Mafia Dreamer

Chapter 5

The car ride home had been frighteningly quiet, though Zendaya was sure her parents could hear her heart beating against her ribcage in fear. She racked her brain for an excuse, anything she could use to hide from the truth, there was no way she was going to tell them anything that could get herself or Val into serious trouble.

They finally arrived home, she got out the BMW.

"Inside." Kazembe ordered, keeping his eyes on her the whole time.

She entered the kitchen and took at seat on one of the barstools. Glancing up to see her parents towering over her, she immediately looked back down.

"Where have you been?" Kazembe repeated, while Claire took a seat, she couldn't even look at her own daughter, she was worn out by stress.

"I didn't do anything!" She blurted out, then grimaced when she realized not answering the question made her sound extremely guilty. "I was, uh... at Church." She muttered and tried to smile.

"Zendaya Maree Stoemer Coleman, do not lie to us." Claire intervened, she knew her daughter well enough to know when she wasn't telling the truth.

"We go over to Deja's to pick you up and surprise you, only to find out you're not even there." Her father explained, arms up in hysteria.

"Deja and Dom wouldn't tell us anything." His wife contributed, a look of bewilderment on her face.

"We've been worried sick, you wouldn't answer your phone." Kazembe continued, it was normal for her parents to scold her, but she always felt like they were teaming up on her when they did. They never took her side. Never made her feel like her opinions mattered.

"What has gotten into you? You don't answer your phone calls, you're sneaking out, and now you're lying to us?" Claire asked calmly, wanting to make Zendaya feel like it was alright to tell the truth.

"I was- I don't know?" Zendaya whispered, but that wasn't a good answer for her father, nothing would ever be.

"I'm going to ask you one more time... where the hell have you been?" Kazembe asked firmly, praying that she would stop playing games. "You're only making it worse on yourself if you lie." He finished.

Zendaya looked away in shame, she knew lying wouldn't work, though it was worth a try. But now, she knew there was no other option then to come clean. Val told her they would have to tell them someday. She just wished he was here with her, holding her hand in moral support.

"I... I was with Val." She sighed, gazing at her parents trying to read the expression on their faces.

"Sweetie, we've told you thousands of times, it's fine if you hang out with him. I know you guys are close." Claire smiled relieved, and stood up to place a comforting hand on her daughter's hand.

"Yeah, you couldn't have told us you were with him? It would have spared us the trouble of losing our minds." Kazembe laughed heartedly, his deep voice echoing throughout the house.

"Because..." Zendaya spoke, the butterflies in her stomach making her feel sick. She let go of her mother's hand and stood up, pacing.

"Because, what?" Her father asked in confusion.

"Honey, what's going on?" Claire asked carefully.

"We're dating." Zendaya confessed, feeling the weight of the world lift off her shoulders.

"What?" Claire said, voice barely above a whisper, her hand covering her mouth in disbelief.

"...Val is my boyfriend." Zendaya admitted, feeling smaller than she already was compared to them. "We're together." She informed, this was not how she wanted to tell them. She wasn't even sure if she ever wanted to tell them.