I'm Not Leaving Without You

I stuck my dream catcher earring into my ear as I ran out of the door, with the dogs trailing behind me. I closed the door with the dogs on the other side—Majesty was barking a storm while Icky was trying to escape—and locked it before running down the front steps and into Zack’s car.

Zacky shook his head as he backed out of the driveway and started down the road to his parent’s house. They were having a family dinner and we’re late… because of me. But it’s not my fault! Zack forgot to remind me in the morning so instead of getting ready; I was lounging around the house doing nothing when he walked in asking why I wasn’t getting ready to leave. After that, I was running around trying to get ready super fast. So that is why I had to run out of the house almost without earrings on!

Zee grabbed my hand as he drove onto PCH. “You look beautiful, Becka.” I smiled at him as I put my sunglasses onto my face. I rolled down the window and stuck my other hand out of the window.

“I miss your parents. They were the sweetest people to me when I was younger,” I thought out loud as I stared into space. I felt Zacky’s thumb trace over my elephant ring as I spoke. “I’m glad we’re going to go see your family. We haven’t seen them in a real long time.”

“I know. I miss them. I mean, I talk to my mom like every single day but it’s a lot different than going to go visit. We should start visiting them more.”

I put down the visor and started to reapply my red lipstick as I looked at myself through the small mirror. “We should. And we should visit Zina and her kids more. I know Gavin misses you.” I smiled over at him with my fresh lipstick. “He’ll be ecstatic to see you when we get to your parent’s house!”

Zack chuckled as he got off of the expressway and onto a ramp. “I know he will. I miss that kid and his sister too. They are by far the cutest kids I have ever seen.”

We pulled up in the Baker’s driveway, Zina was parked in the street and Mr. and Mrs. Baker had their car in the garage. The two of us practically ran to the door. Zack run the doorbell and in a few short moments, his mom opened the door. She greeted her son with a big kiss and a big hug. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh! Look at you, Becka! You’re even more beautiful since you left!” Maria exclaimed as she pulled me into a bear hug and kissed my face. I kissed her cheeks back and smiled at her. She was always like my mom.

“Maria! I missed you! How are you?” I asked as I let go of her and greeted Zack’s father the same way I greeted his mom.

“I‘m doing fabulous, thanks for asking! How are you, darling?” she asked as she closed the door and started to walk towards the kitchen. I hugged and kissed Zina, her husband, Zack’s little brother Matt, and then the little ones before following Maria.

“I’m doing pretty well! I’m glad to be back in California!” I told her as I sat on a stool at the breakfast bar. Zina sat next to me with Gianna on her lap.

“Why’d you leave again?” Zina questioned as she let Gianna down to help her mom finish dinner. Gianna ran off to play with Gavin and Zacky.

“I ran off with a boyfriend that turned out to be no good.” I tried to keep it as vague as possible. Maria probably knew some things because of Zee and Zina might know a bit too but I highly doubt they know all the details. I can tell they were trying to see if I’d confide in them.

“We’re glad to have you back,” Maria told me sincerely as she and her daughter worked on dinner. I smiled at her before walking back into the living room. I saw Zack playing with the little ones, Edward (Zina’s husband) was talking to James, and Matt was on the couch doing nothing but texting. I decided to go and talk to him.

I sat next to Matt and smiled at him. “Matthew! Why are you so big? I miss you being a tiny little thing!” I pinched his cheeks and he pulled away as he chuckled.

“Stop it, Becka. I’m not a little kid anymore. I got bigger,” he told me as he poked me.

“I know, I know. I just miss you being tiny!” Matt got a text and read it. He started to smile and blush like a little girl so I snatched his phone away.

“No! Becka! Give me back my phone!” I ran up the stairs and went down the hall with Matt at my heels. I ran into Zacky’s old room and locked the door. Matt started to bang against it. “Seriously, Becka, give me my phone. Don’t be a nosy twat!”

I slammed the door open and threw the phone at him. “I wasn’t even going to read it, you dick. I was just messing around.” I walked past him and when I reached the stairs I said, “And if you call me anything along those lines again, I’ll slap the crap out of you.”

I huffed as I walked over to Zack. I grabbed Gavin and sat him on my lap as I sat next to Zack on the couch. Matt walked down the stairs with embarrassment written all over his face.

