Dizzy

Chapter 27

~ Dylan ~

I'm freaking out. Yeah, I know. I should totally be over freaking out by now, but this time it has nothing to do with the wedding, Mom, or even wanting to run away from Ziah. It has to do with seeing her and putting it all out there with her again. It's the second... third time I've had to do it, but she's worth it.

We're both worth it.

All I have to do now is hope she's not with James.

Dad and Derrick were obviously thinking ahead because they brought their tuxes with them to the beach house. Paul showed up, and now we're all decked out on our way to Vista House.

"Is she coming?" I ask Derrick.

I'd been afraid to ask him before, but I need to know. Regardless, I'll be good. I'm over it.

"Nah." He shakes his head. "It was never about that, D. I think I just needed her to know we're good—that we turned out okay without her."

I nod. "Yeah, I can kind of get that."

"Are you nervous?" he asks. He's in the passenger side of Mary. Dad and Paul are in Dad's car.

"Aren't I supposed to be asking you that? You're the one about to go down the aisle."

"And I'm seriously going to celebrate the hell out of it. I can't wait, but that's not what I mean. Rumor has it some stuff went down with you and Ziah."

A laugh jumps out of my mouth. "Rumor has it? Why don't you just say Ziah said something to Lora who then said something to you? Dumbass."

I glance over and see my brother smirk at me. I wonder if I should feel weird talking to him about Ziah, or if he's going to warn me away from her again, but I squash those thoughts quick. Somehow, I think we're past that.

"I like her a lot, but she was with James. I don't know what's going on."

Derrick sighs. "What's going on is you reacting before you think, like always. She was upset, D. Talk to her. It'll be cool."

We don't get a chance to continue because I'm pulling into parking lot of Vista House.

***

I'm outside when the limo pulls up. My heart rate kicks up a few notches. Ziah is the first one to step out. I expect to see her in her dress, but she's wearing a tiny tank top and a pair of jeans and running shoes. Only her. Her hair is all done though—curls and knots on the top of her head with little strands falling down.

Her eyes catch mine and holds them. She's got a lot of make-up on—way more than usual—but she's still gorgeous. Stupidly, I hold my hand up and give her a small wave.

"Ziah! Hurry. Derrick's not out there is he?" Lora pulls her attention away from me as I walk over to see if they need any help.

"Hey," I say to Ziah. "He's not out here."

"Hey," she says.

"Crap. I'm stuck," Lora says from inside the limo, and I hear girls giggling while they do whatever it is they're doing in there.

Ziah takes a step toward me, her face looks so uncertain. "James is just a friend. It was a project. It's not—"

"Dylan! Come here, man. I need your help." Derrick steps outside, and all the girls start screaming and yelling for him to go away because he can't see Lora.

Knowing they'll lose it, and Derrick needs me for whatever, I smile at her and touch one of those strands of hair before I turn and jog inside—already missing her.