The Party Girl // Zane Hijazi

Chapter 4: Zane

Gabbie ordered 5 burritos, 5 bags of chips, and five drinks. We drove 15 minutes from Chipotle and 30 minutes from my apartment with bags upon bags.

"What do your friends do?" I asked as we turned into a really nice neighborhood. "They're all viners, and youtubers," she said, casually. "Do you guys really make money from that?" I asked, taking a drink from my to-go cup filled with lemonade. "Yeah, the videos get monetized, and ad's and stuff, yadda yadda yadda," she said, turning into a dead end road. There were 5 cars in the driveway, and Gabbie parked across the street. I grabbed the bag of food, and the chips for Gabbie just to make things easier on her as she grabbed all the drinks. It was nerve racking going to some random person's house.

"Do they all live here?" I asked, as we walked towards the gate. "Yeah, theres a guest house, then the main house,"

She unlocked the gate, and we were greeted by a white husky at out feet. "Hi Circa," Gabbie said, walking in all the way. I watched my footing walking in so I didn't see the whole yard at first, but I was hit with the sudden smell of cigarettes. I pet the cute husky, and received friendly licks. "Hey Gab," someone said. I looked up and saw a stocky, bearded guy sitting in a lawn chair smoking a cigarette. "Hey Heath, you got the meatless burrito right?" Gabbie asked. "Yeah," he said, getting up. I looked through the bag and found the burrito that said, "Meatless,"

"Who's this?" he asked, with the prettiest smile I've ever seen. "Oh this is Bryn. The one the works at B-Dubs that me, Carly, and Erin met," Gabbie said, handing him his soda. "Hi," I smiled, handing him his burrito and chips. "Hi," he smiled.

"Here, let me take that," he said, grabbing the two bags from me. I followed the two into the main house. "Food!" Heath yelled.

Two hungry, shirtless, tall guys came from down the hall, then Heath went outside again, and came back with another bearded guy.

"Who's this?" the tattooed one asked. "I'm Bryn, Gabbie's friend," I smiled, giving a little wave. He smiled back, "Hi Bryn. I'm Scotty," he said, shaking my hand, then digging through the Chipotle bag. "Toddy," the gorgeous one flashed me the biggest smile ever. "It's nice to meet you," he added, making me blush.

"Elton," the other bearded guy said, smiling. "So, Scotty, Toddy, Heath, and Elton," I said, pointing to each person. Everyone nodded as I got their names right.

"Where's Zane?" Gabbie asked, scrolling through her phone. "He said he was running to the store for something, but I can't remember," Toddy said, walking behind me, grazing my butt with his fingertips. I subtly looked at him, earning a wink from his brown eyes. Scotty, and Toddy sat at the dining table.

"So how did you guys meet?" Elton asked. "She works at B-Dubs, and she told me the craziest story- Tell them Bryn, they'll love it," Gabbie over exaggerated. "Oh God, Gabbie-" I said looking at her.

"I wanna hear it," Scotty said, unwrapping his burrito.Everyone agreed and I felt the anxiety start to rise in my feet. "Ah, uh, okay. So, I was going to Yale for law and criminology, and long story short I fucked my philosophy teacher," I said, feeling my cheeks turn red. "Wait I'm still caught up in the fact you went to Yale," Elton said. I laughed. "My dad's idea," I shrugged. "So why are you in LA," Heath asked.

"Well, while I was fucking my philosophy teacher, who still tries to call me every day, my roommate, and boyfriend walked in while I was on top of him.... on the couch.. in the apartment I shared with both of them," I said, putting my forehead in my hand. Heath and Elton busted out laughing, and Scotty did too. Toddy was quiet. "Isn't that insane?!" Gabbie yelled over the laughter.

"What's insane," We heard at the front door. A tall stocky builded guy carrying target bags came through the door. We made instant eye contact, then I looked down at my shoes. "Zane, this is my friend Bryn, remember, the one I told you about?" she said. Zane set the bags down on the table where Toddy and Scotty were. "The one from B-Dubs?" he asked, walking over to us. I nodded. "It's nice to meet you," he smiled. His smile was prettier than Heath's and Toddy's. He shook my hand with a strong grip, and I couldn't even get words out by how mesmerized I was by his big brown eyes. "Nice to meet you too," I finally choked out.

He smiled, and slithered by me to grab his burrito and drink, and sat by Toddy and Scotty. "You have any plans? Do you mind if we just hang out here for a bit?" Gabbie asked, sitting on the couch. "No, my roommate wants to go out tonight, but thats about it," I said.

"That sounds fun, where do you guys go?" she asked. I walked over to the couch and sat next to her. "Normally just this gay bar on vine," I said.

"Gay bar?" Toddy asked from the dining table.

"Yeah we go to watch drag shows, and get drunk and stuff," everyone was quiet.

"Damn, it's always the pretty ones," Elton said, sarcastically. "What?" I asked, confused. "You're gay," He added.

"No, I'm not gay," I said, my cheeks instantly glazing over with a redness.

I let out a nervous laugh when the guys let out a relief sigh. "My roommate is a male model, so we go hang out with his friends that model too at this gay bar, its pretty fun you guy should come sometime," I said, trying to save myself

"Heath hates gays," Scotty said. "What?" I furrowed my brow at Heath. "I don't, it's their weird joke to make me look bad," I looked at Gabbie, and she laughed. "Have you ever been to Emo Night?" Gabbie asked, scrolling through her phone. "Yeah I was at the one last month!" I said, excitedly. "Dude, no way you have to go to the one with us this month," Gabbie said. "Erin is dating the guy who created it so we get in for free," she added. "Hell yeah dude, that would be so cool," I said.

"Oh shit," Gabbie said, taking a phone call, and going into one of the back rooms. I looked at Heath and Elton. "This always happens," Heath said. I turned around on the couch and faced all of them. "Tell me about you guys, since you know the most embarrassing thing about me,"

"I don't" Zane said, taking a drink and looking at me dead in the eyes.

"I uh-"

"Hey Bryn, I'm really sorry but I have to go I totally forgot about this meeting and I have to be there ASAP," Gabbie interrupted

"Don't worry about it, I can walk back," I said. "No let me buy you an Uber, that's such a far walk," she said. I shook my head getting up. "No Gabbie, really it's fine," I said, smiling.

"Where do you live?" Toddy asked. "She lives at the Scenic Heights apartment buildings, right next to my apartments," Gabbie told him.

"C'mon, I'll give you a ride," he said wiping his mouth with a napkin, and getting up.