CHAPTER SIXTEEN !
⤷ ❝ ME TOO. ❞
ZARA'S HAND TREMBLES SLIGHTLY as it intertwines with grayson's. together, they stroll down the bustling streets of los angeles. the warm sun casts a golden glow over the city, casting long shadows that dance on the pavement beneath their feet.
despite the vibrant energy of the city around them, zara's mind is consumed with nerves as they make their way to the restaurant where they're meeting grayson's parents. she can't shake the feeling of dread that gnaws at her stomach, the fear of not making a good impression weighing heavily on her mind.
but she's determined to push aside her anxiety, to focus on the present moment with grayson by her side. she steals a glance at him, the corners of her lips lifting into a faint smile as she admires the way the sunlight plays off his features.
zara made grayson stop at a flower shop on the way. grayson told her that his mom likes roses and lilies so guess what zara got her. a bouquet with an arrangement of roses and lilies! zara clutches the bouquet tightly in her hand, hoping that her grip isn't slowly crushing them in her hands.
as grayson and zara near the restaurant where they're meeting his parents for brunch, he senses her nervous energy radiating beside him. he slows his pace slightly, turning to her with a warm smile.
"you're doing great," grayson murmurs, his voice soft and reassuring. "just be yourself, and my parents will love you. i promise."
zara's grip on the bouquet tightens as she nods, a small smile playing on her lips. "thanks, gray," she replies. "i just want everything to go smoothly."
grayson squeezes her hand gently, his gaze softening as he looks into her eyes. "it will," he says with unwavering confidence. "and if you ever feel overwhelmed, just remember that i'm right here beside you."
zara's nerves begin to ease at grayson's comforting word. with his encouragement, (and some remembrance of matt's words) she feels as though things will go well.
zara's heart races as they approach the restaurant. she thought she had a few more momemebts to prepare but she was wrong. she wasn't expecting grayson's parents to be sitting outside, right in front of the entrance.
his parents haven't seen them yet, but she tenses when she sees their outfits. it gives... rich people. not in a bad way, but definitely in a way. grayson notices her hesitation and gives her hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go to greet his parents.
grayson's mom stands up as they approach, a warm smile spreading across her face. "grayson, darling, it's so good to see you!" she exclaims, pulling him into a tight hug before turning to zara. his mom calls him darling! again, rich people vibes.
zara's nerves flutter as she meets grayson's mom's gaze. but any anxiety she feels instantly melts away as grayson's mom envelops her in a warm hug. "and you must be zara," she says, her eyes twinkling with kindness. "you're even prettier in person. nice to meet you, dear!"
zara's cheeks flush at the compliment, and she extends the bouquet of roses and lilies she got for grayson's mom. "it's so nice to meet you, mrs. holmes," she says politely, offering the flowers. "these are for you."
grayson's mom takes the bouquet with a delighted smile. "oh, how lovely! please, call me julia and call him graham," she insists, her warmth putting zara at ease. "oh graham look at how wonderful!"
grayson's dad stands up from his seat, a welcoming smile on his face as he approaches zara and grayson. "zara, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," he says warmly, stepping to zara for a quick side hug.
zara reciprocates the gesture, her nerves calming down further at his friendly demeanor. "likewise, mr— graham," she says with a genuine smile, relieved that the initial tension seems to be going away quickly. that's thanks to their extrovertedness. zara sees where grayson gets it from.
as they pull apart, graham hands her a bouquet of flowers, much like the one she gave to julia. "these are for you," he says with a smile, his voice gentle and welcoming. grayson has told us so much about you. we're thrilled to finally see you in person."
zara's heart swells with gratitude at his kind words. she feels a sense of relief knowing that grayson's parents are so welcoming and friendly. with their warm reception, she feels more confident about the brunch ahead.
"thank you," zara says sincerely, accepting the flowers with a soft smile. "i'm really glad to meet you both."
zara turns to grayson and his smile reassures her. she feels a surge of affection for him. she's thankful for him. he's good for her. together, they follow julia's gesture and take a seat at the table, ready to enjoy the brunch ahead.
as they settle in, julia's warm laughter fills the air. "grayson, darling," she begins, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "how on earth did you manage to snag such a pretty girl?"
grayson laughs, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "luck, i suppose," he replies with a grin, shooting zara a playful wink.
zara blushes at the compliment, feeling a warmth spread through her cheeks. "oh, stop it," she says with a laugh, feeling more relaxed in their company.
