another zara+jax story: independently gone bats 1/4 (F/f eventually)

Caroline was home for the summer after finishing her first year in college.

Hailey, newly graduated and living in New York, was visiting for July 4th weekend.

They wanted to take 13-year-old Zara to a party.

It was Caroline's idea initially.
Hailey, however, is the inimitable social planner in every group of people she has ever encountered.
Caroline was more than happy to let big sis run with it.

Jackie looked at them as if they had unequivocally lost their minds.

~~~~~

Zara wasn't strongly invested in this little plan--or perhaps project would be more accurate.
But for "simple curiosity", she Ok'd moving forward with it.
Neither large social gatherings nor strangers in any number are real high on Z's likes list.
She knew perfectly well, however, what this was about.

Neither Caroline nor, even more so, Hailey had been around enough in the last two years to 'wear her down' as Tay and Issac had--
In other words, they hadn't had the opportunity to really get to know Zara as their dad and younger little brother did.
However, they both very much wanted to build a closer relationship with Z--whom each had already embraced as their "little sis."

On Z's part, the very concept was fascinating, compelling...and real fucking scary.
Having sisters--particularly older ones--seemed something enviable to Z.
Sisters have a very special kind of bond, she had heard.
Z yearned to share in that.
Simultaneously, the idea of such closeness, specifically and generally both, frightened her--although not as much as it once did.

Z had made great progress in believing that the Rosen's considered her, and truly did want her, to be a member of the family.
She was most genuinely secure naturally in her relationship with Jax, that she really was "her girl," and yes, with an obligatory , her "little one" too.
Z still had her moments however.
And she couldn't deny the pangs of jealousy she felt at times towards "the girls."

Nevertheless, Z could not help but to feel flattered, honored even, by Hailey and Caroline's eager efforts to include her--
Never mind their utter lack of a clue that it was irrelevant to knowing her.

[[Although they really are very rational, balanced, and responsible young adults the vast majority of the time, the Rosen sisters also share a tendency, every once in a blue moon, to lose a few screws when their minds get fixated on something...]]

Moreover, Z simply could not bring herself to dampen Hailey's excitement especially--
The oldest Rosen sister on a social crusade is quite something to behold...


~~~~~~~~~~


23-year-old Hailey enthusiastically presented the plan to her parents.

Jackie said, "Have you gone completely MAD?!"

Taylor sat back to watch the show.
Zara passed him the popcorn.

"What do you mean mom? What's the problem?" Hailey feigned ignorance.

"The 'problem' Hailey is that she is thirteen years old. Even the 'cool mom' ain't that cool."

"Oh mom, come on. We're not taking her to a frat party or something! You know Danny. He has this big all-day bar-b-q every year; and we all bring our baby brothers and sisters along. It's a blast. And, I mean, Caroline's been going with me for ages!"

Caroline bit down on her tongue--hard--bristling at the indignity.
But Hailey is a pro, she reminded herself; she would save expressing her outrage for later.

Jackie eyed the two of them suspiciously.
Chanting to herself, *I will not become my mother. I will not...*, she tried to formulate a response other than, "I said NO...Because I'm the mom and I SAID so, that's why."

"One, I am pretty sure 'ages' does not extend as far back as to when Caroline was 13. Two, yes of course I know Danny; and I am very familiar with the annual 'Independence' day 'bash.'"

The intended meaning behind Jackie's choice of words and intonation was unknown, but she managed to make it sound foreboding nonetheless.

"I also know very well," Jackie continued, "that your friends' 'baby' siblings will not be limited in their choice of beverages."

She looked pointedly at 19-year-old Caroline, who had drawn blood with the repeated insult to her practically-an-adult status.
*Hailey had better come up with something good,* she grimaced.
*And soon--I could have told her the juvenile, histrionic crap wouldn't work.*


"Mom," Hailey began, calm and confident. "You and dad have always trusted us to be smart and to exercise the good judgment that you guys taught us. And Caroline and I both have always done so. And you know we would NEVER let anything happen to Z!"

She paused before adding, "Besides, we all know how Z feels about drinking. She would as soon take a sip of alcohol as go running naked in the streets."

Tay burst out laughing and nearly fell off the couch.
Z started to unzip her hoodie.
Caroline fruitlessly tried to muffle her giggles.

And Hailey looked quite pleased with herself.

"I need some fresh air," Jackie grumbled and stalked out towards the deck.

Hailey and Caroline pumped their fists in the air.


~~~~~~~~~~


About ten minutes later, an all-business mama bear strode back into the living room.

"You two," Jackie pointed at Hailey and Caroline, "will both keep your eyes on her at all times. You will also use especially good judgment in all ways. And yes, I do trust you to be safe, but I am driving you all anyway."

She turned around to address and point at Zara now. "And you, little one, if you at all value the comfort of your bottom, will behave yourself."

Poor Z turned 17 shades of red.
However, Tay, Hailey and Caroline were gracious enough to show no visible reactions.

"And the second you want to leave," Jax continued, you will call me immediately to come get you. Are we clear Zara?"

Zara nodded with all the dignity she could muster.


Hailey's description of the bar-b-q as an "all day" affair was no exaggeration.
It would start at noon and go to midnight at the very least.
Whether driving or not, Hailey and Caroline would likely sleep at a friends' house nearby Danny's.
There was no need to set any "curfew" for Z however.
Jax gave it 3 hours tops for Z to have more than her fill.


"And you two overgrown schemers?" Jackie turned back to face the grinning victors. "Do we understand one another?"

"Yes mom," they sang in chorus.

"Good," Jackie exhaled pseudo-gruffly.

Hailey attacked her first with kisses and a bear hug.
"Thanks mom! You are the COOLEST, the bestest EVER!"
Caroline gave Z a high-five and they quickly had Jackie surrounded.
She was outnumbered again, and no match for her three girls celebrating a mission accomplished.
Jackie reveled in the moment, even as she muttered, "I still think you've all gone soft in the head."

