The Party Girl // Zane Hijazi

Chapter 8: Bea

"So what do you do?" I asked, my mouth full of toast. Zane took a bite of his bacon. "I'm a social media influencer," he said. "Is that just a fancy word for youtuber?" I smiled at him, taking my hair down from a ponytail to braid it to the side. He laughed and looked at his plate. "I guess," he laughed. "Anything else I can get you folks?" The waitress asked, coming back to our table in the middle of a popular diner by LAX. "I'm good, Bryn, you want anything else?" Zane asked me. I swallowed the toast in my mouth. "Can I get a refill?" I asked. "Coke?" The waitress asked. "Yes," I smiled at her. She smiled as she walked away with my cup.

Zane held my hand across the table, and rubbed the top of it with his thumb. I looked at his hand and smiled, feeling my cheeks grow red. "What?" He laughed. "Nothing," I said, waving my other hand. "No, tell me," he said. "No I don't want to be that girl that always talks about her ex," I said.

Zane shook his head. "No, tell me," he repeated.

I took a deep breath. "My ex- technically fiancé-"

"Fiancé?" Zane choked on his coffee.

"It was arranged," I said, he shook his head. "He never really showed me affection like this," I said. "It's nice,"

Zane brought my hand to his lips, and kissed my knuckles. "I'm good at affection," he said, smiling, and pointing a piece of bacon at me. I leaned in and bit the bacon. "Hey!" he laughed. I smiled.

I checked my phone and the time read 7:30. "Shit we gotta go soon, I board at 9:45, and I want to get my siblings stupid tourist shirts" I said. Zane got the waitresses's attention, and grabbed the check for my scrambled eggs, and his pancakes.

We walked to his jeep, and we drove the 5 minutes that turned into fifteen with the traffic, to the airport. Zane pulled up to terminal 1, and parked. I wasn't expecting him to get out but he grabbed my bag from the back of his trunk. I smiled. "Thanks," I said as he handed me my black suitcase. "Have a safe flight," he said, putting his hands in his pockets nervously. I smiled at him, and put my hand on his bearded face, and pulled him in to kiss me. I felt his hands on my neck, as I pulled my face away. I looked at him again and gave him a little peck. He grabbed my hand in his, "I'll pick you up when you get back?" Zane asked. "If you want," I smiled, swinging his hand back and forth. I walked away, and looked back at Zane leaning on his car watching me enter the building.

I got into the elevator and my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and saw my little sister, Bea's, face. "Hey Bea," I said, holding the phone to my ear. "Hey Bryn. Are you boarding yet?" she asked. "I don''t take off until 9:45," I laughed. "Ugh, what time is it there?" she asked. "Almost 8. Why?" I asked. "I'm just really excited to see you," she said. I smiled as the elevator stopped at the ticket and bag check. "Hold on," I said, as I got to the woman behind the American Airlines desk. "Hi," I said getting my wallet out of my purse that way buried under my pleather jacket from target. "I'm picking up my ticket," I got my ID out and the woman ran it through the system. "Put your bag up here," I put my bag on the scale and checked it, got my ticket, and headed towards my terminal suitcaseless. "Okay sorry I was checking my bag," I said, pulling my purse up on my shoulder. "So mom actually bought good food for when you come," she said. "What? That's unlike her health-nut self," I said. "Yeah I know right?" Bea said. "How's Blake adjusting?" I asked. "He sleeps a lot," Bea said. "When he got out of the hospital he-"

"Wait, hospital?" I asked, stopping in my tracks, and stepping to the side. "You didn't know?" Bea said. "What happened?" I asked, my tone becoming serious. "He was found in his apartment in India by one of his co-workers hanging by his belt,"

"Holy shit-" I said. "Why the fuck didn't anyone tell me?!" I asked, getting emotional. "I don't know, I thought mom would've told you by now, he's been in a hospital in Pennsylvania for a month," Bea said. I ran my fingers through my hair with frustration. "Pennsylvania? Jesus did mom not want anyone to know or something?" I asked. Bea was quiet. "Jesus!" I said, turning my body around with my hand on my forehead. "You know how she is Bryn," Bea said. "That's her fucking son!" I said, almost a little too loud. "What did dad do?" I asked. "He stayed in Pennsylvania with him most of the time, unless he had to work," I could feel the anger rising in my bones.

"Jesus Christ," I said, having basically a temper tantrum. "He's okay now," Bea said. I took a deep breath. "Thats good," I said. "I'll see you guys in a few hours," I said. "Okay,Blake and I will be there around fiveish. Love you" Bea said, hanging up. I walked around LAX for a few hours, bought Bradley, Bea, and Blake "I heart LA" shirts, then boarded the plane.

~

After sleeping through the five and a half hour flight, I finally landed in Boston. I got up from my isle seat, and grabbed my large purse from the overhead compartment. I slipped my ray-band sunglasses on because I'm THAT person in the airport. I walked off the plane, smiling at the flight attendants on my way out. I felt the cool fall air through the cracks of the airplane and the airport. I walked to the baggage claim, and turned on my phone.

Messages I missed flooded my phone.

Jessica: Have a safe flight! Miss you already!

Gabbie: Hey heard you were going to Boston. We need to get together again after you get back so I can make up for leaving so abruptly.

Bea: Waiting outside Terminal 3 in the Audi.

Zane: Miss your stupid pretty face.

I smiled then locked my phone, searching for my generic black luggage. Once i was sure I spotted it, I grabbed it, and dragged it off the conveyer belt. I walked off the the side, and called Bea. "Hey I just landed, you said you were at terminal 3?" I asked, slipping on my jacket, and walking toward the terminal.

"Where is this damn terminal," I grumbled, wandering aimlessly. I finally saw the huge three sign. I walked out into the freezing Boston air, and took a deep breath. "Good to be home," I whispered. I put my sunglasses up on my head because it was dark out and I would look more like an idiot than I already do.

I looked down the line of cars to find the red Audi, once I finally spotted it, I walked quickly over to it. Bea got out of the driver's seat, and I stopped in my tracks. "What?!" I yelled. "My baby sister drives?!"

She ran over to me and hugged me tightly. Her head came under my collar bones, and I stroked the back of her head. "And you cut your hair?!" I laughed. "I missed you," she said in my shirt. "I missed you too kid," I said. "Save some love for me," I heard the echoing laugh of my older brother. I looked up and saw the tall lanky body of Blake's. I let go of Bea, and walked over to Blake, hugging him tightly, leaving my suitcase with Bea. My head came to his chest since he was nearly 6'4".

Bea grabbed my suitcase and threw it in the back of the Audi. "Your hair is so long!" I said. "India doesn't really have barbers," he said. "Is Brad coming over this weekend?" I asked. "Who knows," Bea said, getting in the driver's side. I walked to the car with Blake, and got in the front seat with Bea.

blake and bea on top!