graham joins in the laughter, his deep voice adding to the atmosphere. zara didn't notice it before, but grayson's father has a really thick british accent. zara knew that his father was british, but he's really british. "well, grayson, you've definitely outdone yourself this time," he says with a proud smile, raising his glass in a toast.
julia's laughter is infectious, filling the air with warmth and light. "to grayson and zara," she says, raising her glass.
graham joins in the toast, his british accent making his words sound a lot more professional. "here, here," he adds, clinking his glass against julia's before taking a sip.
zara can't help but smile at the genuine warmth and affection in the room. despite her initial nerves, she feels a sense of belonging here with grayson and his family. maybe this brunch won't be so bad after all.
zara finds herself pleasantly surprised by how well everything is going. grayson's parents have been incredibly welcoming, sharing stories about their lives and asking zara thoughtful questions about hers.
zara learns more about grayson's upbringing, hearing stories about his childhood adventures and his teenage antics. she laughs along with julia and graham, finding herself charmed by their warmth and humor.
what surprises zara the most is discovering new parts of grayson's personality that she hadn't seen before. she learns about his childhood dreams, his favorite hobbies, and even his quirky habits that he thought he'd left behind. with each new revelation, zara feels her bond with grayson deepening, realizing just how much she appreciates him.
he's good for her.
the stories she's hearing is telling her that he's the picture-perfect guy she should be with. someone who is serious about having long-term commitments. someone a lot different than the one she used to love.
throughout the meal, zara finds herself asking the right questions, steering the conversation towards topics that make sure the conversation doesn't dull. she shares stories from her own life, allowing julia and graham to get to know her better.
zara feels a sense of ease settle over her. she realizes that she could maybe see herself being more than a guest at this table one day. maybe forming a real relationship with grayson's parents. by the time dessert arrives, zara can't help but feel grateful for the wonderful experience she's had. despite her initial nerves, the brunch has been a success.
that is until, grayson's parents start questioning her future.
"so, zara," julia starts, her tone gentle but probing. "what are your plans after college, dear?" zara hates this question. she doesn't want to talk about being a real, real adult yet. of course she has an idea of what she wants do after college, but it's like.. she's not there yet.
zara falters, caught off guard by the directness of the question. "um, well," she begins, fumbling for words. "i'm not entirely sure yet. i've been exploring different career paths, but nothing's set in stone." she pauses for a moment. "i model, so i definitely want to continue doing that. i'm getting my business and marketing degree and i want to make something of myself involving that."
graham nods, his expression expectant. "and what about long-term goals? do you see yourself working for many years, or are you looking to settle down sooner rather than later?" settle down? zara is still only 20 years old. she has a lot of life to live. settling down is not what she means when she says she wants a long-term relationship.
zara feels an imaginary bead of sweat form on her brow as she struggles to formulate a response. she glances at grayson, hoping for some guidance, but his expression remains neutral, leaving her to fend for herself.
"i...uh," she stammers, her mind racing to come up with an answer. "i guess i haven't really thought about it much. i mean, i haven't ruled out the possibility of having a family someday, but i haven't really thought about specifics."
julia and graham exchange a knowing glance, their expressions unreadable. zara squirms under their scrutiny, feeling a that feeling of unease return. she realizes that her lack of concrete plans may not sit well with them, especially considering their traditional values.
"and how many children do you envision having?" julia presses, her tone gentle but insistent. they're just curious, but zara just feels a bit overwhelmed by it all. she literally does not know! she's just a girl!
zara's heart sinks as she struggles to come up with an answer. she's never given much thought to these questions, preferring to live in the present rather than worry about the distant future. but now, faced with grayson's parents' expectations, she feels woefully unprepared.
"i...i'm not sure," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. "i guess...however many feels right?"
julia and graham exchange another glance, this time she can kind of read it. it's not one of disappointment, just one of expecting more. they don't mind that she isn't sure, but they would've been happier if she was sure. zara's heart sinks as she realizes that she's failed to meet their expectations, her lack of foresight maybe painting her as immature and directionless.
but she's not fully directionless! she just doesn't know if grayson's parents see modeling as a career. she works in modeling often, she has a steady booking list. she loves modeling and could see herself doing it for a long time.
she'd want to maybe do something with a clothing brand, but again, she's not sure!
as dessert draws to a close, zara can't help but feel a sense of unease lingering in the air. despite the warm welcome she's received, she knows that her uncertain future has left a mark on grayson's parents' impression of her.
grayson's parents are still kind to her and the conversation returns to normal once they stop talking about the future, but it's not the same. and as they bid farewell and she and grayson begin walking back to grayson's car, zara can't shake the feeling that she's let them down, casting a shadow over what was supposed to be a perfect brunch.