~~~~~

As Hailey and Caroline went trotting up the steps, the younger sister called out, "Come on Z, we've gotta get ready to take you shopping!"

Jax and Taylor both laughed as Z stared at their retreating backs in abject horror.
"Chi cazzo spiked their cornflakes anyway?" she groused.
"Or YOURS for that matter!" Z glowered when Jax put an arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that lovey. I must have gone daft there for a moment myself," Jax winked. "Not that I didn't mean what I said, little one...but it wasn't fair to embarrass you and I do apologize."

*HMPH*

Jax leaned down and rested her chin on the top of Z's head. "Aww, come on kiddo--pleeeaaase forgive me?"

"Oh, ALLRIGHT," she grumbled.
Although she was still irritated, it was as much because she never could seem to stay mad at Jax for very long goddammit.

"Are you sure you really even want to go Z?" Jax asked, serious now.

"Jax, I'll be fine. Really I will," Z answered the question she knew Jax was really asking.

Just then, they heard voices calling for Z from upstairs.

"The two of them are really going all out, eh?" Jax smiled, also fully aware of--and equally dubious about--the purpose of Hailey and Caroline's efforts.

"Goddess, help me," Z dramatized as she made her exit.


"Oh, by the way, thanks SO much for all your help there Dad," Jackie said as Tay came and put his arms around her from behind.

"Sorry darlin'. But only a man with a death-wish would go near a pack of sparring Rosen women," he drawled.
"Tell ya what though, babe?" Tay continued as he kissed Jax's neck. "I promise I'll make it up to you."

"Mmmm..."


~~~~~~~~~~


Hailey and Caroline played dress-up, with an unenthused Zara as their doll.

First, they put her in a "cute" little wrap around skirt.

"A skirt!" Z screeched. "Jax is right. Ya'll have lost every last one of your fuckin' marbles!"

They swore to her that the thin strip in the pattern was red.
Z was positive it was pink.
Pink!
Oh, they would pay.

Hailey and Caroline insisted she wear a "real" bra under the fitted, wide-strapped tank that perfectly matched Z's striking green eyes.

"What in the porca miseria would I need that for?!"

Z reasonably informed them they were "mad as hatters" when they compromised on a sports bra that didn't actually look like one???

4'8" Zara would not budge on the shoes however.
The strappy and chunk-heeled sandals "won't be making me look any damn taller when I hit the ground face fuckin' first."

"Oh, alright. Fine Z. But could you at least wear your not-quite-so-'granola' Birks, like the half-decent looking pair we got you for Christmas?" Caroline said in her best tone of Hah-vard condescension.

"It would be my pleasure," she smirked.

Hailey and Caroline though were equally staunch in their refusal to allow Z to wear her medium-length black curls in the uniform ponytail.

"You have gorgeous hair Z," Hailey chided as she gleefully polluted the soft tresses with "that smelly gunky shit."

Then she held Z down while Caroline applied some lip-gloss and a bit of eyeliner.

"HELP! I'm being bloody tortured! My sisters are fucking WACKOS! Fuori come un balcone!! HELP!"

~~~~~

For an undersized, tomboyish 13-year-old, Z really does "clean up good."

Her soft black curls are quite lovely.
The flashing green eyes tell a thousand stories.
Her olive complexion seems to enhance even further the fantastically defined musculature that comes from the eight years already spent as a competitive gymnast--who, according to local and regional legend, has never lost a meet.
Zara refuses to confirm or deny.

The fact is, with the addition of her unassuming but enigmatic presence, Z possesses an unconventional--according to fascist cultural ideals that is, the proud little 'radical' would likely say --beauty that can be neither masked nor artificially augmented.

And the standard uniform--athletic pants, tees and sweatshirts, the 'cool-messy' ponytail--that she seeks to find anonymous comfort in?...Like all the other tactics, to Z's great annoyance, it doesn't work so much.


~~~~~~~~~~


As Jackie predicted, the phone rang not quite three hours after she dropped her three daughters off at "Danny boys," as Z referred to Hailey's friend since high school.

"Hello?"
"Yeah, can you pick me up now?" Zara spoke abruptly.
"Uh, sure lovey, I'll leave in about five minutes."
*CLICK*

Jackie suddenly had a bad, bad feeling in the pit of her stomach...

- posted by unquiet @ 5:20 PM

oh no don't you put me in that box you know what you can do with those locks bet your life i'll come crawling out again you'll have to deal with me then you'll hear me in the wind...