Bastiana has a loving family, two amazing best friends, and a secret.
Over summer vacation, Bastiana and her besties do their best to focus on their bucket list in order to distract them from all the secrets they're keeping from one another. When a...
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"So, Jaxon." Miss Josie gets my attention as we sit in the living room, eating dessert. I turn to face her as she continues. "Abi said that tomorrow is your birthday, right?"
"That's right." I give her a smile and nod. "19."
"That's exciting. Well, happy birthday in case I don't see you again before you head back to school." She smiles at me warmly.
"Actually." I clear my throat lightly and glance around the room at everyone. Mom and dad are smiling at me and give me a small nod. "My parents just redid our home theater room and thought this would be a good chance to break it in. So, if you guys are okay with it, we'd like to host a movie night with everyone tomorrow night. To celebrate Thanksgiving and my birthday while everyone is here." I take a deep breath and look around the room nervously.
"Really?" Dillon is the first to speak. His voice is soft and his eyes are wide with excitement.
"Yeah, if you guys don't mind. We can do it up big, just like Rigby movie nights, Dil." I nod gently and smile at him. He turns to look up at his mom. "I don't mean to mess with your tradition, Miss Josie. You can totally say no." I add quickly. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot."
"Well, I think that's very sweet of you to offer, Jaxon." She gives me a warm smile. "I guess it's up to the kids." She looks around at all her kids. "What do you guys think? As long as we're all together, I don't mind where we are."
"I think it sounds fun. I'm in." Riggy nods.
"I'm cool with it." Carter shrugs without looking up from her cherry pie.
"Will there be brownies?" Dillon asks, tilting his head at me.
"Yes, Dil." I laugh softly. "There will definitely be brownies."
"Okay, I'm in." He smiles brightly and nods.
I slowly turn to look at Bastiana. She looks beautiful today, in a dark purple dress. She has a plate of peach cobbler resting on her crossed legs as Asher and Ryker sit on either side of her on the sectional.
Her eyes widen as she looks up to see everyone looking at her. Her gaze darts around the room between the faces of her family members.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Asher press his side against her, as if lending her physical support. Bastiana looks up at him and her shoulders relax a fraction.
"Okay, but who's picking the movies?" She laughs softly.
* * * * * * * * * *
"You want to watch what?" Carter asks with pinched brows from her spot on one of the large dark blue couches in the new home theater.
"Horror spoofs." Bastiana shrugs with a small smile. "It's the perfect combination of genres." She raises her eyebrows and looks around the room at everyone, waiting for them to agree with her.
