Chapter 8
Their meetings became regular in 'Dream cafe', the time started getting longer and longer. Loving each other's company, enjoying the small talk and relishing the feeling of true friendship. Scarlett was glad that she took Marie's advice, Zander was a wonderful friend. By the span of two months, they had managed to establish an amazing friendship.
Scarlett had invited Zander to her house for dinner. She mentioned that her friend will be home with her to her mother. The family didn't know that this best friend of hers was a male, except Marie. Trevor was thrilled, thinking that the friend was going to be a female, he was about to get disappointed.
" So, are all set to go to my house?" She asked him as they walked side by side. " Obviously! It's a pleasure to meet my bestie's parents and siblings, especially Trevor. He is the one who is overly thrilled isn't it?" He asked and they both laughed softly at that. " You're mean, Z. I could have told him that you're a guy, you know." She said in a fake, dramatic tone. " Oh, you love this just as much as I do, Letta." He snorted.
They had named each other names, avoiding their full names which felt like they were a mouthful. Scarlett simply called him Z, but he decided to invent his own name for her, Letta.
They were standing in front of Scarlett's house. She rang the doorbell and it burst open just as soon as her fingers left the switch. " Welcome!" Trevor said before he laid eyes on Zander. Once Trevor's eyes landed on the grown man in front of him, his overenthusiastic smile turned into a complete frown. " Uh- yeah... Come in." Now he was irritated, giving Scarlett a stinky eye before turning his back to them and walking inside hollering 'they're here!' as loud as he could.
They both stood there laughing with their hands muffling the possible loud snickers. That was the exact moment Marie came into view. " Hi, Zander! Please come in." Their father was walking towards the door. " Hello young man, I thought it would be a woman, but that's ok. Nobody is going to chew your head about that, well, except my son." He said and the four of them started laughing.
Once they were inside, Scarlett introduced Zander to her mother, her gaze lingered on him a bit longer, scrutiny, Scarlett smelled it. " We are just best friends, mom." She whispered in her ear. " I know." Her mother whispered back with a warm smile.
They were over with the formalities and called one another by names. " So, you're an archaeologist?" Trevor asked, trying to make a not so awkward conversation with Zander. " Yea, I am. You complete high school this year right?" Zander asked him. " Totally. I'm done with crazy high school!" Trevor exclaimed, earning a nasty glare from both of his sisters who comparatively seemed to love studying, unlike him. " What?! I'm just saying..." He looked at his plate and poked a lonely pea on his plate, squishing it with all his strength.
After a two minute awkward silence, they started talking again. Scarlett's parents liked Zander so much, who wouldn't? Even Trevor started liking Zander, they even started calling each other bro.
Marie secretly shipped both of them. She was glad that Zander brought about so many changes in her sister. She even made 2 friends in her class in college, other than Tania.
Scarlett had girls day out with her friends, Tania, Danielle, and Violet. She allowed Marie to tag along most of the times. Trevor was banned during those days, but he managed to meet all the three girls but he told Scarlett that none of them was his type, for which she was glad. She hated the idea of any of her friends dating her brother. Many people found that cute, but not her. She wasn't the one who shared her friends with anyone.
" Great food, Eva. My stomach is just as happy as me." Zander told Scarlett's mother. " It was nothing, Zander. Come over more often. You're like a breath of fresh air compared to this guy." She pointed to Trevor. He just smirked, knowing well that his mother was pulling his leg.
" Sure I will. Would you like to come over to my place for movie nights, Dan?" Zander asked Scarlett's father. " Yea dad, he watches movies with an old man who happens to be his boss," Scarlett smirked. " Hey! He is fun to be around. You'll love him, Dan."
With that, Zander walked out with Scarlett trialling behind. He hugged her before getting into his car. " Bye, Z!" She said, standing on the cold pavement. " Bye, Letta. Get inside. I'll leave now." He said but waited till she reached her door and drove away as Scarlett waved at the fast-moving car.
Marie was watching all of this from her window and let out a squeal. " I want my ship to sail!" She said loudly. " What ship?" Her mother's voice broke the dead silence in the room. " Mom! Uh... Ship? What- uh." She stammered and her mother dropped the serious expression and matched her previously excited expression. " I ship them too!" Her mom said suddenly.
Marie looked at her in disbelief. " Really?" She was unsure, but that cloud cleared when she saw the look in her eyes. " I love seeing them together. They might not feel anything now, but I have this gut feeling that they will develop feelings for each other." Eva gushed.
They were talking about the cute name that they gave one another when Scarlett entered the room. " Mom? What brings you here? " She asked curiously. " Nothing, sweety. We were just talking about how sweet your friend Zander was." She managed, it was partly true though. " I know right? He is an amazing person mom! I should thank Marie for convincing me to try having friends, I must admit that it's changing my social awkwardness." She said to which Marie and Eva shared a look that Scarlett couldn't figure.
She let that slip and walked back to her bedroom, jumping on her bed, she slept with a smile that marred her face. But she knew that there was something major missing in her life. Before she could think more about it, she fell asleep.