Zig pushed the dresser drawer shut, his fingers lingering on the intricately carved mahogany. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on, let’s not beat around the bush,” Miles said leaning against the door frame. “We both know what you’ve been up to.”
“And what? That’s one of the fees for renting out a room in Moneybags Mansion? Could you draft that up in the lease?” Zig said dryly.
“What kind of salesman are you? I’m looking to make a purchase. Tristan implied that you might have some weed.”
“Had,” Zig said, still holding onto his bag tightly.
“Well do you have more?”
“Maybe.”
“What’s the going rate?”
Zig narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “200.”
Miles laughed. “Wow. That must be some really good stuff.”
“Fine. 75.”
Miles took a fold of bills from his pocket and began counting money, before handing it to Zig.
Zig unzipped his bag and fished for the tear in the lining where a plastic baggy was tucked in. He measured out what looked like an ounce and dumped it into a smaller bag.
“You going to help me smoke this?”
ZIg shook his head. “I don’t.”
“Come on. My treat.”
“Does Maya know? She wouldn’t approve.”
Miles flicked the baggy between his fingers. “If we only did things that Maya approved of, then we’d never have any fun.”
Hi! Sorry this took me like a month to respond to!
He only took jobs outside the city, which was a pain without a car. He didn’t know why he was so paranoid about it. Most of his clients were -- well... on the older side, and it’s not like he knew many parents. Sure, there were a fair share of bachelorette parties filled with giggling girls only a few years out of Degrassi, but the number of competing tupperware parties and wino book clubs was staggering.
“Like you want me to play one of the characters from the book?” Zig had asked.
“No. They just want you to take your clothes off.”
Great. Yeah. He could do that. At least he could finally do something.
Tonight’s client was in the middle of suburbia, more than a mile from the nearest bus stop, and as he hiked up an epic hill that led to an even steeper private drive, he cursed at himself that he needed to get a damn car already.
He tapped on the front door. “Someone hired a dancer?” he said with a tight smile. Yep. Still hadn’t stopped being awkward.
The woman shrieked with laughter and he could already smell the wine on her breath. “Of course, of course come in!” She pulled him through the door, gripping at his biceps through his coat. “Do you need to change?” She was stroking his shoulders and chest now. God, she was handsy.
“Yeah.” He dug his phone out of his pocket. “Um, the playlist is on here if you want to plug it into your speakers.”
“Sure, sure,” she smiled approvingly. “Anything I can do to help.”
He showed himself to the guest bedroom and changed out of his street clothes, pausing in the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. He gripped the edge of the sink and then splashed his face again.
“You ready?” the woman asked, leading him to the living room. The lights were out and he could only make out the outline of sofas and the giggles from the crowd.
“Introducing Lucius Geronimo!” she called out then queued up the music.
He hit his starting pose and then started the routine he’d shamelessly lifted from Magic Mike. He’d barely made it through the first few eight counts when...
“Zig?”
He froze. He knew that voice. He frantically checked the seam of his breakaway pants to make sure they hadn’t split. He cleared his throat and tried to put on an easy smile. “Mrs. Matlin, hi!”
Wow, okay, was not expecting this. I have to admit I have never considered this pairing and don’t really know where to go with it? I don’t know. Maybe Jake and Zig end up in detention together around the time Zig is throwing garbage on teacher’s cars and Jake is breaking into the greenhouse, and Simpson decides that Jake is banned from the greenhouse and Zig’s community service for vandalism will be to tend to the greenhouse instead. Jake sort of becomes his mentor through this because Zig knows nothing about gardening, plus Zig is having a hard time coping with what happened in the greenhouse. Jake is also dealing with his trust issues after what happened with Katie. They bond through this vulnerable time and grow close. That’s all I got. I’m sorry!
You're probably not taking requests, but if you are, I'd love to read a short drabble about Maya, Zig and Tiny being roommates in California.
Sure! Here you go!
“Man, it’s freezing in here!” Tiny said, pulling the creaking door shut behind him and flipping the locks back into place. He rubbed his arms briskly as he headed towards the dial thermostat on the wall. “I didn’t know it could get this cold in Southern California.”
“Don’t you dare turn that on,” Zig said from the couch. “Last month we turned the heater on for a week and our electric bill went up $50.”
Tiny backed away from the offending appliance. “I think I’ll just put on a sweater.”
“You two realize that leaving a pan soaking in the sink doesn’t make it clean, right?” Maya said, stepping out from the kitchen with a burnt pot in hand.
“Then how do they end up that way?” Zig countered.
“Because I’m a sucker who knows how to use a sponge.” She inspected the pot more closely and cringed. “How did you even burn spaghetti?” She shook her head and tossed it back on the counter, then moved toward the thermostat to read it. “It’s freezing in here,” she said reaching for the dial.
“Don’t touch that!” Zig and Tiny shouted.
She scowled. “What’s the point of living in Southern California when it’s this cold?”
“Well it’s only going to get colder,” Zig said. “Apartment 3b took another marathon shower today, so we probably have 20 minutes of hot water left, tops.”
“Crap! Why didn’t you tell me that before I started the dishes?”
“I wanted to use that pan,” he shrugged.
“You are so making me dinner,” she said, shaking her head. “I call dibs on the shower,” she said, darting down the hallway.
Tiny sat on the couch beside Zig. “Rent’s due next week.”
Zig groaned. “Yeah, yeah, I get paid tomorrow, so I should have it by then.”
“Maybe we should think about getting a roommate, there are guys on campus always looking.”
“We’ve got three rooms, where exactly are they going to stay?”
“Your room.”
“No way! Why am I sharing?”
