GIRLFRIEND // B.E

fourteen.

•zayda•

"hi, my love," leila greeted as she placed her hands on my waist so that she could pull me closer to her.

"hi, baby," i smiled.

"you look so good. lil' beautiful ass," she complimented me as her eyes trailed over my outfit.

"you think so?" i felt my cheeks flush.

"i know so," she nodded before cupping my cheek. "pretty girl," she murmured as her eyes scanned my face. she then pulled me in for a kiss.

"i love you."

"i love you," i scrunched my nose up.

she pressed another kiss to my lips before grabbing my hand and interlacing our fingers. "c'mon, my parents are already inside and at a table."

i hesitated. she frowned, and she tilted her head. "what's wrong?"

"i'm nervous," i mumbled as i shifted my stance. "i feel like— do they like me?"

"what? of course they do," her brows furrowed.

"they seem like they hate me," i let out an uneasy laugh.

"no, baby," she shook her head as she pulled me closer to her again. she cupped my face, and her thumbs soothingly rubbed against my cheekbones. "it's not— they're not... it's nothing against you, alright? they're just... detached, i guess you could say? distant..?"

she let out a sigh; she was obviously frustrated about not being able to find the right words. she let out a puff of air. "just... i promise, it's nothing against you, love. they like you, they really do."

"you promise?" i asked quietly.

"i promise," she reassured. she tilted my head down a bit so that she could kiss my forehead. "you okay to go in now?"

i took a small breath. "yeah, let's go."

she grabbed my hand again, and she started leading me into the restaurant. i nervously interlaced our fingers.

we reached the table that lei's parents, david and lauren, were at. they both stood up. david greeted me with a handshake, while lauren greeted me with very quick, brief hug.

we all then sat down. leila motioned to the drink in front of my chair, and she told me that she had went ahead and got a coke for me. i thanked her.

"so, zayda, how have you been?" lauren asked me.

"i've been good," i nodded. "and you two?"

"we're okay," david said. "how's school? you're graduating in may, right? do you know what you're doing after high school?"

"school is as good as it can be, i guess," i shrugged. "after i graduate though, i plan on going to a community college to get my associate's degree. by the time i get that, i'm hoping i'll figure out what i want to actually do."

"you don't know what you wanna do yet?" lauren asked me.

"um... no..?" i chuckled nervously.

she and david both gave me an odd look. it got uncomfortably quiet after that, and i shifted in my position. i nervously squeezed lei's hand under the table.

i'm only seventeen... why is it such a big deal that i don't know what i wanna do yet?

"here, baby, you wanna get this?" leila asked softly to change the subject. she was pointing at an item on the menu.