“What happened between you two up there?” questioned Zack in a low tone.

I let Gavin down so he could chase Gianna around as I turned to my boyfriend. “Nothing; I took his phone and ran with it but I wasn’t going to look through it or anything, I was just playing. But he got mad and called me a twat. So I told him I was kidding and called him a dick and that if he ever called me anything along those lines again that I’d slap the crap out of him.” I shrugged.

Zack furrowed his eyebrows with anger. “What the hell? Why is he even saying that word? Let alone calling you that?”

I shrugged. “Don’t worry though, I handled it. Don’t be mad at him and don’t let it ruin your night tonight.”

Zee scowled just as his mother announced that it was time to eat. Mr. and Mrs. Baker took the head of the table, Gavin and Gianna sat in between their parents on one end of the table while on the other sat Zack next to his mom, Matt next to his father, and me between the two. And the food was spread all over the table. It felt like Thanksgiving! But this was a regular family meal here in the Baker house! I can’t wait to see what Christmas or Thanksgiving is!

The rest of the night went fine. We ate until we couldn’t fit another bite and then we went into the sitting room to talk and catch up while the younger ones played. But it was their bedtime so Zina and Edward had to leave early to put them to sleep. Zacky and I left about an hour or so after them.

As we parked on our driveway, we noticed Brian’s car in front of the house. Why was he over? He knew we were going to be out with Zacky’s family. So why is he over? Did he and Chelle get into a fight? Is everything alright?

I practically ran out of the car and into the house. I was greeted by Majesty and Icky nipping at my legs but I pushed past them, screaming Brian’s name. Worry clear in my voice. He came out of the kitchen with a sandwich hanging from his mouth.

“What is it?” he asked with a mouthful of food. I rolled my eyes and punched his arm as I walked past him and into the kitchen. I went straight to the fridge and popped open a beer to take a long swig.

“I’m guessing you didn’t have a good time at Zack’s parent’s house?” Brian sat across from me to finish his sandwich with a confused look on his face.

I shook my head. “No. I had a great time. But Zack’s little brother, Matt, has a mouth on him.” I shook my head as I took out a cigarette from my clutch and took a long drag. Zack just walked into the kitchen wearing sweats… only sweats. He grabbed a bottle of beer and sat next to Brian.

“What did he say?”

I took another drag before responding. “He just called me a twat,” I said as if it weren’t such a big deal.

My twin burst into a fit of laughter. I rolled my eyes as I downed more of my alcohol. Zack even let out a chuckle but stopped when I gave him a glare.

He held his hands up. “It’s not my fault! It is actually pretty funny if you think about it! I mean, it was rude and he shouldn’t do it again, but it was still pretty fucking funny!”

I finished my beer before turning back to Brian, who calmed down and finished his sandwich by now. “Why are you here anyway?”

He ran his hand through his jet black hair before saying, “I was bored so I decided to come and wait for you two to get home.”

I walked over to the laundry room as Brian spoke and grabbed a pair of harem pants, my loose gray shirt, and my Hello Kitty slippers to change into. I changed right there in the laundry room and as I walked back I put my hair in a sloppy bun.

“You need to stop coming unannounced, sweetie! What if Zack and I are getting it on and you walk into our house while that’s going on?”

Brian clenched his jaw. “Then I will kick Baker’s ass for laying his hands on you!”

I giggled as I sat on my brother’s lap. “You can’t possibly think me and him don’t screw each other, can you? I mean, Brian, come on! We make love at least once a day!”
Brian shot up and I fell off his lap and onto the floor. His face turned red and he walked out of the kitchen and out the door. I got up and turned to Zack; I started to crack up instantly. Poor Brian got mad at the idea of his sister having sex with one of his friends. He’s such a baby.

“Does he still think you’re a virgin?” asked Zack as he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

I shook my head as I turned around to face him. “He knows for a fact that I’m not a virgin. You know, with me being an ex-stripper and a sex slave. Brian just doesn’t like the idea of me having sex with one of his good friends is all.”

Zack slid his hands up the sides of my body, kissing my neck. “Well, good thing he left when he did.”

I smirked up at my boyfriend, understanding what he meant. I grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs and into our bedroom so we could do exactly what Brian didn’t want us to do.