First ever fan art by my pepperlini🌹 RoyallySaid
I love you sis💖, what would I do without you??
6:45pm and the house is already crowded with guests and I'm stuck at the door welcoming more of them with June.
Usually at gatherings like this mom would carry me around introducing me to all her friends and flaunting me before their eligible daughters but tonight she seems to be herding them away.
The Summers arrive and June runs to hug her mom and Gracie while Meg settles for a fist bump, typical Meghan.
She looks gorgeous tonight in a skintight black dress that flows to the ground. Black does love her. Her funky hair looks like she had tried to comb it back but gave up, making it disheveled and roughly cute.
My mom burst out of the house and gives Sue a hug before doing same to Gracie and Meghan.
'Come on Zayn, say hi to our inlaws'. My mom practically screamed for the entire house to hear.
I moved from my position at the door and gave Sue a hug accompanied by a light kiss to her cheek that left her a blushing mess.
'You look dashing tonight'. Gracie said as we hugged.
'It's all for the parents'. I said and she smiled.
They all went inside leaving Meghan and I out there alone.
'Where is the leather jacket?' Meghan said teasingly.
'Mom threatened to shred them all if I didn't look presentable tonight'.
'She did you a favor. You look good in this, you should wear it to school sometime'.
'Wear a suit to school? How nice. You don't look bad yourself'.
'No shit. I literally can't breathe in this nylon, it feels like I'm being hugged by five Rick Rosses'. I couldn't help but laugh.
'Let's go inside'.
She tried to move but stumbled and almost lost balance.
'I also can't walk in this heels'. She said sheepishly which made me laugh. I offered her my arm which she willingly took for the first time.
'Don't worry captain, I've got you'.
'Right. Like you won't run off to search for a new plaything'.
That kinda stunk but I didn't let it show.
'Not gonna happen under mom's watch. She's been keeping the girls away, making sure I'm all yours'.
'I feel blessed'.
We kept making small talks as we went into the house.
Most of the guests are employees at my dad's hospital where Meghan's dad used to be a partner until he passed away and her mom took over but she let's my dad manage everything.
A lot of them know Meghan but she doesn't appear to know them or if she does, she ignores them but I think it's the former.
Meghan Summers isn't interested in anything if it isn't black or basketball.
Her dad was so proud of her, he used to talk about her all the time; his little girl who preferred balls to dolls.
Her mom used to complain about her getting masculine and scaring off men and not being posh like her sisters but her dad always supported her, he'd always say; Meghan is unique and not ashamed to be who she is on the inside, her perfect man is out there, real will always find its way back to real.
I turned to look at Meg perched on my arm, laughing along with Gracie at Jake's mom dress that made her look like one of Cinderella's sisters. Yes, I watched Cinderella, do not judge me.
'What does she think this is? A royal ball in the 30s?' Gracie said and this time I laughed along with them.
Gradually, the music died down and the spotlight was shone on my parents who were joined to each other by their sides. Dad cleared his throat.
'I'm beyond elated to have you all here tonight to celebrate thirty years of my marriage to the strongest woman in the world. In all honesty, I am honoured to be the number one man in her life, I am honoured to have her change her lovely last name to bear mine and I am beyond blessed to be the father of her three wonderful and slightly obnoxious children'.
He just had to say that.
'I see my children giving me sour looks, sorry kids, today is all about your mom'. He paused to hold my mother's hands in his so he could stare right at her.
'Linda, in the past thirty-four years of knowing you and thirty years of marriage there hasn't been a morning I woke up and felt my love for you diminish. You've been a great wife, mother, grandmother and mother-in-law and you'll continue to be for the next thirty more years to come. I love you'.
'I love you too'. My mom said in that sickly sweet voice none of the cheerleaders would ever manage to pull off.
'If they kiss, I'm gonna throw up in your shoe'. Meghan said beside me, then they kissed.
'Take off your shoes'. She looked so serious for a moment I thought she was going to be sick but she smiled at my mom and joined in on the clapping.
Jake sighted me from across the hall and was about to come over but stopped when he noticed Meghan beside me. She noticed him too and sent him an evil smirk.
I caught sight of a very familiar face that I hadn't seen for over a year walking towards us. She stopped before me and smiled.
'Lauren?' I whispered.
'Is that how you say hello to your big sister, Zaynie? Come on, fill me up'. She said, spreading her arms.
'That is totally wrong for you to say. Motherhood hasn't gotten to your foul mouth'.
She pulled me into her body. Motherhood hadn't changed her attitude but it sure did change her body, she was at least two sizes bigger than she used to be and more beautiful.
'Mom said you wouldn't be coming because of baby Carl'.
'His aunt agreed to watch him. I couldn't miss another big family occasion after Malik's wedding. I just saw his wife, she's a gorg, way better than what she looks like in picture. Most importantly, I had to see you, boyfriend'. She said pulling my cheeks which made Meghan chuckle at my side.
Gracie had left to socialize.
'Hey there! You must be Meghan, mom told me all about the hair. It's nice to meet you honey'. Lauren smiled at her.