as they settle into grayson's car and the engine purrs to life, zara can't shake the heavy feeling in her chest. dhe sits in silence, her thoughts racing as she replays the conversation with grayson's parents in her mind.
what are your plans after college? do you want to settle down? how many kids do you want?
fumbling with her hands in her lap, zara can't help but feel like she's disappointed them. she had hoped to make a good impression, to show them that she's worthy of their son, but now she's left feeling inadequate and unsure.
grayson glances over at her, his brow furrowed with concern. "hey," he says softly, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand. "are you okay?"
zara forces a small smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "yeah, i'm fine," she replies, her voice barely above a whisper. "had a lot of fun. your parents are great."
grayson's expression softens as he turns to face her fully. "hey," he says gently, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. "my parents really did love you, okay? i could tell. they're just... they can be a bit overbearing sometimes, especially when it comes to questions about the future. they're like that with me too, so please don't take it personally."
zara's shoulders sag as she looks down from his eyes. "but you know what your future is. you're gonna go be some big time soccer star. i don't know about yet. there's so much i want to do and i don't know if i can do it all. it's hard for me to just pick one thing that i'd want to do forever. i just want to do everything."
"zara," grayson says softly, reaching out to gently brush away a stray strand of hair from her face. "it's okay to not have all the answers right now. my parents were just curious, that's all. they love you, i could see it in the way they treated you today."
zara's eyes flicker with uncertainty, but she finds solace in grayson's comforting words. "but what if they think i'm not serious about our relationship? what if they think i'm just a flighty girl who doesn't know what she wants?" she whispers, her voice tinged with fear.
"they're not gonna think that," grayson smiles at her. "my parents may have their expectations, but what matters most is how happy you make me, and that's all that matters to them. you're not just some flighty girl to me."
zara's breath catches in her throat as she takes in his words, feeling a wave of warmth wash over her. she reaches out to grasp his hand, her fingers intertwining with his as she searches his eyes for reassurance.
"do you really mean that?" she whispers, her voice barely above a whisper.
grayson nods, a tender smile playing on his lips. "of course, i do."
without hesitation, zara leans in and presses her lips against his, a silent expression of her gratitude and love.
as they pull away, their breath mingling in the space between them, grayson's gaze softens, his eyes filled with an unspoken tenderness. "i love you," he says softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
zara's heart skips a beat at his confession, her mind racing as she processes the weight of his words. for a moment, she's speechless, caught off guard by the intensity of her own emotions. she wasn't expecting him to say it now. she was just figuring out how she truly felt about him a couple hours ago.
"i...uh..." she stammers, her voice faltering as she searches for the right words. "me too." me too? is she stupid?
grayson furrows his brow at her response, confusion flickering across his features. "me too?" he repeats, a hint of amusement tugging at the corners of his lips.
zara's cheeks flush with embarrassment, realizing her mistake. "i mean, i love you too," she corrects herself, her words tumbling out in a rush. when she says it, her heart swells a little, but mainly it's her stomach doing all the reaction. "i'm sorry, i just... i didn't expect..."
"it's okay," he says softly, his thumb tracing circles against her cheek. "i understand."
zara exhales a shaky breath. "i love you," she repeats, this time with more conviction, so that grayson doesn't feel any kind of way about it. like first she fumbles with his parents then doesn't say i love you back? just evil.
grayson's smile widens. "i love you too," he replies, his voice filled with warmth. "i've been waiting to say that," he admits. "i wanted to be sure, you know? sure that you felt the same."
"i'm glad you waited," she murmurs. she really is glad. for a moment there, she probably wouldn't have said it back.
grayson leans in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "i know it's been a lot today," he says gently, his arms wrapping around her in a comforting embrace. "but seeing how well you handled everything with my parents, it just confirmed everything for me. i love you, zara."
zara closes her eyes, savoring the moment. for the first time in a long time, she feels truly loved and cherished, knowing that she's found someone who can actually admit and express their feelings for her. she doesn't have to question it.
not like she used to have to.
family gc 🤓👆😻🙏😊
lovergirl rossi ─── zara
massive L rossi ─── lena
futbol rossi ─── xavi
nfl sturniolo ─── chris
nhl sturniolo ─── matt
camera sturniolo ─── nick
lovergirl rossi
brunch was a successskiiii 💞😊❗️😘😍
nfl sturniolo
successskiii is crazy
massive L rossi
aw yayyyyy
camera sturniolo
this makes me happy things u love to see
futbol rossi
good because tbh i ate your plate 🤰
lovergirl rossi
oh wow
massive L rossi
absolutely crazy work btw 😕
camera sturniolo
real
nfl sturniolo
real
futbol rossi
srry
(i'm not)
lovergirl rossi
back is growing..
