sadly. Zaylia feels her stomach drop and she shrugs Dylan's hand off her shoulder, not going unnoticed by Lenny who frowns. He didn't want to leave. But he was doing it for Roxanne.and now he was jeopardizing his sons love life because of it. Yeah, he was aware of blondie and him.
"No, no, no, no" Marcus says in denial.
"I wanna be there. I mean, we all wanna be there. We just gotta, we gotta go to Milan" Lenny explains.
"Milan, what? Italy? What's in Milan?" Marcus asks.
"It's pretty cool. Roxanne's got her fall line coming out"
"Fashion week" Roxanne adds with a small smile.
"Three nights at the four seasons, baby. Eggs Benedict by the pool. PlayStation 3 in every room, and they show boobies on Italian TV" Greg says.
"That's just America bud" Zaylia says. Everyone tried their best to laugh but it was hard, given the circumstances.
"I'm going to Italy" Eric chuckles and Sally gives him a look. "I meant—no, no, we all—I didn't tell you guys, we're probably gonna go to Italy as a—- thanks for ruining the surprise" Everyone chuckles at his attempt of a cover up.
"Lenny, it's not gonna be the same without you" Robbie says.
"Yeah, come on" Marcus says.
"Roxanne was cool enough to let us come tonight because this is a big deal for her" Lenny defends and Roxanne smiles gratefully.
"Can't Roxanne go without you and you can meet her there?" Robbie suggests.
"Exactly"
"Yeah"
"Do that"
"No, no, no we are a team, me and my lady, and we do everything together. Last year we had to skip Becky's school play for Milan" Lenny says. Zaylia cringes as Roxanne slams her napkin on the table and storms away.
"Roxanne"
"I thought we were gonna get wasted?" Bean says.
"Oh...I am" Zaylia mumbles before getting up to get healed another beer. She needed it after that discussion. She didn't expect to fall for someone over the summer. But Dylan walked into her life and she found herself falling for him faster then she thought possible. Knowing he'd be leaving, hurt her a lot. She wanted to get to know him longer. She thought it could become something real.
YOU ARE READING
Grown ups
FanfictionZaylia Higgins, 18 year old daughter of Marcus Higgins. In many ways she was like her dad. But the thing that brought them together the most, was their love for basketball. After years, they get a call informing coach buzzer, Marcus' former basketb...