Tiny gave him a knowing look. “Come on man, when was the last time you slept in your bed?”
“Uh, last night?”
“Bull,” Tiny said. “I stole your sheets three weeks ago and you still haven’t noticed.”
“What the hell?”
“They were clean,” Tiny shrugged innocently.
“Fine, okay, it’s not like we’re doing anything. We’re just... sleeping.”
“Sure, whatever you say.”
“Still, it doesn’t mean I can just move into Maya’s room.”
“Why not?” Zig jumped at Maya’s voice. She combed her fingers through her damp hair, and squeezed onto the couch next to Tiny. “Then we could get a roommate, and maybe then we could afford cable.” She pouted at the neglected television. “God, I miss Bravo.”
“Are you sure though?” Zig said. “What if something happens?”
Tiny and Maya laughed.
Zig smiled tightly. “Great, then, I guess I’ll just sleep on the couch.”
“Don’t say that,” Maya said through her laughter. “I’m sure Tiny would be willing to share if you’re ever in the dog house.”
“I do like to cuddle,” Tiny said.
“Haha,” Zig said flatly as he stood. He moved to the thermostat and turned the dial, a moment later the furnace came to life with a creak and groan. “If we’re getting a roommate...”
Vignettes of Zaya post graduation. I don’t know how many I’ll write, or if I’ll write anymore than this one, but I wanted to explore them growing back together between graduation and their final shot.
"What is that?"
"Wow Zig, as a recent high school graduate, you'd think you'd be able to identify the United States," Maya said dryly. "Don't let Perrino know, he may take your diploma away."
Zig rolled his eyes. Maya was sitting at The Dot's largest table, and sprawled across it was a printed map larger than she was. "I know what it is," he said, placing the glass of iced tea she'd ordered on top of Wyoming. The cold glass immediately bled a ring through the ink and she scowled at him. "Why do you need a life size scale?"
"I'm planning our trip," she said, dabbing the ring with a napkin. Beside her phone was a ruler and a box of colored pencils. There were already a few marks drawn on. A big circle around Toronto, a gold star drawn around LA. "I may have gone overboard."
"You think?"
"Well how were you planning on getting there?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. Put the address in Google Maps, I guess."
"Use the GPS to drive directly there? Who are you?"
He glanced at the map. She'd even underlined Los Angeles and added a few exclamation points at the end. "I figured you'd be busy getting ready for school."
"School can wait," she said, smoothing her hands over the map to keep the edges from curling. "It's my new mantra -- if you only live for tomorrow you'll always miss today. So what are we going to do today?"
The Dot was practically dead this time of year with everyone out of school and at the beach. His only other table were practically swallowing each other's faces in the corner, and didn't look like they'd want to be bothered any time soon.
"Plan our trip," he said, sitting in the chair beside her.
"Where to first?"
Zig narrowed his eyes as he inspected the dark highway lines spread like a spiderweb across the page. "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," he said tapping on Ohio. "That's in Cleveland right?"
She smiled brightly and drew a circle around the city. "Yeah," she said. "And Memphis, we should stop there too."
"I didn't think you liked country music."
"Not really, but we can't miss Graceland!"
"Or Dollywood," he agreed as she circled Tennessee.
"And New Orleans."
"Ah, yes, the birthplace of jazz."
"Well, yeah," she said, searching to Gulf Coast for the name. "Plus I hear the food is pretty killer. Maybe you'll find some inspiration."
It always caught him off guard. Maya was probably the most caring and generous person he knew, and yet it always caught him off guard whenever he noticed that she cared about him.
"In that case, we should add Kansas City to the list," he said, pointing at what he thought was Kansas. It was Missouri. Why would they do that? "Their barbecue is supposed to be legendary."
"We should find some festivals too. I think Burning Man is in August."
"How long are you planning for this trip to be?" he asked.
"As long as it takes."
He bit his lip to keep from smiling. He'd only started at The Dot two weeks ago after Tiny had vouched for him. It was the only income he had. Income that he sorely needed now that he was 18 and out of school, which meant he was no longer had a bed in his group home. And yet he was ready to walk out the door and hit the road today if Maya asked him.
He'd do anything for her.
"Maya, is this a bad idea?"
"A road trip?"
He looked away. "You're leaving and I'm staying here."
"What are you talking about, Zig?"
"Maybe you should hitch a ride with your sister, or Tiny even."
"Did I do something wrong?"
Zig groaned and shut his eyes tight. Great. Now he was wallowing. "Forget it," he said, pushing back his chair to stand.
Maya caught his arm. "No, talk to me."
"We're friends right?"
"Obviously."
"And that's it."
This time Maya looked away. "I don't know." They were both quiet. "Have we ever been just friends? Is that even possible?"
"Then what are we doing?"
She picked up her pencil to circle another town. "Today we're planning our trip. We'll figure out tomorrow when it gets here."
He sat down and reached for his own pencil. "Burning Man it is," he said. He stared at the map. "I have no idea where that is."
"Me either," she laughed, reaching for her phone to search for it.
His eyes continued to flit between Toronto and Los Angeles. An entire continent between them. Today. They were still here today, he tried to remind himself, but tomorrow wouldn't wait forever.
maya-matlin replied to your post: The last present day shot is of Tiny, Zig, and...
I'm glad they resolved that. I only with Maya/Saad also got some closure. Since they were actually friends.
I’m glad, at least, that Maya defended Saad when she heard he was reported. It just seemed so weird to have Esme and Zig blame Saad for what happened to Maya and then never resolve it. But Maya probably never knew why Zig and Saad fought (I’m sure everyone just assumed it was about the painting of Esme) and Saad was going through so much, he probably thought talking to Maya would only make things worse.