massive L rossi
LOL
how were his parents
were they nice?
lovergirl rossi
yes sooo nice
they're traditional and proper but they were sweet
his dad is extremely british
he ordered tea
and genuinely got mad when it wasn't up to par
nfl sturniolo
BLOODY HELL MATE
LOOK AT THE STATE OF THIS FOOKING TEA
OH MY DAZEEEE
U WANKER
IDIOT SANDWICH
lovergirl rossi
LMFAOOOOOOOOO
massive L rossi
why did i laugh
camera sturniolo
😭😭😭
imagine his dad was gordan ramsey
i'd die
futbol rossi
why is he kinda spot on
nfl sturniolo
that's just what i imagined idk
lovergirl rossi
😭😭😭
he didn't do allat but he was definitely bagged
his parents were all in my business though like shit
asking me what i plan to do after college and shit
like idk be a bad bitch like what
nfl sturniolo
did they ask the kid question too 😕
lovergirl rossi
they did.
nfl sturniolo
NOOOOO
camera sturniolo
imagine u had a kid with grayson and they took like brit era side
and u just have a little british chav running around the house
futbol rossi
i'd cry if my niece was a british chav
honestly i'd prob cry if my niece or nephew came over and asked for spotted dick
massive L rossi
xavi what
u know spotted dick isn't actually dick right
futbol rossi
wait wdym.
camera sturniolo
ENOUGHHH
nfl sturniolo
BRO
lovergirl rossi
XAVIER YOURE DUMBBB
ACTUALLY DUMB
WHY WOULD THEY BE SERVING DICK
futbol rossi
YOU NEVER KNOW
PEOPLE HAVE THEIR TASTES
camera sturniolo
ITS PUDDING
futbol rossi
i've been lied to idc.
nhl sturniolo
in what world would it have been dick
lovergirl rossi
maybe he thought they were rounding up the sassy men
and yk.
futbol rossi
alr ur done.
nfl sturniolo
oh shit matt
finally joining the convo
nhl sturniolo
xavi was being shockingly dumb there
futbol rossi
honest mistake.
camera sturniolo
honest idiocracy
futbol rossi
alr stop.
zara start talking about your bfs parents again.
lovergirl rossi
okay well besides the interrogation it was calm
but after i was upset because i thought his parents didn't like me
because of my answers
nhl sturniolo
if they didn't like u cause u don't have your life planned out
at 20 years old then it's just corny atp
camera sturniolo
agree
like it's 2024 u could drop out and start stocks at any point
become richer than everyone too
futbol rossi
that's my mentality when i have an essay due at 11:59 and it's 11:19
massive L rossi
me considering becoming a lash tech when my grade starts becoming a
statistic bc of how low it is
lovergirl rossi
that's what i'm saying
but grayson like convinced me that they do love me and that they're just curious
then
the L word was dropped
nfl sturniolo
L WORDDDDD
love is in the air
massive L rossi
AW
AW
AW
L WORD
camera sturniolo
L WORD
WHY IS THIS HUGE
futbol rossi
why are u guys shocked
grayson told me he loved her like last month
i thought u guys had been saying it
lovergirl rossi
nope
first time it was said was today
wait why didn't u tell me
futbol rossi
he told me he was gonna tell u
and he did
just a month later
nhl sturniolo
why'd it take so long
a guy knows he's in love with a girl like two weeks in
nfl sturniolo
why is that facts actually
i feel like guys fall in love so quick
all a girl has to do is compliment once and it's wraps
massive L rossi
um?
i don't think that's true
lovergirl rossi
i honestly hope that's not true cause matt that's sick
nfl sturniolo
PERSONALLY
it's true for me
camera sturniolo
why are u yelling
and why are u in love with alessia already
nfl sturniolo
bro chill
i wasn't talking about this scenario
(it's alessia flores obviously i would be)
futbol rossi
cornball
nhl sturniolo
fr
lovergirl rossi
i think that's cute
and i think there's no timeline to knowing you're in love
it just hits u one day
nhl sturniolo
and what day did it hit u
lovergirl rossi
idk
but it did
nhl sturniolo
k
good for u then
nfl sturniolo
scratches neck awkwardly
camera sturniolo
looks around
futbol rossi
opens calculator app on phone
massive L rossi
123 for a mom
camera sturniolo
123
lovergirl rossi
alr i'm done
nfl sturniolo
123
graysonholmes
liked by zararossi, xavirossi, and 24,834 others
graysonholes had ourselves a day
tagged - zararossi
comments
user he has a gf we lost
user forgot u i want ur gf
zararossi us going out for a sweet treat AFTER already having brunch
↳graysonholmes we walked for it so calories = burned
doriangilmore last slide is u guys no clickbait ?
