CHAPTER 146
AUTHOR'S POV
Zane had a straight face all along as he said to his sister, "Watch me."
"Zane please", Zendaya grabbed his arm, softly, stopping him and pleading, "please don't tell them, I already apologized for scaring you or making you worry."
Her eyes pleaded too, this was the first time she had done something like this, plus she did not want anyone finding out about anything for now.
"Just got to bed", Zane sighed and left.
"Aish", Zendaya hissed and ruffled her hair. She was really hoping and praying her brother doesn't tell their parents tomorrow.
Throughout the night, it was a bit hard for Zendaya to sleep. She kept thinking and thinking about Alexander and the kiss they shared, Goddess, her brain, and body were on fire.
She had informed him when she had gotten home though, they did not talk about the kiss but just short talks about reaching home, and going to bed, things like that.
When Zendaya was finally able to sleep, she slept like a baby.
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The next morning, same routine, they were now downstairs having breakfast. Zendaya's parents had come back early that morning, now they were all seated at the table.
As for Zendaya, she kept throwing glances at her twin brother just to be sure that he would side with her and not tell their parents.
Finally, she could actually breathe, because breakfast was finally over and Zane was not going to tell on her.
"Zendaya sneaked out last night and got back home late, dressed up and acting suspicious."
The sentence rang in Zendaya's ears as she looked up from her plate, at Zane.
"What?", Lincoln asked and turned to Zendaya, "Is that true?"
"Zane!", Zendaya called out to him through gritted teeth, "But I pleaded with you."
"Zendaya, did you leave the pack without informing anyone," Montana asked her daughter.
Zendaya was so hurt that Zane could not even cover for her and here she was thinking she could confide in him, she turned to her parents, "Yes," she answered softly, "But I promise I was careful, I just went to a hang-out I was invited too."
"A hangout? With whom? But she would not say," Zane added, and Zendaya had enough of it.
"Just stop it and stop acting like you are all perfect Zane, I told you I went out with some girls, what is your problem?", she yelled at him.
"My concern is that, you are lying Zendaya, you are lying, the way you sneaked in, how you dressed, just everything about yesterday and what you told me were all lies," Zane yelled back.
"Gosh I hate the way you sometimes act, what did I ever do to you? I apologized, I pleaded, for crying out so loud, why can't you just be a brother to me?", Zendaya cried out. It may seem like something so little, but it really hurt her a lot.
"I am being a brother to you and that is why I am doing this. Do you know how terrified I was?", Zane said to her but more calmly, "Do you know how scared I was, worrying about what to do next, especially for the face you would not pick your damn phone."
Zane closed her eyes and took a deep breath, at this point she just felt like, Zane wanted their parents to scold her or something because he just kept spitting everything, not even trying to hide some things.
She was about to respond to Zane when Lincoln stopped her, "That is enough. Your brother only cared for you and is doing what is best for you."
Zendaya chuckled sadly, "Of course, you would side with him", she turned to her mother, waiting for some reassurance, it seemed like everyone at the table was taking his side.
"Don't talk like that princess", Lincoln's mother, who was also at the table, said to Zendaya, "Don't think like that, we all just want what's best for you."
"But I did not do anything wrong", Zendaya, still tried to defend herself.
"Then what are you hiding from us?", Lincoln asked her, watching his daughter closely, "What is it, that you find so difficult to tell us?", he had been seeing the signs as well but just thought it was a normal thing because she often left the pack more times than she usually does, so there was something definitely drawing her out.
"Nothing Dad, can't I go out anymore? Can't I hang out with friends? I don't understand what I did wrong", Zendaya's voice was raised a bit because she was already so frustrated.
"You are only seventeen, you cannot be sneaking out, without telling anyone and doing whatever you like," Montana said to her daughter.
"Just tell us what you have been up to," Zane added.
"Just shut the fuck up, Zane. Shut it, this is all your fault, you should have just kept your mouth shut," Zendaya yelled at him, losing it altogether, she did not care if her parents were with them or not.
Zane just kept making things worse for her.
"Don't speak to me that way", Zane got up and yelled back, his voice much louder and authoritative, "Just because I want to see you safe, does not mean I am a bad person for speaking up, since you would not."
A fight was about to burst out because Zendaya was super annoyed, her hands were now shaking and she was so angry to the extent that her eyes were getting filled up.
"You are grounded, you have no respect for your elders at the table and still disobeyed me when I told you it was enough," Lincoln said calmly as Zendaya turned to her father, "You will not leave this pack until I change my mind and even after I change my mind, you will let at least two people know where you are going before you leave, have I made myself clear Zendaya?"
"But Dad, Zane also disobeyed you", Zendaya argued, "Please I'm sorry, it won't happen again, I promise to let someone know, I know it's not safe, and I can take care of myself."
"Have I made myself clear?"Lincoln asked once again, his voice leaving no room for further arguments.