She had always been that way, my sister, the nicest of us. She was the perfect big sister to Malik and I but she could be monstrous when she wanted to be.
I had been upset when she got married and moved out of the city but she had found her prince and I was sure he'd take care of her.
'The feeling is mutual'. Meghan said with a smile.
'Zayn, we have to talk'. I hated when my sister sounded so serious because it only meant trouble.
'Right now?' She nodded and asked me to wait in the terrace while she went to call dad.
I walked out to the terrace, the music was almost unheard from there. Lauren came out a few minutes later accompanied by our father, both wearing disappointed looks.
I was used to my family being disappointed in me but it still felt bad to see it in their faces.
'Dad'. Lauren gestured for our father to speak.
'Zayn for the past eighteen months you made us believe you had moved on from what happened three years ago.
You took your antidepressants, went to school, socialized, stopped brooding, you acted it out so well we were totally fooled but son I am a doctor and could see you weren't getting any rest, you still looked out of it so I investigated and realized you weren't taking your antidepressants, you were flushing it down the toilet and not only that Zayn, you decided to turn to drugs?'
He lifted a bag that was supposed to be at the bottom of my underwear drawer.
'Dad'. I tried.
'Why Zayn? Do you know how bad this is? You could get addicted, you could...' He paused when he realized he was screaming.
'It's all my fault, I really thought you were getting better but it only got worse'. Lauren placed a hand on his shoulder.
'Let me handle this dad. Go back to mom, we don't want her to know about this'.
He looked at me one more time before walking away.
'What now you too are going to scold me? Whack me with your purse until I promise to be your perfect little brother?'
She smiled and hugged me.
'I know better than anyone how imperfect you are'. She said before letting me go.
'Perfection is so huge, no one should ask of it from anyone and I'll never ask that of you because even I can't give that but Zayn is the truth too much to ask for? I know you like to be independent and not let us worry but lying to us, making us believe you are fine when you are the complete opposite will only result in disaster. I honestly wasn't planning to grace this occasion but when dad called to tell me what he had discovered in your room, I know I had to come home. Maybe if I hadn't moved out of town I would've been able to stop you from destroying yourself'.
'No Lauren, no. Do not blame yourself for this. I am responsible for my actions'.
'I will always blame myself Zayn, if anything ever happened to you, remember that when next you do something stupid. If anything happens to you I will not be okay. I know you kept your suffering from us because you love us and don't want to hurt us but Zayn in order to love us right, you have to first love yourself. You have to stop beating yourself up about what happened three years ago, you have to stop this nonsense you have started, please, I do not want to lose you'.
Tears were silently streaming down her face and I pulled her to me and held her till she calmed down.
'You still do not cry do you?' She asked, looking up at me and my face gave her the answer. She smiled.
'Come on, let's go inside and celebrate mom and dad fucking no one else but themselves for the past thirty years'. She said.
'You're sure about that?'
'Zayn!' She swatted my arm and I laughed a little.
'You go, I'll be there in a few minutes'. She nodded and went in leaving me with the cold air as company.
I did want to stop everything. I did want to become a better person for my family but I was already deep in this nonsense, there was no turning back now. It was a good thing they knew nothing about the gang and I was going to keep it that way.
Yes they had found out about the drugs but I still couldn't leave the gang else it would be a public subject and my family would have to suffer more.
'So you ditched the party without me, what a bestie you are'. A voice which was undeniably Meghan's said behind me. I turned and smiled when I saw her shoes on her hands.
'You ditched your shoes'.
'I got tired of being the damsel in distress since my chaperon vanished'.
'My mom looking for me?'
'I'm sure she will when she takes a break from feeling like a princess. What are you doing out here?'
'Taking a break from the world?'
'Sorry for intruding, I'll just go and let you continue'.
'Or we could take a break together?' I said staring at the constellations in the sky.
I felt her looking at me so I turned.
'What?'
'What are you made of Zayn Rodriguez?'
There was pure curiosity in her brown eyes. I only then noticed how transparent they are.
'Nothing out of the ordinary'. I said.
'I highly doubt that'.
'You see that's the problem. Even if you live your life like an open book, people would still look for hidden chapters'.
'Granted, you are an open book but a mystery/thriller'. I chuckled.
'Don't tell me you like that genre'.
'It's just my favorite genre'.
'Then you must love James Patterson'.
'Since I read postcard killers'.
Meghan Summers is my dream girl, emphasis on the word, dream.
My phone beeped, it was Gracie.
'We should go inside, Gracie says she'll call your boyfriend if I 'misbehave' with you'.
She laughed lightly.
'She has nothing to worry about, I've got good weapon'. She raised her heeled shoes.
'Right, we better get going before I end up a corpse'.
We returned to the party.
It took everything in me not to run and hide out in my room whenever my father looked at me, then I remembered it was just the beginning and I will have to get used to that expression.
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Well???
Thoughts on Lauren?
What happened three years ago?
Please comment, vote(that'd be so nice), follow( I'll definitely follow back) and pm me!!