↳graysonholmes it actually is
lenarossi hard launch ?
↳graysonholmes yes ❗️
user hey man idk if u know this but i think we have the same gf ngl
tommysilva calm lil post
↳graysonholmes calm
dorian 🐠
matt 🛴❗️ ─── matt
dorian 🐠 ─── dorian
matt 🛴❗️
dorian 🐠
wtf
matt 🛴❗️
bro
dorian 🐠
wsp w folk ?
u good gang
matt 🛴❗️
i
dorian 🐠
so i actually do NOT speak in reaction pics
matt 🛴❗️
dorian 🐠
??
hello
didn't u just start talking to emily like last week
matt 🛴❗️
not her
me and zara
dorian 🐠
what
no fr what 😂
matt 🛴❗️
this isn't funny 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
dorian 🐠
i know u said u didn't like grayson for zara
but what does this have to do with u guys being over
u guys BEEN over since she told ur ass during finals week
matt 🛴❗️
yeah but it's zara
we always come back
grayson was supposed to just be a phase
me wanting them to break up was supposed to be a short term thing
i just ASSUMED i wouldn't have to do that much work for them to break up
after me and her became friends again
dorian 🐠
okay so at what point did u realize that u guys are really over
because i could've told u that at the beginning
i just egged u on for the plot
FRIENDS with NO benefits 🙅♂️🙅♂️🙅♂️🙅♂️🙅♂️🙅♂️
matt 🛴❗️
bro
she's telling him she loves him and shit now like broooo
and that means we can't kiss anymore
like wdym u love him
dorian 🐠
seems like u are taking this a bit personally
matt 🛴❗️
obviously
i don't want zara with a guy like grayson
dorian 🐠
why do u not like him
oh i know
because he's with zara
matt 🛴❗️
nah
he's annoying
not funny enough for her
dorian 🐠
is he annoying because he's with zara
matt 🛴❗️
bro come on
ntm
i don't think he's good enough for her
don't want her with him
but what can i do now
she loves him like ok no way
dorian 🐠
hey matt
i hate to be the one to tell u this
especially because i believed u at first when u debunked this
but u like zara
matt 🛴❗️
😂
now that's funny
dorian 🐠
u do
ur jealous of grayson
matt 🛴❗️
LOL
could never be jealous of him
embarrassing if i was
dorian 🐠
ur jealous cause he has zara
u wish u had zara
u like zara
matt 🛴❗️
no i just don't think zara actually likes him
not right for her to lead him on and definitely not right for her to settle
settle for so much less btw
dorian 🐠
so u are genuinely convinced that u care about this as a friend would
matt 🛴❗️
yes
zara has been so different since she started dating him
i want the old zara back
dorian 🐠
u want the old zara that u used to kiss and shit back ???
matt 🛴❗️
well ofc when u put it like that it makes it seem like i like her
but what me and zara had was good like peak
now it's gone and i'm low key sick
dorian 🐠
because u like her
who gets sick over their friend getting a bf 😂😂
u like her bro this is bad
matt 🛴❗️
i don't
i'm literally fw another girl rn
dorian 🐠
just bc u distract from the fact doesn't make it any less true
matt 🛴❗️
u sound corny asf rn
dorian 🐠
u are literally in my phone crying because zara loves her bf
matt 🛴❗️
alr wtv
when they break up i warned everyone
dorian 🐠
that is a crazy thing to say
matt 🛴❗️
alr
to prove to u and chris who claims i like zara
i'll drop it fr
dorian 🐠
OR
actually i'm not saying anything
matt 🛴❗️
why
just say
dorian 🐠
if i say i'll be just as bad as u
matt 🛴❗️
it is what it is
dorian 🐠
i know u are laying in ur bed listening to bags by clairo rn
matt 🛴❗️
bro
girls ate ts in the comments of the hockey tiktok account when i
said it was my guilty pleasure song
dorian 🐠
why are u a sick human being
matt 🛴❗️
i'm dropping it fr
i'm focusing on myself
dorian 🐠
😂
that's funny
matt 🛴❗️
alr bro
VAL SPEAKS
matt is SICK but doesn't know it yet